Here's an Amazon link to order George Carlin's latest book, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? It's a funny book by a funny man. Much of it has to do with euphemisms — fancy or inefficient words we use when there's a simple and more direct one. I think he belabors these at times but he's darned amusing, and there's more than enough genuine insight in his work to satisfy me. There was a period not long ago when we were treated (that's not the right word) to a lot of very poor books by stand-up comedians, often putting their acts on paper and taking an author's credit for recycling material that they purchased from comedy writers. Carlin's books are mostly new stuff and all by him.
Which brings me to how I spent last evening. I went to hear Harry Shearer interview George Carlin before a sold-out audience of Carlin fans. Shearer's a pretty funny guy, too, but the spotlight was on Mr. Carlin who discussed many of the topics from his book plus the recent presidential election, getting fired in Las Vegas, serving in the Air Force, smoking marijuana, becoming disillusioned with Christianity and the human race (in that order), why he doesn't consider himself a cynic, why there aren't more great stand-up comics these days, Michael Jackson, the futility of protest movements, his general working procedure and a host of other topics. Naturally, I don't agree with the man on everything. No one would…and that made for an interesting kind of nervous energy in the room. The place was, of course, filled with people who generally love Carlin and what he says, and for most of the evening, they (we) laughed and applauded. But every so often, like when he said he thought Michael Jackson was the greatest entertainer in the world and should be left alone to perform, even with children, you could sense the audience withdraw slightly. No one booed but the energy waves in the room were a little unsettled, and you could practically hear people rolling what he'd said over in their minds, wondering if they were wrong and this usually-so-perceptive gent was right. Before they came to any decision, he'd be on to another, less arguable topic and the sense of the hall would swing back his way.
One of Carlin's great strengths as a comic is his willingness to say what audiences don't want to hear, or think they don't want to hear. He has great perception when he talks of everyday, harmless occurrences…but he also has the guts to go against popular and/or polite opinion. He'll venture into areas like "cripples" and 9/11 and aspects of religion that a lesser comedian would sidestep. Too sensitive. Too many potential landmines.
Carlin ventures in and as often as not, hits on something that causes you to say, "Hey…he's right about that." At times, I find myself laughing at the fact that I'm laughing at something that was right in front of me but concealed by a bogus air of propriety or — to use a term I dislike — political correctness. Occasionally, I even find myself chuckling at an observation where I disagree with his viewpoint. I guess when you're funny enough, you can do that…and it probably explains why the man's been so successful for so long. He doesn't play it safe. He just plays it for laughs.