What Am I Doing in New Jersey?

I watched the Mark Twain Prize for Humor show this evening. In 2008, the Prize was awarded to George Carlin. Unfortunately, Carlin died before he could collect the prize. I've been a fan of Carlin pretty much since I figured out how to speak. He's the first comedian I ever remember seeing (on HBO). He's definitely the first comedian I ever saw in person and has always been one of my heroes.

The show aired on PBS, specifically WHYY. Since George had died, it was more or less a clip show. The comedians who introduced the clips were Carlin's peers, and they had some wonderful, funny and touching anecdotes about him. The clips themselves were great, and highlighted Carlin's funniest stuff. Of course, that meant that somehow, some way, the Seven Dirty Words would have to be addressed. And they were, in a clip that was, I think, from an HBO special, with a long, long intro about bad words, without referring to the bad words. The best part was that the intro included a list of words that can be used more than one way. Ass, for instance. "You've made a perfect ass of yourself" is allowed on TV, but "Let's go out and get some ass!" is not. Amazingly enough, the second use of "ass" was actually bleeped out. I broke up laughing. From beyond the grave, Carlin got one more joke in about our own hypocrisy.

The comedian after that clip, Lewis Black, almost lost it. Sure, that's his schtick, but he really almost lost it. It wasn't clear to the television audience, but apparently the words were bleeped out even at the Kennedy Center. In a room full of adults, as Black pointed out. Sure, you can't say it on television, but in a room full of adults? Unbelievable.