George Carlin dead at 71
"'Older' sounds a little better than 'old,' doesn't it?," he said. "Sounds like it might even last a little longer. ... I'm getting old. And it's OK. Because thanks to our fear of death in this country I won't have to die. I'll 'pass away.' Or I'll 'expire,' like a magazine subscription. If it happens in the hospital they'll call it a 'terminal episode.' The insurance company will refer to it as 'negative patient care outcome.' And if it's the result of malpractice they'll say it was a 'therapeutic misadventure.'"
I was sad to see the news this morning. I grew up listening to George Carlin, Steve Martin and Richard Pryor. Ali-Sun and I were fortunate to see George Carlin at a little comedy club in Hollywood about ten years ago as a warm-up for his Carnegie Hall HBO specials.
For nearly thirty years I have known what I can't say on television, that hair is fine, and why everyone else's stuff is sh!t and your sh!t is stuff. More importantly, his critical insights on politics, war, racism and consumerism were delivered with with surgical precision and vital to the piercing the veil that obscures the reality of our Matrix-like surroundings. (NOTE: the following is definitely NSFW)
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Comments (13)
Now there's one 71 year old who was still at the top of his game. He will be missed.
Comment #1 Posted by: LTOR | June 23, 2008 10:07 AM
George Carlin has been a personal inspiration for me for my entire life. He was the Mark Twain of our time. It is a dark day.
Comment #2 Posted by: spk | June 23, 2008 10:59 AM
Sad for us that George Carlin has left the Earth Plane. Maybe he is meeting up with Tim Russert..
"I got this real moron thing that I do. It's called THINKING. And I'm not a very good American because I like to form my own opinions..."
Comment #3 Posted by: Suza | June 23, 2008 11:47 AM
George C. was jester in the court of King George Bush but there were truths even he didn't know or couldn't say.
There was a perfect storm yesterday at Farmer and the Cook when I ran into MT, Jock and Tyler all at once, our loco/local Carlins (among others).
I survived the storm. I've been hiding out in the river bottom, doing gathering and gardening, trying to ground myself in Carlin truth.
I liked his rap on God best because God, money and patriarchy is the triple headed triumvirate of total control, all words for the same game. Carlin was out of control in control, a truth trolling troll.
Picked up the summer copy of the Ojai Visitors Guide yesterday, the one with the Ojai Valley School horse lasses. I had very evil thoughts (not sexual). God and Ojai are so ****ing boring. Takes one to know one, right?
I fear getting involved in this posting world because: 1) I usually end up making a fool of myself and end up feeling guilty and ashamed; 2) It's a waste of time; 3) It's as phony as a dollar bill; 4) It taboos all the really important information like the plague; 5) And a dozen other reasons but see #2 for why I must stop this addiction.
Ojai, Ojai, how I would have gathered you under my wings but you would not. The implications of that thought will escape modern culture clones. As the Poet said: "I live in another world / where the earth is strung with lovers' pearls." (Or something to that effect).
George, if you see Elvis, put in a good word with the King for me.
Dennis Leary
Comment #4 Posted by: Dennis Leary | June 23, 2008 12:31 PM
I am so sad to hear of George Carlin's passing. I have loved him since childhood, watching him on Steve Allen. He was a comic genius a poet and truth teller. The man was brilliant and this clip that you attached really shows it.
The world will not be the same without him. It IS a dark day.
Comment #5 Posted by: Meiners Oaky | June 23, 2008 01:07 PM
Dear Dennis - first of all 1) making a fool of yourself feels great! I should know! 2). The only waste of time is wasting a second thinking about how it's a waste of time. 3). I just love those phony dollar bills. and 4). bullshit! 5). There are always a million reasons for everything. and #2 again). Wasting time is immensely relaxing and beneficial (especially If you're over 60)-or you're about to "expire" which by the way is a possibility for anybody at any age.
My suggestion: Waste your time and Keep blogging, you're actually very funny! and there is nothing more noble than a funny fool who knows it!
(unlike the fool in office who thinks he's brilliant, and is basically a psychopath on laughing gas)
Comment #6 Posted by: dvorah | June 23, 2008 06:00 PM
Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.
George Carlin
I agree with y'all... today was a dark day.
Comment #7 Posted by: Shangrilalife | June 23, 2008 06:27 PM
Say George Carlin in concert 35 or so years ago. He came out on stage with a newspaper and cup of coffee and sat on the stage reading the paper and drinking the coffee. After 2 or 3 minutes he said: "Hey what do you do when you get to work? Well, this is my work!"
Funny funny funny, insightful, interesting man.
Len Klaif
Comment #8 Posted by: len klaif | June 23, 2008 08:15 PM
Lenny
Nice to see you didn't make a rude comment on the death of George Carlin still doesn't excuse you from the one you made about JSM.
Comment #9 Posted by: Phfft | June 23, 2008 09:47 PM
Lenny is never rude and who is JSM?
Comment #10 Posted by: spk | June 23, 2008 10:42 PM
Lenny was overheard commenting on Jeff San Marchi's death something like Ojai got an early christmas present.
Comment #11 Posted by: pffft | June 23, 2008 10:59 PM
i will not allow Cathy to hijack George's thread by responding.
i will not allow Cathy to hijack George's thread by responding.
i will not allow Cathy to hijack George's thread by responding.
i will not allow Cathy to hijack George's thread by responding.
i will not allow Cathy to hijack George's thread by responding...
Comment #12 Posted by: evan austin | June 23, 2008 11:50 PM
Dennis, I guess I missed your post yesterday. For what it's worth - Hi and hope all is well. Be safe!
Comment #13 Posted by: LTOR | June 24, 2008 06:36 AM