( CNN ) -- Comedian George Carlin , known for pushing the envelope with his use of profanity and for pointing out the silliness and hypocrisy of human life , died of heart failure Sunday . He was 71. iReporter Kevin Eckhoff met George Carlin at a show in St. Louis , Missouri , in 2004. iReporter Chris Sargent says , `` He could play with words and phrases in ways that would put the most highly regarded English professors and linguists to shame . '' CNN.com invited readers to share tales of meeting Carlin , and the impact he had on their lives . Below is a selection of their responses , some of which have been edited for length and clarity . Melanie Phillips of Salem , Oregon : I met George Carlin in the early '70s at a performance he gave at Los Angeles Valley College . The large auditorium was filled to capacity so they closed the doors leaving about 40 people outside . When Carlin came up on stage he asked , `` Who are all those people staring in the windows ? '' The host told him the fire marshal had locked them out . Carlin thought for a moment then asked , `` How many people are allowed to be on stage ? '' The legal limit was 50 . The comedian turned to the audience and said , `` Forty of you people in the first few rows come up on stage and give those people outside your seats . '' My friend and I ran up on stage and we all gathered in a circle around him , like at a campfire . For the next 90 minutes , Carlin did his entire act by taking our requests , `` Hippy Dippy Weatherman , '' `` Seven Words ... '' After the show was over , he passed through our little circle , shaking hands ( including mine ) as he quickly made his way off stage to avoid being swamped by fans . It was one of my most memorable experiences and a grand gesture for the 40 fans who had been locked out . Alexis Karlin of Boston , Massachusetts : When I was little my dad had this box car and one day he put a George Carlin tape in it and it got stuck . So for a year until the car died we listened to this George Carlin tape over and over and over again . ... I wo n't miss that car but I will miss George Carlin . Chris Sargent of Laurel , Maryland : Last night , the world 's greatest comedian and champion of the First Amendment , George Carlin , died at the age of 71 from heart failure . He was one of the few things my father and I had in common , as I have fond memories of sitting in the living room with him , watching George on HBO , and laughing our a***s off . His gift was to make us think about everything . He could play with words and phrases in ways that would put the most highly regarded English professors and linguists to shame . Kevin Eckhoff of Jacksonville , Illinois : George was in classic form as he arrived for a show in late 2004 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center in St. Louis . This was my second time meeting George . He signed the photo from our first meeting , took this new photo , and then proceeded to begin signing my friend 's albums . Before he started , he paused , fanned out the records , looked at each , and in his own special way said , `` You know , I go from city to city and you guys ( autograph collectors ) always have my records in such great shape . Just where the **** do you get these records in such pristine condition ? '' We all busted out laughing . We 'll miss you George ! Thanks for a great memory .
CNN.com readers share their memories of Carlin , his comedy . Carlin once invited fans to sit on stage so more people could see his show . Alexis Karlin says for a year , a Carlin tape was stuck in her dad 's car stereo . Comment: