George Carlin – It s Bad For Ya – CD

There is not doubt George Carlin was one of the great America stand-up comics of the last third of the twentieth century and of the first few years of the 21^st. Though he had an uneven career comedy CD wise, his last recording, It’s Bad For Ya, proves to be one of must have CDs in any George Carlin collection.

For a while, with CDs like Complaints and Grievances and You Are All Diseased George Carlin was just an angry old guy bitching and moaning about stuff and pretty much resting on his many laurels. Fortunately, his last two recordings, especially It’s Bad For Ya will leave the comedian’s fans with a pleasant memory.

It’s Bad For Ya is one of few Carlin CDs with a thread that unites all the material in the show. The highlight of this last HBO special is the 14 minute or so routine on death, the language we use for it, the beliefs we share, and the things we say when someone dies. This is the comic at is very best both in terms of observation and language.

The second thing that is Bad For Ya is the smothering attention society gives children. If everybody is special, who is? Carlin is acerbic here, but unlike the CDs mentioned before he is also funny.

What most annoyed George Carlin is evident in No One Questions Things, which is something else that’s bad for ya, as is blind patriotism, blind belief in religion, and believing what you are told is right.

Carlin’s closer on this stand-up comedy CD, You Have No Rights, should be played time and again.

In On The Road, George Carlin suggested that at his death he wanted to be blown up. He sure did go out with a bang here.

It s Bad For Ya
George Carlin
Stand-up Comedy CD
Laugh 2008

Fuck George Carlin youtube clip by Danny Bevins

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