I think it's the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is
drawn and cross it deliberately.
-- George Carlin

I thought it was "thinking up goofy shit; coming around every now and
then, letting you know what it is", George.
Carlin is on of the best comedians ever, and he does his duty very
well. But I think this is the duty of every thinking person, not just
comedians. If you never cross the line, then you're pretty much just
another cow in the queue. Question the status quo, and step outside
the box every once in awhile. You might find some surprising new
perspectives.