NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry shared a fantastic story about working for George Carlin and their interaction that changed his life.
Matthew Berry Talks About Working For George Carlin
Before he became a fantasy football guru, Berry moved to Los Angeles to work in the film and television industry.
One of Berry’s first jobs in Hollywood was working as Carlin’s assistant on The George Carlin Show, a sitcom that ran for two seasons on Fox from 1994 to 1995.
“I loved, loved working for him,” Berry said to Jimmy Fallon on a recent episode of The Tonight Show. “He’s the sweetest guy. I’m actually his assistant on The George Carlin Show, which was a sitcom he did a while back.”
Berry then shared a story about when the comedian went the extra mile to impress his friends.
“After the show one day, I say to him, ‘Hey, listen. Two of my best friends from high school are coming out to visit me, and I’m bringing them to the show tonight. Do you mind if whatever you need me to do after the show, I take care of now, George, because I want to show them around the stage after the show and everything?” Berry explained. “So anyways, he’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah. Sure.’ He tells me what he needs me to do.”
Berry would typically run errands for Carlin, which included getting him food or bringing his family backstage.
After the show, Berry was showing around his friends when Carlin introduced himself and bragged about his assistant’s job on the show.
“He [Carlin] goes, ‘You know, I consult with Matthew every single day,” Berry said. “I get his laundry, Jimmy. I’m the gruntiest of grunts. I’m the lowest of the low on this show. But George gives me the big sell. He’s like, ‘I consult with him every day. He’s a key cog. I couldn’t do the show without him. He’s going to be a big star.’”
Berry said his friends, who knew him as a “moron” in high school, were in awe of Carlin’s story. Carlin autographed a script and took a picture with Berry’s friends.
Matthew Berry Shares Advice From George Carlin
I'm so grateful I got to tell this story on @FallonTonight … George Carlin was such a special person. https://t.co/cCUILdU2oH
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) August 12, 2025
The next day, after Carlin’s interaction with his friends, Berry showed up to work and asked the comedian why he bragged about him. Carlin revealed why he did what he did, which has shaped how Berry handles fans to this day.
“‘Listen, Matthew. You’re a nice kid. You work your ass off. I’m happy to do it,'” Berry shared. “‘But honestly, for the rest of your friends’ life, the next time my name comes up, they will be like, You know, I met Carlin once. He’s actually kind of a nice guy, as opposed to, I ran into Carlin once, and he didn’t even sign an autograph for me. 30 seconds of my life for a lifetime fan. I will make that trade every single day.'”
Berry has followed Carlin’s advice by saying he will always try to be nice to fans who want to interact with him.
