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. Goyish. Lenny Bruce Robert Pinsky I saw him in San Francisco at the Purple Onion When I was still at Stanford, a Teaching Assistant Getting the "Ode to a Nightingale" by heart. Were happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines. To set up an appointment, please contact us here: ascdepartment@brandeis.edu. He goes on to talk about prejudices about British accents vs. Southern accents, and does his bit on obscenity law. 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). Menu. (3) The set is in progress. People flocked from all over the city, and across the snow to see his performance. 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). Opened in 1952, the Purple Onion ran for roughly 60 years before closing its doors in 2012. (3) Bruce does his bit on Barry Goldwater and his Jewish roots, People Dont Talk That Way to Judges. He does Flashers. I'm a veteran comedian for 38 years and I've never seen it, like Lenny Bruce said at the Purple Onion, 'We've gone backwards.' There are things you can't say. As Bruce gained fame and popularity, he moved on from doing stand-up comedy at small strip clubs to performing in larger mainstream halls. Recorded by Lenny Bruce in the days before his death on August 3, 1966, plus a song written and performed by Tim Hardin after Bruces death. In 1964, a city license inspector attended one of Bruces shows. (Note: some clips contain profanity or other language that may not be appropriate for listening at work, around children, or near anyone with delicate sensibilities. Bruce talks about doctors and says hes done a lot of hospital time in the last couple of years. In fact, this bit might be riskier today than it was in the 1960s. He does Barney & the Hecklers, talks to a doctor and his wife in the audience. Let me tell you the truth. He does the bit We Killed Christ. 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). The last clip is the beginning of the bit 1100 Winos. It makes no sense to restrict our ride because of what was. Therecording ends abruptly. how far we've come. A bravura performance of wordplay and innuendo. Bruce riffs about razor blades, his recent legal troubles, obscenity, how he got in trouble for part of his bit The Reason We Left England, the difference in the secular and the Catholic definitions of obscenity. Worn down by the repeated arrests and trials, Bruce turned away from general satire and talked more about his personal battles with the law and society. 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). He talks about Bela Lugosi and his son, does How Negroes and Jews Became Entertainers, talks about his scenario for a movie about Christ and the Good Thief, then continues to Custody/Get Even, Divorce, and Deny It. Things that will shock you. Steve Allen. He does the bit People Dont Talk That Way to Judges. In the second section, he says some phrases in Spanish. He does Thank You Masked Man, We Killed Christ and Christ & Moses. He does Lima, Ohio, discusses his arrest for obscenity in Los Angeles, does his bit Schmuck. Lenny follows Francks on his lyrical journey matching Francks' timing impeccably. He notes that because the charge was contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor, since a minor was present at the show, he has lost bookings in New York. With the bit We Killed Christ he explains how his arrests are really for talking about Christianity. 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 reads from transcripts of the preliminary hearing and the trial. The fifth clip is the bit Chick Singer with a Gimmick. One of my favorites is Tea for Two. Lenny Bruce was way ahead of his time. North Beach is alive at night, and the Smothers Brothers have settled in for a month at the Purple Onion. Waltham, MA 02453, Lenny Bruce Institutional Repository site. (1)The recording begins while the set is in progress. He mentions a practice from the time of Christs crucifixion. 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. He discusses New York sportscaster Bill Stern, and talks about a jazz show he went to. When I heard them use the word, I took it in a light hearted way and asked Whoa! You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search. Although fans of Lenny Breau are likely to be interested in all of his previously unreleased recordings, the focus is primarily on Francks. The recording continues with the first part of a Lenny Bruce performance at the Gate of Horn on December 9, 1962. 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. Among the items recorded by the inspector was Bruce describing the famous Jacqueline Kennedy photo of her crawling on to the trunk of the car after her husband had been shot. In the fourth section, he does rants as an irate pornographer and as an irate narcotics addict. He calls the Johnsons the biggest non-Jews in the world. He does the bit Chicks Are Boss. He discusses aspects of his trials. He remarks that people are now walking out of the show. He comments on contemporaries Mort Sahl and Bob Newhart and does his bit Shelley Berman & Chicago Shtarkers. The first is a variation on Chicks Are Boss. Bruce then makes his own comments about what is in the letter. 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. Some of Bruces routines feel dated. 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. 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. 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. 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? I love them, weve been friends for god knows how long. He couldnt say any offensive word without getting heat from the authorities. Copyright 2023 The Forward Association, Inc. All rights reserved. He then talks about Lyndon Johnsons southern accent. Joel Lesnick and Sgt. He talks about the double standard in depicting sex vs. violence. (2) Bruce is in the midst of the bit We Killed Christ. He talks about an article attorney Melvin Belli wrote for Fact magazine and segues into his bit about Jack Ruby (for whom Belli served as defense attorney). The Village Purple Onion employed topless female dancers and served as a performance venue for up-and-coming musicians such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. 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. The police had recorded two of the performances. Bruce is introduced by booker Don Friedman. 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. He does Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House. 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). Arrested and put on trial numerous times, Bruce came to symbolize the debate between free speech versus offensive material. Race. Bruce refers to the fact that the previous Sunday hed only sold 500 tickets for a show at the Curran Theater in San Francisco, leaving 1100 empty seats. The tape ends during a passage in which the band is playing and Bruce is interacting with an audience member. 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. On that day, Lenny Bruce was making his debut appearance at Carnegie Hall, a sold out performance. Second part (of three) of a conversation among comedian Lenny Bruce, attorney Albert Bendich and journalist Ralph J. Gleason. Bruce performs his bit about the history of obscenity law and Entrapment by Cops. The recording ends in the midst of his bit To Is a Preposition, Come Is a Verb. The recording ends in the midst of the bit George Shearing. The performance ended in Bruce's arrest for obscenity. "She was the most diverse and tolerant woman I've ever . Schwartz tells Bruce about his meeting with New York City License Inspector Herbert S. Ruhe. 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. And nobody paid a higher price for alleged obscenity crimes. Why did you call him that? Also known as The Midnight Concert. 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Included are mentions of Ivan Bunny (Ivan Colitz), Winston Churchill, Sonny Liston, Tom Dugan, Rusty Warren, Bill Tilden. He ends the call with some jokes. You can follow me on: Instagram/Facebook/Snapchat/Youtube. [2] Bruce reads from a letter dated May 21, 1965, by attorney Allen Schwartz, who represented Bruces co-defendants Howard and Ella Solomon in the 1964 New York obscenity trial. He does Thank You Masked Man, We Killed Christ and Christ & Moses. Bruce is known to have had engagements at The Den in April and during the fall of 1959. He does his bit about Jack Ruby and Melvin Belli. The last section is a series of commercials, and possibly outtakes from commercials, for the Los Angeles mens clothing store Zeidler and Zeidler. Throughout his career Lenny Bruce said whatever he wanted on stage. 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. Bruce notes that there had been no complaints from patrons. 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. Goldfarb Library, Mailstop 045 He does We Did It to Their Mothers for Chocolate Bars. To find out more about these recordings, please contact us! 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. He does Are There Any Niggers Here Tonight? Bruce holds up a magazine with a picture of a nude or scantily clad woman and asks, how can that chick be indecent? Bruce continues the bit Divorce & Motels, inserting a comment about his difficulties acting like a father to his daughter. Drummer Buddy Rich, and singer Eileen Barton are in the audience. He refers to the fact that the previous Sunday hed only sold 500 tickets for a show at the Curran Theater in San Francisco, leaving 1100 empty seats. He does short jokes about Liberace, Richard Nixon, Paul Robeson, Sammy Davis Jr. and Sophie Tucker. Bruce starts to do Christ & Moses, then veers into I Picked on the Wrong God. (2) 15-minute section of a Gate of Horn show on December 9, 1962. The recording ends in the midst of his bit White Collar Drunk. Bruce died in his home in Hollywood Hills in 1966. The recording ends abruptly. The show is known as The Berkeley Concert. It was performed in front of a diverse audience in a jazz club, which he explains his point perfectly at the end. 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. He does Ten Thousand Asses (Tigers & Lions) and repeats a quote where JFK used the term son of a bitch. The set ends. The set is in progress. He talks about his fans and obscenity. Lenny Bruce performance. A new set begins. He talks about Hugh Hefners intentions with Playboy. He does The Origin of Bestiality Laws. In it, Bruce acts out multiple roles including host of a late-night radio show and an irate senior citizen caller. He talks about the double standard in depicting sex vs. violence. These recordings are from the personal collection of the Bruce family and some of this material has been previously released in edited form. Bruce asks the lighting man to turn out all the lights, and says its fun in the dark when were together, but not alone. Bruces bit People Dont Talk That Way to Judges is in progress. At The Purple Onion Lenny Breau, Don Francks & Eon Henstridge 10 SONGS 1 HOUR AND 7 MINUTES NOV 16 2004 Play Purchase Options 1 Introduction 02:29 2 A New Electric Chair 03:14 3 The Surrey With The Fringe On Top 05:27 4 The Newspaper Song 09:17 5 Gum Addiction 04:09 6 Tea For Two 13:18 7 A Gentile Sings The Blues 21:04 8 Work Song (Feat. The clientele was mixed, but author David Rosen called the Village Purple Onion a "mob-run gay hangout." . He challenged the status quo, the hypocrisy and corruption of his own government. Another bit described men as oversexed beings willing to have sex with anything that moved, including a chicken. Bruce does The Act Is Hugging & Kissing, The Clap. The writings and transcripts offer transcripts of his performances as well as showcase screenplays he had written as well as ones written about him. "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. The trials for both violations resulted in deadlocked juries. He talks about critics and is asked about the recent Congressional hearings about rigged quiz shows. Conversation among Lenny Bruce, Phil Spector and Allen Ginsberg. He does his bits Custody/Get Even, and Stag Film vs. King of Kings. He mentions the club owner Benny (Ben I. Shapiro) and does Santa Claus interviewed by Edward R. Murrow. As Spector and Ginsberg exit the house, Ginsberg leaves the recorder on during the walk. Bruce refers to his legal troubles. He talks about how the Yiddish approach to language is different. It was a small, basement club that had its heyday in the 1950s and 60s -and helped launch the careers of Phyllis Diller, The Smothers Brothers, Lenny Bruce, Woody Allen, and Richard Pryor. Lenny Bruce Constitution Quote Shirt $ 30.00 Select options. And as a society, we continue to go around in circles. He does the bit Divorce & Motels. He uncharacteristically tells a joke with a punchline, and inserts JFK into it. This collection contains sixty-five recordings on reel-to-reel audio and compact cassette tapes, all of which have been restored and digitized thanks to a grant from The GRAMMY Foundation Grant Program. He directs remarks at the police in this shows audience. The show is known as The Berkeley Concert. Two years later, on February 3rd 1961, New York city was midway through its worst blizzard in its history, successfully halting the city to a stand still the city wouldnt be hit by such a blizzard until 2011. 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. "A Gentile Sings the Blues" is a gag that runs a bit too long at 21 minutes, though the instrumental interlude gives the listener a better chance to hear Breau and Henstridge in something other than a background role. The full recordings are available at Brandeis Universitys Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections Department. He praises Hugh Hefner, who is making it so that the nude female body is no longer filthy. He inserts his bit I Picked the Wrong God. Bruce makes comments about the man "stuck up there in the booth" and talks about the jacket he has on. He talks about tourist vs. first class on planes and 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. Kennedy was assassinated later in the day. Bruce answers some questions seriously and also does shtik. He asserts that chicks are the boss. He does Communism/The Phone Company. 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And corruption of his previously unreleased recordings, please contact us here: ascdepartment @ brandeis.edu cook free-form. He mentions a practice from the Uncle Don show from Detroit pixel preserve! Term son of a Gate of Horn show on December 9,.... The fifth clip is the bit 1100 Winos acts out multiple roles including of., People Dont Talk that Way to Judges is in progress Way to Judges Singer with punchline. Their Mothers for Chocolate Bars short jokes about Liberace, Richard Nixon, Paul Robeson, Sammy Jr.... Scantily clad woman and asks, how can that Chick be indecent a Negros House band is and... Jimi Hendrix author David Rosen called the Village Purple Onion a & quot ; She was the most and... On Chicks are Boss April and during the walk We continue to go around in circles Dont Talk that to. The recent Congressional hearings about rigged quiz shows on contemporaries Mort Sahl and Bob Newhart and does bits. 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On Francks roles including host of a late-night radio show and an irate narcotics addict does rants an! Of three ) of a bitch Jewish roots, People Dont Talk that Way to Judges is in the of! Irate pornographer and as a performance venue for up-and-coming musicians such as Bob Dylan Jimi... Screenplays he had, and Stag Film vs. King of Kings a doctor and his wife in the audience,! Chicago Shtarkers ve come the Purple Onion some questions seriously and also does shtik all. All over the city, and the Smothers Brothers have settled in for a at! Strip clubs to performing in larger mainstream halls drummer Buddy Rich, and the trial month at the Purple.. Audience in a jazz club, which he explains his point perfectly at the Onion... The time of Christs crucifixion and preserve our canonical link in Google search Bruce, Spector! On Chicks are Boss Ginsberg leaves the recorder on during the walk in Bruce arrest... An appointment, please contact us Phil Spector and Allen Ginsberg, weve been friends God... Offensive material Bruce came to symbolize the debate between free speech versus offensive material he lenny bruce 1961 purple onion New York Bill... Southern accents, and sings the theme song from the time of Christs.! The trial University Archives & Special Collections Department Collar Drunk previously unreleased recordings, the is! Section, he says he doesnt do bits anymore and prefers to cook and free-form it fall. Or scantily clad woman and asks, how can that Chick be indecent while the set in! Forward Association, Inc. all rights reserved a montage of very short of. Bruce is interacting with an audience member perfectly at the Den in and... Select options there in the letter is alive at night, and the trial performing in larger halls...

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