Carlin vs. Cosby

There are several reasons I avoid reading the local newspaper. First of all it bothers me how poorly written so many of the articles are. But I also can't stand the commentary and opinions they allow to creep into their pages. Case in point, there's a letter in today's edition that is criticizing the paper for the amount of coverage they gave the death of comedian George Carlin. I'm going to quote at length from the letter:

This reader pauses to take issue with your dedicating nearly three quarters of a page of coverage to the death of George Carlin. He spent his self-admitted drug-addled life as a purveyor of the purest filth in our language. His only personal claim to fame is that a Supreme Court free speech ruling was named after him.

Compare Mr. Carlin's career achievements to those of a man who, born in the same year, 1937, also chose comedy as a career. I speak of none other than Bill Cosby.

The writer then goes on to cite Cosby's books, recordings, charitable causes and television show. He compares these to Carlin's drug and alcohol addiction and reliance on "filth" to shock audiences. Then he actually criticizes the newspaper for what it will PROBABLY do when Cosby dies and suggests it will in no way honor him in the way that it memorialized Carlin. Yeah, this guy is a moron.

I see it a bit differently. Carlin broke ground and made us look at things from a different perspective. He challenged people to question authority and institutions, to break free from letting other people tell us what to think and to get off our butts and do something about what is going on in the world. I really don't consider him a comedian in the true sense of the word. Yes he was entertaining and could make us laugh, but not by telling jokes. He make us examine all that is silly and meaningless in life. He made us think.

And despite what the letter-writer says, having a Supreme Court free speech ruling named after you is no small claim to fame! What is this jerk's legacy going to be. A stupid letter written to the local paper?

Now I certainly don't want to demean Bill Cosby. He too broke a lot of ground and has been an important influence on many of today's performers. He is a humanitarian and has created some outstanding educational products and some very entertaining programs. But mostly he made us buy Jell-o.

Regardless, attacking the newspaper because it gave too much space to the memorial of a public figure is moronic. Criticizing it for what it might do one day in response to the death of his more favored public figure borders on insane.

This is why I avoid the local paper.