We'll Miss George Carlin

I'm devastated. George Carlin is now in for it. After blaming God publicly for deaths through thousands of years, he might have some answering to do. No doubt God will appreciate the pleasure and brilliance with which he practiced his comedic craft as much as we fans do. Our loss, God's gain ("The brash icon who changed comedy: Comics old and new see their roots in his routines," Cover story, News, Tuesday).

I've been a fan for so long that I remember when he portrayed the "hippy-dippy weatherman" on TV comedy shows, wearing three-button suits with slicked back regular haircuts. He sat at a desk and delivered his mythical weather report: "I see the radar tonight is picking up a line of thundershowers. … However, the radar is also picking up a squadron of Russian ICBMs (weapons), so I wouldn't sweat the thundershowers." That was pure Carlin — original, clever, hilarious.

Over the years, we have collected his records, watched him on TV and, for a birthday gift, I took my grammar-school-age son, now comedian Mark DeCarlo, (Taste of America with Mark DeCarlo, Travel Channel) to see Carlin in suburban Chicago. Mark says that the show was instrumental in forming his career goals, even though journalist Mommy dragged him out so he wouldn't hear the "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television." Actually, that bit was Carlin's weakest, but it was one that titillated.

Mark asked me whether I took him to see Carlin because I knew he liked him. No, I took my son to see Carlin for the same reason I took him and his brothers to see the Pierre Auguste Renoir exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago: Genius is genius, and I wanted my sons to see the best in every field of creativity that I could manage. Carlin was the best in his field.

Not long ago, Mark and Carlin were at the same event. Later on, Mark was delighted to present me with the comedian's business card. On the back, he had written: "Angela, today Mark heard all the words. Best wishes, George Carlin." Was I thrilled? You bet I was.

We'll miss George Carlin.

Angela Rocco DeCarlo

Orange, Calif.