“I love words. I thank you for hearing my words.
I want to tell you something about words that I think is important.
They’re my work, they’re my play, they’re my passion.
Words are all we have, really. We have thoughts but thoughts are fluid. Then we assign a word to a thought and we’re stuck with that word for that thought, so be careful with words. I like to think that the same words that hurt can heal, it is a matter of how you pick them.”

George Carlin (1972) Class Clown.

Watch the video here.

George Carlin’s classic comedic skit on The Seven Words You Can Never Say on TV in full (from his 1972 comedy album, Class Clown). Warning lots of swearing - obviously - but it’s a very amusing take on how television regulatory bodies in America decided some words are not okay for adults to hear, even though glamorised portrayals of killing and rape are screened daily, and I might add, despite the fact that the perpetuation of negative stereotypes of minority groups is a-okay. Even though it’s from the 1970s and some of the words considered too offensive for TV audiences have changed, Carlin’s comedic critique has resonance today. I especially like that he covers double entendres - my second favourite literary device.

It’s a shame that Carlin has a joke about how some of these words were banned in order to not offend ‘some ladies’ - as if women demand to be protected from some words more than men.

Still, it’s worth having a listen. Let me know what you think?