Class Clown

The recent passing of George Carlin saddened me as I was a big fan of his comedy and felt like he was family in a way. Aside from the fact that he looks almost exactly like my father, his routines were ingrained in my mind. In 1978 my parents gave me the album CLASS CLOWN for Christmas. On that album were many funny routines including his society changing The Seven Bad Words You Can't Say on TV. I absorbed every bit of that album and would listen to over and over and over all the while laughing until I could not breathe anymore and would almost pass out. I was in 8th grade at the time of this wonderful gift and as taken as I was with George Carlin's humor I embarked on the crusade to enlighten my friends in school as to Carlin's wit and wisdom.

Now in that album he told about all of the things that he did as a class clown, and most of them I "borrowed" from him to see if I could make my classmates laugh. It was AMAZING! I soon discovered the rapture of hearing my classmates laugh at what was coming out of my mouth. After a while I started developing my own class room material to garner a laugh or two. It was incredible! I was a hit! Then the bottom dropped out.

I was not so big with the teachers who found my disruptive antics frustrating. HATERS! Soon my parents were requested to come in for a meeting with all of my teachers. My mom was not pleased at all and I heard about my parents displeasure when I got home. I was actually asked by them, after all of the "talking" that I got, whether or not I had anything to say for myself and how this all started. I just pulled out their Christmas gift to me and said, "I thought that you were giving me permission to spread joy and laughter to my friends." Well they didn't buy that and I was grounded, and from that I was confused as to why they gave me the album in the first place. Had they even listened to it before they gave it to me?

The thing was that the goose-was-on-the-loose so to speak and I was not giving up cracking wise in class, or anywhere else I could. As a result I looked for other Carlin material and delighted in watching comedians whenever I could. I was soon listening to Richard Pryor, Robert Klein, Steven Wright, Emo Phillips, Robin Williams, Pee Wee Herman, Gallagher, Jay Leno and a whole host of others. I would stay up late to see who was performing on Johnny Carson, or David Letterman or An Evening at the Improv.

Anyway, I have George Carlin to thank for my love of stand-up comedy and for my desire to make people laugh. Today's comedians owe an huge thanks to him.

Just some melancholy musings on someone who touched my life. Thanks for the FUNNIES Mr. Carlin. Thank you very much.

Now go listen to some Carlin and laugh!
Mac

Blogged with the Flock Browser