Missing George Carlin Already

I was sad to hear that George Carlin passed away Sunday. He was hands down my favorite comedian, and though he's done much in his career (first host of SNL, Rufus from Bill & Ted), it was his stand-up that made his great.

My introduction to Carlin came when I unearthed my father's record collection. Amidst all of the Beatles and Led Zeppelin albums I found something called "Toledo Window Box" (and I was about the age where I got a stoney kick out of the reference). It was a recording of a show he'd had in Oakland and had some bits that, for lack of a better phrase, made me howl with laughter. Who knew nursery rhymes were that dirty?

Though he might be remembered best for his "Seven Dirty Words", my favorite George Carlin bit of all-time is easily "Baseball and Football", a version of which you can hear below. The lack of success I've had trying to recite mere portions of the skit to people who'd never heard it before stands as testament to his comic genius (or my lack of timing).

We'll miss you and remember you, George. And of course, your unique views on politics, religion, and the English language...