An Apologetic Ode to Sam Kinison: April 10, 1992 – Oh! Oh! Ohhhhhhhhh!

[2PhiloVoid]

As some of you who are slightly older may remember, there lived for a relatively short time a relatively minor comedian by the name of Sam Kinison. Surprisingly, or perhaps not too surprisingly in this day and age, Sam gained notoriety for having been a former Pentecostal preacher turned apostate from the Christian faith. He was known not only for his vociferous denunciation of his former faith but he expressed it with expletives amplified by a most bombastic scream as a trademark.

Why do I bring this up? Well, for several reasons, one of which is that today is April 10th, 2019, an anniversary of Sam Kinison's tragic death. Another reason is that he is etched aesthetically upon my own mind, even if just as an occasional, minor afterthought which reminds me about our mortality and the possibility of that there is a God in Heaven who looks down upon us each day and, who although seemingly Hidden, sometimes may make certain arrangements for us in our lives.

A third reason is that just a few months before Sam Kinison had his fatal car wreck back in 1992, I saw him up close in a record shop at the local mall. Of course, I wouldn't say that there was anything overly impressive about him: he was fairly short in stature, balding but with wispy, stringy like hair. I might not have recognized him if I had just been walking by him, being that he was wearing dark sunglasses along with something like a leather breton hat, a cut-off sleeveless shirt and some worn jeans.

As I remember, I was looking through the cd's in the music store, and I heard his voice speaking out in friendly rapport with the music store clerk, the clerk getting a picture with Sam and then getting an autograph. I just sat there frozen in wonder. Not awe, mind you, just wonder. I asked myself, “Was this the same guy I'd seen on t.v. whose scream set him apart from other comedians, even if not fully for the purpose of my laughter? Was this the same screaming comedian whose sense of offensive humor caught the approval of my best friend and roommate at the time and whose own struggles with the Christian faith reflected those of Sam Kinison (remember, we're talking 1992 here) ? Why, yes, it seemed to be “that same guy”!

Sam Kinison's Biography
https://www.biography.com/people/sam-kinison-424006

Then, as a number of people learned on April 10, 1992, Sam Kinison was killed in a car wreck, perhaps one due to his own fault as a person who pushed the limits of propriety. Others in the car were injured by his misjudgments while driving. Whatever the case was, I've often wondered what was going on in Sam Kinison's mind those last 10 seconds before impact. Was he daring God? Was he betting a roulette wheel that if God existed, God would make this catastrophic instance “work out”? Or, as I really, really hope it was, he was thinking, “My Lord and My God! I'm sorry! I screwed up! Forgive me?!"

And lastly, reason number Four. Just a few years ago I found myself in an on-line skirmish of wits with a somewhat formidable Ex-Christian, a leading voice. I won't name a name or cite his forum moniker here, but I will say that on April 10th of that year (just a few years ago), I essentially challenged him and some of his fellow onlookers with what I've shared above about Sam Kinison. Frankly, I did so as a kind of “apologetic warning.” I did so because I felt that this leading voice was someone who was especially influential in dragging others away from the Christian faith. Very sadly to say, I found out that just a few years afterward, that specific leading voice with whom I had had a small battle of wits was apparently killed in a fashion not dissimilar to that of Sam Kinison. To the extent that there may have been some exacting parallels in the lives of that ex-christian voice and Sam Kinison, I'll leave that to our the imaginations.

What I want to do at this moment, however, is present what I consider to be an 'ode' of sorts to Sam Kinison. I'd like to imagine what he instead would have been like if, perhaps, Sam had come back to the faith and been a Christian rock star rather rather than an anti-christian mouth for the world of comedy. I found a song I think is fitting. The title of the song is: COLLIDE, and it is sung by a former Christian rock star of the band, Whitecross, [Scott Wenzel] whose voice seems somewhat reminiscent of Sam Kinison's. So, in addition to some of what we know of Sam's last words, here's what I hope was running through Sam's mind (and heart) during those last few seconds before He came face to face with his Creator. And Sam, I do very much hope you're resting in peace:

Lyrics for "Collide," by Whitecross [...a favorite song of mine!]

Imagination plays with truth and lies
Deliberation, only good when love's alive
Only good, when love's alive

Oh how he waits, oh how he waits
Yes tonight he waits for you
Do you know he waits don't you walk away
He gave his life for you

If I start to daydream, it's because I'm all right
I'm only waiting for God to make it right
I have no talent, no gift to offer you
Oh, oh, oh, empty room
Empty rooms!

Oh how he waits, oh how he waits
Yes tonight he waits for you
Do you know he waits don't you walk away
He gave his life for you

Oh how he waits, don't you know he waits
Yes he took the pain for you
Do you know he waits, don't you walk away
He gave his life for you

When it seems that all is lost
You are close now count the cost
When your life and his collide
You will know there's hope inside​

Songwriters: Joshua David Silverberg / Chris Mcleod

Collide lyrics © Meaux Hits, Red Red Soda Pop

 

[bhsmte]

Not unusual, for entertainers to be completely different people in their private lives, as compared to their stage performances.

After all, they are essentially acting and trying to entertain.

 

[Moral Orel]

The first time I saw Sam Kinison was on an episode of "Married With Children". They were spoofing "It's a Wonderful Life" and Sam was Al Bundy's angel.

I tried watching his standup, but I didn't care for it. Too gimmicky.

I also attended a Pentecostal church for a few years in my teens. It was... weird... I had no idea Sam was ever involved in a church like that, let alone a preacher. That's interesting.

 

[Moral Orel]

Not unusual, for entertainers to be completely different people in their private lives, as compared to their stage performances.

After all, they are essentially acting and trying to entertain.

I've heard a few comics complain about people expecting them to be like their onstage personas. Hannibal Burress complained about people telling him to tell them jokes. Mike Birbiglia did a bit about his doctor asking him "Why aren't you funny right now?". He said, "I'm going to tell this story later to strangers. You're the joke".

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Not unusual, for entertainers to be completely different people in their private lives, as compared to their stage performances.

After all, they are essentially acting and trying to entertain.

Sure. But sometimes, occasionally, what we, the audience, receive on stage from the entertainer isn't far from the truth.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

The first time I saw Sam Kinison was on an episode of "Married With Children". They were spoofing "It's a Wonderful Life" and Sam was Al Bundy's angel.

I tried watching his standup, but I didn't care for it. Too gimmicky.

I also attended a Pentecostal church for a few years in my teens. It was... weird... I had no idea Sam was ever involved in a church like that, let alone a preacher. That's interesting.

...I think I first saw Sam in that Rodney Dangerfield movie ... "Back to School" (1986). [How interesting, now that I think about it. That was the same year I became acquainted with Christianity.]

 

[Halbhh]

As some of you who are slightly older may remember, there lived for a relatively short time a relatively minor comedian by the name of Sam Kinison. Surprisingly, or perhaps not too surprisingly in this day and age, Sam gained notoriety for having been a former Pentecostal preacher turned apostate from the Christian faith. He was known not only for his vociferous denunciation of his former faith but he expressed it with expletives amplified by a most bombastic scream as a trademark.

Why do I bring this up? Well, for several reasons, one of which is that today is April 10th, 2019, an anniversary of Sam Kinison's tragic death. Another reason is that he is etched aesthetically upon my own mind, even if just as an occasional, minor afterthought which reminds me about our mortality and the possibility of that there is a God in Heaven who looks down upon us each day and, who although seemingly Hidden, sometimes may make certain arrangements for us in our lives.

A third reason is that just a few months before Sam Kinison had his fatal car wreck back in 1992, I saw him up close in a record shop at the local mall. Of course, I wouldn't say that there was anything overly impressive about him: he was fairly short in stature, balding but with wispy, stringy like hair. I might not have recognized him if I had just been walking by him, being that (as I remember) he was wearing dark sunglasses along with something like a leather breton hat, a cut-off sleeveless shirt and some worn jeans.

As I remember, I looked through the cd's in the music store, and I heard his voice speaking out in friendly rapport with the music store clerk, the clerk getting a picture with Sam and then getting an autograph. I just sat there frozen in wonder. Not awe, mind you, just wonder. I asked myself, “Was this the same guy I'd seen on t.v. whose scream set him apart from other comedians, even if not fully for the purpose of my laughter? Was this the same screaming comedian whose sense of offensive humor caught the approval of my best friend and roommate at the time and whose own struggles with the Christian faith reflected those of Sam Kinison (remember, we're talking 1992 here) ? Why, yes, it seemed to be “that same guy”!

Sam Kinison's Biography
https://www.biography.com/people/sam-kinison-424006

Then, as a number of people learned on April 10, 1992, Sam Kinison was killed in a car wreck, perhaps one due to his own fault as a person who pushed the limits of propriety. Others in the car were injured by his misjudgments while driving. Whatever the case was, I've often wondered what was going on in Sam Kinison's mind those last 10 seconds before impact. Was he daring God? Was he betting a roulette wheel that if God existed, God would make this catastrophic instance “work out”? Or, as I really, really hope it was, he was thinking, “My Lord and My God! I'm sorry! I screwed up! Forgive me?

And lastly, reason number Four. Just a few years ago I found myself in on-line skirmish of wits with a somewhat formidable Ex-Christian, a leading voice. I won't name a name or cite his forum moniker here, but I will say that on April 10th of that year (again, just a few years ago), I essentially challenged him and some of his fellow onlookers with what I've shared above about Sam Kinison. Frankly, I did so as a kind of “apologetic warning.” I did so because I felt that this leading voice was someone who was especially influential in dragging others away from the Christian faith. Very sadly to say, I found out that just a few years ago, that specific leading voice with whom I had a small battles of wits was apparently killed in a fashion not disimilar to that of Sam Kinison. To what other extent there were exacting parallels, I leave that to the imagination.

What I want to do at this moment, however, is present what I consider to be an 'ode' of sorts to Sam Kinison. I'd like to imagine what he instead would have been like if, perhaps, Sam had come back to the faith and been a Christian rock star rather rather than an anti-christian mouth for the world of comedy. I found a song I think is fitting. The title of the song is: COLLIDE, and it is sung by a former Christian rock star of the band, Whitecross, [Scott Wenzel] whose voice seems somewhat reminiscent of Sam Kinison's. So, in addition to some of what we know of Sam's last words, here's what I hope was running through Sam's mind (and heart) during those last few seconds before He came face to face with his Creator. And Sam, I do very much hope you're resting in peace:

Lyrics for "Collide," by Whitecross [...a favorite song of mine!]

Imagination plays with truth and lies
Deliberation, only good when love's alive
Only good, when love's alive

Oh how he waits, oh how he waits
Yes tonight he waits for you
Do you know he waits don't you walk away
He gave his life for you

If I start to daydream, it's because I'm all right
I'm only waiting for God to make it right
I have no talent, no gift to offer you
Oh, oh, oh, empty room
Empty rooms!

Oh how he waits, oh how he waits
Yes tonight he waits for you
Do you know he waits don't you walk away
He gave his life for you

Oh how he waits, don't you know he waits
Yes he took the pain for you
Do you know he waits, don't you walk away
He gave his life for you

When it seems that all is lost
You are close now count the cost
When your life and his collide
You will know there's hope inside​

Songwriters: Joshua David Silverberg / Chris Mcleod

Collide lyrics © Meaux Hits, Red Red Soda Pop

I've been reading through the old testament again in a through fashion (unlike my normal reading books here and there), and just by chance I read this late last night as I was about to go to sleep, and just ended at these verses just below actually.

We don't know what people might choose in their last moments, but it matters what we choose quite a lot:

25 When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone,
but the righteous stand firm forever.
...
27 The fear of the Lord adds length to life,
but the years of the wicked are cut short.
28 The prospect of the righteous is joy,
but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing."

Proverbs 10 NIV

We are all under "from dust to dust".

It's a very helpful thing to remember!

 

[Halbhh]

...

Lyrics for "Collide," by Whitecross [...a favorite song of mine!]

Imagination plays with truth and lies
Deliberation, only good when love's alive
Only good, when love's alive

Oh how he waits, oh how he waits
Yes tonight he waits for you
Do you know he waits don't you walk away
He gave his life for you

If I start to daydream, it's because I'm all right
I'm only waiting for God to make it right
I have no talent, no gift to offer you
Oh, oh, oh, empty room
Empty rooms!

Oh how he waits, oh how he waits
Yes tonight he waits for you
Do you know he waits don't you walk away
He gave his life for you

Oh how he waits, don't you know he waits
Yes he took the pain for you
Do you know he waits, don't you walk away
He gave his life for you

When it seems that all is lost
You are close now count the cost
When your life and his collide
You will know there's hope inside​

Songwriters: Joshua David Silverberg / Chris Mcleod

Collide lyrics © Meaux Hits, Red Red Soda Pop

Great song.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Great song.

Yeah. In the context of this thread, I sometimes wonder if the band members of Whitecross wrote it in reflection upon Sam Kinison, being that this song was written and published 4 years after Sam's passing. It's thematic imagery is uncannily relevant. I'll have to see if I can dig up anything on its intended 'meaning' and inspiration. Regardless, I do think its a good rock song.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

The first time I saw Sam Kinison was on an episode of "Married With Children". They were spoofing "It's a Wonderful Life" and Sam was Al Bundy's angel.

I tried watching his standup, but I didn't care for it. Too gimmicky.

I also attended a Pentecostal church for a few years in my teens. It was... weird... I had no idea Sam was ever involved in a church like that, let alone a preacher. That's interesting.

... but yeah, Sam was a former preacher, even if only for several years until the world got under his collar.

I don't think you've shared that you had some past experiences in a Pentecostal church before. That, too, is interesting. ... and I think I also saw the same episode of Married w/Children. I don't remember the specifics of it, just that he was 'in' it at some point.

 

[Halbhh]

(moved to PM)

 

[Chesterton]

Surprisingly, or perhaps not too surprisingly in this day and age, Sam gained notoriety for having been a former Pentecostal preacher turned apostate from the Christian faith.

Huh, I didn't know that either.

Whatever the case was, I've often wondered what was going on in Sam Kinison's mind those last 10 seconds before impact.

At the time it happened, his brother reported that, in his last moments before dying, he was having a conversation with someone, and seemingly getting answers.

Comedian Sam Kinison Death Reveals Bizarre Conversation

Yeah, that shouting he did. Norm MacDonald tells a story, where one time he and Sam were taking a flight together, on a plane full of people. You know how they make that little announcement at the beginning of the flight? Through the speakers everyone hears "I'm Captain Johnson, and I'll be your pilot tonight." And Sam screams out "OH NO! NOT 'CRASH' JOHNSON!"

 

[2PhiloVoid]

Huh, I didn't know that either.

At the time it happened, his brother reported that, in his last moments before dying, he was having a conversation with someone, and seemingly getting answers.

Comedian Sam Kinison Death Reveals Bizarre Conversation

As reported in that article, I really hope the last "okay" Kinison gave truly meant (and still means) something of spiritual significance... Maybe we'll see him again despite all of his earlier antics.

Yeah, that shouting he did. Norm MacDonald tells a story, where one time he and Sam were taking a flight together, on a plane full of people. You know how they make that little announcement at the beginning of the flight? Through the speakers everyone hears "I'm Captain Johnson, and I'll be your pilot tonight." And Sam screams out "OH NO! NOT 'CRASH' JOHNSON!"

I hate to put a pun on it, but we all know Kinison's outburst on that plane ... wouldn't fly today!

 

[Moral Orel]

(moved to PM)

No need, there's nothing deeply personal about it. Plus, Philo is probably interested in the same sort of details you are so I'm going to double you guys up.

I don't think you've shared that you had some past experiences in a Pentecostal church before. That, too, is interesting.

I went to a lot of different churches. I started with a little Baptist start-up church where the pastor was running it out of his house trying to build up a congregation. It didn't work out and he ended up moving away to go back to being a preacher at an established church after a few years. That was when I was still volunteering to go to church as an adolescent/early teen. After that my parents drug me around to a few other churches, all non-denominational until the Pentecostal one. Truth be told, I voluntarily attended that church because of a pretty girl. I attended Mass from time to time because my Grandma was Catholic too.

What I found over the years throughout all of these churches, some of which had pretty zany ideas, is that they've all got good folks and bad folks, and good pastors and bad pastors. You can even be good folk and have wacky ideas about what is necessary to be a Christian too. It's sort of like Christian Forums.

 

[gaara4158]

Truth be told, I voluntarily attended that church because of a pretty girl.

This kept me in an SDA church for far too long

 

[2PhiloVoid]

No need, there's nothing deeply personal about it. Plus, Philo is probably interested in the same sort of details you are so I'm going to double you guys up.

I went to a lot of different churches. I started with a little Baptist start-up church where the pastor was running it out of his house trying to build up a congregation. It didn't work out and he ended up moving away to go back to being a preacher at an established church after a few years. That was when I was still volunteering to go to church as an adolescent/early teen. After that my parents drug me around to a few other churches, all non-denominational until the Pentecostal one.

Yeah, I hear ya.

Truth be told, I voluntarily attended that church because of a pretty girl.

Oh well! Didn't we all do the same as kids/teenagers?

I attended Mass from time to time because my Grandma was Catholic too.

I sometimes wonder what it might have been like to have had religious grandparents who wisely set me on their knee, so to speak, and tell me about their religious beliefs. Alas, that I shall never know.

What I found over the years throughout all of these churches, some of which had pretty zany ideas, is that they've all got good folks and bad folks, and good pastors and bad pastors. You can even be good folk and have wacky ideas about what is necessary to be a Christian too. It's sort of like Christian Forums.

I think it's just people being people, no matter where one goes really.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

This kept me in an SDA church for far too long

...actually, I'll have to admit that my chasing after a pretty girl during high school was a small part of what brought me to the Christian faith. (This isn't to say that I got that girl. No, I didn't, but her presence and her invitation to church for Easter made a good case for stepping into what otherwise was seen by me to be a 'strange' little Southern Baptist church.)

 

[gaara4158]

...actually, I'll have to admit that my chasing after a pretty girl during high school was a small part of what brought me to the Christian faith. (This isn't to say that I got that girl. No, I didn't, but her presence and her invitation to church for Easter made a good case for stepping into what otherwise was seen by me to be a 'strange' little Southern Baptist church.)

I guess it’s more common than we realize! I did get the girl for a short time, but my leaving and our breakup happened at about the same time.

 

[2PhiloVoid]

I guess it’s more common than we realize! I did get the girl for a short time, but my leaving and our breakup happened at about the same time.

Well, you win some, you lose some, I guess. I'm sorry things didn't quite work for you on that front. Maybe we could call this kind of thing the "Sam Kinison" effect. [Sorry. That was my attempt at humor ...]

In my case, I didn't gain the girl, and for a while there I never could gain the girl(s), but I did find Christ.

 

[Moral Orel]

In my case, I didn't gain the girl, and for a while there I never could gain the girl(s), but I did find Christ.

I experimented sexually while I was in high school. The experiment was to see if I could never have sex with anyone no matter how hard I tried. Success!

I guess it’s more common than we realize! I did get the girl for a short time, but my leaving and our breakup happened at about the same time.

Yeah, I didn't even get the girl. We were super-best-friends though. Success!