The straight man: The Federal Communications Commission
The collision: George Carlin was always known as a groundbreaking comedian, but for the FCC, he broke sacred ground with his routine "Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television." The act offended some, and Carlin was arrested on July 21, 1972 at Milwaukee's Summerfest and charged with violating obscenity laws after performing. The case was dismissed in December of that year, and despite the troubles, Carlin's anti-government comedy never seemed to wane.
