You felt smart and honest and sort of intellectually daring when you listened to Carlin.
Or at least I did. And I’m going to miss that.
Comments
Joan H.says
He had a way of identifying the ludicrous and verbally slicing like a sabre to expose its diseased insides. He expressed thoughts I didn’t know I had. Listening to him was like a mental hit of cocaine. You’re right–I felt smarter, validated, an intellectual camaraderie. He was fearless and didn’t really care whether you liked anything about him. What confidence.
Is it just me, or does it seem like a lot of famous people are dying lately? Or is this just a sign that I, along with my pop culture peers, are aging. I hope it’s the first, but fear it’s the last explanation.
I agree with you David. He was one of the last remaining intellectual comedians. And Eileen, yes, unfortunately, I think it is the latter explanation. What is sad is that the good people are being sent to their reward and not a lot of good people are replacing them.
Jane: It’s funny you say that, because last night’s Larry King was a tribute to Carlin, with Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Mahr and a number of other comedians, and Mahr said “how ridiculous Carlin probably would have thought it was for all of us to be lauding him just because he’s dead.”
My favourite thing about Carlin, and they showed an interview with him where he talked about this last night, was that he TRULY didn’t care what people thought about him, which he felt freed him up to say exactly what he thought on all topics.
Whether you loved him or hated him, the one thing I think we can all agree about is that there was no bullshit with George Carlin. That, and it’s unlikely there will ever be anyone to take on his mantle, which is a shame.
He had a way of identifying the ludicrous and verbally slicing like a sabre to expose its diseased insides. He expressed thoughts I didn’t know I had. Listening to him was like a mental hit of cocaine. You’re right–I felt smarter, validated, an intellectual camaraderie. He was fearless and didn’t really care whether you liked anything about him. What confidence.
Is it just me, or does it seem like a lot of famous people are dying lately? Or is this just a sign that I, along with my pop culture peers, are aging. I hope it’s the first, but fear it’s the last explanation.
I agree with you David. He was one of the last remaining intellectual comedians. And Eileen, yes, unfortunately, I think it is the latter explanation. What is sad is that the good people are being sent to their reward and not a lot of good people are replacing them.
Susan, you be the new Carlin, I’ll be the new Vonnegut. Well, we can try.
And nobody better DARE say Carlin “passed on” or he’ll haunt them forever!
Jane: It’s funny you say that, because last night’s Larry King was a tribute to Carlin, with Jerry Seinfeld, Bill Mahr and a number of other comedians, and Mahr said “how ridiculous Carlin probably would have thought it was for all of us to be lauding him just because he’s dead.”
My favourite thing about Carlin, and they showed an interview with him where he talked about this last night, was that he TRULY didn’t care what people thought about him, which he felt freed him up to say exactly what he thought on all topics.
Whether you loved him or hated him, the one thing I think we can all agree about is that there was no bullshit with George Carlin. That, and it’s unlikely there will ever be anyone to take on his mantle, which is a shame.