Before his legacy 'disappears down the digital drain'

Judd Apatow is working on a documentary about American comedy legend George Carlin.

The new project follows an acclaimed two-part film he made about Larry Sanders star Garry Shandling in 2018.

In an interview with The Boston Globe newspaper, Judd said: 'I'm about to start work with my partner Michael Bonfiglio on a documentary about George Carlin.

'So I'm looking forward to watching a lot of Carlin interviews and specials. I think his work turned out to be very prophetic.'

And the 40-Year-Old Virgin director said he was drawn to profiling pioneers of comedy because 'the way the world works now, if you don't organise someone's history it disappears down the digital drain'.

He also recently helmed The King of Staten Island, a semi-autobiographical comedy-drama about Pete Davidson whose firefighter father died on 9/11.

Carlin, who died in 2008 at the age of 71, started his comedy career as a relatively bland but successful comedian before embracing the 1970s and 1970s counter-culture. He hosted the first episode of Saturday Night Live, appeared in films including Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, and was best known for his 'seven dirty words' stand-up routine.

Published: 11 Jun 2020