By now, everyone has heard that George Carlin died on Sunday of a heart attack. Adoring broadcasters have been playing clips of some of his more controversial routines and editing out the naughty bits, a development that I’m sure Carlin would have mocked mercilessly.
I can hear him now: “Those motherfuckers! How dare they play Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television and bleep out the fuckin’ words?”
Carlin loved language and hated hypocrisy. He could use language to entertain and to enlighten. He was a keen observer of how language is used to confuse, mislead and ultimately enslave people.
Here’s a memorable clip on the subject of language which concludes, ironically, on the topic of his death.
We’re gonna miss ya, George.
Paul S. Graham 