Lenny Bruce, Radical Comedian, Convicted of Obscenity in New York City
Comedian Lenny Bruce was arrested for obscenity on this day in New York City.
He was arrested many times in his career on charges of obscenity. See his early arrest in San Francisco on October 4, 1961).
Lenny Bruce’s radical and politically-oriented style of humor savagely attacked American hypocrisy on sex, religion and race. Many believe that his arrests were provoked more by his attacks on the Catholic Church than for the dirty words in his routines. His style of socially and politically-oriented comedy profoundly influenced comedians for decades, and many of today’s stand-up comedians would not be able to perform if Bruce had not broken the barriers years before.
He died of a heroin overdose in 1966. For his conviction on this day, he was pardoned posthumously by New York Governor George Pataki on December 23, 2003.
Learn about Lenny Bruce: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St0Y8-1BlCc
Learn more: Ronald K. L. Collins and David Skover, The Trials of Lenny Bruce: The Fall and Rise of an American Icon (2002)
Visit the official Lenny Bruce website: http://www.lennybruceofficial.com/
Learn more about his 1964 trial: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/bruce/bruce.html