Goodbye to George Carlin

For the most part I am not much moved by the deaths of celebrities -- John Lennon and Audrey Hepburn are the only two that come to mind off the top of my head.

I'm not depressed by Carlin's death, exactly -- but it struck me harder than I'd expected. He's been a huge figure in my inner life --

Many years ago I was listening to a local radio host, Frank Sontag. Good guy, bright, runs a good call-in show where people talk about Issues, both global and personal. I fell asleep listening to him one night -- and woke up to a call from this woman who was just sobbing on the radio about how we were killing the planet. The despair in her voice ... I was groggy, half-asleep -- hit me hard. She sounded like a woman who'd reached her absolute limits. Under normal circumstances, barriers up, I'd have listened, wished her well, and turned the radio off. No need to carry stuff like that around with you.

But I was sleepy and disoriented and this shit went straight to my hindbrain. For years afterward I'd flash on this poor, scared woman, sobbing over the planet's death ...

And then I heard Carlin talk on the subject. I've felt better ever since. "The planet will be fine."



This doesn't hit the same spot ... but it's a nice way to remember Carlin.