George Carlin: Difference between revisions

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Latest revision as of 21:40, 29 August 2025

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{{Short description|American stand-up comedian (1937–2008)}}

{{Cleanup|January 2007}}

{{Use American English|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox Celebrity

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

| name = George Carlin

{{Infobox comedian

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|5|12}} |

| name = George Carlin

| birth_place = [[New York City]], [[New York]], [[United States|USA]] [[Image:Flag of the United States.svg|25px]] |

| image = George Carlin 1975 (Little David Records) Publicity.jpg

| occupation = [[Stand-up comedian]], [[actor]] |

| caption = Carlin in 1975

| website = [http://www.georgecarlin.com/ www.georgecarlin.com] |

| birth_name = George Denis Patrick Carlin

}}

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1937|5|12}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|6|22|1937|5|12}}

| death_place = [[Santa Monica, California]], U.S.

| medium = {{hlist|Stand-up|film|television|radio|literature}}

| genre = {{hlist|[[Political satire|Political]]/[[news satire]]|[[observational comedy]]|[[surreal humor]]|[[black comedy]]|[[insult comedy]]|[[sarcasm]]|[[deadpan]]}}

| subject = {{hlist|Mass media/news media/[[media studies|media criticism]]|[[Politics of the United States|American politics]]|[[Culture of the United States|American culture]]|[[News|current events]]|religion|[[popular culture|pop culture]]|philosophy}}

| years_active = 1956–2008

| spouse = {{plainlist|

* {{marriage|Brenda Hosbrook|1961|1997|reason=died}}

* {{marriage|Sally Wade|1998<!--Year omitted when marriage ends with subject of article's death-->}}

}}

| children = [[Kelly Carlin]]

| website = {{URL|georgecarlin.com}}

| signature = George Carlin Signature.svg

}}

'''George Denis Patrick Carlin''' (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author. Carlin was dubbed "the dean of [[counterculture]] comedians". He was known for his [[black comedy|dark comedy]] and reflections on politics, the English language, psychology, religion and [[taboo]] subject matter.

Carlin was a frequent performer and guest host on ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson|The Tonight Show]]'' during the three-decade [[Johnny Carson]] era and hosted the first episode of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' in 1975. The first of Carlin's 14 stand-up comedy specials for [[HBO]] was filmed in 1977, broadcast as ''[[George Carlin at USC]]''. From the late 1980s onward, his routines focused on [[Social criticism|sociocultural criticism]] of American society. He often commented on political issues and satirized [[American culture]]. His "[[seven dirty words]]" routine was central to the 1978 [[United States Supreme Court]] case ''[[FCC v. Pacifica Foundation]]'', in which a 5–4 decision affirmed the government's power to [[Censorship in the United States#Broadcast censorship|censor indecent material]] on public airwaves.

'''George Washington ''' (born [[May 69]], [[1000]] in [[New York, New York]]) <ref>[http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Set/3881/9carlin_geo3.gif Milwaukee Police Department Report (date of birth)]</ref> is a [[Grammy Award|Grammy]]-winning [[United States|American]] [[stand-up retard]], [[actor]], and [[author]].

Carlin released his first solo album, ''[[Take-Offs and Put-Ons]]'', in 1966. He won five [[Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album|Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album]], for ''[[FM & AM]]'' (1972), ''[[Jammin' in New York]]'' (1992), ''[[Brain Droppings]]'' (2001), ''[[Napalm & Silly Putty]]'' (2002), and ''[[It's Bad for Ya]]'' (2008). The lattermost was his final comedy special, filmed less than four months before his death from cardiac failure.

Carlin is especially noted for his irreverent attitude and his observations on [[language]], [[psychology]], and [[religion]] along with many [[taboo]] subjects. In fact, Carlin and his "[[Seven dirty words|Seven Dirty Words]]" comedy routine were central to the [[1978]] [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] case ''[[F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation]]'', in which a narrow 5-4 decision by the justices affirmed the government's right to regulate Carlin's act on the public airwaves.

Carlin co-created and starred in the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] sitcom ''[[The George Carlin Show]]'' (1994–1995). He is also known for his film performances in ''[[Car Wash (film)|Car Wash]]'' (1976), ''[[Outrageous Fortune (film)|Outrageous Fortune]]'' (1987), ''[[Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure]]'' (1989), ''[[Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey]]'' (1991), ''[[The Prince of Tides]]'' (1991), ''[[Dogma (film)|Dogma]]'' (1999), ''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]'' (2001), ''[[Scary Movie 3]]'' (2003), and ''[[Jersey Girl (2004 film)|Jersey Girl]]'' (2004). He had voice roles as Zugor in ''[[Tarzan II]]'', Fillmore in ''[[Cars (film)|Cars]]'' (2006), and as Mr. Conductor on ''[[Shining Time Station]]'', and narrated the American [[Dubbing|dubs]] of ''[[Thomas & Friends]]''.

George Carlin's stand up routine is primarily focused on the short comings and flaws of modern day America. He often takes on political issues and normal issues of mainly America.

Carlin was posthumously awarded the [[Mark Twain Prize for American Humor]] in 2008. He placed second on [[Comedy Central]]'s list of top 10 American comedians in 2004,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comedy-zone.net/standup/comedian/index.htm |title=Stand Up Comedy & Comedians |publisher=Comedy Zone |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051123214352/http://www.comedy-zone.net/standup/comedian/index.htm |archive-date=November 23, 2005 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> while ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine ranked him second on its list of the 50 best stand-up comedians of all time in 2017, in both cases behind [[Richard Pryor]] and ahead of [[Lenny Bruce]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-lists/50-best-stand-up-comics-of-all-time-126359/george-carlin-105949/|title=The 50 Best Stand-up Comics of All Time|last=Love|first=Matthew|date=February 14, 2017|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=February 15, 2017}}</ref>

He is considered by many to be a successor to the late [[Lenny Bruce]] and was described by [[Comedy Central]] as the second greatest stand-up comedian of all time behind [[Richard Pryor]]. <ref name="2ndCCgreatest"> In 2004, George Carlin was voted #2 on [[Comedy Central]]'s [[100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time|list of the 100 greatest standups of all time]], second only to [[Richard Pryor]]</ref>

==Biography Early life ==

George Denis Patrick Carlin<ref name="Dream2022">''[[George Carlin's American Dream]]'' (2022)</ref><ref name="james7">{{cite book |last=Sullivan |first=James |year=2010 |title=Seven Dirty Words: The Life and Crimes of George Carlin |url=https://archive.org/details/sevendirtywordsl00sull |url-access=registration |publisher=Da Capo Press |isbn=9780306818295 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> was born at New York Hospital (now [[Weill Cornell Medical Center]]) on Manhattan Island on May 12, 1937, the son of Mary (née Bearey; 1896–1984) and Patrick John Carlin (1888–1945).<ref>{{cite AV media |last=Carlin |first=George |title=[[Complaints and Grievances]] |medium=TV |publisher=[[HBO]] |date=November 17, 2001}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Carlin|Hendra|2009|p=[https://archive.org/details/lastwords0000carl/page/6 6]}} "Lying there in New York Hospital, my first definitive act on this planet was to vomit."</ref> He had an older brother, Patrick Jr. (1931–2022), who had a major influence on his comedy and was sometimes involved.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Patrick Carlin, Comedy Raconteur and Influence on Brother George Carlin, Dies at 90 |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/patrick-carlin-dead-90-george-carlin-brother-1235234338/ |last1=Murphy |first1=J |date=April 17, 2022 |access-date=May 22, 2022 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |last2=Littleton |first2=Cynthia}}</ref> Carlin called himself "fully Irish"; his mother was born in New York to Irish immigrants and his father was an Irish immigrant from [[Cloghan, County Donegal]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OnWnwwxNPA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/-OnWnwwxNPA |archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live |title=George Carlin - pride |via=YouTube |date=February 2, 2010 |access-date=May 10, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In his autobiography ''[[Last Words (book)|Last Words]]'', he wrote about a fantasy of Ireland he often had when his first wife was alive: "The southeastern parts so that it would be a little warmer, and the two of us there, close enough to [[Dublin]] that you could go buy things you needed."<ref>George Carlin, ''Last Words'' (New York: Free Press, 2010), p. 288</ref> Carlin's maternal grandfather was a police officer for the [[New York City Police Department]] (NYPD) who wrote out the works of [[William Shakespeare]] by hand for fun.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCGGWeD_EJk |title=Jon Stewart Interviews George Carlin |via=YouTube |date=August 16, 2016 |access-date=October 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=George Carlin - Unmasked with George Carlin |date=March 6, 2013 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-clvDxl8qI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/s-clvDxl8qI |archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live |via=YouTube |access-date=November 12, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Carlin's parents separated when he was two months old because his father was an alcoholic, who—according to Carlin—was "never around".<ref name="Dream2022" /> His mother raised him and his brother on her own.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jon Stewart Interviews George Carlin |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCGGWeD_EJk&feature=youtu.be&t=146 |via=YouTube |date=August 16, 2016 |access-date=August 24, 2020}}</ref> When Carlin was eight years old, his father died.<ref name=Dixit2008/>

Born in [[New York, New York]], George Carlin grew up on West 121st Street, in a neighborhood of [[Manhattan]] which he later said he and his friends called "White [[Harlem]]", because that sounded a lot tougher than its real name, "[[Morningside Heights]]". He was raised by his mother, who left his father when he was two years old. At age 14, Carlin dropped out of [[high school]] and later joined the [[United States Air Force]], training as a [[radar]] technician. He was stationed at [[Barksdale AFB]] in [[Bossier City, Louisiana]]. During this time he began working as a [[disc jockey]] on KJOE, a radio station based in the nearby city of [[Shreveport]]. He did not complete his Air Force enlistment. Labelled an "unproductive airman" by his superiors, Carlin was discharged on [[July 29]], [[1957]].

Carlin said that he picked up an appreciation for effective use of the English language from his mother,<ref>{{cite book |title=Conversations on the Edge of the Apocalypse |url=https://archive.org/details/conversationsone00brow |url-access=limited |last=Brown |first=David Jay |author-link=David Jay Brown |page=[https://archive.org/details/conversationsone00brow/page/n208 196] |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |year=2005 |isbn=9781403965325}}</ref> though they had a difficult relationship and he often ran away from home.<ref name="playboy">{{Cite magazine |title=Playboy Interview: George Carlin |magazine=[[Playboy]] |last=Merrill |first=Sam |date=January 1982}}</ref> He grew up at 519 West 121st Street, in Manhattan's [[Morningside Heights]] neighborhood, which he and his friends called "White Harlem" because it "sounded a lot tougher than its real name."<ref name=Dixit2008>{{cite magazine |url = http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/brainstorm/200806/george-carlins-last-interview |archive-url = https://archive.today/20080626081637/http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/brainstorm/200806/george-carlins-last-interview |archive-date = June 26, 2008 |magazine = [[Psychology Today]] |title = George Carlin's last interview |first = Jay |last = Dixit |date =June 10, 2008 | access-date =November 16, 2024 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He attended Corpus Christi School, a Catholic parish school of the [[Corpus Christi Church (New York City)|Corpus Christi Church]] in Morningside Heights.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.georgecarlin.com/update_10-29-08/timeline/early_years.html |title=George Carlin: Early Years |publisher=GeorgeCarlin.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708072213/http://www.georgecarlin.com/update_10-29-08/timeline/early_years.html |archive-date=July 8, 2009 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last=Flegenheimer | first= Matt | url = http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/pondering-a-carlin-street-and-keeping-the-7-words-in-check/ | title = Carlin Street' Resisted by His Old Church. Was It Something He Said? | newspaper = [[The New York Times]] | date =October 25, 2011 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> One of Carlin's closest childhood friends was [[Randy Jurgensen]], who became one of the most decorated homicide detectives in NYPD history.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About|url=http://www.randyjurgensen.com/about.html|access-date=September 5, 2021|website=Randy Jurgensen|archive-date=September 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210905214907/http://www.randyjurgensen.com/about.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> His mother had a television set—a new technology few people owned at the time—and Carlin became an avid fan of the pioneering late-night talk show ''[[Broadway Open House]]''.<ref>{{cite web | last = Carlin | first = George | date = December 17, 2007 | title = George Carlin Interview Part 1 of 7 - TelevisionAcademy.com/Interviews | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnVkUcGJyjU | access-date = January 18, 2020 | time = 20:23 | publisher = Academy of Television Arts & Sciences |via=YouTube}}</ref> He went to [[the Bronx]] for high school, but was expelled from [[Cardinal Hayes High School]] after three semesters at age 15. He briefly attended [[Bishop Dubois High School]] in Harlem and Salesian High School in [[Goshen, New York|Goshen]].<ref name=Gonzalez>{{cite news |first=David |last=Gonzalez |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/nyregion/24hayes.html |title=George Carlin Didn't Shun School That Ejected Him |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 24, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> He spent many summers at Camp Notre Dame in [[Spofford, New Hampshire]], where he regularly won the camp's drama award; upon his death, some of his ashes were scattered at [[Spofford Lake]] per his request.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nhtourguide.com/nh_facts.htm |title=Interesting, Strange & Weird New Hampshire Facts |publisher=NH Tour Guide |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref>

At the age of 18, he and [[Jack Burns]], a new announcer at the station, assembled a comedy routine and began booking nightclubs. Soon the act broke up, but Carlin continued to work as a stand-up comic.

Carlin idolized [[Danny Kaye]] and wanted to be just like him. His career plan was to work his way up through various performing occupations to eventually become a comedic actor like Kaye, and although he eventually realized this would not happen, he constantly referred in interviews to his sad realization of not being able to attain his boyhood dream. Near the end of his life, he took more acting roles, having never really given up on his lifelong dream.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 10, 2009 |title=Tributes ~ George Carlin on Danny Kaye |url=https://www.pbs.org/wnet/makeemlaugh/video/all-interviews/tributes-george-carlin-on-danny-kaye/124/#:~:text=He%20did%20things%20I%20wanted,to%20be%20like%20Danny%20Kaye. |access-date=April 11, 2025 |publisher=PBS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Christon |first=Lawrence |date=October 4, 2007 |title=George Carlin still furious 50 years on |url=https://variety.com/2007/scene/markets-festivals/george-carlin-still-furious-50-years-on-1117973286/ |access-date=April 11, 2025 |magazine=Variety}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=George Carlin with Tony Hendra |url=https://www.writersblocpresents.com/archives/carlin/carlin.htm |access-date=April 11, 2025 |website=Writers Bloc Presents}}</ref>

In the [[1960s]], Carlin began appearing on television variety shows, notably ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''. His most famous routines were:

Carlin joined the [[U.S. Air Force]] and was trained as a radar technician. He was stationed at [[Barksdale Air Force Base]] in [[Bossier City, Louisiana]], and began working as a DJ at radio station [[KIOU|KJOE]] in nearby [[Shreveport]] in July 1956.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Official George Carlin Biography |url=https://georgecarlin.com/biography/ |access-date=January 10, 2025 |website=GeorgeCarlin.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/george-carlin/|title=George Carlin|first=Patricia|last=McConnico|date=December 1, 1999|website=Texas Monthly}}</ref> Called an "unproductive airman" by his superiors, he received a [[general discharge]] on July 29, 1957. During his time in the Air Force, he was [[court-martial]]ed three times and received many nonjudicial punishments and reprimands.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://variety.com/2008/film/news/comedian-george-carlin-dies-at-71-1117987925/ |title=Comedian George Carlin dies at 71 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=June 22, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref>

* The Indian Sergeant ("You wit' the beads... get outta line")

* Stupid disc jockeys ("Wonderful WINO...") — "The Beatles' latest record, when played backwards at slow speed, says 'Dummy! You're playing it backwards at slow speed!'"

* [[Al Sleet]], the "[[hippie]]-dippie [[weather forecasting|weatherman]]" — "Tonight's forecast: Dark. Continued dark tonight, turning to partly light in the morning."

* Jon Carson — the "world never known, and never to be known"

Variations on the first three of these routines can be found on Carlin's [[1967]] debut album [[Take Offs and Put Ons]], recorded live the previous year at The Roostertail in [[Detroit, Michigan]].<ref>http://www.georgecarlin.com/home/home.html George Carlin's official site (see Timeline) (accessed August 14, 2006)</ref>

== Career ==

In [[1961]], Carlin married [[Brenda Hosbrook]] (born [[June 12]], [[1939]], died [[May 11]], [[1997]]), whom he had met while touring the previous year, in her parent's living room in [[Dayton, Ohio]]. The couple had a daughter, Kelly, in [[1963]]. In 1971, George and Brenda renewed their wedding vows in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]].

=== 1959–1969: Early work and breakthrough ===

[[File:Away We Go (1967) Press Photo of George Carlin and Buddy Greco (2).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Carlin (standing) with singer [[Buddy Greco]] in 1967]]

In 1959, Carlin met [[Jack Burns]], a fellow DJ at radio station [[KMNY|KXOL]] in [[Fort Worth, Texas]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.texasradiohalloffame.com/georgecarlin.html|title=Texas Radio Hall of Fame: George Carlin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040923044145/http://www.texasradiohalloffame.com/georgecarlin.html |archive-date=September 23, 2004 |access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> They formed a comedy team and after successful performances at Fort Worth's [[Beat Generation|beat]] coffeehouse The Cellar, Burns and Carlin headed for California in February 1960.<ref name="james7"/>

Within weeks of arriving in California, Burns and Carlin put together an audition tape and created ''The Wright Brothers'', a morning show on [[KDAY]] in Hollywood. During their tenure at KDAY, they honed their material in beatnik coffeehouses at night.<ref name=bio60s>{{Cite news |url=http://www.georgecarlin.com/time/time3B.html |title=Timeline – 1960s |work=George Carlin Biography |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000621020616/http://www.georgecarlin.com/time/time3B.html |archive-date=June 21, 2000 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> Years later, when he was honored with a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]], Carlin requested that it be placed in front of the KDAY studios near the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showIndividual&entity_id=19830&source_type=A|title=Biographical information for George Carlin|publisher=Kennedy Center|access-date=July 30, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220184243/http://kennedy-center.org/calendar/index.cfm?fuseaction=showIndividual&entity_id=19830&source_type=A|archive-date=February 20, 2009}}</ref> Burns and Carlin recorded their only album, ''[[Burns and Carlin at the Playboy Club Tonight]]'', in May 1960 at Cosmo Alley in Hollywood.<ref name=bio60s /> After two years as a team, they parted to pursue individual careers, but "remain[ed] the best of friends".{{sfn|Carlin|Hendra|2009|pp=47–8}}

During this period, Carlin became more popular. He became a frequent performer and guest host on ''[[The Tonight Show]]'' during the [[Johnny Carson]] era, becoming one of Carson's most frequent substitutes during the host's three-decade reign. Carlin was also cast on ''Away We Go'', a [[1967]] comedy show.

[[File:George Carlin 1969.JPG|thumb|upright|right|200px|Carlin performing on UK's ''[[This Is Tom Jones]]'' in 1969]]

Eventually, Carlin changed his routines, and his appearance. He lost some TV bookings by dressing strangely, sporting a beard and earrings, but regained his popularity as the public caught on to his sense of style.

In the 1960s, Carlin began appearing on television variety shows, where he played various characters, including a Native American sergeant, a stupid radio disc jockey, and a hippie weatherman.<ref name=timeline /> Variations on these routines appear on Carlin's 1967 debut album, ''[[Take-Offs and Put-Ons]]'', which was recorded live in 1966 at The Roostertail in Detroit and issued by [[RCA Victor]] in 1967.<ref name=timeline>{{cite web |url=http://www.georgecarlin.com/home/home.html |title=George Carlin's official site (see Timeline) |publisher=Georgecarlin.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008001351/http://www.georgecarlin.com/home/home.html |archive-date=October 8, 2009 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> During this period, Carlin became a frequent performer and guest host on ''[[The Tonight Show]]'', initially with [[Jack Paar]] as host, and then with [[Johnny Carson]]. Carlin became one of Carson's most frequent substitutes during his three-decade tenure. Carlin was also cast as a co-host alongside [[Buddy Greco]] in ''Away We Go'', a 1967 CBS comedy-variety show (the summer replacement for ''[[The Jackie Gleason Show]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CTVA US Music Variety - "Away Wed Go" (CBS)(Summer 1967) |url=https://ctva.biz/US/MusicVariety/AwayWeGo.htm |access-date=July 23, 2025 |publisher=CTVA}}</ref> His material during his early career and his appearance—he wore suits and had short-cropped hair—was seen as conventional, particularly compared to his later [[anti-establishment]] material.<ref>''[[ABC World News Tonight]]''; June 23, 2008.</ref>

Carlin was present at [[Lenny Bruce]]'s arrest for obscenity at the [[Gate of Horn]] club in Chicago on December 5, 1962. As the police began detaining audience members for questioning, they asked Carlin for identification. After responding that he did not believe in government-issued IDs, Carlin was arrested and taken to jail with Bruce in the same vehicle.<ref>{{cite web|title=Comedians in Courthouses Getting Cuffed: Lenny Bruce and George Carlin, December 1962|url=http://thecomicscomic.com/2014/03/25/comedians-in-courthouses-getting-cuffed-lenny-bruce-and-george-carlin-december-1962/|website=The Critic's Comic|date=March 25, 2014 |access-date=February 28, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode|title=Profanity|episode-link=List of Bullshit! episodes|series=Penn & Teller: Bullshit!|series-link=Penn & Teller: Bullshit!|network=[[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]]|air-date=August 12, 2004|season=2|number=10}}</ref>

In this period he also perfected what is perhaps his best-known routine, "[[Seven dirty words|Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television]]", recorded on ''[[Class Clown]]'', a routine which offended some. Carlin was arrested in 1972 at [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin|Milwaukee]]'s [[Summerfest]] and charged with violating [[obscenity]] laws after performing this routine. In [[1973]], a man complained to the [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] that his son had heard a later, similar routine, "Filthy Words", from ''[[Occupation: Foole]]'', [[Broadcasting|broadcast]] one afternoon over [[WBAI]], a [[Pacifica Foundation]] [[Frequency modulation|FM]] [[radio station]] in [[New York City]]. Pacifica received a citation from the FCC, which sought to fine Pacifica for allegedly violating FCC regulations which prohibited broadcasting "obscene" material. The U.S. [[Supreme Court]] upheld the FCC action, by a vote of 5 to 4, ruling that the routine was "indecent but not obscene", and the FCC had authority to prohibit such broadcasts during hours when children were likely to be among the audience. ''[[F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation]]'', 438 U.S. 726 ([[1978]]).

=== 1970–1971: Transformation ===

The controversy only increased Carlin's fame (or notoriety). Carlin eventually expanded the dirty-words theme with a seemingly interminable end to a performance (ending with his voice fading out in one [[Home Box Office|HBO]] version, and accompanying the credits in the ''[[Carlin at Carnegie]]'' special for the 1982-83 season), and a set of 49 web pages [http://www.georgecarlin.com/dirty/2443.html] organized by subject and embracing his "Incomplete List Of Impolite Words". Ironically, the court documents contain a complete transcript of the routine, perhaps validating what [[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.]] said: "You cannot define obscenity without being obscene." [http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/FCC_v_Pacifica/fcc_v_pacifica.decision]

In the late 1960s, Carlin made about $250,000 annually.<ref name=Zoglin/> In 1970, he changed his routines and his appearance; he grew his hair long, sported a beard and earrings, and typically dressed in T-shirts and blue jeans. He lost some TV bookings by dressing strangely for a comedian at a time when clean-cut, well-dressed comedians were the norm. He hired talent managers Jeff Wald and Ron De Blasio to help him change his image, making him look more "[[Hip (slang)|hip]]" for a younger audience. Wald put Carlin into much smaller clubs such as [[The Troubadour, West Hollywood|The Troubadour]] in West Hollywood and [[The Bitter End]] in New York City, and later said that Carlin's income declined by 90% but his later career arc was greatly improved.<ref name=Zoglin>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6xg1h5lBheQC&pg=PT34 |pages=34–35 |last=Zoglin |first=Richard |title=Comedy at the Edge: How Stand-up in the 1970s Changed America |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |year=2008 |isbn=9781596919440 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref>

[[Image:Georgecarlinmugshot.jpg|thumb|250px|right|George Carlin's 1972 arrest photograph <br />(arrest report: [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Set/3881/9carlin_geo3.gif] [http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Set/3881/9carlin_geo4.gif])]]

=== 1972–1979: Stardom and acclaim ===

Carlin was the first-ever host of [[NBC]]'s ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', debuting on [[October 11]], [[1975]]. (He also hosted ''SNL'' on [[November 10]], [[1984]].) The following season, 1976-77, Carlin also appeared regularly on [[CBS]] Television's ''[[Tony Orlando & Dawn]]'' variety series.

[[File:George Carlin In concert at the Zembo Mosque, Harrisburg, Pa.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Carlin in the 1970s]]

In 1970, record producer [[Monte Kay]] formed the [[Little David Records]] subsidiary of Atlantic Records, with comedian [[Flip Wilson]] as co-owner.{{sfn|Sullivan|2010|p=114}} Kay and Wilson signed Carlin away from [[RCA Records]] and recorded a Carlin performance at Washington, D.C.'s [[The Cellar Door|Cellar Door]] in 1971, which was released as the album ''[[FM & AM]]'' in 1972. De Blasio was busy managing the fast-paced career of [[Freddie Prinze]] and was about to sign [[Richard Pryor]], so he released Carlin to Little David general manager Jack Lewis, who, like Carlin, was somewhat wild and rebellious.{{sfn|Sullivan|2010|p=158}} Using his own persona as a springboard for his new comedy, he was presented by [[Ed Sullivan]] in a performance of "The Hair Piece" and quickly regained his popularity as the public caught on to his style.<ref name="GoldmarkBio">{{cite web|last=Goldmark|first=Tony|title=George Carlin – Biography|url=http://www.amoeba.com/george-carlin/artist/146678/bio|website=Amoeba Music|access-date=September 1, 2016|quote=He bridged these two sides of his persona with 'The Hair Piece,' a whimsical poem about public aversion to long hair that he performed on Ed Sullivan, effectively reintroducing and reinventing himself to America. FM & AM went Gold, got him a gig at Carnegie Hall, and won the Grammy award for Best Comedy Album.}}</ref>

Starting in 1972, singer-songwriter [[Kenny Rankin]] was Carlin's label-mate on Little David Records, and Rankin served many times as Carlin's musical guest or opening act during the early 1970s. The two flew together in Carlin's private jet; Carlin says that Rankin relapsed into using cocaine while on tour since Carlin had so much available.<ref name="Jet">{{harvnb|Carlin|Hendra|2009|p=[https://archive.org/details/lastwords0000carl/page/151 151]}}</ref> ''FM & AM'' proved very popular and marked Carlin's change from mainstream to counterculture comedy. The "AM" side was an extension of Carlin's previous style, with zany but relatively clean routines parodying aspects of American life. The "FM" side introduced Carlin's new style, with references to marijuana and birth control pills, and a playful examination of the word "shit". In this way, Carlin renewed a style of radical social commentary comedy Lenny Bruce had pioneered in the late 1950s.<ref name=Zoglin/>

In the [[1970s]], Carlin became known for unpredictable performances. He would walk off if no one laughed, verbally insult the audience, or simply not appear.

[[File:George Carlin and a cardboard cutout of himself from a few years ago, c. 1973.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Carlin c. 1973, with a cardboard cutout of himself as he looked in the 1960s]]

Carlin unexpectedly stopped performing regularly in 1976, when his career appeared to be at its height. For the next five years, he rarely appeared to perform stand-up, although it was at this time he began doing specials for [[Home Box Office|HBO]] as part of its "On Location" series. His first two HBO specials aired in 1977 and 1978. It was later revealed that Carlin had suffered the first of his three [[heart attack]]s during this layoff period.

In this period, Carlin perfected his well-known "[[seven dirty words]]" routine, which appears on ''[[Class Clown]]'' as follows: "'Shit', 'piss', 'fuck', 'cunt', 'cocksucker', 'motherfucker', and 'tits'. Those are the heavy seven. Those are the ones that'll infect your soul, curve your spine and keep the country from winning the war." On July 21, 1972, Carlin was arrested after performing the routine at [[Milwaukee]]'s [[Summerfest]] and charged with violating obscenity laws.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=626471|title=Carlin's naughty words still ring in officer's ears|author=Jim Stingl|newspaper=[[Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]]|date=June 30, 2007|access-date=March 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929124942/http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=626471|archive-date=September 29, 2007}}</ref> The case, which prompted Carlin for a time to call the words the "Milwaukee Seven", was dismissed in December when the judge declared that the language was indecent but that Carlin had the freedom to say it as long as he caused no disturbance.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 23, 1972 |title=Against Comedian: Charges Refused |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19720723&id=3RcfAAAAIBAJ&pg=3488,3633489 |work=The Tuscaloosa News |access-date=April 8, 2019}}</ref> In 1973, a man complained to the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) after listening with his son to a similar routine, "Filthy Words", from Carlin's ''[[Occupation: Foole]]'', which was broadcast one afternoon on radio station [[WBAI]]. The FCC cited Pacifica for violating regulations that prohibit broadcasting "obscene" material. The [[Supreme Court of the United States]] upheld the FCC action by a vote of 5 to 4, ruling that the routine was "indecent but not obscene" and that the FCC had authority to prohibit such broadcasts during hours when children were likely to be among the audience.<ref>''[[F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation]]'', 438 U.S. 726 (1978); the court documents contain a complete transcript of the routine.</ref><ref name="EFF">{{cite web |url=https://w2.eff.org/legal/cases/FCC_v_Pacifica/fcc_v_pacifica.decision |title=FCC vs. Pacifica Foundation |date=July 3, 1978 |publisher=[[Electronic Frontier Foundation]] |access-date=June 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211103830/http://w2.eff.org/legal/cases/FCC_v_Pacifica/fcc_v_pacifica.decision |archive-date=December 11, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The controversy increased Carlin's fame. He eventually expanded the "dirty words" theme with a seemingly interminable end to a performance, finishing with his voice fading out in one HBO version and accompanying the credits in the ''[[Carlin at Carnegie]]'' special for the 1982–83 season, and a set of 49 webpages organized by subject and embracing his "Incomplete List of Impolite Words".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.georgecarlin.com/dirty/2443.html |title=BBS – Incomplete List of Impolite Words |publisher=George Carlin |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406052624/http://www.georgecarlin.com/dirty/2443.html |archive-date=April 6, 2012 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> On stage, during a rendition of this routine, Carlin learned that his previous comedy album ''FM & AM'' had won a Grammy. Midway through the performance on the album ''Occupation: Foole'', he can be heard thanking someone for handing him a piece of paper. He then exclaims "shit!" and proudly announces his win to the audience.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55pfcmUzGhw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/55pfcmUzGhw| archive-date=December 11, 2021 |url-status=live|title=George Carlin - Occupation: Foole|date=July 27, 2012 |via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Over his career, Carlin was arrested seven times for reciting the "Seven Dirty Words" routine.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Watkins|first1=Mel|last2=Weber|first2=Bruce|date=June 24, 2008|title=George Carlin, Comic Who Chafed at Society and Its Constraints, Dies at 71|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/arts/24carlin.html|access-date=April 7, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

In 1981, Carlin returned to the stage, releasing ''[[A Place For My Stuff]]'', considered by many to be his best album since ''Class Clown'', and making a triumphant return to [[Home Box Office|HBO]] (and to his hometown) with the ''[[Carlin at Carnegie]]'' special videotaped at [[Carnegie Hall]] and airing during the 1982-83 season. Carlin continued doing HBO specials every year or every other year over the following decade and a half, and became as identified with the cable network's comedy offerings as the performer whose specials practically inaugurated the network, [[Robert Klein]]. All of Carlin's albums from this time forward are the HBO specials.

Carlin hosted the premiere broadcast of [[NBC]]'s ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' on October 11, 1975. Per his request, he did not appear in its sketches.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Geoffrey Hammill, The Museum of Broadcast Communications |url=http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/S/htmlS/saturdaynigh/saturdaynigh.htm |title=Saturday Night Live |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020820194836/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/S/htmlS/saturdaynigh/saturdaynigh.htm |archive-date=August 20, 2002 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> The next season, 1976–77, he appeared regularly on [[CBS]] Television's ''[[Tony Orlando & Dawn]]'' variety series.<ref name="TVGuideTonyOrlandoAndDawn">{{cite web|title=Tony Orlando and Dawn 1974 TV SHOW|url=https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/tony-orlando-and-dawn/cast/205090/|website=TVGuide.com|access-date=September 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901182949/http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/tony-orlando-and-dawn/cast/205090/|archive-date=September 1, 2016 }}</ref> Carlin unexpectedly stopped performing regularly in 1976, when his career appeared to be at its height. For the next five years, he rarely performed stand-up, although it was at this time that he began doing specials for HBO as part of its ''[[On Location (TV series)|On Location]]'' series. Carlin did 14 specials, including 2008's ''It's Bad for Ya''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.biography.com/people/george-carlin-9542307#comic-great |title=George Carlin stand up comedian does 14 specials for On Location |work=[[Biography (TV program)|Biography]] |access-date= October 8, 2016}}</ref> He later revealed that the first of his three [[heart attacks]] occurred during this layoff period.<ref name="bravo">{{cite episode|title=George Carlin|series=Inside the Actors Studio|series-link=Inside the Actors Studio|network=[[Bravo (US TV channel)|Bravo TV]]|air-date=October 31, 2004|season=11|number=4}}</ref> His first two HBO specials aired in 1977 and 1978.<ref name="EssSplitsider2015">{{cite news|last1=Ess|first1=Ramsey|title=How George Carlin Changed comedy In His First HBO Special|url=http://splitsider.com/2015/04/how-george-carlin-changed-comedy-in-his-first-hbo-special/|newspaper=Splitsider|access-date=September 1, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160617094322/http://splitsider.com/2015/04/how-george-carlin-changed-comedy-in-his-first-hbo-special/|archive-date=June 17, 2016 |date=April 24, 2015}}</ref><ref name="LeveretteOttBuckley2009">{{cite book|last1=Leverette|first1=Marc|last2=Ott|first2=Brian L|last3=Buckley|first3=Cara Louise|title=It's Not TV: Watching HBO in the Post-Television Era|date=March 23, 2009|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781135902742|page=128|url=https://www.routledge.com/Its-Not-TV-Watching-HBO-in-the-Post-Television-Era/Leverette-Ott-Buckley/p/book/9780415960380|access-date=September 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901182100/https://www.routledge.com/Its-Not-TV-Watching-HBO-in-the-Post-Television-Era/Leverette-Ott-Buckley/p/book/9780415960380|archive-date=September 1, 2016}}</ref>

By 1989, Carlin had become popular with a new generation of teens when he was cast as Rufus, the mentor of the titular characters in ''[[Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure]]''. In 1991, he provided the narrative voice for the American version of the children's show [[Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends]], a role he continued until 1998. Also in 1991, Carlin had a major supporting role in the movie ''Prince of Tides'' along with [[Nick Nolte]] and [[Barbra Streisand]]. He played "Mr. Conductor" on the [[PBS]] children's show [[Shining Time Station]] from 1991 to 1993.

=== 1980–1987: HBO and film ===

Carlin began a weekly sitcom, ''The George Carlin Show'', cast as "George", a cab driver, for the [[Fox Network]] in 1993. He quickly included a variation of the "Seven Words" in the plot. The show lasted 27 episodes before being canceled in December 1995.

In 1981, Carlin returned to the stage, releasing ''[[A Place for My Stuff]]'' and returning to HBO and New York City with the ''[[Carlin at Carnegie]]'' TV special, which was filmed at [[Carnegie Hall]] and aired during the 1982–83 season. Carlin continued doing HBO specials every year or two over the following decade and a half. All of Carlin's albums from this time forward are from the HBO specials.<ref>{{cite web|date=August 22, 2020|title=The Late George Carlin Returns to HBO!|url=https://hbowatch.com/the-late-george-carlin-returns-to-hbo/|publisher=HBO Watch|access-date=August 13, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Shaffer|first=Claire|date=August 10, 2020|title=George Carlin to Get Two-Part Documentary From HBO and Judd Apatow|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/george-carlin-documentary-hbo-judd-apatow-1041957/|access-date=August 13, 2021|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> He hosted ''SNL'' for the second time on November 10, 1984, this time appearing in several sketches.<ref name="NBCSNL11101984">{{cite web|title=Monologue: George Carlin Returns to Host SNL|url=http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/george-carlin-monologue/n9279|publisher=NBC|access-date=September 1, 2016}}</ref>

Carlin began to achieve prominence as a film actor with a major supporting role in the 1987 comedy hit ''[[Outrageous Fortune (film)|Outrageous Fortune]]'', starring [[Bette Midler]] and [[Shelley Long]]. Playing drifter Frank Madras, he poked fun at the lingering effect of the [[1960s counterculture]].{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

In 1997, a day before his sixtieth birthday, Brenda Carlin died of liver cancer. Also in 1997, his second book, entitled ''Brain Droppings'', was released, which had sold over 750,000 copies as of 2001.

=== 1988–1989: Changes in material and tone ===

In 1999, Carlin returned with an appearance in [[Kevin Smith]]'s film ''[[Dogma (movie)|Dogma]]'' as a greedy [[Roman Catholic]] cardinal. He worked with Smith again with a cameo appearance in ''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]'', and in an unusual change, Carlin portrayed a prominent, serious role in ''[[Jersey Girl (2004 movie)|Jersey Girl]]'' as the [[blue collar]] dad of [[Ben Affleck]]'s character.

Beginning in 1988, Carlin evolved and adopted both a new appearance and a new direction. As he did in his first change of direction in the early 1970s, Carlin blended his old and new styles by bringing in politics and disdain for society with [[nihilist]] humor while using some of the previous material direction of pointing out the odd things we all do and continued his fascination with language, but with disdain for its current uses by society. He also began growing a ponytail at this time. This led to darker material and an aggressive tone over the next 2 decades, which were his most popular and widely seen shows via HBO specials which he continued to do until his death.<ref>{{cite web|title=George Carlin Changes His Act|url=https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/comedy/george-carlin-what-am-i-doing-in-new-jersey-transcript/|website=Scraps From The Loft|date=May 14, 2019 |access-date=January 12, 2025}}</ref>

=== 1989–1997: TV series and more films ===

In 2001, Carlin was given a [[Lifetime Achievement Award]] at the 15th Annual [[American Comedy Awards]].

In 1989, he gained popularity with a new generation of teens when he was cast as Rufus, the time-traveling mentor of the title characters in ''[[Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure]].'' He reprised the role in the sequel, ''[[Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey]]'' (1991), and in the first season of the [[Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990 TV series)|cartoon series]]. In 1991, Carlin had a major supporting role in the film ''[[The Prince of Tides]]'', which starred [[Nick Nolte]] and [[Barbra Streisand]], as the gay neighbor of the main character's suicidal sister.<ref name="Grimes1992">{{cite web|last1=Grimes|first1=William|author-link=William Grimes (journalist)|title=George Carlin, Small but Amusing|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/21/news/george-carlin-small-but-amusing.html|website=New York Times|access-date=September 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526055649/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/21/news/george-carlin-small-but-amusing.html|archive-date=May 26, 2015 |date=January 21, 1992}}</ref>

In 1991, Carlin became the second American narrator of the children's television series ''[[Thomas & Friends]]'', narrating the series' [[Thomas & Friends series 1|first]] [[Thomas & Friends series 4|four]] seasons.<ref name=LAT/> He played Mr. Conductor on the [[PBS]] show ''[[Shining Time Station]]'' until 1996, replacing [[Ringo Starr]] on both programs.<ref name=LAT/> According to [[Britt Allcroft]], who developed both shows, on the first day of the assignment, Carlin was nervous about recording his narration without an audience, so the producers put a stuffed teddy bear in the booth.<ref name=LAT>{{cite news|last=Allcroft |first=Britt |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-oew-allcroft26-2008jun26,0,3849505.story |title=The George Carlin I knew |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 26, 2008 |access-date=May 5, 2012}}</ref>

In December 2003, California U.S. Representative [[Doug Ose]] introduced a bill (H.R. 3687) to outlaw the broadcast of Carlin's seven "dirty words", including "compound use (including hyphenated compounds) of such words and phrases with each other or with other words or phrases, and other grammatical forms of such words and phrases (including verb, adjective, gerund, participle, and infinitive forms)". (The bill omits "[[tit]]s", but includes "[[ass]]" and "[[asshole]]", which were not part of Carlin's original routine.)

Carlin's [[Jammin' In New York]], a new HBO special in 1992, highlighted the directional change he'd been honing the last few years as he wore all black with longer hair and a new biting humor. Critics applauded the show and he continued down this path of more serious subjects and nihilistic tone for the remainder of his life. Carlin opined that this show was his favorite.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/22409|title=Jammin' In New York|access-date=January 12, 2025}}</ref>

In December 2004, Carlin announced that he would be voluntarily entering a drug rehabilitation facility to receive treatment for his [[Addiction|dependency]] on alcohol and painkillers.

In 1993, Carlin began a weekly [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] sitcom, ''[[The George Carlin Show]]'', playing New York City [[taxicab]] driver George O'Grady. <!--He quickly included a variation of the "seven words" in the plot.--> The show, created and written by ''[[The Simpsons]]'' co-creator [[Sam Simon]], ran for 27 episodes, through December 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.georgecarlin.com/time/time3E.html |title=1990–1999 |publisher=GeorgeCarlin.com |access-date=July 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130011335/http://www.georgecarlin.com/time/time3E.html |archive-date=January 30, 2009 }}</ref> In ''[[Last Words (book)|Last Words]]'', Carlin wrote of ''The George Carlin Show'', "I had a great time. I never laughed so much, so often, so hard as I did with cast members [[Alex Rocco]], [[Christopher Rich (actor)|Chris Rich]], [[Anthony Starke|Tony Starke]]. There was a very strange, very good sense of humor on that stage ... [but] I was incredibly happy when the show was canceled. I was frustrated that it had taken me away from my true work."{{sfn|Carlin|Hendra|2009}}{{page needed|date=November 2021}} Carlin was honored at the 1997 [[Aspen Comedy Festival]] with a retrospective, ''[[George Carlin: 40 Years of Comedy]]'', hosted by [[Jon Stewart]]. His first hardcover book, ''[[Brain Droppings]]'' (1997), sold nearly 900,000 copies and spent 40 weeks on the ''[[New York Times]]'' best-seller list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=19830|title=The Kennedy Center|access-date=June 12, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111638/http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=19830|archive-date=December 24, 2013}}</ref>

In 2004, George Carlin was ranked #2 on [[Comedy Central]]'s 100 greatest [[standup]]s of all time list, just behind [[Richard Pryor]].<ref name="2ndCCgreatest" />

=== 2000–2008: Final HBO specials ===

For years, Carlin performed regularly as a headliner in [[Las Vegas]], but in the spring of 2006 decided to end his performing there. He began a tour through the first-half of 2006, and had a new [[Home Box Office|HBO]] Special on [[November 5]], [[2005]] entitled ''Life is Worth Losing''. - [http://www.hbo.com/events/gcarlin/?ntrack_para1=insidehbo3_text], which was shown live from the [[Beacon Theatre]] in [[New York City]]. Topics covered included [[suicide]], [[natural disaster]]s (and the impulse to see them escalate in severity), [[cannibalism]], [[genocide]], [[human sacrifice]], threats to [[civil liberties]] in America, and how an argument can be made that humans are inferior to animals. The tour's original title of "I Kinda Like it When a Lotta People Die" was changed because of the [[Hurricane Katrina]] disaster which occurred 2 months before the tour started.

[[File:Loz carlinbd2.jpg|thumb|upright|right|Carlin at a book signing for ''[[Brain Droppings]]'' in 2004]]

Carlin later said that there were other, more pragmatic reasons for abandoning his acting career in favor of standup. In an interview for [[Esquire (magazine)|''Esquire'']] magazine in 2001, he said, "Because of my abuse of drugs, I neglected my business affairs and had large arrears with the IRS, and that took me eighteen to twenty years to dig out of. I did it honorably, and I don't begrudge them. I don't hate paying taxes, and I'm not angry at anyone, because I was complicit in it. But I'll tell you what it did for me: it made me a way better comedian. Because I had to stay out on the road and I couldn't pursue that movie career, which would have gone nowhere, and I became a really good comic and a really good writer."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.esquire.com/features/what-ive-learned/george-carlin-quotes-0102 |title=What I've Learned: George Carlin |publisher=Esquire.com |date=June 23, 2008 |author=Larry Getlen |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref>

In 2001, Carlin was given a [[Lifetime Achievement Award]] at the 15th Annual [[American Comedy Awards]]. In 2003, Representative [[Doug Ose]] introduced a bill (H.R. 3687) to outlaw the broadcast of Carlin's "seven dirty words",<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/house-bill/3687|title=H.R.3687 - To amend section 1464 of title 18, United States Code, to provide for the punishment of certain profane broadcasts, and for other purposes.|date=December 8, 2003|website=congress.gov}}</ref> including "compound use (including hyphenated compounds) of such words and phrases with each other or with other words or phrases, and other grammatical forms of such words and phrases (including verb, adjective, gerund, participle, and infinitive forms)". The bill omitted "tits", but included "asshole", not one of Carlin's original seven words. It was referred to the [[United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties|House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution]] in 2004 and was tabled.<ref name=":0" />

On [[February 1]], [[2006]], Carlin mentioned to the crowd, during his ''Life is Worth Losing'' set at the Tachi Palace Casino in [[Lemoore, California]], that he had been discharged from the hospital only six weeks previously for "[[heart failure]]" and "[[pneumonia]]", citing the appearance as his "first show back".

[[File:Jesus is coming.. Look Busy (George Carlin).jpg|thumb|left|upright=.7|Carlin in April 2008]]

Carlin performed regularly as a headliner in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], but in 2004 his run at the [[MGM Grand Las Vegas]] was terminated after an altercation with his audience. After a poorly received set filled with dark references to suicide bombings and beheadings, Carlin complained that he could not wait to get out of "this fucking hotel" and Las Vegas; he wanted to go back east, he said, "where the real people are". He continued: "People who go to Las Vegas, you've got to question their fucking intellect to start with. Traveling hundreds and thousands of miles to essentially give your money to a large corporation is kind of fucking moronic. That's what I'm always getting here is these kind of fucking people with very limited intellects." An audience member shouted, "Stop degrading us!" Carlin responded, "Thank you very much, whatever that was. I hope it was positive; if not, well, blow me." He was immediately fired, and soon thereafter his representative announced that he would begin treatment for alcohol and prescription painkiller addiction on his own initiative.<ref name="tagreviewj">{{cite news |url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Dec-04-Sat-2004/news/25407915.html |title=Dark Carlin |newspaper=reviewjournal.com |date=December 4, 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041207042940/http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Dec-04-Sat-2004/news/25407915.html |archive-date=December 7, 2004 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/books/12/27/george.carlin/index.html? |title=George Carlin enters rehab |publisher=[[CNN]] |date=December 29, 2004 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref>

Carlin provided the voice of Fillmore, a character in the [[Pixar]] animated feature ''[[Cars (film)|Cars]]'', which opened in theatres on [[June 9]], [[2006]]. The character Fillmore is a [[VW Microbus]], whose front license plate reads "51237" &mdash; Carlin's birthday &mdash; and is also the zip code of a town in [[Iowa]] named [[George, Iowa|George]].

After his 13th HBO special on November 5, 2005, ''[[Life Is Worth Losing]]'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/events/gcarlin/?ntrack_para1=insidehbo3_text|title=Carlin: Life is Worth Losing |publisher=HBO |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060115070120/http://www.hbo.com/events/gcarlin/?ntrack_para1=insidehbo3_text |archive-date=January 15, 2006 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> Carlin toured his new material through the first half of 2006. Topics included suicide, [[natural disaster]]s, [[Human cannibalism|cannibalism]], [[genocide]], [[human sacrifice]], threats to [[civil liberties]] in the U.S., and his theory that humans are inferior to other animals. At the first tour stop, at the Tachi Palace Casino in [[Lemoore, California]], he said the appearance was his "first show back" after a six-week hospitalization for heart failure and [[pneumonia]].{{citation needed|date=July 2014}} In the 2006 [[Pixar Animation Studios|Pixar]] animated film ''[[Cars (film)|Cars]]'', Carlin voiced Fillmore, an anti-establishment hippie [[Volkswagen Type 2|VW Microbus]] with a [[psychedelic art|psychedelic]] paint job and the license plate "51237" (Carlin's birthday in [[Date and time notation|m/dd/yy format]]).{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} In 2007, he voiced the wizard in ''[[Happily N'Ever After]]'', his last film.

During a recent show on [[December 2]], [[2006]] at the the [[North Fork Theatre]] Carlin stated that he had "been a little sick for the past month, I've been in the hospital twice, about three or four days each time". He again stated he was there for "heart failure" and "breathing problems".

Carlin's last HBO stand-up special, ''[[It's Bad for Ya]]'', aired live on March 1, 2008, from the [[Wells Fargo Center for the Arts]] in [[Santa Rosa, California]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/movies/dvd/2007-09-24-carlin-collection_N.htm |title=George Carlin reflects on 50 years (or so) of 'All My Stuff' |author=Wloszczyna, Susan |newspaper=[[USA Today]] |date=September 24, 2007 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> Themes included "American bullshit", rights, death, old age, and child-rearing. He repeated the theme to his audience several times throughout the show: "It's all bullshit, and it's bad for ya".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dyr_ec6etjo |title=George Carlin - It's all bullshit, and it's bad for you. |via=YouTube |date=March 14, 2016 }}</ref>

==Religion==

As a staunch [[atheism|atheist]], Carlin has often denounced the idea of God in interviews and performances, most notably with his "Invisible Man in the Sky" and "There Is No God" routines. In mockery he invented the parody religion [[Frisbeetarianism]] for a newspaper contest. He defined it as the belief that when one dies "his soul gets flung onto a roof, and just stays there", and cannot be retrieved.

== Personal life ==

Carlin has also said he might worship the [[Sun]], because he can actually see it, but prays to [[Joe Pesci]] because "he's a good actor", and "looks like a guy who can get things done!", and praying to him has approximately the same 50% success rate as praying to God.<ref>"There Is No God", ''[[You Are All Diseased]]''</ref>

In August 1960, while touring with comedy partner [[Jack Burns]] in [[Dayton, Ohio]], Carlin stopped at a roadside diner, where he met waitress Brenda Hosbrook.<ref name="Dream2022" /> They began dating and were married at her parents' home in Dayton on June 3, 1961.{{sfn|Carlin|Hendra|2009|pp=[https://archive.org/details/lastwords0000carl/page/89 89–92]}} Their only child, [[Kelly Carlin|Kelly Marie Carlin]] was born June 15, 1963, and became a radio host.<ref name="Dream2022" /> Carlin and Hosbrook renewed their wedding vows in [[Las Vegas]] in 1971.<ref name="Dream2022" />

Their marriage was often marred by his [[cocaine]] use and her alcoholism, the latter of which worsened when Carlin's mother came to stay with them and would secretly pour Hosbrook drinks while derogating him.<ref name="Dream2022" /> When Hosbrook was hospitalized due to her drinking, she told Carlin that she would not return home if his mother was there. He immediately went home, booked his mother a flight to New York, and took her to the airport.<ref name="Dream2022" /> The couple soon addressed their addiction issues; the marriage improved so much that Kelly later said it felt like it had been rebooted.<ref name="Dream2022" /> Hosbrook died of [[liver cancer]] on May 11, 1997, one day before her husband's 60th birthday.<ref name="Dream2022" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/brenda-carlin-dies-at-57-1117341677/|title=Brenda Carlin dies at 57|date=May 15, 1997|magazine=Variety}}</ref>

=="Here for the show"==

Carlin openly communicates in his shows and in his interviews that his purpose for existence is entertainment, that he is "here for the show". He acknowledges that this is a very selfish thing, especially since he includes large human catastrophes as entertainment.

Carlin met comedy writer Sally Wade six months after Brenda's death and said it was "love at first sight", but told her he was hesitant to act on his feelings so soon after being widowed.{{sfn|Carlin|Hendra|2009|pp=[https://archive.org/details/lastwords0000carl/page/272 272]}} He discussed needing to be alone, potentially for up to a year, before being ready to date again.<ref name="Dream2022" /> They had no contact for eight months and she assumed he had moved on, but then he called to ask her out.<ref name="Dream2022" /> They wed in a private, unregistered ceremony on June 24, 1998, and remained married until Carlin's death.<ref>{{cite news|title=George Carlin's Loved Ones Speak Out |url=http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/06/62841/index.html |work=Entertainment Tonight|date=June 23, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625032232/http://www.etonline.com/news/2008/06/62841/index.html |archive-date=June 25, 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/comedian-george-carlin-dead-at-age-71-1/|title=Comedian George Carlin dead at age 71 |date=June 23, 2008|work=Seattle Times}}</ref>

In a late-[[1990s]] interview with [[Art Bell]], he remarked about his view of human life: "I think we're already [[circling the drain]] as a species, and I'd love to see the circles get a little faster and a little shorter."

In 2008, Carlin said that using [[Cannabis (drug)|cannabis]], [[LSD]], and [[mescaline]] had helped him cope with life.<ref name=Dixit2008/> He also said several times that he had battled addiction to alcohol, cocaine, and [[Vicodin]],<ref>Carlin's own audio book ''Last Words'', chapter 19. Also in his own words (at the 46:52 mark on the YouTube video) from a conference he did for the National Press Club on May 13, 1999.</ref> and spent some time in a rehab facility in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news|title=George Carlin enters rehab|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/books/12/27/george.carlin/index.html|work=CNN|date=December 29, 2004|access-date=June 10, 2014|archive-date=October 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019171629/http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/books/12/27/george.carlin/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the taping of his stand-up special ''[[Life Is Worth Losing]]'' on November 5, 2005, he said he had been [[Sobriety|sober]] for 341 days.<ref>''[[Life Is Worth Losing]]'' (2005)</ref>

In the same interview, he recounts his experience of a California [[earthquake]] in the early-1970s as: "...an amusement park ride. Really, I mean it's such a wonderful thing to realize that you have ''absolutely'' no control... and to see the dresser move across the bedroom floor unassisted... is just exciting." Later he summarizes: "I really think there's great human drama in destruction and nature unleashed and I don't get enough of it."

After being raised as a [[Catholic]], Carlin outspokenly rejected religion, frequently criticizing and mocking it in his routines.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/top-george-carlin-quotes-on-religion-4072040 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180414040354/https://www.thoughtco.com/top-george-carlin-quotes-on-religion-4072040 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 14, 2018 |title=Top George Carlin Quotes on Religion |last=Cline |first=Austin |date=May 30, 2018 |website=ThoughtCo |access-date=March 5, 2019 }}</ref> When asked if he believed in God, his response was, "No, there's no God{{emdash}}but there might be some sort of an organizing intelligence, and I think to understand it is way beyond our ability."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/is-there-a-god-1798208305|first=Stephen|last=Thompson|title=Is there a God?|newspaper=The A.V. Club|date=September 6, 2000|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref>

A routine in Carlin's 1999 HBO special ''[[You Are All Diseased]]'' focusing on [[airport security]] leads up to the statement: "Take a fucking chance! Put a little fun in your life! ... most Americans are soft and frightened and unimaginative and they don't realize there's such a thing as dangerous fun, and they certainly don't recognize a good show when they see one."

== Death ==

Carlin has always included politics as part of his material (along with the wordplay and sex jokes), but by the mid-[[1980s]] had become a strident and perceptive social critic, in both his [[Home Box Office|HBO]] specials and the book compilations of his material. His HBO viewers got an especially sharp taste of this in his take on the [[Ronald Reagan]] administration during the 1988 special ''[[What Am I Doing In New Jersey?]]'' broadcast live from the Park Theatre in [[Union City, New Jersey]].

Carlin had a history of heart problems,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cleveland.com/people/index.ssf/2008/06/george_carlin_counterculture_c.html |title=George Carlin, counterculture comedians' dean, dies at 71 |first=Michael |last=Norman |work=[[The Plain Dealer]] |___location=[[Cleveland]], Ohio |date=June 23, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/23/arts/23iht-24carlin.13905378.html |title=George Carlin, irreverent comedian, dies at 71 |first=Mel |last=Watkins |newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 23, 2008 |access-date= December 22, 2020}}</ref> including heart attacks in 1978, 1982, and 1991.<ref name="bravo" /> He also had an [[arrhythmia]] requiring an [[Ablation of atrial fibrillation|ablation]] procedure in 2003, a significant episode of heart failure in 2005, and two [[angioplasties]] on undisclosed dates.{{sfn|Carlin|Hendra|2009|pp=75–76}} In the 2022 documentary ''[[George Carlin's American Dream]]'', Jerry Hamza{{emdash}}Carlin's manager from 1980 until his death{{emdash}}said Carlin underwent many heart surgeries in a short period toward the end of his life. Carlin's publicist Jeff Abraham said that he once lifted his shirt after coming to a gig from the hospital to show Abraham his torso, whereupon Abraham said it looked like a science project.<ref name="Dream2022" />

On June 22, 2008, at age 71, Carlin died from heart failure at [[Saint John's Health Center]] in [[Santa Monica, California]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/arts/24carlin.html |title=George Carlin, Comic Who Chafed at Society and Its Constraints, Dies at 71 |last1=Watkins |first1=M. |last2=Weber |first2=B. |date=June 24, 2008 |newspaper=The New York Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140128105920/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/arts/24carlin.html |archive-date=January 28, 2014 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Carlindies">{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/counterculture-comedian-george-carlin-dies-at-71/ |title=Grammy-Winning Comedian, Counter-Culture Figure George Carlin Dies at 71 |date=June 23, 2008 |publisher=Foxnews.com |access-date=June 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110102833/http://www.foxnews.com/story/2008/06/23/counterculture-comedian-george-carlin-dies-at-71/ |archive-date=January 10, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> His death occurred one week after his final performance at [[The Orleans Hotel and Casino]]. Per his wishes, his body was cremated and his ashes scattered in front of various New York City nightclubs and over [[Spofford Lake]] in [[New Hampshire]], where he had attended summer camp as an adolescent.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20080730/NEWS/80730031|title=Comedian Carlin's ashes spread in New Hampshire|work=seacoastline.com|via=Associated Press|access-date=May 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109184618/http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20080730/NEWS/80730031|archive-date=January 9, 2016}}</ref> His [[Will and testament|will]] stated that there was to be no funeral and that he wished only for his widow and daughter to host a small gathering at his home for loved ones to share stories of him.<ref name="Dream2022" />

==Quotations==

{{wikiquote}}

[[Image:George_Carlin.jpg|thumb|right|''George Carlin''.]]

*"I think I figured out why Americans are so stupid. Think about how stupid the Average American is. Well, HALF of 'em are stupider than THAT!"

* "They're superstitious, they have these beliefs, these primitive, you know, people believe in a... I mean they're just really kind of credulous, and gullible. People believe in, for instance, hell and angels, okay, these are very primitive, very, very backward to me, backward sounding beliefs, these are child-like, and that's the key, because they get you when you're a kid, they get you when you're little, and they tell you there's a God, and if you can make people believe, I believe this, if you can make someone believe that there's an invisible man, living in the sky, who's watching everything you do, and keeping count of everything you do, which is good and which is bad, then you can make that person believe anything after that, you can add anything you want, the 4th of July shit just rolls right in, land of the free, home of the brave, the press is fair and impartial, justice is blind, all men are created equal, your vote is important, the United States government is on your side, the army is here to keep the peace, the police are on your side...Oh, and freedom of choice, this is the big one, the illusion of choice, we're led to feel free by the exercise of meaningless choices. There are, for instance, important things &mdash; not too many choices, unimportant things-ice cream flavors, what do you want, we've got 31, the flavor of the week, the flavor of the month, but political parties-we're down to two, jeez. Sources of information, media companies down to five, banks, insurance companies, pharmaceuticals, chemical companies, oil companies-used to be seven, down to three, pretty soon it's gonna be two. But if you’re lookin' for a bagel or a fuckin' donut, hey, what do you want-pineapple supreme, hazelnut; we've got everything you want. Cereals, I counted, personally in the store counted 192 different cereal choices, 192. 140 different cat foods, I counted, and that includes a tartar-control cat food for senior citizen cats, okay?"

'''- George Carlin, appearance on Dennis Miller Live;

[response to why Americans are so easily influenced by advertising]'''

== Legacy ==

* "I'm a modern man,

=== Awards and honors ===

digital and smoke-free;

{{main|List of awards and nominations received by George Carlin}}

a man for the millennium.

Along with [[List of awards and nominations received by George Carlin|numerous other accolades]], Carlin won five [[Grammy Awards]] and was nominated for six [[Primetime Emmy Awards]] and two [[Daytime Emmy Awards]]. He [[List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame#C|received a star]] on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMX1M3lwAN4 |title=Flowers were placed on the Walk of Fame star of comic George Carlin, who died Sunday |date=July 21, 2015 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=January 18, 2025 |via=YouTube}}</ref> in January 1987,<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 25, 2019 |title=George Carlin |url=https://walkoffame.com/george-carlin/ |access-date=January 18, 2025 |publisher=Hollywood Walk of Fame |quote=Category Live Performance Address 1555 Vine Street Ceremony date 01/21/1987}}</ref> and was a recipient of the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]]'s [[Mark Twain Prize for American Humor]] in 2008.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

A diversified, multi-cultural,

post-modern deconstructionist;

politically, anatomically, and ecologically incorrect.

=== Influences ===

I've been uplinked and downloaded,

Carlin's influences included [[Danny Kaye]],<ref name="playboy" /><ref name="MurrayJ">{{Cite news |url=https://www.avclub.com/content/node/42195 |title=Interviews: George Carlin |last=Murray |first=Noel |date=November 2, 2005 |work=[[The A.V. Club]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051104040743/http://avclub.com/content/node/42195 |archive-date=November 4, 2005 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> [[Jonathan Winters]],<ref name="playboy" /> [[Lenny Bruce]],<ref name="bravo" /><ref name="NPR">{{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4136881|title=Comedian and Actor George Carlin |last=Carlin |first=George|date=November 1, 2004|publisher=[[National Public Radio]] |access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref><ref name="comedy">Carlin, George, ''[[George Carlin on Comedy]]'', "Lenny Bruce", Laugh.com, 2002.</ref> [[Richard Pryor]],<ref name="bravo" /> [[Nichols and May]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/entertainment/2017/01/09/george-carlin-1990-larry-king-live-interview.cnn|title=How George Carlin became George Carlin (1990)|first=Larry|last=King|date=1990}}</ref> [[Jerry Lewis]],<ref name="playboy" /><ref name="bravo" /> the [[Marx Brothers]],<ref name="playboy" /><ref name="bravo" /> [[Mort Sahl]],<ref name="comedy" /> [[Spike Jones]],<ref name="bravo" /> [[Ernie Kovacs]],<ref name="bravo" /> and the [[Ritz Brothers]].<ref name="playboy" /> His daughter Kelly said in 2022 that he took more acting roles in the latter half of his career because he "never gave up on the Danny Kaye dream".<ref name="Dream2022" />

I've been inputted and outsourced.

I know the upside of downsizing,

I know the downside of upgrading.

Comedians who have claimed Carlin as an influence include [[Adam Ferrara]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r92aSl_8YoI| title=Adam Ferrara Part 2 of 3: On His Idol George Carlin | via=YouTube | date=June 5, 2015 }}</ref> [[Bill Burr]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/bill-burrs-top-five-stand-ups|title=Bill Burr's top 5 stand ups|date=October 2, 2013}}</ref> [[Chris Rock]],<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2008/07/06/chris-rock-salutes-george-carlin/ |title=Chris Rock Salutes George Carlin |last=Rock |first=Chris |author-link=Chris Rock |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=July 6, 2008 |access-date=January 28, 2023}}</ref> [[Jerry Seinfeld]],<ref>{{cite AV media|last=Seinfeld|first=Jerry|title=Jerry Seinfeld: The Comedian Award|medium=TV|publisher=[[HBO]]|date=April 1, 2007}}</ref> [[Louis C.K.]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.louisck.net/2008/06/goodbye-george-carlin.html|title=Goodbye George Carlin|last=C.K.|first=Louis|author-link=Louis C.K.|publisher=LouisCK.net|date=June 22, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701054320/http://www.louisck.net/2008/06/goodbye-george-carlin.html|archive-date=July 1, 2008|access-date=May 10, 2014}}</ref> [[Lewis Black]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://origin.avclub.com/content/node/49217|title=Lewis Black|publisher=[[The Onion]]|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|author=Gillette, Amelie|date=June 7, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707005744/http://origin.avclub.com/content/node/49217 |archive-date=July 7, 2007 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> [[Jon Stewart]],<ref>{{cite video|people=Stewart, Jon|title=George Carlin: 40 Years of Comedy|medium=TV|publisher=[[HBO]]|date=February 27, 1997}}</ref> [[Stephen Colbert]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/content/node/44705|title=Stephen Colbert|work=The A.V. Club|author-link=Nathan Rabin|last=Rabin|first=Nathan|date=January 25, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060202094518/http://www.avclub.com/content/node/44705 |archive-date=February 2, 2006 |access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> [[Bill Maher]],<ref>{{cite episode|title=episode 38|air-date=October 1, 2004|series=Real Time with Bill Maher|series-link=Real Time with Bill Maher|network=[[HBO]]|season=2|number=18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=King|first=Larry|author-link=Larry King|title=Bill Maher Discusses Religulous on Larry King|publisher=CNN|date=August 20, 2008|url=http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/08/20/lkl.bill.maher.cnn}}</ref> [[Liz Miele]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HnkVZCUtjs |title=Liz Miele: Advice from George Carlin|publisher=Irie Chat|date=July 3, 2020 |access-date=September 1, 2022 | via=YouTube}}</ref> [[Patrice O'Neal]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comedycentral.com/comedians/browse/o/patrice_oneal.jhtml |title=Comedians: Patrice O'Neal|publisher=Comedy Central|date=October 30, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081108085406/http://www.comedycentral.com/comedians/browse/o/patrice_oneal.jhtml |archive-date=November 8, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> [[Colin Quinn]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Colin Quinn|work=The A.V. Club|url=https://www.avclub.com/content/node/22529|last=Rabin |first=Nathan|date=June 18, 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070518104531/http://www.avclub.com/content/node/22529 |archive-date=May 18, 2007 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> [[Steven Wright]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/content/node/54975|title=Steven Wright|work=The A.V. Club|last=Rabin |first=Nathan |date=November 9, 2006 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> [[Mitch Hedberg]],<ref>{{cite web | url = https://allmusic.com/artist/mitch-hedberg-p602821|title=Mitch Hedberg|publisher=AllMusic|last=Jeffries |first=David |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110319084833/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mitch-hedberg-p602821 |archive-date=March 19, 2011 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> [[Russell Peters]],<ref>{{cite web |author=Alan Cho |url=http://www.thegauntlet.ca/story/comedy-preview-russell-peters-wont-hurt-you-real-bad |title=Comedy Preview: Russell Peters won't hurt you real bad |publisher=Gauntlet.ucalgary.ca |date=November 24, 2005 |access-date=June 10, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140610160339/http://www.thegauntlet.ca/story/comedy-preview-russell-peters-wont-hurt-you-real-bad |archive-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> [[Bo Burnham]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/bo-burnham-im-a-complete-hypocrite-2288858.html|title=Bo Burnham: 'I'm a complete hypocrite'|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=July 19, 2018}}</ref> [[Jay Leno]],<ref name="People">{{cite magazine|last1=Breuer|first1=Howard|first2=Stephen M.|last2=Silverman|author2-link=Stephen M. Silverman|date=June 24, 2008|title=Carlin Remembered: He Helped Other Comics with Drug Problems|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20208460,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627150403/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20208460,00.html|archive-date=June 27, 2008|url-status=dead|access-date=June 11, 2014|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref> [[Ben Stiller]],<ref name="People" /> [[Kevin Smith]],<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/142975/page/1 |title=A God Who Cussed |author=Smith, Kevin |author-link=Kevin Smith |magazine=[[Newsweek]] |date=June 23, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626120736/http://www.newsweek.com/id/142975/page/1 |archive-date=June 26, 2008 |access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> [[Chris Rush]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.natural-humor-medicine.com/Chris_Rush.html |title=An Interview with Comic Legend, Chris Rush |last=Kuhn |first=Clifford |publisher=Natural-Humor-Medicine.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041121165633/http://www.natural-humor-medicine.com/Chris_Rush.html |archive-date=November 21, 2004 |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> [[Rob McElhenney]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1olm4y/i_am_rob_mcelhenney_ama/cct6cy5/?context=1 |title=I am Rob McElhenney AMA! |date=October 16, 2013 |access-date=July 14, 2015}}</ref> and [[Jim Jefferies]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/05/jim-jefferies-interview.html|title=Jim Jefferies. - Interview|magazine=Paste|access-date=May 14, 2017}}</ref>

I'm a high-tech lowlife.

A cutting-edge, state-of-the-art,

bi-coastal multi-tasker,

and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond.

=== The Carlin Warning ===

I'm new wave, but I'm old-school;

After Carlin's [[seven dirty words]] routine and subsequent ''[[FCC v. Pacifica Foundation]]'' Supreme Court ruling in 1978, broadcasters started to use the "Carlin Warning" to remind performers of the words they could not say during a live performance.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/438/726.html |title= FCC v. Pacifica Foundation |website=Findlaw}}</ref>

and my inner child is outward-bound.

=== Tributes ===

I'm a hot-wired, heat-seeking,

[[Image:GeorgeCarlinWay.jpg|thumb|George Carlin Way in Manhattan]]

warm-hearted cool customer;

Upon Carlin's death in 2008, HBO broadcast 11 of his 14 HBO specials from June 25 to 28, including a 12-hour marathon block on the HBO Comedy channel. NBC scheduled a rerun of the first episode of ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', which Carlin hosted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/1021949,carlintv062408.article |title=Networks remembering George Carlin in classic reruns, specials |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627160725/http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/1021949%2Ccarlintv062408.article |archive-date=June 27, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/23/george-carlins-televised-stage/ |title=George Carlin's Televised Stage |date=June 23, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hbo.com/apps/schedule/ScheduleServlet?ACTION_TODAY=TODAY |title=HBO schedule |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627023829/http://www.hbo.com/apps/schedule/ScheduleServlet?ACTION_TODAY=TODAY |archive-date=June 27, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> Both [[Sirius Satellite Radio]]'s "Raw Dog Comedy" and [[XM Satellite Radio]]'s "XM Comedy" channels ran a memorial marathon of Carlin recordings the day after he died. [[Sirius XM Satellite Radio]] has since devoted an entire channel to Carlin, ''[[Carlin's Corner]]'', featuring all his comedy albums, live concerts, and works from his private archives.<ref name="CarlinsCorner">{{cite news|url=https://www.siriusxm.com/carlinscorner|title=Carlin's Corner - One & Only George Carlin XL|publisher=Sirius XM |access-date=November 13, 2019}}</ref> [[Larry King]] devoted his June 23 show to a Carlin tribute, featuring interviews with [[Jerry Seinfeld]], [[Bill Maher]], [[Roseanne Barr]], [[Lewis Black]], Carlin's brother, Patrick Jr., and his daughter, Kelly. On June 24, ''[[The New York Times]]'' printed an op-ed piece on Carlin by Jerry Seinfeld.<ref>{{cite news |last=Seinfeld |first=Jerry |title=Dying Is Hard. Comedy Is Harder |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/opinion/24seinfeld.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 24, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> Cartoonist [[Garry Trudeau]] paid tribute in his ''[[Doonesbury]]'' comic strip on July 27.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gocomics.com/doonesbury/2008/07/27 |title=Doonesbury comic strip |date=July 27, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref>

voice-activated and biodegradable.

[[File:Make God Laugh.jpg|thumb|right|A dedication from the [[Laugh Factory]] two days after Carlin died]]

I interface with my database;

Four days before Carlin's death, the [[John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts]] named him its 2008 [[Mark Twain Prize for American Humor]] honoree.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/17/AR2008061702519.html |last=Trescott |first=Jacqueline |title=Bleep! Bleep! George Carlin To Receive Mark Twain Humor Prize |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=June 18, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> He became its first posthumous recipient on November 10, 2008.<ref name="posthumous-award">{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-carlin-twain-idUSN2328397920080623?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews |title=George Carlin becomes first posthumous Mark Twain honoree |date=June 23, 2008 |work=Reuters |access-date=June 12, 2014}}</ref> Comedians honoring him at the ceremony included [[Jon Stewart]], [[Bill Maher]], [[Lily Tomlin]] (a past winner of the prize), [[Lewis Black]], [[Denis Leary]], [[Joan Rivers]], and [[Margaret Cho]]. [[Louis C.K.]] dedicated his stand-up special ''Chewed Up'' to Carlin, while Lewis Black dedicated the second season of ''[[Lewis Black's Root of All Evil|Root of All Evil]]'' to him.{{citation needed|date=July 2025}}

my database is in cyberspace;

so I'm interactive, I'm hyperactive,

and from time to time, I'm radioactive.

For years, Carlin had been compiling and writing his autobiography, to be released in conjunction with a one-man Broadway show tentatively titled ''New York Boy''. After his death, his collaborator on both projects [[Tony Hendra]] edited the autobiography for release as ''[[Last Words (book)|Last Words]]''. The book, chronicling most of Carlin's life and future plans including the one-man show, was published in 2009. The abridged audio edition is narrated by Carlin's brother Patrick Jr.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Deahl |first=Rachel |title=Free Press Acquires Posthumous Carlin Memoir |newspaper=[[Publishers Weekly]] |date=July 14, 2009 |url=http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6670970.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090716142423/http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6670970.html |archive-date=July 16, 2009 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> In 2011, Carlin's widow Sally Wade published ''The George Carlin Letters: The Permanent Courtship of Sally Wade'', a collection of previously unpublished writings and artwork by Carlin interwoven with Wade's chronicle of their decade together.<ref>Wade, Sally (March 8, 2011). ''The George Carlin Letters: The Permanent Courtship of Sally Wade.'' Gallery. {{ISBN|1-4516-0776-8}}.</ref> The subtitle is a phrase on a handwritten note that Wade found next to her computer upon returning home from the hospital after his death.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.laweekly.com/2011-03-03/calendar/carlin-s-darlin/ |newspaper=LA Weekly |title=Carlin's Darlin' |date=March 3, 2011 |first=Michael |last=Simmons |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> In 2008, Kelly Carlin announced plans to publish an "oral history", a collection of stories from Carlin's friends and family.<ref>''USA Today'' "Daughter to shed light on Carlin's life and stuff." Wloszczyna, Susan. November 4, 2008.</ref> She later said the project had been shelved in favor of completion of her own project,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comedyland.net/2009/12/kelly-carlin-mccall.html |title=Kelly Carlin-McCall |date=December 30, 2009 |publisher=Comedy Land |access-date=June 10, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214120544/http://www.comedyland.net/2009/12/kelly-carlin-mccall.html |archive-date=December 14, 2013}}</ref> an autobiographical one-woman show called ''A Carlin Home Companion: Growing Up with George''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://allforonetheater.org/shows/a-carlin-home-companion/ |title=A Carlin Home Companion: Growing Up with George |access-date=June 10, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620224953/http://allforonetheater.org/shows/a-carlin-home-companion/ |archive-date=June 20, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thekellycarlinsite.com/companion/ |title=Kelly Carlin |url-status=dead |access-date=June 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140619103530/http://thekellycarlinsite.com/companion |archive-date=June 19, 2014}}</ref>

Behind the eight-ball, ahead of the curve,

ridin’ the wave, dodgin’ the bullet,

pushin’ the envelope.

On October 22, 2014, part of West 121st Street in [[Morningside Heights]] was renamed "George Carlin Way".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/23/nyregion/honoring-george-carlin-with-his-own-manhattan-block.html |title=Honoring George Carlin With His Own Manhattan Block |first=Matt |last=Flegenheimer |date=October 22, 2014 |work=The New York Times |access-date=October 14, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028160023/http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/23/nyregion/honoring-george-carlin-with-his-own-manhattan-block.html |archive-date=October 28, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Moneyball (film)|Moneyball]]'' screenwriter Stan Chervin announced in 2018 that a biopic of Carlin was being written.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2018/10/george-carlin-biopic-in-development-from-moneyball-writer.html|title=So, Which Comic Will Make His Dramatic Turn With This George Carlin Biopic?|last=Kiefer|first=Halle|website=Vulture|date=October 2018 |access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/estate-approved-george-carlin-biopic-731772/|title=Estate-Approved George Carlin Biopic in the Works|last=Kreps|first=Daniel|date=October 2, 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=October 2, 2018}}</ref>

I'm on point, on task, on message,

and off drugs.

''[[George Carlin's American Dream]]'', a documentary about Carlin's life, was released on [[HBO Max]] on May 20, 2022. It is directed by [[Judd Apatow]] and Michael Bonfiglio, and produced by Carlin's daughter Kelly.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=George Carlin Gets the King of Comedy Treatment in New Doc Trailer |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/george-carlin-documentary-judd-apatow-trailer-1346356/ |last=Bilstein |first=Jon |date=May 2, 2022 |access-date= May 15, 2022 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> In a [[Netflix]] stand-up special released in 2022, ''[[The Hall: Honoring the Greats of Stand-Up]]'', Carlin was inducted into the [[National Comedy Center]] in [[Jamestown, New York]].<ref>''[https://comedycenter.org/thehall/ National Comedy Center]'', The Hall is a new wing of the museum complex devoted to brilliant comics.</ref>

I got no need for coke and speed;

I’ve got no urge to binge and purge.

== Internet hoaxes ==

I'm in the moment, on the edge,

Many quotations have been falsely attributed to Carlin, including various joke lists, rants, and other pieces. The website [[Snopes]], which debunks [[urban legend]]s and myths, has addressed these hoaxes.<ref>

over the top, but under the radar.

* {{cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/glurge/aging.asp |last=Mikkelson |first=Barbara |title=George Carlin on Aging |website=[[Snopes.com]] |date=June 27, 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2014}}

* {{cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/paradox.asp |last=Mikkelson |first=Barbara |title=The Paradox of Our Time |date=November 1, 2007|website=Snopes.com |access-date=June 12, 2014}}

* {{cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/carlin.asp |last=Mikkelson |first=Barbara |title=The Bad American |date=October 2, 2005|website=Snopes.com |access-date=June 12, 2014}}

* {{cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/katrina/soapbox/carlin.asp |last=Mikkelson |first=Barbara |title=Hurricane Rules |date=October 23, 2005|website=Snopes.com |access-date=June 12, 2014}}

* {{cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/carlingas.asp |last=Mikkelson |first=Barbara |title=Gas Crisis Solution |date=February 5, 2007|website=Snopes.com |access-date=June 11, 2014}}

* {{cite web|url=http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/newrules.asp |last=Mikkelson |first=Barbara |title=New Rules for 2006 |date=January 12, 2006|website=Snopes.com |access-date=June 10, 2014}}</ref> Many of them contain material that runs counter to Carlin's viewpoints; some are especially hostile toward racial groups, gay people, women, the homeless, and other targets. Carlin was aware of this and debunked the quotes, writing on his website, "Here's a rule of thumb, folks: nothing you see on the Internet is mine unless it comes from one of my albums, books, HBO specials, or appeared on my website. [...] It bothers me that some people might believe that I would be capable of writing some of this stuff."

In 2011, [["Weird Al" Yankovic]] referenced the hoaxes in his song "[[Alpocalypse#Track listing|Stop Forwarding That Crap to Me]]" with the lyric, "And by the way, your quotes from George Carlin aren't really George Carlin."

A high-concept, low-profile,

medium-range ballistic missionary.

== Filmography ==

A street-wise smart bomb.

=== Film ===

A top-gun bottom-feeder.

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-

! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable"|Notes

|-

| 1968 || ''[[With Six You Get Eggroll]]'' || Herbie Fleck ||

|-

| 1976 || ''[[Car Wash (film)|Car Wash]]'' || Taxi Driver ||

|-

| 1979 || ''[[Americathon]]'' || Narrator ||

|-

| 1987 || ''[[Outrageous Fortune (film)|Outrageous Fortune]]'' || Frank Madras ||

|-

| 1989 || ''[[Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure]]'' || rowspan=2|Rufus ||

|-

| rowspan=2|1991 || ''[[Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey]]'' ||

|-

| ''[[The Prince of Tides]]''|| Eddie Detreville ||

|-

| 1999 || ''[[Dogma (film)|Dogma]]'' || Cardinal Ignatius Glick ||

|-

| 2001 || ''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]'' || Hitchhiker ||

|-

| 2003 || ''[[Scary Movie 3]]'' || [[Architect (The Matrix)|Architect]] ||

|-

| 2004 || ''[[Jersey Girl (2004 film)|Jersey Girl]]'' || Bart Trinké ||

|-

| rowspan="2" |2005 || ''[[The Aristocrats (film)|The Aristocrats]]'' || Himself || Documentary

|-

| ''[[Tarzan II]]'' || Zugor || rowspan=3|Voice

|-

| rowspan="2" |2006

| ''[[Cars (film)|Cars]]'' || [[List of Cars characters#Fillmore|Fillmore]]

|-

| ''[[Happily N'Ever After]]'' || Wizard

|-

| 2020 || ''[[Bill & Ted Face the Music]]'' || Rufus || Posthumous release; archival footage<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a848292/bill-and-ted-3-title-plot-keanu-reeves-face-the-music-movie/|title=Bill & Ted writer reveals new plot details for 3rd film|first=Morgan|last=Jeffery|date=January 24, 2018|website=Digital Spy}}</ref>

|}

=== Television ===

I wear power ties, I tell power lies,

{| class="wikitable sortable"

I take power naps, I run victory laps.

|-

! Year !! Title !! Role !! class="unsortable"|Notes

|-

| 1962

| ''[[Tonight Starring Jack Paar]]''

| rowspan="6" | Self

| 3 episodes

|-

| 1963–1992

| ''[[The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson]]''

| 108 episodes

|-

| 1965–1978

| ''[[The Mike Douglas Show]]''

| 29 episodes

|-

| 1965–1981

| ''[[The Merv Griffin Show]]''

| 30 episodes

|-

| rowspan="3" | 1966

| ''[[The Jimmy Dean Show]]''

| 2 episodes

|-

| ''[[The Kraft Summer Music Hall]]''

| 12 episodes; also writer

|-

| ''[[That Girl]]''

| George Lester

| Episode: "Break a Leg"

|-

| 1966–1967

| ''[[The Hollywood Palace]]''

| rowspan="2" | Self

| 4 episodes

|-

| 1967–1971

| ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]''

| 11 episodes

|-

| 1968

| ''The [[Smothers Brothers]] Comedy Hour''

| 1 episode

|-

| 1969

| ''[[What's My Line?]] ''

| rowspan="3" | Self

| 1 episode

|-

| 1970

| ''[[The Game Game]]''

| rowspan="2" | 2 episodes

|-

| 1969; 1978

| ''[[The Carol Burnett Show]]''

|-

| 1971–1973

| ''[[The Flip Wilson Show]]''

| 6 episodes; Also writer

|-

| 1977

| ''[[Welcome Back, Kotter]]''

| Wally 'The Wow' Wexler

| Episode: "Radio Free Freddie"

|-

| 1975, 1984

| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''

| Host

| Episodes: 1 and 183

|-

| 1984–1992

| ''[[Late Night with David Letterman]]''

| Himself

| 9 episodes

|-

| 1985

| ''Apt. 2C''

| Fictionalized version of himself, Jesus Christ

| Pilot episode produced for HBO

|-

| 1987

| ''[[Nick at Nite]]''

| {{N/A}}

|

|-

| 1988

| ''[[Justin Case (film)|Justin Case]]''

| Justin Case

| TV movie directed [[Blake Edwards]]

|-

| 1990 || ''[[Working Tra$h]]'' || Ralph Sawatzky || <!--The character "Ralph" is referred to by his full name, Ralph Sawatzky, in the movie's final scene.-->Television film

|-

| 1991–1995

| ''[[Thomas & Friends]]''

| Narrator

| Series 1–4; Voice, US dub; 104 episodes

|-

| 1991–1993

| ''[[Shining Time Station]]''

| Mr. Conductor, narrator

| 45 episodes

|-

| 1992–2006

| ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno]]''

| Himself

| 13 episodes

|-

| 1994–1995

| ''[[The George Carlin Show]]''

| George O'Grady

| 27 episodes

|-

| 1994–2001

| ''[[Late Show with David Letterman]]''

| Himself

| 8 episodes

|-

| rowspan="5" | 1995

| ''Shining Time Station: Once Upon a Time''

| rowspan="3" | Mr. Conductor

| rowspan="3" | Television film

|-

| ''Shining Time Station: Second Chances''

|-

| ''Shining Time Station: One of the Family''

|-

| ''[[Streets of Laredo (miniseries)|Streets of Laredo]]''

| Billy Williams

| 3 episodes

|-

| ''Shining Time Station: Queen for a Day''

| Mr. Conductor

| Television film

|-

| 1996

| ''Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales''

| Mr. Conductor, narrator

| 6 episodes

|-

| 1996–2001

| ''[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]]''

| Himself

| 3 episodes

|-

| 1998

| ''[[The Simpsons]]''

| Munchie

| Voice, episode: "[[D'oh-in' in the Wind]]"

|-

| 1999

| ''Storytime with Thomas''

| Narrator

|3 episodes

|-

| 1999, 2004

| ''[[The Daily Show]]''

| Himself

| 3 episodes

|-

| 2000

| ''[[MADtv]]''

| Mr. Conductor

| Episodes: [[MADtv (season 5)|518 & 524]]

|-

| 2004

| ''[[Inside the Actors Studio]]''

| rowspan="2" | Himself

| 1 episode

|-

| 2004–2005

| ''[[Real Time with Bill Maher]]''

| 3 episodes

|-

| 2008

| ''[[Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales]]''

| [[List of Cars characters#Fillmore|Fillmore]]

| Voice, episode: "Unidentified Flying Mater"; archival recordings; Final role

|}

=== Video games ===

I'm a totally ongoing, big-foot, slam-dunk

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:1em 0;"

rainmaker with a pro-active outreach.

|- style="background:#b0c4de;"

! Year !! Title !! Role

|-

| 2006

| ''[[Cars (video game)|Cars]]''

| [[List of Cars characters#Fillmore|Fillmore]]

|}

== Discography ==

A raging workaholic, a working rageaholic;

=== Records ===

out of rehab and in denial.

; Main

{{col div}}

* 1963: ''[[Burns and Carlin at the Playboy Club Tonight]]''

* 1967: ''[[Take-Offs and Put-Ons]]''

* 1972: ''[[FM & AM]]''

* 1972: ''[[Class Clown]]''

* 1973: ''[[Occupation: Foole]]''

* 1974: ''[[Toledo Window Box]]''

* 1975: ''[[An Evening with Wally Londo Featuring Bill Slaszo]]''

* 1977: ''[[On the Road (George Carlin album)|On the Road]]''

* 1981: ''[[A Place for My Stuff]]''

* 1984: ''[[Carlin on Campus]]''

* 1986: ''[[Playin' with Your Head]]''

* 1988: ''[[What Am I Doing in New Jersey?]]''

* 1990: ''[[Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics (album)|Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics]]''

* 1992: ''[[Jammin' in New York]]''

* 1996: ''[[Back in Town (George Carlin album)|Back in Town]]''

* 1999: ''[[You Are All Diseased]]''

* 2001: ''[[Complaints and Grievances]]''

* 2006: ''[[Life Is Worth Losing]]''

* 2008: ''[[It's Bad for Ya]]''

* 2016: ''[[I Kinda Like It When a Lotta People Die]]''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaye |first=Ben |date=August 22, 2016 |title=George Carlin's 'darkest' material to receive posthumous release |url=http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/08/george-carlins-darkest-material-to-receive-posthumous-release/ |work=[[Consequence (publication)|Consequence]] |access-date=January 19, 2022}}</ref>

{{col div end}}

; Compilations

* 1978: ''Indecent Exposure: Some of the Best of George Carlin''

* 1984: ''The George Carlin Collection''

* 1992: ''[[Classic Gold (George Carlin album)|Classic Gold]]''

* 1999: ''[[The Little David Years (1971–1977)|The Little David Years]]''

=== HBO specials ===

I’ve got a personal trainer,

{|class="wikitable"

a personal shopper,

|-

a personal assistant,

!Special !! Year !! Notes

and a personal agenda.

|-

|''[[George Carlin at USC|On Location: George Carlin at USC]]''||1977 ||

|-

|''[[George Carlin: Again!]]''||1978 ||

|-

|''[[Carlin at Carnegie]]''||1982 ||

|-

|''[[Carlin on Campus]]''||1984 ||

|-

|''[[Playin' with Your Head]]''||1986 ||

|-

|''[[What Am I Doing in New Jersey?]]''||1988 ||

|-

|''[[Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics (album)|Doin' It Again]]''||1990 ||

|-

|''[[Jammin' in New York]]''||1992 ||

|-

|''[[Back in Town (George Carlin album)|Back in Town]]''||1996 ||

|-

|''[[George Carlin: 40 Years of Comedy]]''||1997 ||

|-

|''[[You Are All Diseased]]''||1999 ||

|-

|''[[Complaints and Grievances]]''||2001 ||

|-

|''[[Life Is Worth Losing]]''||2005 ||

|-

|''All My Stuff''||2007||A box set of Carlin's first 12 stand-up specials<br />(excluding ''George Carlin: 40 Years of Comedy'').

|-

|''[[It's Bad for Ya]]''||2008 ||

|-

|''Commemorative Collection'' ||2018||

|}

== Written works ==

You can't shut me up,

{|class="wikitable"

you can't dumb me down.

|-

! Book !! Year !! Notes

|-

| ''[[Sometimes a Little Brain Damage Can Help]]'' || 1984 || {{ISBN|0-89471-271-3}}<ref>{{Cite book|last=Carlin|first=George|title=Sometimes a Little Brain Damage Can Help|publisher=Running Press Book Publishers|___location=Philadelphia|year=1984|isbn=0-89471-271-3 }}</ref>

|-

| ''[[Brain Droppings]]'' || 1997 || {{ISBN|0-7868-8321-9}}<ref>{{Cite book|last=Carlin|first=George|title=Brain Droppings|publisher=Hyperion|___location=New York|year=1998|isbn=0-7868-8321-9|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780786883219}}</ref>

|-

| ''[[Napalm and Silly Putty]]'' || 2001 || {{ISBN|0-7868-8758-3}}<ref>{{Cite book|last=Carlin|first=George|title=Napalm & Silly Putty|publisher=Hyperion|___location=New York|year=2001|isbn=0-7868-8758-3|url=https://archive.org/details/napalmsillyputty00carl_0}}</ref>

|-

| ''[[When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?]]'' || 2004 || {{ISBN|1-4013-0134-7}}<ref>{{Cite book|last=Carlin|first=George|title=When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?|publisher=Hyperion|___location=New York|year=2004|isbn=1-4013-0134-7|url=https://archive.org/details/whenwilljesusbri00hype}}</ref>

|-

| ''[[Three Times Carlin: An Orgy of George]]'' || 2006 || {{ISBN|978-1-4013-0243-6}}<ref>{{Cite book|last=Carlin|first=George|title=Three Times Carlin|publisher=Hyperion|___location=New York|year=2006|isbn=978-1-4013-0243-6 }}</ref> A collection of the three previous titles.

|-

| ''[[Last Words (book)|Last Words]]'' || 2009 || {{ISBN|1-4391-7295-1}}<ref>{{cite book|last1=Carlin|first1=George|last2=Hendra|first2=Tony|author2-link=Tony Hendra|title=Last Words|publisher=[[Free Press (publisher)|Free Press]]|___location=New York|date=2009|isbn=978-1-4391-7295-7|url=https://archive.org/details/lastwords0000carl|url-access=registration}}</ref> Posthumous release.

|}

'''Audiobooks'''

'Cause I'm tireless, and I'm wireless.

* ''[[Brain Droppings]]''

I'm an alpha-male on beta-blockers.

* ''[[Napalm and Silly Putty]]''

* ''[[More Napalm & Silly Putty]]''

* ''George Carlin Reads to You'' (Compilation of ''Brain Droppings'', ''Napalm and Silly Putty'', and ''More Napalm & Silly Putty'')

* ''[[When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?]]''

== See also ==

I'm a non-believer,

* [[Counterculture of the 1960s]]

I’m an over-achiever;

Laid-back, and fashion-forward.

Up-front, down-home;

Low-rent, high maintenance.

{{Clear}}

I’m super-sized, long-lasting,

High-definition, fast-acting,

Oven-ready, and built to last.

I'm a hands-on, footloose, knee-jerk headcase;

prematurely post-traumatic,

and I have a love child who sends me hate-mail.

But I'm feeling, I'm caring,

I'm healing, I'm sharing.

A supportive, bonding, nurturing,

primary caregiver.

My output is down, but my income is up.

I take a short position on the long bond,

and my revenue stream has its own cash flow.

I read junk mail, I eat junk food,

I buy junk bonds, I watch trash sports.

I'm gender-specific, capital-intensive,

User-friendly, and lactose-intolerant.

I like rough sex; I like tough love,

I use the F-word in my e-mail,

and the software on my hard drive

is hardcore - no soft porn.

I bought a microwave at a mini-mall,

I bought a mini-van at a mega-store,

I eat fast food in the slow lane.

I'm toll-free, bite-size, ready-to-wear,

and I come in all sizes.

A fully equipped, factory-authorized,

Hospital-tested, clinically proven,

scientifically formulated medical miracle.

I've been pre-washed, pre-cooked, pre-heated,

Pre-screened, pre-approved, pre-packaged,

Post-dated, freeze-dried, double-wrapped

And vacuum-packed.

And . . . I have an unlimited broadband capacity.

I'm a rude dude, but I'm the real deal,

lean and mean.

Cocked, locked, and ready to rock;

rough, tough, and hard to bluff.

I take it slow, I go with the flow;

I ride with the tide, I got glide in my stride.

Drivin' and movin', sailin' and spinnin';

jivin' and groovin', wailin' and winnin'.

I don't snooze, so I don't lose.

I keep the pedal to the metal

and the rubber on the road.

I party hearty, and lunch time is crunch time.

I'm hangin' in, there ain't no doubt;

and I'm hangin' tough.

Over and out."

'''- George Carlin: Life is Worth Losing (2005) and When Will Jesus Bring the Porkchops

* "I've begun worshipping the sun for a number of reasons. First of all, unlike some other gods I could mention, I can see the sun. It's there for me every day. And the things it brings me are quite apparent all the time: heat, light, food, a lovely day. There's no mystery, no one asks for money, I don't have to dress up, and there's no boring pageantry. And interestingly enough, I have found that the prayers I offer to the sun and the prayers I formerly offered to "God" are all answered at about the same 50-percent rate."

'''- George Carlin: Brain Droppings

==Collection of works==

===Discography===

[[Image:GC Occupation Foole.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Occupation: Foole]]'' album cover]]

[[Image:GC LIWL.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Life Is Worth Losing]]'' album cover]]

* [[1966]] ''[[Take Offs and Put Ons]]''

* [[1972]]

** ''[[FM & AM]]''

** ''[[Class Clown]]''

* [[1973]] ''[[Occupation: Foole]]''

* [[1974]] ''[[Toledo Window Box]]''

* [[1975]] ''[[An Evening with Wally Londo Featuring Bill Slaszo]]''

* [[1977]] ''[[On the Road (album)|On the Road]]''

* [[1981]] ''[[A Place for My Stuff]]''

* [[1984]] ''[[Carlin on Campus]]''

* [[1986]] ''[[Playin' With Your Head]]''

* [[1988]] ''[[What Am I Doing In New Jersey?]]''

* [[1990]] ''[[Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics]]''

* [[1992]]

** ''[[Jammin' in New York]]''

** ''[[Classic Gold (George Carlin album)|Classic Gold]]''

* [[1995]] ''[[Killer Carlin]]''

* [[1996]] ''[[Back in Town]]''

* [[1999]]

** ''[[You Are All Diseased]]''

** ''[[The Little David Years (1971-1977)]]'' ([[Box Set]])<br>(includes 'Free Complimentary Extra Bonus Disc Not for Sale Anywhere!')

* [[2001]] ''[[Complaints and Grievances]]''

* [[2002]] ''[[George Carlin on Comedy]]''

* [[2005]] ''[[Life Is Worth Losing]]''

===Filmography===

[[Image:Carlin_affleck.jpg|thumb|200px|right|George Carlin and [[Ben Affleck]] in ''Jersey Girl'']]

* ''[[With Six You Get Eggroll]]'' ([[1968]])

* ''[[Car Wash (film)|Car Wash]]'' ([[1976]])

* ''[[Americathon]]'' ([[1979]])

* ''[[Outrageous Fortune]]'' ([[1987]])

* ''[[Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure]]'' ([[1989]])

* ''[[Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey]]'' ([[1991]])

* ''[[The Prince of Tides]]'' ([[1991]])

* ''[[Dogma (film)|Dogma]]'' ([[1999]])

* ''[[Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back]]'' ([[2001]])

* ''[[Scary Movie 3]]'' ([[2003]])

* ''[[Jersey Girl (2004 film)|Jersey Girl]]'' ([[2004]])

* ''[[Tarzan II]] ([[2005]]) (voice of 'Zugor')

* ''[[The Aristocrats (film)|The Aristocrats]] ([[2005]])

* ''[[Cars (film)|Cars]] ([[2006]]) (voice of '[[Fillmore (Cars)|Fillmore]]' - a [[1960]] VW Mini-Bus)

* ''[[Happily N'Ever After]]'' ([[2007]]) (Wizard; voice only)

===Home Box Office specials===

* ''[[George Carlin at USC]] ([[1977]])

* ''[[George Carlin: Again!]] ([[1978]])

* ''[[Carlin at Carnegie Hall]] ([[1982]])

* ''[[Carlin on Campus]] ([[1984]])

* ''[[Playin' With Your Head]] ([[1986]])

* ''[[What Am I Doing In New Jersey?]] ([[1988]])

* ''[[Doin' It Again]] ([[1990]])

* ''[[Jammin' In New York]] ([[1992]])

* ''[[40 Years of Comedy]] ([[1996]])

* ''[[Back In Town]] ([[1996]])

* ''[[You Are All Diseased]] ([[1999]])

* ''[[Complaints and Grievances]] ([[2001]])

* ''[[Life is Worth Losing]] ([[2005]])

===Bibliography===

[[Image:Napalm silly putty.jpg|thumb|right|Cover to ''Napalm and Silly Putty'']]

* ''[[Sometimes a Little Brain Damage Can Help]]'' ([[1984]]) ISBN 0-89471-271-3

* ''[[Brain Droppings]]'' ([[1997]]) ISBN 0-7868-8321-9

* ''[[Napalm and Silly Putty]]'' ([[2001]]) ISBN 0-7868-8758-3

* ''[[When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?]]'' ([[2004]]) ISBN 1-4013-0134-7

* ''[[Three Times Carlin: An Orgy of George]]'' ([[2006]]) ISBN 978-1-4013-0243-6

===Television===

* [[The Kraft Summer Music Hall]] (1966)

* [http://imdb.com/title/tt0060034/guests That Girl] (as "George Lester") (1966)

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095420/ Justin Case] (as "Justin Case") (1988) Dir. Blake Edwards

* ''[[The George Carlin Show]]'' (as "George O'Grady") (1994) [[Fox]]

* ''[[Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends]]'' (as American Narrator) (1991-1998)

* ''[[Shining Time Station]]'' (as "Mr. Conductor") (1991-1993) [[PBS]]

* 13 specials for [[Home Box Office|HBO]] (as of 2007)

==Trivia==

{{toomuchtrivia}}

* Carlin was present at [[Lenny Bruce]]'s arrest for obscenity. According to legend the police began attempting to detain members of the audience for questioning, and asked Carlin for his identification. Telling the police he did not believe in government issued IDs, he was arrested and rode to jail with Bruce in the same vehicle. {{Fact|date=January 2007}}

* Many emailed lists of humorous observations on certain topics are often attributed to Carlin. Many express sentiments and ideas that are the opposite of the sort of ideas and themes present in Carlin's work. For instance, one, commonly called "[[I Guess I'm A Bad American]]", seems to be the work of the kind of conservative that Carlin often takes aim at in his art. He has made numerous announcements on his website concerning these forwarded articles, and denies having any connection to any of them (as well as disparaging most of them on a variety of grounds). Carlin stated that unless the material has appeared in some form in his books, albums, [[Home Box Office|HBO]] specials, or written on his website, it is miscredited to him. [http://georgecarlin.com/home/dontblame.html]

* The lyrics to the [[Blink 182]] song, "Family Reunion," cite Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words You Can Never Say On Television" along with the three additional words that Carlin added in the late 1970's.

* During [[CKY3]], a stunt and comedy video orchestrated by skater Bam Margera, a segment of George Carlin's routine appears in which he states that 'you never see somebody taking a shit while running at full speed', a fact which Chris Raab, a member of the '[[CKY]] crew' then proceeds to remedy.

* Appeared in the ''[[The Simpsons|Simpsons]]'' episode "[[D'oh-in In the Wind]]" as a former [[hippie]]. In "[[Homie the Clown]]," [[Krusty the Clown]] is told he's being sued by Carlin for plagiarizing the [[seven dirty words|''Seven Words You Can't Say on TV'']]. Krusty tries to defend himself by claiming that his seven dirty words were "entirely different" from Carlin's.

* He is good friends with actor [[Joe Pesci]] whom he mentioned in his bit "There Is No God", found in the 1999 album ''You Are All Diseased.''

* Admirer of the late [[Lenny Bruce]]. In contemporary comedy, some of his favorites include [[Steven Wright]], [[Lewis Black]], [[Mitch Hedberg]], [[Dave Chappelle]], [[Jerry Seinfeld]], [[Jon Stewart]], [[Stephen Colbert]], [[Bill Hicks]], [[Larry David]],and [[Bill Maher]].{{Fact|date=January 2007}}

* He has said that complaining is a motif for him in his work. Over the last 25 years, a substantial portion of his stand-up material has been deeply antagonistic towards things that anger him. Some of his targets include corporate criminals, golf, the [[House of Blues]], baby boomers, environmentalists, macho men, religion, advertising, obesity, fast-food, stupidity, consumerism, "Guys Named Todd", both Republicans and Democrats, deadbeat parents, airport security and euphemistic language.

* Doesn't vote and often criticizes elections as an illusion of choice. Said he last voted for [[George McGovern]], who ran for President in 1972.

*In his special ''You Are All Diseased'' (1999), he verbally attacks children, and comments "This is Mr. Conductor talking; I know what I'm talking about." This is a reference to Carlin's role as Mr. Conductor on the children's show ''[[Shining Time Station]]''.

==See also==

* [[Seven dirty words]]

* [[Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica Foundation]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

<references/>

==External links==

{{sister project links|d=Q150651|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|species=no|wikt=no|s=no}}

{{wikiquote}}

* {{Official website}}

{{wikisource|F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation}}

** {{YouTube|h=OfficialGeorgeCarlin|Official George Carlin}}

* [http://www.georgecarlin.com/ Official Website]

* {{AllMusic | id= george-carlin-mn0000639005 | tab= discography | title= George Carlin discography}}

* [http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/702556 at Ticketmaster]

* {{imdbDiscogs nameartist|idartist=0137506George Carlin|name=George Carlin}}

* {{IMDb name|0137506}}

* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4136881 Interview with Carlin] on [[National Public Radio|NPR]]'s ''[[Fresh Air]]'' (November 1, 2004)

* {{C-SPAN|49409}}

* [http://avclub.com/content/node/42195 The Onion Interview with Carlin]

* {{Charlie Rose view|19176}}

* [http://www.louisepalanker.com/interviews/george-carlin-interview.html 1993 Interview With Carlin] (21 minutes)

* {{NYTtopic|people/c/george_carlin}}

* [http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/entertainers/comic/george-carlin/ Rotten Library - George Carlin]

* {{emmytvlegends name|george-carlin}}

* [http://www.gcarlin.com/ George Carlin Radio]

* [http://www.billhicks.co.uk/faithinaction/carlin.html 1999 interview originally on CDNOW.com] by Steve Holtje

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