The George Carlin Appreciation Thread.

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by Connemara

The Carlin and Murphy glory days are untouchable. Murphy's Bill Cosby bit from "Raw" is truly the funniest thing I've ever seen.

Actually, Bill Cosby: Himself is still the funniest thing I've ever seen. Seeing Carlin live in Vegas was a close second.

 

[Harold falcon]

Originally Posted by APK

My favorites from him are:

- The Ten Commandments (Complaints & Grievances)
- Religion Is Bullshit (You Are All Diseased)
- Abortion (Back in Town)

Agree completely. Carlin really changed as a comic in his later work, and it was much more social commentary than traditional stand up. Of course, it was completely hilarious regardless.

 

[Jr Mouse]

Originally Posted by matik23

How does a George Carlin thread end up in the dumb threads? smh

My bad, completely. I should have done Entertainment and Culture.

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by JMRouse

My bad, completely. I should have done Entertainment and Culture.

"Here's another jackoff who ought to be locked into a portable toilet and set on fire."

 

[APK]

Originally Posted by Rambo

"Here's another jackoff who ought to be locked into a portable toilet and set on fire."

That's the sort of Carlin stuff I can take or leave, but it works beautifully here. Legit LOL.

 

[Rambo]

Working my way through his catalog again since they make such good driving listening. Current top 5 (in no particular order):

1) A Place for My Stuff

2) Jammin' in New York

3) Back in Town

4) Playin' With Your Head

5) You Are All Diseased

 

[Dakota rube]

Originally Posted by Rambo

Working my way through his catalog again since they make such good driving listening. Current top 5 (in no particular order):

1) A Place for My Stuff

Classic.

 

[APK]

Originally Posted by Rambo

4) Playin' With Your Head

5) You Are All Diseased

These two would make great primers to display the two types of Carlin the public got during the HBO years of his career. Playin' with Your Head has some of the spot-on observational humor ("Losing Stuff") and examination of language ("Love and Regards") that defined the relatively subdued portion of Carlin's post-clean-cut career. You Are All Diseased, meanwhile, gives us the examination of sensitive social issues ("Religion Is Bullshit") and more in-your-face observational humor ("Fear of Germs") that characterized the "angry old man" phase of his career.

 

[Rambo]

I don't really think he got into the "angry old man" phase until after his stint in rehab in 05. Both Diseased and Grievances were before that.

 

[APK]

Originally Posted by Rambo

I don't really think he got into the "angry old man" phase until after his stint in rehab in 05. Both Diseased and Grievances were before that.

Agreed, but general consensus seems to be that the "angry old man" Carlin became a fixture around the time of Doin' It Again.

I'm with you in that I don't think he started to become almost a self-parody until his last two specials. I only vaguely recall Life Is Worth Losing. It's Bad for Ya was one of the aforementioned specials I recently watched. There's some material there that I think Carlin in his prime would have nailed, but as it was, it all just sort of putters out. It's also a bittersweet special knowing the end was so near.

 

[Rambo]

I've relistened to Its Bad For Ya. Once you get past the first 20-30 minutes, there is some killer material, especially at the end. I still crack up at the Religious Hats part.

 

[Harold falcon]

Why?

Why?

Why?

Why is it the people opposed to abortion are people you'd never wanna **** anyway?

 

[Harold falcon]

Originally Posted by Rambo

Working my way through his catalog again since they make such good driving listening. Current top 5 (in no particular order):

1) A Place for My Stuff

2) Jammin' in New York

3) Back in Town

4) Playin' With Your Head

5) You Are All Diseased

I was at Jammin in NY when it was recorded for HBO.

Just sayin.

 

[APK]

Back in Town still has one of the coolest openings of any comedy special I've seen (Carlin crossing a street, walking through an open passageway, tossing his leather jacket to the side and walking right on stage, all without ever breaking stride).

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by harvey_birdman

I was at Jammin in NY when it was recorded for HBO. Just sayin.
I now respect you.