From the Vault...

07/16/2017
#1577

info
George Carlin
"A Place For My Stuff"


© Atlantic Records

Rating:

track listing
  • Acknowledgements
  • Opening
  • A Place For My Stuff
  • First Announcements
  • Have A Nice Day
  • Rice Krispies
  • Second Announcements
  • Interview With Jesus
  • Join The Book Club
  • Abortion
  • Third Announcements
  • Ice Box Man
  • Fourth Announcements
  • Asshole Jackoff Scumbag
  • Fifth Announcements
  • Fussy Eater (Part 1)
  • Sixth Annoucements
  • Fussy Eater (Part 2)
  • Seventh Announcements

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    George Carlin
    "A Place For My Stuff"



    It's hard to believe that George Carlin passed away, and he's been gone now since 2008. He was (and still is) one of the best, if not THE best comedian there ever was. A close second to him, would be Bill Cosby. Both Carlin and Cosby made you think, as they delivered their stories and dialogues. Cosby would be more "clean," where Carlin was much more adult. (This is of course, before Cosby's sexual harrassment charges he is currently involved in.) Focusing on their comedy, both of them are still considered the best comedians to ever make us laugh.


    My introduction to Carlin's comedy was when I received a "Comedy Pack" of LPs for Christmas, many years ago. Carlin's Occupation: Foole, Monty Python's Live At City Center, Freddie Prinze's Looking Good, Richard Pryor's Who Me? I'm Not Him, Saturday Night Live, Gabriel Kaplan's Holes And Mellow-Rolls, and Robin Wiliams' Reality... What A Concept (All of the albums, except Kaplan's, have all been released on CD.) George Carlin's AM and FM I was also aware of, as it contained his radio DJ skit, "Wonderful WINO" (WINO being the call letters of a radio station.)


    A Place For My Stuff was released in 1981, and, as the previous albums mentioned, it is another great album of Carlin's great comedy. The title track would be a very popular and rememembered skit of his. And, like many of his comedy routines, you can't help but hear his whole story of each, and say, "Yes, I can relate to that." Again, his routines always, always made you think, and how he presented himself in his adult ways or not, you know he was always right about his stories, and how they would all make sense.


    Speaking of radio, A Place For My Stuff sounds like it could easily be a radio program. Not only are there live skits from Carlin, but the "Announcements" throughout the album are that of radio commercials that could be heard on the radio. Well, they are all in "adult form," meaning that there would be no way these commercials could not be heard on the radio, and them getting away with being heard on the radio.


    Take the "Opening" -- Carlin says about how no one really gets laid at Thanksgiving. Why? There are too many coats on the bed. Yes, true! The title track is simply Classic Carlin -- You have a place (your house) where you keep all "your stuff." And how when you travel, you take a "smaller version" with you for "your stuff." And from there, you visit somewhere else, and you need to take an even smaller version of "your stuff." And this keeps going, and as he keeps referring to "your stuff," it all makes sense.


    There are 7 "Announcement" segments, of which they are "commercial advertisements." Here are just a few samples: "How to be a Smuck," a politician running for office, in which anyone breaks the law, he will personally go to their house, and "kick the s*** out of them. "Join The Service, and DIE!"


    "Have A Nice Day" is a another classic, where people say to you, "Have a nice day." Carlins says that wouldn't it be great if you could say back to them, that you're having a crappy day?


    "Rice Krispies" refers to the famous breakfast cereal, and how it makes noises -- the famous "Snap, Crackle and Pop." Carlins says, "Snap, Crackle, Fuck him."


    "Interview With Jesus" in an actual "inteview" as female interviewer, as she interviews "Jesus Christ," portrayed by Carlin. The interview questions are dealt with the history of Jesus Christ, and what is known from the Bible. Great interview, and quite interesting in how Carlin portrays himself as "Jesus."


    "Join The Book Club" is another commercial, in how you join a book club, and the many books you will receive. Such as "600 Ways To Give People The Shaft," "How To Get A Tan With A Flashlight." And many more.. FREE.


    "Abortion" is a very short piece, in which Carlins says how women who are against abortion, are women you would not want to f---" (28 seconds)


    Then there is the most considered the most popular George Carlin skit -- "Ice Box Man." A look in how we interpret the many foods we encounter from the refridgerator. If you have never heard this, it is very highly recommended. It is the most amusing and most truthful skit you will ever hear, and every reference he mentions from the refridgerator, we have all encountered, more times than once. Like, "tell me, who is it, please, that leaves THIS MUCH milk in the gallon?" (meaning a very small amount of milk left in the bottle). Or .. "When you get a piece of bread, do you always reach down inside the bag to get the "good" bread? SIMPLY CLASSIC...


    "Asshole, Jackoff, Scumbag" is a game show, answering the question, based on what we know about a person -- "Is this person an Asshole, Jackoff, or Scumbag?" Again, it's classic.


    "Fussy Eater Part 1" discusses on George was a "fusser eater," when in reality, he was "a big pain the ass"; saying in the most annoying voice, "I don't like that," "I won't like it," "You like it? You eat it." And, what foods that sounds like you don't want to eat, like Squash, Wheat Germ, Horseradish, Egg Plant. "Fussy Eater Part 2" continues with more foods not to eat because of how they look: "Is that how it looks like in the cook book? It doesn't look like THAT..."


    For true George Carlin fans, when they hear the phrase "A Place For My Stuff," they immediately think of his famous comedy skit, and how you define "your stuff." "Ice Box Man" is another classic one they will remember. The rest of A Place For My Stuff is equally classic. For the ultimate "Yeah, that really makes sense" in comedy sketches, collecting all of George Carlin's albums is a must.


    His TV show The George Carlin Show was another great show. It was only on for one season, on FOX, in 1994-1995. From the show's IMDB page: George played a cabdriver, named George O'Grady, who, while not the weirdest man in New York, is "definitely in the top three." When not expounding his theories on government conspiracies and alien visitations to his fares, he hangs out at a social bar with his only-slightly-eccnetric friends. This TV show is not on DVD, yet what is on DVD of him, are his famous comedy performances, preferably his HBO Specials. Most of his HBO specials were released as albums. And speaking of television, he was the first guest on the debut of Saturday Night Live when it first premiered on October 11, 1975. He did not appear on any of the show's sketches, per his request. Carlin has also recorded 4 major audio books, and authored 6 books, of which 4 became audio books.


    Carlin had a history of heart and cardiac problems for three decades - Three heart attacks, and addictions to alcohol and vicodin. In 2008, he admitted himself to a hospital in California, complaining of chest pains. On June 22, 2008, he passed away of heaert failure. His last wishes was to be cremated, and his ashes scattered at various nightclubs he played in New York City, and in Chesterfield, New Hamphsire, where he attended summer camp when he was younger. He was married twice, and had one daughter, Kelly, from his first marriage.


    George Carlin was (and still is) a comedy legend. His albums are worth collecting. In his beginnings, he was a straight, standup comedian with a clean image, and clean vocabulary. He would become more mature in the 1970s, with his hippy image, and adult language. He was straight-in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is, and what he said was truly understandable, no matter how "clean" or "dirty" it was. He is truly missed, and there aren't as many comedians who followed him who could match his comedic wits and incredible true stories. As mentioned, his albums are worth collecting. It's been almost 10 years since his passing, and we still enjoy listening to his comedy now, and in many decades and generations to come.


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    Previous Review: #1576
    Lady Antebellum--Own The Night
    Next Review: #1578
    Passion--Passion: White Flag