Earlier this week the world lost one of its sharpest comedic talents when George Carlin passed away at the age of 71. Known for his political and black humor, his taboo routines led to international fame, as did his many TV appearances, film roles, best-selling books and Grammy winning comedy albums.
To honor the legendary and groundbreaking comic, two networks that have been with him during his many years of performing will be airing tributes this week. HBO, which aired 14 specials showcasing George Carlin's unedited routines, along with
NBC's Saturday Night Live will show off the performer in his prime to help his many fans commemorate his long and eventful life.
Your Take
WonderJew said:
First things first, Carlin's bit about pedophilia (spell it right if you're going to condemn a man for joki...
Roxme said:
He was one of a kind. I never hear the pedophillia bit, but it doesn't sound like the humor I remember him...
DarnellBear2 said:
I used to like George, in fact he was a long time comedic hero of mine. He had some of the world's brainyis...
Tonight and tomorrow night, HBO will be running marathons of 11 of their George Carlin specials. The specials range from 1977 to as recent as this year and include such classic routines as "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television," a routine that was at the time so controversial that it and another monologue eventually led to a groundbreaking Supreme Court case that defined how free our speech can be when aired on television.
The schedule for the specials is as follows:
Wednesday, June 25
8pm: “George Carlin at USC” (1977)
9pm: “George Carlin: Again!” (1978)
11pm: “Carlin at Carnegie Hall” (1982)
12am: “Carlin on Campus” (1984)
1am: “Playin' with Your Head” (1986)
Thursday, June 26
8pm: “What Am I Doing in New Jersey?” (1988)
9pm: “Doin' It Again” (1990)
10pm: “Jammin' in New York” (1992)
11pm: “Back in Town” (1996)
12:05am: “You Are All Diseased” (1999)
1am: “It's Bad for Ya” (2008)
In 1975, George Carlin hosted the very first episode of
Saturday Night Live, and so it is only fitting that this landmark episode will be shown again the Saturday after his unfortunate passing. Airing this Saturday, June 28, at 11:30pm, the show will begin with another classic George Carlin monologue. The episode will also features musical guests Janis Ian and Billy Preston, as well as a performance by comedian Andy Kaufman.
Without George Carlin,
Saturday Night Live executive producer Lorne Michaels doesn't know if the series would have had as much momentum.
"You never forget the people who were there at the beginning," he is reported as saying in TV Guide. "George Carlin helped give
Saturday Night Live its start as our first host. He was gracious, fearless, and most important of all, funny."
- , BuddyTV Staff Writer
Source: TV Guide, HBO
(Photo courtesy of the Boston Globe)