It was good to see the LA Times had a front page story on Carlin's death. I expect we won't see the week-plus outpouring from the media that Russert got, for obvious reasons...yet I would argue that George probably affected a lot more people over the years in a positive way than Mr. Russert ever did. Of course, George was an outsider and Russert was the opposite.

At least they are awarding the Mark Twain prize to George in November.

His bit on Ali being banned from boxing for being a conscientious objector was great too.

"The Government wanted him to kill people. He said: Naw, I’ll beat ‘em up, but I won’t kill ‘em.

So the government said: Well, if you won’t kill ‘em, we won’t let you beat ‘em up. Ha ha ha..."

or words to that effect.

George was the best.

To the many George Carlin fans out there and those who posted in here....DUDES...THIS SUCKS! I hate that he's gone. I hate that there will be no more profound and profoundly funny rifs on all the stupid things we humans say/think/do from the Maestro.

To all the "believers" who are trying their level best to highjack this thread and make it all about your imaginary best friend in the sky...

Just go away...and take your soapbox with you. Let us mourn his death and celebrate his life in our own way...ok?

as George would say...

F*CK!

George Carlin had a profound influence on stand up comedy. He also was incredibly original and funny .. when he was younger.

Not meaning to offend, and maybe it's too early to say this, but in his later years, Carlin was just not funny at all. I saw him live in Vegas 5 years ago, and it was a sad, sad show.

Anyway. I choose to remember his younger days.

I would like to throw two more cents in and explain a bit more about what I referred to as "fundamentalist atheism".

The atheists I am referring to are strict materialists. They believe (yes, believe) that everything can be boiled down to a material event involving chemical/electrical processes. That's fine as far as it goes. But that's just the point: it only goes so far.

These atheists are not saying that they can't determine the source of the universe, they are saying the source of the universe is chemical/electrical processes. They refuse to ask the question, "Where did these processes come from?", "How did they begin?" They have no answer as to the origin of the processes. Period. Yet, they believe they have "the ultimate answer".

That "ultimate answer" is precisely what religion is concerned with. It has nothing to do with an invisible man in the sky (that's among my favorite bits as well!), or elephants on top of turtles--nothing whatsoever! It is simply this: where did this all come from? I don't believe there is a capital 'G' God out there who has some sort of benign will (or malevolent will, for that matter) and called us all into being. I do believe that there is some sort of non-material, or infinite aspect to the universe that we as finite beings can only guess at.

Lynx, I didn't call anyone unintelligent; personal attacks are unnecessary and disrespectful.

Jesus Christ (oops, should I say that?), can't you guys go and bicker on the JREF Forum or something and leave this thread to the Carlin fans? Why is it that so many Salon comment threads end up down at this level:

DOGMATIC, ANGRY ATHEIST: I take myself VERY seriously, and you wrote something that suggested the slightest possibility of theistic belief or magical thinking. I can't let that slide or rationalism as we know it might grind to a halt.

CLUELESS BELIEVER: Huh? Atheism is a fundamentalist religion.

DAA: My kind are so intellectually superior to your kind, it scares me. Let me list all the reasons why you are a moron and why you probably believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy.

CB: You can't prove God doesn't exist.

DAA: I have to go and write angry e-mails to the History Channel about their latest Christianity show, and e-mail James Randi to let him know I e-mailed the History Channel. I will let my minions take over eviscerating your pathetic theistic arguments.

CB: Why are you guys so angry/vague talk about God, spirit, etc.

DAA: [More of the same]

CB: [More of the same]

THE REST OF US: Give it a rest, will you people? Can we please get back to George Carlin/clitoral circumcision/Barack Obama? PLEASE?

Aaaaaaaand eventually we give up and abandon the thread while you mental giants duke it out. Yawn. Please spare us this time, OK?

King Kaufman has a beard...

Gabby Hayes had...Whiskers!

is played in a stadium. War Memorial Stadium.

Baseball is played in a park.

In football, you wear a helmet.

In baseball, you wear a cap.

RIP George. I hope you're kicking back with Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce, riffing on why Heaven needs pearly gates anyway.

Thank you for the tribute to George Carlin. I loved all his humor, political, social but his sports humor was astounding.

The entire riff on baseball vs. football was spectacular. (Worth the Mark Twain all on it's own.) He was a man that cared about words, and what they said about, we, the people who used them.

There will be more great satirist to come, but George will hold a special place in my heart (and a residence in either a cloud filled heaven or a nook on one of the rings of hell – much to his surprise) forever.

You're wrong. Whether religious or atheist, in the end we all go home - to the Earth, to the elements, to the universe, from which we all came. What does or does not happen after that makes no difference.

RIP George. Gonna miss your wit - it's far more effective than pedantry.