Summerfest: 1972 and 2006

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

That saying does NOT apply to comedians at Summerfest, nor does it apply to community standards of decency.

Compare George Carlin's performance on July 21, 1972 with Lewis Black's shows on July 3, 2006.

Early in Summerfest's history, George Carlin brought the national spotlight to Milwaukee's festival.

From JS Online, a blast from the past:

"Comedian George Carlin discovered Friday night that the 'seven words' performers are prohibited from uttering on television are also taboo on the Summerfest Amphitheater Stage.

"The comedian, who has made frequent appearances on the Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin television shows, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and profanity immediately upon leaving the stage Friday night. . . .

"(Summerfest Executive Director Henry) Jordan said that Carlin's routine on the Summerfest (stage) was 'definitely in bad taste.

" 'I had no idea he was like that,' Jordan said. 'I have seen him many times on the Johnny Carson show and I had no idea he would use that kind of vulgarity. Summerfest is supposed to be a family show.' "

- Milwaukee Sentinel, - July 22, 1972

Read more about the "seven words" incident here.

View the arrest report, page 1 and page 2.



It's been nearly 34 years since Carlin was arrested for violating obscenity laws on stage at Summerfest.

Things have certainly evolved since then.

Some of the very same language that prompted Carlin's arrest now is applauded at Summerfest and brings in overflow crowds.

On July 3, Lewis Black did two shows that included some of the 1972 arrest-worthy words.

Dave Tianen's review of Black's performance doesn't even mention that his material was laced with profanity. In addition to using some of the other "seven words," Black repeatedly dropped the f-bomb, and I do mean repeatedly.

What does Tianen have to say about it?

Nothing.

An hour before Lewis Black came on for his early show at Potawatomi Casino Stage, the seating area was already packed. By the time his show actually started (20 minutes early because of the fireworks) there were crowds jammed outside the side entrances who couldn't even see the stage.

As Black noted, he's the last comic standing at Summerfest. Fortunately his sputtering brand of comic indignation never seems to go out of favor. But it doesn't hurt, as he point out, that America and its leaders give him a constant flow of fresh material to work from.

I don't know if the earlier show reviewed by Tianen, when there were likely to be some children present, was a little less intense than Black's second show.

However, I do know that the latter performance would have been cut short by police if Black had done it in 1972.

Tianen gives a few "highpoints":

On seeing what he called a 12-foot animatronic Jesus at a Mormon temple: It was great for somebody who doesn't do drugs anymore. It was unbelievable. It was a Chucky Cheese Jesus.

On the Iranian crisis: Iran is building a nuclear missile. Eventually 500 Iranians are gonna throw that missile right at us, so watch out, Beloit.

On deporting illegal immigrants: The only way you're going to catch 11 million immigrants is if everybody stops doing whatever they're doing and we play an extended game of hide and seek.

On the fenced-in game farm where Dick Cheney went quail hunting: There's a fence around it. A fence. They've turned the petting zoo into Auschwitz.

On flavorful language in comedy: Here's the deal. There are no bad words. There are words used by adults to express anger, outrage and frustration so they don't pick up a tire iron and beat somebody to death.

I like Lewis Black.

I think much of his material is really funny.

That said, I find it a little odd that Tianen's review didn't get into Black's excessive use of profanity during his act.

Without question, societal standards of decency have changed dramatically since George Carlin ended his 1972 Summerfest gig with mugshots.

I'm not longing for those days when comedians were arrested for using foul language; but I do think that Black's performance could have been toned down a bit, a little self-censorship perhaps.

Like Carlin, when Black appears on network TV, he can be very entertaining without the profanity. Comedy can succeed without the rough language.

Then again, if you found Black's colorful language offensive, you could simply go to another stage and be entertained by something more to your liking.

In any case, it's interesting to look back and note that Carlin got arrested for the sort of stuff that brings Black rave reviews -- proof of the coarsening of the culture and its acceptance.

The change in standards is truly striking when you think about it; but enough with the analysis.

I love Summerfest.

Where else can you hop from stage to stage and see a variety of performers, such as Flogging Molly, Wilco, and Foreigner, all in the space of one night?

Music, fried eggplant strips, cold beer, the lake, a beaming half moon and sparkling stars -- Beautiful!