Larry Kart Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 In the same vein as what Big Al and Noj have said, YMMV but after a fairly early point (as early as post-Al Sleet, perhaps), however insightful, clever, etc. Carlin's routines were, they were IMO not very funny. However pissed off you are, the mechanisms of comedy (varied and vast though they are) still must be understood and in some sense respected. Lenny Bruce, even up to the very end, did. Quote
Christiern Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Dan, I see no similarity between Carlin and Andrew Dice Clay--IMHO, the latter simply did not have the intelligence that always came through in Carlin's routines. Quote
Dan Gould Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Dan, I see no similarity between Carlin and Andrew Dice Clay--IMHO, the latter simply did not have the intelligence that always came through in Carlin's routines. The similarity I'm pointing to is in the audiences, not the performers. Carlins' audiences liked the angry rants of his later years just as Clay attracted an audience that liked his misogynist character. It was a reaction to Al's comment that Carlin laughed at his audience. Both audiences liked what they got when they went to a show. Quote
Shawn Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Taste in comedy is similar to taste in music, it's all personal and what one person finds funny isn't going to make the next guy laugh. Look at Monty Python, to some of us it's the most brilliant shit on the planet...to MANY people I've met in my life it's completely unfunny and they just don't get it. The main thing that appealed to me about Carlin was his intelligence. Yeah, he was pissed off (aren't we all to some degree?) but he didn't hate his audience...in fact I think underneath all of his outward bravado he was probably a pretty nice guy. He could hit you over the head from time to time, but there were always little "warm" moments amidst even his most caustic routines. His biggest strengths (IMHO) were his continuing fascination with the use & misuse of the English language...and his observations on how we all share little things in common, no matter how different we may appear on the surface. He was a genius as far as I'm concerned. "Put the turkey in a pre-heated oven. There are only 2 states an oven can possibly exist in, heated or not heated...pre-heated is a meaningless fucking term". Quote
papsrus Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Kind of shocking news. For some reason, 71 doesn't seem that old to me anymore. From what I saw, Carlin's performances didn't strike me as being contemptuous of his audience. He pointed out the absurdities in life that we all fall victim to, in a way. But he talked to his audiences in a very conversational way, I think. By laughing at what he was saying, you basically were agreeing with him. Quote
Dave James Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Carlin may have begun his career as a comedian, but he ended it as a social commentator. In either of his two "lives", he was brilliant. He had a knack for identifying the absurdity in everyday life and he found humor in the obvious, making you more aware of the things that tend to slide by almost unnoticed. I saw him once here in Portland and walked away feeling entertained in a way I wasn't by other comedians. Not only did he make you laugh, but he made you think. Most comics tell stories that, while amusing, essentially go in one ear and out the other. Not Carlin. The video Chris posted is a great example. There's a companion piece on the Ten Commandments that's also worth watching. Not too many people have the guts to take on some of the issues he did. To be able to do so and do so in a humorous way was a gift. I did not find him to be bitter or angry. Just frustrated. He'll be missed. Up over and out. Quote
BruceH Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 I heard one of his recent routines and thought it was quite good. Quote
Van Basten II Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 In a somewhat ironic twist, his videos are no longer available on Youtube Quote
Dan Gould Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 In a somewhat ironic twist, his videos are no longer available on Youtube I'm watching the one Chris linked to right now ... Quote
Christiern Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Sorry Dan, I misunderstood your post. I see what you mean. Quote
Van Basten II Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 In a somewhat ironic twist, his videos are no longer available on Youtube I'm watching the one Chris linked to right now ... It says we're sorry this video is no longer available. Quote
Quincy Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 In the same vein as what Big Al and Noj have said, YMMV but after a fairly early point (as early as post-Al Sleet, perhaps), however insightful, clever, etc. Carlin's routines were, they were IMO not very funny. However pissed off you are, the mechanisms of comedy (varied and vast though they are) still must be understood and in some sense respected. Lenny Bruce, even up to the very end, did. Lenny Bruce died when he was 41. Do you think that had anything to do with it? Quote
Big Al Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 (edited) He could hit you over the head from time to time, but there were always little "warm" moments amidst even his most caustic routines. I would consider his stint as the narrator/Mr. Conductor on "Shining Time Station" and Thomas the Tank Engine as one of those moments. My son only knows Carlin as the narrator (and up until recently, had no idea that Ringo Starr was in a famous rock band years ago!), and we both think he was the best for that show, second only to Ringo. He Americanized the show, for whatever that's worth, and was very believable in that role of narrator. When he's older, I'll play him the "Seven Words" routine. Edited June 23, 2008 by Big Al Quote
Tim McG Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Same thing happened to Mark Twain, too. And Frank Zappa. Good point. His last couple of albums were just downright lewd and lascivious. Quote
Jazzmoose Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Same thing happened to Mark Twain, too. It's bound to make you bitter when you realize that it's not doing any good... Quote
7/4 Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Same thing happened to Mark Twain, too. And Frank Zappa. Good point. His last couple of albums were just downright lewd and lascivious. Bitter yes, but I thought Zappa went for more lewd and lascivious as time went on to sell albums. It financed his Classical ambitions. Quote
Larry Kart Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 In the same vein as what Big Al and Noj have said, YMMV but after a fairly early point (as early as post-Al Sleet, perhaps), however insightful, clever, etc. Carlin's routines were, they were IMO not very funny. However pissed off you are, the mechanisms of comedy (varied and vast though they are) still must be understood and in some sense respected. Lenny Bruce, even up to the very end, did. Lenny Bruce died when he was 41. Do you think that had anything to do with it? No. Besides, Carlin IMO stopped being funny long before he himself was 41. Quote
Dave Garrett Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 Mark Evanier had the best comment I've seen so far on Carlin's passing: "Seven words come immediately to mind. All are appropriate for the occasion." Quote
Dave James Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 In the same vein as what Big Al and Noj have said, YMMV but after a fairly early point (as early as post-Al Sleet, perhaps), however insightful, clever, etc. Carlin's routines were, they were IMO not very funny. However pissed off you are, the mechanisms of comedy (varied and vast though they are) still must be understood and in some sense respected. Lenny Bruce, even up to the very end, did. Lenny Bruce died when he was 41. Do you think that had anything to do with it? No. Besides, Carlin IMO stopped being funny long before he himself was 41. Larry, With all due respect, I guess it depends on how you define the word "funny". To my way of thinking, "funny" can run the gamut from a pie in the face to what Carlin was during the second phase of his career. I don't think his rant on religion was funny in the classic sense of the term, but it was humorous in its point of view and, to some, insightful. I like The Stooges because they don't make me think. I like Carlin because he does. Both can be amusing in their own way. Up over and out. Quote
Tim McG Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 In the same vein as what Big Al and Noj have said, YMMV but after a fairly early point (as early as post-Al Sleet, perhaps), however insightful, clever, etc. Carlin's routines were, they were IMO not very funny. However pissed off you are, the mechanisms of comedy (varied and vast though they are) still must be understood and in some sense respected. Lenny Bruce, even up to the very end, did. Lenny Bruce died when he was 41. Do you think that had anything to do with it? No. Besides, Carlin IMO stopped being funny long before he himself was 41. Larry, With all due respect, I guess it depends on how you define the word "funny". To my way of thinking, "funny" can run the gamut from a pie in the face to what Carlin was during the second phase of his career. I don't think his rant on religion was funny in the classic sense of the term, but it was humorous in its point of view and, to some, insightful. I like The Stooges because they don't make me think. I like Carlin because he does. Both can be amusing in their own way. Up over and out. I concur. Quote
Tim McG Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 (edited) Same thing happened to Mark Twain, too. And Frank Zappa. Good point. His last couple of albums were just downright lewd and lascivious. Bitter yes, but I thought Zappa went for more lewd and lascivious as time went on to sell albums. It financed his Classical ambitions. I hadn't thought of that, but you could be right. Edited June 23, 2008 by GoodSpeak Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 i never was a big GC fan....... Same here. RIP, respect, props and all. But I never really connected with Carlin a whole lot either. Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 ...and I certainly don't give a rats ass what you think. You forgot the apostrophe in "rat's ass." Quote
Big Al Posted June 23, 2008 Report Posted June 23, 2008 ...and I certainly don't give a rats ass what you think. You forgot the apostrophe in "rat's ass." Ah, shit. I mean, shoot! Quote
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