If America had philosopher kings, George Carlin would have been one.
Carlin looked at the same world all of us do, but saw it differently. He saw connections we didn’t, as in his famous comparison of football and baseball. He could boil down everyday life to an essence that eluded the rest of us, as when he talked about our stuff. He cut through the fog we often put around certain concepts and issues so we don’t have to look at what they really mean, as in his discussion of the sanctity of life. And with his famous “Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television,” he went further down the road of obscenity than any comic ever had, up to that point, anyhow, and forced us to think about whether the concept of obscenity means anything at all.
When Carlin started in the 1960s, he wore a suit and looked pretty tame, and didn’t “work blue,” as it was called then. His most famous early routine was probably “The Hippy-Dippy Weatherman”. Another I remember vividly was his Top-40 radio station takeoff, “Wonderful WINO.” It doesn’t resonate particularly well anymore, as far removed as we are from the era it parodies, but it was the first Carlin bit I ever really loved. Here it is, from the old variety show Hollywood Palace, December 10, 1966.
(Also on the show that night: the Turtles and Mrs. Miller.)
Despite his reputation, Carlin was humble about his job. He once characterized it as “thinking up goofy shit.” Every once in a while, he said, he’d come around and tell what he’d thought up, then go off and think up some more. It’s sad to think he won’t be coming around again. And neither will anybody else like him.
Filed under: YouTube
Last year, George Carlin’s wife passed away. Here is something he wrote about life shortly after that. This is beautiful…..EVERYBODY must read this:
Isn’t it amazing that George Carlin – comedian of the 70’s and 80’s – could write something so very eloquent…and so very appropriate.
A Message by George Carlin:
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.
George Carlin
Thank you, George. We’ll miss you.
“The Paradox of Our Times” contains some lovely sentiments, but it’s not by George Carlin. In the first place, it doesn’t sound like him, and in the second, he disavowed having written it and called it “a sappy piece of shit.” It was actually written in 1995 by a preacher in Seattle. Details at http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp.