The Video Software Dealers Association Will Honor George Carlin With Its First ``Freedom of Statement'' Award at Home Entertainment 2002 Presented by VSDA.

Entertainment Editors & Video Writers

Home Entertainment 2002

ENCINO, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--April 29, 2002

The Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) will honor comedian George Carlin with its first "Freedom of Statement" Award at its 21st annual international confab, Home Entertainment 2002. The award will be presented on July 16 during the Opening Ceremony at the Rio Suites Hotel in Las Vegas. The announcement was made today by VSDA President Bo Andersen.

"There could be no finer honoree for an award championing the fight to retain freedom of speech and creative statement than the incomparable George Carlin," said Andersen. "His commitment, in the face of the most severe censorship efforts, to express his uniquely entertaining world view to hundreds of millions around the world has enriched us with more than 40 years of laughter and awareness. VSDA's efforts, every year, in defense of the first amendment right of retailers, suppliers and consumers, are appropriately symbolized in this award and honored by its first recipient."

Known for his rebellious, irreverent and anti-establishment comedy, George Carlin began his professional career in radio (KIOE, Shreveport, LA) in 1956 at the age of 19 while serving in the U.S. Air Force. After other radio stints, he developed comedy routines for a nightclub act with newsman Jack Burns, called "Burns and Carlin." This duo split after two years to pursue solo acts, and Carlin honed his craft at folk clubs and coffee houses, where he developed his first bits that got him on television. The Indian Sergeant, Wonderful Wino, and The Hippy Dippy Weatherman were all born during this period in the mid-60's.

In 1965 George Carlin began to get extensive TV exposure: 58 appearances in 1965 and 1966 alone, mostly on "The Merv Griffin Show" and "The Mike Douglas Show," as well as few "Tonight Show" appearances (which, today, number 130). His first album, "Take Offs and PutOns," was released in 1967, and in that same year he began transitioning into acting, his original goal. But after a few parts and numerous auditions, he decided he wasn't quite ready for acting and decided to concentrate on his stand-up career. Between 1967 and 1970, he made another 80 TV appearances on such classic shows as the "Ed Sullivan Show," "The Tom Jones Show," "The Steve Allen Show," "The Jackie Gleason Show" and "The Carol Burnett Show."

He also worked in all of the major nightclubs and landed a three-year contract with the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. He was later fired from this gig for uttering the word "sh-t" on stage. He worked his last "establishment" job at the San Francisco Playboy Club, and from then on, his comedic identity became more associated with the counterculture.

In 1972, a recording contract led to the release of "FM & AM," an album that won a Grammy Award after going gold. It was the first of four successive gold albums.

In all he has released 14 solo albums, ten of which have been nominated for Grammy Awards, including four separate collections, the most notable being 1999's "George Carlin: The Little David Years, 1971-1977."

In addition to recordings, Carlin has found wide exposure and public acclaim for his stand-up on cable TV, specifically Home Box Office. In 1977 he taped "On Location: George Carlin at USC." This special at the California campus was the first in a string of 11 HBO comedy concert broadcasts, including the highly regarded "Carlin at Carnegie," taped in New York's Carnegie Hall in 1982, and the ground-breaking "Jammin' in New York," broadcast live in 1992 from Madison Square Garden. To date, Carlin's 11 HBO shows have garnered five Emmy nominations and won six CableACE Awards.

In 1997 Carlin published his first book, "Braindroppings," a collection of original routines, one-liners, commentaries and essays. The book spent 40 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and has sold 750,000 copies. The book-on-tape version, read by Carlin himself, won the 2001 Grammy in the Best Spoken Comedy category. His sequel, "Napalm & Silly Putty," published in 2001, spent 20 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, hitting the number one spot in its second week.

Carlin was also honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 at the 15th annual American Comedy Awards. In November 2001 Carlin performed his 12th HBO special, "Complaints and Grievances," live from New York's Beacon Theater. The album of the same name was released in December.

Carlin performs over 60 theater concerts a year in his continuing effort "to remind the world of how poorly its doing." Many of his HBO stand-up concert shows are available on DVD and VHS.

In future years when this award is presented, it will be known as the "George Carlin Freedom of Statement Award," being named after its inaugural recipient.

Home Entertainment 2002 Presented by VSDA is the largest and most comprehensive home entertainment event in the industry. It will feature more than 150 exhibitors and meeting room suites, a comprehensive educational conference program of "need-to-know" business seminars, spotlight presentations, program suppliers, buyers from a broad range of storefront and online retailers, filmmakers of the future, digital-delivery decision makers, evening parties, and other networking events. This is the only convention that brings the big business of home entertainment under one roof, at the exciting Rio Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 16-18, 2002.

Companies interested in exhibiting may contact Advanstar Communication's Kimbirly Orr at [e-mail] or by calling 1-800-854-3112.

Attendees interested in registering for the show may do so online via the Internet at www.homeentertainment2002.com or through www.vsda.org or by contacting 1-888-778-8892.

Home Entertainment 2002 Presented by VSDA, the AVN Adult Entertainment Expo and the East Coast Video Show are all organized through Home Entertainment Events (HEE), a joint venture between the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) and Advanstar Communications, Inc. to own and produce conferences, trade shows and other events in support of the home entertainment industry.

Established in 1981, the Video Software Dealers Association (VSDA) is a not-for-profit international trade association for the $19 billion home entertainment industry. The VSDA represents over 1,700 companies throughout the United States, Canada, and a dozen other countries. Membership comprises the full spectrum of video and video game retailers (both independents and large chains), as well as the home video divisions of major and independent motion picture studios, and other related businesses which constitute and support the home entertainment industry.

Note to Editors: Photo available upon request.