Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 2, 2008 4:49:54 AM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

'Genius' Carlin Broke Boundaries

Posted Jun 23, 08 7:51 AM CDT in Arts & Living 

(Newser) – George Carlin was an anti-establishment legend who constantly pushed the boundaries of free speech and comedy, writes Keith St. Clair for the AP. No doubt, his “Seven Words You Should Never Say on Television”—he was arrested for uttering them in 1972, and they eventually led to a Supreme Court ruling upholding the government's right to punish public obscenity—will be widely quoted today. "He was a genius," said the former partner of the comic, who died Sunday of heart failure.

"The whole problem with this idea of obscenity and indecency, and all of these things—bad language and whatever—it's all caused by one basic thing, and that is: religious superstition," Carlin said in 2004. "There's an idea that the human body is somehow evil and bad and there are parts of it that are especially evil and bad, and we should be ashamed. Fear, guilt and shame are built into the attitude toward sex and the body. It's reflected in these prohibitions and these taboos that we have."

Source Associated Press

2 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • How Comedy Turned Serious

    Nov 29, 08 7:53 AM CST
    How Comedy Turned Serious Politics and comedy are trading places, Lee Siegel writes in the Wall Street Journal, as the antics of politicians get more outlandish and comics are increasingly the people speaking truth to power. Fake newsmen like Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert, with their stern commentary, lean more towards the "dark, piercing and wise" humor of Mark Twain than simple belly laughs, Seigel writes.
    More »

  • SNL Addresses Estrogen Deficit

    Nov 12, 08 5:34 PM CST
    SNL Addresses Estrogen Deficit The election cycle is over, along with Tina Fey's impersonations of Sarah Palin and Amy Poehler's run on Saturday Night Live. Lorne Michaels has plucked two young female comediennes to help fill the gap, the Comic's Comic reports. Abby Elliott, the daughter of eccentric funnyman Chris Elliott, and Michaela Watkins are expected to make their debuts this weekend. More »

  • Denis Leary: Autistic Kids Are 'Just Stupid'

    Oct 15, 08 11:15 AM CDT
    Denis Leary: Autistic Kids Are 'Just Stupid' Denis Leary is not a sensitive man. His new book, Why We Suck, seems bound to offend people, the New York Post reports, particularly autistic people. Leary asserts that autism is booming because parents “want an explanation for why their dumb-ass kids can’t compete academically,” so they run to psychologists. “I don’t give a [bleep] what these crackerjack whack jobs tell you,” Leary writes, “yer kid is NOT autistic. He’s just stupid.” More »

  • Kimmel, Silverman Split Up

    Jul 14, 08 5:15 PM CDT
    Kimmel, Silverman Split Up After 5 years together, Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman have broken up, reps for the newly minted ex-couple confirmed to Vanity Fair today. "Jimmy and Sarah have and will have no further comment," said a joint statement. Confessions of involvement with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck apparently didn't lead to the split of the talk-show host and actress. More »

  • Bernie Mac's Act Too Salty for Obama

    Jul 12, 08 4:12 PM CDT
    Bernie Mac's Act Too Salty for Obama Bernie Mac landed in hot water for making off-color jokes about women while introducing Barack Obama at a Chicago fundraiser yesterday, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. His last quip—which had the word "ho's" in it—drew complaints from a heckler. When Obama came on, he chided the comedian playfully. “Bernie, you got to clean up your act. This is a family affair," the candidate said, adding, "I'm just messing with you, man.” More »

Milwaukee Police officers lead comedian George Carlin off the Summerfest grounds in Milwaukee, Wis. after he used allegedly profane language during his act, July 22, 1972.   (AP Photo/file)
Actor and comedian George Carlin poses in a New York hotel in 2004.   (AP Photo)
In a May 1, 2001 file photo, comedian George Carlin gestures in New York.   (AP Photo)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

US Supreme Court • comedy • arrest • comedian • George Carlin


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Arts & Living Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »