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Even at my advanced
age, I still have a pretty sharp memory.
At least certain incidents stand out clearly
enough to seem as though I’m still
three. Back in 1977, I was still a youngster,
just getting ready to go to high school
for the first time. We had just gotten cable
and were watching movies on some new-fangled
channel called HBO. Not long after this,
I happened to hear there was going to be
a comedy special called “On Location”
that was going to present a concert by a
comic by the name of George Carlin. At this
point, I had never heard of him, but I was
intrigued. I knew I had to watch.
So, late one night I plopped down on the
floor in front of the couch. My Dad sat
behind me. The show started, I laughed a
little bit… then the language came.
When Carlin uttered the first expletive
I started laughing so hard, I thought I
was going to throw up. My Dad, on the other
hand, was not amused.
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Don’t get me wrong, my Dad was one of the
funniest people I ever met, he just didn’t
see the need for the use of strong language. I
had to beg him to let me keep watching it. Fortunately,
he did
The thing I learned quickly that night about
George Carlin was that he wasn’t using ‘foul’
language for the shock value. I took the time
to listen; I mean really listen to what he said,
and more importantly HOW he said it. Sure, the
language punctuated some of the jokes, but what
he was really doing was showing us just how silly
the entire notion of a word being ‘bad’
is. They’re just words. The whole ‘Seven
Words You Can’t Say on Television’
is still a classic routine, even if some of the
seven are now allowed.
From that point on, I became a huge fan, buying
up every album (remember those kiddies?) I could
lay my hands on. I knew every routine by heart.
I could recite Al Sleet’s “Hippy Dippy
Weather” as easily as I could remember my
own name. “The Hair Poem”, no problem.
I can even still sing Carlin’s version of
“America, the Beautiful”, which in
today’s age of ‘super Patriotism’
would probably land me in the clink. (This is
really sad, because the words still ring true
about how we treat our remaining ‘un-touched’
countryside.)
Since those days of my youth, I’ve tried
to keep up with Carlin’s various HBO specials.
I’ve also kept my eyes open for any of his
other projects, which have included his own short-lived
TV show and a now successful movie career thanks,
in part, to director Kevin Smith. If Carlin’s
recent role in “Jersey Girl” didn’t
prove his talent, I don’t know what will.
He’s been a best-selling author, and still
continues to travel the country performing to
sellout crowds.
MPI Home Video has been releasing DVD’s
of Carlin’s concerts for some time now,
and has compiled a few of them into ‘Collections.’
The first full set, “George Carlin Collection”
was one I couldn’t wait to watch. When I
received it, I had in my hands not only 4 full
HBO specials and a compilation from all of his
12 appearances, but the all-important 1977 concert
I mentioned above. Watching it, even after all
these years, I could actually remember each and
every line as he said them. And best of all, I
kind of felt like my Dad was sitting right behind
me again (and he probably was).
Now they’re back with an all-new concert
DVD, “Complaints and Grievances”,
which originally aired as a live broadcast from
New York City’s Beacon Theatre. It was his
twelfth HBO special (and he’s hard at work
on lucky number thirteen), and here the comedian
turns up the heat on his observations of human
behavior. If there is anyone who can tap in to
the absolute wackiness of people, it’s Carlin.
Whether he focuses on solutions to the 9/11 problem,
or those who take their right to bear arms a little
too seriously, he’s always right on the
money. You’ll either laugh or get mad, depending
on what side of the fence you reside on.
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: MPI home Video
Release Date: 9/28/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR (Strong Language)
Website
We'll give George Carlin: Complaints and Grievances
an A.
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