RIP George Carlin 1937-2008

[annathepiper]

I'm seeing this all over my Friends list already, but let me add my voice to the chorus of sorrow at the passing of George Carlin.

I have very early memories of Carlin being a favorite of my father's, in no small part because Dad was frequently told by people that he reminded them of George. They were correct. Dad had the same sort of lean, wiry build that George did, the same sort of attitude, and many of the same habits and sense of humor.

We had two old Carlin albums in Dad's record collection: On the Road, which has some of George's most hysterical material ever, and Take-Offs and Put-Ons, notable for the "Wonderful Wino" sketch as well as "Indian Sergeant". Later on I picked up a tape of What Am I Doing in New Jersey?, and A Place For My Stuff.

I still snicker at "A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it!" and "Now, an announcement from the National Apple Institute: FUCK PEARS!"

But really, my favorite sketch of his ever, which is sadly apt with this news, is the one he did about death on On the Road: "I don't wanna be buried when I die. I don't wanna be cremated either. I wanna be BLOWN UP!" And, "There's a little known--and less understood!--portion of death called the Two Minute Warning."

Gonna miss you, George. I hope you used those two minutes, man.

Comments

[hubbit.livejournal.com]

Carlin was a lovable crochety old bastard; I may be in a minority, but I found profound wisdom in his book Brain Droppings. And how can one not help but admire the observation:

This country was founded by slave-owners who wanted to be free...so they killed a bunch of white English people so they could keep their black African people, came to this land and killed most of the red Indian people, went to the south and killed a bunch of brown Mexican people, then built a base so they could bomb the yellow Japanese people. You know what this country's motto should be? "You give us a color, WE'LL WIPE IT OUT!"

(And yes, he said Indian rather than Native American; he reasoned in Brain Droppings that one could scarcely desire a nicer title than "Una gente in Dios", A people in God.)

[annathepiper]

I may have to go find that book!

[lickingtoad.livejournal.com]

Hunter S. Thompson had his remains shot out of a cannon. James Doohan was fired into outer space. Surely, between the two, we can find a compromise that would please George.

Also, *sniffle!* The man was a genius.

[annathepiper]

I think either of these options would have sat well with him. :)

[chipmunck.livejournal.com]

I am part of a secular-homeschooling yahoo group (mouth full) and the first post of the day I read was "George Carlin is no long with us" Sigh. Made me cry.

He was my favorite comedian. We actually decided to go to Las Vegas for our Honeymoon because we could see his comedy routine. He was working on some new stuff that he shared with us. It was awesome.

He is so going to be missed.

[annathepiper]

Aw man, I envy you getting to see him perform. :) I have this vague, vague memory of going to see him at one point in the 90's, but damned if I can remember when that was, now.

[firni.livejournal.com]

George was the same age as my dad.

I remember my brother buying one of George's albums (the seven deadly words one?) in the 70s, and when my dad heard that final track... he took a nail to the record so that particular track couldn't be listened to again. Sigh, oh Dad.

[annathepiper]

Ouch! Sorry to hear that!

I think I may have to see if there's any Carlin to be had on iTunes. All the Carlin I have is on tape!

[firni.livejournal.com]

I have Carlin on CD. Gonna go listen now. I want Carlin on DVD because his act is so much better with the facial expressions.

Farewell, George!

[annathepiper]

I wish I could have seen him when he was younger. I seem to recall that Dara and I saw him perform at one point during the 90's, though damned if I can remember when right now--though that was also during his Cranky Old Man phase, so he'd backed off a bit on the Funny.

[firni.livejournal.com]

I dunno, the Cranky Old Man phase really cracked me up.

[annathepiper]

*snerk* Yeah. Though I'm pretty sure very few presidents will be lining up for his funeral. ;)

[shikyrie.livejournal.com]

I don't think I laughed harder in my entire life than I did when he came to Erie a few years ago. And what's funny, there was a lot of truth to his comedy. I'm going to miss him

[annathepiper]

Yeah, even when he was in Cranky Old Man mode and less funny... he was still dead on. :)

[bloody-keri.livejournal.com]

I liked George Carlin very much. I saw him live once, at Madison Square Garden, and it wasn't too long after the death of his wife and you could absolutely see and hear the difference in him. He was angrier, a little bitter, but still so funny and dead-on. The man I worked for at the time was actually a boyhood friend of Carlin's, and said he was a good guy who had a pretty tough childhood, yet always made everybody laugh.

He will definitely be missed.

[annathepiper]

Cool, about your former boss.

I'm definitely going to have to get some of his albums once I have some extra pocket change again. And maybe his book, too.