This has been a hard week for many of us who loved George Carlin. While it is sad to know he will not be around to skewer the present administration – whatever the administration at the time – his a legacy will continue to provide a much-needed perspective on life and politics.
Much of the following biographical information comes from Carlin’s web site. One of the fun things about that site: at the bottom of the page is a running scroll with Carlin one-liners, including
- There ought to be at lease one round state.
- The only good thing to come out of religion is the music.
- Most people are not particularly good at anything.
- Those who dance are considered insane by those who don’t hear the music.
And just a reminder, tonightNBC pays tribute to the master by rebroadcasting the first SNL episode, which Carlin hosted. For those of you without access to television, in this comment in an open thread Scarce provides a set of six links to the entire SNL show.
For most of my life, George Carlin has been an island of sanity. He gave me a way to see the world by laughing at the inanities, rather than letting them drive me crazy. His timeline shows some of that perspective developed early in his life.
August, 1936 - Conceived, Curley's Hotel, Rockaway Beach, NY.
May 12, 1937 - Born. God winces.
July, 1937 - Mother, brother Patrick, 5, and infant George flee father. Out window, down fire escape, through backyards to Uncle Tom's waiting car. Refuge at Peg Willets' farm in the Catskills.
December, 1937 - Legal separation of parents.
1940 - Early memory: George and family sitting around the living room radio listening to a partial eclipse of the sun. At this time he is told the family motto: "Someday We'll All Have Hats."
August 1941 - Moves to 519 West 121st St., NYC. Would live there 25 years. First everything occurs here: sex, drugs, rhythm & blues.
....
December 1945 - Father dies. Can't remember him.
1950 - Family moves to a town without "nice section," and takes up residence in deconsecrated church. Brother Patrick finds work as Somalian warlord, mother pursues hobby of pretending to be people who died many years ago.
1953 - Drops out of school after nine gruelling years.
1954 - Joins U.S. Air Force. Soviet Union goes on tactical alert.
1954-1956 - Receives three court-martial and numerous Article Fifteens (form of punishment just below court-martial). Attitude toward military service can be discerned by noting history of changes in rank: A/B, A/3c, A/2c, A/3c, A/2c, A/3c, A/B, A/3c.
....
1957 - General discharge under honorable conditions from USAF. Soviet Union returns to previously relaxed state.
Much of the information at Carlin’s web site is about his career, of course. There is a lot more detail than I will go into, but here are some highlights that indicate his development as an observer of human nature:
1959 - Takes announcing job at WEZE, Boston. Fired after three months for driving mobile news van to New York to buy pot.
1959 - Takes 7pm-midnight deejay job at KXOL, Ft. Worth, Texas. Not fired (NOTE: this is the only good thing Carlin has to say about Texas.)
.....
February, 1960 - With radio buddy, Jack Burns, flees Texas for Hollywood to pursue nightclub career as comedy team, Burns & Carlin. Leave with $300. and brand-new Dodge Dart Pioneer.
August 1961- Burns & Carlin detained by Dallas police (with [Carlin’s wife] Brenda) as armed robbery suspects (mistaken identity). Treated like shit. Fuck Texas!
1969 - Fired from Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas for using the word "ass" on stage. Audience composed solely of golfing assholes from Howard Hughes Invitational Tournament. Deep, well-deserved hatred for golfers begins to take hold.
July 8, 1972 - First appearance at Carnegie Hall, New York City. Mother appalled that people applaud filthy, blasphemous, anti-American material.
Carlin was not only a master of stand-up comedy. He often appeared in cameo appearances in movies and TV shows, as well as making dozens of appearances on variety shows. Carlin describes his development as an actor:
June 1966 - First acting job: Films "That Girl" episode as Marlo Thomas' agent, George Lester. (Airs November) My acting really sucks.
1968 - First movie: Appears with Brian Keith and Doris Day in "With Six You Get Eggroll." Plays car hop Herbie Fleck. Acting sucks a little less, but only a little.
1976 - Plays taxi driver searching for "tall, black, blonde chick" in "Car Wash." Acting not an issue, does familiar "character."
February 8, 1977 - Tape "Welcome Back Kotter." Integrity slipping fast. Acting not an issue, it's TV.
Almost everyone has at least one favorite Carlin routine. Here’s one of mine. It’s funny, but it’s true – Carlin on Our Similarities:
And almost every Daily Kos reader encounters a comment that qualifies as a favorite because it is funny or insightful or provides a link to useful information. When you encounter a comment you think is Top Comment worthy, send a link – along with your Daily Kos screen name – to:
topcomments at gmail dot com
Tonights nominees are.........
From jnhobbs:
In blueness' extraordinary diary Dog Soldiers , kath25 puts the upcoming presidential election in global perspective.
From citizenx:
Our beloved Pluto attempts to cypher the meaning of an edscan diary and gets called on the carpet by edscan himself.
From TigerMom:
GOTV starts a great and funny thread demonstrating generational differences.
From va daré:
On the FISA dust-up, Excellent diary, but... by Dave in RI Mad props to Keith O. by JotaDeHace.
Pair of very informative comments here about economic conditions then and now: Yes, there was a run-up in 1980 but also by TheWesternSun AND the first reply great comment by FreeTradeIsYourEpitaph.
From me:
Clyde the Cat has a very snarky view of what it takes to get on the no-fly list.
ScottyUrb provides today's energy-saving ecotip.
And mem from somerville provides a useful link for people who would like to line-dry their laundry but are prevented from doing so by Community covenants, landlord prohibitions, or zoning laws.
Mother Mags comments on the beginning of SNL and Scarce's reply, sums up my opinion exactly.
Top Mojo excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments, and C&J comments:
1 - That's just silly.....bumblebums.....143
2 - I am.....bumblebums.....103
3 - Granny, I admit to screaming my 13-year old.....chicago minx.....83
4 - As I recall, it was the Clintons........ArtSchmart.....74
5 - if Bill is this thin skinned.....onanyes.....73
6 - vigilant weiner dog.....Stranded Wind.....72
7 - This dog (named Hope) was born without front legs.....Trix.....72
8 - Hi Madison.....bumblebums.....71
9 - Can't pass up the opportunity to post my favorite.....edwardssl.....68
10 - JJ doing his thing.....trashablanca.....68
11 - TRUE!!!.....noweasels.....68
12 - Personally.....kath25.....68
13 - My very wet Sara girl.....trashablanca.....65
14 - Trixie on patrol.....Stranded Wind.....64
15 - On a sad note.....Fineena.....63
16 - Will Chrysler/Dodge go electric too?.....FishOutofWater.....62
17 - Cats have the Right Idea.....refinish69.....61
18 - Doobie Dog.....trashablanca.....61
19 - Happy Birthday.....Patriot4peace.....61
20 - 17.....noweasels.....59
21 - ......a girl in MI.....59
22 - has madison's mommy found a new fur-friend?.....jlms qkw.....59
23 - ......a girl in MI.....59
24 - Jeebus!.....gchaucer2.....58
25 - Daimler no longer owns them.....Linnaeus.....58
26 - And Obama's persona non grata.....GN1927.....57
27 - oh hai noweasels!.....Avila.....56
28 - This is my real love.....edwardssl.....55
29 - I guess only the Big Dog himself.....Vicky.....55
30 - Happy friday to you too!.....a girl in MI.....54
Top Mojo with No Exclusions:
1 - tips/flames.....dotcommodity.....423
2 - I just lack the fan gene,.....Granny Doc.....368
3 - mojo meter n/t.....blueness.....300
4 - Tips, rants and raves.....kansasr.....234
5 - Madison the German shepherd.....noweasels.....210
6 - Tips for Allens hard work and exposing this.....ourhispanicvoices.....177
7 - Mojo for repairing the rupture, at.....Asinus Asinum Fricat.....168
8 - Tips?.....proseandpromise.....161
9 - That's just silly.....bumblebums.....143
10 - Sí Se Puede-- Win the Latino vote!!.....Muzikal203.....124
11 - Tips.....turneresq.....119
12 - Tip Jar.....The Bagof Health and Politics.....112
13 - I am.....bumblebums.....104
14 - If I didn't mention it.....gchaucer2.....86
15 - Granny, I admit to screaming my 13-year old.....chicago minx.....83
16 - This Awesome! Cindy has to release her financials.....jethrock.....82
17 - Not in the mood for tips.....BFSkinner.....76
18 - As I recall, it was the Clintons........ArtSchmart.....74
19 - if Bill is this thin skinned.....onanyes.....73
20 - This dog (named Hope) was born without front legs.....Trix.....72
21 - vigilant weiner dog.....Stranded Wind.....72
22 - Is this your tip jar?.....pontechango.....72
23 - Hi Madison.....bumblebums.....71
24 - There will be garden blogging.....Frankenoid.....71
25 - JJ doing his thing.....trashablanca.....68
26 - Personally.....kath25.....68
27 - Can't pass up the opportunity to post my favorite.....edwardssl.....68
28 - TRUE!!!.....noweasels.....68
29 - yay! pooties!.....a girl in MI.....66
30 - My very wet Sara girl.....trashablanca.....65