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olympicPosted:
Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:21 am
R.I.P. George
Comedian George Carlin has died from heart failure. The man who made famous the "seven words you can never say on television" passed away at 5:55 p.m. Sunday at Saint John's Hospital in Santa Monica, his longtime publicist said. He was 71.
Carlin, who has had several heart attacks and a history of cardiac issues, went into the hospital this afternoon after complaining of heart problems.
Carlin has more than 20 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, numerous TV and movie roles, and three best-selling books to his credit. Last year, he celebrated his 50th year in show business, and he had just finished his last HBO special in March, "It's Bad for Ya."
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LISAPosted:
Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:22 am
Comedian Carlin Dies at 71
Monday , June 23, 2008
FOX News
Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture figure famed for his routines about drugs and dirty words, died of heart failure near Los Angeles Sunday, Reuters reported. He was was 71.
Carlin, who had a history of heart problems, died at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica after being admitted earlier in the afternoon for chest pains, spokesman Jeff Abraham told Reuters.
Carlin became an anti-Establishment icon in the 1970s with stand-up bits full of drug references and a routine about seven dirty words you could not say on television. A regulatory battle over a radio broadcast of his "Filthy Words" routine ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
Thank you for all the laughs. Rest In Peace. You were REALLY FUNNY!!
Skipping along my own path.
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chancePosted:
Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:11 am
Award-winning comedian George Carlin dies
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Comedian-actor George Carlin, known for his raunchy but insightful humor, died of heart failure Sunday in Los Angeles, his publicist said. He was 71.
Carlin performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.
Carlin performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.
Jeff Abraham says Carlin went into St. John's Health Center on Sunday afternoon, complaining of chest pain. Carlin died at 5:55 p.m. PDT, The Associated Press reported.
Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.
"He was a genius and I will miss him dearly," Jack Burns, who was the other half of a comedy duo with Carlin in the early 1960s, told the AP.
Carlin was best known for his routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television," which appeared in 1972's "Class Clown" album.
When Carlin uttered all seven at a show in Milwaukee in 1972, he was arrested for disturbing the peace, the AP reported. The comedy sketch prompted a landmark indecency case after WBAI-FM radio aired it in 1973.
The case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court where the justices ruled on a 5-to-4 vote that the sketch was "indecent but not obscene," giving the FCC broad leeway to determine what constituted indecency on the airwaves.
"So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of," Carlin said. "In the context of that era, it was daring."
"It just sounds like a very self-serving kind of word. I don't want to go around describing myself as a 'groundbreaker' or a 'difference-maker' because I'm not and I wasn't," he said. "But I contributed to people who were saying things that weren't supposed to be said." Video Watch Carlin's 7 dirty words routine »
Carlin, who was also an author, was slated to receive the 2008 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in November.
"In his length career as a comedian, writer, and actor, George Carlin has not only made us laugh, but he makes us think," Stephen Schwarzman, Kennedy Center chairman, said in a statement. "His influence on the next generation of comics has been far-reaching."
In a typical wry response, Carlin said: "Thank you Mr. Twain. Have your people call my people."
Carlin hosted the first broadcast of "Saturday Night Live" in October 1975.
He played the character of Mr. Conductor on the PBS series "Shining Time Station" and starred in more than a dozen HBO specials. Carlin was also a regular on The Tonight Show.
He produced 23 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, three books, a couple of TV shows and appeared in several movies, from his own comedy specials to "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" in 1989 -- a testament to his range from cerebral satire and cultural commentary to downright silliness (and sometimes hitting all points in one stroke), the AP reported.
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"Why do they lock gas station bathrooms?" he once mused. "Are they afraid someone will clean them?"
He won four Grammy Awards, each for best spoken comedy album, and was nominated for five Emmy awards, according to AP.
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chancePosted:
Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:35 am
George you were one of my favorites. Thanks for the laughs.
Joined: 24 Mar 2006
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Location: Deep in the heart of Texas
BerPosted:
Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:01 am
George Carlin dies at 71
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- George Carlin, the influential comedian whose routines used profanity, scatology and absurdity to point out the silliness and hypocrisy of human life, has died. He was 71.
Carlin performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.
Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, died of heart failure Sunday in Los Angeles, according to publicist Jeff Abraham. Carlin went into St. John's Health Center on Sunday afternoon, complaining of chest pain, and died at 5:55 p.m. PT.
Carlin performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, and maintained a busy performing schedule, which included regular TV specials for HBO.
"He was a genius and I will miss him dearly," Jack Burns, who was the other half of a comedy duo with Carlin in the early 1960s, told The Associated Press.
Carlin was often quoted, his best lines traded like baseball cards. "Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?" began one famous routine. Then there were the non-sequiturs: "The bigger they are, the worse they smell," he observed. He filled three best-selling books, several record albums and countless television appearances with his material.
He appreciated the impact his words made on fans.
"These are nice additional merit badges that you earn if you've left a mark on a person or on some people," he told CNN.com in 2004. "I'd say it's flattering, but flattery implies insincerity, so I call it a compliment."
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But he was probably best known for a routine that began, "I was thinking about the curse words and the swear words, the cuss words and the words that you can't say." It was a monologue, known as "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television," that got Carlin arrested and eventually led to the Supreme Court.
The "Seven Dirty Words" bit, which was initially recorded for 1972's "Class Clown" album, prompted a landmark indecency case after New York's WBAI-FM radio aired it in 1973.
The case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the justices ruled 5-4 that the sketch was "indecent but not obscene," giving the FCC broad leeway to determine what constituted indecency on the airwaves.
"So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of," Carlin said. "In the context of that era, it was daring.
"It just sounds like a very self-serving kind of word. I don't want to go around describing myself as a 'groundbreaker' or a 'difference-maker' because I'm not and I wasn't," he said. "But I contributed to people who were saying things that weren't supposed to be said." Watch Carlin's 7 dirty words routine »
Carlin, who was also an author, was slated to receive in November the 2008 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, given by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
"In his lengthy career as a comedian, writer and actor, George Carlin has not only made us laugh, but he makes us think," Kennedy Center Chairman Stephen Schwarzman said in a statement. "His influence on the next generation of comics has been far-reaching."
In a typically wry response, Carlin said, "Thank you, Mr. Twain. Have your people call my people."
Carlin hosted the first broadcast of "Saturday Night Live" in October 1975.
He played the character of Mr. Conductor on the PBS series "Shining Time Station" and starred in more than a dozen HBO specials. Carlin was also a regular on The Tonight Show.
He produced 23 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, three books, a couple of TV shows and appeared in several movies, from his own comedy specials to "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" in 1989, the AP reported.
He also starred in three of comedic director Kevin Smith's movie -- 1999's "Dogma," 2001's "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and 2004's "Jersey Girl." And his voice was so familiar and tuned to the craft of comedy that he was often asked to appear in cartoons, including Toon City's "Tarzan II," Disney's "Cars" and two episodes of "The Simpsons."
He won four Grammy Awards, each for best spoken comedy album, and was nominated for five Emmy awards, according to AP
'If you remember the '60s, then you weren't really there.'
It's like losing an old friend.
RIP George.
Double D
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gwenPosted:
Mon Jun 23, 2008 5:16 pm
George Carlin's Loved Ones Speak Out
A sad loss ...
ET breaks the news that comedian George Carlin has died from heart failure. The man who made famous the "seven words you can never say on television" passed away at 5:55 p.m. Sunday at Saint John's Hospital in Santa Monica, his longtime publicist said. He was 71.
Monday morning, his daughter Kelly Carlin McCall had the following to say about her dad: "Most people know George Carlin as an icon of comedy and an advocate of free speech. I just know him as Dad ... And what a dad he was. He taught me the value of speaking the truth in a world that doesn't always want to hear it and gave me the gift of laughter. He was loved and revered by so many and will be missed beyond words -- but never forgotten. Our family wishes to thank everyone who has sent love and support our way. Your kind words and thoughts are bringing much comfort to us during such a difficult time."
His wife, Sally Wade, also spoke out about the loss of her "soul mate." "George Carlin was and always will be the greatest love of my life. We had meeting of the minds, heart and spirit. It was a big love. He was my soul mate and always will be. Tomorrow is our tenth anniversary, and it was the best ten years of my life. It's quite a shock right now, but I wish to express my sincere thanks and prayers to all who have reached out during this very difficult time. It is deeply appreciated."
Carlin, who has had several heart attacks and a history of cardiac issues, went into the hospital Sunday afternoon after complaining of heart problems.
HBO, which submitted the funny man's last special, "It's Bad for Ya" for Emmy consideration this year, issued the following statement: "Because HBO has had such a long and close relationship with George Carlin, his passing is like losing one of our own. George had been a part of HBO almost since its beginning, performing his first concert for us in 1977, and his 14th special just earlier this year. No performer was more important to helping our network define itself in its early years. And no performer was more committed to the ideal of freedom of speech, a principle he embodied for the 50 years he performed with his trademark wit. We will miss his humor and his righteous comic anger, and we will simply miss him."
Carlin has more than 20 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, numerous TV and movie roles, and three best-selling books to his credit. Last year, he celebrated his 50th year in show business.
He is survived by his wife, Sally Wade; daughter, Kelly Carlin McCall; and older brother, Patrick Carlin.
What a lovely tribute from both his daughter and his wife. Beautiful words.
I'm in the minority here, I didn't especially care for his humor, but many people loved him, and he died too young. God rest his soul.
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CherokeeKidPosted:
Mon Jun 23, 2008 7:34 pm
R.I.P. George Carlin!
Thanks for all the laughs and humor! You will be missed!
My sincere condolences to his family and friends.
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prolificPosted:
Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:49 am
RIP...
He was one of the classics....
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paxPosted:
Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:12 pm
Thanks for those prolific. The first one about Stuff is classic. The second one with all those daily observations, roflmao!
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olympicPosted:
Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:41 am
George Carlin's Last Interview
Ten days ago, on Friday, June 13th, 2008, I had the extraordinary privilege of talking to George Carlin. As far as I know it was the last in-depth interview he gave before he passed away yesterday at age 71. Originally it was slated to run as a 350-word Q&A on the back page of Psychology Today. But I was so excited to talk to him—and he was so generous with his time—that I just kept on going. By the end I had over 14,000 words.
On stage, George Carlin came across as a grouch, often vulgar and sometimes misanthropic. But with me he was patient and warm, happy to talk through the minutiae of his creative process and eager to share stories about his childhood, his evolution as a comic, and his influence. What struck me most was the joy in his voice as he talked about the wonderful feeling he got in his gut while writing. I was also moved by the gratitude he expressed for his mother, who he said “saved” him and his brother—leaving her bullying, alcoholic husband when George was just two months old, getting a job during the worst years of the Depression, and raising two boys on her own.
He spoke about the pride he took in his work. As a ninth-grade dropout, he said, it was gratifying to see his words quoted in textbooks, classrooms, and courtrooms. And he was proud to have inspired other comedy greats, who routinely called him to say, "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be doing this." As he looked back on his astonishingly prolific 50-year career—which includes 130 Tonight Show appearances, 23 albums, 14 HBO specials, three books, and one Supreme Court case—the interview became a sort of retrospective of his life.
Finally, after two hours, he gently mentioned that his arm was getting tired from holding the phone. “I really appreciate all the thought you’ve put into all these questions. Really, it’s the most complete interview I’ve ever done,” he said. “Is it tomorrow yet? I think it is.”
“It feels like it is,” I said, struggling to keep up with his wit.
“All this is for a quote unquote back page?” he said.
“This is for the back page, but, I don’t know, I just love you and your work so much!” I gushed. “I just had so much I wanted to ask.”
At the time, I was embarrassed by what I’d said. But when I heard the sad news this morning, my feelings changed instantly. I’m honored that I got to speak to him, and I’m grateful that I got to tell him how much I admired him before he died.
It would be impossible to overstate George Carlin’s contribution to standup comedy. Along with Richard Pryor and a few others, he essentially created the genre as we know it today. But he was more than just a comedy pioneer. He was a freethinker who never backed down, and he truly changed the course of American culture. He will be missed. __Jay Dixit
A memorial is set up on the star of comedian George Carlin Monday, June 23, 2008, on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. Carlin, who died of heart failure Sunday at 71, leaves behind not only a series of memorable routines, but a legal legacy.
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Beautiful words.
