A Primer for Joe

That one’s from Carlin’s second HBO special, which I happened to be watching last night.

His first special, a year earlier, included an introduction from Shana Alexander — the original Ignorant Slut — cautioning viewers that Carlin could be salty. Followed by a brief interview with Carlin himself, explaining that he was quite capable of working clean on Carson.

Even HBO had to dip its toes before eventually diving into the cocksucking Deadwood.

I was at the 1972 show where he was arrested doing this routine. It was “Summerfest” in Milwaukee on the shores of Lake Michigan. Drove up from Chicago with some college buddies. A warm night, big outdoor stage, many acts, and many beer gardens on the grounds. We were not there to hear Carlin. We were there for the music and the beer and the women wearing t-tops and hiphuggers. Not necessarily in that order.

I had no idea who George Carlin was, and had never heard him perform. He was sandwiched as filler between a couple of musical acts. I cannot remember the name of a single band or musical number that was performed that night. But I remember almost every word of that routine. It was the funniest fucking thing I had ever heard. I couldn’t breathe from laughing so hard. Of course, I may have been in an altered state where pretty much anything was funny. That might also explain why I cannot remember the bands.

When they cut off his microphone, he just continued mugging, clowning and pantomime on the stage for the audience. He was arrested after he left the stage. I did not know he had been arrested until I read it in the papers the next day.

I recall that we found it endlessly amusing to keep repeating the “seven words” to each other for the rest of the night and during the drive back to Chicago. We were easily entertained.