George Carlin died.

[Dillinger]

Ladies and gents, tonight we lost a good 'un. LOS ANGELES - Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture hero famed for his routines about drugs and dirty words, died of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital on Sunday, a spokesman said. He was 71. Carlin, who had a history of heart and drug-dependency problems, died at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica about 6 p.m. PDT after being admitted earlier in the afternoon for chest pains, spokesman Jeff Abraham told Reuters. Known for his edgy, provocative material, Carlin achieved status as an anti-Establishment icon in the 1970s with stand-up bits full of drug references and a routine called “Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television.” A regulatory battle over a radio broadcast of the routine ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court. In the 1978 case, Federal Communications Commission vs. Pacifica Foundation, the top U.S. court ruled that the words cited in Carlin’s routine were indecent, and that the government’s broadcast regulator could ban them from being aired at times when children might be listening. Carlin’s comedic sensibility often came back to a central theme: humanity is doomed. “I don’t have any beliefs or allegiances. I don’t believe in this country, I don’t believe in religion, or a god, and I don’t believe in all these man-made institutional ideas,” he told Reuters in a 2001 interview. Carlin, who wrote several books and performed in many television comedy specials, is survived by his wife Sally Wade, and daughter Kelly Carlin McCall.

[DeadJonas190]

Wow, I was not expecting that. I will miss him, he was one of the great comedians. R.I.P. Mr. Carlin.

[DjfunkmasterG]

I don't know which death this year hit me harder... Heath or George. I miss them both for different reasons, but I grew up on Carlin's material, and always found the man funny. RIP George, my the angels of comedy shine upon you.

[Mike70]

crappy news indeed. george was a comedy legend in every sense of the word.

[bassman]

We've lost a legend....

[Purge]

Aside from his views on religion, he made great points and brought me many laughs. R.I.P.

[AcesandEights]

Man, horrible, horrible news. I can't think of anyone, aside from Bill Hicks, who was considered a comedian but said things that the whole world probably needed to listen and pay heed to.

[slickwilly13]

Bad news, indeed. What a way to start my morning. This ****ing blows. I wanted to see another HBO special.

[Kaos]

Man, horrible, horrible news. I can't think of anyone, aside from Bill Hicks, who was considered a comedian but said things that the whole world probably needed to listen and pay heed to. Amen to that. What a voice to be silenced...

[Usumgal]

Why is it always the great ones that go. Hell, it was bad enough when we lost Mitch Hedberg, belushi ( why not his brother?!?) and Farley. Radner too. He'll be missed. Ya gotta wonder if he's face to face with God right now Carlin: Um... yeah... about the whole- God: I am your Biggest fan! That bit about the commandments! SO true. I had to explain it to moses, though.

[MaximusIncredulous]

There are very few "celebs" that create void for me when they leave. I can count 'em on one hand but another finger has been added for Carlin

[MikePizzoff]

RIP George

[DeadJonas190]

Carlin: Um... yeah... about the whole- God: I am your Biggest fan! That bit about the commandments! SO true. I had to explain it to moses, though. That is funny

[ProfessorChaos]

i always watch ol' george (carlin, not romero) whenever they air one of his specials on tv. one of my professors from school had a george carlin quote for almost any occassion. here's to one of the greatest comedic talents of the 20th century.

[DjfunkmasterG]

George on Zombies: "Angels, ****. What about goblins? Doesn't anybody believe in goblins? We never hear from them, except on halloween, and it's always negative **** too, you know. And zombies! Where the **** are all the zombies? That's the trouble with zombies, they're unreliable. I think if you're going to buy the angels ****, you might go for the zombie package as well."