Odd that last night I wrote a post about Lewis Black and Bill Maher and today I wake up and hear that George Carlin died. I can't stop thinking about this and it's one of those rare celebrity deaths that I feel personally. I was lucky enough to see Carlin in concert with my best friend in Vegas. It's one of my best memories. I have all three of his books and have seen a number of his concert specials. I don't tend to see movie comedies or watch sitcoms on TV. I just don't find them very funny. But Carlin was brilliant and I guess he appealed to me because I felt so much in common with his views on religion, hypocrisy, politics, and the general stupidity of the human race. Underneath it all, I think a lot of people knew he was turning a pretty accurate mirror on them and that's why he remained relevant for so long and was more than just a comedian. It's common to be hyperbolic when some celebrity dies but I really think the world is a worse place without George Carlin in it.
5 comments:
Yeah, I wrote a post about this, as well. I am beyond sad.
He was one of the few voices of reason out there in the pop culture that was brave enough to be heard. He was a constant inspiration to me. I will miss the hell out of him.
I saw your post actually, and tried not to completely duplicate it because you said exactly what I felt. It really sucks.
This was a terrible loss. He was really something. My mother loved George Carlin, and always talked about the routine he did after he got his butt whoopin' for saying those 7 little words. He came out on stage and just stood there, not saying anything at all. He was brilliant.
Saturday night on a whim at the vid store I rented "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" which I knew the kids would enjoy. The next day, Carlin was dead.
I think Carlin remained relevant because he cared deeply about humanity. Really. Yes, he saw the stupidity and the banality; he mirrored back the hypocrasies out there - but it was his passion that made him relevant. He wanted us all to be better.
Plus he was really, really funny.
I agree with you. He was so clever, and so right about things I will really miss him.
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