Grammy Hall of Fame welcomes George Carlin’s “Class Clown”

George Carlin's 1972 album, "Class Clown," will be inducted next year into the Grammy Hall of Fame, according to the Los Angeles Times. Grammy Hall of Fame? Is that like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Not exactly. The Grammys reserve their Hall of Fame Awards for recordings at least 25 years old judged by a special committee to have "lasting qualitative or historical significance." Plenty of music giants on that list already, but the comedy pickings are slim. How slim?

When Carlin's "Class Clown" gets inducted in 2010, it'll join these other comedy titles in the Grammy Hall of Fame: 

THE BUTTON-DOWN MIND OF BOB NEWHART
Bob Newhart
Warner Bros. (1960)
Comedy (Album)
Inducted 2007

COCKTAILS FOR TWO
Spike Jones And His City Slickers
RCA Victor (1945)
Comedy (Single) 
Inducted 1995 

STAN FREBERG PRESENTS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Stan Freberg
Capitol (1961)
Comedy (Album)
Inducted 1999

2000 AND THIRTEEN
Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks
Warner Bros. (1973)
Comedy (Album)
Inducted 1999

That's it. No Bill Cosby — despite him dominating the Grammys for six years in a row to close out the 1960s — no Richard Pryor (also a multiple Grammy winner), no Steve Martin. Then again, the Grammys long have been accused of being late to the party in acknowledging great recordings, so why should their Hall of Fame be any less surprising in that regard.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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