Then, as is the case today, you had to network, deal with the power-brokers, hold meaningless jobs and share . One of the charges against him was saying "shmuck." Lenny Bruce died in August of 1966, but you can still hear his voice online. He talks about Chicago columnist Paul Molloy, does Custody/Get Even, Stag Film vs. King of Kings, History of Obscenity, Las Vegas Tits & Ass, The Clap, Father Flotsky, Chicago Corruption, Shelley Berman and Chicago Shtarkers, Barney & the Hecklers, Italians Were the Enemy, Adolf Eichmann, and Communism & the Phone Company. Bruce recounts how he got the label sick comic. He talks about the cover of his album The Sick Humor of Lenny Bruce and says he has a new album (I Am Not a Nut, Elect Me, which was recorded in 1959 and released in 1960). He uncharacteristically tells a joke with a punchline, and inserts JFK into it. The first is a variation on Chicks Are Boss. Menu. He never gave up on his first amendment right, freedom of speech. Bendich is impressed by the thoroughness of Bruces research. He starts his bit The Clap, then has an exchange with an angry man in the audience who wants his money back ($5). He refers to the sex scandals involving Bill Tilden and Fatty Arbuckle. His sister and brother-in-law, Virginia "Ginnie" and Irving "Bud" Steinhoff would frequently work weekends at the club until 1960 when they took over management. He then refers to Shelley Berman, Alan King, George Gobel, Pinky Lee, Bert Parks and Alexander King. He comments on audience members walking out. He does Christ & Moses, sings a bit in Yiddish, and closes the set with Ben Hurs mother & sister. This file constitutes part four of four quarters (although without a definitive ending to the show). Joey's Solo (Feat. Listen to 10-second clips of the Lenny Bruce recordings!To see the collection and listen to the full audio, please contact: ascdepartment@brandeis.edu. Bruce does his bit Christ & Moses. The file ends during Shelley Berman & the Chicago Shtarkers. It was recorded and said to be one of the greatest performances made in the venues history. The recording ends abruptly. First part (of three) of a conversation among comedian Lenny Bruce, attorney Albert Bendich and journalist Ralph J. Gleason. Please use Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge to view this site. The show is known as The Berkeley Concert. Charged and arrested the same year in Chicago, Bruce was found guilty and sentenced to one year in prison. Leonard Alfred Schneider (October 13, 1925 - August 3, 1966), better known by his stage name Lenny Bruce, was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and actor. If you make it a taboo to use that word, itll give that word a powerful meaning. But this isn't. "She was the most diverse and tolerant woman I've ever . He says he has sold his house, and his money is gone. The first clip begins as the set is in progress, with Bruce imagining that Pope Pius XII would sneak in one night to see him. Bruce talks about how, in light of his recent legal troubles, hes tried to understand the prosecutors. Bruce starts to do Christ & Moses, then veers into I Picked on the Wrong God. He does Flashers, then Midgets, wonders whether Pygmies are midgets, and imagines Gov. In this conversation, Bruce seeks Bendichs advice as to whether he has grounds to appeal his conviction on a narcotics charge in Los Angeles. how far we've come. Bruce seeks Bendichs advice. Bruce is in the midst of his King Kong bit. He says an obscenity circus has been going on around him for the past five years. Bruce contends that much of his legal trouble in the preceding four years has been because of his material on religion. til nigger didnt mean anything anymore, then you could never make some six-year-old black kid cry because somebody called him a nigger at school. Lenny Bruce. Schwartz tells Bruce about his meeting with New York City License Inspector Herbert S. Ruhe. He talks about race relations and does Dick Gregory, Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House and Goldwater Talks to Negroes. The full recordings are available at Brandeis Universitys Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Department. He wonders if this arrest is connected to him having filed a complaint against Dr. Thomas Gore, who was a prosecution witness in his recent trial for possession of narcotics. Scary goyish.. (1)The recording begins while the set is in progress. Bruce reads from transcripts of the preliminary hearing and the trial. When I heard them use the word, I took it in a light hearted way and asked Whoa! He comments on contemporaries Mort Sahl and Bob Newhart and does his bit Shelley Berman & Chicago Shtarkers. But at that time of recording, Lenny Bruce was under litigation for obscenity by New Yorks [then] District Attorney (D.A. Bruce talks about the mixed reaction he got during the first show. He played around with the word, using it in the same context as he would do if the word was shit. The tape ends during a passage in which the band is playing and Bruce is interacting with an audience member. North Beach is alive at night, and the Smothers Brothers have settled in for a month at the Purple Onion. He explained that he didnt care what people thought about the nickname because they arent there to understand. Bruce makes comments about the man "stuck up there in the booth" and talks about the jacket he has on. He ends with joking comments, reading from a law book about regulations regarding kosher meat, and then about a law against aiding a suicide. Ultimately, its more of a spiritual and philosophical outlook approach that would be required to try and understand within yourself and truly trying to understand the perspective of the person using offending word(s)- Why did I find this offensive? Lenny had proven his point words are only offensive because society allows that particular word to be offensive. Before Lenny left his typewriter, he was midway through the word Constitutes. The prosecution countered with their own academic and medical figures that claimed Bruces comedy had no redeeming value other than to outrage and arouse the audience. Bruce does The Act Is Hugging & Kissing. He does his bit Custody/Get Even, inserts a little of King Kong, and goes into Stag Film vs. King of Kings. He ends by riffing about Barry Goldwater and Lyndon Johnson. Lenny Bruce performance. He reacts to people in the balcony who yell for him to speak louder. He mentions the club owner Benny (Ben I. Shapiro) and does Santa Claus interviewed by Edward R. Murrow. The recording starts with the show in progress. Speaks of daughter Kitty, James Joyces Ulysses, Judge Murtagh. Lenny Bruce was a controversial American comedian during the 1950s and 1960s. The file ends during the bit Las Vegas Tits & Ass. Others still crackle with raw energy. Bruce continues his Norman Thomas bit with a rundown of persecuted groups: the Irish, the Filipinos and midgets. He does Ten Thousand Asses (Tigers & Lions), then Shelley Berman & Chicago Shtarkers. He does Communism/The Phone Company. He does Filipinos. However, that episode of the Steve Allen Show was eventually shelved by the censors, it was never aired. Bruces grave at Eden Memorial Park Cemetery in Mission Hills, California. He says that in light of this, his upcoming gig in Detroit was canceled. He talks about the double standard in depicting sex vs. violence. Bruce was sentenced to four months of labor in a workhouse, but again did not serve time while he appealed the verdict. He refers to a gig he did in Milwaukee, then does his bit about playing at small-town venues. Bruce speaks of his agent, Jack Sobel, does The Palladium, Bronchitis, talks about doing doctor bits, does Nightclub Owners, speaks of not stealing from other comics. Remaining free while appealing his Chicago conviction, Bruce attempted to do a show in Britain. The recording ends abruptly, then continues (it may be the same performance, or yet another performance). He does Las Vegas Tits & Ass, We Did It to Their Mothers for Chocolate Bars, Unscrew You, Never Cop Out, Custody/Get Even, Stag Film vs. King of Kings, Jimmy Hoffa and Would You Sell Out Your Country (Francis Gary Powers). He reads from a letter to Steve Allen; it is unclear whether the letter was written by Bruce. Bruce is reading from a letter a woman sent him. Lenny follows Francks on his lyrical journey matching Francks' timing impeccably. He praises Hugh Hefner, who is making it so that the nude female body is no longer filthy. He calls the Johnsons the biggest non-Jews in the world. On Capitol Hill, there are 20,000 mostly young men and women who have tremendous influence but are rarely seen, they work in the background, without recognition and often for long hours with low pay. But instead of being able to perform, he was taken back to the airport and deported. He does his bit of George Washington interviewed by Mike Wallace. While Breau and Francks had worked together over the previous month, Henstridge literally had only about an hour of rehearsal with the others prior to the making of this recording, though the trio's emphasis was more on spontaneity than set arrangements. The first seven clips are variations on his routine on marijuana. I heard two men, in their 50s, one brown and the other white, refer to their 3rd friend (who was also brown) as the the paki. I love them, weve been friends for god knows how long. The police had recorded two of the performances. Guitarist Lenny Breau, vocalist/comedian Don Francks, and bassist Eon Henstridge were a brand new trio (later calling themselves Three) when they were recorded in 1961 at the Purple Onion, a Toronto nightclub. Leonard Alfred Schneider (October 13, 1925 - August 3, 1966), better known by his stage name Lenny Bruce, was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and screenwriter. During which a number of crap fucking bands no one has ever heard of played. He does his bit The Christian God Has a Face, the Jewish God Doesnt. He does some of his bit on Leopold and Loeb, then interacts with the audience. He expresses frustration with the police. He does Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House. A new set begins. Why did you call him that? He says he doesnt do bits anymore and prefers to cook and free-form it. Speaks of the judge in his San Francisco obscenity trial. Please contact the Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Department, Brandeis University. He reads from the transcript of his trial for obscenity in San Francisco earlier that year. Talks about the Catholic Church, Howard Johnsons, Vietnam, protesters, the law, James Joyces Ulysses, bit How the Law Started/Craphouse. Bruce does his bit Custody/Get Even, inserts a little of King Kong, and goes into Stag Film vs. King of Kings. In May 2003, the governor of New York issued Lenny Bruce a posthumous pardon, based on what he called the State of New Yorks commitment to upholding the First Amendment. Lenny Bruce being arrested in 1961. The recording ends in the midst of his bit To Is a Preposition, Come Is a Verb. Joey Hollingsworth, Tap Dancing & Vocals) 1:43. Some of the recordings are of a personal nature, such as the phone letters and private conversations between Bruce and his friends and family. Most of these recordings are of Lenny Bruces stand-up comedy performances, and many are whole or partial recordings of the same performance (with variations in audio quality), or combination clips from various performances. He riffs on the TV series The Millionaire. He speaks fondly of an Atwater-Kent radio he had, and sings the theme song from the Uncle Don show from Detroit. A discussion of Jackie Mason speaking out against censorshipin response to Bruces arrest for obscenity at the Gate of Horn days earliercontinues. It's also a real treat to hear Lenny laughing and doing what he does best. The announcer says, "Ladies and gentlemen, we now have a new star of our show." Lenny Bruce, head-and-shoulders portrait. In the third and sixth clip he mentions The Chronicle, which would place the performances in San Francisco. Begins with the final 16 minutes of the show on December 4, 1962, known as The Bust Show (it was the midnight performance, therefore technically during the early hours of December 5). [2] He talks about the fallout from a joke about Cardinal Spellman, then does The Postman. The show is in progress. He does a bit on the history of obscenity law, his bit Tits & Ass, he interacts with audience members and with accompanying musicians. The performance ended in Bruce's arrest for obscenity. In these voices he makes reference to beatniks on the Sunset Strip, a used car salesman who has a dog on the hood of a car in commercials (most likely Chick Lambert), a Senate investigating committee, Steve Allen and Phyllis Diller. Lenny Bruce had already made two previous appearances, so why the need to give him such a dedicated introduction? Of more interest is the extended interplay between Breau and Henstridge, as Francks' silliness quickly wears thin. The secondary goal is for Spector and Bruce to discuss Bruces upcoming engagement, financially backed by Spector, at the Music Box theater in Los Angeles. Bruce then makes his own comments about what is in the letter. A new set begins. The ninth and tenth clips are variations on Airplane Glue, with the kid who sniffs glue appearing on Paul Coates tabloid TV show. Another bit described men as oversexed beings willing to have sex with anything that moved, including a chicken. The recording ends in the midst of the bit George Shearing. Via a dramatization of how his father used to hit him, he says he became acutely attuned to his fathers moods, and this in turn made him very sensitive to the moods of audience members (I know when youre bugged, I know when Im boring, I know when Im offensive). Other Versions (5 of 9) View All Discusses differences between Christians and Jews. He does No Guy Ever Cheated on His Wife/Guys Detach. You can follow me on: Instagram/Facebook/Snapchat/Youtube. To set up an appointment, please contact us here: ascdepartment@brandeis.edu. He comments on the three people who just walked out, mentions Tab Hunters arrest, does We Killed Christ, and ends the set with Ben Hurs Mother & Sister. Bars and theatres were either cancelling his gigs or not booking him at all, out of fear that the police will storm in, arrest Lenny and close the location down indefinitelyhe had no income, and whatever money he did have, was spent towards his legal fees obsessively defending his basic right to freedom of speech. Bruce refers to his attire, a raincoat, pants and mismatched socks. He refers to his 1962 obscenity trial in San Francisco, and that he was acquitted. As Bruce gained fame and popularity, he moved on from doing stand-up comedy at small strip clubs to performing in larger mainstream halls. He performs the bits Las Vegas Tits & Ass, I Picked on the Wrong God, Would You Sell Out Your Country (Francis Gary Powers), The Clap, Balloons, Never Cop Out, We Did It to Their Mothers for Chocolate Bars, Dykes, Southern Accents, Christ and Moses, Adolf Eichmann (based on the Thomas Merton poem Chant to Be Used in Processions Around a Site with a Furnace) and Ten Thousand Asses (Tigers & Lions). The truth is, New York was almost as impossible then as it is now. He mentions the comic Bill Dana and the San Francisco club the hungry i. What is possibly a different set has Bruce doing bit with Santa Claus as the subject of Edward R. Murrows show Person to Person. A third section begins. Bruce contends that he was framed, and that the heroin reputed to belong to him was planted by White. Talks about Elizabeth Taylor, a picture of Fidel Castro and Vice-President Richard Nixon in the New York Times; about going on the Steve Allen show, integration, religious leaders, civil rights, capital punishment. Therecording ends abruptly. Brandeis University Allen explained to the viewers that Lenny Bruce was going to use a four letter word on television that will shock the viewers to their very core. But it comes down to society and yourself as an individual to take that powerful word that is currently suppressed, and change it so that it becomes normalised, just like the word shit. Thats the place where Lenny Bruce was arrested for obscenities a long time ago. "A New Electric Chair" is a stream-of-consciousness narrative about a warden deliberating a purchase. The truth is what is, and what should be is a fantasya terrible, terrible lie that someone gave to the people long ago. Lenny Bruce. He mentions a practice from the time of Christs crucifixion. Lenny Bruce Constitution Quote Shirt $ 30.00 Select options. John L. White, who made the arrest and Robert Coogan, Jr., who owned the Grand Prix Hobby Shop and sold drugs there. A lawyer that advocated for First Amendment freedom of speech rights, Albert Bendich, represented Bruce in court. Instant potatoes? He does Barry Goldwater and his Jewish roots, Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House, Goldwater Talks to Negroes, Men Are Carnal, Bestiality Law, Custody/Get Even, Deny It and Hotels Are Dirty. He does Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House, Dick Gregory, Goldwater Talks to Negroes, Las Vegas Tits & Ass, The Best Man in the Tribe (St. Paul), Schmuck, Flashers, and Custody/Get Even and Deny It. The Purple Onion is a nightclub in San Francisco, opened in 1952. The next section is a montage of very short clips of bits involving drug use. He relates the details of his arrest on a narcotics charge in Los Angeles, the trial, his "Department 95" hearing to determine whether he was a narcotics addict, and the subsequent criminal behavior of the arresting officer. There is an unknown third man present who makes a comment and asks some questions. Tim Allen has spoken out in defense of the Roseanne Barr he once knew. People flocked from all over the city, and across the snow to see his performance. He does Men Are Carnal, Bestiality Law, Custody/Get Even, Deny It. He does the bit People Dont Talk That Way to Judges. Tending bar at the Mudd Club never promised visibility. He cautions that jazz is getting too much of a snob appeal. His performance at Carnegie Hall took place two years before his 3rd appearance on The Steve Allen Show. He does the Transylvania bit, Airplane Glue, interview with George Washington, King Kong and Tarzan. He starts to do his bit about a sea monster at Coney Island whos handled by an agent; the bit is known as The Monster or Heshie the Monster, but some people in the audience wont stop talking. He does a bit about "chick singers", a bit about how its a myth that agents can make your career, talks of his recent obscenity trial in New York (the Caf Au Go Go trial). Bruce discusses women's breasts, lipstick and powder, dating advice, does No Guy Ever Cheated on His Wife/Guys Detach, Custody/Get Even, Divorce, Deny It, and a bit about Alaska. Iconic Lenny Bruce Pin $ 10.00 Read more. This file ends before the end of the set, which was halted by the police, who then arrested Bruce and some audience members (including comic George Carlin, who refused to show police his ID). He does Las Vegas Tits & Ass, then Would You Sell Out Your Country (Francis Gary Powers), Doing It Is Dirty and We Did It to Their Mothers for Chocolate Bars. He mentions that journalist Dorothy Kilgallen is in the audience and talks about her. "Gum Addiction," a pantomime of a musician going though withdrawal because of a lack of chewing gum, is a parody of the then-current play The Connection, which focused on jazz musicians with narcotics habits. He talks about the double standard in depicting sex vs. violence. Lenny Bruce F**K Quote Shirt . Bruce begins by riffing with some audience members. who was involved with narcotics. Bruce refers to his legal troubles. Gleason was a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle who was an early fan and supporter of Bruce. In addition to other bits, Bruce comments on what he's looking at in a newspaper (or possibly a magazine). Talks about segregation, Perry Como. The Purple Onion originally opened in 1952 under the management of Keith Rockwell. "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top" has a bluesy flavor, along with Francks' improvised dialogue and a brief scatted detour into "On the Trail" (from Grof's Grand Canyon Suite). Bruce identifies in the audience jazz musician J.J. Johnson, and someone from the magazine Downbeat. He flips through a magazine with stories about celebrities and lady-kinda ads. He reads the ad for the Mark Eden Method Bust Developer. In fact, this bit might be riskier today than it was in the 1960s. Summary []. Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Conversation among Lenny Bruce, Phil Spector and Allen Ginsberg. But guys can have head-on collisions with Greyhound busesand on the way to the hospital, in the ambulance, the guy makes a play for the nurse. Could he really be that bad?! The show is known as The Berkeley Concert. Bruce performs various bits and speaks of: J.J. Johnson, the magazine Downbeat, Copacabana owner Jules Podell, Mafia-connected club owners, his manager Jack Sobel, Jackie Paris, Mort Sahl, Burt Boyar, How to Relax Your Colored Friends at Parties, Sophie Tucker, Ted Shapiro, Bill Stern, the Paramount in Brooklyn, Miles Davis, Leopold and Loeb, Don Winslow, scenario of a Jewish boy visiting home from military school, George Washington interviewed by Mike Wallace. Bruce speaks of his arrests in Los Angeles both for obscenity and for possession of narcotics. Bruce does his bit about Barry Goldwaters Jewish roots, which suggests that it is 1964. George Wallaces reaction to Pygmies. Bruce riffs that he was late because hed been kidnapped. Join Vimeo Literary experts were called as witnesses to support Bendichs claim. Politics. He talks about tourist vs. first class on planes. (1) Bruce talks about his trial, mentions Leopold and Loeb, his arrest for obscenity days earlier, the abundance of police cars in front of the Gate of Horn at the previous nights performance. The second set begins. Once again Bruce was hauled off and arrested. The recording ends in the midst of his bit White Collar Drunk. Bruce talks about the early years of his career, differences between audiences and regions, and television. August 5, 2016. He does Dick Gregory, Las Vegas Tits & Ass, Bestiality, Chicken, and Schmuck. Throughout his career Lenny Bruce said whatever he wanted on stage. The exact date is not known, but the year is probably 1962. Bruce is talking about a D.A. Third part of a conversation among comedian Lenny Bruce, attorney Albert Bendich and journalist Ralph J. Gleason. It was performed in front of a diverse audience in a jazz club, which he explains his point perfectly at the end. "Oscar's Blues" is a dazzling display of his tap dancing backed by Breau, while "Joey's Solo" finds the dancer accompanied only by the cadence of the audience's clapping. Bruce reads from documents associated with his February 1962 arrest for obscenity in San Francisco. The set ends. Leonard Alfred Schneider (October 13, 1925 - August 3, 1966), better known as Lenny Bruce, was a comedian, author, and social critic, whose corrosive and transgressive satire as well as his boldness in pushing the envelope of the laws of obscenity have made him an iconic figure in American culture. Let me tell you the truth. Out of prison on bail, soon he would die. He works the bit I Picked the Wrong God into his remarks about the trial and mentions Leopold and Loeb. He does the bit Chicks Are Boss. Conspiracy to interfere with the fourth amendment const Lenny Bruce. Goldfarb Library, Mailstop 045 An officer tells audience members to take their seats and show identification. He does Doing It Is Filthy. Lenny Bruce was way ahead of his time. The singer tells a joke between songs, and for an instant it is 1961. Were simply trying to make our ride, the best ride possible with what weve got. George Wallaces reaction to Pygmies. Shop The Lenny Bruce Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. He explains again that words are only offensive because society makes it that way, and it shouldnt be the case at all. The defense brought in media critics, psychiatrists, and religious figures that supported Bruces right to speak. The second clip is a bit on how Lawrence Welks accent and square persona were just a put-on. The last clip is the beginning of the bit 1100 Winos. He says he shouldnt talk politics because thats the domain of Mort Sahl and Phyllis Kirk, the Vic and Sade of show business. The next section begins as the set is in progress, with Bruce imagining that Pope Pius XII would sneak in one night to see him. Bruce does his bit about Obscenity Law and discusses obscenity. He talks about other countries views of American race relations and does Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House. In it, Bruce acts out multiple roles including host of a late-night radio show and an irate senior citizen caller. He went on to influence future comedians such as; Bill Hicks, George Carlin, Jon Stewart, Marc Maron, Louis C.K, Richard Pryor, the list goes on. Words may stay the same, context is always going through evolution. He directs remarks at the police in this shows audience. The first clip captures Bruces piece about doctors in old Hollywood movies, and continues with his bit Fay Bainter. [2] Since a tape of the performance was played at the trial, its in the public record and he plans to release it as an album, but with a warning that whoever sells it may be subject to the obscenity laws of his locality. These recordings are from the personal collection of the Bruce family and some of this material has been previously released in edited form. Class. Final show at The Purple Onion in San Francisco on 9/24/12Event Producer: Dan DionVideo Producer: A.D. Liano & Frazer BradshawThe famed San Francisco comedy . He tells a story about having run into bandleader Les Elgart in Detroit. Bruce also attracted attention for his edgy routines that often pushed the limits of good taste. Bruce is in the midst of recounting the incident for which he was accused of assault and battery on a TV cameraman in Los Angeles. Bruce asks the lighting man to turn out all the lights, and says its fun in the dark when were together, but not alone. The next clip is a few seconds of a bit about how Englishmen can say crap and it sounds classy. (2) Phone letter by Lenny Bruce to Ralph J. Gleason. To find out more about these recordings, please contact us! He died of an accidental drug overdose. Bruce is introduced by booker Don Friedman. Home; Biography; Videos; Donate; Shop; Cart; The Shop. When he first appeared on the show in 1959, Allen described him as the most shocking comedian of our time, a young man who is skyrocketing to fame.