Funny man George Carlin, best known for his skit “7 Words You Can Never Say On Television”, died of heart failure at the age of 71, leaving celebrities like Richard Belzer, Ben Stiller and long-time friend and comedy partner Jack Burns to find a way to laugh after the loss of a legend.
Carlin, who had a long and award-speckled history in comedy that included 23 comedy albums, 14 specials on HBO, three books and even movie and TV show appearances, was more than just a funny man out for a good joke, however. His comedy often bordered between irreverent and indecent in the eyes of many, and the George Carlin 7 Words skit pushed boundaries right into the legal arena.
In 1972, Carlin was arrested at his Milwaukee show for voicing those infamous 7 words, but his case was dismissed when a judge ruled in favor of free speech over Carlin’s so-called indecency.
In 1978, a New York radio station played the words from the skit, causing the Supreme Court to examine the practice of radio stations for broadcasting offensive language during child-friendly hours. The court ruled in favor of the government’s authority to sanction offending radio stations.
"So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I'm perversely kind of proud of," Carlin said in a recent interview, and to this day those notorious 7 words are still not allowed on TV.
Aside from making legal history, Carlin’s comedy also influenced many of today’s more offbeat funny men. “He had an amazing mind, and his humor was brave, and always challenging us to look at ourselves and question our belief systems, while being incredibly entertaining. He was one of the greats,” comic and actor Ben Stiller stated.
Richard Belzer, quirky star of Law & Order: SVU credits Carlin with getting him an appearance on a show early in his comedy career, despite producer disapproval.
But of all the stars to mourn, George’s comedy partner from the early 1960’s Jack Burns may have expressed the loss most succinctly. “He was a genius and I will miss him dearly,” he said.
And Now the Moment You’ve All Been Waiting For…
No, just like TV, we really can’t use those 7 words in our post, but we can show you the comic skit that George Carlin will best be remembered for. Enjoy.
