George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin ( born May 12, 1937 in New York City; † June 22, 2008 in Santa Monica ) was an American comedian, actor, social critic and author. He began his career in the late 1950s as a radio presenter, but quickly became a stand- up comedian celebrity. With his classic 1972 album " FM & AM" he turned into the socially critical artist, especially the American consumer society, political correctness and religion took on the grain. He became particularly famous for his Seven Dirty Words, which can not be said on television.
Life
Carlin trained as a radar technician on the Barksdale Air Force Base. He also worked as a disc jockey at the radio station KJOE in the nearby city of Shreveport ( Louisiana). In 1957, he was discharged with negative assessments of his superiors prematurely from military service.
In 1959, he appeared with Jack Burns as a comedy team at the transmitter KXOL in Fort Worth (Texas), a year later they moved to California, where their ways parted but after two years. In 1961, he married Brenda Hosbrook, their daughter Kelly was born in 1963. During this period, Carlin became nationally known for his frequent appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.
Career as a stand - up comedian
George Carlin was known in the United States as a taboo breaker. Themes of his comedy programs were language, psychology, politics and especially religion. In 1973 he made a radio report about the " seven dirty words " ( Filthy Words ) for indignation, which drew a lawsuit by itself due to its regarded as obscene and harmful to minors content. 1978, the Supreme Court of the United States with a narrow majority of 5-4 that the Federal Communications Commission has the right to prohibit the broadcasting of contributions such content if the risk that children and young people might listen.
Carlin's subsequent appearances have focused on taking the errors of modern America targeted. He often resorted to current issues of American politics and the excesses of American culture. He took a special preference for religion on the grain, which he characterized as silly superstition. He also criticized the consumer society in which all too often citizens' rights against "toys" such as computers, SUV's, video games and houses would be exchanged. Political Correctness he regarded as a widespread, mendacious strategy of avoiding reality.
Carlin was honored by Comedy Central as the second greatest stand-up comedian of all time according to Richard Pryor and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Comedy Awards. His programs have been regularly released on albums and on video / DVD and won multiple Grammy.
Career as an actor
Carlin's film career began in the late 1960s with the man in mummy's bed. First notoriety in Germany, he reached with his role of Rufus in the films Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Bill & Ted's time crazy journey into the future. In Scary Movie 3, he played the role of the architect in a parody of the Matrix movies. The director Kevin Smith occupied since Carlin Dogma, in which he played a cardinal, often in supporting roles.
Carlin also worked as a spokesperson. He was one of the narrator in the television series Thomas the Tank Engine, appeared as a guest star on The Simpsons and spoke roles in the Pixar animated film Cars as well as in Disney's Tarzan II He also repeated his role as Rufus in the animated sequel of Bill & Ted movies.
Carlin died on June 22, 2008 at the age of 71 years at the hospital in Santa Monica of heart failure.
Quotes
" Think about how stupid the average person is, and then realize that half of the people is even more stupid. "
" When you're born into this world, you're givenName a ticket to the freak show. If you're born in America you get a front row seat. "
"If one is born into this world, you get a ticket to the freak show. If you are born in America, it is a place in the front row. "
HBO Specials (selection)
Filmography (selection)
Awards (excerpt)
Publications
- George Carlin: Sometimes a Little Brain Damage Can Help Philadelphia, Running Press Book Publishers, 1984, ISBN 0-89471-271-3.
- George Carlin: Brain Droppings, New York, Hyperion, 1998, ISBN 0-7868-8321-9.
- George Carlin: Napalm & Silly Putty, New York, Hyperion, 2001, ISBN 0-7868-8758-3.
- George Carlin: When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops, New York, Hyperion, 2004, ISBN 1-4013-0134-7? .
- George Carlin: Three Times Carlin, New York, Hyperion, 2006, ISBN 978-1-4013-0243-6.
- George Carlin: Watch My Language, New York, Hyperion, 2009, ISBN 0-7868-8838-5.