George Carlin, American hero, passed away today at Saint John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica, CA. He was 71.

The legendary comedian built a career out of pushing boundaries, challenging the establishment, and questioning social mores. That he was able to survive the Nixon and Bush II presidencies without the CIA putting a bullet in him, or shooting him with their cancer guns (a la Bill Hicks), is amazing in and of itself. But beyond that he was fucking FUNNY. The real sort of funny that we rarely see anymore. The kind of funny that doesn’t require some stupid nostalgic pop-culture reference, annoying catch-phrase or exposed penis to work.

Besides being an American hero, George Carlin was a personal hero to ME. He’s a big part of why my comedic stylings are what they are — so you can either thank him for that, or wish death on him. Oops, too late. Anyway, the below is not only one of my favorite Carlin routines, it’s my fucking manifesto: RAPE CAN BE FUNNY.

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