#comedy cellar

Pics from the Comedy Cellar and Greenpoint Comedy Club.

1991.

I have, since about 7th grade, always been intrigued by the comedian George Carlin. It was George Carlin who first helped me realize that I wanted to be a comedian. However, the funniest aspect of how I first became aware of George Carlin is that the first time I heard of him was my step-father hearing that George Carlin died. My step-father was quite upset that George Carlin died. I was only in about 3rd grade when George Carlin died but I used to sneak out of my bedroom at night when my parents were asleep and watch his DVD specials in our living room. This was the catalyst of my deep love and scholarly study of comedy. I began researching all I could about who exactly George Carlin was and what he did in his life. It turned out that George Carlin had been a comedian for so many years and for so long that he and another legendary comedian, Lenny Bruce, once got arrested together. Lenny Bruce was an even older comedian who opened the way for comedians to use vulgarity and speak negatively about social norms with no consequences and was George Carlin’s hero, so George was ecstatic to have a chance encounter in the back of a paddy wagon.

People’s Inspirations are incredibly obvious when viewed carefully. I’ve always been inspired by how George Carlin would not really tell jokes but tell his opinions and ideas about the world and make it funny. It always seemed like George Carlin never held back or altered his jokes for anyone. This is because he was inspired by Lenny Bruce which is why Bruce was arrested that day. He was arrested for local obscenity laws. Carlin later challenged the system as well and paid the price after performing his easily most popular Joke, 7 Words You Can’t Say on TV. Carlin was arrested directly after performing this set because of the same obscenity laws as Lenny Bruce. WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised.

I was always inspired by George Carlin’s devotion to his craft  I strive to make my jokes as intellectual and thought provoking as George Carlin’s comedy. However, I’m not the only person George has inspired. Countless scores of comedians have been inspired by George Carlin. After Carlin’s death, Louis C.K. gave a speech at a George Carlin memorial. Louis said that at a point in which he was struggling, he listened to an old Carlin interview. Carlin said that instead of taking the easy way when it came to comedy which is using the same jokes, he would write new material every year and choosing the harder choice payed off. This inspired Louis C.K. as well as many others including myself. George Carlin will always be the king in my book.