June 29, 2008

Remembering Carlin and Hoping Hollywood Don't Fuck Up His Story

Now that George Carlin has died, Hollywood no doubt has begun scripting the comedic genius' life to be immortalized on the silver screen. The big question is, who's going to be the shithead in Hollywood who has the balls to pretend to be the George Carlin in a movie?

I do concede his story is and would make for really great cinema. It's an American story! His start as a suit and tie comic for the suit and tie/tuxedo late night television crowd to the guy we knew, that longhaired, foulmouthed, jeans wearing abrasive man. His plight to succeed as a comic who wanted nothing more than to be able to express himself using his own words that some people in some office somewhere in this country claimed were way to offensive for the rest of America to hear. That's the government's version of protection, so we could all be saved from sin thank you mighty Jesus!!!

It's obvious I admire him and his work, but I only began to because of my parents. They are how I first learned about Carlin. My mom and dad had his records and would often play them while they accompanied his raspy voice with the dispersal of a thick haze of marijuana smoke into the air. [That happened with a lot of classic rock records. It also happened the first time I saw The Shining, which really really tripped me out because not only did that part with the twins summoning Danny from down the long hallway in The Overlook fuck me up, but I think I got touched by that fuckin weed in the air. That's a whole nother story.] I particularly remember the blue cover of Class Clown, with that chalkboard in the background. The one element that stuck out the most for me was that there's this guy on the cover of a record with his finger shoved up his nose.


Growing up, I found other friends and family enjoyed his antics and matter of fact in your face style of truth telling. There are many people who would rather not come to terms with realities and actualities of this, our American society [Insert all his routines here.] George Carlin told us how it is and we all know he is right. He harshly faced us with our silly realities and we laughed at the nihilism of all his jokes. Who else but Carlin could do this feat?!
It's what made him so likable, admirable, lovable. Because he was honest. He never lied to us.

---dan

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Well said!!