Tuesday, June 24, 2008

George Carlin 1937-2008

George Carlin liked to tell audiences, "If God exists, may he strike me with lightning right now! [Pause.]"

When he died yesterday apparently no lightning was involved, only a simple, naturalistically-explicable heart attack.

Here are bits from his last interview.

He was one of my heroes and I will miss him.

GC quotes for today:

"I have as much authority as the Pope, I just don't have as many people who believe it."

"I'm completely in favor of the separation of church and state. My idea is that these two institutions screwed us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death."

"When fascism comes to this country, it won't be wearing jackboots; it'll be wearing sneakers with lights in them."

"The only good thing ever to come out of religion was the music."

"I love people, I hate groups. People are smart, groups are stupid."

I like to think of him as a "standup philosopher." (Hat-tip on that one to Butler Shaffer.)

3 comments:

Lara said...

Just came across your blog. Nice work, hope to read many more of your posts.

"Q" the Enchanter said...

Carlin: "If God exists, may he strike me with lightning right now! [Pause.]"

Maybe God is just omniprocrastinate.

Lester Hunt said...

Lara, Thanks!

"q," ... or maybe God is just too nice to kill anyone. No, wait, that can't be it ...