Today is a very sad day, indeed. One of the greatest masters of all time has left the planet, joining the other late comic geniuses in what must certainly be the only true heaven, where laughter reigns supreme.Those of us of a certain age surely feel as if George Carlin was one of our dearest friends. My own memories of George are long and deep, dating back to when he burst onto the scene for good in the 70s, with his breakthrough album containing the taboo-shattering "Seven Dirty Words."
I recall vividly the whole brouhaha over those fucking obscenities. I can hear that album - and it was an ALBUM, scratchable vinyl and all - in my head right now. I was technically too young to be listening to it, but my siblings were playing it, much to my glee.
As I think back, I remember being impressed all those years ago by Carlin discussing product names for condoms or other birth-control devices, one of which he deemed "Baby Maybe!" and another "Junior Miss!"
George Carlin's impact is multigenerational. Even my little boy knows George from the cartoon movie "Cars." Carlin was the voice of Fillmore, the hippy VW bus who used organic fuel and said, "It's a conspiracy, man!" and "Respect the classics, man!"
And that description perhaps sums up George Carlin best - Classic.
A true sage who unblinkingly examined reality without blinders on, George Carlin dripped with enlightenment and wisdom, brilliantly using comedy to help the human race along in its evolutionary path. With all the talk about "spiritual masters" who deserve our reverence, in my opinion Carlin was a real master who truly loved the world and worked to better it by raising up the issue of individual freedom and personal creativity. In fact, I hold George Carlin in such high regard that I like to "joke" that he is my prophet (pot be upon him).
With all that is happening in the world today, including the end of the fossil-fuel era with serious deprivation on the horizon, I'm thinking that George's passing truly signals the end of the era - the end of the party, in fact.
Rest in stitches, George, my friend. We love you, man.
(Note this awesome bit was used in the hit internet movie "ZEITGEIST," seen by 10s of millions worldwide. At a certain point Carlin talks about being a "sun worshipper." In keeping with the Egyptian theme of ZG, Part 1, and my book Christ in Egypt, George Carlin is now the Osiris, the deceased pharaoh who rises again as the newborn sun, Horus of the Horizon. He is risen!)
