George Carlin courtesy NBC
Cheers to Saturday Night Live for paying tribute to George Carlin by reairing the show's debut episode, which the comic hosted in 1975. Watching it again reminded me how the SNL host's job has evolved: Carlin blessedly didn't have to dress up in silly costumes for sketches. He simply did four expert stand-up routines. It also made me realize how brave Lorne Michaels was to put Carlin on the air as his opening act — after he'd been arrested for his "Seven Dirty Words You Can't Say on TV." And it gave me a renewed appreciation for Carlin's fearless versatility, joking about topics from the sublime ("Everything God has ever made died... he's batting .000!") to the ridiculous (the timeless football/baseball bit). He may not have believed in an afterlife, but Carlin's comedy will live long after his death.• Share your own raves and rants about other shows on the Reader Cheers & Jeers discussion board.• We may feature your Cheer or Jeer on TVGuide.com or in TV Guide mag...
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George Carlin courtesy NBC
NBC will rebroadcast George Carlin's 1975 Saturday Night Live appearance this weekend (11:30 pm/ET).Carlin — who died earlier this week at the age of 71 — hosted the very first episode. Executive producer Lorne Michaels credits him with giving the show some early momentum. "You never forget the people who were there at the beginning," he said. "George Carlin helped give Saturday Night Live its start as our first host. He was gracious, fearless, and most important of all, funny."The episode also features musical guests Janis Ian and Billy Preston and includes a perfomance by comedian Andy Kaufman. — J.R. WhalenDid you know?: In its earliest days, the show was called NBC's Saturday Night because ABC was already airing Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell. NBC retitled their show once Cosell was cancelled by ABC in January of 1976.
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George Carlin by Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage.com
Following George Carlin's death, HBO announced it will remember the famed comedian with a series of encore presentations of his specials for the network, spanning the breadth of his work. Carlin's most recent special, "George Carlin: It's Bad for Ya," which debuted in March, will air again Friday, June 27 at 9 pm/ET on HBO.Along with "Bad for Ya," HBO2 has stacked Wednesday, June 25 and Thursday, June 26, with back-to-back Carlin specials, starting at 8 pm/ET each night, and running through 1 am/ET. If you're missing the edgy entertainer already, HBO's lineup seems like a bittersweet way to recall his finer, funnier moments. — Anna DimondUse our Online Video Guide to see some of George Carlin and his work. Related:• Comedian George Carlin Is Dead at 71
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Comedian George Carlin, best known for his edgy routines brimming with dirty words, died Sunday of heart failure in Los Angeles at the age of 71. Carlin became a comedic icon in the '70s with his infamous "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Televsion" routine which we think is the best video to serve as a tribute to the potty-mouthed master. And as if it wasn't obvious enough, we'll still say it: Contains Adult Language.
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George Carlin by James Devaney/WireImage.com
Comedian and counter-culture hero George Carlin died Sunday of heart failure in Los Angeles. He was 71. Famed for his anti-establishment stance and routines involving dirty words and drug themes, Carlin had a history of drug abuse and dependency. He was admitted to St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica for chest pains in the afternoon, and died at approximately 6 pm.Carlin achieved icon status for his 1970s routine, "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television." His edgy material and use of some of those "dirty" words on the radio sparked a 1978 FCC lawsuit. The court ruled in the government's favor, charging Carlin with indecency and allowing regulators to ban the use of certain words on the radio when they thought children might be listening. Along with his comedic legacy, Carlin is also survived by his wife Sally Wade and daughter Kelly Carlin McCall. — Anna DimondUse our Online Video Guide to see some of Carlin's routines and appearances.Related• VIDEO: Watch Carlin...
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Sarah Michelle Gellar by Richard Cartwright/FOX
It seems like a more innocent time, when a haircut could rock an entire network. But that's what happened when Felicity star Keri Russell's trademark curly locks were shorn during a summer hiatus in 1999. The early WB fave was never the same after that follicle debacle. Susanne Daniels, who was the creative executive behind many of the network's early successes, and Variety deputy editor Cynthia Littleton have recounted the wild ride of the short-lived six network era in Season Finale: The Unexpected Rise and Fall of the WB and UPN (Harper Books). When reading the story, it's hard to believe two over-the-air broadcast networks were launched only a dozen years before we made a habit out of watching TV on our computers. Both UPN and the WB (which merged to become the CW last year) were born out of their studio-owners' fear that once the government allowed the established networks to produce their own series, they would be shut out of prime time. That never happened. But the youth-orie...
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Penn Jillette in The Aristocrats
Paul Provenza is a seasoned comedy veteran. From stand-up to acting in sitcoms and movies, he's no stranger to the funny bone. So it's not surprising that his directorial debut — a meditation on one unbelievably dirty joke — garnered some serious attention at last year's Sundance Film Festival. The Aristocrats, arriving in stores today on DVD, is a who's who of comedy's finest — from George Carlin to Robin Williams to Jon Stewart to Whoopi Goldberg, and the list goes on and on. Provenza spoke with TVGuide.com about the movie and about one particular telling of The Aristocrats that has gone down in Hollywood lore.
TVGuide.com: This project is the brainchild of you and Penn Jillette
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Question: I'm a Reba watcher and would like to know if Christopher Rich is the same person who played a reporter on Murphy Brown. Thanks.
Answer: That he is, Patricia. The Dallas, Texas, native — who portrays estranged husband Brock to Reba McEntire's Reba Hart on the WB sitcom — played anchorman Miller Redfield on the hit CBS show from 1995 to 1997. Fans will recall that on the series, the newsman's job depended on style rather than substance. You also might remember him as Dr. Neil, a plastic surgeon who hung out at the bar with George Carlin's George O'Grady on Fox's short-lived The George Carlin Show, as Sandy on Another World or from his work in a variety of TV movies.
Or you may have caught him on
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