wolvenstien Report post Posted June 23, 2008 LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Comedian-actor George Carlin, known for his raunchy, but insightful humor, died Sunday in Los Angeles, his publicist said. He was 71. Carlin performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. Jeff Abraham says Carlin went into St. John's Health Center on Sunday afternoon, complaining of chest pain. Carlin died at 5:55 p.m. PDT, the Associated Press reported. Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas. Carlin was best known for his routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television," which appeared 1972's "Class Clown" album. When Carlin uttered all seven at a show in Milwaukee in 1972, he was arrested for disturbing the peace, the AP reported. The comedy sketch prompted a landmark indecency case after WBAI-FM radio aired it in 1973. The case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court where the justices ruled on a 5-to-4 vote that the sketch was "indecent but not obscene," giving the FCC broad leeway to determine what constituted indecency on the airwaves. "So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of," Carlin said. "In the context of that era, it was daring." "It just sounds like a very self-serving kind of word. I don't want to go around describing myself as a 'groundbreaker' or a 'difference-maker' because I'm not and I wasn't," he said. "But I contributed to people who were saying things that weren't supposed to be said." Video Watch Carlin's 7 dirty words routine » Carlin, who was also an author, was slated to receive the 2008 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in November. "In his length career as a comedian, writer, and actor, George Carlin has not only made us laugh, but he makes us think," Stephen Schwarzman, Kennedy Center chairman, said in a statement. "His influence on the next generation of comics has been far-reaching." In a typical wry response, Carlin said: "Thank you Mr. Twain. Have your people call my people." advertisement Carlin hosted the first broadcast of "Saturday Night Live" in October 1975. He played the character of Mr. Conductor on the PBS series "Shining Time Station" and starred in more than a dozen HBO specials. Carlin was also a regular on The Tonight Show. http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/06/23/carl...=rss_topstories Doubly sad day for me.... Carlin, you will be missed! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TroyS Report post Posted June 23, 2008 George, you funny son of a !! You will be missed! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whinewine Report post Posted June 23, 2008 Man, what a shame! I had the pleasure of watching one of his performances here in little ole Altoona several years ago. Very sharp, very intelligent guy. He had gone far away from his famous oxymorons ('JUMBO shrimp') and the 'hippy dippy weatherman' persona that many people remember, into a lot of very, very dark humor & satire. Pissed off a lot of people who were looking for that kind of image & many people walked out of his performance because it 'SHOCKED' them... Huh? George Carlin 'shocking' people??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildrose Report post Posted June 23, 2008 He was also one of my husband's favorite narrators for Thomas the Tank Engine. (personally I preferred Alec Baldwin...) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HorsehairBraider Report post Posted June 23, 2008 How sad. He was one of the greats and really got people thinking. He will be missed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sodapop Report post Posted June 23, 2008 george was funny cat...i remember back in the day having his standup albums...used to just crack me up as a young punk rip george Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cybertracy Report post Posted June 23, 2008 he gave all the "standard' labels; noncoformist, longhair, bohemian, rebel, beatnik) class! RIP George, hope you have a place up there for all your STUFF! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rawhide Report post Posted June 24, 2008 He will be missed. I love to hear his views. Aside from making you laugh about it, he really made you think about it as well. R.I.P. George Marlon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted June 24, 2008 Here's one us old fogies will remember... "... and the weather forecast for tonight: dark. Continued dark throughout the night, with widely scattered light in the morning." I'm sure that was a statement attesting to the sheer futility of weather forcasts, but they still try, don't they? Never realized how much he has influenced our culture until today... Kate Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esantoro Report post Posted June 24, 2008 I think the saddest thing is that there's really no one to take the places of people like George Carlin and Norman Mailer. Everyone else is replaceable and has nothing to say. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CitizenKate Report post Posted June 24, 2008 I hope you didn't really mean to say it that way. I can think of a lot of people who aren't particularly famous or influential, or who are in fact grossly unsung, that I would consider equally irreplaceable. But I do agree that George was a genuine article and will be sorely missed. Kate Everyone else is replaceable and has nothing to say. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
esantoro Report post Posted June 24, 2008 I hope you didn't really mean to say it that way. I can think of a lot of people who aren't particularly famous or influential, or who are in fact grossly unsung, that I would consider equally irreplaceable. But I do agree that George was a genuine article and will be sorely missed.Kate I meant it in the sense of people who have exposure and are not afraid of repercussions by the establishment. There are people in comedy now who think they're provocative, but they're just idiots. Bill Mahr comes immediately to mind. Carlin was genuinely funny, sincere, and, to a degree, dangerous. On the journalism side, Bill Moyers is someone who will sadly be missed when his time comes. I can't think of many others in the spotlight worth listening to. Charlie Rose knows on which side his bread is buttered. There are many, many others worth listening to, but they don't have the mic at their disposal. Bill Moyers and Tony Brown have many of these people on their talk shows. Ed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whinewine Report post Posted June 24, 2008 On the journalism side, Bill Moyers is someone who will sadly be missed when his time comes. Ed Not to hijack this thread, but don't forget Tim Russert, too- fair, balanced, honest- a straight shooter also What's the old song... "Only the good die young"...? russ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David Report post Posted June 24, 2008 No one mentioned the Hippy Dippy Weatherman!....What a funny skit. I didn't agree with anything he ever said; but I sure did laugh at his humor. David Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
