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- MasterPlayer, on 06/24/2008, -0/+307I don't know if he would have appreciated 404 - PAGE NOT FOUND.
Anyways, this is Jerry Seinfeld's obituary which was in the New York Times.
Dying Is Hard. Comedy Is Harder.
By JERRY SEINFELD Published: June 24, 2008
THE honest truth is, for a comedian, even death is just a premise to make jokes about. I know this because I was on the phone with George Carlin nine days ago and we were making some death jokes. We were talking about Tim Russert and Bo Diddley and George said: “I feel safe for a while. There will probably be a break before they come after the next one. I always like to fly on an airline right after they’ve had a crash. It improves your odds.”
I called him to compliment him on his most recent special on HBO. Seventy years old and he cranks out another hour of great new stuff. He was in a hotel room in Las Vegas getting ready for his show. He was a monster.
You could certainly say that George downright invented modern American stand-up comedy in many ways. Every comedian does a little George. I couldn’t even count the number of times I’ve been standing around with some comedians and someone talks about some idea for a joke and another comedian would say, “Carlin does it.” I’ve heard it my whole career: “Carlin does it,” “Carlin already did it,” “Carlin did it eight years ago.”
And he didn’t just “do” it. He worked over an idea like a diamond cutter with facets and angles and refractions of light. He made you sorry you ever thought you wanted to be a comedian. He was like a train hobo with a chicken bone. When he was done there was nothing left for anybody.
But his brilliance fathered dozens of great comedians. I personally never cared about “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television,” or “FM & AM.” To me, everything he did just had this gleaming wonderful precision and originality.
I became obsessed with him in the ’60s. As a kid it seemed like the whole world was funny because of George Carlin. His performing voice, even laced with profanity, always sounded as if he were trying to amuse a child. It was like the naughtiest, most fun grown-up you ever met was reading you a bedtime story.
I know George didn’t believe in heaven or hell. Like death, they were just more comedy premises. And it just makes me even sadder to think that when I reach my own end, whatever tumbling cataclysmic vortex of existence I’m spinning through, in that moment I will still have to think, “Carlin already did it.” - bgrah449, on 06/24/2008, -1/+165This obituary is exactly the kind of thing Carlin would have derided. From its mind-numbing cliche to its poor assessment of reality, Carlin would have hated it. There are a lot of inaccuracies in it, but I wanted to point out two, just very briefly:
"I could easily ramble off his list of achievements (as CNN has done in their obituary), but I think he would protest - he was a simple man who really just wanted to make folks laugh, even if that meant being sardonic, scatalogical, morbid, indecent, and otherwise cantankerous."
-I've seen multiple interviews with Carlin, and he is proud of his achievements (though noticeably not arrogant). He is quick to state that his books reached #1 bestsellers on the NYTimes list, something he notes is unusual for a comedian's book.
-"He was a simple man who really just wanted to make folks laugh" - *****. NO. He was a complex, intimidatingly intelligent man who wanted to make folks think. He was an entertainer, but he was trying to open up different points of view to people, which is what he saw as the heart of comedy - different points of view.
You know what I think? I think the author didn't ramble off his list of achievements because HE DOESN'T KNOW THEM. He got involved with Carlin after Carlin had 40 years of smashing success as a professional entertainer. I'd say it's about even money the guy has never even seen, with his own eyes, the Seven Words bit.
RIP Carlin, for real. Your work will continue to be respected, dissected, and cherished. - GorfTron, on 06/24/2008, -0/+65Carlin's obituary - Internal Server Error.
- VyPR, on 06/24/2008, -2/+62I love the ad at the bottom.
"Are You George Carlin?
It's Scary Accurate To See What Celebrity you Are. Find Out Now!"
(Checks pulse) Nope!
Nor am I nearly as funny. RIP George. - dwninjungleland, on 06/24/2008, -9/+65I'd 'apperciate' the 5 seconds it'd take you to spellcheck rather than submitting asap in order to get front page status, tool.
- jeremyduffy, on 06/24/2008, -2/+54"When I die, I'll be thinking "Carlin already did it""
Very well written. Thumbs up. - GrandmasterB, on 06/23/2008, -3/+42My favorite line from him was on an episode of Real Time with Bill Maher. He referred to Barbara Bush as "The Silver Douchebag".
- twiztidsinz, on 06/24/2008, -1/+37This Site is hosted by Hostgator
Build your website today for 1 cent! Coupon code: "404PAGE"
Makes me wanna rush right out and buy hosting! - FreeTalkLIve, on 06/24/2008, -0/+36He wanted his tombstone to read this.
"He was here just a minute ago." - leetninja, on 06/24/2008, -0/+30Dear lajaw,
***** you.
-George
p.s. *****, Piss, *****, *****, *****, *****, and ***** - ADigbySellers, on 06/24/2008, -1/+26Gee, he was here just a minute ago......
RIP George. If there actually is THE BIG MAN IN THE SKY tell him you were just kidding! - Pvisi111, on 06/23/2008, -0/+25 I agree. He was a great comedian. Sad to see him go.
- Khadar, on 06/24/2008, -2/+24I actually laughed out loud because I thought the '404-PAGE NOT FOUND' WAS the obituary...
- PeTeRZz, on 06/24/2008, -1/+20is it the 404? or is the site really down :
- inactive, on 06/24/2008, -0/+18George is immortal, his ideas will never die.
- tikistyle, on 06/24/2008, -2/+19the server is as dead as the honoree...
- RealmDown, on 06/24/2008, -0/+17Few people indeed are as funny, but it was a fine try.
- Rodalli, on 06/24/2008, -0/+15Yet he was not a simple man. The world is full of simple men and Carlin was not one of them. It's called modesty.
- SanTe, on 06/24/2008, -0/+13One of my favorite memories of George Carlin is seeing him on Bill Maher's earlier show on ABC, "Politically Incorrect," where George was seated next to a conservative type who interjected something about the need for people to have a strong faith to get through the bad economy or something to that effect and George cut him off and said, "Yeah yeah forget about that stupid ***** will ya?" and then proceeded to sum up American Capitalism in 30 seconds in a way that practically got him a standing ovation right there in the studio. He said we have the illusion of choice and that in everything that actually matters we have no say whatsoever. "We used to have a dozen big oil companies, now we have three -- soon to be two -- but if you want a bagel in 23 flavors we can accommodate you."
That was in the late '90s. I had that episode on tape but somehow managed to accidentally tape over it and I've been kicking myself ever since. Hopefully someone out there has it and can YouTube it because it was brilliant. - omnithought, on 06/24/2008, -0/+13Man, don't be spammin' in a Carlin thread. That's an act of high douchebaggery.
- MrZop, on 06/24/2008, -9/+22I bet he's down there looking up at us, and i bet he's proud.
Goodbye you old bastard.
He would have wanted me to say that. - BadseedJR, on 06/24/2008, -1/+14Congratulations, you're the douche of the day!
- chanop, on 06/24/2008, -1/+14That's ***** awesome!!!!!!!
- fadetoone, on 06/24/2008, -0/+12Carlin would have ripped him a new one.
- Anarchon, on 06/24/2008, -0/+12The kind of digg he'd insult.
- alapoet, on 06/24/2008, -0/+11There'll never be another one like him, that's for sure.
- BoneheadFarker, on 06/24/2008, -0/+11That was kinda the whole point...
- JustAn0th3rFace, on 06/24/2008, -0/+10Honestly, this man went out with a bang. I remember hearing the news act like Ted Kennedy was already dead when he checked into the hospital. I am glad to see the media respect Carlin and treat his death in the way he would want it; not so much sad, yet a fun remembrance of his life and work. A great way to go.
- nuts&bolts, on 06/24/2008, -0/+10I saw Carlin in Tulsa OK a little over 3 years ago. It was a spur of the moment thing, I always wanted to see him live. Myself and my Ex who was pregnant with my son at the time got to the show a little late but did not miss a second of George. He just got out of rehab he said for mixing too much vikadine with his wine. As he put it "It is ok to have wine with a meal, but not ok when the meal is prescribed." He tried new material on us and told us sorry if some of the jokes were a little ruff. So there he was with a table to the side with his jokes on paper ever so often glancing over to jog his memory. It was awesome to see such a rare unpolished show from a very intelligent person. After the show we got back stage to see if we ( we means I ) could meet him. I got to just quickly to tell him that I really enjoyed his work and that I have been a fan for awhile. He said, "I really appreciate that and your parents should be ashamed."
Thanks for the show(s) George. And they are. - rblancarte, on 06/24/2008, -0/+9I think George Carlin had a list of 7 words you can tell you BF what you think about him making you miss that show.
- 123fakestreet, on 06/25/2008, -0/+9From Google cache: http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:vNS_Frv92xYJ:w ...
Theme: All Aboard: A Farewell to The Comic “Mr. Conductor”
June 23, 2008
It was one of my goals in life to see George Carlin live - and it appears it may be a long time before I get to see him…and I doubt it will be live. George Carlin
My first experience with George Carlin was in my high-school days, when I first picked up Napalm and Silly Putty. Since that time, George Carlin became a personal icon, of sorts: I loved his ability to pick out the minor details of everyday life and explain them in a manner that made even the mundane hilarious. He was a fabulously cynical commentator on American society, and on the world as a whole - an inspiration to anyone who would reserve the right to drop the F-bomb at an appropriate, inappropriate, or anywhere-in-between time.
The stark contrast of his life, ranging from the swearing cynic on stage to the quiet, affable narrator for the “Thomas the Tank Engine” series on PBS is what gave Carlin the intrigue he was known for. Well, that, and his penchant for stringing together a glorious parade of obscenities that even the saltiest of sailors would gasp upon hearing.
Though most of his comedy was fairly edgy, Carlin had a great way of taking activities as mundane as driving, eating Rice Krispies, talking on the phone, etc., and making it all seem fascinating (and hysterical). One of my personal favorites of his, dare I say “cleaner” work includes a comparison between the intense, brooding game of football and the light, friendly side of baseball:
In football, the object is for the quarterback, also known as the field general, to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the defense by hitting his receivers with deadly accuracy in spite of the blitz, even if he has to use the shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs, he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack that punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s defensive line. In baseball, the object is to go home! And to be safe! - I hope I’ll be safe at home! (Read the entire comparison here)
One of Carlin’s most important contributions to history was in 1973, when WBAI-FM radio broadcast his now-famous bit, “Seven Dirty Words.” The broadcast was originally called obscene, and the ensuing case eventually went to the Supreme Court. The case was overturned, and the bit called “indecent, but not obscene” - a huge win for First Amendment protection. Carlin, in his typical George Carlin way, said “So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I’m perversely kind of proud of…In the context of that era, it was daring.” In case you were wondering what a George Carlin obituary was doing on a political opinion website - now you know.
Of course, not everyone was a Carlin fan. When I told my dad the news this morning, my father, in Dad’s similar, sarcastic way, responded, “Heart failure? Funny…I didn’t think he had one.”
I could easily ramble off his list of achievements (as CNN has done in their obituary), but I think he would protest - he was a simple man who really just wanted to make folks laugh, even if that meant being sardonic, scatalogical, morbid, indecent, and otherwise cantankerous. He was a comic genius that will surely be missed by his many fans. It isn’t often that a person can positively impact the lives of a generation of Americans with nothing more than a characteristic sneer, a menagerie of four-letter words, and that touch of witty cynicism that led to America’s love/hate relationship with him.
The train has finally left the station, with Mr. Conductor aboard. Farewell, George… and thank you for putting it all in perspective. - BabyWookie, on 06/24/2008, -0/+9From kelly's profile: "I am a Christian (Christ following, Pre-trib, Fundamentalist, Pro-Life, NeoCon) a Mac user and I own my own business"
A fundamentalist Christian, neocon, bourgeoisie Mac fan. LOL. Well, considering that one of George's primary purposes in this life was specifically to offend, piss off and make fun of people like you, I can't say that I am surprised. - CaptainScarlet, on 06/24/2008, -0/+8At least he'll get his keys back he lost in 69!!!
- inactive, on 06/24/2008, -1/+8Since he's not around to ask, we don't actually know what it's called. I know you're trying to sing his praises, but as his friend Bill Maher mentioned:
""I bet you if he was here now, what he would be saying is, 'Why do people say nice things when you die? That's the stupidest thing to do. They can't hear you, you know?' "
I think Bill Maher would know as well as anyone. - bashnu, on 06/24/2008, -0/+7George Carlin on Death
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3PiZSFIVFiU - xXIrsotehkewlXx, on 06/24/2008, -0/+7I am incredibly sad. I wanted to go see him live in February when I was in Vegas. My boyfriend didn't want me to pay for it, so we didn't go.
=(
Now I wish I would have told him to quit his bitching. - inactive, on 06/24/2008, -2/+9ERROR 404 - PAGE NOT FOUND
- chronically420, on 06/24/2008, -0/+7"Carlin had a great way of taking activities as mundane as driving, eating Rice Krispies, talking on the phone, etc., and making it all seem fascinating (and hysterical)."
one reason why i loved the man. how many people can you run across that can do that? i'll tell you i havent run across a single person that can do it on the magnitude he did. - UncleHenry, on 06/24/2008, -0/+7I hope that's what they actually put on his tombstone.
For those who do not know, when asked what he wanted on his gravestone when he died, he claimed "He was here just a minute ago..." - Zihuatanejo, on 06/24/2008, -0/+7There's a shock. A fundamentalist Christian doesn't like it when his religion is mocked and dismantled.
- davidhallstrom, on 06/23/2008, -6/+13I don't swear and I normally don't listen to people who do swear but I could never get enough of George Carlin. Somehow from him it wasn't offensive. It was just plain funny.
- jezsik, on 06/24/2008, -0/+6I have to disagree. If there was a Michael Jordon of comedy, I'd be looking for someone making HUGE piles of cash, making headlines throughout his career, then going on to do endorsements in his "retirement." Jerry Seinfeld? Maybe Carlin is more like the Rolling Stones of comedy; hitting number one status relatively early in his career then falling to the edge of (not off of) the radar, while maintaining a huge following, and making a few hits now and then. What I like about Carlin was his ability to re-invent himself and take an active role in changing society.
- cerealrat, on 06/24/2008, -3/+9http://www.wethepeoplepolitics.com.nyud.net:8080/a ...
- UtahApocalyse, on 06/24/2008, -5/+11Because he actually used the swear words to express himself. He did not just throw them in for the shear use of a dirty word. It is a art which has been lost in the day and age of every other word is a cuss word rap.
- PoliticalMan922, on 06/23/2008, -2/+8Yeah, it's real sad that he died. He was hilarious. One of the only guys that could just be so blunt and be so funny.
- Takfam, on 06/24/2008, -0/+6I agree that we should honor his memory, but let's be honest. If he heard that people were saying "rest in peace" after he died, he'd probably ***** bricks and find a way to work it with his verbal venom in a hilarious tirade.
- e1en0r, on 06/24/2008, -0/+6Here it is: http://youtube.com/watch?v=_h2EYPvQDqE
It starts around 5 minutes in.
Part 2 is here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=b_bYnvR_fRg - rockandrollmark, on 06/24/2008, -0/+5I don't know you, but I'm certain that we wouldn't get along.
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