Comedians Line Up To Honor George Carlin

WASHINGTON — Jon Stewart, Bill Maher and Margaret Cho are among an all-star lineup of entertainers who will honor the late comedian George Carlin at this year's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

The prize was announced just before Carlin's death in June. It will be awarded during a tribute performance November 10th at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. The program announced Tuesday will be aired later on PBS stations.

Others who will honor Carlin include Garry Shandling, Lily Tomlin, Denis Leary, Joan Rivers, Lewis Black and Richard Belzer.

The prize is being awarded posthumously for the first time in its 11-year history.

Last year the Kennedy Center honored Billy Crystal.

Comments

[uglygeorge]

So the late George Carlin is STILL keywording 'ugly george" to get viewers 2 go to him,eh? Another Cheap Trick from the grave; when famous/infamous NYC cableTV star Ugly George met Carlin some 2 years ago on the 104 Broadway Bus he axed me for lessons in "How To Pick Up Chicks"...­I told him to lay off Drugs and try Blondes instead; but did he listen?

[vincefango]

Usually when a legend dies like John Lee Hooker or Bo Diddley I feel OK because they were old and had made their mark on history to a degree that I felt more proud than I did sad...not true for George. Everyone has a right to die, but when Carlin left I felt a great loss....pr­ide as well, but sadness and loss won me over. A guy who above all was just simply an entertainer, but like the great Dr. Hunter Thompson, he gave us a perspective that lead to truth...re­al truth (sorry for the redundancy). Can't wait to see the show! Perhaps now the only invisible man I will ever listen to.

[Hirnlego]

"The prize was announced just before Carlin's DEATH in June."

At least it didn't say *passed away*

;)

[zitlight73]

What a fitting honor to the comedian closest to Mark Twain. I imagine one day there will be a Carlin Award.

[Yermammy]

Carlin was, is and will alway be the man. Actually he was against "the man" and that's how I learned to be a true patriot- question authority, always. RIP George C. I sure wish you were here for this election. (I'm sure you would love it).

[deliriousgod]

what would George say about Sarah Palin? I can imagine.

[JDOK]

I saw George Carlin walking through the lobby of the Hotel Syracuse the day before he was scheduled to perform. He had on his signature baseball cap and a great smile. The next night he performed to a sold-out house and he was great. Funny, political, insightful, current, warm etc.etc. ....they all apply to George Carlin. Tomorrow nights forecast..­......dark­!

[michie62]

they always say the best party is the one you can't get to. Hope all those honoring George remember that. He made me laugh so hard so many times over the years. Especially about the "mallomars" in the cookie aisle after the stoners had been through it, or "standing by your table, singing my ass off and it doesn't apply to your rule".

[heartlanders]

Per Ma-her: I have this (prescient?) vision of Ma-her struggling up the steps of some rural American's porch and knocking on the door, waiting, hat in his bloody fingers, for a handout from the very same people he excoriated 6 months earlier before the grid went down. I'm thinking all the contempt for rural American values, including Sarah Palin's will come crashing down -- too late for many of you.

You know, the democrats have not spared any American institution --have spent millions of hours and dollars in an 8 year long destructive tantrum, perpetrating unnecessary collateral damage to our country -- in their efforts to throw GW out of the White House. They (and the northeast media cabal) seem to forget, that we, the voting public, will change leaders when "we're" ready. Labeling rural sensibilities, folkways, mores, and traditional family values moral direction, as parochial, or not "hip" in the urban sense, is insulting, and not constructive. So much for the "we" in the DNC's advertising copy.

[MNinWI]

huh? now here's a perspective I have not heard before, twisted and perverted as it is. I think you should take the 'S' off your moniker because I am pretty sure you only speak for yourself.

[Merckx]

I am from a small town in middle America and you sir are an embarrassment to thinking, caring true patriots from all over middle America. Just put a cork in it.

[Dissident Dexter]

WTF ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? Please leave your narrow mind at the door.

[qzg]

Wonderful Christian sentiment there, heartlanders.

Who appointed you spokesperson, by the way? I don't recall receiving a ballot on the issue.

Funny how this "8 year long destructive tantrum, perpetrating unnecessary collateral damage to our country" sounds more accurately descriptive of the Kenneth Starr/Whit­ewater/imp­eachment debacle during the Clinton administration AND the Bushies' fetish for traipsing around Iraq.

Ya know, the Republicans have not spared any "traditional" American values during their most recent stint in power. They fixed our educational system, deregulated our financial sector, politicized our Justice Department and shredded our constitutional liberties in an Orwellian orgy of doubletalk. We're all so much better off now than we were a decade ago.

[DeadCivilian]

"democrats --have spent millions of hours and dollars in an 8 year long destructive tantrum, -- in their efforts to throw GW out of the White House."

Please, remind us about the efforts to which you refer. Would those have been voting in favor of each and every thing this president has asked for, or was it when they took impeachment off the table?

Seriously, which efforts do you mean? Approving the "Patriot" Act, the suspension of habeus corpus, pre-emptive war, every spending bill, not filibustering even when the majority of American citizens oppossed the FISA bill? Which efforts are you talking about?

Please, tell us which efforts the Democrats have put forward. Remind me again of the middle-American values that have somehow been destroyed by Democrats under the Republican administrations that have been in power more than 40 of the last 60 years.

How anyone can defend these unspeakable mass-murderers anymore is beyond me.

[iambananaman1]

um...so do you like george carlin or not? do you think he should be getting the award? Cause...uh­..that's what this article is about, not your opinions on the future of the country.
try a different article.
rip george. well deserved award
(that's a proper comment for this article)

[edgraham]

He was brave. In addition to being really funny, he was irreverent at a time when it could get you in trouble.

[3fingerbrown]

Excellent Carlin radio interview archived here:

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/episodes/2008/08/19/segments/106262

[LiberalBuzz]

One of the absolute best.

They just don't make them like they used to.

[charon]

To bad Carlin isn't still with us. Besides all the obvious reasons, I bet he would have some interesting things to say about McCain, and even more so about Palin. They are like Christmas presents of fresh material to a professional comedian like Carlin. His comedy was like mushrooms growing out of the horsesh*t of this world.

[SimJack]

Where were you when GC's FM & AM album came out on vinyl (1972), what were you doing and had you heard anything as deliriously funny. Heck, I was cracking up the whole summer. Still am after 35 years thanks to this epic, legendary human being.

I was 15 that summer, at the Jersey shore with all the moms that worked together at the same restaurant and their kids, for a week without the dads around. Caught fresh crab for dinner every night, went steady for 5 days and listened to GC together on the phonograph! I do believe GC is partially responsible for me getting my first HJ by a girl. He was just spreading the love... still is.Thanks George, you are one of the greats. Now kick some a** on Mt. Olympus!

And, a reminder during this heated political season please be considerate, thanks to George who gave us this addition to the Commandments:

"Thou shalt keep thy religion to thyself."

[Skycat]

The best!

[Vr6]

Could he make truth seem funny or what?