A review by studiomikarts
When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? by George Carlin

challenging dark funny fast-paced

3.0

George Carlin was my favorite comedian for most of my life, but as the years have gone by, and especially with the rise in extremist politics in America and the start of the pandemic (among a great many other things) it's hard to find the darkest parts of his irreverent comedy funny anymore. There are people today who espouse such views honestly, not sarcastically or in jest. I know people who have heard the most twisted things Carlin said and modeled their lives on them, using them as excuses for appalling behavior and opinions. Seeing this unfold in my lifetime has ruined what used to be nothing more than irreverent comedy, and I came to realize that in reading this book.

Even so, there are still some nuggets of pure comedy, witty language, and striking insight in this book (and in Carlin's material as a whole). I wish someone would make a fan edit of just the best stuff, but I suppose it's all a matter of opinion, so the only one who could do that to my satisfaction would be myself đŸ˜… Here are a few quotes that I loved:
  • I'm not a person who thinks he can have it all, but I certainly feel that with a bit of effort and guile I should be able to have more than my fair share.
  • These anti-war demonstrators are really unimpressive people. They're against war? How groundbreaking; what a courageous stand. Listen, angry asshole, pick something difficult. Like religion. Why don't you get out on the street and start marching around against religion―something that's really harmful to mankind. War is simply nature's way of doing things; of keeping down the count. Religion is the problem. Get rid of religion and you've done the planet a favor. So how about getting out there next weekend and marching around with a sign that says Ho ho ho! Religion must go!? Come on, protesters, show some balls.
  • There are caregivers and there are caretakers, and yet the two words are not opposites. Why is this?
  • I wish the ecology people would save one species that would make a dramatic comeback and then wipe us all out.

There were a lot of gems like the above, but outside the negative issues I mentioned already, there was also a LOT of repetitive content that was so boring I just skimmed over it whenever I realized it was happening again. It was mostly the euphemisms sections, but there were other instances as well, usually long lists of similar words. I think that kind of material works much better delivered in a standup routine. Sometimes, I will grant, the repetition worked in the book's favor, and I'd look forward to certain bits, especially the bullet lists of random thoughts or questions, which always showed Carlin's wit and warmth.

Overall, three stars feels good as my rating. No higher, no lower. But I think this and my other Carlin book will be leaving my personal library after this. The good stuff is really good, but the bad stuff is too much.
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