Counter-culture hero and famed comedian George Carlin died at approximately 6 pm Sunday of heart failure. He was only 71 years old.

Carlin had a long career, but he was probably best known for his anti-establishment stance and routines involving dirty words and drug related themes. It’s also well known that he had a history of drug abuse and dependency.

The comedian was admitted to St. John’s Heath Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon for chest pains and he died a few hours later at approximately 6 pm.

Carlin achieved icon status for his 1970s routine, “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television.” His edgy material and use of some of those “dirty” words on the radio sparked a 1978 FCC lawsuit. The court ruled in the government’s favor, charging Carlin with indecency and allowing regulators to ban the use of certain words on the radio when they thought children might be listening.

Carlin is survived by his wife Sally Wade and daughter Kelly Carlin McCall.