LOS ANGELES, April 20 -- Comedy legend George Carlin will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy Sunday at The 15th Annual American Comedy Awards in Los Angeles.
The award will be presented by Garry Shandling in ceremonies at Universal Studios Hollywood.
"I'm proud to be presenting George Carlin with the Lifetime Achievement Award," said Shandling, "because he advised me when I was starting out. He has continued to grow as a comedian and, most importantly related to the Lifetime Achievement Award, he's still alive. Otherwise, these things can be ugly."
Other awards will be given out to recognize the funniest performers of 2000 in movies and TV.
Jane Kaczmarek ("Malcolm in the Middle"), Debra Messing ("Will & Grace") and Sarah Jessica Parker ("Sex and The City") are nominated for funniest female performer in a TV series. Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier"), David Letterman ("The Late Show with David Letterman") and Ray Romano ("Everybody Loves Raymond") are up for funniest male performer in a TV series.
"Will & Grace" had five nominations, more than any other TV show. "Friends" had four, and "Frasier" had three.
Sandra Bullock ("Miss Congeniality"), Tracey Ullman ("Small Time Crooks") and Rene Zellweger ("Nurse Betty") are nominated for funniest actress in a motion picture. George Clooney ("O Brother, Where Art Thou?"), John Cusack ("High Fidelity"), Robert De Niro ("Meet The Parents") and Ben Stiller ("Meet The Parents") are up for funniest actor in a motion picture.
"Best in Show," an ensemble comedy starring Christopher Guest, Fred Willard and Catherine O'Hara, had four nominations, more than any other movie. "Almost Famous" and "Meet the Parents" had three nominations each.
The nominees for the viewers' choice stand-up comic award are Judy Gold, Sue Murphy, Wanda Sykes, Dave Attell, Lewis Black and Dom Irrera.
Past winners of that award include Ellen DeGeneres, Jeff Foxworthy, Richard Jeni, Paula Poundstone, Rita Rudner and Jerry Seinfeld.
Carlin broke into comedy in 1960 as part of a team with Jack Burns. As a solo performer, he worked his way up through clubs to TV, getting extensive exposure on "The Merv Griffin Show," "The Mike Douglas Show" and "The Tonight Show" -- where he logged more than 130 appearances.
He became one of the most influential comedians of his generation, specializing in satire, irreverence and wordplay ranging from the intellectually acute to the ridiculously goofy.
He is a two-time American Comedy Awards-winner for Funniest Male Performer in a Television Special, for "George Carlin: Back in Town" (1997) and "George Carlin 40 Years of Comedy" (1998).
Carlin joins a list of Lifetime Achievement Award winners that includes Milton Berle, George Burns, Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Steve Martin and Richard Pryor.
His resume includes 11 HBO comedy specials (with a 12th scheduled for this November); "The George Carlin Show," a half-hour comedy on Fox-TV; and an Emmy-nominated turn as Mr. Conductor on the PBS children's series, "Shining Time Station." He has also appeared in several movies, including "Dogma" and "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure."
Carlin has released 12 comedy albums, including the Grammy-winners "Fm and Am" (1972); "Jammin' in New York" (1993); and "Brain Droppings" (2001), which was based on his best-selling book of the same name.
Carlin also wrote "Sometimes a Little Brain Damage Can Help," and is scheduled to release his new book, "Napalm & Silly Putty" on May 1.
The 15th Annual American Comedy Awards will be taped for telecast on Wednesday, April 25, over Comedy Central.
