May 12th: On This Day in 1937 ~ George Carlin

May 12, 1937: American comedian, George Carlin was born in New York City on this day. George was the son of Mary Beary, a secretary, and Patrick Carlin, a national advertising manager for the New York Sun.

Carlin was also an actor and author, and he won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums.  George was known for his satire and his thoughts on politics, the English language, religion, and psychology.  His "Seven Dirty Words" routine was central to the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation, in which a 5-4 decision by the justices affirmed the government's power to regulate indecent material on the public airwaves.  Sadly, Carlin passed away on June 22, 2008.