Do you think George Carlin would be popular today if he was still alive?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I admit I lost interest in GC when he became a bitter, overly political, old grouch (basically everything from “What Am I Doing In New Jersey?” onward), but I would have LOVED to hear his reaction to social media and its ilk.

And I’d be looking forward to further extending the “Baseball & Football” bit.

“The object of the game in football is for the quarterback, also known as the FIELD GENERAL, to be ON TARGET with his AERIAL ASSAULT, riddling the defense by HITTING his receivers with DEADLY ACCURACY, in spite of the BLITZ, even if he has to use the SHOTGUN. With short BULLET passes and long BOMBS, he MARCHES THE TROOPS INTO ENEMY TERRITORY, balancing his AERIAL ASSAULT with a sustained GROUND ATTACK, which PUNCHES HOLES in the FORWARD WALL of the ENEMY’S DEFENSIVE LINE.

In baseball, the object is to go home, and to be safe.”

 

[gblews]

"Football is played on a GRIDIRON. Baseball is played on a diamond".

Great, classic bit.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

I admit I lost interest in GC when he became a bitter, overly political, old grouch...

Agreed on this. He was one of the best in his early days, but later on he was just this guy:



"Richard Pryor had a heart attack. Then I had a heart attack. Then Richard Pryor set fire to himself. I said 'fuck that, I'm havin' another heart attack' "

 

[FPAlpha]

Carlin would be awesome today and would have much to say about todays cutlure, especially the social development in the US.

A good stand up comedian in the same vein is Bill Burr, the same raw "I don't give a shit about you!" attitude with an awesome funny delivery.

 

[Jayson1]

Was Don Rickles that way as well? He is way before my time and only seen him do comedy a handful of times.


Jason

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Was Don Rickles that way as well? He is way before my time and only seen him do comedy a handful of times.


Jason

Don was abrasive from day one, whether he was on stage, on Carson or on the Dean Martin Roast. Look around youtube, his vids are everywhere. Man I loved that guy.

 

[gblews]

^^ Rickles could be funny but he was never on the level of a Jonathan Winters, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Carlin, Pryor, or Tomlin. He wasn't really an innovator. Lots of comics of his generation did insult humor. Rickles wasn't the first comic to do this.

 

[JohnChod]

How coudn't Carlin be a shoo-in to fix the problems he believed were going on at the time? Why didn't the dude in the video clip above who screamed "Ya!" follow up by yelling the equally obvious "Carlin 2012! I'll get the kegger on!!"? (Or would he be a shoo-in?)

Fix the problems? Carlin once said that he was just pointing these things out and that he wasn't one of the guys who claimed to have an answer for everything.

I also had a few problems when he started becoming a little too curmudgeonly later on, but some of that has grown on me. Nevertheless, you can't beat the classic routines about the difference between football and baseball (already covered in this thread), stupid sayings ('Leave him alone, officer! He's legally drunk!'), dumb boys' names ('Hi, Kyle! I'm Tucker!'), and on and on.

I miss the guy. I always tell people he was my favorite philosopher, because, in many ways, that's just what he was.

 

[Forbin]

I miss the guy. I always tell people he was my favorite philosopher, because, in many ways, that's just what he was.

Yup. When I was coming up with names for the "Philosopher Class" starships in my tech book, I had to have a USS Carlin.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Yup. When I was coming up with names for the "Philosopher Class" starships in my tech book, I had to have a USS Carlin.

The motto on the dedication plaque:

“The galaxy is just a place for your stuff.”

 

[Boomstick]

Carlin would probably be just as popular if he were alive, he's only been dead ten years so even his more specific topical stuff is still pretty relevant.

 

[Mojochi]

Look how people handle Dave Chapelle. By & large, he is much tamer on issues than Carlin ever was (Especially in his later years). Carlin would be getting the same level of outrage from butthurt morons, all over the web. He wouldn't give a shit, but still. Even 5 years ago, people were more willing to take a damn joke

I don't even think people could tolerate Rickles anymore, & that guy so clearly never meant a single insult he leveed. There was some seriously racy stuff, literally having to do with race, in his old material, that people would completely melt down over today.

Plus they both have white man faces, which would be doubly condemning. Chappelle & Ali Wong, for example, could push boundaries with much less resistance, simply because they don't, & that's just the reality of life now. I'm just thankful we still have a few willing to go out on that limb, whatever their genetic makeup is. It's an imperative for our culture to have that... really, & I think people are forgetting it

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Some of the later stuff was pretty rough, I'm not sure stuff like this would go over so well.

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[Tenacity]

And I’d be looking forward to further extending the “Baseball & Football” bit

Baseball is divided into inning, well everybody like to be in.

Football on the other hand is divided into a series of downs.

 

[Mojochi]

Baseball is divided into inning, well everybody like to be in.

Football on the other hand is divided into a series of downs.

He already used downs... vs ups

Baseball is divided into innings. Innings are when you're IN! Only wonderful things are in. Fancy pin stiped uniforms are IN this year!

Football is divided into possessions. It's MINE! IT'S MY POSSESSION! GIVE IT TO ME!

 

[RJDiogenes]

Some of the later stuff was pretty rough, I'm not sure stuff like this would go over so well.

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This is exactly what made him great, whether I agree with what he's saying or not-- he knew that human nature crossed the boundaries of all ideologies.

 

[Boomstick]

Look how people handle Dave Chapelle.

By and large people still like Chappelle. Just a few people whined online. Relatively it's probably the same amount of detractors as in the past, just now they are a bit more visible. And people can dislike and criticise comedians, it's no problem, that's their right.
So Chappelle had some people in the trans-community critise him, that didn't stop him from releasing two more specials soon after, one in which he literally explains why he is not sorry for the things he said. I don't think anyone would describe that as his being ripped apart or handled badly.

 

[Mojochi]

By and large people still like Chappelle. Just a few people whined online. Relatively it's probably the same amount of detractors as in the past, just now they are a bit more visible. And people can dislike and criticise comedians, it's no problem, that's their right.
So Chappelle had some people in the trans-community critise him, that didn't stop him from releasing two more specials soon after, one in which he literally explains why he is not sorry for the things he said. I don't think anyone would describe that as his being ripped apart or handled badly.

He's had women's rights people after him too, one in my hometown, who charged the stage, in anger. In one of his recent specials, he even jokes about maybe packing it in again, because of how overly sensitive the larger culture is. In fact, the most in-depth & controversial of the 2 specials was done in a very tiny, almost private, darkened room. It's clear that he keeps himself very much low key

Some things work in his favor, that might not in some other person's. #1 he's maybe the most seasoned & intelligent comic working, him & Chris Rock. His experiences have taught him a great deal about how to cope in that industry. #2, he's hilarious, maybe the most thought provoking personality working, which is a prized commodity imho. #3 he's fair, which is unusual these days, when the culture is so polarized. #4, he's grounded. Years of being off the grid, have made him normal. He doesn't suffer from celeb insolation. #5 & most importantly, he's seriously doesn't give a shit.

He came back out of the rabbit hole to make that huge multimillion dollar deal with Netflix, that all of his recent specials were a part of, & in the aftermath, he's big again, but I'm certain he doesn't care & can walk away any time he wants now. There is a power in not being beholden. He doesn't have to kowtow, because he knows that if he never does another deal, he'll be fine. That gives him a freedom, that is rare in an industry of social pressures, where Matt Damon can't even say something everyone ought to agree with, without back-peddling, not because of what he said or how, not even because of who he is, but because of what he is.

Chapelle is singularly unique, because who the fuck walks away from a million dollar tv show, because of integrity, in an industry nearly bereft of it, & survives to make a comeback? It's unheard of.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

He already used downs... vs ups

Baseball is divided into innings. Innings are when you're IN! Only wonderful things are in. Fancy pin stiped uniforms are IN this year!

Football is divided into possessions. It's MINE! IT'S MY POSSESSION! GIVE IT TO ME!

I like the bit about the manager in baseball wearing the same uniform as everyone else on the team. You wouldn't ever see Bellichick in full Patriots gear...

I don't even think people could tolerate Rickles anymore, & that guy so clearly never meant a single insult he leveed. There was some seriously racy stuff, literally having to do with race, in his old material, that people would completely melt down over today.

Insult comics, in general, aren't tolerated in the overly sensitive society we find ourselves in. People think they have the right not to be offended, and this would extend to standup comedy. An insult comic today would probably be sued by some schmuck in the audience who took the jokes personally.

 

[Mojochi]

I like the bit about the manager in baseball wearing the same uniform as everyone else on the team. You wouldn't ever see Bellichick in full Patriots gear...

I absolutely love the baseball called on account of rain bit. It's such a perfect metaphor.