Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comics of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of counterculture comedians". Carlin is basically broken up into two eras: young and old. The runtime is padded out by interviews with Carlin collaborators, and Carlin himself repeated a lot of the same bits in his 2005 special. From classic HBO specials to arena-comic concert flicks, George Carlin to Kevin Hart — the 25 best stand-up comedy specials and concert movies. About this list: The greatest stand-up comedian that I've ever seen, I've thoroughly enjoyed watching all of these over the last few months. Think "crotchety but still funny uncle". MYSTERY WIRE — Iconic comedian George Carlin was an avid reader whose often-scathing stand-up monologues skewered human frailties and social trends. One topic he sometimes mentioned onstage is alien life. (2008), Carlin at Carnegie (1982) and George Carlin: You Are All Diseased (1999). Carlin died in 2008, but a video of his 1990 interview with Larry King makes it crystal clear that when it comes to punching down, he absolutely didn’t think it was funny. When George Carlin is asked which HBO concert is his favorite, his answer is always, "Jammin' In New York." Old Carlin was far more topical, cynical, and grumpy, prone to ranting monologues for the entire show. Rolling Stone Send a Tip The reasons are several: It was his first HBO show done live; it was the first he... See full summary » The comedy special would have rightfully drawn ire if it was released anytime after the heartless attack that killed thousands of innocent Americans. It happened just one week after performing another show in Las Vegas. George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, social critic and author. http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/ Young Carlin was a lot more laid back, silly, observational, and generally more upbeat. He was known for his dark comedy and reflections on politics, the English language, psychology, religion, and taboo subjects. George Carlin was a purveyor of the latter, and a routine he performed almost 26 years ago proves it. Think "wacky uncle". george carlin specials ranked If you want to go back to the beginning of the “cranky old man Carlin” who railed against stupid bullshit in politics and religion, just listen to the first track of this album, where he takes a well-deserved dump on the openly corrupt Reagan administration. George Carlin - pretty much explains it all. A home … Carlin passed away in 2008 from heart failure. Carlin kept the recorded stand-up routine and labeled the cassettes as “NITE BEFORE 9/11.” In the pre-9/11 comedy special, Carlin joked about rooting for natural and manmade disasters. A list of 13 films compiled on Letterboxd, including George Carlin: Complaints & Grievances (2001), George Carlin: Life Is Worth Losing (2005), George Carlin: It's Bad for Ya!