You're now strolling along George Carlin Way

by Ken

The great George Carlin (1931-2008), was not just a Manhattan kid, but specifically a Morningside Heights kid, having grown up in the neighborhood -- perched on the first of the series of elevations rising along the Hudson River in the northern part of the island's western flank -- known for Columbia University and a host of other educational as well as cultural and religious institutions. And now a stretch of the very street he grew up on has taken on a new name.



With Morningside Park, behind us, to the east and Riverside Church rising majestically to the west, this stretch of West 121st Street is now officially George Carlin Way. DNAinfo New York's Emily frost reports (links onsite):

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS — Comedians, celebrities, relatives and fans of legendary comedian George Carlin gathered Wednesday to commemorate him with a new street sign at the corner of Morningside Drive and West 121st Street.

Gilbert Gottfried, Judah Friedlander, Robert Klein, Rain Pryor, Rick Overton, and Lizz Winstead were among the celebrity comedians who showed up to honor Carlin. His daughter and only child, Kelly Carlin, officiated the ceremony for "George Carlin Way," with speakers alternating between joke and tears.

It was a moment three years in the making, said comedian Kevin Bartini, who made it his mission to get a secondary street sign with Carlin's name placed on 121st Street, where the outspoken comedian grew up.

At the dedication City Councilman Mark Levine, who represents the area, observed: "You really can't understand the life of George Carlin without understanding Morningside Heights. It was a grittier, hardscrabble neighborhood back then," meaning the 1940s and '50s.

Tricky logistical issues had to be solved, Kevin Bartini explained.

The street is also the home of Corpus Christi School, which Carlin attended and which was often his target, Bartini said. The school opposed putting a sign right outside its doors, on Carlin's block between Broadway and Amsterdam, he said. The school did not respond to a request for comment.

Eventually, a compromise was reached where the sign was moved east between Morningside Drive and Amsterdam Avenue, away from the school, he said.

Kelly Carlin thought the move was fitting and described Bartini's efforts as a "great moment of civic action."

"As we know," Kelly recalled, "my father and the church had a couple of philosophical differences." But, she pointed out as the crowd looked out over Morningside Park, "Dad loved trees." Reflecting on life with her father, she recalled --

eating pancakes for dinner with her father and lauding him for passing on to her a "genuine adoration of fart jokes."

"He was committed to our family, but he was driven by his craft," she said.

And there were lots of reminiscences from assembled colleague-friends-relations:

Carlin's widow, comedian Sally Wade, said her late husband loved being a New Yorker and that this sign was "the best tribute he could have short of a drink named after him."

Nothing was sacred to Carlin, added comedian Colin Quinn.

"It was not just society; George Carlin harangued all of us," he said, adding that Carlin ironically was "a priest to all the damaged Catholic people."

Patrick Carlin, the comedian's older brother, told stories of growing up in the neighborhood and of his family.

George shared his mother's irreverence, Patrick said, describing her as "a girl who gave a box of horse s--t to a girl who didn't invite her to a birthday party."

He too felt the spot overlooking the park was perfect for George's sign, in spite of the struggle to get it placed right in front of their childhood apartment.

"George used to smoke dope right over there," Patrick said, gesturing to the park, noting George would be happy with the spot.

George Carlin's comedy community provided a salute carefully calibrated to their much-loved pal's sensibilities.

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