Finally, a place for his stuff...
Recently, fellow blogger Marius quipped that God must be getting ready to make one helluva movie, as he was snatching up great actors and effects people left and right. Well, this blockbuster is obviously going to be rated R, as he took George Carlin from us on Sunday. He "passed away". He had a "terminal episode". It was a "negative patient outcome".
Or, just maybe, considering his parody “Frisbeetarianism”, his soul now rests on the roof…
In the spirit of Lenny Bruce, Carlin was as filthy mouthed as they came, and, like Bruce, he backed it up with a brilliant mind, making observations on everything, from the use of language and its taboos, to politics and religion. His pondering influenced just about every single modern day comedian.
In addition to a ton of HBO specials, Carlin was the first host, ever, on “Saturday Night Live”. He appeared on the “Tonight Show” about a squillion times. He was the all-knowing Rufus in the Bill and Ted adventures. He shocked some folks by toning down the adult-only nature and narrating “Thomas the Tank Engine” and by hosting “Shining Time Station” on PBS. He was the “kind of asshole who would bless his golf clubs for a better game,” in “Dogma”, playing Cardinal Ignatius Glick. He even proved he could be a serious actor, but did so, unfortunately, in the horrific dreck of a film, “Jersey Girl”.
The material in his later years was less cutting edge observations, and more along the lines of angry rants, but he still managed to hit nerves and make people laugh, and, more importantly, he made us think. He compared life to a roller coaster, and urged Americans to lighten up a little and have a bit of “dangerous fun”.
Carlin always joked about his health, comparing himself Richard Pryor in the Comedian Health Sweepstakes.
“An update on the comedian health sweepstakes. I currently lead Richard Pryor in heart attacks 2 to 1. But Richard still leads me 1 to nothing in burning yourself up. See, it happened like this. First Richard had a heart attack. Then I had a heart attack. Then Richard burned himself up. And I said, 'Fuck that. I'm having another heart attack!”
Pryor left us 3 years ago. I guess Carlin finally won the sweepstakes.
In honor of a brilliant man, I end this with seven appropriate words: Shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, tits.
Or, just maybe, considering his parody “Frisbeetarianism”, his soul now rests on the roof…
In the spirit of Lenny Bruce, Carlin was as filthy mouthed as they came, and, like Bruce, he backed it up with a brilliant mind, making observations on everything, from the use of language and its taboos, to politics and religion. His pondering influenced just about every single modern day comedian.
In addition to a ton of HBO specials, Carlin was the first host, ever, on “Saturday Night Live”. He appeared on the “Tonight Show” about a squillion times. He was the all-knowing Rufus in the Bill and Ted adventures. He shocked some folks by toning down the adult-only nature and narrating “Thomas the Tank Engine” and by hosting “Shining Time Station” on PBS. He was the “kind of asshole who would bless his golf clubs for a better game,” in “Dogma”, playing Cardinal Ignatius Glick. He even proved he could be a serious actor, but did so, unfortunately, in the horrific dreck of a film, “Jersey Girl”.
The material in his later years was less cutting edge observations, and more along the lines of angry rants, but he still managed to hit nerves and make people laugh, and, more importantly, he made us think. He compared life to a roller coaster, and urged Americans to lighten up a little and have a bit of “dangerous fun”.
Carlin always joked about his health, comparing himself Richard Pryor in the Comedian Health Sweepstakes.
“An update on the comedian health sweepstakes. I currently lead Richard Pryor in heart attacks 2 to 1. But Richard still leads me 1 to nothing in burning yourself up. See, it happened like this. First Richard had a heart attack. Then I had a heart attack. Then Richard burned himself up. And I said, 'Fuck that. I'm having another heart attack!”
Pryor left us 3 years ago. I guess Carlin finally won the sweepstakes.
In honor of a brilliant man, I end this with seven appropriate words: Shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, tits.
Labels: Carlin obit
posted by Turtle at 10:24 AM
3 Comments:
Well said, sir. Better than mine.
Naw, not better, just different.
Not terribly surprising that we both decided to pay tribute to him.
Actually all of the bloggers that I know 'for real' lamented his passing.
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