George Carlin has died

Between hearing about this and Pixie having a seizure and getting hurt, this was a lousy morning for me.

Honestly, I feel bad for those here who will never have a chance to see him live. I got to see him 12 years ago, and it was funny as hell. (Although, I will say: even then, he was hunched over and kept his hands close to his chest as he walked around the stage - he reminded me of a human praying mantis.) Interestingly, his opener, whom I forgot his name, actually did a bunch of Carlin's stuff from the 60's ("How about a contraceptive that doesn't always work? We could call it 'Baby Maybe!'" was one of George's bits he did.)

Personally, I'm hoping they'll follow his wishes, and instead of burying him, they'll blow him up.
 
I guess now he gets to find out if indeed he was right..and there's no God...and, if there is, does he have a sense of humor? :D

"Continued darkness for tonight followed by increasing scattered sunlight in the morning". Gotta love it :)
 
[quote name='Sofa King Kool']I'm just now realizing how terrible most comedy is going to be from now on. Everybody, get ready for the new generation of comedy: Dane Cook, Larry the Cable Guy, Sarah Silverman, and Carlos Mencia...



fuck!!!
[/QUOTE]

fuck indeed. :puke:
 
Why do I have the feeling that when I walk into bb tomorrow there will be some attempt by them to "Capitalize" on his death? like they always do when someone famous dies and they have something with their name on it in their inventory?
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']Why do I have the feeling that when I walk into bb tomorrow there will be some attempt by them to "Capitalize" on his death? like they always do when someone famous dies and they have something with their name on it in their inventory?[/quote]

Like the Heath Ledger bargain rack?
 
[quote name='becuzimbrown']The new generation of comedy isn't defined by Comedy Central. There are a lot of great young comedians out there. Demetri Martin for example.[/QUOTE]

Demetri Martin? The guy that is on the Best of Comedy Central DVD and has a few specials with them? Yeah he is not "defined" by Comedy Central at all. :roll:
 
[quote name='becuzimbrown']The new generation of comedy isn't defined by Comedy Central. There are a lot of great young comedians out there. Demetri Martin for example.[/quote].....who is often featured on Comedy Central.
 
[quote name='becuzimbrown']The new generation of comedy isn't defined by Comedy Central. There are a lot of great young comedians out there. Demetri Martin for example.[/QUOTE]
And sounds more and more like Mitch Hedburg everytime I hear him.
 
Demetri gets a little too...mmmm. It's not hokey or campy...it's not "too happy."

Maybe a little too hipster?

I mean he has the same sort of style as Hedberg (RIP). But Mitch wouldn't sing sappy little songs and stuff. And Demetri knows half his appeal is his new-gen Apple-spokesperson-look-alike image he has going on, with the shaggy hair and mod clothes.

I heard there will be a new CD of Hedberg coming out later this year. I can only hope that will come true. Glad I got to see him a few times (at his favorite club, no less) before he died.
 
:drool::drool:[quote name='Strell']Demetri gets a little too...mmmm. It's not hokey or campy...it's not "too happy."

Maybe a little too hipster?

I mean he has the same sort of style as Hedberg (RIP). But Mitch wouldn't sing sappy little songs and stuff. And Demetri knows half his appeal is his new-gen Apple-spokesperson-look-alike image he has going on, with the shaggy hair and mod clothes.

I heard there will be a new CD of Hedberg coming out later this year. I can only hope that will come true. Glad I got to see him a few times (at his favorite club, no less) before he died.[/quote]

:drool::drool::drool::drool::drool::drool:
Still, i have a ton of bootlegs from the internet. His material is classic, and the way he interacted with the crowd hasn't been surpassed....ever.
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']Like the Heath Ledger bargain rack?[/quote]

Yup, that was sick. Just wait to see them hocking his boxset of his material (which I would get, but is expensive and I don't have the cash for a single purchase like that.
 
[quote name='hiccupleftovers']:drool::drool:

:drool::drool::drool::drool::drool::drool:
Still, i have a ton of bootlegs from the internet. His material is classic, and the way he interacted with the crowd hasn't been surpassed....ever.[/QUOTE]

You gotta tell me...

You have one from the Laff Stop in Houston? Probably from 2002-2003...toward the end of the show he asks for suggestions from the audience, and gets into a discussion with someone about "the tennis joke" ?
 
You have owners, they own YOU....

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ4SSvVbhLw[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pow5_UYKaJ8[/media]
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UVXj8F9Fmk[/media]
 
[quote name='ITDEFX']Why do I have the feeling that when I walk into bb tomorrow there will be some attempt by them to "Capitalize" on his death? like they always do when someone famous dies and they have something with their name on it in their inventory?[/QUOTE]

[quote name='hiccupleftovers']Yup, that was sick. Just wait to see them hocking his boxset of his material (which I would get, but is expensive and I don't have the cash for a single purchase like that.[/QUOTE]

I never thought about them doing this and never knew they did it with Ledger. I went out yesterday and bought the box set and with tax it was 190 and change. With all the OT I was geting I have the money to get it. I read that it is missing some stuff that the last box set had and his newest HBO special. To me it seems like a nice set. After first glance it doesnt seem like it has that many discs but each spot hold 2 or 3 discs. They are not stacked on each other but are done like most dual disc cd cases. You flip the top one over and on the other side of the case is the other 2 discs. Really dont think it is worth the 190. 150 would be a good price but it is Carlin.
 
The thing is that some people *need* to go out and buy something of his work to remember him by. Retailers know this that's why they put it up so customers can get it easily and sometimes they will mark it up a bit to squeeze some profit off the death :(. Now it would make retailers look good if they *donated* a percentage of the sales to a foundation in the man's honor.
 
Yeah. I have been wanting for over a year now to get his box set. However that was the old set and I had no idea he had a new box set out. Every time I went to BB they never had the old one when I had the cash. Just wish I would have bought this set when he was alive. I'm glad I got it just sucks that I got it the day after he had died and the day the news about his death came out. I have had some of them downloaded from time to time but I did feel the need to buy this seeing how it was something I wanted to get and not download it.

Now that I think about it I would not be surprized to see different movies and box sets that Calin was in on a table next week.
 
HBO 2 is currently showing some Classic Carlin and SNL is showing it's debut episode from '75.

Link

My personal fave is "Carlin at Carnegie" from '83.

Wednesday
7 p.m.: “George Carlin at USC” (1977)
8:30 p.m.: “George Carlin Again!” (1978)
10 p.m.: “Carlin at Carnegie” (1983)
11 p.m.: “Carlin on Campus” (1984)
Midnight: “Playin’ with Your Head” (1986)
Thursday
7 p.m.: “What Am I Doing in New Jersey?” (1988)
8 p.m.: “Doin’ It Again” (1990)
9 p.m.: “Jammin’ in New York” (1992)
10 p.m.: “Back in Town” (1996)
11:05 a.m.: “You Are All Diseased” (1999)
Midnight: “It’s Bad for Ya” (2008)


The main HBO channel also will replay “It’s Bad for Ya,” which just debuted in March, at 9 p.m. Friday.
Then, “Saturday Night Live” pays tribute by rerunning its premiere episode from 1975, which featured Carlin as host. The show starts at 10:30 p.m. Saturday on WMAQ-Channel 5.
 
Carlin at Carnege and Carlin on Campus are, for all intents and purposes, up there with Eddie Murphy RAW and a few others as "definitive Comedy Performances" that should not be missed by anyone, anywhere, who likes to laugh.

I'll also say that his 2008 "Its Bad For Ya" performance is terrible, and is probably best avoided..or at least saved for last. A common complaint is that the last few years Carlin gave up on writing jokes, and just wrote scathing social commentary.....which is what most of that 2008 performance actually is.

IMHO, of course. Then again, find me a funnier 71 year old ;)
 
[quote name='HeadRusch']
I'll also say that his 2008 "Its Bad For Ya" performance is terrible, and is probably best avoided..or at least saved for last. A common complaint is that the last few years Carlin gave up on writing jokes, and just wrote scathing social commentary.....which is what most of that 2008 performance actually is.
[/QUOTE]

Yeah. Basically he became every rant from everyone's grandpa - damn kids this and damn get off my lawn that.
 
Yeah, he got kinda bitter towards the end, but i think he was just tired of the way things in this country are going. He spent his career pointing out what was wrong with the world and i think he was just sick of things not getting any better. I think he saw some things happening today that reminded him of his younger days and it upset him.

By the end i think he was just disgusted with humanity, at least it seemed that way.
 
[quote name='sendme']I never thought about them doing this and never knew they did it with Ledger. I went out yesterday and bought the box set and with tax it was 190 and change. With all the OT I was geting I have the money to get it. I read that it is missing some stuff that the last box set had and his newest HBO special. To me it seems like a nice set. After first glance it doesnt seem like it has that many discs but each spot hold 2 or 3 discs. They are not stacked on each other but are done like most dual disc cd cases. You flip the top one over and on the other side of the case is the other 2 discs. Really dont think it is worth the 190. 150 would be a good price but it is Carlin.[/QUOTE]

You can get it for $100 or so with a 20% off coupon for Deepdiscount.com
 
[quote name='VanillaGorilla']Then why bother coming into the thread to say so, douchebag?[/quote]

Cuz he's a douchebag, he couldn't very well be a douchbag if he didn't do douchbaggy things now could he?
 
[quote name='Ender']Wishing my baby would die so I could play:
Nothing until I can get my hands on R&C
Rock Band, CoD4
Castlevania X Chronicles
Twilight Princess, Super Paper Mario, RE4[/QUOTE]


Fixed :evil:
 
[quote name='porieux']Fixed :evil:[/quote]

Wow, you really are "brutal". :roll:

Forgive me if I seemed like a dick, but I just don't get the appeal of this guy. All of his comedy I've ever seen is more like a pissed-off social commentary than really comedy, railing against "The Man" and bitching about how shitty everything is. And honestly, that's a stance that irritates the crap out of me. I don't deny that there is corruption in this country, that politicians are mostly a joke, and that things are not what they are represented as being. But even with all that being true, I think America is the best country in the world, and we definitely have a better thing going than most countries. So a whole career, a whole public existence based around what his platform seemed to be comes off to me as a complete waste of time and words.

Now I'm sure most of you think I should at least care that someone died, no matter who it is. But really now, people die all the time. They're dieing as I write this, and as you compose your replies to me. The approximation is that a person dies every single second, so almost 80,000 people will die before you lay your head down to rest tonight. At that rate, it seems almost foolish to mourn every death, doesn't it?
 
[quote name='Ender']Forgive me if I seemed like a dick, but I just don't get the appeal of this guy. All of his comedy I've ever seen is more like a pissed-off social commentary than really comedy, railing against "The Man" and bitching about how shitty everything is. And honestly, that's a stance that irritates the crap out of me. I don't deny that there is corruption in this country, that politicians are mostly a joke, and that things are not what they are represented as being. But even with all that being true, I think America is the best country in the world, and we definitely have a better thing going than most countries. So a whole career, a whole public existence based around what his platform seemed to be comes off to me as a complete waste of time and words.[/quote]

Isn't that exactly the attitude that leads things to be worse? "I agree with everything you said, but I'll be damned if I waste my life doing something about it."

And all the best comedy is social commentary. What else is there? Knock knock jokes?
 
In his lifetime, Carlin had seen quite a bit. Now most people may just forget about those things over time and get on with their lives, but not Carlin. I can't say for sure since i'd never spoken to him, but i'm pretty sure he felt that the Iraq war was nothing but the 21st century equivalent of the Vietnam war, another war that he was pretty out spoken about.

I just think that he had a kind of outside looking in approach to life, i think it frustrated him that he seemed to be the only one who could see what was going on. His acts were his way of expressing that frustration with the world. Except he did manage to mix in some actual comedy in between the commentary.
 
[quote name='Ender']All of his comedy I've ever seen is more like a pissed-off social commentary than really comedy, railing against "The Man" and bitching about how shitty everything is. And honestly, that's a stance that irritates the crap out of me. [/QUOTE]

Do you think Lewis Black is funny? He's the present-day Carlin, with a heavier Political edge.
Now I like Black, because he's angry and scathing sometimes. Meanwhile I find guys like Colbert and Jon Stewart to be about as funny as watching paint dry, their brand of dry political humor is just plain tired. It never changes, same jokes we've been hearing for 20 years. Then it'll be Obama or McClain, and on it goes...every leader is a buffoon to be mocked nightly. Every gesture scrutinized and ridiculed. Its tired, its old...its the post-MTV generations idea of humor. :p

But before these guys that kind of humor was largely confined to comedy clubs and late-night TV like SNL. George pointed out things to me that I never really thought much about before, some of it was his absurdist plays on words "Driving on a Parkway, Parking on a Driveway" that I've seen quoted on some websites lately, others were kinda funny..the Flamethrower bit..."Someone at one time said.."Gee, I Sure would like to set those people on fire over there.." ...just kind of absurd when you think about it.....his Football versus Baseball comparisons. He, Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor..funny guys. Later in the 80's it all fell apart when guys like Andrew Dice Clay and Sam Kinnison became what "comedy" was about. :p Bleech.

I don't deny that there is corruption in this country, that politicians are mostly a joke, and that things are not what they are represented as being. But even with all that being true, I think America is the best country in the world, and we definitely have a better thing going than most countries. So a whole career, a whole public existence based around what his platform seemed to be comes off to me as a complete waste of time and words.
Click to expand...

As stated elsewhere, the last few years the guy was just bitter and angry...theres no humor in his performances, just a pissed off old guy sad to see it going down the toilet, or reminding us all over and over that its going down the toilet. He really changed direction....he spent most of his time mocking Religion, mocking the Government, and mocking the people for letting this all happen.

But go back to his performances from the 80's...when he did the occasional goofy faces and silly arm waving stuff....its still social commentary, but its not nearly as biting or angry as this stuff from today.

Of course...he was probably loaded on BLOW back then too so.....
 
Daily Show/Colbert Report do little more than just put up the inanity of political/cultural news. Colbert makes a bigger act out of it (since he's aping people like O'Reilly), but their entire shtick is little more than "Look - this crazy shit is actually happening," and then they let the audience determine if that's funny or not. Here guys, look at the stupid shit that was said/done today.

Stewart last night talked about the recent thing with the EPA, who basically had to write a proposal/plan of action to help regulate car emissions. They e-mailed it to the White House. The White House REFUSED TO OPEN THE E-MAIL, basing their concerns on "it could have a virus." The EPA - also apparently run by idiots - didn't just print it out and deliver it by mail. Instead, they rewrote the whole thing.

These are the people running our country.

Re: Carlin

I don't actually know much about him. I know I rented a VHS of him years ago with some friends, but the performance must have been right before he became edgy, because it was entirely happy golly-gee sorts of things. And then all the recent stuff is - again - like every retirement home's collective grievances. I guess I'll go hunt down some of his more epic performances and see what I'm missing. Still, can't deny his impact - it's huge.
 
I think his act started changing around the late 80s or 90s. I think he wanted to make more of a social impact with his acts.
 
[quote name='Strell']Daily Show/Colbert Report do little more than just put up the inanity of political/cultural news. Colbert makes a bigger act out of it (since he's aping people like O'Reilly), but their entire shtick is little more than "Look - this crazy shit is actually happening," and then they let the audience determine if that's funny or not. Here guys, look at the stupid shit that was said/done today. [/QUOTE]

I know, the problem is..its been going on for 20 years....it started with Late Night monologues, today HBO has their Political goof show with that asshat b-actor-turned-political-pundit Bill Mahr, and now you've got Colbert and Daily Show giving us that same schtick...daily. And frankly, its the same joke...over...and over...and over again.

I think I'm just drowning in political humor. In fact, I'll go one better. I'm drowning in politics. Ever since we've had 24 hour national news and internet channels, it seems there is just a steady stream of political commentary..and everyone is right....and everyone tries to out-think everyone else, and now its worse...I mean 24/7 OJ Trial coverage and "Cum Shot On my blue Dress" coverage almost turned my brain to oatmeal...but now its the endless stream of BLOGS.

And of course, the daily (and then nightly) political humor shows that attempt to make it all "funny" on a daily basis. I'm burned out :)

Stewart last night talked about the recent thing with the EPA, who basically had to write a proposal/plan of action to help regulate car emissions. They e-mailed it to the White House. The White House REFUSED TO OPEN THE E-MAIL, basing their concerns on "it could have a virus." The EPA - also apparently run by idiots - didn't just print it out and deliver it by mail. Instead, they rewrote the whole thing.

These are the people running our country.
Click to expand...

Right....but.....we've been hearing the same crap for 20 odd years.....now we hear it in the afternoon, in the evenings, on our pay TV channels. "Oh Hey Bush did something stupid today!".
really? Of course he did..because if Bush DIDNT do something stupid today, you'd be out of a frickin JOB wouldn't you Mr. Mahr......?? Its that part I'm tired of. Next year it'll be "Obama did this today", "Obama said that today", or The NRA did this today, or the Catholic Church said this today.

So everyone in power says and does stupid things....or, instead, everyone in power that does something will be ridiculed to make it seem that whatever they did...was stupid.

I'm just a bit tired of it is all......I don't find political humor funny anymore, it simply serves as a way to divide people. Yes, Bush has done some dumb things.....So did Clinton, so will Obama/McCain, because if you're making one group of people happy, you're pissing some other group off, and they are gonna get their time on the Colbert Report fo' sho.....

I don't actually know much about him. I know I rented a VHS of him years ago with some friends, but the performance must have been right before he became edgy, because it was entirely happy golly-gee sorts of things. And then all the recent stuff is - again - like every retirement home's collective grievances. I guess I'll go hunt down some of his more epic performances and see what I'm missing. Still, can't deny his impact - it's huge.
Click to expand...

Carlin On Campus
Carlin At Carnege

If you want to see Vintage Carlin, rent his early hippy 70's bellbottoms stuff..but thats humor thats a little dated these days...the Hippy Dippy Weatherman (back when every kid you knew didn't sound stoned like that). :p
 
My point wasn't that it's not the same joke over and over.

My point was that those outfits are doing little more than pointing and laughing. That's not really a "joke" per se. It's just observational humor - the big thing people seem to say Carlin/Pryor first hit on - on the same subjects over and over again.

I mean you're right - it's repetitive. I'm just saying it's repetitive in execution, but the punchlines are changing since people seem to always find a way to be even more ridiculous than you thought possible.

Daily Show/Colbert can - at least - make politics more accessible to people like me (and you) who can't stomach the outright INSANITY by the 24 hour channels, where they over-sensationalize everything over and over and over, finding little nit-picky bullshit to turn into hour-long discussions and angry tirades. Those shows have the ability to distill it down and still pointing out that it can be distilled down, so that it takes 4 minutes to learn the news of the day rather than the other 56 + 23 hours.

I mean I can't stand news channels. They literally infuriate me down to my bones. I can't imagine that there are actually people sitting around watching these, gripping the armchairs of their really-ugly-late-80s couches, getting angry or fearful at the sheer amount of time devoted to stupid things.
 
I suppose we just have differing opinions on what is and isn't funny, just like everyone else. Personally, I enjoy the Daily Show, and I also probably enjoy comedy that some of you would consider stupid and worthless. I don't claim to be any sort of comedic connoisseur; on the contrary, I just like a little funny-ha-ha every now and then with little regard to how clever or politically poignant it might be. Comedy, for me, is escapism, and not much more. Oh, and I also like dumb sitcoms.

Isn't that exactly the attitude that leads things to be worse? "I agree with everything you said, but I'll be damned if I waste my life doing something about it."
Click to expand...

Spazx -

Maybe. But I would argue that Carlin's approach to making a difference in the arenas we are talking about probably proved ineffective. I'd imagine that we would be hard-pressed to find someone whose outlook on life, America, and politics was fundamentally affected by Carlin's satire. You might listen, tilt your head to the side and go "huh, he has a point", but then in a minute you are laughing again and when you get home, you forget all about it. That's what comedy is good for, and that's about all it is good for, if we are being honest.

To address my "attitude": I think it is best to use wisdom when choosing what issues in your life that you choose to try to change for the better. Personally, I tend to work on my own circle of influence (50-100 people probably), and I try to affect them in the best ways I can. My wife and daughter, my family and friends, and the people I come in contact with every day are my mission. And I would argue that, all in all, if it were possible to quantify "positive impact and change", I have had more lasting impact on lives than Carlin has. I'd argue that all of us have. And we didn't get paid for what we've done in our personal lives, have we? Never forget that comedy was his career, and when money is involved, things can get cloudy.

Anyway, I'm done talking about a dead comedian. :)
 
Actually, i'd say my views and opinions have been greatly shaped by people like Carlin. I grew up watching people like Carlin on tv and the things they said made sense to me. They greatly influenced who i grew up to be.
 
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