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)