Fan Rant: Damn, I Miss Carlin Already

To call the late George Carlin a comedian -- even an undeniably brilliant one -- would be a serious understatement. Most comedians hop up on the stage and deliver gags about sex, politics, drugs and airline food, and some of 'em are seriously funny people. But Carlin wouldn't bother with such slight efforts. This was a man who wanted to address the ills of our society (all of 'em!), but he knew that the best way to get his points across was through the powers of wit, cleverness and intelligence. Comedians (even good ones) are a dime a dozen ... but there will never be another monologue master on par with George Carlin.

Even as a kid -- long before I should have been allowed to enjoy his rants -- I knew Carlin was something special. Unlike many of his contemporaries (Robin Williams, Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, etc.), Carlin did not see The Movie Biz as the big brass ring, one to be snatched and hoarded forever at the expense of the stand-up stage. The simple truth is, and I mean this with nothing but affection and respect, George Carlin was not much of an actor. For the most part, producers saw the man as a crotchety little supporting player: Car Wash (1976), Americathon (1979), Outrageous Fortune (1987), Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), and Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) represent the most that filmmakers could do with George Carlin. (He also had a small part in Barbra Streisand's The Prince of Tides, which of course I've never seen.)

The only filmmaker to have an obvious respect for Carlin's on-screen work was Mr. Kevin Smith. Obviously a huge fan of the performer since his childhood, Smith gave Carlin an amusing little role in Dogma, a raunchy cameo in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, and his best role (by far) in the comedic drama Jersey Girl. So thanks to Silent Bob for showing Carlin that he still had a lot of fans, even though he was pushing seven decades on this planet. But no, Geroge Carlin was not really an actor: He was a misfit, a trouble-maker, a rabble-rouser, a brilliantly funny analyst of the human condition, and easily the most insightful rhetorician of the past thirty years.

And if I were asked to shed one tear for each laugh that Mr. Carlin gave me over the past 25 years ... damn, I'd probably be crying for the next six weeks. Rest in peace, sir. Lord knows we could use a few more minds like yours.

Cinematical remembers George Carlin:

Video of the Day: We'll Miss You George Carlin

George Carlin Passes Away at 71

Kevin Smith's tribute to Carlin