The latest documentary on HBO Max entitled George Carlin’s American Dream captures the early life and eventful career of the famed comic. Carlin’s work has been solidified as a legend in stand-up history and continues to resonate with audiences many decades later. His style evolved with the times and his words were not only powerful, but also poetic. George Carlin is, to many fans of comedy, undoubtedly the greatest comedian of all time and this documentary encapsulates plenty of reasons why.

Throughout his career, Carlin pushed the boundaries on stage. What separated him from the mainstream comics of the 60s and 70s was his commitment to deviate from tradition. Comics of this day and age never used words one might consider “filthy” and “offensive.” However, Carlin utilized our understanding of language and began to pick it apart. By dissecting social constructs and the meaning behind language, there became his style which shot him high into stardom. Featured comedians on the documentary like Patton Oswalt, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert all cite George Carlin as an inspiration to their careers.

Carlinism

His bits and routines from as early as the 1970s still translate today in 2022. How is it that George Carlin has maintained such timelessness? Carlin has established his own sort of religion within his own deviation from religion. It is called Carlinism… and we need it more now than ever. Carlinism is the metaphor that represents George’s emphasis on self-expression.

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There is liberation in saying what one thinks and thinking what one says. Carlin was notorious for saying what people truly feel, but will never say. This did not come easy for Carlin, as he was arrested and slandered by the press numerous times for doing and saying things that went against those in political and religious power.

Pushing the Boundaries

Who would have thought that just words could get someone in such trouble? Not to mention the analysis of what makes these certain words so taboo? Just one of Carlin’s seven dirty words got him fired from one of his mainstream jobs in Las Vegas. What even is taboo, according to Carlin? This documentary shows throughout Carlin’s career how he was trying to warn people of how they are being silenced and controlled. The Vietnam War and Watergate were tremendous catalysts for figures like Carlin to use their platform and speak out against government and religious oppression. However, Carlin needed to break way from the mainstream audience in order to achieve this.

Carlin initially performed for a mainstream type of crowd. Whether it be in a variety program or in nightclubs, this crowd was populated by the ones who were at war with the audience Carlin vowed to represent. The kids of America, rebelling against authority, were the group Carlin wanted to be a part of. Once he made the shift to truly represent the rebels and toured colleges, he started to establish his own comedic voice.

Carlin and The American Dream

After his mother and brother fled from his abusive father, Carlin’s inspiration for entertainment sparked. The documentary gives insight to Carlin’s inspirations through Danny Kaye and Lenny Bruce. The two could be seen in Carlin’s energetic, wordy, and sometimes exasperated routines.

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George spent most of his early career struggling to make ends meet. His style of comedy was not familiar to those who held religious and political power. Specifically, jokes made towards the Kennedy family’s extensive hold in politics were not met with laughs. It took a lot for Carlin to break out of the hold the upper class had over him. Once he was free to speak his mind, no one was safe.

Having Authority over Authority

Carlin departed from traditional authority and embraced the idea that we all have control over our own destiny. One small statement from Carlin in the documentary encapsulates who he is as a performer.

“Authority comes from within.”

Carlin also was very familiar being at the opposite end of so-called traditional authority. From being court martialed multiple times in the Air Force to engaging in drug use, he fought suppression. He also advocated against the war in Vietnam and for the controversial “hippie” lifestyle. He grew out his hair and beard to represent the change in his style of performing. He also was an advocate for the civil rights movement and used his platform to give his stance on societal issues. The biggest fight against mainstream suppression was that of seven words and how they affected authority.

The Seven Dirty Words of George Carlin

Ironically, no one spoke about what was actually the 'worst' about the 'worst words' until Carlin gave us the lesson. This lesson wasn’t taught in schools, church, or anywhere else one would get fined or reprimanded for using them, and parents never spoke about them. But why? Carlin indicated that it’s not about the words themselves, it’s about the context and societal preconception. The words are bad because authority told us they were bad. He breaks down each word individually and makes rational arguments that suggest words themselves are not dirty.

There is an enormous power to language and Carlin had a deep understanding about word choice. He spent plenty of time morphing his act to utilize certain words to explain his argument. The argument, most of the time, was a rebellion against the upper class. However, Carlin was just as hilarious as he was intellectual.

The documentary shows that even though he became this powerful social icon, he was also a very funny stand-up comedian who continues to inspire the next generation. His clips continue to go viral, his specials are still readily available, and his social impact will be felt for years to come.