Volconvo is a debate forum for the discussion of political, religious, and news-based topics.

prejudged_Fire · Jun 23, 2008, 06:24 am

Quote:

ET breaks the news that comedian George Carlin has died from heart failure. The man who made famous the "seven words you can never say on television" passed away at 5:55 p.m. Sunday at Saint John's Hospital in Santa Monica, his longtime publicist said. He was 71.

Carlin, who has had several heart attacks and a history of cardiac issues, went into the hospital this afternoon after complaining of heart problems.

Carlin has more than 20 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, numerous TV and movie roles, and three best-selling books to his credit. Last year, he celebrated his 50th year in show business, and he had just finished his last HBO special in March, "It's Bad for Ya."

Man.. Not even ten minutes after I got done watching Jersey Girl I saw this article and couldn't believe it at first. RIP, George.

another day · Jun 23, 2008, 06:25 am

Holy crap! I was watching youtube clips of him only 2 days ago. This is shocking!

prejudged_Fire · Jun 23, 2008, 06:29 am

I know. Literally not even ten minutes. I had just closed out of VLC, fired up Firefox, loaded up Digg and bam! There it is..

shawmutt · Jun 23, 2008, 07:16 am

Sad day for comedy :(

Interesting google ad...

loser · Jun 23, 2008, 08:31 am

What were those seven words?

Whilletal · Jun 23, 2008, 08:37 am

Why is it so shocking? He was old and had a long history of heart problems. Thats the thing about life we all die.

**Jack** · Jun 23, 2008, 10:54 am

The world has lost a significant voice of reason.

prejudged_Fire · Jun 23, 2008, 01:16 pm

Quote:

What were those seven words?

YouTube - Seven Words

Rainbow · Jun 23, 2008, 03:56 pm

G. Carlin was one of the best - if not the best - comedians. It is a sad news he is gone.

Nono · Jun 23, 2008, 04:55 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Whilletal

Why is it so shocking?

Because he was a fixture and he came into the consciousness of some of us here when he was a young man, and that's how he's remained in our heads. That's why it's shocking.

dreamy · Jun 23, 2008, 05:01 pm

This is the third or fourth celebrity we have lost in the past few weeks. George Carlin took sarcastic to a new level and made us laugh even at ourselves.

Maryjane · Jun 23, 2008, 05:26 pm

George was one year younger than my parents. My shock has nothing to do with his age or health.

His was the first "concert" I ever attended. My dad printed the tickets. My friends and I got free passes. Such a long time ago... back in 1972 at the University of Richmond. I was only 12 and it's etched in my memory. The man had a gift. He questioned authority, made it humorous, and earned a living doing it. He often said what the rest of us wanted to say... Very sad indeed.

another day · Jun 23, 2008, 06:46 pm

YouTube - George Carlin on "the American Dream"

"It's called the american dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it."

**Jack** · Jun 24, 2008, 12:29 am

Quote:

His was the first "concert" I ever attended.

He appeared every year here at an open-air theater by the bay. Every year, for the 8 years I was at Sam Goody, I got comp tickets to his concert. After I left S.G. in 2003 I quit going. But I still have his books and a bunch of videos from YouTube on my hard drive to remember him by.

He transcended comedy. He was a philosopher, a linguist and a social commentator nearly without equal. He pointed out our problems in no uncertain terms. He didn't pull his punches. He didn't package his messages in nice, polite subtleties. He wanted to shock us. He wanted to offend us. Like Lenny Bruce before him, he saw clearly what the powerful preferred to keep obscured. He was passionate, intelligent and funny. Humor is often a container for astute reasoning. Thinking of Carlin, Bruce and their philosophical offspring, people like Maher and Stewart, I consider them some of the finest and most incisive social commentators America has produced.

Chaossaber314 · Jun 24, 2008, 11:28 am

I enjoyed watching his comedy but from time to time I got the feeling I was watching the Howard Beale Show.

ThoughtCriminal · Jun 24, 2008, 10:08 pm

Quote:

Quote by: Jack

The world has lost a significant voice of reason.

Eh, he was way too libertarian for my tastes.

TC

Ditto for Maher.

**Jack** · Jun 25, 2008, 01:25 am

I didn't mind it, as his political opinions were of little interest to me. The same with Maher and the rest. They offer incisive and witty insight into human behavior and the language. With only the tools of language and behavior we have created gods. "Politics and religion manipulate language and behavior", stir in passion, glaze with intelligence, and you have the ingredients of a Carlin routine.

Whilletal · Jun 25, 2008, 07:36 am

Quote:

Quote by: Nono

Because he was a fixture and he came into the consciousness of some of us here when he was a young man, and that's how he's remained in our heads. That's why it's shocking.

Trust me I am plenty old enough to remember his Hippy Dippy Weatherman routine but I find it somewhat amusing with all of the fatalists that frequent this site that people are "saddened" by the natural death of another. He has been blinked out of existence so I don't think its George your mourning but your own demise which is a bit closer than you would like. Course I could be wrong.

**Jack** · Jun 25, 2008, 10:25 am

Quote:

He has been blinked out of existence so I don't think its George your mourning but your own demise which is a bit closer than you would like.

Of course that's a factor anytime someone you've been aware of most of your life dies. We may not harbor any illusions about the inevitability of death but we also are emotional beings who react to the death of those around us. Being reminded of your own mortality isn't exactly a cheerful thing.

Whilletal · Jun 25, 2008, 11:22 am

Jack I just find it a curious thing. If all you face is non existence then it would be like Socrates said: going into nothingness. So why be saddened? Its just the whole circle of life thing (to blatantly rip off the Lion King). I'm not trying to antagonize you just trying to understand why any death would really matter if it is the end of a cycle. I could see if you thought there was some type of afterlife that included a form of judgment for how one lived (any faith will do which believes such). In that case one would mourn if they thought the person faced such a thing and risked punishment. However if it all ends with the final breath as George believed then no worries. I think he would find it distasteful if he knew people were mourning over him.

Jun 23, 2008, 06:25 am	#2 (permalink) (top)
another day slipping sand Posts: 1,988	Holy crap! I was watching youtube clips of him only 2 days ago. This is shocking! Look out kid, they keep it all hid.

Jun 23, 2008, 06:29 am	#3 (permalink) (top)
prejudged_Fire Hmmmm....... Location: Maine Posts: 997	I know. Literally not even ten minutes. I had just closed out of VLC, fired up Firefox, loaded up Digg and bam! There it is.. "It's not easy banging your head against some mad bugger's wall." -- Roger Waters (Pink Floyd, "Outside the Wall")

Jun 23, 2008, 07:16 am	#4 (permalink) (top)
shawmutt Slightly Dangerous Location: Greencastle, PA Posts: 1,317	Sad day for comedy :( Interesting google ad... I don't believe in polls, and 62% of Americans agree with me ~Steven Colbert

Jun 23, 2008, 08:31 am	#5 (permalink) (top)
loser Logic User Location: Ether Posts: 723	What were those seven words? My faith is stirred but never shaken. I'm the proof that evolution works... You're the proof that it doesn't. I like to push buttons... Can I push yours?

Jun 23, 2008, 10:54 am	#7 (permalink) (top)
Jack formerly Isherwood Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,078	The world has lost a significant voice of reason. The Forum Rules Radical Atheist Heathen Queer Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be. (Ashleigh Brilliant)

Jun 23, 2008, 08:37 am	#6 (permalink) (top)
Whilletal Apathetic Posts: 111	Why is it so shocking? He was old and had a long history of heart problems. Thats the thing about life we all die.

Jun 23, 2008, 03:56 pm	#9 (permalink) (top)
Rainbow Volcanic Erupter Posts: 3,250	G. Carlin was one of the best - if not the best - comedians. It is a sad news he is gone.

Jun 23, 2008, 05:01 pm	#11 (permalink) (top)
dreamy Sedimentary Rock Location: Midwest Posts: 3	This is the third or fourth celebrity we have lost in the past few weeks. George Carlin took sarcastic to a new level and made us laugh even at ourselves.

Jun 23, 2008, 05:26 pm	#12 (permalink) (top)
Maryjane Amused Location: Mid Atlantic Posts: 1,267	George was one year younger than my parents. My shock has nothing to do with his age or health. His was the first "concert" I ever attended. My dad printed the tickets. My friends and I got free passes. Such a long time ago... back in 1972 at the University of Richmond. I was only 12 and it's etched in my memory. The man had a gift. He questioned authority, made it humorous, and earned a living doing it. He often said what the rest of us wanted to say... Very sad indeed. That you may retain your self-respect, it is better to displease the people by doing what you know is right, than to temporarily please them by doing what you know is wrong. W. J. H. Boetcker

Jun 23, 2008, 06:46 pm	#13 (permalink) (top)
another day slipping sand Posts: 1,988	YouTube - George Carlin on "the American Dream" "It's called the american dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it." Look out kid, they keep it all hid.

Jun 24, 2008, 11:28 am	#15 (permalink) (top)
Chaossaber314 The Cake is a lie... Location: St. Louis Posts: 2,385	I enjoyed watching his comedy but from time to time I got the feeling I was watching the Howard Beale Show. What makes a man turn neutral? Lust for gold? Power? Or were you just born with a heart full of neutrality?

Jun 25, 2008, 01:25 am	#17 (permalink) (top)
Jack formerly Isherwood Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,078	I didn't mind it, as his political opinions were of little interest to me. The same with Maher and the rest. They offer incisive and witty insight into human behavior and the language. With only the tools of language and behavior we have created gods. "Politics and religion manipulate language and behavior", stir in passion, glaze with intelligence, and you have the ingredients of a Carlin routine. The Forum Rules Radical Atheist Heathen Queer Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be. (Ashleigh Brilliant)

Jun 25, 2008, 11:22 am	#20 (permalink) (top)
Whilletal Apathetic Posts: 111	Jack I just find it a curious thing. If all you face is non existence then it would be like Socrates said: going into nothingness. So why be saddened? Its just the whole circle of life thing (to blatantly rip off the Lion King). I'm not trying to antagonize you just trying to understand why any death would really matter if it is the end of a cycle. I could see if you thought there was some type of afterlife that included a form of judgment for how one lived (any faith will do which believes such). In that case one would mourn if they thought the person faced such a thing and risked punishment. However if it all ends with the final breath as George believed then no worries. I think he would find it distasteful if he knew people were mourning over him.