Twain Prize to Carlin

The comic who gave us the seven dirty words you can’t say over public airwaves has a few new words to add to his resume - Mark Twain Prize.

George Carlin, the irascible stand-up who, along with Richard Pryor, redefined the medium in the 1970s, has been named recipient of the Kennedy Center’s 11th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

The legendary comic will receive the award Nov. 10 at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. The ceremony will be shown on PBS stations in February 2009.

“In his lengthy career as a comedian, writer and actor, George Carlin has not only made us laugh, but he makes us think,” said Kennedy Center Chairman Stephen A. Schwarzman in a statement Tuesday. “His influence on the next generation of comics has been far-reaching.”

“Thank you, Mr. Twain,” Mr. Carlin said upon being named to receive the award. “Have your people call my people.”

The New York native’s stand-up, a prickly blend of observational humor, linguistic calisthenics and spiritual and political rants, has endeared him to comedy fans for decades. He could riff on an innocuous topic like the contrasts between baseball and football one minute, then rail against a societal evil the next. His act has grown increasingly misanthropic in recent years, but he remains an entertainer at heart.

The Grammy-winning comedian started his career in radio while serving in the Air Force. He segued from radio to the stand-up stage a few years later, first as half of a comic duo, then by himself. He later cut some albums, appeared on “The Tonight Show” as both guest and guest host and co-starred in the occasional feature (1967’s “With Six You Get Eggroll”).

His 1972 album “FM & AM” was the first of four discs to go gold, and his fame rose commensurately. Cable, a format that left Mr. Carlin uncensored, helped widen his fan base. His 1977 HBO special, “On Location: George Carlin at USC,” became the first in a string of specials that cemented his place in the forefront of comedy.

He also served as the first guest host on “Saturday Night Live.”

Mr. Carlin’s screen career never equaled his stand-up genius, but it had its commercial moments. His supporting role in two “Bill & Ted” features introduced him to a younger audience, and he earned film-geek cred by appearing in director Kevin Smith’s 1999 feature “Dogma.”

An attempt at sitcom success was short-lived, as his 1994 Fox series “The George Carlin Show” never caught the public’s attention.

He enjoyed far greater fame with a series of humor books culling the best from his stand-up monologues. His latest book, “When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?” brought his book-sales total to more than 2 million.

Mr. Carlin still performs 90 stand-up concerts a year, and his latest HBO special, “It’s Bad for Ya,” aired in March.

Tickets for the Mark Twain Prize ceremony go on sale Aug. 11.

Previous Mark Twain Prize winners include Richard Pryor (1998), Jonathan Winters (1999), Carl Reiner (2000), Whoopi Goldberg (2001), Bob Newhart (2002), Lily Tomlin (2003), Lorne Michaels (2004), Steve Martin (2005), Neil Simon (2006) and Billy Crystal (2007).