Blog Tag: Memoriam
George Carlin, What I've Learned
This link to George Carlin: What I've Learned was sent to me by my dear friend, Erica. Thanks!
Goodbye, George
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George Carlin died yesterday at age 71.
I read a tweet from Scoble and learned George Carlin had died. I was on the phone to my brother Chris within five seconds. I asked him if he was sitting and had heard the news. He hadn't. I told him.
Chris said, "Fuck!"
I replied, "Fuck!"
It seems apt.
I'm upset and saddened by Carlin's death.
No offense dad, but in a weird way, that goofy old George Carlin record was one of the first adult male influences in my young life. Growing up in Berkeley, after my parents divorce, it was my mother, my older brother, and me. Chris and I listened to George Carlin's record together over and over.
Carlin is the reason why at 5 I knew the 7 words you couldn't say on television. It's probably the first list I memorized outside of school, and can still recite it for you today.
Carlin is the reason why when I met my dad's girlfriend on a visit to Phoenix at age 5, I told her my teddy bear's name was Fuck Face. Dad still tells that story in certain company. I love it.
After a pretty big shake up in my personal life a couple years ago, when I went to reconnect with some old, classic, "Phil" things, I bought the most recent Carlin album I could find and listened to it repeatedly.
His unusual observations, his exposition on the English language, his cynicism, his obscenity, his brash political commentary, his manliness... the man himself, was an inspiration and constant delight to me.
George is an American treasure. He will be missed.
