George Carlin (1937–2008)

I've been a fan of George Carlin for the longest time and have watched his skits countless times. I was in need of a bit of a laugh and decided to give one of his books a try. Sadly, just not the same. Even though, interestingly enough,some passages were identical to skits I've seen, just wasn't the same. They say comedy is all in the delivery and without George's voice and mannerisms, it just didn't find it as amusing. Although I will admit to laughing out loud and drawing some stares during my commutes to and from work. What did surprise me about this book was that I found myself, on a number of occasions, actually offended. When watching a skit, I know George is putting on a show and doesn't actually mean lots of the things he says. But when you actually see some of these hateful words on the printed page, they are quite jarring. Just goes to demonstrate the power of the printed word. Perhaps that was what George was shooting for. Miss you George.… (mais)

It is impossible to talk about 20th century comedy without discussing George Carlin. Named the 2nd greatest standup of the 20th century by both Comedy Central and Rolling Stone, Carlin garnered multiple gold records, 4 Grammys, 6 Emmy nominations, and the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. He was the first host of SNL, appeared on the Tonight Show some 130 times, and acted in beloved films like Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and Dogma. Dubbed "the dean of counterculture comedians," George Carlin was an American icon.

A perfect introduction for new fans and a worthy addition to the collections of old fans, The Best of Carlin showcases the longevity, range, and—above all—hilarity of the master. Filled with thoughts, musings, questions, lists, beliefs, curiosities, monologues, assertions, assumptions, and other delicious verbal ordeals, it is drop-dead funny tour through Carlin's mind. More than ten years after his...… (mais)