In a two-part HBO documentary George Carlin’s American DreamDirectors Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfilio highlight the remarkable career of the bombastic iconoclast, whose material often challenged the establishment and inspired the generations of comedians that came after him. Carlin’s comic career has been unlike any other, from his early days to his later years as a dispassionate observer of contemporary culture. The directors spoke THR His family’s seal of approval, the treasure trove of archives they keep, and why Carlin remains such a powerful voice 14 years after his death.
When did you meet George Carlin and what did you think of his material?
Judd Apatow I started listening when I was 9 or 10 years old. As a kid, he was amazing because he questioned authority. And as Carlin said, it’s the one thing parents don’t teach their kids to question authority because they are Authority.
miguel bonfiglio As a teenager, this was the most important thing: it said everything you were already feeling and reading. It was very exciting to have an adult say these things and express them in a way that my brain could absorb.
How did this film project start?
apatov I got a call from HBO asking if I was interested in doing something with Carlin. I was nervous because I didn’t know him personally. [His daughter] Kelly also told us that we had to do something really bold and innovative so her dad didn’t like the boring, repetitive approach. That scared me too. Little by little we realized that this was a very personal story about her family and the challenges they faced. He touched on many eras of his career, his attitude, the ups and downs of his journey as a comedian. We always knew we could talk about his policies and how they apply today; always seemed necessary.
Bonfiglio It was clear from the start that a great documentary about George Carlin had to be made. He’s had an amazing career, a personal life that no one really knew about, and this huge archive spanning over half a century.
Was your family willing to participate and offer your archive as a resource?
apatov This was only possible because Kelly wanted him to be completely honest. He never told us to protect him. And there were difficult aspects to his life. He had a very serious addiction to cocaine. He hasn’t acted the way you would want a parent to act for a long time. He told his wife not to work because he wanted her to take care of Kelly. It was all part of his journey as a man to mature and become a better person. It’s not worth doing this kind of documentary if you can’t make it to the end. And they kept everything: there were tapes of him with cocaine, in the middle of a six-day riot. There were letters apologizing for drug problems. He brought this personal journey to life because he was someone who didn’t talk about it in his act.
In the film, Chris Rock argues that comedians are the philosophers of our time. Jerry Seinfeld, on the other hand, says the joke never changed his mind. How do you see Carlin in that sense? Was he a public intellectual with power over his audience, or just an artist?
apatov In one of the notes, he wrote, “I just want the audience to know what I was thinking.” He definitely tried to shake the pot and tackle people’s problems from many angles. I don’t think he thought he was changing everyone’s minds. That was definitely not his intention. Unfortunately, comedy doesn’t change people’s minds, I wish it did. I think when you’re young like I was [when] I met a mind like yours that helps form values and a way of learning about the world.
Bonfiglio There’s a place for comedy that makes people think differently, or think higher and higher. But comedy is not just philosophy, it must be funny. And sometimes you have to sacrifice logic to come up with a ridiculous premise. Forcing comedians to be anything but funny might be asking too much.
Courtesy of George Carlin Estate/HBO
You will be introduced to talking heads from different generations talking about Carlin’s impact and influence. Did you think someone like Sam Jay had a different perspective than a veteran like Seinfeld?
Bonfiglio This diversity of people has always been important to us. Carlin has influenced many generations of people and a variety of comic styles. It was especially interesting to meet someone like Hasan Minhaj or Sam J who found a different version of himself than Seinfeld and Steven Wright. [did]. It was a fascinating phenomenon that I don’t think many other comics really match. It had many different phases and each phase affected different people in different ways.
The film resists the easy temptation to imagine what Carlin would have to say about our present times. How did you avoid this?
Bonfiglio It’s no use speculating. The world has changed a lot since George’s death, but it’s also the same. You’ve already posted what you’ve been thinking about a lot. [topics].
apatov He talked a lot about the financial interests that control the media and government. He was very concerned about the influence of religion on politics. He was definitely in favor of gun control. Much of what is happening in the country now is a logical consequence of the big issues that preoccupied him. I don’t think something like January 6th would have surprised him because he felt the country was getting out of hand.
The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
This story first appeared in the July 27 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. Click here to subscribe.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
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