It finally happened. The death of a celebrity moved me beyond the usual, "That's sad news."
Over the years, Carlin has been in my home more often than numerous relatives and friends. He never made it in person, but visited again and again via HBO, records, books, vhs tapes and dvd's. He was an old friend of sorts. We go back way back, about 24 years, truth be told. Our first meeting occurred on a cool autumn evening in 1984.
I was about 9 years old and I had wandered into my Dad's little home office. There he sat, listening to one of his Carlin comedy records, a Coors in one hand and a Winston in the other. I came in just in time to hear "There was a freak accident on the highway. Six freaks in a van hit two freaks in a Volkswagen." That was all it took, I was hooked. I sat down and listened to the rest of the record with my dad. Why he would think it was ok for a 9 year old to listen to, I can't answer. Thankfully he did because George Carlin wound up being one of the few things my dad and I could agree on and relate to each other through.
In the following years, George and I spent more and more time together. Boyfriends and friends came and went, but George was my constant. Even during the times when my dad, my brother and I were at our worst, the three of us could still manage to sit on the same sofa, in the same room and enjoy what we were seeing or hearing. George became our family counselor, of sorts.
About six or seven years ago, my brother, my husband and myself got the chance to see him perform live. It was a night to remember, not only because of George and his performance, but because he managed to bring my brother and I back together for a night where the sniping and undercutting was replaced with guffaws of laughter. It was priceless and I will forever be thankful.
Wherever George Carlin may be right now, you can be certain he has them rolling in the aisle with laughter. I just wish he could answer one last question for me, "Hey, George! Did Jesus finally bring the pork chops?"
So long old friend and may you rest in peace. Rest assured, everytime I see anyone over the age of 12 with their baseball hat turned backwards, I will think of you fondly.
Just recalled a great story about George Carlin that Paul Reiser told. Reiser was on the entertainment committee for his college and when they booked Carlin, Reiser and his dad had the pleasure of picking him up at the airport. Carlin was looking to buy something to smoke before the show and asked to be dropped downtown. He gave the excuse that he wanted to buy a camera.
When Reiser's dad heard that he insisted on taking Carlin to a friend's camera shop and getting him a discount. Carlin ended up buying a camera he didn't want and had to wait to make his score.
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