One of the Greatest

I couldn't just go about my blog as usual. I have to address the passing of one of the most influential comedians of my lifetime...George Carlin.

I was immediately saddened by the news that he passed away this week. Believe it or not, his album, Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics was the first CD I ever bought. Something about it jumped out at me. If I remember correctly, the salesclerk actually tried to persuade me to buy the one with 7 Dirty Words on it. That is the one he is famous for she told me. Keep in mind, I was making the purchase with some Bat Mitzvah money, so I was all of 13 years old.

I started laughing from practically the second that I turned it on. And why I laughed, is one of the reasons I feel compelled to write about George Carlin this week. There are two things that strike me the most about George Carlin 1) he is not afraid to speak his mind 2) even if you find some of his stuff offensive/not funny, I think there is at least one part of at least one of his bits that will make you laugh your ass off.

For those of you that have seen my standup, you probably know I am not at all dirty. And honestly, some of Carlin's dirty stuff makes me laugh...but that is not what makes me laugh the hardest. As a comic, he really evolved and had a lot of different phases, and personally, I LOVE his bitterness the most. I completely relate to it. There is a part of me that understands getting worked up about things. Lewis Black and Louis C.K. are two of my favorite comics right now, and as I watched Carlin's stuff, I was struck by their similarities to him..mainly because they get really pissed off all the time too.

George Carlin took things a step further. He didn't just believe in what he was writing and performing, he believed in it enough to get arrested.


He wanted his comedy to challenge the way we think. He wasn't afraid to make fun of religion or rape or other societal taboos. Even though I feel like he and I have almost nothing in common, there are two ways I feel extremely connected. 1) I love throwing in the f word sometimes. I can't help it. I feel like sometimes, it can really fucking emphasize a point. 2) I am thankful that someone has paved the way for us comics to speak our mind. Sometimes I get pissed off about politics or the post office or something silly like Gwyneth Paltrow, and I am thankful that George Carlin got the American public used to a good old fashioned rant. Because I don't know how I would get through life without venting about stuff that pisses me off. And I can only aspire to get as pissed off as the great George Carlin.



A Little Education For You

George Carlin is most famous for his ***Seven Dirty Words routine.



This was nearly impossible to find(and sorry it technically isn't a video) but still one of my favorites.





This is from the album that I played over and over again. Not as well known as some of his earlier bits, but one that made me laugh and think, hmmm, I kind of love comedy!





If you are sensitive about religion, this might make you a little angry, but George wouldn't have it any other way.





Hopefully, there is something on this page that you can appreciate. George Carlin might not be for everyone, but there is no question that he will be remembered as a man who changed comedy forever.

***Here is a brief explanation from Wikipedia about what went down.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_dirty_words