Included are mentions of Ivan Bunny (Ivan Colitz), Winston Churchill, Sonny Liston, Tom Dugan, Rusty Warren, Bill Tilden. Eulogy to Lenny Bruce, written and performed by Hardin after Bruces death. The file ends during the bit Las Vegas Tits & Ass. 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. 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 does The Best Man in the Tribe (St. Paul), The Christian God Has a Face, the Jewish God Doesnt, Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House, Men Are Carnal, Las Vegas Tits & Ass and the origin of Obscenity Law, Marijuana, and Airplane Glue. In it, Bruce acts out multiple roles including host of a late-night radio show and an irate senior citizen caller. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. The Purple Onion is a nightclub in San Francisco, opened in 1952. The Purple Onion was a legendary comedy club in San Francisco. Bruce does his bit about Barry Goldwaters Jewish roots. 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. The prosecution used the testimony and notes of the city license inspector, as well as from police officers who attended some of Bruces other performances. ), Bruce was introduced at this famous appearance as the most shocking comedian of our time, a man who is skyrocketing to fame. He began his routine with a wry smile and the line, Will Elizabeth Taylor become bar mitzvahd?, The Marine Corps is goyish. 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. I love them, weve been friends for god knows how long. The place might be Los Angeles, where Bruce lived, or San Francisco, where Bendich and Gleason were based. Free-form bits recorded by Bruce in the days before his death on August 3, 1966. A new set begins. He does his bit on Barry Goldwater and his Jewish roots. He challenged the status quo, the hypocrisy and corruption of his own government. Back in California, Bruce was again arrested, as well as ordered to go into rehab for drug addiction. Bruces bit People Dont Talk That Way to Judges is in progress. The show is known as The Berkeley Concert. Bruce says that he was arrested for obscenity for using the word "fressing" (fress in Yiddish means to eat, but its slang use implies oral sex). . Of more interest is the extended interplay between Breau and Henstridge, as Francks' silliness quickly wears thin. The new trial pitted Bruces use of dirty language and suggestive material against his right to free speech. Towards the end of his life, Lenny was constantly caught up in bust ups with the authorities. Immediately, Bruce defused the stigma and obscenity of the word shit, and transferred it to another harmless four letter word beginning with an S and ending with a T. He says hes noticed that most of his audiences are male. In fact, this bit might be riskier today than it was in the 1960s. 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 . Lenny Bruce was a controversial American comedian during the 1950s and 1960s. Bruce was watched closely in New York as well. Shop The Lenny Bruce Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. 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. He does 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). A discussion of Jackie Mason speaking out against censorshipin response to Bruces arrest for obscenity at the Gate of Horn days earliercontinues. The Official Website of Lenny Bruce. Bruce does The Act Is Hugging & Kissing, The Clap. He talks about tourist vs. first class on planes. Description He talks about the Romans treatment of Christians and anti-Semitism. He discusses the Bay of Pigs and continues the Shelley Berman bit, tells Catholics theyre lucky to have confession, refers to the sex scandals involving Bill Tilden and Fatty Arbuckle and remarks that people are now walking out of the show. Lenny had proven his point words are only offensive because society allows that particular word to be offensive. Bruce makes comments about the man "stuck up there in the booth" and talks about the jacket he has on. He talks about food that used to be good for you but is now bad for you, pill addicts, and homosexuals on trial in Miami. The man brought a civil suit against him. He does Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House, Dick Gregory and Goldwater Talks to Negroes, Las Vegas Tits & Ass, The Best Man in the Tribe (St. Paul), Schmuck, Flashers, Custody/Get Even and Deny It, and The Reason We Left England. In the end, Lenny Bruce and comedy club owner Howard Solomon were found guilty as charged. Conversation among Lenny Bruce, Phil Spector and Allen Ginsberg. The date and location are not known (probably 1964 or later). Bruce also attracted attention for his edgy routines that often pushed the limits of good taste. He does Thank You Masked Man, We Killed Christ and Christ & Moses. A lawyer that advocated for First Amendment freedom of speech rights, Albert Bendich, represented Bruce in court. and Black Black Woman White White Woman. 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. The recording ends abruptly, then continues (it may be the same performance, or yet another performance). The defense brought in media critics, psychiatrists, and religious figures that supported Bruces right to speak. He does his bits Custody/Get Even, and Stag Film vs. King of Kings. Bruce continues the bits Deny It and Hotels Are Dirty. "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). He talks about race relations and does Dick Gregory, Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House and Goldwater Talks to Negroes. 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. He turns his back to the camera this way, you dont know who said, the band said it, hes timing himself, preparing to say that shocking, obscene, foul, four letter wordhe immediately turns around to the camera. 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. He reads a newspaper review of his opening night show at the club. The announcer says, "Ladies and gentlemen, we now have a new star of our show." Schwartz tells Bruce about his meeting with New York City License Inspector Herbert S. Ruhe. He does The Best Man in the Tribe (St. Paul). In the '90's things were changed from comedy to music. Bud Steinhoff managed the Purple Onion until his death in November 1983. 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). He says he has sold his house, and his money is gone. He does The Best Man in the Tribe (St. Paul), Custody/Get Even, Deny It, Are There Any Niggers Here? The performance ended in Bruce's arrest for obscenity. This show is known as The Bust Show. He does The Best Man in the Tribe (St. Paul). He reads from the transcript of his trial for obscenity in San Francisco earlier that year. Bruce seeks Bendichs advice. 1960s greenwich village city street scene group of young adults walking along past the purple onion a famous go-go bar nyc usa - r20867 har001 hars copy space full-length ladies persons village go united states of america males pedestrians entertainment b&w north america freedom north american wide angle temptation dreams purple leisure onion along choice exterior famous recreation gotham . Bruce introduces Levy to his attorney, Mark Blumenthal. Looking at the camera, Bruce talks very briefly about his reputation and the first amendment, the freedom of speech and how a law abiding citizen gets offended by his freedom of speech, but the irony is that he is within his own constitutional right to say whatever he likes, and that there is no law saying that he can not do so. He talks about pornography, masturbation, crime, and Jews. Things that will shock you. Steve Allen. He does Doing It Is Filthy. 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. He does the bit The Origin of Bestiality Laws. 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. He talks about Hugh Hefners intentions with Playboy. 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. The Air Force is JewishKool Aid? Others still crackle with raw energy. The primary goal of the meeting was for Ginsberg to hear Bruces experience with being arrested for giving performances that contained obscene material, and his views on what legal steps can be taken to fight those charges. Bruce blames the Maryland Hotel cleaning service for the fact that hes wearing a raincoat. Conversation between Lenny Bruce and his mother, comic Sally Marr, with some guests, including Frankie Man (real name Frank Schneider). (2) 15-minute section of a Gate of Horn show on December 9, 1962. The tape ends during an exchange between Bruce and Gate of Horn owner Alan Ribback about Jackie Mason having just criticized censorship (this was witnessed by Ribback, but its unknown whether it was live or on television or radio). (2) Bruce is in the midst of the bit We Killed Christ. He comments on audience members walking out. One of Bruces signature routines. He mentions his arrests for giving obscene performances in Beverly Hills, and says we should keep prayer in the schools because we need to understand people who have religious training. Tending bar at the Mudd Club never promised visibility. On that day, Lenny Bruce was making his debut appearance at Carnegie Hall, a sold out performance. He does The Romans Segregated Christians with Lions and Black Black Woman White White Woman. His performance at Carnegie Hall took place two years before his 3rd appearance on The Steve Allen Show. Bruce mentions his bit Religions Inc. from four years earlier. He does the bit People Dont Talk That Way to Judges. 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. The comedy of Lenny Bruce was changing. On August 3, 1966, he died of a morphine overdose in his home. He reacts to people in the balcony who yell for him to speak louder. He talks about other countries views of American race relations and does Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House. Bruce mentions protesters demonstrating against policemen, and does How the Law Started/Craphouse. 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. Bruce holds up a mens magazine (Rogue), does his bits on King Kong, Entrapment by Cops, We Did it to Their Mothers for Chocolate Bars, Adolf Eichmann, Infidelity and How to Relax Your ColoredFriends at Parties. Thats the place where Lenny Bruce was arrested for obscenities a long time ago. He explained that Bruce is not a comedian who just told dirty and foul jokes, but instead; He deals with [the] subject matter which many people consider off limits. Upon returning to stand-up comedy, things got worse for Lenny Bruce over the next two years. Scary goyish.. He reads from a negative review by Army Archerd of his performance at The Interlude, a Los Angeles club, in which patrons of the club are called limp-wristers. Bruce does his Lie Detector bit. Well guess whatpeople who want to offend, theyll use it to cause harm and offence to whoever feeds up to it. Talks about segregation, Perry Como. He does his bit about Jack Ruby and Melvin Belli. He doesnt like double-entendre comics like Belle Barth, and to prove it says an obscenity straightforward. He calls writer Alexander King, a frequent guest on Jack Paars late-night show, the junkie Mark Twain. He does his bit on Fay Bainter, the actress who played Andy Hardys mother. The set is in progress as the tape begins. Bruce notes the set is being recorded by Max Weiss of Fantasy Records, and starts repeating a phrase so that the tape editor will be confused. (3) The last section is a series of commercials, and possibly outtakes from commercials, for the Los Angeles mens clothing store Zeidler and Zeidler. ), Frank Hogan. Bruce is in the midst of his King Kong bit. He does Black Black Woman White White Woman. 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