George Carlin’s first live, stand-up special for HBO, 1991’s Jammin’ in New York, is a bit of a nostalgic leap back for current fans of the groundbreaking comedian, who were perhaps weaned on his comedy albums. Still, ask the man himself and he says it represents a gigantic leap forward for him in the sophistication and interweaving of his material. Either way, it’s certainly funny.

I was talking recently with Steve Anderson, the director of the forthcoming documentary F*ck, and he related a conversation with Carlin — who is featured in archival footage in Anderson’s film about the famously flexible expletive, but, almost inexplicably, not in any present-day interviews — in which the comedian wished he had been able to expound upon his famous “Seven Words You Can’t Say on Television” bit and articulate similar material while Lenny Bruce was still around and at the top of his game. It was a touching story, one comedian pining to join another at the vanguard, but it also discounted the manner in which Carlin’s intense and loquacious humor has itself informed a whole new generation of stand-up comedians.

Recorded at the Paramount Theater in Madison Square Garden, Jammin’ in New York is quintessential Carlin, a perfect blend of biting social commentary and more gently observed observational pieces. “Rockets and Penises in the Persian Gulf” provides a déjà vu-laden flashback about the first Gulf War, while “Airline Announcements” assays ritualistic corporate niceties and “public voices.” Carlin wraps up the set with “The Planet Is Fine (The People Are Screwed),” in which he theorizes that the Earth will survive the ill we do to it, but humanity may paint itself into a corner of extinction, which may not be such a bad or undeserved thing.

Presented in full screen with a Dolby digital 2.0 stereo track, Jammin’ in New York comes in a regular Amray case and clocks in at just under an hour. Retrospective interview nuggets with Carlin mining — even if briefly — his memories on old shows like these would give these catalogue releases much more collectible value, but there are unfortunately no supplemental bonus inclusions here. Still, fans old and new alike can still delight in one of Carlin’s own favorite sets. B+ (Show) C (Disc)

        

 

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