George Carlin Dead at 71

George Carlin, the acerbic, Grammy-winning comedian whose career spanned more than 50 years, died of heart failure Sunday evening after being admitted to the hospital complaining of chest pains, his spokesman said. He was 71.

Carlin, who had a history of heart problems, died at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica shortly before 6 p.m., said his publicist Jeff Abraham.
The comedian, who toured college campuses for years and made a name for himself using dirty language and delivering biting social commentaries, had released 22 solo albums and three bestselling books.

He finished a show at the Orleans casino in Las Vegas last week and was planning to take the month off to relax and work on a new book of essays and musings, Abraham said.

Carlin normally took summers off and was scheduled to tour again beginning with a July 20 performance at Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay in San Diego. He had dates lined up through December, Abraham said.

"He was looking forward to it."

Carlin went to the hospital Sunday afternoon because "his heart just didn't feel right," the publicist said.

Carlin starred in a variety of TV and movie roles and gained fame for a routine about the seven dirty words that could not be uttered on television.

"There are three ingredients in my comedy," he said in a 1991 interview with the Los Angeles Times. "Those three things which wax and wane in importance are English language and wordplay; secondly, mundane, everyday observational comedy -- dogs, cats and all that stuff; and thirdly, sociopolitical attitude comedy."

He earned several gold comedy albums and five Emmy nominations.

Carlin was arrested in 1972 in Milwaukee for using indecent language. In a separate case in 1973, a radio listener complained after a station played part of his album. That case went the Supreme Court, which in 1978 ruled in favor of the FCC, saying the radio station could not broadcast those words at times when children could be listening.

Of the Surpeme Court ruling, Carlin said, "So my name is a footnote in American history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of."

Carlin first appeared on radio in 1956 at age 19, while serving in the Air Force.

In 1960, he and Jack Burns began appearing together in nightclubs as "Burns and Carlin." The duo made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jack Paar before splitting up in 1962.

Carlin became a hit on the college circuit. He survived cocaine dependency in the 1970s and a heart attack and two open-heart surgeries in the 1980s.

In the 1990s he added acting to his schedule, appearing in the Barbra Streisand-Nick Nolte movie "Prince of Tides." Other film roles came in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" and "Dogma," with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

He was the first host of "Saturday Night Live" and appeared some 130 times on "The Tonight Show."

He authored three books, including "Brain Droppings," a collection of essays and routines, and "Napalm and Silly Putty," a collection of his stand-up material. Both won Grammy awards. His third book, "When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?" was nominated for a Grammy.

The death of his wife of more than 30 years, Brenda Hosbrook Carlin, on Mother's Day 1997 was particularly hard for Carlin. "See ya Dink," he wrote on his website. "Miss you a lot."

Last year, he said a highlight of his career was a 1992 HBO special titled "Jamming in New York."

"That was the point where I probably became more of a writer who performed his own material.

"The material became more like essays, they became more socially conscious, and it was just a major jump from being what I think of as only an entertainer to being an artist-entertainer," he said in a 2007 Times interview.

Last year, Carlin released "George Carlin: All My Stuff," a 14-DVD collection of his HBO specials from 1977 to 2005.

He had shown no signs of slowing down.

Just last week, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced Carlin would be awarded the 11th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

The center is scheduled to honor Carlin at a tribute performance by former colleagues on Nov. 10, which will be broadcast later on PBS.

Carlin was born May 12, 1937 and grew up in New York.

He is survived by wife Sally Wade; daughter Kelly Carlin McCall; older brother Patrick Carlin; and longtime manager, business partner and best friend Jerold Hamza.

George Carlin - Religion is bullshit.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MeSSwKffj9o

Pro Life is Anti-Woman - George Carlin
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MrXvDXVhqfU

Seven Words
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BTyzTJTNhNk

*THIS COUNTRY IS FINISHED* GEORGE CARLIN ON COUNTDOWN
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2UVXj8F9Fmk

The Owners of the Country
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dY4WlxO6i0

FM & AM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FM_%26_AM

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• George
• Carlin
• Dead
• at
• 71

[awormyourhonor]

I suppose you think he's up there now.

Smiling down at us....

It must have been frustrating for him knowing that people would say the same stupid shit about his death that they say about every death.

[Beatleha]

Ah... Another negative comment from a Coward who refuses to post their own broadcasts and open themselves up for debate. Sir, you have such a wonderful economy of the english language, I wait for your next syllable with great eagerness......

[1f5sda]

I was really bummed out when he died. I really enjoyed him as a Thomas & Friends narrator, Fillmore the Hippie van in CARS, and I recently listened to some of his material and I smiled. RIP George

[sueezee]

Well said! I loved Carlin, too, and his words will live forever. Maybe even becoming MORE popular as this counrty scrapes bottom, and people realize .........he was right!

RIP, you damned genius, you!~

[MrProster]

He was very funny in the early 70s,but then he chose to turn extra raunchy and anti-God. I sure hope he asked Jesus into his heart before he passed :(

[Iamfukenripped]

dude, that was really touching man :)... i miss george too, been some time now but like you say, there will never be anoyone like him.. peace out dude.

[CelestialHeretic]

gary beusy look-alike?

[Bojoe777NaBl]

@waltherppk1000 shut up trash go spew your opinionated bile somewhere else or better yet just walk up to random people on the street and start shouting your stereotypical "wisdom" at them.. and no Judgemental pricks like you is whats wrong with our country asshole!!!

[Bojoe777NaBl]

@SkaRocksYea Oh and since you have all your good deeds do you expect to be rewarded? Do you expect to live to 150 because you are just such a great person and have the almighty authority to judge George in such a cold manner??? Sounds to me like you want everybody to adopt a kid or save a fetus but sorry we are not all as perfect as you

[waltherppk1000]

Your problem is your brain is marinated in drugs. You look like some relic from the 70's, and your thinking process sucks. Just to school ya, Lenny Bruce was the first, Carlin was a less-talented version. Fucking red diaper doper babies like you are the real problem with this country.

[BsEsfar]

Even in very old times the rollers knew that 60% of people are ........

I do believe that he saying the through about people was because he wanted them to come out off the Hipnitizem of the tv specially in the last 20-30 years.

In another words he said to people that they are Stupet because he actially love people more than the Blady Polotishens. I do miss him.... :-(

[awormyourhonor]

Oh you want some of this sweet and sour? I'll cough phlegm and nicotine all over your dick and we can get started.

[NOTxTHATxGUITAR]

And I'd love to hold you down and rape you senseless in the ass.

[xtcsx]

The memorial is appreciated his eulogy was from his last special "it's bad for ya" the owners of this country are from life is worth losing... Check up on the facts brah... Nice rackmounted korg/ and or tritons you have in the background...