This is George's first HBO Special from 1977 - "On Location with George Carlin"... his earliest concert performance available on video. He is playful from the very start. Even before he has spoken, he tries to get laughs from the mic lead. He doesn't seem completely comfortable, and talks about being nervous - which seem quite genuine. A new phase of his career is starting... after the age of 40! He begins as gently as he can, with observations of shared modern life. The comedy of common experience. Stuff he's done on his albums, which he knows is reliable, and very audience-friendly. He clearly feels the need to get off to a solid start. He tries so hard to be visually funny that his mimes are probably too exaggerated, and to me sometimes distract from the material. Not everything he does works, but the encouraging audience lets him miss a few times as long as keeps trying to come back with another hit.

Unfortunately, some of the observations seem inane to me in 2005. Dogs and cats! I ask you. I suppose it's not his fault that subject has been done to death since then... to such a degree to make that a comedy cliché in itself. In the middle of the show, George takes time out to do his contrived news items - showing his mastery of set-up punchline jokes.

What George Carlin also does that no other comedian has done to such a degree is to analyse language. Not just phrases, but individual words. And things like oxymorons (look it up if you don't know what it means!). The stuff that flies by in our daily lives, that we all accept without thinking about it. There in practiser we have a principle that George talks about when describing how to create comedy - "Anything we ALL know about, nut NEVER talk about... is FUNNY." George ends this show with his stuff on language concerning "the words that can't be used on TV." Here we have another principle in practiser. Leave your most controversial or edgy material till last, because you won't be able to follow it.

The dark comedy subgenre, also known as black comedy, combines humor with elements of tragedy, morbidity, or darker themes. Dark comedies often explore serious or taboo subjects, such as death, crime, dysfunction, and societal issues, while infusing these topics with humor to create an unusual and often thought-provoking contrast. The humor in dark comedies is typically edgy, satirical, and often unsettling, challenging traditional comedic norms.

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Stand-up comedy is a form of comedic performance in which a comedian stands on stage and delivers a series of humorous monologues, anecdotes, jokes, and observational humor to entertain an audience. The comedian typically speaks directly to the audience, often addressing a wide range of topics including everyday life, personal experiences, social issues, and cultural observations.

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The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

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The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

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George Carlin's first ever comedy special, filmed live at the University of Southern California. Here, he talks about monopoly, flying on planes, random thoughts, walking, and other things.

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George Carlin at USC

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