Comedy George Carlin
Comic legend still wants to make you nervous
By David Burger
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 05/15/2008 07:26:00 PM MDT
George Carlin just filmed his record 14th HBO comedy special. When
it was filmed, the first words out of his mouth to the audience were,
"F--- Lance Armstrong. . . . And while you're at it, f--- Tiger Woods,
too."
Carlin really doesn't have anything against the Tour de France
winner or the greatest golfer alive. Really. He just doesn't like
being told who his heroes are supposed to be.
The 71-year-old contrarian will be at Abravanel Hall tonight to
perform. Recently, he called The Salt Lake Tribune to explain why he
is, in his words, "just like herpes. I keep coming back."
In the new HBO special, you talk a lot about death and old age. Is
it because you just turned 71?
"There has been a lot of that along the way. I talk about being 70
because I was, and 70 is a milestone for me. It's a significant age,
so I wanted to throw that in. I had these ideas about being an old
f---, which is the way I describe it in the show, and I wanted to do
those thoughts. So this was the perfect time to do it. It doesn't mean
that I'm starting to look back, or I'm starting to wrap it up, that
I'm starting to get wistful or nostalgic. None of that is in there."
Aren't people sensitive about talking about death?
"One of the reasons I like subjects like that - death, old age,
the flag, God, all these things - is because people, in general, get
nervous about those things."
Do you ever get an audience that disapproves of what you say?
"No, because I always tend to get my people. And individuals in an
audience who are put off by some things - maybe they didn't expect
what you were going to be doing - when they hear everyone laughing and
sup****ting you, they don't want to stand out as someone who's going to
yell something rude or something contrary. They'll just get up quietly
and leave."
You're celebrating your 50th year in show business, just like the
Osmonds.
"God bless the Osmonds."
How does the 71-year-old George Carlin compare to the 21-year-old
George Carlin?
"It's just something you would expect over life, whether you're
welding, playing baseball or playing the violin. You're supposed to
improve over time. . . . I've always prided myself on using my mind
and to have my mind get better, and stronger and more capable at the
things I chose to do. I have a good IQ, but I'm not a genius of any
kind. I'm just a smart guy who knew how to run his life and found out
how to write for himself. And that's what makes me happy."
Have you improved?
"This is a job for a show-off. This is for a kid in sixth grade
who learned how to do the fart sounds underneath his armpit louder
than anyone else. And who bent his thumb back so it could touch my
forearm. That's the stupid s--- I did to show off for the girls and
the guys and stand out and gain attention."
What do you watch that makes you laugh?
"I don't watch things to laugh. I laugh along the way. The real
question is what makes you laugh. I don't know. . . . I'll tell you my
little Mormon joke. There's this Mormon guy who has 17 wives. He tells
this guy: 'If I had one more wife, I'd have a golf course.' There you
go."
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