Jim's closest friend and confidante 1969-71. He collaborated on both of Jim's film projects, Feast of Friends and HWY.

Los Angeles Free Press, John Carpentar 1968

Jim: [Babe Hill]’s a happy cat, you know? He’s either a genius or really dumb, I haven’t found out which. He sure knows how to have a good time. A happy cat.

Jim: Hey, Babe, you’re gonna be a famous person one of these days and you should learn to hold your tongue. Especially in front of the press. How’d you like to wake up one day and you’ve said something off the top of your head and have to read about it the next day, like that is supposed to be where you’re at.

WebEditor: Later on in the interview, Babe contributes this:

Babe: You know what’s a groovy word? Bell-wether: leader of a mindless crowd. That’s what you are, Jim. The leader of a mindless crowd.

Jim: Babe, that’s what I mean. You got to learn to curb your tongue. I can see what it will be like. John would say, ‘and then Babe said you know what you are Jim? The leader of a mindless crowd.’ If you print that, John, I won’t kill you, I’ll haunt you. They all have minds. Maybe collectively … a crowd together really has no mind. Individually everybody does. They all have bitchin’ minds. Like, I bet there’s more philosophy in some sixteen-year-old chick’s mind than you ever dreamed of in your whole cigarette. Some of those letters to those fan magazines are really lonely and deep and open. Some of them are bullshit. I don’t read many, but some that I’ve read really knocked me out. Really open, sincere. Anyway, you got to learn to hold your tongue. Can you remember that?

Babe: I’ll remember that, I’ll keep silent like deep water. Whenever I say anything from now on, it will be such a profundity that you guys will just fall out of your chairs.

Waitress: That will be $39.75.

WebEditor: I like how Jim kindly reprimands Babe for doing exactly what Jim told him not to do. Jim goes on to explain what his concern is; Jim doesn't want his relationship with the fans, especially the open and sincere ones, to be tarnished. Finally, what Jim has to say about the Miami incident below is somewhat ironic.

Circus Magazine, Salli Stevenson 1970

Circus: What was the state of mind you had that got you into this whole Miami mess in the first place?

Jim: I think I was just fed up with the image that had been created around me, which I sometimes consciously, most of the time unconsciously cooperated with. It just got too much for me to really stomach and so I just put an end to it in one glorious evening. I guess what it boiled down to was that I told the audience that they were a bunch of fucking idiots to be members of an audience. What were they doing there anyway.