Just over sixty years ago the Reverend W. V. Awdry told his sick son a series of stories based on real life incidents with trains, which he later wrote up as the Railway Series. Now Thomas the Tank Engine and the other engines of the Isle of Sodor (somewhere between Barrow-in-Furness and the Isle of Man) are a global phenomena, with toys, books and of course the TV series - filmed using model trains on more than 70 1:32 scale 16-by-20-foot sets, and voiced by the likes of Ringo Starr and Alec Baldwin. 2008 has been a rough year for Thomas: George Carlin, who voiced the series in the US up until 1998, passed away (previously), as did David Mitton, who had written and directed over 180 episodes (and who has previously worked on the special effects for Thunderbirds). There's changes ahead for Thomas as well - this year saw the faces of the engines, which had previously been cast in silicone and attached with double sided tape, replaced by CGI faces, and from 2009 onwards Nitrogen studios in Canada will be taking over production with an entirely CGI Thomas. Meanwhile a group of British students continues the tradition of model engine-based storytelling with their YouTube based British Railway Series.
posted by Artw on Dec 21, 2008 - 74 comments

George Carlins early career is often overlooked, though every veteran comedian worth his salt will tell you that it takes years, sometimes a decade or longer, until you have amassed enough stage time to fully develop your character, act, and jokes. [more inside]
posted by mediocre on Aug 17, 2008 - 26 comments

George Carlin Dead at 71 Not sure if I really want to make a joke out of this one, but why not post your favorite quotes and routines of his.
posted by Del Far on Jun 22, 2008 - 414 comments

Thirty years of George Carlin specials. (Yep, NSFW. Duh.) [more inside]
posted by miss lynnster on Nov 12, 2007 - 49 comments

"I find it kind of funny to be hassled for using [them] when my intention is to free us from hassling people for using them." Thirty five years later, George Carlin's seven dirty words still aren't forgotten by his arresting officer. "I couldn't believe my ears," Elmer Lenz remembers. "I couldn't see why nobody was doing anything about it."
posted by miss lynnster on Jul 5, 2007 - 37 comments

Why is Red Peters not famous like George Carlin, for example? When you hear his famous songs "Ballad of a Dog Named Stains" or "Blow Me (You Hardly Even Know Me)", you know he’s an unrecognized genius. More on "I Laughed, I Cried, I Fudged My Undies”. Short Amazon introductory clips here
posted by growabrain on Jan 17, 2005 - 15 comments

The (new) 7 (8, really) words you can't say on television. Carlin must be proud.
posted by MrMoonPie on Dec 19, 2003 - 55 comments

Remember George Carlin's 7 words you can never say on tv? Well, make that three, because four of TV's seven dirty words have now become part of the television lexicon. What's your favorite word?
posted by Rastafari on Aug 28, 2001 - 52 comments