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Parting Shots
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2009
About the author
George Carlin
64 books2,983 followersGeorge Denis Patrick Carlin was a Grammy-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, author and philosopher.
Carlin was especially noted for his political and black humor and his observations on language, psychology, and religion along with many taboo subjects. Carlin and his "Seven Dirty Words" comedy routine were central to the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation, in which a narrow 5-4 decision by the justices affirmed the government's right to regulate Carlin's act on the public airwaves.
Carlin's mid-2000s stand-up routines focused on the flaws in modern-day America. He often took on contemporary political issues in the United States and satirized the excesses of American culture.
A disciple of Lenny Bruce, he placed second on the Comedy Central cable television network list of the 10 greatest stand-up comedians, ahead of Bruce and behind Richard Pryor. He was a frequent performer and guest host on The Tonight Show during the three-decade Johnny Carson era, and was also the first person to host Saturday Night Live.
Carlin was especially noted for his political and black humor and his observations on language, psychology, and religion along with many taboo subjects. Carlin and his "Seven Dirty Words" comedy routine were central to the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation, in which a narrow 5-4 decision by the justices affirmed the government's right to regulate Carlin's act on the public airwaves.
Carlin's mid-2000s stand-up routines focused on the flaws in modern-day America. He often took on contemporary political issues in the United States and satirized the excesses of American culture.
A disciple of Lenny Bruce, he placed second on the Comedy Central cable television network list of the 10 greatest stand-up comedians, ahead of Bruce and behind Richard Pryor. He was a frequent performer and guest host on The Tonight Show during the three-decade Johnny Carson era, and was also the first person to host Saturday Night Live.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
September 20, 2011
My first Carlin book and worth the waitlist queue at library: something like 82 people before me!
I would've given it a FIVE-star except it waned towards the end - probly b/c George was waning. I'm sure dying will wear-me-out, too...shows we're human and not AI! (Artificial Intelligence)
He was the most defiant person I've ever read; don't subscribe to all his lifestyle choices but will defend him as I would any voice of rebellious sanity crying out in the desert - and of course, appearing insane.
I appreciated two distinct themes in this autobiography: ONE: b/c I am sick-to-death of parents putting defensive army gear on their kids to simply ride their freakin' bikes down the street: THEY hitched rides on bikes holding onto backs of trucks and SWITCHING trucks midstream, in rush hour traffic, with potholes in the city of NY, and not one of them got hurt. Not a single friend, and not George. All I can think of is a no-confidence-vote on the part of suburbanites who doubt and can't risk believing that their children are sufficiently limber or resiliant - maybe afraid, perhaps, their own lack-of-coordination is passed-on? Survival of the most-padded-person constitutes evolutionary fingernails-on-blackboard to me. W-i-m-p-s!!
TWO: he told the truth. And initially, everyone who tells the truth is arrested. Or killed. The cnspiracy of status quo is the biggest lie ever told ~ has been since Caesar was a pup ~ and what I adored about Carlin's near-miss at being snuffed as a comedian and a human being was gthe role my generation played...and the ones a tad older than I am - the Lenny Bruce followers, long before there was n SNL, (Sat. Night Live).
I read this in 3 days while substitute teaching, working out and finding time for other normal function - so it's not a flat-out beach read. You'll devour it in a couple of scrappy, sinewy, Carlinesque bites, feeling the tough streets of NY as well as the heat of L.A... long may you wave, George.
I would've given it a FIVE-star except it waned towards the end - probly b/c George was waning. I'm sure dying will wear-me-out, too...shows we're human and not AI! (Artificial Intelligence)
He was the most defiant person I've ever read; don't subscribe to all his lifestyle choices but will defend him as I would any voice of rebellious sanity crying out in the desert - and of course, appearing insane.
I appreciated two distinct themes in this autobiography: ONE: b/c I am sick-to-death of parents putting defensive army gear on their kids to simply ride their freakin' bikes down the street: THEY hitched rides on bikes holding onto backs of trucks and SWITCHING trucks midstream, in rush hour traffic, with potholes in the city of NY, and not one of them got hurt. Not a single friend, and not George. All I can think of is a no-confidence-vote on the part of suburbanites who doubt and can't risk believing that their children are sufficiently limber or resiliant - maybe afraid, perhaps, their own lack-of-coordination is passed-on? Survival of the most-padded-person constitutes evolutionary fingernails-on-blackboard to me. W-i-m-p-s!!
TWO: he told the truth. And initially, everyone who tells the truth is arrested. Or killed. The cnspiracy of status quo is the biggest lie ever told ~ has been since Caesar was a pup ~ and what I adored about Carlin's near-miss at being snuffed as a comedian and a human being was gthe role my generation played...and the ones a tad older than I am - the Lenny Bruce followers, long before there was n SNL, (Sat. Night Live).
I read this in 3 days while substitute teaching, working out and finding time for other normal function - so it's not a flat-out beach read. You'll devour it in a couple of scrappy, sinewy, Carlinesque bites, feeling the tough streets of NY as well as the heat of L.A... long may you wave, George.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review