The world adores matt hayward

Another top bloke bites the dust. George was in his early seventies but worked at a prolific pace until death. Most gen X and Yers would know him from Kevin Smith movies such as Dogma and Jersey Girl.

Whilst he may not have been the pioneer that Lenny Bruce was, he made a huge contribution to the art of stand up. He used obscenity not just to offend, but hold a mirror up to America and show how ridiculous conservative thinking really was. Point in case “Selling’s legal. Fucking’s legal. Why isn’t selling fucking legal?!”While the delivery may not have been completely original, the material was.

Oh yeah, and the ‘7 words you can’t say on television’ skit that almost made him the second commedian in US history (after Lenny) to be charged with obscenity in the early seventies. Post 9-11, he also got really stuck into airport security saying words to the effect of ‘it’s just to make white people feel safe’ and ‘it’s the government’s way of saying that we can fuck with you any time we want’.

He also had a famous altercation on Fox news that saw an interview end in furore and argument when he refused to tow the Republican line the program was taking. Carlin basically argued the news presenter down and walked off.

While he’s done so much great edgy stuff, it did take him a while to find his groove. Before he was the angry old man, he was a contemporary groovy comedian doing mostly impersonations. Which don’t really work today in all honesty. But it’s harder to appreciate an artist that always tried something new than someone that did the same schtick from the cradle to the grave.

If you’d like to hear a great albeit objective tribute to Carlin, have a listen to this Keith and the Girl (KATG) George Carlin podcast. It’s very fresh and cool. I don’t think Carlin would have it any other way.

Salut George!