He was truly one of the best and I will miss him.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25322638/

I was just reading his obituary online. He was a true pioneer and he will be missed... :(

unreal...he was always doing something new.  a real innovator

I'm still processing it.  I'm going through a sort of mini-grieving process!  Haven't felt this way about a humorist dying since Graham Chapman died in 1989.

:\'(

I'm still processing it.  I'm going through a sort of mini-grieving process!  Haven't felt this way about a humorist dying since Graham Chapman died in 1989.


And Bill Hicks.  (Too many hicks, not enough Hicks.)

Carlin's left some mighty big shoes to fill.  Are there any comics who can fill them?

  Pretty funny guy.  My dad quoted him all the time, "La-a-a-a-ugh, I thought I'd die!"  RIP...

And Bill Hicks.  (Too many hicks, not enough Hicks.)

Carlin's left some mighty big shoes to fill.  Are there any comics who can fill them?

Bill Hicks was one of my favorite comedians ever.  Left us way too early.
:\'(

The difference between Hicks and Carlin for me is that I grew up on Carlin; my sense of humor was formed by Monty Python, Firesign Theater, George Carlin, Frank Zappa, Robert Klein, Smothers Brothers, and Woody Allen. 

I'd wish I could include Lenny Bruce, but he died before I was born, and I didn't get to hear his material until I was in my twenties. 

Yeah, I was shocked by this too. He wasn't that old at all, for "natural death" standards anyway. :( I wasn't a huge fan, but he had some good material. He tended to be funny in an edgy and social commentary way, while still being smart (even if some of it was kinda over the top, especially in his later years in the '90s).

And Bill Hicks.  (Too many hicks, not enough Hicks.)

Carlin's left some mighty big shoes to fill.  Are there any comics who can fill them?

I too wonder...who could ever possibly fill Carlins shoes?

I've been watching a lot of George Carlins videos on You Tube and I had a lot of his "stuff" (pun intended) on my PC and ipod and I wonder...

Now that Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks and George are all gone, what is left of the intelligent American comedian speaking
on social commentary?

Is there no one on the field, or on the horizon that could do as well as they could to make us both laugh,
and look at ourselves and question our beliefs and motives?

I know a lot will list Bill Maher or Lewis Black, and though they have their niche, they are (by their own
admission) not in the same league universe as George Carlin, and had Bill Hicks stayed with us longer, he would of
easily overshadowed them and maybe carried on the torch from Carlin.

So my question is, why is it that Lenny, Richard, Bill and George are gone? Why them?

Why don't some of our lamer excuses for comics these days like Dane Cook or Bill Engvall pass on?
(now before anyone gets their panties in a uproar, I don't mean any of these people any undue harm)

I guess there is no real answer to my question, just pissed off that George is gone. Why is always the ones that we need and truly learn from leave us?
-------------

Most comics nowadays go through the "comedy mill". You know exactly what I'm talking about.
They start local and work to a comedy chain (Laff Factory/comedy club), hopefully save to get a $$ agent that looks for, and gets that break-out appearance on a late show program, which they need to get a HBO/Showtime special, then to get a movie spot, to do star in a lame movie premise, which gets them a lame network sitcom.
Tired, unfunny, lame and watered down "comedy" (that they would NEVER have done on stage) all they way.
Then do 4 years of the sitcom to get syndication ($$) and then they're done.
Next they "retire", collect their royalty checks from the syndicated show and (gladly for us) fade into the background they came from.
Never having any real story to tell (other than picking up a drug addition or a few DUI's), and whats worse no real talent or reason to be on stage, film or TV to begin with other than to be famous and gather some cash.
I'm so sick of that, and I bet most of you are too.

Lenny, Richard, Bill and George were different. They steadfastly refused to be hemmed in by anyone or any constraint: corporate, legal, or social. (Richard and George tried the sitcom deal, and both they and the networks found they were a marriage made in hell).
They gave us back something more than a laugh, they gave us perspective to question our selves and challenge our beliefs. They said scary things that we didn't want to hear about ourselves or admit we did or were thinking. And they made us laugh about it.
That is a talent few have.

Don't get me wrong, there are some funny guys out there, Dave Chappelle is definitely funny, but I couldn't begin to compare him to Carlin or Hicks...
-----------
As I said, there is no real answer to my question, just pissed off that George is gone...and don't see that America, due to fear and conditioning and our own human frailty is going to get anything as unique as him to show us the mirror of our society to ourselves anytime soon.
And we need it.