Stand-up legend, George Carlin, has passed away. Carlin, who had a history of heart problems, checked into St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica Sunday afternoon after complaining of chest pains and died around 6pm. No more information has been made public.
Carlin was thrust into the national spotlight in 1978 when a legal feud with broadcasters over his "7 Dirty Words" bit reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices decided that the FCC did have the right to censor Carlin over public airwaves. When HBO opened its doors to comics, Carlin served the best of what he was and the nation ate it up.
Aside from being the first host of Saturday Night Live, a comic considered second to none in the industry, Carlin also broke down cultural doors and made the stand-up culture we now have today a possibility. Back when comics were getting booked on The Ed Sullivan Show, Stand-Ups were wearing suits and were typically clean cut. George started wearing faded jeans and t-shirts and grew out a beard - even though it meant being booked less. His tenacity will be unmatched and his legacy unrivaled. You'll be missed George.
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