The Mighty George Carlin Is Gone
Posted by Dirty Harry on Monday, June 23rd, 2008
By complete coincidence, just last night I watched my DVD of George Carlin hosting the first Saturday Night Live. The episode originally aired October 11, 1975. Carlin wasn’t quite forty yet, but the signature long hair and slightly askew inquiring mind showed how little he changed between then and his last HBO special which aired just a few months ago.
Carlin employed two modes of comedy. In a single evening a playful, brilliant routine about the differences between football and baseball would be followed by a lethal skewering of all things religious and American. But it was always delivered with a dash of mischief that made it okay, and a burst of intellectual curiousity that never failed to fascinate.
I loved being insulted by George Carlin.
Carlin was a genius. Yes, sometimes a bitter genius, but even as I folded my arms and frowned over some shot, the way his mind worked captured my imagination. There was a fierce, even logical (or at least consistent) intellect behind that emotion. And it didn’t always focus on those of us to his right. Nirvana was George Carlin ripping into political correctness and the rank-hypocrisy of liberal environmentalists.
He was a good actor too. Sadly, his choice of projects were too often paycheck-choices, but his turn as the lovesick, alcoholic Billy Williams in the The Streets Of Laredo was a highpoint in a miniseries where everyone did fine work.
In his 14th, and sadly, final, HBO Special, ”It’s Bad For Ya,” Carlin’s mind was as sharp as ever, but he looked frail and sounded weak. It was jarring. George Carlin was old. And yet, undaunted by coming mortality, he ridiculed the notion of God and religion as harshly as he ever had as a young man.
Unaware he would die within hours, or was already dead; last night while watching the young George Carlin host SNL, and knowing he was now an old man, I said a prayer for him. That he would find God before he passed. Well, if he didn’t find God, I guess the joke’s on him now. And George Carlin could take a joke. May he rest in peace in a place where he can make Johnny Carson laugh like this forever.
I will miss being insulted by George Carlin.
Filed in General |
Carlitoson 23 Jun 2008 at 9:13 am 1Another hero of the counterculture gone. Like the counterculture did this country so good. He won’t be missed.
Rochelleon 23 Jun 2008 at 9:14 am 2You know, he played here last week in Vegas. As I saw the billboard at The Orleans, I thought I should go see him for old times sake. Then thought naw, I saw his last show on HBO…he seemed to be a tad bit more…..vicous. Where as I laughed before at his antics, I just didn’t this last time.
So I passed.
And he passed.
I will miss him also, he was part of my growing up. And at one time in my wayward youth I agreed with him.
Kensingtonon 23 Jun 2008 at 9:18 am 3Maybe I just got more sensitive over the last decade or so, but where he once was funny, he finally just seemed mean.
He was nice and polite to Ann Coulter on the Tonight Show, though, and I appreciated that.
Troyon 23 Jun 2008 at 9:22 am 4I hope he had a deathbed confessional — for his sake.
Stephanieon 23 Jun 2008 at 9:23 am 5This makes me sad. I remember my brother getting one of his albums and playing it over Christmas. He kind was part of the soundtrack to my kiddom, along with Steve Martin and the Bee Gees. I didn’t always agree with him but he will be missed. His honesty I think above all. He couldn’t be anything but himself.
maatkareon 23 Jun 2008 at 10:02 am 6I loved him. When he was a kid I felt so…grown up listening to him. He did get cranky with old age. I remember him saying not long after his first wife died that behind every atheist was a failed optimist, or words to that effect. I suspect he secretly had more faith than he realized, and hopefully he is in a good place, cracking God up. He was so SMART in all his routines, and I loved his love of language and its use. (not just the dirty words.)
mrpitheron 23 Jun 2008 at 10:10 am 7Yeah, Carlin was part of my growing up too. Toledo Window Box, Occupation Foole: classic stuff. Like others, however, I gave up on him when his humor seemed to become more mean-spirited. Even so, his early work gave me many hours of enjoyment and for that I am sadddened by his passing.
E Porvaznikon 23 Jun 2008 at 10:22 am 8After Cosby’s Very Funny Fellow…Right! and I Started out as a Child, Carlin was the next step in my exposure to stand-up comedy, right around the time I was hitting adolescence — just the perfect moment to be questioning some of Catholicism’s more contradictory rules, too. Though he devolved into an angrier, bitter and sometimes nasty person, I hope he was able to remember that message of hope and whimsy in those early routines, observations that only strengthened my faith instead of shaking it, and received Last Rites. If for no other reason than he can wow and fool them upstairs with imitations of Father Rivera.
Audietooon 23 Jun 2008 at 10:40 am 9I caught his last HBO special and he lifted me from a depression with his routine on Death and Dying. Sounds crazy, he made it funny. How many comedians could do That?
Audietooon 23 Jun 2008 at 10:40 am 10I caught his last HBO special and he lifted me from a depression with his routine on Death and Dying. Sounds crazy, he made it funny. How many comedians could do That? May he rest in peace.
Carolynon 23 Jun 2008 at 10:40 am 11You know, for the longest time I kept getting email ‘jokes’ from my friends swearing that the person who wrote them was George Carlin. The jokes were hilarious, totally pro-American, etc. For instance, one joke on the 2000 Florida recount was that anyone too dumb to figure out a butterfly ballot was too dumb to vote for President. The other jokes were totally against illegal immigrants, etc. They were all hilarious and, like I said, totally pro-American.
Now it seems it was urban legend - Carlin didn’t make positive jokes, he made the opposite. Too bad. A comic making bitter jokes is like a chef making a burnt meal. Just defeats the purpose.
Rest in peace, Carlin. I sincerely hope you’re not bitter anymore.
RWAon 23 Jun 2008 at 11:25 am 12Carlin was seriously pissed that people were passing off those e-mail jokes as his own work. It wasn’t just that it was considered insulting to him as a professional comedian (not only do you never try to copy someone else’s routine, you NEVER EVER try to pass off your own material as someone else’s!), but because he thought they were truly lame. He also had what I thought was a great way of figuring out if it was really him, or anyone else it may have been credited to: as you read a joke transcript, can you imagine the credited comedian saying it in his own voice? If you can’t, than it’s probably not him, because every comedian has a writing style tailored towards their delivery.
The only time someone managed to successfully pass off one their own jokes as Carlin’s was when MAD magazine did a hilarious bit about how different comedians would handle the old “Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup” gag. They had Carlin saying such Carlinesque things as “why do they call flies “flies”? They mostly just crawl around”.
USS Benon 23 Jun 2008 at 11:50 am 13I especially liked Carlin’s fight against Political Correctness (speech codes, hate speech, offensive speech) and the assault on the First Ammendment, which, ironically, doesn’t fit the prevailing view of most folks on the Left.
The last thing Carlin wanted was the government telling Comedians (or anyone else) they couldn’t offend someone.
He didn’t want arbitrary bureaucracies, like the “Human Rights Commission” in Canada, taking away our liberty.
So I do appreciate that about the man, as well as the gift of humor he possessed. Some of his material made me laugh, and some was offensive, but he was right about this: there are a lot of hypocrites out there of every stripe, so even when I was offended, at least I could agree with him on that point.
I’ll avoid writing about all the negative things he did, out of respect for the good things he did.
I do hope he can now rest in peace.
Christian Totoon 23 Jun 2008 at 11:50 am 14Carlin seemed to grow more bitter after the passing of his wife a few years back.
His death comes on the heels of him being named the next Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recipient. We’re all gonna miss what he’d have to say in his acceptance speech.
Bobon 23 Jun 2008 at 11:52 am 15George Carlin has informed my sense of humor, my creative direction, my worldview and the manner in which I confront the day-to-day more than any other figure. This wasn’t just a comedian, this was one of the great American philosophical voices of the late 20th Century.
Also, something to keep in mind - something I had to be reminded of this morning myself: To most of us, this was an angry comedian. But for a fair number of a certain generation of children who are just now entering college age, this is ALSO the day Mr. Conductor died.
Troyon 23 Jun 2008 at 12:01 pm 16Good point Bob — and especially on Mr. Conductor.
Right in Seattleon 23 Jun 2008 at 12:14 pm 17“This wasn’t just a comedian, this was one of the great American philosophical voices of the late 20th Century.”
Oh, really? One of the great American philosophical voices of the late 20th Century, eh?
I’ll let readers decide if this reads like something from a “great philosopher”:
George Carlin: …and the poor have been systematically looted in this country. The rich have been made richer under this criminal, fascist president and his government. [Applause.][Cheers.]
Bill Maher: Okay, okay.
James Glassman: You know, George - George, I think you know - do you know what fascism is?
Carlin: Fascism, when it comes to America-
Glassman: Do you know what Nazis are?
Carlin: When fascism comes to America, it will not be in brown and black shirts. It will not be with jack-boots. It will be Nike sneakers and Smiley shirts. Smiley-smiley. Fascism - Germany lost the Second World War. Fascism won it. Believe me, my friend.
Maher: And actually, fascism is when corporations become government.
Carlin: Yes.
end clip
Carlin may have got the Smiley Face Fascism part right, but he did so for the wrong reasons. Not exactly the mark of a great philosophical mind.
The Ugly Americanon 23 Jun 2008 at 12:20 pm 18I found him unwatchable in recent years.
His bitterness had overtaken his sense of humor.
Splashon 23 Jun 2008 at 12:33 pm 19Eh. I never saw the appeal. He was a bit before my time, but all that ever came across to me was a bitter old crank with bad hair. Honestly? That George Carlin was ever on the planet I could care less, let alone the fact he’s just left.
pandaxon 23 Jun 2008 at 12:39 pm 20I saw his comedy special on HBO in the 80s when I was a teenager and thought he was pretty funny. As time went on though his jokes got more ant-American and bitter and I stopped listening to him. I watched him on Bill Maher’s ABC show and he was talking about how he wished how the human race would be destroyed. Of course this was the same time he was taking checks for doing commericals. In the end he ended up like most other hippies, he sold out but still tried to talk like he hadn’t.
Ericon 23 Jun 2008 at 12:47 pm 21Why was this guy considered a hero or a great? He didn’t set trends, he played to them. Wow, look at me, I’m saying bad words. I think Christianity and America is stupid, look at me. And then he gets applause from the media and the drones in Bill Maher’s audience. He’s so courageous. If that was the counterculture, thank God I missed it. Its pretty sad that we conservatives think someone is great that throws us a bone in making fun of hypocritical environmentalists. Sorry DH, the only way this guy was a genius was getting people to think he was edgy and trendy.
I do hope he found some peace and maybe found the Lord towards the end, but I don’t think he should be honored and eulogized.
CTDeLudeon 23 Jun 2008 at 5:46 pm 22I agree with Eric. The man could only illicit a shake of the head and a hope he would find salvation. Judgment is not kind to those who lead others astray. And it is in that that I hope, somehow, he found forgiveness.
I’d rather remember him as the Conductor and that’s it. Perhaps the only way I could look at him with any sort of fondness.
YourWorstNightmareon 24 Jun 2008 at 6:02 am 23Just clicking around to see what other people are saying about the death of George Carlin…found this blog,Dirty Harry. And I want to thank this Dirty Harry character for being honest & unashamed to admit that even a conservative like himself could appreciate the humor,wisdom,& undending mental curiosity of a man like Carlin. But woe unto you readers of this blog:Most of you are exactly the people who Carlin was speaking of when he said,”The IQ and the life expectancy of the average American recently passed each other in opposite directions.” Yes,he got more bitter as he got older,but don’t you think the world situation has gotten worse? Do you think America is heading in the right direction? Really? You still love your amazing President Bush(Jr.)? You think all the religions of the world are truly uniting the planet,doing good for all,& speaking the word of God? I think there is a LOT to be bitter about,when you consider all the wasted & squandered opportunities this country(& this planet) has had. The oil’s running out,the planet’s overpopulated,the ice caps are melting,and you people are worried that George Carlin was just “too angry”?!? Riiiight. Enjoy the ride,people…it’s almost over. Viva George Carlin! Long live The Truth! Even if it makes you uncomfortable! Wake up. If Jesus were alive today,as a modern man,speaking his message of unconditional love & self-sacrifice,you would crucify him again. George Carlin has found his salvation…now he is finally free of judgmental,repressed,brainwashed sheep who call themselves “patriots” & “religious”,”pro-life”,yet “hawks” who relish going to war & killing others who are different! The clock’s ticking. Enjoy your Rapture.
Ericon 24 Jun 2008 at 9:13 am 24OK YWN, deep breaths, its going to be fine. First of all, the oil is not running out, we keep finding more and more every day offshore, Alaska and shale, it’s just people like you that won’t let us get to it and use it. Secondly, the polar ice caps are not melting, they shrink and then they freeze, they’ve been doing it for thousands of years. Before us evil Americans began driving our cars.
You know what, nevermind, we’re not the brainwashed ones you are because you want to believe the worst about this country no matter what. You take what the media and your lib friends give you and run with it. So go ahead, the sky is falling, and it’s all Christians or George Bush’s fault. Nevermind what we’ve done during the last 8 years, go ask Africans with declining AIDS’ rates or tsunami victims in SE Asia, or the people in Burma that we helped, or the Iraqi’s and Afghans who may have a shot at what we have. We can debate the policies of how the war was fought, that’s fine and I’d probably agree with you on some things. But, it would pointless with you.
I also love people like you who probably have never been to church or picked up a Bible telling me what Jesus would do or think or what a Christian is supposed to think. I’m not perfect, that’s why I’m a Christian.
Your hero Carlin wasn’t funny, period. He got his fame through shock. So please, take a valium, calm down and then you may come back to the grown up table. But, please when you do, take the Che’ T-shirt off and don’t use lingo like Viva, it has become soooo commericial.
Phoenixon 24 Jun 2008 at 12:38 pm 25Good riddance, he was a hate-spewing propaganda fraud, a sleazebag, a poison, and the Rev. Wright of humor. His fans were suckers who took it in the face from a foul perv.
The world smells better today.
Part of our formative years? You mean getting to watch the world rot away before our eyes?
Rest in peace? They should bury him in his own cesspool. Pray instead for all the victims of the world he polluted.
Al Czervicon 24 Jun 2008 at 12:45 pm 26Right on Phoenix. I’ll not miss the Hippy Dippy Weatherman or the hate and misinformation he promulgated.
pandaxon 24 Jun 2008 at 12:57 pm 27I always think it’s funny how the left enjoys taking on the “scared cows” of America. God, guns, patriotism they celebrate people like Carlin for being in our face and taking about things that no one will. But the minute you make say something about the left’s scared cows they go nuts. Carlin could be funny but he was no rebel. He had his fist up in the air to fight the Man and the other was taking money from the Man.
Kiton 24 Jun 2008 at 8:53 pm 28Though I enjoyed his comedy, he was not my hero.
My hero is Jeff Foxworthy,
Dirty Harry’s Place… » Harry’s Right About George Carlin - [Rufus]on 29 Jun 2008 at 11:25 pm 29[…] apologize for being so late with this post but the way I see it Harry summed it up just about perfectly regarding George Carlin. Harry used the word “genius.” There […]
jonon 01 Jul 2008 at 6:26 am 30peope like eric and pheonix make me sick. perfect examples of a kind of person who is afraid to open thier mind or admitt when somebody is smarter than them. the poison is stupid people like them, somebody saying another man’s veiws are poison wake up if you dont like it dont listen and continure being stupid. And george carlin was the funniest man alive mybe his humor was shocking but only because he was right, and some people who are to busy trying to fool themselves into thinking its a perfect world just dont get it and probably arent much fun to be around anyways.
RufusTon 01 Jul 2008 at 7:05 am 31jon,
Here’s my two cents on the subject, http://dirtyharrysplace.com/?p=2422
Tikshomeon 26 Aug 2008 at 8:10 pm 32The best thing I ever heard George Carlin say was “Every time I walk into a gift shop I go up to the counter and say, ‘here I am, where’s my gift?’” Very funny man. He will be missed in my house.
Floydon 16 Sep 2008 at 11:54 pm 33Hate? Maybe. There’s a lot to hate in this world… mis-information? How can you worship at the altar of GW and cite mis-information by anyone else?
Dark-Staron 24 Apr 2009 at 4:53 am 34Old news, but good news.
Sadly Mr.Carlin became very bitter and horribly disrespectful in his ‘routine’ as he approached his later years. A sad end for a man who was once a very good comedian.