R.I.P. George Carlin

George Carlin has passed. Shit. Piss. Fuck. Cunt. Cocksucker. Motherfucker. Tits.

I was 13 when I listened to my first Carlin record, Occupation: Foole. I still have that album, and the jacket still faintly smells of the pot my parents de-seeded on it. I've long since upgraded to CD for that album, and I still laugh hysterically every time i listen.

He was the last of the holy trinity of stand-up comedy, alongside Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor. Make no mistake, the man was my hero. His comedy was my church, and here-to-fore he was my preacher, but now in his death he is my patron saint.

From the straight-laced early days, to the counter-culture, through the goofy stuff from the 80's, the angry rants of the 90's and the later, more philosophical works at the end, he covered about everything there was to cover and even some things we had not yet realized, he neatly separated truth from utter bullshit and held a mirror in front of our society and had us on the floor laughing as a result.

For years, listening to Carlin actually discouraged me from pursuing stand-up, because I knew I would never reach his level in a million years. Now that I have started doing stand-up, and walking that familiar path that all comics do, I realize that we all see just how high the bar has been set. I began this journey wanting to pay homage, and now I do so as a tribute.

We all strive to find a unique voice and message in everything we do and we must be grateful that we have been blessed with someone like him to show us the way.

So long, George, peace be with you, and may the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.