MovieChat Forums > George Carlin: Life Is Worth Losing (2005) Discussion > One of the Best Shows Ever

One of the Best Shows Ever

posted 18 years ago by quasi7tron
34 replies | jump to latest

Saw this show in Vegas and again tonight on HBO. Played better live but don't they all. Still easily George's best show, easily one of the greatest ever for me. He has been getting darker and more satirical his whole career, the last ten years have been the greatest, as our society continues to become more extreme and excessive, George is there to match it. Not a huge fan of his more comedic material, but his satirical material is better than anything I've ever seen, heard or read from anyone. It is BRUTALLY HONEST. There were moments that were so dark and real it didn't seem like comedy, it was actually enlightening about this life and country we find ourselves existing in.

It played like a great movie, the opening word association bit was the 1st act, so memorable, then it got much much darker in the 2nd act with the Suicide TV bit and all the death bits - but the 3rd act "Uncle Dave" finale was so genius and creative I want to listen to it over and over just to laugh again.

My wife, who is also a fan, didn't like it much, and I think this one will get less fans because it was so dark, but the true fans will appreciate it more than any other. George is obviously getting older, dont know how much longer he can continue, but if this is the last one, what a swan song!

[–] kevingolson 18 years ago

I agree. Not as funny as his earlier specials, but brilliantly philosophical.

[–] killerartist-1 18 years ago

The whole ending, "Uncle Dave" or whatever he calls it was AMAZING! The visual he paints with words, oh so great. With the lights and the camera the way they were working with that part was just great. The rest was well not his best in my eyes, but still good. Really some dark stuff in there, even the audience at one point did a collective "aahhh".

I don’t know if he can still do this though. To me it was almost ruined because his delivery was shooty. He kept messing up words and a couple of really noticeable ones. He looked really bad too. Within his face and the way he was talking. Hope he can still stay with us a few more years, but I don’t know. (And yes I know he is old)

Even with those compliants still better than the rest.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] CarlChilders 18 years ago

Man.. George is REALLY getting old..

[–] Dead_Cartoon_Fish 18 years ago

Thought it was really good. He's getting old and it shows (I think he's 70 now) but Life Is Worth Losing was great and it still shows Carlin is a good thinker and can still get his points accross in an effective way.

[–] greenburger 18 years ago

I'm a HUGE Carlin fan. I liked Back in Town the best, this one he did a pretty good job with. I love the sequence at the end, where he describes the water mane leak leading to widespread chaos. Not necessarily his best, but it was very good. It got a little boring in the middle, he had a period when he was really lecturing more than anything (he does that sometimes, like in Doin' It Again). But overall I was very impressed. The suicide material, though perhaps a little excessive, was hilarious.

I went to see him live in Atlantic City in July, I think he looks even older now than he did then. I'm assuming this is his last HBO special.

[–] kencr7 18 years ago

I've seen almost all of his work.

I'm fresh off of seeing this (10 minutes) and while he is a bit more calm in voice, etc (he's getting old), the material is as good as ever.

I'd go so far as to say this is one of his best performances.

The part with "auto erotic asphyxiation" was one of the most brilliantly done comedic elements that I've ever seen. It was the instructional way he went about it, coupled with the snide/ironic commentary and the visuals (with the goofy face), that made me belly laugh for the first time in, well, years; the last time being another Carlin show.

His clever use of words and perfect timing is almost impossible to put into, uh...., words. Of course his social commentary was there, as well as the cynical elements in all of it (which was attractive to me because I relate more to cynicism than anything else).

In conclusion, this was very very funny, and I'm not easy to please when it comes to comedy.

If you haven't seen it yet, see it on DVD (or pirate it, if you so choose). Your time will be well spent.

[–] bruce_lee_three 18 years ago

If you either:

Found this show offensive

Distasteful

Unwitty

Or you completely disagreed with everything he said and found it repulsive:

You have revealed to yourself that you are one of millions of unenlightened, purposeless, consumers.

Who are brainwashed by the big companies and will never realize it until you die.

You see, George here isn't going to dumb down his material for some idea-less public.

Honestly, check yourselves first before you criticise one of the greatest comedians ever.

Besides, every comedian's source of material comes from hate and despise, and politics are one of the greatest sources. You cannot be as ignorant as to believe at times like these politics don't play a large role in everyone's daily life.

Please, either enlighten yourselves or do everyone a favor, like Carlin suggests, join the suicide pyramid. Thank you.

[–] wylinolly 18 years ago

Thank you psycho. Now get off his nuts.

[–] air453 18 years ago

bruceleethree,

That was one of the dumbest *beep* posts I've ever seen. Dumbing down material does not have to do with the topics, rather it has to do with the way they're presented. I'd argue that much of this routine was dumbed down, and that waqs the problem with it. There wasn't much of that subtle wit that made his earlier routines spectacular. Instead, there was just straightforward hippie talk about the government and corporate tyranny.

My favorite Carlin routine is Jammin' in New York, if that helps guage where Im coming from, and my favorite bit from that is the airplane safety lecture. That routine has some of the most clever material I have ever heard, because its subtle at the necessary times, and extremely blunt at others. And his timing was perfect.

The new routine was lame at times, and too often he played characters, such as when he started mumbling pretending to be a man trying to figure out when and how to kill himself. Maybe it was the tired look on his face, but it just didn't seem like there was a lot of energy in the comedy. It was more of a lecture, with social and political commentary that's obvious and unoriginal (I've seen the same material covered by other comedians like Bill Maher).

You all seem to chatter about Carlin's enlightening commentary, but all he did was state the obvious, and repeated it over and over. Yes, this country has a lot of dumb people; yes, the large corporations own a good portion of this country; and yes, there are fat people everywhere. To make it interesting, insert some wit or a fresh point of view. Instead, Carlin just beat these subjects to death.

Anyway, that's only my opinion. I hope I did an okay job articulating why I didn't like this routine, it is 3 am.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] rannixx 18 years ago

I was in the same pool as as everyone else at the start of the show. Then I started to just accept that Carlin was a bitter old man (also more *beep* insane than he's ever been), and I think I laughed more than ever on this particular show. It certainly isn't biting social commentary, but the wit's still there nevertheless. His formula this time is also quite different.

I don't expect this kind of absurdist brand of humor to fly with everyone, however you'd have to humor-impaired not to laugh at his spiel on the pyramid of the hopeless and that bit about the morbid nature in us all; how a part of us wants the disasters we witness on TV to exacerbate. I'm assuredly just depraved and sick, but the darker his humor gets the more I'm loving it.

[–] NortonAddict 18 years ago

I don't know - I have something like 12 hours of him on my computer in a combination of audio and his shows, and I generally get the most out of either 'You Are All Diseased' or 'What am I Doing in New Jersey' [NJ b/c I drive a LOT and there's a lot of fun pranks he suggests in that one]. Last time he came to Austin I bought a ticket to see him but he went into rehab so I had to scratch it. How's he live by the way? Is he any different from the tapings?

Nort

Can I still read 'Parade'?
No you can not still read 'Parade'!!!

[–] Jamrite 11 years ago

Fantastic post! I am on the road of enlightenment!

"The Body Talks but Meditation Helps"
-Medicine for the People

[–] innervisi0n88 18 years ago

As true and honest as the show was, for the most part, it just plain wasn't funny. The parts about pussyfarts and dingleberries were okay, maybe two or three other lines he mentioned...the rest seemed just like a rant. I didn't tune in to see him politicize the whole time, I wanted to laugh. I know he's experienced a lot of things since his lighter shows but those had me in stitches. I'd watch those over and over again and never get bored...but I struggled to watch through this one just once. Doesn't make me a mindless consumer...just someone who wanted to laugh and was disappointed.

[–] blondeonel941 18 years ago

Sure "Life Is Worth Losing" wasn’t one of his bests but it was still pretty funny. I mean we can at least give him that. I’m sure that a lot of people really want to say what he says but they just can’t. Still I think he did a good job on this performance (especially the suicide skit) but I miss the old George.

[–] lifechangingjob 18 years ago

this was the darkest and funniest of the bunch! im sure some the "stuff" ilk will find it different. Please George, more!

[–] tj6223 18 years ago

This particular show of his was, in my opinion, far different from his previous shows but no less funny. It took a more philosophical and profound approach to looking at our society, "macro-cynicism" if you will. His other recent shows, beginning with Doin' it Again (and maybe a little earlier) were more specific and more conventional in the humor they conveyed. The jokes were more simplistic with real punchlines and conventional structure. This may appeal more to some, but I've never been much for "punchline humor," I prefer more complex and more philosophical style humor, which is what this show delivers.

That said, my only major quarrel with it was that he didn't attack religion enough. The "full of *beep* bit in You Are All Diseased was by far the most hilarious and memorable comedy routine I have ever seen.

[–] smearbrick 18 years ago

I saw this show in its early stages at Susquehanna University in Selingsgrove, PA. This was over a year before the HBO show aired. Much of what was contained in the HBO show, was the show I saw live minus a few things:

The simulated masteurbation during the autoerotiasphyxiation bit was much longer (like 3 minutes) which made it even funnier.

The suicide bit was drawn out a bit more with more suicide decisions to be made... including alot more commentary concerning Wal-Mart and credit cards.

Overall, a great show. My personal favorite: the suicide bit. Just a walk through the mind of a suicidal neurotic who can't catch a break even when trying to kill himself. Get stuff.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Jake3988 18 years ago

The first time I watched it when it first aired in '05, I didn't really like it.

But, it was on again a few days ago and I must say, I thought it was amazing this time around. Not sure why. But I sure laughed my head off.

He does get beyond crude at points (sometimes to an absurd level), but other than that, I have no complaints.

[–] Isaac5855 18 years ago

I might be in the minority here, but I have found over the years that the darker George gets, the funnier he gets.

[–] AFriendOfMrWhite 18 years ago

I also prefer George Carlin's work when he gets more philosophical and/or darker. His best bit on "Jammin in NY" (along with the Safety Lecture) was when he talked about entropy and how he loves disasters. Then, a few years later, he got a lot darker in "Complaints and grievances", talking about how most people should probably die because of stupid things they do.

"Life is Worth Losing" is one of my favorites. I really don't like much the part where he talks about the Owners of the Country - it didn't work for me neither as a joke or as a philosophical thought - but the parts about human behavior, the jerking-off suicide and the national emergency are just extraordinary material.

More. More power!

[–] Isaac5855 17 years ago

Then, a few years later, he got a lot darker in "Complaints and grievances", talking about how most people should probably die because of stupid things they do.

I loved this part on "Complaints and Grievances" too...if memory serves, some of the people he believed should die included people who wear visors, people whose children's names all start with the same initial, people who let their children do the message on their answering machines, people who pay for small items in a grocery store with a credit card, and grown men who use the phrase, "My daddy".

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] koivulag 17 years ago

Not funny at all besides the first 4 minute word play.

Dark without the humour. Insensitive ignorance. Boring sadistic insight with no punchline.

Is this not a reasonable place to park?

[–] lukaslukas 17 years ago

"Insensitive ignorance. Boring sadistic.."

that's the point

My vote history
http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=21237198

[–] bocat_ur_ma 17 years ago

I think that any social commentator, not matter how dark, cares for
humanity at some level. If he/she didn't, then they probabbly wouldn't take to the time to comment in the first place. That was how i'd always perceived Carlin. He took the time to present the less attractive aspects of our nature to incite change or at least some thought. I always felt that in his acts, in the midst of a virulent tirade, that there was this glimpse of caring, a momment where I felt that he gave a *beep* But, his latter matieral seems to lack the feeling or perception that wanted change and a stronger sense jaded exasperation with the world. Because of this I've found his stand-up/act/one-man-show less accessible. His current lack of humour is undeniable, his matieral is less funny and I wonder why this is.

ur ma!

[–] Nihilist_23 17 years ago

This is my favorite Carlin show. His 4 most recent shows are my favorite, and I think his work has gotten progressively better throughout his career, and this is no exception.

[–] EntertainMe463 16 years ago

I LOVED this one.....loved the whole concept, thought it was really clever....the set and everything.

However, my husband tried to watch it 4 times, I remember. He fell asleep the first 3 and when he successfully stayed awake the 4th time, he didn't laugh at all!

I kept going "but didn't you think that was funny" LOL! Oh well, to each his own.

I laughed so hard during the bit about "donating certain body parts" OMFG! I was totally shocked the first time I watched that, I thought that was so original and couldn't believe someone would think of something like that.

I HAD a near-death experience so that's why this special was "special" to me.

hey ya gotta laugh :)

"everyday above ground is a good one"~SFU

[–] rannixx 16 years ago

The Pyramid of the Hopeless was probably the most darkly absurd, Gallow's bit that I have ever heard. Just amazing--and it elicited silence from the audience, which I loved. Moments where comedians do not pander to their audiences and leave the room with an air of discomfort are the moments I enjoy the most, and that whole bit smacked of it. I love Gregg Turkington for the same reasons.