In 1993 standup performance by the late comedian Bill Hicks was cut from the David Letterman show. This lost episode finally saw the light of day on Friday. I guess in his older age, Letterman was awash with guilt and not only showed the entire performance but even invited the comic's mother Mary Hicks onto the show so he could apologize in person. "Let me again apologize for the heartache and sadness my decision caused your family," Letterman told Mrs. Hicks.

"I appreciate you saying that," she said.
At the time of the taping, it was actually the first time that an entire perfomance had been cut from the Letterman show due to questionalbe content. After this occured, Mr. Hicks wrote a 39 page letter to John Lahr in the New Yorker.



Letterman said Friday he realized that decision to pull the performance from the telecast caused pain to the family, who were among the few to know about the cancer that would kill him four months later.

"I know I can't make up for the damage that was causes, but I do hope that this makes it up symbolically to you," he said. Hicks at the time was known for funny, twisted humor. This performance was no different as Hicks railed against textbooks promoting gay lifestyles etc.