WHAT'S THE SAD NEWS?

I'm not used to writing obituaries, but given the person involved, this one's more like an Irish Wake, except the deceased would have a few drinks and deliver the eulogy himself.

George Carlin passed away on Sunday at the age of 71. 71? Jeez, that makes me feel old because I spent a good part of my Wonder Years listening to him and if you're old enough to remember the Seventies, we weren't quite as innocent as Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper.

Carlin was an artist, his canvas was words. He was sophisticated and street smart, inane and profane, incisive and divisive, frightful and delightful. Like another comic genius, Richard Pryor, he never lost his edge and as much as I loved the wild and crazy years of Steve Martin, the young and raw Eddie Murphy and the improvisational brilliance of Robin Williams (OK, he's still got it), middle-age also mellowed them out to the point where they were pumping out cinematic classics like Cheaper By the Dozen, Daddy Daycare and License to Wed.

Amongst my generation, some of Carlin's routines and punch lines remain cultural references such as "Tonight's forecast: dark, with increasing light towards morning. Tomorrow's high, when I get up." Oxymorons like: "Jumbo Shrimp and Military Intelligence." And of course, there were the Seven Words You Can't Say on Television. But one of my all-time favorite lines was when someone asked Carlin what happened to his long hair. "It's still long on the inside," he replied.

So RIP, Class Clown. I'm sure you're up in Heaven telling God to get his BLEEP together. As for those other Six Words, bet you're saving them for George Bush. Then again, you probably won't find him at the Pearly Gates.

Seven Words You Can't Say On Television
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB59GLjhR1c&feature=related