When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops? (2004) is the penultimate book written by George Carlin. He came up with the title because it offends three major religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam). The book at first was not sold at Wal Mart for its cover, which portrays Da Vinci's The Last Supper with Carlin sitting next to the empty seat of Jesus. It is the fourth book by Carlin, the previous ones being Napalm and Silly Putty (2001), Brain Droppings (1997), and Sometimes a Little Brain Damage Can Help (1984). It was followed by the posthumous publication in 2009 of his "sortabiography" Last Words.
This book is for the most part written in the same style of Carlin's other books, but with some notable thematic differences. In general, the tone of the book is darker and more critical than his previous books in terms of its outlook on politics and society. Also, much of the book is focused on euphemisms, both as used in advertising and in politically correct language. The book also incorporates much of Carlin's standup material from across his career, taking segments from his most recent shows, as well as many of his very early performances.
An audiobook version of When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, read by Carlin, was released at the same time as the book.
Famous quotes containing the words jesus, bring and/or pork:
“I allude to these facts to show that, so far from the Supper being a tradition in which men are fully agreed, there has always been the widest room for difference of opinion upon this particular. Having recently given particular attention to this subject, I was led to the conclusion that Jesus did not intend to establish an institution for perpetual observance when he ate the Passover with his disciples; and further, to the opinion that it is not expedient to celebrate it as we do.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Indeed, I thought, slipping the silver into my purse ... what a change of temper a fixed income will bring about. No force in the world can take from me my five hundred pounds. Food, house and clothing are mine for ever. Therefore not merely do effort and labour cease, but also hatred and bitterness. I need not hate any man; he cannot hurt me. I need not flatter any man; he has nothing to give me.”
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)
“Such writing is a sort of mental masturbation.... I don’t mean that he is indecent but viciously soliciting his own ideas into a state which is neither poetry nor anything else but a Bedlam vision produced by raw pork and opium.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)