Tag Archives: comic

George Carlin Dies

George Carlin the famously laid-back bearded, ponytailed comedian whose use of foul language made him a hit with fans and a target for critics died of heart failure late today. He was 71. According to Carlin’s publicist, the funnyman who stand-up act was immortalized in his “Seven Words You Can Never Say On TV” routine had a history of heart trouble. Reports say Carlin walked into a California hospital this afternoon complaining of chest pain and died a few hours later. The unapologetically irreverent comedian constantly took aim at people who tried to regulate his routine. When Carlin debuted his … Continue reading →

Richard Pryor: Storyteller Extraordinaire

Richard Franklin Lennox Thomas Pryor III was born on December 1, 1940, in Peoria, Illinois. This African-American comedian, actor and writer told stories that attracted a wide audience, but his acerbic and sometimes trenchant examinations of race and customs in the modern world divided public opinion of his act. His first professional performance came at the age of seven, when he played drums at a local nightclub. He grew up in his grandmother’s brothel, where his mother, Gertrude, worked as a prostitute. His father, Leroy, was a boxer, bartender and World War II veteran. From 1958-1960, Pryor served in the … Continue reading →