I laughed too. I couldn't help laugh along with the TV audience. It was hilarious.

George Carlin came out on stage, after his introduction, and stood facing the audience.

He said nothing. Not a single word. Not even a peep. He just stood there, poker faced, looking like George Carlin.

After a while, a small titter was heard in the studio audience. He still maintained his complete mute state.

The titter grew a bit, and spread through the audience, and metamorphised into genuine laughter.

George remained reticent.

Time passed, and the small laughter grew into hardy guffaws and continued until it was at a state of full unbridled laughter throughout the entire audience.

This went on for a few minutes, and after a while, eventually abated. George then said "Thankyou very much" and made his graceful exit.

It is an amazing phenomenon to consider.

What do you think? Is there some underlying principle at work here that George understood and took advantage of?

I would call him a genius, but perhaps we could all accomplish the same effect if we understand the principal and have the b***s to give it a try.

But then again, that would be copying someone elses material, wouldn't it???!!
Hmmmmmm. Just something to think about, I guess.

Thought you'd enjoy this from George Carlin:

COWS
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington and they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give them all a cow.

CONSTITUTION
They keep talking about drafting a Constitution for Iraq. Why don't we just give them ours? It was written by a lot of really smart guys, it's worked for over 200 years and we're not using it anymore.

TEN COMMANDMENTS
The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a Courthouse? You cannot post "Thou Shalt Not Steal," "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" and "Thou Shall Not Lie" in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians! It creates a hostile work environment!

And Last but not least.....
George Carlin said it best about Martha Stewart ..
"Boy, I feel a lot safer now that she's behind bars. O.J. Simpson and Kobe Bryant are still walking around; Osama Bin Laden too, but they take the one woman in America willing to cook, clean, and work in the yard, and haul her off to jail."

I think with Carlin, he has the ability to pull something like that off because of the level of expectation that surrounds him due to his reputation as a comedian - his 'stage presence' if you will. Cosby did a similar thing once. He walked onto the stage from the left wing, and slowly walked the length of the stage and right off stage on the right side. The audience just roared. We know they're funny because we've seen/heard them before, and so we're expecting something hilarious from them all along. Once they enter, there is tension because we're waiting for that funny thing to happen, and people like Carlin and Cosby can get us to laugh just be being there. I don't think most comedians could pull that off, only the ones that are way on top of the game and who have been there for awhile.

I think you may have something there!

The funniest thing George Carlin ever said was. "CENSORED!!!!" sorry, I guess I couldn't put that one up in here.

His books contain about a million short, one-line observations. I've found that entire plots could be built around every one of them.

George Carlin speaks the truth, even when he is silent. A pair of docks.

Well, ***. Carlin generally **** his **** mouth off and **** flies! But, ***** if he isn't one ********* funny **********.

The silent treatment reminds me of Andy Kaufmann's Mighty Mouse thing on SNL.

The man does indeed have a probing mind...

There was a song called the Sound of Silence that did basically the same thing.

Made us laugh, you mean?

Hello:

George Carlin has a chapter in one of his books about the word "ironic" and how it is misused so often. Now that I understand the meaning of the word, he's right. People on TV love that word, but don't understand what it means about 99 percent of the time (our local newscasters in Phoenix are the worst). I've only seen one person use it correctly since reading that chapter.

Ron

I'm told I look like George Calin. I think I do as well. And I'm a funny guy, from NY, and love George's humor.
I had written him on two occassions (ten years apart) with a photo of myself, asking him if he could use me in an act or skit or......a comedy bit.
He has not contacted me.
My photo is at http://www.pokerchipsvideo.com.

Citytom,
I looked at your avatar and do not tink that you look like Mr. Carlin.
It may sound strange, but you look like the shadow of a rabbit in a hat.
Peace,
Parson

P.S. I looked at your picture at pocker chip place. Don't you really think that you look like Tom Selleck?

Its not a strategy. They're just laughing because hes a funny guy and they can't help it.

Jack Benny tried the same experiment with his audience long before George Carlin. He said nothing for a full eight minutes and had the people rolling in the aisles. But Jack Benny was fully established, like George Carlin and the audience had certain expectations. I'm sure if I tried it, the audience would get up and leave.

I see the resemblance. I think it would be more pronounced if you lost the whiskers, but yes, there is a resemblance for sure.

true. It pays to be well known. There are a lot of things going behind the scenes psychologically that aren't apparent at first glance.

George Carlin is the funniest man alive.
He is part of the comedy trinity:
Lenny Bruce
Richard Prior
George Carlin

George is more than funny, he is a philosopher.
Can't wait to see his new show on November 5th.

See the resemblance. I think it would be more pronounced if you lost the whiskers, but yes, there is a resemblance for sure.


Lose the whiskers? George has a beard! Anyway, I guess he doesn't think I look like him. But I've been to one of his concerts and sat front row center. Before the show a person came up to me and asked me for my autograph. Another couple thought I was George and that sitting in the front row was some sort of comedy skit. However, my wife doesn't see a resemblance. She sees Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac.

Citytom
http://www.pokerchipsvideo.com

"See my beard..ain't it wierd? Don't be sceered, it's just a beard." "That word sounds dirty. BEARD! Lennon had a beard! Gabby Hays had "whiskers!" "Same beard I always had. I just used to wear it on the inside, now I'm wearing it on the outside" (Carlin) Sorry, I don't remember the name of the Album, although it may have been "Toledo Window Box"