Celebrities seem to be passing away recently with greater frequency, at least that is the perception.  It's challenging to keep up with the "rule of 3", where the famous manage to coordinate their deaths into convenient clusters.  Regardless of where George Carlin falls in the most recent group, he was a groundbreaking comedian and considered by millions as the epitome of observational, tell-it-like-it-is type comedy.

George went to the big concert hall in the sky on June 22nd at 5:55 p.m. PT.  He was only 71. 

How many comedians can site a landmark Supreme Court case that resulted from his "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" performance in their repertoire.    The monologue was recorded on an album and played on a NY radio station resulting in Carlin's arrest, his case was eventually appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.  The justices ruled 5-4 that the routine was "indecent but not obscene."  The case gave more latitude to the FCC in deciding what could be transmitted on the public airwaves.  

Carlin remarked about the case, "so my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of."

For you Saturday Night Live fans, Carlin hosted the first broadcast in October 1975.

His sketches could be very controversial and riddled with strong language, however George has a way of cutting directly to the insanity associated with our everyday lives.  In a "Place for My Stuff" Carlin talks about the never ending quest to get more "stuff" and then get a bigger house for your "stuff". 

Although you may not agree with Carlin's views or his delivery, he stood-up for his beliefs and took the time to cast them in a humorous light.  A rare talent and one that we need more of in this age of sound bites and neutrality.

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