George Carlin's trail of dirty words lives on in cyberspace

Comedian George Carlin, who died Sunday, was no techie. His medium was the spoken word. He pushed the envelope on free speech over the broadcast airwaves, with a radio variation of his famous comedy routine, "The Seven Words You Can Never Say on TV," making him the subject of a major 1978 Supreme Court decision that led to the Federal Communications Commission's indecency regime.

But Carlin used the Internet to help embrace his historical role in defining the boundaries of good/legal taste on over-the-air TV and radio. His site, georgecarlin.com, features a section (click on the Documents title to find it) devoted to foul language. It includes the banner Los Angeles Times headline trumpeting the 1978 ruling -- "Court Bans '7 Dirty Words' " -- as well as the entire text of the Supreme Court decision and a list he compiled over the years of 2,443 dirty words.

In introducing his running list, Carlin said that they mostly came from people who considered him the repository for all manner of foul language. He wrote:

During the nearly twenty years since the "seven words you can never say on television" first appeared on the Class Clown album, and especially since the time (1982) when the idea was expanded to include impolite expressions of all types, tv-banned or otherwise, hundreds of people have sent me suggestions on words and phrases which they thought ought to be included on the list. Some sent single items, while others submitted long lists they had obviously taken some trouble to compile. I wish now I had kept a record of their names. Not knowing I would one day attempt this project, my practice at the time was to add the submitted entries to my "filth" folder, send the person a few autographed items (albums, pictures, videos, shirts) in appreciation and discard the original letters. I wish I had handled it differently so that I could give them credit here. But, of course, the real credit belongs to the thousands of people over the centuries who invented these phrases in the first place, folk poets, all. To those who sent me their suggestions, you know who you are, and I thank you from the bottom of my farting clapper.

That last phrase is about as tame as the terms get. Although some are similarly straight from junior high school, the list is mostly an R-rated compendium (so kids, please ask your parents before you check it out). But it lives on as a digital part of Carlin's legacy.

-- Jim Puzzanghera

Puzzanghera, a Times staff writer, covers tech and media policy from Washington, D.C.

Photo: Comedian George Carlin performs in Lima, Ohio, in 2003. Credit: David G. Massey / The Lima News via the Associated Press

Comments

[Well]

I won't miss the dirty words...

[Character Counts]

The question we should all individually ask is the question George Carlin asked: Why do we consider some words to be dirty, and what are the implications for free speech? George Carlin was a critical thinker, a special person, who got many of us to think through the use of his humor. George, tou did well and I will miss you.

[Bill Kilpatrick]

George Carlin's legacy is being distorted by the undue focus on those Seven Dirty Words. Yes, Carlin raised our consciousness, and that bit is both a classic and the setup to a great court case.

But Carlin wrote a lot of material, a lot of brilliant, funny, material you could read from a pulpit. Carlin was a countercultural gadfly, a comic conscience pointing his middle finger at the establishment, but he was also a wordsmith. Carlin's linquistic humor, that analyzed the meaning and mentality of words - dirty and otherwise - was groundbreaking. He has already been imitated. He will now be missed.

rest in peice Mr.Carlin , you made me laugh the hardest and and think about the absurdities in everyday life you will be missed.

[just james]

You will be missed Mr.Carlin, some hated you but i for one found you so humorous and will miss your sarcasm and intelligence.
rest in peace long live your comedy

[DayOldDaddy]

We were deeply saddened when we heard that George has died. George would have wanted us to remember him more as a writer than a stand up comedian, SO here's one of Carlin's best routines that amazes more when one considers that it was written over 16 years ago (scroll down to read it). RIP GC

http://www.theweeklydonut.com/index.php/2008/06/22/god-should-have-taken-joan-rivers-instead/

[Eggbert]

Don't worry "WELL" those dirty words are NOT going away!!! And I love the fact that I can pop in Carlin's dvd's and watch him anytime I want! In fact, I'm gonna check out what they have on youtube right now... Carlin rules!

[Anarcissie]

Every society has certain words or phrases which are taboo, either for anyone anytime, or for certain persons under certain circumstances. It would be very odd if that particularly uptight, particularly hypocritical section of modern Western society we call TV didn't have its own list. Mr. Carlin simply exploited the exciting irrationality of it. It's too bad that, as with Lenny Bruce, this is the only thing the folk seem to be able to remember. It's as if they were caught in some pre-adolescent stage of development.

However, if you are hungry for obscure or imaginative epithets, try the Urban Dictionary (http://www.urbandictionary.com) which contains thousands of juicy items from every conceivable level of discourse.

[john]

Carlin was always fascinated with language, not just the taboo words. I think it sad that he's remembered for the 7 Dirty words and the following Supreme Court case. The whole stint was just one of many ways that Carlin expressed his disgust of blind obedience.

He hated authority that forces people to act or believe something just because the white religious military power structure knows what is best for you. Carlin definitely wouldn't have considered the LA times on his side. In his own words.. It's all bulls**t.