George Dennis Carlin is a Grammy winning Irish-American stand-up comedian, actor, and author, noted especially for his irreverent attitude and his observations on language, psychology and religion along with many other taboo subjects. He is considered by many to be a successor to the late Lenny Bruce. It began in 1970 on a typical September night in Las Vegas, as the early show went on at Howard Hughes' Frontier Hotel. The men and the mink-draped women in the theater appeared equally prosperous and provincial. A sign at the theater entrance read, WELCOME, AWARD-WINNING SALESMEN. The opening act that night was a 32-year-old comedian named George Carlin. Although most had never heard of him, a few members of the audience remembered seeing him on John Davidson's summer replacement TV series - a conventional stand-up performer who did cute voices and jokes about his New York childhood. Vegas regulars knew Carlin better: He'd been an opening act at the Frontier for three years, was a reliable pro who earned $12,500 a week. On that night, when Carlin glared out at the audience with what appeared to be a combination of loathing and resolve, most people either didn't notice or thought he'd forgotten his contact lenses. When he opened with a dissertation on the number of ways to say "shit," the audience fell silent. Carlin's next routine was about Vietnam, and that's when people started walking out. Before he'd finished a piece on American business ethics, half the room was empty and the others remained only to heckle him. At a few tables, angry men were restrained from rushing the stage.
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