The loss of George Carlin earlier this year was not only a detriment to the entertainment industry, but also was the loss of, in my opinion, an important critical voice. It was felt by me personally as his commentary about humanity, while clothed in the sharpest witticisms, was also spot-on and very much needed in this age of political connectedness gone wild. The best venue for Carlin has always been HBO and that was never more true than with his fourteenth, and final, special that aired in March of this year. For those that missed it, MPI Home Video has just released George Carlin: It’s Bad For Ya on DVD. The disc contains the entire Emmy-nominated performance along with a couple of great extras.
“Who would have thought that the manufacturing of sticks would be outsourced to China? “
First, the special. As always, Carlin takes on the latest hot topics, fads and movements in society. In his own unique words he dissects overly protective parents, Dr. Phil, Lance Armstrong, the Bible and the trend to be quick to call people un-American for not agreeing with you politically. It’s not just Carlin unloading an angry rant on the audience, though, as he’s really attacking the ignorant and those quick to blindly follow. It is readily apparent that he loves the United States and very much loves being an American, which makes him even more ferocious in pointing out the things that demean the nation. And he’s really funny doing it.
The extras feature two interviews with Carlin. The first is excerpted from the Archive of American Television’s three hour interview with the comedian. Carlin always comes across quieter in interviews as a compared to his stage presence, but no less intelligent and funny. The only negative to this excerpt is it makes you want to see the interview in its entirety. I’m not sure if it’s because the interview is that fantastic or if it’s just a desire to see every last moment of Carlin that is out there. The real treat, however, is the second extra, an appearance on the Jackie Gleason Show from January of 1969. It’s hard to believe that he was in his thirties when he made the appearance, but he is definitely in his prime. The Gleason show appearance makes a fine contrast to the recent HBO special and shows that the affects of time were non-existent when it came to George Carlin.
I highly recommend this DVD to fans not only George Carlin, but also to anyone who likes sharp, witty and relevant humor. Carlin was truly one of a kind and this disc will remind you why.
Thanks to MPI Home Video for providing us a copy of this DVD.