On June 14th, 2008 I went to see George Carlin give a live performance at the Orleans hotel/casino. I had seen him live several times before, but this time was going to be special because, for the first time, I was going to go backstage to meet him.
I think the first time I ever saw George Carlin in any medium was when I was 10 years old. I saw him performing on television and thought; “Why are all these people laughing? He’s not telling any jokes, he’s just yelling and cursing.” With that, I changed the channel back to someone I considered much funnier at the time, Fat Albert.
Years went by and my naiveté shriveled as my vocabulary grew, particularly when it came to epithets. It didn’t take me long to discover that the ideas espoused by Fat Albert (good will always triumph over evil, drugs are BAD, the police are your friends, etc.) were as flat and flimsy as he was. I was without someone who could both serve as a personal role model and make me laugh at the same time.
When all the sudden, here was this guy who was older than my father, yet somehow younger than me.
This chronological freak would go on to be my favorite foole (sic), a source of new ideas (question everything, don’t be afraid to speak your mind, 9 times out of 10 the majority is wrong) and a voice I would always keep handy when I needed some comfort in a world seemingly gone mad from the fumes of its own bullshit.
Anyway, back to the show… George came out and knocked it right out of the park. I couldn’t stop laughing, even at the stuff I had heard from him before. There was just something about seeing him live that made it all seem fresh and new. He even did a new routine about music that he was working on for his next HBO special.
Soon enough the show was over and me, my friend Greg and Dan, the fellow who set the whole thing up, get up from our seats and head backstage. A moment later, George comes out wearing a baseball cap and eyeglasses. He says hello to Dan first, shaking his hand and chatting for a bit. Then he turns to look at me, standing there in my jeans and Superman t-shirt and asks, “Is this the comic”? He walks over to me and says “Hey, what’s your name?” I say, “My name is Gabriel, sir.” He says “Gabe! It’s great to meet you.” and starts shaking my hand.
I had given a lot of thought to just what exactly I was going to say to this man who had provided so much more than laughter to my life, and I figured it was now or never. “Mr. Carlin,” I said, “I know you probably want to get the hell out of here, so I just wanted to say; Thank you for teaching a kid who had to grow up in a place like Las Vegas that it was okay to be something other than a soulless shit-head with a lot of money.”
George laughed for a moment, and then, right then and there, George Carlin gave me some advice that, unlike that which he had given me through his work, was mine and mine alone.
“Well, you just keep being yourself and have fun with it. If you like what you’re doing, they’ll come… Trust me.”
A photograph and an autograph later, and that was that.Eight days later, I receive a text-message on my phone from my friend, Gilbert. It contained only three words.
“George Carlin died.”
I looked at the message for a long while, rubbing my chin and thinking, especially about what George said to me the one and only time I got to meet him. Finally, after much thought, I texted Gilbert back;
“Well, what did you expect him to do, fart nickels?”
So long, George… And thanks for the advice.
George
Moderator:Æron
I never complained, just pointed out we already had a thread like this in the more serious forum ^_^Baloki's complaint aside, that was an awesome post. I am glad that Mr. Carlin got to touch your life in such a personal way, especially since he meant so much to you.
Do you believe in Lady Luck Now? Yeah Lady Bad Luck!
Sowwy. I misinterpreted your point-out-ness as a complaint.I never complained, just pointed out we already had a thread like this in the more serious forum ^_^Baloki's complaint aside, that was an awesome post. I am glad that Mr. Carlin got to touch your life in such a personal way, especially since he meant so much to you.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 14 guests