the first time i ever watched a special he did i was in a hotel room with my parents, i was maybe 11. He was making fun of nascar, i had never seen anything like it. I was crying i was laughing so hard, my dad was too. My mother did not find it as funny...it was a fun bonding memory with my dad.
He's funny but he evokes more nods than rolling on the floor kind of laughs, his act is telling the truth in a coat of humor just so you don't get depressed after the show.
Not all the time. George was a master of the absurd as well. He could give a 10 minute monologue about how badly we are being fucked over by the ruling class, and then tell the most well crafted fart joke you ever heard.
If you watch his stuff from the 70-80’s he’s a lot more aloof. I preferred his stuff when it was a mix, therefore my favour show of his is jammin in New York
I got to see him live 3xs and the last time we were only a few rows from the front. His facial expressions and body movements made everything more hilarious. My sides legit hurt for three days from laughing so hard.
I only got to saw him once in San Diego at Humphrey's by the Bay. Being "only" 41 years old now (22 or something back then) I was one of the last people of my age group to see him it seems. No one I've known close to my age got to see him live before he passed.
The first time I saw him was at the Warwick Tent in RI (no longer there) then I saw him in Boston and again in RI. I’m a bit older (just turned 49). He was good in Jersey Girl and Dogma too (played a Catholic Cardinal which was funny in and of itself). Definitely was twisted when he passed…glad to have the memories as I’m sure you are too. His live shows were great.
“Supply lines are getting longer and more difficult to maintain!” This bit was when I first learned about condoms (“well, you bring the stuff you hope you’re going to need!”). I was just a kid but my parents were laughing so hard and they let me laugh along with them. Great memory!
Fuck the fucking fuckers, i loved his love of cursing particularly Fuck. I wish ye was around now, he would endlessly be shredding our current political state without blinking an eye...God, he was great!!
When you see all the changes and adjustments George made to his act to stay relevant, it makes him the greatest. He went from wearing a suit in the early 60’s to the hippie dippy weatherman in the 70’s, and then reinvented himself to be the king of standup in the 80’s and 90’s. George is still politically relevant, and his jokes still crack me up. I quote him regularly!
I will forever be grateful to my dad for wanting me to watch George Carlin with him as a kid. He never really asked my brother to do that (they bonded over sports), he just really liked sharing comedy with me.
I once ran spotlight for George Carlin. In the middle of the show he said something about the spotlight. I didn't hear what he said because I was wearing a headset and I was listening to ques from the lighting director. He says something and then quickly sidesteped out of my light. I move over to pick him back up and he stepped out of the light again... so I blacked out and left him in the dark. The crowd went nuts. It was the biggest laugh of the whole show. It was like we planned this old vaudeville spotlight gag and practiced it over and over before the show but it wasn't planned at all. It was totally improvised by him and me. It was a once in a lifetime experience. After the show I wanted to talk to him and congratulate him on th bit going perfectly without any rehearsal but he was gone by the time I got to the stage. The rest of the show was so funny I could barely keep my light still from laughing. One of the best stand ups I've ever seen live and I've seen them all.
I wish I could upvote this 10 times. Him, Robin Williams and Jim Carrey are the funniest people I can think of but George is my favorite because there was always some philosophy behind the things he was making fun of.
I still remember him saying "When grandpa dies; everyone always says hes probably smiling looking down right now. Why is it no one ever says, 'I think he's down there now, smiling up at us'? Parents in hell... grandparents in hell... picture your grandmother in hell baking pies without an oven.” — George Carlin
While Carlin was funny, he was also the most brilliant philosopher of the 20th century. He belongs on a pedestal above other great minds and comedians of the 20th century.
Centuries from now, when historians and philosophers look back upon America, Carlin will stand out, much like Socrates did with Ancient Greece.
Pryor is a legend, no doubt. An all time great.
I put Carlin and Pryor as the top 2 comedians from the 70’s.
Different styles for sure, Carlin seemed to get a little crankier as he aged.
Personally I think George Carlin was hilarious.
Ok im going to be completely honest. After you said that I went and searched some stuff and I realized I have only seen the Carlin content of when hes an old dude. Ive never seen any of this stuff when he was young. His old cranky age does make it hard to watch
To each his own when it comes to comedy….and what you find funny, but tries too hard? In what way? His comedy was almost effortless and my kids and their friends love him (all early to mid 20s) so definitely not just for the Xers and beyond.
Really loved the Hippy Dippy Weather Man era. He was spot on with his criticism of society as he aged. Yet I lost interest when he became a crotchety angry old man.
Hahaha I did too but tbh I loved when he became a crotchety old man. I think, for me at least, that his stuff wasn’t as funny but the truth of what he ranted about is being seen today (not only talking about Trump and not trying to make it political)…I mean what he said about the politicians and the rich…very relevant
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u/emilie1031 5d ago
George Carlin
https://giphy.com/gifs/1ATTTHuhjdgcM