Editing George Carlin (section)

=== 1989–1997: TV series and more films ===
In 1989, he gained popularity with a new generation of teens when he was cast as Rufus, the time-traveling mentor of the title characters in ''[[Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure]].'' He reprised the role in the sequel, ''[[Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey]]'' (1991), and in the first season of the [[Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures (1990 TV series)|cartoon series]]. In 1991, Carlin had a major supporting role in the film ''[[The Prince of Tides]]'', which starred [[Nick Nolte]] and [[Barbra Streisand]], as the gay neighbor of the main character's suicidal sister.<ref name="Grimes1992">{{cite web|last1=Grimes|first1=William|author-link=William Grimes (journalist)|title=George Carlin, Small but Amusing|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/21/news/george-carlin-small-but-amusing.html|website=New York Times|access-date=September 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150526055649/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/21/news/george-carlin-small-but-amusing.html|archive-date=May 26, 2015 |date=January 21, 1992}}</ref>

In 1991, Carlin became the second American narrator of the children's television series ''[[Thomas & Friends]]'', narrating the series' [[Thomas & Friends series 1|first]] [[Thomas & Friends series 4|four]] seasons.<ref name=LAT/> He played Mr. Conductor on the [[PBS]] show ''[[Shining Time Station]]'' until 1996, replacing [[Ringo Starr]] on both programs.<ref name=LAT/> According to [[Britt Allcroft]], who developed both shows, on the first day of the assignment, Carlin was nervous about recording his narration without an audience, so the producers put a stuffed teddy bear in the booth.<ref name=LAT>{{cite news|last=Allcroft |first=Britt |url=https://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-oew-allcroft26-2008jun26,0,3849505.story |title=The George Carlin I knew |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 26, 2008 |access-date=May 5, 2012}}</ref>

Carlin's [[Jammin' In New York]], a new HBO special in 1992, highlighted the directional change he'd been honing the last few years as he wore all black with longer hair and a new biting humor. Critics applauded the show and he continued down this path of more serious subjects and nihilistic tone for the remainder of his life. Carlin opined that this show was his favorite.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/22409|title=Jammin' In New York|access-date=January 12, 2025}}</ref>

In 1993, Carlin began a weekly [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] sitcom, ''[[The George Carlin Show]]'', playing New York City [[taxicab]] driver George O'Grady. <!--He quickly included a variation of the "seven words" in the plot.--> The show, created and written by ''[[The Simpsons]]'' co-creator [[Sam Simon]], ran for 27 episodes, through December 1995.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.georgecarlin.com/time/time3E.html |title=1990–1999 |publisher=GeorgeCarlin.com |access-date=July 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130011335/http://www.georgecarlin.com/time/time3E.html |archive-date=January 30, 2009 }}</ref> In ''[[Last Words (book)|Last Words]]'', Carlin wrote of ''The George Carlin Show'', "I had a great time. I never laughed so much, so often, so hard as I did with cast members [[Alex Rocco]], [[Christopher Rich (actor)|Chris Rich]], [[Anthony Starke|Tony Starke]]. There was a very strange, very good sense of humor on that stage ... [but] I was incredibly happy when the show was canceled. I was frustrated that it had taken me away from my true work."{{sfn|Carlin|Hendra|2009}}{{page needed|date=November 2021}} Carlin was honored at the 1997 [[Aspen Comedy Festival]] with a retrospective, ''[[George Carlin: 40 Years of Comedy]]'', hosted by [[Jon Stewart]]. His first hardcover book, ''[[Brain Droppings]]'' (1997), sold nearly 900,000 copies and spent 40 weeks on the ''[[New York Times]]'' best-seller list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=19830|title=The Kennedy Center|access-date=June 12, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111638/http://www.kennedy-center.org/explorer/artists/?entity_id=19830|archive-date=December 24, 2013}}</ref>