George Carlin

I've been thinking a lot about George Carlin since the news of his death. There are plenty of deaths of famous people all the time, Stan Winston and Tim Russert recently, for example, but it's rare that I feel affected by them. Carlin is an exception.

The human race is lessened by the death of George Carlin. A world without Carlin is a slightly less beautiful world. He was more than a comedian, he was a jester, a foole, a poet, a philosopher. He was willing to tell the truth, even when it was funny, even when it hurt, even when it was brutal. Even when it fucked you in the face. The truth is the truth, and Carlin accepted it.

I remember listening to albums like Class Clown and Toledo Window Box when I was young. I didn't get all the sex and drug and Catholic references back then, but I knew somehow that the material was funny. I remember imitating Carlin's routines to make my friends laugh. My friends called me creative and funny, but I was just mimicking Carlin. I still use Carlin lines in everyday conversation.

In recent years, Carlin became less of a comedian and more of a commentator on society and culture. He seemingly became more bitter and angry. But throughout it all he was honest. He stood up to the bullshit and called bullshit on it. I love his anti-government shit, his atheist shit, his anti-social shit. Carlin was a poet and a prophet who challenged the lies in the name of the truth, and we were lucky to have him as long as we did.

Shit piss fuck cunt cocksucker motherfucker tits.

The voice of comedy

I saw some stand-up comedy by Demetri Martin the other day. I really appreciate his sensibilities but I didn't find myself laughing very much at the jokes. Then I imagined how the jokes would sound being told by Mitch Hedberg and I laughed a lot more.