Napalm and Silly Putty

Starred review from April 9, 2001
Politically incorrect comic and Grammy winner Carlin has shown no signs of burnout during a four-decade career arc—as solo stand-up, TV writer and sitcom actor (That Girl; The George Carlin Show), with 18 hit recordings and 10 solo HBO specials, plus film roles (Dogma; The Prince of Tides). Living in L.A. and Vegas, he continues to take his act to stages across the country. Four years ago, Carlin's huge fan following kept his Brain Droppings
on the New York Times
bestseller list for 40 weeks, so it's no surprise he's back for another round of acrid and oblique observations on modern mores. He covers a wide range of issues from rape and religion to the homeless: "There's no war on homelessness... it's because there's no money in it." And any topic is fair game: abortion, airport security, cars, funerals, language, organ donors, sports, technology, TV and war. On the latter, he says, "Men, insecure about the size of their penises, choose to kill one another." Over 100 scintillating short pieces are interrupted by loony lists and hundreds of clever one-liners. The fragmented format and colloquial style of writing suggest that much of this laugh-out-loud book is drawn directly from Carlin's stage act. Several satires here ("A day in the life of Henry VIII," a nine-page interview with Jesus, an avant-garde play program) indicate a different direction Carlin might consider for future books. (May 1)Forecast:HighBridge's abridged audiocassette and CD might lead some to peruse the book, which splashes in the wake of a massive Carlin retrospective ("From Class Clown to Social Critic") two months ago at the Museum of Television & Radio (N.Y./L.A.). With a 10-city author tour and national publicity, sales could equal those of , Brain Droppings (700,000 copies).

September 3, 2001
It's mildly disappointing to listen to Carlin (Brain Droppings), a comedian revered for his edgy content and shock value, and feel one's heard it all before. Here, listeners will recognize more than just Carlin's signature, rocks-in-his-throat style, as many of the pieces are recycled. That's not to say that classic bits like the distinction among drivers between idiots and maniacs aren't funny, but they lose some of their verve the second (or fifth) time around. This recording, however, will scarcely be a letdown for Carlin's legions of fans; short of watching him perform on stage, listening to his masterful, hilariously-inflected delivery is undoubtedly the best way to experience his work. There's just no substitute for hearing Carlin use an innocent, dopey tone as a setup for delivering his punch line like Boris Karloff at his grouchiest. The words and themes themselves are often just as sinister, and though this recording has entertaining moments, some of Carlin's magic has worn off in the wake of his own influence. Sometimes he sounds like just another comic salvaging otherwise middling material with liberal doses of profanity. Simultaneous release with Hyperion hardcover (Forecasts, Apr. 9).