The 20 Words You Can't Say on Cellphone TV

Just as the late, great George Carlin had his wonderful 7 Words You Can't Say on Television bit, comedian Max Silvestri now knows of 20 or so words that one just cannot say on Verizon's VCast cellphone television programming. Silvestri (of the delightful Gabe and Max's Internet Thing) attempted to say the word "choad" on a podcast that was to be distributed to mobile companies. Curious as to why that word, out of so many, was singled out, he went in search of Information. He was eventually given a detailed list of inappropriate content and verbiage that will be censored, including the ultimate list of 20 "Level 0" no-no words that can never, under any circumstances slip from the lips on VCast. That list includes the obvious "n-word" variations (but, apparently, other racial slurs are A-OK?) and the typical group of naughty sexual terminology. Makes sense, fair enough. But um, why make the "cornhole"/"corn-hole" distinction? And what in green acres is a "Ruby Red Bag"? Oh, it's this. Check out the full list after the jump, and perhaps add your own colorful words in the comments! More »

George Carlin's Last Interview

Nine days before comedian George Carlin's death, he gave a wide-ranging, two-hour interview to Jay Dixit of Psychology Today. It was originally intended as a 350-word Q&A for the back page of the magazine but today, in the aftermath of Carlin's passing, was published online at much greater length. In the interview, Carlin talks about how he collects and sifts through potential material, the advantages of being an older comedian, how hallucinogenic drugs enhanced his work and life, his extensive use of computers and whether his act is "angry." But most interesting, perhaps, are the parts of the conversation where the rough-and-tumble performer opens up about how his career is tied to his relationship with his Mom, who raised Carlin and his brother alone amid the Great Depression: More »

Sh*t, P*ss, F*ck, C*nt, C**ks**ker, Motherf**ker and T*ts: George Carlin Is No Longer With Us

If you haven't yet heard, George Carlin died of heart failure yesterday in St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica at the age of 71. In that time, the prolific stand-up and actor produced 23 comedy albums, 14 HBO specials, and three books—to say nothing of having saved the universe by helping the founding members of Wyld Stallyns pass history. In a poignant twist (as if we needed one), it was recently announced that Carlin would be the recipient of the 11th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, scheduled to have been presented in a PBS-televised presentation on Nov. 11. More »

7 Moments of George Carlin Greatness

When we reported on comedian George Carlin's death last night, we posted one of our favorite Carlin clips, and the commenters responded in kind. Watching the clips, posted below, one can't help but feel that the foul-mouthed, political firebrand Carlin had some hand in paving the way for other "angry" funny men like Lewis Black, Bill Maher, and even Michael Moore. An iconoclast at every opportunity, Carlin was vicious and biting but also, in some sneaky sly way, a bit kind. Enjoy that perfect, sour (and already missed) cocktail after the jump. More »

Comedian George Carlin Dead

Stand-up comedian George Carlin, whose routine about forbidden words on the airwaves led to a key Supreme Court decision on government broadcast oversight, died of heart failure near Los Angeles. He was 71. Carlin had been admitted to the hospital earlier in the day with chest pains. He launched to fame in the 1960s as a straightlaced, suit-and-tie comedian appearing on programs like the Ed Sullivan Show as characters like the "hippie-dippie weatherman." By the 1970s, he was doing more risque material in long hair and jeans, and his performance of the routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television" prompted an obscenity trial in Milwaukee, plus the Supreme Court fight, which arose from the airing of a similar routine on the radio in New York and an FCC fine. More »