George Carlin
Comedian
About This Interview
In one of his final interviews, George Carlin (1937-2008) revels in his ability to get to the truth in life and society: "Everybody thinks they have rights. And I tell them why they don't have any rights. — because your rights can disappear. So they're not rights, they're privileges…. It's fucking make believe, folks. It's like the boogeyman. We made that up. And people they cling to these things. Not my audience. My audience is glad to hear me get in there with the Rotor Rooter and the deep enema. Cleans the system out. I mean, I love doing this stuff. It's such a joy, god." George Carlin's career as a stand-up comedian was marked by his irreverent material epitomized by his famed comedy routine about the "Seven Dirty Words You Can Never Say on Television." In his Archive interview, Carlin describes his early comedic talents and how, as a teenager, he would record bits on a tape recorder and play them back for friends. He talks about the influences from the movies (particularly Danny Kaye's films) and early television (such as the variety series Broadway Open House) on his comic sensibilities. He then chronicles his early life through the Air Force, as a disk jockey, and as half of a comedy team with Jack Burns, leading to his first professional appearance on television on Jack Paar's Tonight Show. He notes various "breaks" along the way and talks about going solo, working as a stand-up comedian for several years, before he got back into making television appearances on such programs as The Ed Sullivan Show. He speaks in detail about his infamous "Seven Dirty Words" monologue and the FCC case that resulted from it (filed against WBAI radio, for obscenity), bringing it up-to-date: "Now piss has changed. Piss, interesting development, piss is now okay on television if you're pissed off, but not if you're pissed on. In other words, if you change the preposition you get in trouble. It's alright for me to say to you ‘why are you pissed off at me?' But you can't say ‘because you pissed on me.'" He recalls his appearance as the very first host of Saturday Night Live, and discusses how his HBO specials resurrected his career. He touches on his later work as an actor in Kevin Smith's movies and on such shows as the PBS series Shining Time Station, which earned him two Daytime Emmy nominations as Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series. George Carlin was interviewed in Venice, CA on December 17, 2007; Henry Colman and Jenni Matz conducted the three-hour interview.
Related To This Video
Featured Content
Video clip: Excerpt of George Carlin's monologue on Saturday Night Live monologue -- the series' first (airdate: October 11, 1975) can be viewed at Hulu
Video clip: Embeddable interview excerpt - "George Carlin on his Legacy" Video clip: Embeddable interview excerpt - "George Carlin on his Standup Persona"
Resources
YouTube video player - HTML5 compatible.
Highlights
George Carlin on how he transformed from a mainstream comic to a counterculture figure and became "more than just a comedian"
Clip begins at: 00:01
George Carlin on the advice he would give young comedians
Clip begins at: 04:54, Duration: 01m 28s
George Carlin on getting to write about the "freak show"
Clip begins at: 23:03, Duration: 02m 08s
George Carlin on the evolution of his comedy
Clip begins at: 15:10, Duration: 05m 27s- George Carlin on the origin of his famous routine "Seven Dirty Words"
Clip begins at: 16:59, Duration: 04m 09s - George Carlin on how he'd like to be remembered: "too hip for the room"
Clip begins at: 06:22, Duration: 01m 18s 
George Carlin on why he never gets tired of performing his routines
Clip begins at: 26:14
Interview
- Part 1
- On his childhood, parents, brother Patrick
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On being heavily influenced by radio in the 1940s, early 50s
Clip begins at: 11:17 - On early signs of his comedic inclinations; wanting to be a performer from an early age
Clip begins at: 13:54 - On his recollection of early television in the 1950s; being influenced by movie star Danny Kaye
Clip begins at: 16:18 - On developing his early routines and imitations; making a grand plan for his future career as a performer
Clip begins at: 21:23 - On going into the Air Force; becoming a disc jockey
Clip begins at: 26:53 - Part 2
- On his career as a disc jocket in Shreveport and at NBC in Boston
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On meeting future comedy partner Jack Burns
Clip begins at: 04:19 - On how comedy changed in the 50s with Jonathan Winters, Lenny Bruce, Shelley Berman, Mort Sahl, Lord Buckley who "challenged authority"; leaving for Hollywood
Clip begins at: 09:16 - On his early comedy routines with Jack Burns; developing his "clean" act of the early 60s; recording his first LP; performing for Lenny Bruce who got him signed in 1960
Clip begins at: 12:40 - On how he and Jack Burns came to perform on the The Tonight Show with Jack Paar, his first network appearance
Clip begins at: 18:02 - On the format of The Tonight Show, aka The Jack Paar Show; his act at the time
Clip begins at: 21:39 - On becoming a solo performer; his supper club act
Clip begins at: 26:28 - Part 3
- On Richard Pryor and their parallel careers; on how getting booked on the Merv Griffin Show changed his career
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On a gradual shift in his act; working as a variety show comedian and becoming dissatisfied with the superficiality of that persona
Clip begins at: 09:05 - On leaving the traditional, mainstream path behind; finding his voice in the counterculture movement; changing his onstage persona to match the offstage Carlin; being caught in the "generational war"
Clip begins at: 14:17 - On how his dramatically changed act happened on television
Clip begins at: 17:33 - On the history of comedy from the court jester to the poet
Clip begins at: 20:19 - On how he felt HBO saved his career with the comedy specials in the 1970s
Clip begins at: 23:00 - On his piece "Modern Man" which he performed on an HBO special; being influenced by the use of language by Danny Kaye
Clip begins at: 25:00 - Part 4
- On the importance he placed on language; adapting his act; being censored by Ed Sullivan's show
Clip begins at: 0:26 - On getting fired from the Copacabana and being relieved to finally leave mainstream comedy
Clip begins at: 05:59 - On the origin of his famous routine "Seven Dirty Words"
Clip begins at: 16:59 - On the Supreme Court decision on the FCC action against his album "Class Clown"
Clip begins at: 21:36 - Part 5
- On his "perverse pride" at being quoted in classrooms as well as being censored; insinuating himself into the American culture
Clip begins at: 0:0 - On his first appearance at Carnegie Hall; how his fame affected his mother
Clip begins at: 07:33 - On the evolution of his comedy
Clip begins at: 15:10 - On finding his voice on the HBO Specials; specifically "Carlin at Carnegie"; on the genesis of his material
Clip begins at: 16:59 - On getting to write about the "freak show"
Clip begins at: 23:03 - Part 6
- On defining himself and his role as an entertainer and a comedian
Clip begins at: 0:0 - George Carlin on hosting the very first Saturday Night Live and his cocaine use
Clip begins at: 03:26 - On how The George Carlin Show came about
Clip begins at: 12:36 - On how he came to appear on Shining Time Station
Clip begins at: 17:09 - On why the HBO specials were such an important format for him
Clip begins at: 20:54 - On his creative process
Clip begins at: 22:43 - On preparing for his newest (and posthumous) HBO special It's Bad for Ya
Clip begins at: 26:14 - Part 7
- On when he felt he had achieved success; what that means to him
Clip begins at: 0:29 - On why he believes he's had a successful career
Clip begins at: 03:07 - George Carlin on the advice he would give young comedians: write it down and classify everything
Clip begins at: 04:54 - On how he'd like to be remembered: "too hip for the room"
Clip begins at: 06:22
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Please, please can you put this into one file? I know it would be a large file, though maybe yo ucould put it up for download rather than streaming? Also, the 7 parts are unlisted on YouTube (meaning you cannot find them by searching them, you need the URL), and if you click the link from here, they are automatically set up to end after each "segment", the 4 or 5 minute segments you have divided each part into. Thank you infinitely for providing the footage, but I reckon that these things are easily fixed and will allow more people to have easy viewing of this great interview. Cheers.
Thanks for your comments. We cannot change the internal policies of how our videos are streamed on YouTube. But all seven parts can be found at emmytvlegends.org/interviews/people/george-carlin and the chapters will all play consecutively if you click on the "Interview" tab, and watch them chronologically.
Magnificent man. Superman fought for truth, justice and the american way. This man is definitely a Champion of Truth.
I salute him.
I really wish i could have met this man. He is very wise as he is hilarious. Funny thing is i see so many similarities between him and myself gives me a lot to think about. I never met him but i miss him, he's never afraid to speak his mind and that takes balls. Great interview and inspirational in my opinion.
Thank you so much, Jenni for this incredible interview. It has to be the greatest one on one I've ever seen with George. You brought out some amazing anecdotes and stories, and George seemed like he wanted to tell you everything.
This rare footage is a blessing. Thank you again.
I found the full interview, it's right above to the right of the highlights tab.
Click Chapters and click on Chapter 1.
BRILLIANT interview. THANK YOU!!!
A brilliant free thinker that was an inspiration to me. Thank you George.
RIP my friend.
16:26 double rainbow!
Honestly....Most off the time I can hear only bullshit from stupid, unsuccessuful people... I am realy grateful to have a chance to hear a story of this unextrordinary person. THANK U UNIVERSE FOR GEORGE CARLIN!!!!
he was a reborn sokrates ... wow what a human being - thx for sharing
"People sometimes say to you, 'well, are you trying to make people think?' I say, 'no, no.' That would be the kiss of death. What I want to do is to let them know I'M thinking."
Great quote!
18:45
@Charkie10 jibby ... here´s the rest on emmytvlegends
They removed the rest of the archive interviews? That sucks
People took this guy for granted! I agree with liberationn15,one of the best minds in the world.he were underestimated cuz he was a extremist..
Have to write a paper on this guy!
@monsantofoodpoison actually yes it is and i have no problem saying that i dont care if its 8 months the women should be able to chose by not allowing them to do that you rob them of free will in all honesty if my mother had not wanted a 3rd child and wanted an abortion i wouldn't blame her women should always have a choice when it comes to there bodie.
@maluse227 i'm not against contraception people should be able to choose to be parents or not, but to have abortion with 5 months pregnancy that's not a choice, that's killing a life of unpretected child! by the way easy to talk when u r born already right?
@monsantofoodpoison u do know he was in favor of abortion right its not about the kid its about the mothers
@3sheetz2thawind he would call you a dumbass for that statement...
Being irish, i can say that George Carlin is one of us that we can be proud of! One of the greatest irishmen that ever lived!
Thank God for that accidental conception, and after this people tell me that to be Pro-life is wrong??!! look what kind of a genius we could miss!!!!!!!!
@ALUST986, I think that's exactly what he didn't want to become...
I've watched this entire interview over 10 times.
Rest in peace
So few views compared to everything else hes done, and yet one of the most powerful things hes said in my opinion.
George Carlin is GOD!
It surprises me how George Carlin's off-camera persona contrasts strongly to his on-stage character. While the on-stage character resembled "grumpy old man" caricature, this interview shows how humble and intelligent he can be with respect to his career. A wonderful interview; thanks!
To the archivists of the Archive of American Television, thank you! It is wonderful to view George Carlin's interview in superior video and audio quality. Have the archivists considered releasing these interviews on commercially available DVDs? Warner Brothers uses a made-to-order DVD business model to release obscure titles - perhaps the archive could employ a similar practice?
you know he is probably down there right now looking up at us. RIP
@fitment see the url address on the description?
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