In Memoriam: George Carlin.
The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating...
-George Carlin
The funniest part of Carlin dying is that he would probably hate the very idea of someone writing a tribute about him. But I feel the need to because of how often I find myself quoting myself. Not a day...for sure a week goes by without yours truly quoting Carlin. Some of my favorite quotes are about his thoughts on reality television, airplane security and perhaps the most powerful quote of all. This is one that isn't funny to me, but it's become a philosophy of life for me.
Thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself.
This is a quote that manages to contextualize my beliefs on religion. I know a lot of people will site him for essentially writing FCC rules on words you can't say on television. The mere fact "Seven Dirty Words" has its own Wikipedia entry with details on these words and their different usages in a lot of mediums means that Carlin's impact goes beyond comedy clubs and movies.
Carlin began his life as a catholic, at least until the age of reason. Carlin grew up in a racially integrated Harlem. Incredibly, Carlin was a member of the Air Force. After that adventure, Carlin would get his start as a disc jockey before becoming a relatively tame and mainstream comedian. He would perform on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "The Tonight Show," where he introduced the world to Al Sleet, "the hippie-dippie weatherman."
In the 1970s, the George Carlin of the mainstream went away, to be replaced by a man who was unpredictable and increasingly angry about what he felt were the evils of American society. He began to dress in faded jeans and grew out his beard and hair. It was in 1972 where Carlin was arrested in Milwaukee for what would become the infamous act known as "Seven Dirty Words." Three years, later Carlin would host the first ever "Saturday Night Live." Despite being in existence since 1975, Carlin would never host the show ever again.
In the late 70s and 80s, Carlin suffered two heart attacks. He would continue to come with original acts such as "Places to Put my Stuff" and my personal favorite segment of all time "Airline Announcements." I became obsessed with Carlin in the ’90s. As a teen 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 just can't believe George Carlin is dead. I wish I had the linguistic abilities of Carlin because this tribute would come out a lot better than what you're reading. Of course Carlin swore a lot, but it's not swearing that makes you funny. Its performance combined with the ability to identify with your audience. This is why Carlin became so popular. This is why no other comedian with the possible exception of Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce has any business being mentioned in the same breath as Carlin.
George Carlin is dead at the age of 71. We will never replace him. No one could possibly do it. And really, if anyone tried, they'd just be a knockoff. To try and summarize his life in one sentence, even trying to conclude this piece is impossible. So I feel the words of Carlin are truly the only words that could possibly end this essay.
I wanna live. I don't wanna die. That's the whole meaning of life: Not dying! I figured that shit out by myself in the third grade.
