Lenny bruce quotes

Lenny Bruce

American satirist, master of humorous improvisation, author of books, articles and records, who gained fame in the 1950s and 1960s

Date of Birth: 13.10.1925
Country: USA

Content:

Lenny Bruce: The American Satirist and Symbol of Free Speech
Rise to Fame and Controversial Humor
Arrests and Legal Battles
Cultured Icon and Posthumous Influence
Legacy through Writing and Publications
Publications about Lenny Bruce
Biographies and Critical Analyses
Underworldby Don DeLillo (Simon and Schuster Inc., 1997)
What the Psychic Sawby Brian Josepher (Sterlinghouse Publisher, 2005)
Lennyby Valerie Kohler Smith (Grove Press, Inc., 1974)

Lenny Bruce: The American Satirist and Symbol of Free Speech

Early Life and Turbulent Childhood

Born Leonard Alfred Schneider in Mineola, Long Island, Lenny Bruce was the son of a British shoe salesman and a dancer who later changed her name to Sally Marr. Growing up, Bruce experienced an unstable and chaotic home life, spending much of his time with relatives.

Rise to Fame and Controversial Humor

In the 1950s and 1960s, Bruce rose to prominence as a master of satirical comedy, known for his irreverent, confrontational, and often vulgar humor. His fearless social commentary and no-holds-barred style pushed the boundaries of free speech, sparking controversy and legal battles.

Arrests and Legal Battles

Bruce's outspoken nature led to multiple arrests and highly publicized obscenity trials. His performances became battlegrounds for the First Amendment, with authorities attempting to silence his provocative material.

Cultured Icon and Posthumous Influence

Despite (or perhaps because of) his legal troubles, Bruce garnered a cult following, becoming a symbol of free expression and countercultural rebellion. His death in 1966, officially ruled as a drug overdose, only further cemented his status as an icon.

Legacy through Writing and Publications

Bruce left behind a rich legacy of comedic material, including books, articles, and recordings. His groundbreaking work has been immortalized in plays, documentaries, and numerous biographies and studies.

Publications about Lenny Bruce

Stamp Help Out!(1961 / 1965)
How to Talk Dirty and Influence People(Playboy Publishing, 1967)
Lenny(play) by Julian Barry (Grove Press, Inc. 1971)

The (almost) Unpublished Lenny Bruceby Kitty Bruce (Running Press, 1984)

The Essential Lenny Bruceedited by John Cohen (Ballantine Books, 1967)

Biographies and Critical Analyses

The Trials of Lenny Bruce: The Fall & Rise of an American Iconby Ronald K. L. Collins & David Skover (Sourcebooks, 2002)

Underworldby Don DeLillo (Simon and Schuster Inc., 1997)

The Calvin Coolidge Home For Dead Comediansby Bradley Denton

Ladies and Gentlemen—Lenny Bruce!!by Albert Goldman and Lawrence Schiller (Random House, 1974)

What the Psychic Sawby Brian Josepher (Sterlinghouse Publisher, 2005)

Lenny Bruce: The Comedian as Social Critic & Secular Moralistby Frank Kofsky (Monad Press, 1974)

Lennyby Valerie Kohler Smith (Grove Press, Inc., 1974)

Lenny Bruce: The Making of a Prophetby William Karl Thomas (1989)

Best biography of grant I’m on my 4th Grant bio in as many weeks, but so far my favorite has been the newest, Ron White’s “American Ulysses,” particularly its treatment of Grant’s world tour, which was by far the best treatment of that phase of his life (aside, of course, from Edwina Campbell’s excellent “Citizen of a Wider Commonwealth: Ulysses S. Grant’s Postpresidential Diplomacy,” which focuses.