TV Biography: George Carlin
Television bio George Carlin: One of the most famous comics of his generation.
George Carlin was not only one of the most famous comics of his generation, but one of the most famous comics in the history of the world. He broke boundaries with his comedy, and made a huge impact on pop culture as we know it.
During his career he had 14 HBO specials, the first of which was taped in 1977. Originally his comedy was based on different characters that he had created, but eventually into the 90s and 2000s changed his comedic direction entirely.
Carlin’s most famous bit, more talked about and referenced than any other, has been the “Seven Words You Can Never Say on TV.” While making him get into controversy with the censors, it also increased his image and fame in the eyes of the public. Later on he even went so far as to expand his list of offensive words, and became known for this routine.
As Carlin began to age and his mindset began to settle into the changing decades and social issues, so did his comedic style. He began to talk about the problems with modern society as we know it, and would reference these problems in both a funny and satirical way.
Throughout his comedy career, he also had the chance to dabble in some acting. He had a role in the 1987 film entitled “Outrageous Fortune” and “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure”, including the sequel. His sitcom The George Carlin Show began airing in 1993 on FOX, and lasted for 27 episodes into 1995.
He was able to pick up a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 15th Annual American Comedy Awards, which along with his other life-long comedic achievements, has solidified him as a legend of comedy. For years to come young comedians will take notes about and study George Carlin’s famous quotes and work, and he will forever go down in the history books as one of the greatest comedians of all time.
Although sometimes controversial, his tongue-in-cheek style and pinpoint sarcasm managed to directly address political and social issues of the day in a way that makes us laugh, and takes our minds off of the humdrum happenings of day to day life.
Sadly Carlin left this world on June 22, 2008 from heart related problems. Carlin had already suffered three heart attacks previously during his lifetime, and had experienced numerous other health scares related to his heart. He was cremated and according to his wishes, no religious or political ceremonies were held in his honor. Numerous public figures both on the big screen, and fellow comedians payed tribute to the man that they looked up to for so long.
Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.
About the author: David C. is the webmaster of http://famousquotesindex.com, a website containing close to 30,000 famous quotes and inspiring biographies from renowned authors.
