George Carlin dies at 71

[Midnight Mike]

Acerbic standup comedian and satirist George Carlin, whose staunch defense of free speech in his most famous routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television" led to a key Supreme Court ruling on obscenity, has died.

Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, went into St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died later that evening, said his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He had performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. He was 71.

"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's jokes constantly breached the accepted boundaries of comedy and language, particularly with his routine on the "Seven Words" — all of which are taboo on broadcast TV and radio to this day.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080623/ap_ ... rge_carlin

[mirrodie]

Just heard. Great humor.

I'll miss him.

[Derf]

Man was funny as hell! I will miss him...RIP

[T-Bird76]

He was certainly out spoken but a very funny man. I'm happy I was able to see him live a few years ago in Vegas. A great fellow New Yorker!

[Matt Molnar]

"Here's one they just made up: 'near miss.' When two planes almost collide they call it a near miss. It's a near hit! A collision is a near miss!"

[wunaladreamin]

Carlin was an absolute genius, and his wit is unparalleled. He kept me laughing for years. RIP George.

[kc2aqg]

The man was indeed a comic genius, few others even come close. He will be sorely missed...

[emshighway]

I saw him last year at the North-folk Bank Arena (Westbury Music Fair) and it was obvious he was tired and having trouble breathing but he put on a great show.

Rest in Peace George

[moose135]

Sad to see him go, but considering the quantities of drugs he did over the years, I guess it's amazing he lived as long as he did!

[Matt Molnar]

Sad to see him go, but considering the quantities of drugs he did over the years, I guess it's amazing he lived as long as he did!

He did do a bit about how he never got sick, which he credited to growing up in Hell's Kitchen and swimming in the Hudson back when it was filled with raw sewage.

[Gerard]

[quote="emshighway"]I saw him last year at the North-folk Bank Arena (Westbury Music Fair) and it was obvious he was tired and having trouble breathing but he put on a great show.

In his last HBO special you could see he definitely looked "older" than I had remembered from the pevious year. A true comic legend up there with Pryor and Lenny
Bruce.
BTW Seinfeld will be on Larry King tonite for a tribute (which Carlin probably would have hated).

[moose135]

He did do a bit about how he never got sick, which he credited to growing up in Hell's Kitchen and swimming in the Hudson back when it was filled with raw sewage.

I always remembered his bit about Richard Pryor:

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, '**** that. I'm having another heart attack!

[lijk604]

His cerebral wit was always spot-on, and he was still performing to sold-out shows.
Defnitely will be missed. RIP George.

[kc2aqg]

I received this one via e-mail yesterday. Not sure if this was really written by George Carlin, though it definitely has elements of his wit. Worth a read...

GEORGE CARLIN (His wife recently died...)

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...
Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

If you don't send this to at least 8 people....Who cares?

George Carlin

[moose135]

I received this one via e-mail yesterday. Not sure if this was really written by George Carlin, though it definitely has elements of his wit. Worth a read...

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp

Origins: In May 1998, Jeff Dickson posted the 'Paradox of Our Time' essay to his Hacks-R-Us online forum, loosing it upon the Internet. The essay has since been attributed to comedian George Carlin, an unnamed Columbine High School student, and that most prolific of scribes, Anonymous.

George Carlin very emphatically denied he had had anything to do with "Paradox," a piece he referred to as "a sappy load of ****," and posted his comments about being associated with this essay on his own web site. With reference to the "His wife recently died" line found in many of the forwards, Brenda Carlin, the comedian's wife, died on 11 May 1997 of liver cancer.

The true author of the piece is neither George Carlin nor Jeff Dickson, nor is he anonymous. Credit belongs with Dr. Bob Moorehead, former pastor of Seattle's Overlake Christian Church. (He retired in 1998 after 29 years in that post). The essay appeared under the title "The Paradox of Our Age" in Words Aptly Spoken, Dr. Moorehead's 1995 collection of prayers, homilies, and monologues used in his sermons and radio broadcasts.