Comedian George Carlin dies

[waltky]

Like Lenny Bruce and Richard Pryor, he pushed the edge of the comedy envelope...

23 June `08 : Anti-Establishment comedian gained fame with his "Filthy Words" routine. He was 71.

Carlin, who had a history of heart problems, died at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica about 6 p.m. PT after being admitted earlier in the afternoon for chest pains, spokesman Jeff Abraham told Reuters.

Known for his edgy, provocative material, Carlin achieved status as an anti-Establishment icon in the 1970s with stand-up bits full of drug references and a routine about seven dirty words you could not say on television. A regulatory battle over a radio broadcast of his "Filthy Words" routine ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

Comedian George Carlin dies at 71 - Celebrities - MSNBC.com