George Carlin Biography

Article by Ryan Dowd

Born George Dennis Patrick Carlin in the Bronx, George Carlin really changed the game of comedy with the way he expressed himself and his choice of words. Carlin as well as his younger brother, Pat, were brought up by their mother in Manhattan, New York. Their mother Mary left Carlin’s biological father Patrick, when George was just an infant. His mother’s struggle and work ethic inspired George at an early age to make something of himself.

Mary Carlin was a devout Catholic women who took a job as a secretary so she could support her children. George Carlin expressed his position as an atheist in some of his comedy routines and often spoke out in favor of the separation of church and state in the United States. On the Bill Maher Show Carlin once referred to religion as a mental illness.

His first taste of fame came when he started appearing on the Ed Sullivan show and The Tonight Show in the 1960′s. However, his career really began to take off in the 1970′s when he found his niche in comedy and started to come into his own. The routine he is most remembered for is his “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television.” This routine is not only notable for the comedic element but also the political, legal, and social ramifications. Carlin was arrested for obscenity after performing the routine in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The case was eventually thrown out on the basis of freedom of speech.

Shortly after, the FCC fined a radio station that was broadcasting a routine of Carlin’s. The radio station fought the fine and the case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the program was indecent but not obscene. The language is very important because indecent material is allowed on radio and television but only during certain hours, specifically, when children are unlikely to be listening or watching. Obscene material is never allowed on air, no matter what the cause or circumstance. The ruling F.C.C. vs Pacifica Foundation still holds relevance today and is continually brought up, most recently in the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident, which is still tied up court.

Following this much talked about court case, George Carlin was a household name. The ruling catapulted George Carlin into fame and glory, and he became the first host of Saturday Night Live in 1975. After 1975, Carlin began having health problems related to his drug abuse and he rarely appeared in public, making only a few stand-up specials. Carlin made a comeback in the 1980′s and he started releasing specials regularly and also appearing in films.

Throughout the 1990′s he did children’s television and had his own sitcom, The George Carlin Show. The 1990′s also saw the release of his first book “Brain Droppings,” which did very well. In the late 1990′s George Carlin began collaborating with director Kevin Smith and made cameos and appearances in several of his films.

In 2001, George Carlin was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2008 George Carlin passed away at the age of 71. The cause of death was heart failure.

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