Ps - Comedians

“Your Table Is Ready”

“Death is nature’s way of saying ‘Your Table is Ready’”

Robin McLaurin Williams
Born July 21, 1951 – Died August 11, 2014
American stand-up comedian and actor

“Your Table Is Ready” – Awards

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Williams won the 1997 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as teacher Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting. He also received two Emmy Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and five Grammy Awards throughout his career.

On August 11, 2014, Williams committed suicide by hanging at his home in Paradise Cay, California.

His wife attributed his suicide to his struggle with Lewy body dementia.

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I wanna live.

I don’t want to die.

That’s the whole meaning of life: … Not dying!

I figured that shit out by myself in the third grade.

“Not Dying!” – George Carlin – Bio

George Denis Patrick Carlin
May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008
American stand-up comedian, actor, author, and social critic.

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The very existence of flame-throwers proves that sometime, somewhere, someone said to themselves, “You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I’m just not close enough to get the job done.

“Flamethrowers” – George Carlin

George Denis Patrick Carlin
Born May 12, 1937 – Died June 22, 2008
American Comedian, Social Critic, Actor, Author

“Flamethrowers” – George Carlin – Note

The seven dirty words (or “Filthy Words”) are seven English-language words that American comedian George Carlin first listed in 1972 in his monologue “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television.”

Carlin was noted for his black comedy and thoughts on politics, the English language, psychology, religion, and various taboo subjects. He and his “seven dirty words” comedy routine were central to the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation, in which a 5–4 decision affirmed the government’s power to regulate indecent material on the public airwaves.

At the time, the words were considered highly inappropriate and unsuitable for broadcast on the public airwaves in the United States, whether radio or television. As such, they were avoided in scripted material, and bleep-censored in the rare cases in which they were used; broadcast standards differ in different parts of the world, then and now, although most of the words on Carlin’s original list remain taboo on American broadcast television as of 2011.

The list was not an official enumeration of forbidden words, but rather was compiled by Carlin.

Nonetheless, a radio broadcast featuring these words led to a Supreme Court decision that helped establish the extent to which the federal government could regulate speech on broadcast television and radio in the United States.

“Flamethrowers” – George Carlin – “FCC v. Pacifica Foundation“

In 1973, a father complained to the FCC that his son had heard the George Carlin routine “Filthy Words”broadcast one afternoon over WBAI, a Pacifica Foundation FM radio station in New York City. Pacifica received censure from the FCC, in the form of a letter of reprimand, for allegedly violating FCC regulations which prohibited broadcasting indecent material.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the FCC action in 1978, by a vote of 5 to 4, ruling that the routine was “indecent but not obscene”. The Court accepted as compelling the government’s interests in:

Shielding children from potentially offensive material, and
Ensuring that unwanted speech does not enter one’s home.

The Court stated that the FCC had the authority to prohibit such broadcasts during hours when children were likely to be among the audience, and gave the FCC broad leeway to determine what constituted indecency in different contexts.

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“Good Riddance” – Graham A. Chapman – Bio

Graham Arthur Chapman
Born January 8, 1941 – Died October 4, 1989
English Comedian/Writer/Actor/One Of The 6 Members Of Monty Python

Chapman was openly homosexual and a strong supporter of gay rights, and was in a relationship with David Sherlock for most of his adult life.

“Good Riddance” – Background

Although Chapman graduated from Emmanuel College, Cambridge and St Bartholomew’s Medical College, he turned down a career as a doctor to be a comedian. Chapman established a writing partnership with John Cleese, which reached its critical peak with Monty Python during the 1970s.

Later, during his college tour, Chapman mentioned that a television audience member had written to the Pythons to complain about having a gay group member, adding that the Bible said any man who lies with a man should be taken out and stoned. With other Pythons already aware of his sexual orientation, Eric Idle jokingly replied that they had found the perpetrator and killed him.

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Chapman took up pipe smoking aged 15, which continued for the remainder of his life. He began drinking heavily during his time at Cambridge and St Bartholomew’s, favouring gin.

By the time Monty Python went on tour in 1973, Chapman’s drinking had begun to affect his performance, missing cues to go on stage. Chapman stopped drinking in Christmas 1977, concerned at being able to act in Life of Brian successfully, and remained sober for the rest of his life.

Chapman died of tonsil and spinal cancer on 4 October 1989, on the eve of Monty Python’s 20th anniversary, and his life and legacy were commemorated at a private memorial service at St Bartholomew’s with the other Pythons.

“Good Riddance” – John Cleese

Chapman was openly homosexual and a strong supporter of gay rights, and was in a relationship with David Sherlock for most of his adult life.

With other Pythons already aware of his sexual orientation, Eric Idle jokingly replied that they had found the perpetrator and killed him.

Chapman took up pipe smoking aged 15, which continued for the remainder of his life.

He began drinking heavily during his time at Cambridge and St Bartholomew’s, favouring gin.

By the time Monty Python went on tour in 1973, Chapman’s drinking had begun to affect his performance, missing cues to go on stage.

Chapman stopped drinking in Christmas 1977, concerned at being able to act in Life of Brian successfully, and remained sober for the rest of his life.

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On Indifference – Bio

Robin McLaurin Williams
July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014
American actor and comedian.

On Indifference – Robin Williams – Tributes

Robin Williams’ death was instant global news. The entertainment world, friends, and fans responded to his death through social and other media outlets.

His wife, Susan Schneider, said: “I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken.”

His daughter Zelda Williams responded to his death by stating that the “world is forever a little darker, less colorful and less full of laughter in his absence”.

U.S. President Barack Obama said of Williams: “He was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien – but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.”

On Indifference – Robin Williams – “Patch Adams”

What’s wrong with death sir?

What are we so mortally afraid of?

Why can’t we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and dignity and decency and, god forbid, maybe even humour.

Death is not the enemy gentlemen.

If we’re going to fight a disease, let’s fight one of the most terrible diseases of all.

Indifference.

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“Your Table Is Ready”

“Your Table Is Ready” – Awards