George Carlin Tribute
By Mark Groubert Sunday Jun 22, 2008 10:00pm
Cunning linguist and social satirist George Carlin, who had a history of heart and drug problems, died at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California shortly after being admitted with chest pains around 6 pm PDT.
Carlin made world news in 1978 when, in the case of FCC vs. Pacifica Foundation the top court ruled that seven words cited in Carlin’s routine were indeed indecent and should be banned when children might be listening. The words came from his routine, “Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television.” Carlin received 2 Emmys for his albums “FM&AM” and “Jammin’ in New York.”
The first true bust-out comic of the counter-culture, Carlin knowingly or unknowingly, was an amalgam of two social comic legends: Lenny Bruce and Mort Sahl. With the death of the former in 1966 and the generation gap wounding the latter, Carlin after re-inventing himself with drugs, a political point of view and a pony tail, had the field of political/social comedy all to himself. By the time his breakthrough album “Class Clown” was recorded live at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in 1972, featuring the previously mentioned “7 Words”, Carlin was a rock star.
According to Carlin, he was conceived at Curley’s Hotel in Rockaway Beach, New York. He was born May 12th, 1937.
He was raised for 25 years at 519 W. 121st Street in upper Manhattan and took in everything the neighborhood had to offer. And it had everything.
Before entering showbiz, Carlin studied the masters. Admitting he got arrested as an underage fan of Lenny Bruce simply to meet his idol, Carlin refused to show the cops who were raiding Bruce’s show, any ID in the hopes of getting arrested and meeting Lenny. His dream came true as he was thrown into a paddy wagon outside the nightclub and was called a “schmuck” by his hero and later spent the night in jail with him.
In May of 1960, the comedy team of Jack Burns and George Carlin began performing stand up at Cosmo Alley – a coffeehouse in Hollywood. After parting with Burns and going out on his own, Carlin made his first solo TV appearance on the Tonight Show with the host, not so oddly enough, Mort Sahl. The date was June 13th, 1962.
In July of 1965, he did his first Mike Douglas Show eventually appearing 22 additional times. It put him on the national map. In March of 1966, Carlin moved to Los Angeles landing his first acting job in an episode of “That Girl” starring Marlo Thomas. In 1968, he lands his first movie role: “With Six You Get Eggroll” as Herbie Fleck a carhop. He hates his life.
In 1969, he is fired from the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas for saying the word “ass” on stage. In October of that year, he takes LSD for the first time. It changes his life. He grows a beard. June 25th 1971, “FM-AM” is recorded at the Cellar Door in Washington, D.C. It goes Gold and wins the Grammy.
Between 1972 and 1975 Carlin does tons of cocaine and becomes massively addicted.
In August 1975 –NYC radio station WBAI appeals the FCC ruling on seven words. On October 11th, 1975 Carlin hosts the very first episode of “Saturday Night Live.” He has been on a massive coke binge and is high on cocaine during the broadcast. On March 5th 1977, he records “On Location: George Carlin at USC” for HBO. It is his first of many specials for the network.
On July 3, 1978 the Supreme Court rules 5-4 in favor of the FCC. Later that year George Carlin has his first heart attack.
On October 12, 1982 he records his third HBO stand-up special, “Carlin at Carnegie Hall.” Many give him credit for putting HBO in America’s living rooms. Later in 1982, he suffers his second heart attack while attending a very tense Dodger/Met game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Somehow he survives to do “Outrageous Fortune” starring Bette Midler and Shelley Long.
In February of 1989 he appears with Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.” Kids rediscover him.
On February 14, 1991 has his 3rd heart attack while driving to Las Vegas. After the death of his wife in May of 1997, his drug use really takes off yet he continues to work non-stop publishing “Brain Droppings” in May of 1998.
It stays on the NYTimes bestseller list for 20 weeks.
In March of 1998, Carlin hooks up with Kevin Smith and shoots “Dogma” starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. The movie attracts a lot of media attention as Smith attacks the mother church.
According to Carlin, between 2000 and 2005 he did a lot of drugs, alcohol and mediocre work. In January 2005, he checked himself into drug rehab to deal with his addiction. When he came out he grudgingly became a member of a twelve step program.
He admitted to finally achieving a strong belief in a God of his understanding. He wrestled, publicly and privately, with the concept of a Higher Power his entire life primarily, he said, because of his Catholic school upbringing, but mostly because of his hatred of organized religion.
Now he will finally meet that God of whatever his understanding was and finally have to explain all that talking behind HIS back. God bless him. He was brilliant. He was tormented. He was very funny. He was one of my comedy heroes. He was my friend. I will miss him.
Paul Krassner, the editor of "The Realist" and a legendary social satirist wrote me this email:
He was a sweet man. When I opened for him at a theater in San Pedro, we were hanging around in his dressing room, and I watched as he continued to be truly gracious with every fan who came by. I pointed that out, and he said, "Well, that's the way I would want to be treated." As a performer, he was uncompromising, knowing that his audience trusted him not to be afraid of offending them.
Richard Lewis emailed me this:
I knew I was haunted in bed last night - couldn't f**kin sleep. Must've felt the loss unconsciously. Carlin was my favorite and only Priest taken too soon and the only one I used for confession. He was an iconic wordsmith. He was an American Master.
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Here's my Special Tribute to George Carlin: 'Seven Dirty Words You WOULDN'T Want to Say on Television'
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=1947
and
A Contrast of Two Irish Catholics: How Would George Carlin Have Conducted ‘Meet the Press?’
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=1948
Carlin: A patriotic American who cared about his country and took on the conservative elite and religious charlatans. A good person. His karma is good, he'll be fine.
Carlin FOREVER!
Here's Falwell and Robinson blaming 911 on ACLU
and Carlins response
He was the best ever. An idol for class clowns everywhere. RIP George.
I really would have liked to see George Carlin be moderator at a political debate between McSame and Obama. All hell would have broken loose and the truth about politics come tumbling out.
I'm rolling a biggie for the man.
George, we all loved you and we will miss you terribly. We need you now more than ever and your passing has left a giant hole in all of our hearts.
My favorite Carlin routine http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o
Love ya George!!
"the owners of this country know the truth. it's called the "american dream", because you have to be asleep to believe it..."
GEORGE CARLIN
Your link to "Carlins response" required a password, bobswire.
Ruthless People @ 2:
Great comment and so so true. Exactly the case I believe.
Ruthless People @ 8:
This is Hillarious!
Thanks for this Ruthless. I haven't seen this in a long time
RIP George. Loved every minute of you.
He admitted to finally achieving a strong belief in a God of his understanding. He wrestled, publicly and privately, with the concept of a Higher Power his entire life primarily, he said, because of his Catholic school upbringing, but mostly because of his hatred of organized religion.
C'mon, he consistently mocked the concept of a higher power in his routines, right up to the very end. That's blatant BS.
My friend and I tried to get tickets to see Carlin at the Westhampton Beach Playhouse for July 25th and it was sold out. So we marked the calendar and decided to just show up there at the end of the show with our video camera and ask people what they thought the best moment of the show was. The news that he had died last night left us feeling a profound sense of loss. For us it was one of those moments where we'll always remember where we were when we heard he had died.
I just found this clip from a Bill Maher show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOWe4-KXqMM
And this joke someone posted over on Commondreams:
Martin L. King, M. Gandhi, and Jesus Christ return to Earth for a brief stay. A huge news conference is held regarding their return. A correspondent asks the three what they learned having lived among humans on Earth. The three gents confer “off mic” for a few seconds. Jesus pops out — “Okay if I answer this one?” He goes on to share his life wisdom. “What I learned from living here on Earth — not any different from the other two fellas — is that if you are going to speak truth to people, you better be fucking funny otherwise these humans will kill ya!”
Bless you, George. You were fucking funny! But your timing on this couldn't have been worse!!!
Suzanne @ 11:
Which brings to mind a new Pew Poll that claims that 97% of Americans believe in god.
97%? Who the hell do they poll and where do these polls take place? I refuse to believe that. Is it possible that people are just afraid to say that they don't buy into the world of delusion?
Inquiring minds want to know.
He met his first wife in Dayton, Ohio so he spent the Holidays here with the in-laws.
Every year he did a big show during that time and was our adopted favorite son.
He said what we thought, but made it funny.
A National Icon.
I dont mean to be a contrarian - he was a great comedian - and deserves to be given that credit.
What I dont understand is all the credit he is given off stage. To be honest - his material on stage not withstanding - I have no memory of him ever taking his material to the streets - off stage. Not ever. I dont believe he would have pursued the censorship issues he is known for had he not been arrested.
I cannot forget him setting next to Ann Coulter on Leno and saying absolutely nothing. Nothing she said as much as interested him - he was 'off stage' I guess.
I enjoyed his comedy - but I just dont understand the credit he is given ... for what? I cant remember anything other than his act on stage. Maybe others know something I dont.
I wish him well.
"i use the sledgehammer -i don't bother with the rapier, on bush... i like moving in and really hurting them. i don't like this, 'let's be cute; let's be clever.' i like smashing them, that's the only way to take care of them."
GEORGE CARLIN, on bushco
The Ten Commandments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyWEBbFwU1o&NR=1
God Bless you George.
This is going way back but I remember George when he did the Hippy Dippy Weatherman routine on the old Ed Sullivan Show. I was a kid but he earned a fan from that day forward. Funny man!
Hellerium @ 14:
i'm a practicing, believing christian who thoroughly despises most organized religion... what's hypocritical about that?
A BOOK??!
Joe Bless you, George.....!
Al Sleet....The Hippy Dippy Weatherman.
Classic Carlin!
White People
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dcr8dm9Prkk&NR=1
anon @ 18:
I think he was practicing something we don't see much on the internet these days -- or on the streets, in shops, etc. It's something called 'Good Manners.'
By the way, when you start out a statement with something like "I dont mean to be a contrarian..." then follow it with contrarian statements, I'm going to guess that's EXACTLY what you mean to be.
Good riddance George. Your are now according to your own beliefs, "worm food".
Enjoy your dirt nap.
I don't have any beliefs or allegiances. I don't believe in this country, I don't believe in religion, or a god, and I don't believe in all these man-made institutional ideas.
-- George Carlin, quoted from Reuters / Variety "Notable Quotes" for April 25, 2001
If this is the best God can do, I'm not impressed.
-- George Carlin, Napalm & Silly Putty (2001)
Religion: If this [word] offends you, welcome to the world of sane and realistic critical thought. More harm has been done to the collective human psyche by religion than by all the fucking and cocksucking since the dawn of time. By the way, many religious people (including the ordained) fuck and suck each other's cocks all the time.
-- George Carlin, from the language warning sequence introducing the his website, www.geogrecarlin.com, that existed in late 2001 and early 2002
anon @ 18:
you might have a point, but what have you done, beyond posting anonymously on a somewhat well-known progressive blog site?
carlin was setting the tone on how to lampoon buffoonery when most of us were baking shrinky dinks and chomping on flintstones vitamins like they were candy...
miss_kitty @ 28:
No, I didnt want my comments interpreted as criticism of Carlin. I saw Carlin as a great comedian - I said that. Others saw him as some kind of social activist - I dont understand that. I never saw that ... off stage.
I'm just being honest - not contrarian. I didnt see it off stage in the streets.
Did you? I would love to know where. I would honestly love to know that his material was more than just an act. Was he a speaker at an antiwar protest? I was involved in taking and holding the ROTC building in college. We held it for several days.
Dick Gregory did that ... but I never saw Carlin do that. Help me here ... where was he an activist? He was always a brilliant comedian.
Carlin tells it like it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI5EY5kqiBU&feature=related
bullfrog @ 30:
Civil rights marches, antiwar protest to riots, helping deserters get out of the country. Ever been gassed? I have. I'm nobody in particular ... and have never claimed to be. He deserves credit for what he did ... great comedy. This isnt his fault in my opinion. I never heard him asking for credit for politcal activism. Its about the audiences perceptions of him. Having never done anything off stage (as far as I know) he is thought of as a great political activist. I dont get it. I loved his comedy too.
George would have hated you for saying that. Not the brilliant part; all the other god shit. George lived hard, and lived much longer than I thought he ever would. He was one of about 5 comics that really understood the true purpose of comedy. To make fun of life because we have nothing else.
Honest, insightful and very caring. We have lost a master of life and entertainment. He will live on for at least a century, maybe longer, in his recorded work. A man who needed no blessing let alone one from a non existent myth.
George being part of the brains behind 'Dogma' earns him a sainthood.
A "Cunning linguist"? That sounds like a cleaned up version of some "Words You Can Never Say On Television.”
Gee, he was just here a minute ago...
(I heard in a radio interview once that that was how he wished to be remembered...)
anon @ 33:
anon, Carlin had a special gift. His brain. And he used it very well. He was able to speak to the masses. Thats how he was an activist. No one has said so much to so many. A lot of people were offended by his opinions. But that didn't stop him, it only encouraged him. That's my take on it. He wasn't a nobody, he made himself a target. And no one took him down.
mudshark @ 38:
I think he was a great comedian ... Gregory was somebody.
Have a toot.
Don't mind if I do.
anon @ 39:
I understand where you're coming from anon. I think Carlin had an ability to form opinions that alot of people agreed with. And he did it making people laugh. That's my take on it. that's all.
MISS YA, GEORGE!!!
Saw George Carlin live on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1972.
Another sad day for free speech.
I usually don't get upset when I hear the news of an entertainer/comedian/"celebrity" passing away - but this was just a real downer to hear this morning.
RIP, George - and may Joe Bless You!
2004
Carlin was fired from his headlining position at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas after an altercation with his audience. After a poorly received set filled with dark references to suicide bombings and beheadings, Carlin stated that he couldn't wait to get out of "this fucking hotel" and Las Vegas in general, claiming he wanted to go back East "where the real people are". He continued to insult his audience, stating
"People who go to Las Vegas, you've got to question their fucking intellect to start with. Traveling hundreds and thousands of miles to essentially give your money to a large corporation is kind of fucking moronic. That's what I'm always getting here is these kind of fucking people with very limited intellects."
LOL Love it!
L.A. Confidential @ 45:
An audience member shouted back that Carlin should "stop degrading us", at which point Carlin responded "Thank you very much, whatever that was. I hope it was positive; if not, well blow me."
HAHAHA!
Carlin did not vote and often criticized elections as an illusion of choice.
Smart CAT
L.A. Confidential @ 45:
He wasn't lyin.
That's one show I would have luved to be at.
You were one of my heros.
He admitted to finally achieving a strong belief in a God of his understanding.
I want to see solid documentation of that bald assertion. Otherwise, you sound like another [deleted, Site Monitor] trying to give another atheist a deathbed conversion. Who do you think you are, Lady Hope?
Citation, please. Put up or take it back,[Deleted. Site Monitor]
Ken Cope @ 50:
Get lost { deleted. no name calling. Site Monitor]
Get lost punk.
Ah, I suppose that's support for your position.
Goodness. I apologize for using language in a thread eulogizing George Carlin.
George - "Safe At Home"
Hellerium @ 14:
Here here! I agree.
Don't let anyone try to shove piety down George Carlin's throat when he can't defend himself.
People tried to do that to the memory of people like Charles Darwin and Thomas Payne as well.... I guess Carlin is in good company.
Ken Cope @ 50:
Um, yeh, I would like to see evidence of his conversion as well. That would be really remarkable given his past statements and comedy routines. Link please?
Ken Cope @ 50:
yeah i was confused by that too. i've followed his stuff for a long time, and last i knew his god is the sun, but he prays to Joe Peschi.
On a side note, it isn't ironic in a thread about George Carlin, the site monitor is going around and deleting phrases from people's posts because they are offensive? Lame.
Watch out! In Carlin's quote below, one of Carlin's seven dirty words is used. Cover your children's eyes!
All right, I think I've sorted this out. It's a long way from this to Groubert's claim:
From the link above, Carlin in 1999:
andrew13 got it in one, with the sun, and Joe Pesci.
Listen, I don't even curse on my blog. OK?
Ken Cope @ 59:
He is on the public record repeatedly denouncing God, religion, a belief in God, and just everything that has to do with mindless piety yet somewhere Mark got the impression that he had some type of deathbed conversion. Where is he getting that information? It sounds like total bullshit, but if that is the case, wow, what gall to write something so utterly wrong and think people wouldn't pick up on it. Mark needs to follow-up and clarify what he meant as it certainly isn't common knowledge.
Search google for examples of the word "fuck" at crooksandliars.com
The query is,
site:crooksandliars.com fuck
This site is filthy. Shrill even.
Listen, I don’t even curse on my blog. OK?
I respect that. And I generally don't use such language (I'm not particularly impressed by the connotation of the word "curse") when commenting on another's blog, especially one for whocj I have so much respect. But I can't think of anything less respectful than initiating a Lady Hope deathbed conversion meme about George Carlin when his body's not completely cold, nor could I think of any more respectful reaction than the combination of letters I arranged in my initial response, which was hearfelt.
LibertyLover @ 37:
The funny thing is I kind of felt that way when I heard that he had died. He had 3 heart attacks in his life and not exactly the healthiest of habits and still I just found it hard to believe he was gone.
I mean to say ...gee, he was just here a minute ago.
He sure lived life as though there was not necessarily a continuation after death.
Thanks for everything George. You will live on in our hearts and minds.
I just thought of something, Has anyone contacted Joe Peschi?
I find it despicable that someone here has already started smearing Carlin's name by accusing him of 'finding god' in his last days.
Standard christian operating procedure- slander the dead.
In a world where we were always told to stay on the straight and narrow, Carlin gleefully took us around the bend. He was a huge influence in my adolescent years.
Thankfully.
Aside from George Harrison, this might be the only celebrity I've ever really hated to see go. A hero of mine is gone.
George was America's greatest stand-up, bar none, end of conversation.
Wow, it's amazing to see how people who believe in a deity can be so angry at atheists and seculars. And how people who believe in one type of god can be so violent to people who believe in another type .
Rest in Peace, George .
I think they'll let you into heaven just to piss off the religious hypocrites that think it's a private club.
Back when Jon Stewart was on MTV he had George on. Jon asked George about his religion. George said he is Aminist. He used the example that he is a part of a tree and the tree is a part of him. I don't know if he was serious or joking, but that made sence to me.
George changed my life from that day forward. I am an aminist.
George, you are now going back to the trees. May Earth Mother and Father Sky bless your journey back to earth and beyond. May your spirit live on forever.
anon @ 18:
I distinctly remember that show. At one point, I think as she was sitting down, the camera panned to him and he made an obvious effort to embrace himself and rub his upper arms, as if shivering in her icy presence. Language was his main weapon of choice but he was also a master of subtlety and physical comedy.
George Carlin - How To Handle A Heckler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it9kpZHXhxI&feature=related
George Carlin - Expressions and Sayings
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L58HOfIyDKw&feature=related
George Carlin on the NRA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPDuYXGAuBw&feature=related
George Carlin - The Only Reason to watch Auto Racing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5NaartjBEY&feature=related
George Carlin-Fuck Hope (Speaking some real truth.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4W9Cs6KPTus&feature=related
RIP George, I'll miss ya.
proud atheist @ 62:
Results 1 - 10 of about 5,810 from www.crooksandliars.com for fuck. (0.19 seconds)
From Merriam-Webster.com
shrill
1 a: having or emitting a sharp high-pitched tone or sound : piercing b: accompanied by sharp high-pitched sounds or cries 2: having a sharp or vivid effect on the senses 3: strident, intemperate
filthy
1: covered with, containing, or characterized by filth2 a: underhand, vile b: obscene
proud
synonyms: proud, arrogant, haughty, lordly, insolent, overbearing, supercilious, disdainful mean showing scorn for inferiors. proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness . arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted . haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position . lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power . insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness . overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence . supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness . disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness .
...ironic fucking shame, ain'tit?
;-}
That George Carlin could take the ordinary, everyday things in our lives and point out the sheer absurdity and hypocrisy of this world that we live in shows what an extraordinary intellect he had. He had a lot of guts, too. He always stood up for his beliefs. I will miss him so very much.
Maybe Harvey Korman is taking George on the orientation tour up there right now. I'll bet there's a lot of laughing going on. The angels in heaven are lucky tonight.
George Carlin was a proud atheist, and you, Mark Groubert, are a liar.
Don't distort this great man's life with your pious filth.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts said on Monday it would go ahead with plans to present its Mark Twain Prize for American Humor to the late George Carlin, making him the first comedian so honored posthumously.
Carlin, the counter-culture figure famed for his provocative stand-up routines on such subjects as profanity, drugs and the demise of humankind
It seems somewhat fitting that Carlin should receive this award. A number of commentators have noted that Carlin seemed bitter at the end of his life. And so this wandering segway by way of Mark Twain himself...
Damned Human Race
I have been studying the traits and dispositions of the lower animals (so-called), and contrasting them with the traits and dispositions of man. I find the result humiliating to me. For it obliges me to renounce my allegiance to the Darwinian theory of the Ascent of Man from the Lower Animals; since it now seems plain to me that the theory ought to be vacated in favor of a new and truer one, this new and truer one to be named the Descent of Man from the Higher Animals.
http://skeptically.org/logicalthreads/id14.html
Proud2bHumble @ 74:
Definition of proud from Merriam-Webster:
1: feeling or showing pride: as a: having or displaying excessive self-esteem b: much pleased : exultant c: having proper self-respect
Try the last one.
proud atheist @ 78:
Found doing proper properly was quite a trial, and am a recovering selfaholic...other than that, we're probably on/in the same (blog)page/universe/simulation/game...
;-}
I don't think the language itself is being censored as much as the name calling. I appreciate the moderators keeping the site civil. But I do take issue with the assertion that Carlin achieved a strong belief in God. That's just silly.
James @ 76:
James, I don't want to cast aspersions on your obviously superior knowledge of all things Carlin, but Mark Groubert actually knew and was friends with George Carlin. If you read what Mark wrote, Carlin went through a twelve step program in his later years (part of which includes accepting a higher power) and came to terms with a higher power, though he remained troubled by organized religion. From the original post:
See that caveat? Of his understanding. Now Carlin's understanding of God isn't necessarily the fire and brimstone version, nor the benign watchmaker. It could very well have been Zeus or Thor or Shiva, or Zoroaster, for that matter. It could have been the oak tree in his backyard. It was part of his recovery and it was personal to Carlin.
However, if I were you, I'd hesitate to throw out names like "liar" when Groubert actually knew the man and of what he speaks. Unless you want to share some of your personal history with Carlin that countermands what Groubert has written.
However, if I were you, I’d hesitate to throw out names like “liar” when Groubert actually knew the man and of what he speaks. Unless you want to share some of your personal history with Carlin that countermands what Groubert has written.
I doubt that Groubert can support his statement that countermands every public word Carlin has ever spoken or written on the subject. The most charitable interpretation has Groubert twisting familiarity with the dictates of a 12 step program with one routine Carlin delivered about sun worship, into some sort of twisted inside insult that only serves to remind us that Carlin is a vaunted comedy genius.
However, if I were you, I’d hesitate to throw out names like “liar” when Groubert actually knew the man and of what he speaks. Unless you want to share some of your personal history with Carlin that countermands what Groubert has written.
I doubt he is lying, but it would be nice to have a public statement that could corroborate the claim being made. I searched around and there was nothing. On one hand we have a history of very clear statements from George regarding his views on religion, on the other hand we have some vague reference to finding "his own understanding" of God in his last few years on Earth. You think he would have spoken publicly about this, at least once, given his past record.
Also, did George believe in a personal God or the more pantheistic God of Einstein and Spinoza? The statement by Mark is unclear. The phrasing that George "wrestled" with religion flies in the face of his public persona of complete irreverence. He certainly didn't seem to be wrestling with the concept of religion when he said "religion is bullshit".
Since it is claimed that he was conflicted publicly regarding these issues, it would be nice to have some links we could read up on ourselves instead of having to rely on a personal account after the man is dead.
Since it is claimed that he was conflicted publicly regarding these issues, it would be nice to have some links we could read up on ourselves instead of having to rely on a personal account after the man is dead.
Don't hold your breath...
Ken Cope @ 82:
Ken, again, I will repeat that Mark Groubert was personal friends with Carlin. While the public record may not have the evidence you're looking for, Mark was sharing his knowledge of his friend, not confusing tenets of twelve step programs with a comedy bit.
And proud atheist, it doesn't matter if it was pantheistic or animistic or the oak tree in the front yard. It was something that made sense to Carlin, especially in lieu of his recovery. I frankly don't share my spirituality with anyone either because it's nobody's business. It works for me and that's all that counts. And while I appreciate your desire to have links, this is simply a man sharing his knowledge of his friend and the internet tubes are not the source of all answers.
this is simply a man sharing his knowledge of his friend and the internet tubes are not the source of all answers.
Who are you gonna believe? Some guy who's on IMDB, or the subject of much of George Carlin's published work?
Ken Cope @ 86:
Well, in this particular case, I think I'd believe Carlin's friend over someone who didn't know him who is simply going to refer back over and over to comedy bits written over 40 years.
Note that Mark never claimed that Carlin accepted Christ as his personal savior or re-embraced his childhood Catholicism, so your Darwin analogy is off. He didn't become religious. All he said is that Carlin found--through his work in rehab and recovery-- a belief of a higher power that worked for him. Why that is so hard for you to accept, I cannot say, but there's nothing that Mark nor I could provide that would satisfy you. However, other people who are acquainted with twelve step programs may not find that so unbelievable.
KansasCityFaGt @ 68:
And John Lennon
Right after Mark Groubert makes his uncorroborated claims about George Carlin's belief in some personal God, Mark has the effrontery to say "God bless him." WTF? It sounds to me like Mark is a religious man himself who can easily interpret George's atheism as a "struggle" with God through out "his entire life."
It certainly doesn't help that Carlin's supposed conversion was through a 12-step program, a place where Christians prey on vulnerable minds like vultures. I still suspect that this is a complete distortion of George Carlin's well-known religious views...
...but feel free to provide us with evidence to the contrary.
Why that is so hard for you to accept, I cannot say, but there’s nothing that Mark nor I could provide that would satisfy you.
Well, I cannot speak for Kevin, but I find it hard to believe simply because it doesn't fit my image of George Carlin. I didn't know him personally so that is as far as it goes, but to take a public figure like George who is know for his irreverency and agnosticism if not outright atheism, and then say he developed a higher power in God without citing any public source of information, is to invite controversy on yourself.
Well, in this particular case, I think I’d believe Carlin’s friend over someone who didn’t know him who is simply going to refer back over and over to comedy bits written over 40 years.
In the words of John Lennon, "whatever gets you through the night."
Go ahead, have a laugh at George Carlin's expense about that silly atheism of his that he wrote and spoke about all his life, because that's all trumped by what somebody claims was told to him, privately. I buy my CDs of vinyl comedians from Carlin's site laugh.com, but I don't rely on people who don't know who the joke was on to tell me what to laugh at.
George Carlin delivers his own eulogy:
All this discussion and no one has mentioned what I consider to be the greatest Carlin piece ever: The Difference Between Football and Baseball.
"...the point of the game is to come Home and be Safe."
Beautiful.
Thanks George.
George on death and the afterlife.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3PiZSFIVFiU
George in his own words:
"Sooner or later someone is bound to say the following... especially after a few drinks, 'you know, I think he's up there now, smiling down at us and I think he's pleased.' Now, first of all, there is no 'up there' for people to be smiling down from. It's poetic, it's quaint, and I guess for superstitious people it provides a little comfort, but it doesn't exist."
Ok.. I get the whips, chains, dildo and the book..
But what's the whistle for?
I recall me and my now deceased housemates playng his big album hit of 1972 repeatedly, which contained his famous 7 words. His transformation to poney-tailed, counter-culture, college-tour icon was clearly facilitated by the Smothers Brothers show success of the late 60s while his speaking style was derivative of Mort Sahl and Lenny Bruce. There was also a whole lot of Steve Allen's pioneering whimsical word play throughout. Yet by the time that Carlin's reinvented act dominated the stand up world, even my conventional, Vietnam vet roomie loved his stuff (along with even more outrageously cutting-edge Cheech and Chong) so commercial success was assured, too. After all, everyone was reading National Lampoon by that time, which was edgier and more profound.
All today's comedy clubs owe their freedom and much of their routines to him. Bill Maher is the most obviously similar in his anarchic cynic/idealist style and content, though he has become far more courageous. Jon Stewart is also extremely similar. But clearly, Jay Leno's entire monologue style is straight out of Carlin. Seinfeld's nihilism, too, of course. For 30 years, comedy clubs comics have copied him and share his aversion to talking politics, although most pander far more to audiences with a hooray-for-us young, urban, hip folks style -- something Carlin would never stoop to. Now here's a guy who really changed our country in a positive and moral way (as opposed to MSM darlings like Russert).
I went to see Carlin in 1973. He was totally incoherent for the first 30 minutes (this during the years he later admitted to an out-of-control drug problem). Interestingly, nobody in the packed arena walked out or booed. We just waited for whatever he was on wore off, and then laughed at the material everyone had all memorized from his albums. And this was an age when no self-respecting black would stand during the national anthem at that same college basketball arena!
After all the "he-knew-we-knew-he-said-he-felt" sappy second guessing crap - we need to remember George for having the brains to see the bullshit and the brilliance to say it in a way that entertained and enlighten us. That will be tough to replace . . .
Carlin was a rockstar, yeah right.
If you wanna compare spreading wisdom, truth and reason in the funniest AND most direct way possible to mucking with a guitar and rehashing silly clichés about love....
Try 'Carlin was a prophet/antropologist/scientist/humanist'.
Ken Cope/proud atheist:
I think one thing that should be made clear here (and, if C&L see fit to post Olbermann's tribute, you'll see for yourself), is that there was George Carlin the public persona, who was every inch the irascible, cynical, atheist... pretty much all you see on those videos and hear on his albums. But dig a little deeper and you find there was also George Carlin the private man, who by all accounts was one of the gentlest, friendliest and open people you could hope to encounter, and a mentor to younger comedians, who acknowledged that the reason he often despaired publicly was because he was a disappointed idealist at heart.
You can believe whatever you liked, so could he - *that* was the point of his work. He'd often make one-liners about the place where you 'look down on people' not existing, but he wasn't outwardly mean to the people who disagreed (unless he was having a *very* bad day).
So how's about we exercise a bit of keeping our spiritual (or indeed anti-spiritual) beliefs to ourselves and think about what Carlin meant to us as individuals?
J.
George Carlin had a lot more to say than Tim Russert and Russert is awaiting canonization by the Pope.
Therefore, based on that rationality, a state funeral is called for...with all the sweeps and flushes and horn blowing that go with a state funeral.
No worries. George will discover that the God he wrestled with loves laughter and those who make people laugh. That God also loves justice above all other things. Since much of Carlin's comedy was an off-handed way of condemning injustice, I'd say George is probably in pretty good shape.
thanks for all the laughs, George. Thanks for making me think.
Be at peace.
Religious people do get touchy when you question their icons. Certainly many Atheists qualify.
I think George Carlin would have liked that, too. I think any sort of smug certainty about the unknowable would have bugged him. But I didn't know him so that's just guesswork.
only 100 tributes for george carlin? a man that spoke so much truth about america! and you people cried up a storm for a repig news whore like timmy russert till i just wanted to puke at the hipcrosity, carlin spoke more truth in one show then russert did in his whole life ! guess you had to be there!
We watched a Carlin DVD from our collection last night w/our 13-year-old. We were all in fits of laughter, tears squeezing out of our eyes (it was Carlin in the round at USC) -- what a MAN.
Very few people can bridge the generations so effectively. I called my 21-year-old at his summer school (he was totally bummed) to say that when things get so rotten in the material dimension, it always seems like the really spiritual powerhouse-type folks get called over to the 'other side' to beef up the balance.
This is as close as I can get to describing God.
George Carlin the public persona, who was every inch the irascible, cynical, atheist… pretty much all you see on those videos and hear on his albums. But dig a little deeper and you find there was also George Carlin the private man, who by all accounts was one of the gentlest, friendliest and open people you could hope to encounter
Well, there you go. It's obviously impossible to be gentle, sweet, friendly and open and still be an atheist except as some sort of public nasty clown persona.
So how’s about we exercise a bit of keeping our spiritual (or indeed anti-spiritual) beliefs to ourselves and think about what Carlin meant to us as individuals?
Because George Carlin could never have wanted anybody to take the substance of his ideas about atheism that he wrote and spoke about publicly seriously. Especially when some close personal friend tells us that the important thing for us to remember about George Carlin was his drug use and the nature of the higher power to whom Carlin surrendered, privately--forget the atheism, George Carlin was a personable Cheech and Chong routine, the one about the guy who was all strung out on drugs until he found the lord, and got all strung out on the lord.
KansasCityFaGt @ 72:
As much as I admire George Carlin [which is a great deal], the truth of the matter is that he simply sat there while Coulter spewed forth her anger and hatred against the Jersey Girls. This flies in the face of what Carlin said to Keith Olbermann on Countdown a few months ago, which was that he did not believe in being nice to those who did not deserve it. Carlin thought, justifiably, that the way to deal with those people was to "smash them." Instead, he allowed Coulter to rant while he said nothing. That, unfortunately, is exactly what conservatives like Coulter are hoping liberals like George Carlin would do-nothing. And Carlin did exactly that.
George Carlin should have taken his own advice that night and smashed her. He also should have emulated what Mahar Arar had said on his T-shirt: "We Will Not Be Silent."
Carlin was a huge asset to us atheist. He did such a great job of illustrating the biggest argument against religion. It doesn't make any fuckin sense. Why would anybody believe this foolishness?
Having him die is a big blow to all of us who seek truth beyond fairy tales. I have read 5 different news articles that each made reference to him being in heaven or with god. I read that and I wonder if they have ever even seen a comedy routine of his. I know when I die I will not be leaving behind a great legacy like Carlin's. But, whatever legacy I do leave behind I really hope it is not so quickly and completely tarnished by sleazy writers attempting to make my views into their own.
I'm fortunate enough to have seen him in the early '90s. I was crying I was laughing so hard. He did an extended toilet humor rant that had me gasping for breath. He had a way of cutting through the bullshit so thoroughly it left me thinking "of course, why haven't I thought about it that way before?" I'm sad, but he was 71 with a bad ticker, and he didn't exactly treat his body with much respect, so it's not completely a surprise. I'll really miss that honesty, though.
Why does his dying make such an impact on some people? Look at his body of work!!!! he is still very much ALIVE!!!!!!!!!
Cunning linguist? He'd love that!
RIP G.C.
George Carlin was/is one of my gurus along with Ram DAss and Mother Theresa. He helped us keep it in perspective. George cut through the hype about Religion, politics, war and so much more. No one was safe around George ... treehugger and warmongers (although he was always harder on the warmongers). He touched the fire going where no one else would go with his keen intellect, trash talk and most of all the truth. We will miss you George but will keep your work alive by sharing it with our children. You set the standard high for piercing truth telling. Rest Well!
This is one of my favorite clips on environmentalist (I am one of these)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbFD4NC60EA
Religion is bullshit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o&feature=related
tyree say@103: "only 100 tributes for george carlin? a man that spoke so much truth about america! and you people cried up a storm for a repig news whore like timmy russert till i just wanted to puke at the hipcrosity, carlin spoke more truth in one show then russert did in his whole life ! guess you had to be there!"
As I stated in two other posts, but I'll state here, it's my impression that Carlin sensed he was getting closer to death and in the last ten years of his life TRUTH rushed out of him like a gust of fresh air. I followed his career for thirty five of his fifty show biz years, and, in my opinion, he understood the power he had to expose the bullshit on the political and religious level and his obligation to do so, much more clearly in his last ten or fifteen years. Previously, his comedy had been more light-hearted, exposing bullshit mostly on the social level.
My heartfelt condolences to George Carlin's family and all his fans.
Carlin was an American original in an era which unfairly gets criticized by the media. Carlin had a very healthy disregard for the media and its exaggeration of most things whether the "war on drugs" or the declaraton of "fighting crime" or even the "war on terror" which is all about giving the elite and the powerful even more power. He pointed to the media in creating the hysteria to get the powerful even more power. Carlin knew it.
I really was sad when Bo Diddley died and even more sad of George Carlin's death. I was respectful of Tim Russert when he died too young, but the level of sadness does not at all compare to the deep sadness I have for an American great like George Carlin.
George Carlin was truly of the people, not the powerful. Tim Russert was the number one spokesman for the powerful, not the people.
I will always treasure the fact that I was alive and able to listen to the wisdom of George Carlin.
Rest in Peace George Carlin and wherever you are now, I hope you are telling and writing jokes. George, maybe you can finally fart in Falwell's face!
Carlin will be missed....
Old shit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yakmPBachUE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMd5qaRlJ20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USIEuz2zKJs
Richard Pryor and George Carlin on the N-word:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZCS5I80X-8
I brought "Napalm and silly putty" to afghanistan and used it as an "English Reader" to help my terpsimprove their understanding of english, and its applicationof free speech in a democratic society.
Socarlin ended up being the politcal activist, and he also had the supreme court case on freedomof speech, so I guess that makes him an activist., he set the tone, and wrote the books to carry on in absentea..
amazing spirit... goddamn american hero... good/entertaining writer... brilliant thinker
Erroll @ 106:
Two possibilities (not mutually exclusive):
1) The impending "confrontation" between him and Queen Skunt (= 'skank' + 'c-u-next-Tuesday') was so overblown by NBC that he just decided to let it pass. He enjoyed fucking with people's expectations.
2) He probably realized that nothing he could possibly say would compare with the insane shit spewing out of the anus under her nose.
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