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Thread: Lenny Bruce

  1. #1
    Guest Guest

    Post Lenny Bruce



    Strangely, he doesn't seem to have a previous thread to himself:

    Lenny Bruce (October 13, 1925 – August 3, 1966), born Leonard Alfred Schneider, was an American stand-up comedian, writer, social critic and satirist of the 1950s and 1960s. His 1964 conviction in an obscenity trial was followed by a posthumous pardon, the first in New York state history.

    Bruce was born in Mineola, New York, grew up in nearby Bellmore and attended Wellington C. Mepham High School. His youth was chaotic; his parents divorced when he was five years old and Lenny moved in with various relatives over the next decade. His mother, Sally Marr (née Sadie Kitchenberg), was a stage performer who had an enormous influence on Bruce's career. After spending time working on a farm with a family that provided the stable surroundings he needed, Bruce joined the United States Navy at the age of 17 in 1942, and saw active duty in Europe until his discharge in 1946.

    In 1947, soon after changing his last name to Bruce, he earned $12 and a free spaghetti dinner for his first stand-up performance in Brooklyn, New York. From that modest start, he got his first break as a guest (and introduced by his mother, who called herself "Sally Bruce") on the Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts show, doing a "Bavarian mimic" of American movie stars (e.g., Humphrey Bogart).

    In 1951, he was arrested in Miami, Florida, for impersonating a priest. He had been soliciting donations for a leper colony in British Guiana under the auspices of the "Brother Mathias Foundation", which he had legally chartered - the name was his own invention, but possibly referred to the actual Brother Matthias who had befriended Babe Ruth at the orphanage to which Ruth had been confined as a child. Bruce had stolen several priests' clergy shirts and a clerical collar while posing as a laundry man. He was found not guilty due to the legality of the New York state-chartered foundation, the actual existence of the Guiana leper colony, and the inability of the local clergy to expose him as an impostor. Later, in his semifictional autobiography How to Talk Dirty and Influence People, Bruce revealed that he had made approximately $8,000 in three weeks, sending $2,500 to the leper colony and keeping the rest.

    Bruce's early comedy career included writing the screenplays for Dance Hall Racket in 1953, which featured himself, his wife, Honey Harlow, and mother, Sally Marr, in roles; Dream Follies in 1954, a low-budget burlesque romp; and a children's film, The Rocket Man, in 1954. He also released four albums of original material on Berkeley-based Fantasy Records, with rants, comic routines, and satirical interviews on the themes that made him famous: jazz, moral philosophy, politics, patriotism, religion, law, race, abortion, drugs, the Ku Klux Klan, and Jewishness. These albums were later compiled and re-released as The Lenny Bruce Originals. Two later records were produced and sold by Bruce himself, including a 10-inch album of the 1961 San Francisco performances that started his legal troubles. Starting in the late 1960s, other unissued Bruce material was released by Alan Douglas, Frank Zappa and Phil Spector, as well as Fantasy. Bruce developed the complexity and tone of his material in Enrico Banducci's North Beach nightclub, "The hungry i," where Mort Sahl had earlier made a name for himself.

    His growing fame led to appearances on the nationally televised Steve Allen Show, where he made his debut with an unscripted comment on the recent marriage of Elizabeth Taylor to Eddie Fisher, wondering, "will Elizabeth Taylor become bar mitzvahed?" He also began receiving mainstream press, both favorable and derogatory. Syndicated Broadway columnist Hy Gardner called Bruce a "fad" and "a one-time-around freak attraction," while Variety declared him "undisciplined and unfunny." Influential San Francisco columnist Herb Caen, however, was an early and enthusiastic supporter, writing in 1959:

    They call Lenny Bruce a sick comic, and sick he is. Sick of all the pretentious phoniness of a generation that makes his vicious humor meaningful. He is a rebel, but not without a cause, for there are shirts that need un-stuffing, egos that need deflating. Sometimes you feel guilty laughing at some of Lenny's mordant jabs, but that disappears a second later when your inner voice tells you with pleased surprise, 'but that's true.'

    On February 3, 1961, in the midst of a severe blizzard, he gave a famous performance at Carnegie Hall in New York. It was recorded and later released as a three-disc set, titled The Carnegie Hall Concert. In the liner notes, critic Albert Goldman described it as follows:

    This was the moment that an obscure yet rapidly rising young comedian named Lenny Bruce chose to give one of the greatest performances of his career. ... The performance contained in this album is that of a child of the jazz age. Lenny worshipped the gods of Spontaneity, Candor and Free Association. He fancied himself an oral jazzman. His ideal was to walk out there like Charlie Parker, take that mike in his hand like a horn and blow, blow, blow everything that came into his head just as it came into his head with nothing censored, nothing translated, nothing mediated, until he was pure mind, pure head sending out brainwaves like radio waves into the heads of every man and woman seated in that vast hall. Sending, sending, sending, he would finally reach a point of clairvoyance where he was no longer a performer but rather a medium transmitting messages that just came to him from out there — from recall, fantasy, prophecy. A point at which, like the practitioners of automatic writing, his tongue would outrun his mind and he would be saying things he didn't plan to say, things that surprised, delighted him, cracked him up — as if he were a spectator at his own performance!

    On October 4, 1961 Bruce was arrested for obscenity at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco; he had used the word "cocksucker" and riffed that "'to' is a preposition, 'come' is a verb", that the sexual context of "come" is so common that it bears no weight, and that if someone hearing it becomes upset, he "probably can't come." Although the jury acquitted him, other law enforcement agencies began monitoring his appearances, resulting in frequent arrests under charges of obscenity. The increased scrutiny also led to an arrest in Philadelphia for drug possession the same year, and again in Los Angeles, California, two years later. The Los Angeles arrest took place in then-unincorporated West Hollywood, and the arresting officer was a young deputy named Sherman Block, who would later become County Sheriff.

    In April 1964, he appeared twice at the Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village, with undercover police detectives in the audience. On both occasions, he was arrested after leaving the stage, the complaints again pertaining to his use of various obscenities.

    A three-judge panel presided over his widely-publicized six-month trial, with Bruce and club owner Howard Solomon both found guilty of obscenity on November 4, 1964. The conviction was announced despite positive testimony and petitions of support from Woody Allen, Bob Dylan, Jules Feiffer, Allen Ginsberg, Norman Mailer, William Styron, and James Baldwin, among other artists, writers and educators, and from Manhattan journalist and television personality Dorothy Kilgallen and sociologist Herbert Gans. Bruce was sentenced, on December 21, 1964, to four months in the workhouse; he was set free on bail during the appeals process and died before the appeal was decided. Solomon later saw his conviction overturned; Bruce, who died before the decision, never had his conviction stricken.

    Despite his prominence as a comedian, Bruce appeared on network television only six times in his life. In his later club performances Bruce was known for relating the details of his encounters with the police directly in his comedy routine; his criticism encouraged the police to subject him to maximum scrutiny. These performances often included rants about his court battles over obscenity charges, tirades against fascism and complaints that he was being denied his right to freedom of speech.

  2. #2
    Guest Guest
    He was banned outright from several U.S. cities, and in 1962 was banned from performing in Sydney, Australia. At his first show there Bruce took the stage, declared "What a fucking wonderful audience" and was promptly arrested.

    Increasing drug use also affected his health. By 1966 he had been blacklisted by nearly every nightclub in the United States, as owners feared prosecution for obscenity. Bruce did have a famous performance at the Berkeley Community Theatre in December 1965. It was recorded and became his last (live) album, titled "The Berkeley Concert"; his performance here has been described as lucid, clear and calm, and one of his best. His last performance took place on June 25, 1966, at The Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco, on a bill with Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention. The performance was not remembered fondly by Bill Graham, who described Bruce as "whacked out on amphetamines"; Graham thought that Bruce finished his set emotionally disturbed. Zappa asked Bruce to sign his draft card, but the suspicious Bruce refused.

    At the request of Hugh Hefner and with the aid of Paul Krassner, Bruce wrote an autobiography. Serialized in Playboy in 1964 and 1965, this material was later published as the book How to Talk Dirty and Influence People. Hefner had long assisted Bruce's career, featuring him in the television debut of Playboy's Penthouse in October 1959.

    On August 3, 1966, Bruce was found dead in the bathroom of his Hollywood Hills home at 8825 N. Hollywood Blvd. The "official" photo, taken at the scene, showed Bruce lying naked on the floor, a syringe and burned bottle cap nearby, along with various other narcotics paraphernalia. Record producer Phil Spector, a friend of Bruce's, bought the negatives to the photographs to keep them from the press. The official cause of death was "acute morphine poisoning caused by an accidental overdose."

    He was interred in Eden Memorial Park Cemetery in Mission Hills, California, but an unconventional memorial on August 21 was controversial enough to keep his name in the spotlight. The service saw over 500 people pay their respects, led by Spector. Cemetery officials had tried to block the ceremony after advertisements for the event encouraged attendees to bring box lunches and noisemakers. Dick Schaap famously eulogized Bruce in Playboy, with the memorable last line: "One last four-letter word for Lenny: Dead. At forty. That's obscene."

  3. #3
    Guest Guest
    On December 23, 2003, 37 years after his death, Bruce was granted a posthumous pardon for his obscenity conviction by New York Governor George Pataki, following a petition filed by Ronald Collins and David Skover with Robert Corn-Revere as counsel, the petition having been signed by several stars such as Robin Williams. It was the first posthumous pardon in the state's history. Pataki said his act was "a declaration of New York's commitment to upholding the First Amendment."


    His 1963 mugshot


  4. #4
    Northern Lights Guest
    Cool, I was just searching little while ago and wondering where his thread was. I was going to post something, but I don't remember anymore what it was .

  5. #5
    Guest Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Northern Lights View Post
    Cool, I was just searching little while ago and wondering where his thread was. I was going to post something, but I don't remember anymore what it was .
    Must be your age!!

  6. #6
    Northern Lights Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Vlad View Post
    Must be your age!!
    Thanks a lot! I think I'm getting better when I'm getting older, and I'm not even old, I'm still very young

  7. #7
    Northern Lights Guest
    Here's his FAD story. Scott has his death certificate and dead pics, too.
    http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/b/lenny/lennybruce.htm

  8. #8
    Pamebabby Guest
    Lenny Bruce was the grandfather of all comics-I can't listen to George Carlin today (although he's gone) and not think of Lenny. A true pioneer in his field, and gone too soon.

  9. #9
    Suprised he wasnt on here Vlad (my only friend on FAD lol)

    Lenny was a pioneer, influencing every comic to this day.

    I hear he was a mess at the end. Sitting onstage ranting on and on about his legal issues. I heard people in the audience were walking out.

    Read the book, saw the flick. But that was long ago. I may order a book abot him, interesting dude.
    may the forces of evil get confused on the way to your house

  10. #10
    james1977 Guest
    Lenny was so hip. He wrote the book for everyone. Hip to this stupid car society too. One of my favorite Bruce quotes is ," I read the paper and it said 10,000 Americans were killed in Vietnam last year but 50,000 Americans were killed on the roads and freeways last year. Why don't they build cars and freeways in Vietnam " ? Now that's how hip Lenny was. Hip to the bullcrap. And yes,the car advertisers have a huge lobby and most of the car crash deaths are not even reported.I wonder why.? The Newspapers and Television Stations will lose their advertising, that's why. No one wants to rock the boat. Lenny was hip to the car bullcrap.

  11. #11
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    I admire Lenny. However, do you have to push a point so far that it ruins your life?
    I am a sick puppy....woof woof!!!
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Carping the living shit out of the Diem. - Me!!
    http://www.pinterest.com/neilmpenny

  12. #12
    james1977 Guest

    Lenny was Awesome

    Quote Originally Posted by neilmpenny View Post
    I admire Lenny. However, do you have to push a point so far that it ruins your life?
    No there are different points. The point Lenny was referring to was the stupid media. No one wants to rock the boat. The media will not report the real news. Cancer is not being beaten. Stage 2 or Stage 3. Just like in 1960, we're dead. Did they save Farrah? Patrick Swayze? No. Maybe a 2 to 3 percent improvement rate. The answer is in prevention. Many other stories that the media keeps hushed up. We know the medical mumbo-jumbo field is just a bunch of bullcrap. How many die in hospitals of pneumonia and from just being admitted to the hospital.? I swear it's like 300,000. I was always interested in what is really going on. Not some media bullcrap talking to us like we're 10 year olds and that's why Lenny was great .He started it all. He was hip to the bullcrap. All of it. Just google - Project Censored , you'll find out what really goes down and not what the idiotic media tells us.
    Last edited by james1977; 12-14-2009 at 01:44 AM.

  13. #13
    ghoulgurl Guest
    Honor Lenny by drinking a HeBrew Rye I.P.A.
    http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/hebrew-...ys-ripa/60511/

  14. #14
    Guest Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by ghoulgurl View Post
    Honor Lenny by drinking a HeBrew Rye I.P.A.
    http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/hebrew-...ys-ripa/60511/


    Thanks Ghoulgurl

  15. #15
    ghoulgurl Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Vlad View Post


    Thanks Ghoulgurl
    You're welcome! Now if I could make that big bottle come to life!

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by ghoulgurl View Post
    You're welcome! Now if I could make that big bottle come to life!
    You want tips?
    I am a sick puppy....woof woof!!!
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Carping the living shit out of the Diem. - Me!!
    http://www.pinterest.com/neilmpenny

  17. #17
    Taggerez Guest
    He did some funny stuff but overall an overrated lowlife. He stole a great deal of material from Shelly Davis. Thief, doper and police informant.

  18. #18
    ghoulgurl Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by neilmpenny View Post
    You want tips?
    Nah, the big bottle will do nicely

  19. #19
    GrinReaper Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Pamebabby View Post
    Lenny Bruce was the grandfather of all comics-I can't listen to George Carlin today (although he's gone) and not think of Lenny. A true pioneer in his field, and gone too soon.
    Quote Originally Posted by Taggerez View Post
    He did some funny stuff but overall an overrated lowlife. He stole a great deal of material from Shelly Davis. Thief, doper and police informant.
    I don't understand Lenny Bruce or why he was famous.
    Pioneer what?
    For comeidians such as Richard Pryor to say "motherfucker" as every other word without getting busted?
    Was Bruce laugh out loud heelarious or mostly just witty?

    It seems to me that he was saying obscenity to get arrested to get attention more than anything else.
    To me, that is what he is infamous for. Not so much as what he said, but why he said it.

    Either way I don't think he was right or comfortable with this world.
    His OD seems like a perfect fit for him.
    A young mis-understood soul who needed death more than life.
    It could have been more towards suicide than accidental.

  20. #20
    STsFirstmate Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by GrinReaper View Post
    I don't understand Lenny Bruce or why he was famous.
    Pioneer what?
    For comeidians such as Richard Pryor to say "motherfucker" as every other word without getting busted?
    Was Bruce laugh out loud heelarious or mostly just witty?

    It seems to me that he was saying obscenity to get arrested to get attention more than anything else.
    To me, that is what he is infamous for. Not so much as what he said, but why he said it.

    Either way I don't think he was right or comfortable with this world.
    His OD seems like a perfect fit for him.
    A young mis-understood soul who needed death more than life.
    It could have been more towards suicide than accidental.
    I think his contribution was to make people uncomfortable as they laughed for one reason. Also other than Mort Sahl, whose humor was always political and social satire and sadonic wit, everything else out there was snare drum riff humor.
    "Take my wife...no please take her, take my wife!" that was high humor.
    He didn't just pave the way for obscentiy he paved the way for guys like Jackie Mason, who while, they were not obscene, were questioning societal standards. This was at a time when Rob Petri and Laura were still forced to sleep in twin beds on a sitcom.
    I think some of his stuff is very funny and much of it is provacitive. I think that was the point. He was a tortured soul and many great artists are, Richard Pryor, Andy Kaufman (another comedian I didn'tcare for but I don't question his contribution or brilliance).
    It is like the lunch counter sit ins and the Stonewall Riots and the Chicago Police riots.Some of them seem tame and meaningless and merely sensational now but they provocative social actions in their day just as his humor spoke to a segment of his times.
    Regards,
    Mary

  21. #21
    ghoulgurl Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by STsFirstmate View Post
    I think his contribution was to make people uncomfortable as they laughed for one reason. Also other than Mort Sahl, whose humor was always political and social satire and sadonic wit, everything else out there was snare drum riff humor.
    "Take my wife...no please take her, take my wife!" that was high humor.
    He didn't just pave the way for obscentiy he paved the way for guys like Jackie Mason, who while, they were not obscene, were questioning societal standards. This was at a time when Rob Petri and Laura were still forced to sleep in twin beds on a sitcom.
    I think some of his stuff is very funny and much of it is provacitive. I think that was the point. He was a tortured soul and many great artists are, Richard Pryor, Andy Kaufman (another comedian I didn'tcare for but I don't question his contribution or brilliance).
    It is like the lunch counter sit ins and the Stonewall Riots and the Chicago Police riots.Some of them seem tame and meaningless and merely sensational now but they provocative social actions in their day just as his humor spoke to a segment of his times.
    Regards,
    Mary
    Mary's reply is pretty spot on. I was still in the ether when he checked out so I didn't live through the time. Nonetheless, our society lets it all hang out compared to yesteryear when they essentially did and said a lot of stuff we do but didn't really discuss it. Now we're living in the era of TMI--thanks to technology, 24 hr news cycles, and our need for 15 min. of fame. Anyway, if you want some insight into Lenny Bruce read "How to Talk Dirty and Influence People" (autobiography-hard to find but very well done, wish I hadn't given my copy away) and see "Lenny" starring Dustin Hoffman. He may not be your cup of tea but he certainly ushered in a whole new era of comics who are indebted to his daring.

  22. #22
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  23. #23
    james1977 Guest

    Lowlife- I'm not sure?

    Quote Originally Posted by Taggerez View Post
    He did some funny stuff but overall an overrated lowlife. He stole a great deal of material from Shelly Davis. Thief, doper and police informant.
    Shelly Davis. I can't google anything on him. Darn, Google doesn't have everything. Hugh Hefner was a close friend of Lenny Bruce. Hef does not have anything to do with low-lifes. He hated Paul Snyder's guts. Anyway you have to watch The Playboy After Dark episode from Season 1 - with Lenny Bruce and Hugh Hefner. I believe it was from 1959. Lenny was drunk but he was still nice and polite. I would have had a beer with him. Comedians are all rebellious and questioning everything, thanks to Lenny and co.. To outright steal material.That is disdained in the comedian circle. It's like an unwritten rule.You steal material, you'll just get ostracized. I believe every thing or most of the material in the movie," Lenny" was what was actually said by Lenny Bruce. All comedians are stand-up philosophers, lost in the art that is stand-up and it is philosophy. Philosophy on our hypocritical world.That's why I like all comedians and of course Lenny is the man. All comedians will tell you this, or most.

  24. #24
    Pamebabby Guest
    In calling him a pioneer, I mean by the unique way he changed comedy. Yeah, now everybody swears, the more the better, but this was an innocent time where you watched Donna Reed or Leave it to Beaver. Nobody spoke those words publicly, and his talent for comedy was basically ignored because he said "bad words." I guess one had to grow up in those times, it was very pure and white-washed, and I can't even remember hearing anything Lenny did until much later because my parents wouldn't permit "blue" language. I had to smuggle in a George Carlin record once, and that was taking a chance my parents would hear it and shit bricks. Possibly, he wasn't a pioneer, okay, but he had a unique style all his own that is copied to this day.

  25. #25
    Pamebabby Guest
    Just wanted to add-Grin, I agree Lenny may have been a suicide. He seemed tortured in life, for some reason. Lost soul, whatever, he did his thing and left. I think most comedians are troubled, somehow, and they are putting on the clown face to hide the tears. JMO, of course.

  26. #26
    GrinReaper Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Pamebabby View Post
    Just wanted to add-Grin, I agree Lenny may have been a suicide. He seemed tortured in life, for some reason. Lost soul, whatever, he did his thing and left. I think most comedians are troubled, somehow, and they are putting on the clown face to hide the tears. JMO, of course.
    Thanx for the replies.
    With yours and Mary's insights I'm getting it.

    BTW: love your sig.

  27. #27
    Pamebabby Guest
    Why, thank you, Grin!! Please don't let me change your mind in any way, I'm only posting my opinion. You are right, he wasn't the "GREAT" comedian. I know, personally, I am immune to the language comedians use. It's worn out, passe'. If they are using it for shock value-it doesn't shock anymore. At least, it doesn't me. I get tired of watching someone, and every word is f this, f that. BORING. When Lenny Bruce did it, it was new, unusual, rarely heard. To bring dirty language into the routine wasn't done. He was singled out because he did it-he said the foul words. In a way, if he had stuck to a regular, comedic routine, he may have been more popular. I guess it wasn't in his nature to be main-stream.

  28. #28
    GrinReaper Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by Pamebabby View Post
    Why, thank you, Grin!! Please don't let me change your mind in any way, I'm only posting my opinion. You are right, he wasn't the "GREAT" comedian.
    Your not changing my mind.
    I just wanted some insight as to what made Lenny famous or infamous as the case may be and your opinions and observations are helpful and appreciated.
    (And as always, I appreciate good friendly dialog as we are having on here.)

    I was born the same year he died. 1966. So that is why I have the questions. He is before my time and is still, in some ways, underground. Ya know, not up there with Pryor, Carlin, etc.

    He probably would have been the great comedian if someone else had paved the way. Or as Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes put it: "Great genius is never recognized in it's own time."

  29. #29
    Taggerez Guest
    Shelly Davis. I can't google anything on him. Darn, Google doesn't have everything.
    Yes, as nice as it is, the Internet lacks many, many things. John Belushi did do a Shelly Davis impersonation on Saturday Night Live years ago, however.

    Hugh Hefner was a close friend of Lenny Bruce. Hef does not have anything to do with low-lifes. He hated Paul Snyder's guts.
    This might actually be funnier than any of Lenny Bruce's routines.

    Comedians are all rebellious and questioning everything, thanks to Lenny ... That's why I like all comedians and of course Lenny is the man. All comedians will tell you this, or most.
    If all or most comedians will tell you this, then how really rebellious are comedians? I thought being a "rebel" meant going against the grain.

  30. 12-18-2009, 04:46 PM

  31. #30
    endsleigh03 Guest
    Watched the movie with Dustin Hoffman last night.

    Wiki says (and of course it is Wiki so....) that Phil Spector bought the death photos to keep them out of the press.

    The pics are everywhere.

  32. #31
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    If he was here today I'm sure Lenny
    would be proud of stand up comics like:
    Ricky Gervais and Russell Brand.
    Carolyn(1958-2009) always in my heart.

  33. #32
    NewYorkDoll Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by endsleigh03 View Post
    Watched the movie with Dustin Hoffman last night.

    Wiki says (and of course it is Wiki so....) that Phil Spector bought the death photos to keep them out of the press.

    The pics are everywhere.
    love that film and have not seen it in years. fosse did a great job directing, it nearly killed him (see all that jazz, the fictionalized movie version of fosse directing/editing lenny and a play at the same time)

    spector is a lying pos murderer. i hope he spent a lot of money keeping those pics *private*.

  34. #33
    JenAdams Guest

    Lenny Bruce : Talk Dirty

    Lenny Bruce: October 13, 1925 ?? August 3, 1966

    One of the most influential comedians, (influencing the likes of Pryor, Cosby, Seinfeld, and many others), he blew people's minds with his straight from the head, commentary. He was a commentator/critic, that happened to be funny.
    Just an example of some of his material and how he reflected the times (early 60's):

    - ??All my humor is based upon destruction and despair. If the whole world were tranquil, without disease and violence, I??d be standing on the breadline right in back of J. Edgar Hoover.?


    -??If something about the human body disgusts you complain to the manufacturer.?

    -??I won??t say ours was a tough school, but we had our own coroner. We used to write essays like: What I??m going to be if I grow up.?

    These are just a few excerpts. Much of his material was, "dirty" to the average person, at the time. He was arrested SEVERAL times, for different things: Imitating a priest, drug possession, and infamously, for obscenity. At the time, he was truly stripped of, his freedom of speech. He began to say, "blah blah blah", in front of "undercover" policemen, at his shows (and made it HILARIOUS!). Lenny Bruce's, obscenity trial was a highly-publicized one, lasting 6 months. Despite testimony from Woody Allen, Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, and Norman Mailer, he was found guilty of obscenity. He was sentenced to 4 months, in a workhouse. Maybe that doesn't sound like too much, but this meant so much more. It was a sentence to forever be censored, never be able to blow blow blow straight from the mind.
    Lenny was set free on bail, during an appeals process, but died before the decision. Cause of death: ""acute morphine poisoning caused by an accidental overdose." "Accidental", has always been controversial. Some think he took his life, because they took his words. His mother contests that, saying he was planning on losing weight. Who knows?
    The crime scene shots are pretty bad. Bruce, lying of the floor nude, with a syringe and other paraphernalia. His friend, Phil Spector, bought the pictures to keep them out of the public, but they are on the web, able to be viewed by anyone.
    Lenny Bruce is buried, in Eden Memorial Park, Mission Hills, California. He was finally pardoned, 37 years after his death, (in 2003), for his obscenity conviction.
    Rest in Peace, Lenny.

    Sources : The Official Lenny Bruce Site, Wikipedia (of course!), Lenny's House-Kitty Bruce.

  35. #34
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    Good post!

    Excellent blog on Lenny here:

    http://poeforward.blogspot.com/2010/...-comedian.html
    I am a sick puppy....woof woof!!!
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Carping the living shit out of the Diem. - Me!!
    http://www.pinterest.com/neilmpenny

  36. #35
    Rosebud666 Guest
    One of my favorite bits of Lenny's is "How to Relax Your Colored Friends at Parties", about a guy who means well enough, but is being blatantly racist just because he is socially awkward and doesn't know many black people and has nothing to go on but stereotypes.

    Awkward silence . . .
    Conversation opener: "Yeah, that Joe Louis was one hell of a fighter!"
    More awkward silence and attempts at smalltalk . . .
    "Here's to Bojangles!" . . .
    Culminating in the friendly invitation . . .
    "You can come over to my place. Just promise me one thing . . . that you won't do it to my sister . . ."

  37. #36
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    Amazon just came out with a new, original series called "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" that is very good. It is about a woman in the 1950s trying to make it as a stand-up comic. One of the characters in the series is none other than a fictionalized Lenny Bruce, who comes off as a nice guy. The series takes place in NYC.
    Any day above ground is a good day.

  38. 12-11-2017, 12:10 AM


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