George Carlin dead at 71
Written by Michael Vass
I know that there are many looking forward to an image of the latest Spears child. Some are anticipating news about the latest Jason Statham film or clues on the plot of Cranked 2. Maybe there is interest on how R Kelly will exploit his freedom now that a jury botched the verdict at his trial.
But I want to take a moment and delve into something a bit more serious. It’s not gossip but news about a well-respected entertainer. George Carlin died Sunday night, apparently of heart failure.
George Carlin was 71, and was probably best know as a social commentator. Whether in interviews, on stage or in movies he was a presence that always challenged the norms, in Hollywood and culture. Few comedians ever rise to the national consciousness, and even fewer are able to count that time in the global eye in decades. George Carlin could.
Like Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor, he was able to see the everyday life and pull out the absurdities so we could laugh instead of cry. He took our failures and missteps and made us look forward to the next with an eagerness and understanding we didn’t have before.
Only the very best can look at the spectrum of American culture and issues and politics and filter it to not only make a joke that we can laugh at, but also provide fodder for deeper thought long after we have left the comedy show. I can name comedians live that in one hand, and those that I’ve been able to hear in my lifetime with fingers to spare.
It’s a hard day in Hollywood today, and far worse in Boston I would wager. One of our bright lights has burned out and we won’t be the same.
My condolences to the entire Carlin family and their friends.
