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In the Words of George Carlin...
Carlin's philosophy struck a chord with me. How do you tell a story without the freedom to choose the words to tell it? What's the fun in talking about sex if you can't actually describe it? How do you learn anything about our language's history if we've banned all of its colorful colloquialisms? And it takes so much more effort to find appropriate non-offensive phrases to exclaim when you've been smacked in the toe with a hammer. Or when you find out one of your favorite comedians has died.
"Fear of aging is natural, it's universal, isn't it?" Carlin asked of his audience during a performance in the 90s. "We all have that. No one wants to get old. No one wants to die. But we do. So we bulls--- ourselves." He never did.
© 2008
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Member Comments
Posted By: rmatossian @ 06/24/2008 2:44:51 PM
Comment: Isn't it ironic how an article like this, which, aside from reporting the news of Carlin's death, is primarily about the seven words you can't say on TV and yet fails to mention what those seven words are? I guess I'll have to go elsewhere to get my news uncensored.
Posted By: C. MacLean @ 06/24/2008 12:48:08 PM
Comment: George and Richard were good friends. One of my favorite off-the-cuff Carlin routines was about his relationship with Pryor.
"Richard Pryor had a heart attack - I had a heart attack. Richard Pryor had another heart attack - I had another heart attack. Richard Pryor set himself on fire - I said f*** you! I had another heart attack!"
I think Carlin always knew his heart troubles would eventually get him - that's why he put them in a comedy routine. Honesty was his mantra, hypocrisy his enemy, and laughter his weapon. I try to emulate Carlin whenever I can and quote him whenever the situation could use one of his quotes (which is often), which frequently lands me in trouble, but people always know where they stand with me.
He was convinced that J. Edgar Hoover had his phone tapped, so he started all his phone conversations with, "Hello, f*** Hoover." As in, 'I'm not going to censor anything I think or say, not even for the FBI, and I'm not going to pretend I'm something I'm not, even for the FBI. So take that, J. Edgar.'
George's philosophy is why I use my real name on this blog.
Thanks, George - my life was richer for having you in it. But you never did answer the philosophical question you asked so many years ago: "If you have 23 odds and ends on a table and 22 fall off, what do you have left - an odd or an end?"
Somewhere in heaven, god is laughing his ass off.
Posted By: steve6f8eh @ 06/23/2008 7:01:59 PM
Comment: George had the unique ability of being able to make you laugh just by his mannerisms, expressions and pronunciation. Coupled with a razor sharp wit and the ability to truly observe the world around him, he was a one-of-a-kind entertainer and human being. Hypocrisy was his favourite target.....something that needs to have the light shined on as often as possible. He will certainly be missed by many; especially those who grew up listening to him. God bless you George.