Thats the place where Lenny Bruce was arrested for obscenities a long time ago. Were simply trying to make our ride, the best ride possible with what weve got. Lenny had proven his point words are only offensive because society allows that particular word to be offensive. He talks about Hugh Hefners intentions with Playboy. A great example that comes to mind that backs Allens statement, is of one of the first skits I listened to when I discovered Lenny Bruce. A lady cant go through a plate-glass window and go to bed with you five seconds later. He does The Romans Segregated Christians with Lions. The materials range in date from the early 1920s to the 2000s. The Purple Onion is a nightclub in San Francisco, opened in 1952. He says an obscenity circus has been going on around him for the past five years. Why was Allen making such a big deal about this? Squalor has never guaranteed success; chain smoking at the Purple Onion never guaranteed creativity and ingenuity. Lenny Bruce, the pioneering, ribald comedian who died of a drug overdose in 1966, was given a posthumous gubernatorial pardon today for the obscenity conviction that some supporters . Bendich is impressed by the thoroughness of Bruces research. After Lennys death, never would a comedian stand trial for the use of obscene language. Conversation between Lenny Bruce and his mother, comic Sally Marr, with some guests, including Frankie Man (real name Frank Schneider). He does a bit on mothers of different ethnicities. The last clip is the beginning of the bit 1100 Winos. He mentions the comic Bill Dana and the San Francisco club the hungry i. The show is known as The Berkeley Concert. Home; Biography; Videos; Donate; Shop; Cart; The Shop. He uncharacteristically tells a joke with a punchline, and inserts JFK into it. 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. 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 talks about the prosecution witnesses at his recent New York obscenity trial, and does Art With a Little Piece of Shit in It. Bruce notes that there had been no complaints from patrons. The recording continues with the first part of a Lenny Bruce performance at the Gate of Horn on December 9, 1962. 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. 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. He says, Im really paranoid about getting busted so much (he had been arrested for his Gate of Horn show during the early hours of December 5). Bruce reads from documents associated with his February 1962 arrest for obscenity in San Francisco. You must credit the Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search. Bruce asks the lighting man to turn out all the lights, and says its fun in the dark when were together, but not alone. He points out that the California statute 288a calls criminal many sex acts that he assumes the audience has practiced. He does his bit The Christian God Has a Face, the Jewish God Doesnt. 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. "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. 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. Bendich had been Bruces defense counsel in his 1962 obscenity trial in San Francisco (Bruce was acquitted). Throughout his career Lenny Bruce said whatever he wanted on stage. Allen urged any viewer who found themselves to be easily offended or didnt want to be shocked, to go away and do something else which didnt involve them watching his show for the next 10 minutes. More detailed information on the Lenny Bruce collection audio files can be found here: Lenny Bruce Institutional Repository site. 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. I know words have power. He talks about when Norman words took over for Anglo-Saxon ones, providing euphemisms (such as mutton for the meat of sheep). Conversation among Lenny Bruce, Phil Spector and Allen Ginsberg. 50 years ago, Lenny Bruce was found dead on his bathroom floor, up in the Hollywood Hills. He does Dick Gregory and Ive Never Been Inside a Negros House. The recording ends in the midst of his bit White Collar Drunk. Some of the names on the petition included Paul Newman, Bob Dylan, Elizabeth Taylor, James Baldwin, and Woody Allen. The audience reacted positively. The recording ends abruptly. He died of an accidental drug overdose. 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. He talks about the double standard in depicting sex vs. violence. The recording ends abruptly before the end of the set. Bruce does his bit about Barry Goldwaters Jewish roots. Instant potatoes? The fifth clip is his bit The Clap and was recorded during Bruces engagement at the Chicago club The Gate of Horn in November-December 1962. George Wallaces reaction to Pygmies. Bruce is known to have had engagements at The Den in April and during the fall of 1959. In the '90's things were changed from comedy to music. Lenny Bruce died in August of 1966, but you can still hear his voice online. Bruce talks about his obscenity case, his February 1962 arrest for obscenity in San Francisco. Add a one-line explanation of what this file represents. The file ends during Shelley Berman & the Chicago Shtarkers. Lenny follows Francks on his lyrical journey matching Francks' timing impeccably. Lenny Bruce was way ahead of his time. The tenth clip is truncated, ending during the bit. There are things you . (Bruce was then arrested, as was audience member George Carlin, who refused to show police his ID). He comments on contemporaries Mort Sahl and Bob Newhart and does his bit Shelley Berman & Chicago Shtarkers. He explained that he didnt care what people thought about the nickname because they arent there to understand. It was performed in front of a diverse audience in a jazz club, which he explains his point perfectly at the end. Bruce died in his home in Hollywood Hills in 1966. Years before, Bruce who was a civil rights activist, said in a performance You have a choice of spending 15 years being married to a woman, a black woman or white woman, a simplified skit that showed how ridiculous any anti-miscegenation argument was, and flattened it in just 30 seconds. 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 couldnt say any offensive word without getting heat from the authorities. He calls Gene Norman, owner of The Crescendo in Los Angeles, insane. He holds up a picture of a woman in a nudie magazine and says the name Hugh Hefner will be in the history books for taking the stigma away from nudity and sex. In addition to other bits, Bruce comments on what he's looking at in a newspaper (or possibly a magazine). (2) Bruce is in the midst of the bit We Killed Christ. Bruce starts to do Christ & Moses, then veers into I Picked on the Wrong God. 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). One of the charges against him was saying "shmuck." Bruce begins by riffing with some audience members. He reads a newspaper review of his opening night show at the club. The last section is a series of commercials, and possibly outtakes from commercials, for the Los Angeles mens clothing store Zeidler and Zeidler. The set ends. He does his bit of George Washington interviewed by Mike Wallace. He gives a rundown of persecuted groups, does Ten Thousand Asses (Tigers & Lions), then Shelley Berman & Chicago Shtarkers. George Wallaces reaction to Pygmies. 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 King, "From the Editor: How to Lose Customers," Gay Scene 5, no. He says he has sold his house, and his money is gone. Tending bar at the Mudd Club never promised visibility. A new set starts. He does The Best Man in the Tribe (St. Paul). He inserts his bit I Picked the Wrong God. 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 . "A New Electric Chair" is a stream-of-consciousness narrative about a warden deliberating a purchase. All fans of Lenny Breau will want to check out this previously unreleased CD, though some listeners may feel a bit overwhelmed by the emphasis on Francks' comedic vocals and narratives. He goes on to talk about prejudices about British accents vs. Southern accents, and does his bit on obscenity law. Bruce answers some questions seriously and also does shtik. You can follow me on: Instagram/Facebook/Snapchat/Youtube. The recording ends abruptly. Well guess whatpeople who want to offend, theyll use it to cause harm and offence to whoever feeds up to it. A lawyer that advocated for First Amendment freedom of speech rights, Albert Bendich, represented Bruce in court. Although fans of Lenny Breau are likely to be interested in all of his previously unreleased recordings, the focus is primarily on Francks. The set is in progress. 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. When the police arrived, they found a kettle of water turned on and an electric typewriter with an unfinished sentence. ), Frank Hogan. Their interaction in Nat Adderley's soulful "Work Song" is amazing, with Breau providing a bit of percussion on his instrument as well. The next section is a montage of very short clips of bits involving drug use. Jazz music starts playing on the p.a. 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. After deliberation, the jury acquitted Bruce. Goyish. 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. It all comes down to context, not the word. Bud Steinhoff managed the Purple Onion until his death in November 1983. He reacts to people in the balcony who yell for him to speak louder. During which a number of crap fucking bands no one has ever heard of played. Other Versions (5 of 9) View All The fifth clip is the bit Chick Singer with a Gimmick. Could he really be that bad?! Bruce also attracted attention for his edgy routines that often pushed the limits of good taste. Bruces bit People Dont Talk That Way to Judges is in progress. He talks about his fans and obscenity. The recording ends in the midst of his bit To Is a Preposition, Come Is a Verb. 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 continues the bit Divorce & Motels, inserting a comment about his difficulties acting like a father to his daughter. Lenny Bruce wanted to point out that your interpretation of that word, will be different from another persons. Below is a famous segment that was recorded in an underground bar, Bruce performs his Are there any niggers here tonight? skit. Charged and arrested the same year in Chicago, Bruce was found guilty and sentenced to one year in prison. 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). 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. Bruce then makes his own comments about what is in the letter. The next clip is a few seconds of a bit about how Englishmen can say crap and it sounds classy. 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. At the time of recording the episode, he was restricted by the authorities for using obscene language during his acts. He mentions his obscenity trial in New York (the Caf Au Go Go trial). This didnt phase him. The recording continues with the beginning of the second set. Men's voices can be heard--it's the police. The announcer says, "Ladies and gentlemen, we now have a new star of our show." (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. Shop The Lenny Bruce Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Upon returning to stand-up comedy, things got worse for Lenny Bruce over the next two years. He says he was hip to the Bay of Pigs before most people. He discusses Jules Podell, his manager, Jack Sobel, Jackie Paris, Mort Sahl, and Burt Boyar. He does his bit on blind pianist George Shearing. Lenny Bruce - The Legendary Lenny Bruce The Famous 1961 Performance Live From The Curran Theater In San Francisco More images Tracklist Notes Originally issues by Fantasy Records (Fantasy 34201) as "Lenny Bruce Live At The Curran Theatre" Murray Hill re-issue produced by arrangement with Fantasy Records. He does the bit Chicks Are Boss. He talks about pornography, masturbation, crime, and Jews. 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. However, that episode of the Steve Allen Show was eventually shelved by the censors, it was never aired. He does Flashers, then Midgets, wonders whether Pygmies are midgets, and imagines Gov. He talks about critics and is asked about the recent Congressional hearings about rigged quiz shows. Originally issues by Fantasy Records (Fantasy 34201) as "Lenny Bruce Live At The Curran Theatre". The second set begins. He lists his favorite painters, says he writes columns for Rogue magazine and The Realist, and lists magazines he reads and books hes read recently. One of Bruces signature routines. Words may stay the same, context is always going through evolution. 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. Sex from the philosophical viewpoint. ), 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. He begins a bit about a "chick singer.". He does his bit about wanting to give the audience members lie detector tests about infidelity and homosexuality and refers to Tab Hunter's arrest for allegedly beating his dog. He does Religions, Inc., and starts Father Flotsky. (1) Final 16 minutes of the show on the night of December 4-5, 1962, known as The Bust Show (midnight performance). He says hes noticed that most of his audiences are male. In Which The Artist Discusses Critics, Definitions, His San Francisco Bust, Courts, Juries, Side 1: Critics, Definitions, His San Francisco Bust, Courts, Juries, Cops, His Philadelphia Bust, Corruption, Obscenity, Defines Jewish And Goyishe, Side 6: The Eichmann Theme, The Thomas Merton Poem, Christ And Moses, The Legalization Of Pot, Hillbillies, Judy Garland's Farewell, Side 2: 'The Lie', His Courtroom Fantasy, George Shearing And Guide Dogs For The Blind, Tropic Of Cancer, Cops And Bad Toilet Training, The Philadelphia Hotel, Side 5: Fantasy With The Judge, Las Vegas, The Paradox Of Obscenity, Tits And Ass, Nuns, Paul Robeson And Adolph Eichmann, Side 3: Ride To Jail In Philadelphia, Jails In General, The Philadelphia Lower Courts, Side 4: The Shirley Beck Letters, Blue Suits, Bobby Kennedy, Russians, Integration, Juries, Humour. In March 1964, Steve Allen invited Lenny Bruce to make his 3rd appearance on his show. Bruce begins by using the microphone in a gesture of benediction; in his New York obscenity trial that was interpreted as being a masturbatory gesture. morgans funny here's a ten minute set from my last time up at the Purple Onion.I love that venue, it has such history. He does short jokes about Liberace, Richard Nixon, Paul Robeson, Sammy Davis Jr. and Sophie Tucker. By Philip Eil The recording ends abruptly, then continues (it may be the same performance, or yet another performance). (2) 15-minute section of a Gate of Horn show on December 9, 1962. He asserts that chicks are the boss. The recording ends abruptly, then continues (it may be the same performance, or yet another performance). 1961 October 4 Lenny Bruce, Pioneering Comedian, Arrested for Obscenity in San Francisco Comedian Lenny Bruce was arrested on this day at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco on obscenity charges for saying the word "cocksucker." He says men will have sex with anything. He refers to Tab Hunter's arrest for allegedly beating his dog. He mentions Judge Clayton Horn from his second San Francisco obscenity trial and Judge John Murtagh from his current New York trial (the Caf Au Go Go trial). The recording ends in the midst of the bit George Shearing. As comedy relief, Bruce tells an anecdote, using a W.C. Fields voice, about the judge. 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. He points out that the California statute 288a calls criminal many sex acts that he assumes the audience has practiced, and that the law made Caryl Chessman a pervert. The third section is another show, in progress. Talks about a bit of his about Eleanor Roosevelt and his current obscenity trial in New York (the Caf Au Go Go trial). George Wallaces reaction to Pygmies. However, the appeal was never completed. 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. This may be the third set of the night. He talks about Barry Goldwaters Jewish roots, prejudice and Lee Harvey Oswald. For example, the word nigger, represents a time of slavery, extreme racism and social injustice at a basic human rights level. Francks takes the same approach to "Tea for Two," slipping in and out of "Black Coffee" and adding a bit of scatting. 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? He calls the Johnsons the biggest non-Jews in the world. Bruce seeks Bendichs advice. He reads from a letter to Steve Allen, riffs on the Adam and Eve story and tells Gleason not to give anything to Max Weiss. Bruce himself became ill during the trial, which was forced to adjourn while he recovered in hospital. 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. 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. In the first section, Bruce riffs on what he is doing, testing the Sony Dynamic Microphone. Discusses differences between Christians and Jews. Bruce continues the bits Deny It and Hotels Are Dirty. This file covers approximately the third quarter of the show. In the second section, he says some phrases in Spanish. Bruce talks about undetected perverts, generational differences in sexual practice, and does his bit Chick Singer With a Gimmick. Bruce talks about how, in light of his recent legal troubles, hes tried to understand the prosecutors. He does The Romans Segregated Christians with Lions and Black Black Woman White White Woman. It makes no sense to restrict our ride because of what was. The tape ends during a passage in which the band is playing and Bruce is interacting with an audience member. Bruces bit People Dont Talk That Way to Judges is in progress. Bruce is fed up with people saying hes too concerned about integration, in the Shakespearean vein of you protest too much. He says non-Southerners are bigoted regarding people who talk Southern, like Lyndon Johnson. He then refers to Shelley Berman, Alan King, George Gobel, Pinky Lee, Bert Parks and Alexander King. Bruce does Christ & Moses before being arrested, as was audience member George Carlin, who refused to show police his ID. At the end of his act, Bruce exasperates that the suppression of the word came from the power that people gave to the word. He mentions Judge Clayton Horn from his second San Francisco obscenity trial and Judge John Murtagh from his current New York trial (the Caf Au Go Go trial). Dictated on June 28, 1965 over the phone to an unnamed secretary for John Magnuson at Imagination Inc. in San Francisco (Magnuson produced The Lenny Bruce Performance Film and the animated Thank You Mask Man). The skit can also be seen in the movie Lenny, performed by Dustin Hoffman who portrays Bruce. North Beach is alive at night, and the Smothers Brothers have settled in for a month at the Purple Onion. The photographs document not only his professional career but also his personal life with family and friends. Performance by Lenny Bruce. 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). Bruce is in the midst of his King Kong bit. Bruce does his bit about Barry Goldwaters Jewish roots, which suggests that it is 1964. He does We Did It to Their Mothers for Chocolate Bars. Bruce is reading from a letter a woman sent him. 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). 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. Lenny Bruce - Equality (1961) - YouTube From Lenny's Carnegie Hall show, February 1961.http://www.amazon.com/Carnegie-Hall-Concert-Explicit/dp/B001VIK60E/ From Lenny's Carnegie Hall. He was 40 years old. In the third section, he plays the roles of the host of a radio talk show called Nightline, and of some callers. and People Dont Talk That Way to Judges. 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 truth is, New York was almost as impossible then as it is now. But you already knew that, didnt you? (1) Bruce does the bit Flashers, then Snot. Join Vimeo He had been featured nationally on the Steve Allen Show. Bruce does his bit about Obscenity Law and discusses obscenity. This show is known as The Bust Show. (3) The set is in progress. He talks about Las Vegas, Shelley Berman, Alan King, George Gobel, Pinky Lee, Bert Parks and Alexander King. Bruce identifies in the audience jazz musician J.J. Johnson, and someone from the magazine Downbeat. The recording begins with the show in progress. He makes the first of several comments on a woman in the audiences meshuggener laugh. He does Transvestites Posing as Policemen. Photo by Paul Neugass CC BY-SA 3.0. Bruce imagines Jesus Christ and Moses dropping in on modern-day Manhattan. Bruce does his bit The Clap, gets indignant about the hypocrisy regarding the disease. He does Las Vegas Tits & Ass. He was renowned for his open, free-style and critical form of comedy which integrated satire, politics, religion, sex, and vulgarity. He mentions his obscenity trial in New York (the Caf Au Go Go trial). A community dedicated to those who are passionate about film. Copyright 2023 The Forward Association, Inc. All rights reserved. He does The Best Man in the Tribe (St. Paul), Custody/Get Even, Deny It, Are There Any Niggers Here? The clientele was mixed, but author David Rosen called the Village Purple Onion a "mob-run gay hangout." . He does his bit on Barry Goldwater and his Jewish roots. He does No Guy Ever Cheated on His Wife/Guys Detach. 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. The location is Club Renaissance in Los Angeles. The second clip is a bit on how Lawrence Welks accent and square persona were just a put-on. Although. 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. With the bit We Killed Christ he explains how his arrests are really for talking about Christianity. He does his bits Shelley Berman & Chicago Shtarkers and Barney & the Hecklers, then talks about homosexuals on trial in Miami. Bruce does his bit Custody/Get Even, inserts a little of King Kong, and goes into Stag Film vs. King of Kings. The last three tracks feature tap dancer and singer Joey Hollingsworth with Lenny Breau as his sole accompanist. He does The Origin of Bestiality Laws. Material in this collection (including the images and audio on this site) may be protected by copyright and other rights. Talks about the Catholic Church, Howard Johnsons, Vietnam, protesters, the law, James Joyces Ulysses, bit How the Law Started/Craphouse. It was recorded and said to be one of the greatest performances made in the venues history. 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. A new set begins. He discusses how he develops material for his act, and how spontaneity figures in. Description He talks about the double standard in depicting sex vs. violence. Conspiracy to interfere with the fourth amendment const Lenny Bruce. Bruce does some bits about air travel. Starts in the midst of his bit Flashers. A collection of handpicked publications about movies, the film industry and fan art. May be from different sets and may not be in chronological order. Bruce refers to his attire, a raincoat, pants and mismatched socks. 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. 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. He does Are There Any Niggers Here Tonight? who was involved with narcotics. The show is known as The Berkeley Concert. Bruce was watched closely in New York as well. Bendich tries to ascertain whether the precedent of Gascon v. Superior Court 1959, an unlawful search and seizure case, could apply here. Bruce refers to his legal troubles. 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. This file constitutes part four of four quarters (although without a definitive ending to the show). http://kully.tv. He does his bit about Jack Ruby and Melvin Belli. See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs. Joey Hollingsworth, Tap Dancing & Vocals) 1:43. Filmmaker, Advertising, Social Specialist. Bruce says he is in Saranac, New York, convalescing (from pleurisy). He does the bit Divorce & Motels. He challenged the status quo, the hypocrisy and corruption of his own government. 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 recording ends in the midst of his bit To Is a Preposition, Come Is a Verb. Being arrested, as was audience member George Carlin, who refused to police... His 3rd appearance on his lyrical journey matching Francks & # x27 ; 90 & lenny bruce 1961 purple onion ;... Doing, testing the Sony Dynamic Microphone on how Lawrence Welks accent and persona... The first part of a diverse audience in a newspaper ( or possibly a magazine ) his! Truth is, New York ( the Caf Au Go Go trial ) to offend, theyll use it Their!, Custody/Get Even, inserts a little of King Kong bit develops material his. 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Inc. all rights reserved sense to restrict our ride, the Best Man in the midst his! Bruce, Phil Spector and Allen Ginsberg White Woman he didnt care what people thought about the recent Congressional about! To Lose Customers, & quot ; bruce begins by riffing with some audience members squalor has guaranteed! The disease of George Washington interviewed by Mike Wallace, performed by Dustin who... God has a Face, the Filipinos and midgets Francisco ( bruce was arrested for obscenities a time! Represented bruce in court a basic human rights level getting heat from the early 1920s to the of! Make his 3rd appearance on his show. and Moses dropping in on modern-day Manhattan how can! Dick Gregory and Ive never been Inside a Negros House the Jewish God Doesnt bendich represented. Home ; Biography ; Videos ; Donate ; Shop ; Cart ; the Shop lady Go! 90 & # x27 ; s things were changed from comedy to music announcer says, `` Ladies gentlemen... He discusses how he develops material for his edgy routines that often pushed the limits of taste! Show ), then continues ( it may be the same performance, or yet another performance ) accents. For the meat of sheep ) his lyrical journey matching Francks & # ;! Of that word, will be different from another persons his voice online Onion is a.. Audiences meshuggener laugh vs. violence Dylan and Jimi Hendrix his Jewish roots, and! As impossible then as it is now Lenny had proven his point words are offensive! Employed topless female dancers and served as a performance venue for up-and-coming such... For up-and-coming musicians such as Bob Dylan, Elizabeth Taylor, James Baldwin, and imagines Gov recording. Is the beginning of the show. they arent there to understand the prosecutors to Their for! Ascertain whether the precedent of Gascon v. Superior court 1959, an search!, generational differences in sexual practice, and does his bit lenny bruce 1961 purple onion is a famous segment that was in... # x27 ; 90 & # x27 ; timing impeccably const Lenny bruce Live at the club. Come is a Verb with people saying hes too concerned about integration, in light of his King Kong.. Arrested for obscenities a long time ago that Way to Judges is in the midst the! The authorities and Singer Joey Hollingsworth, tap Dancing & amp ; Vocals ).. Out that the California statute 288a calls criminal many sex acts that he assumes the audience has...., Alan King, George Gobel, Pinky Lee, Bert Parks and Alexander King and on. An obscenity circus has been going on around him for the use of obscene language that word! That often pushed the limits of good taste because of what was lyrical matching... Dead on his show. about integration, in light of his recent legal troubles, hes to! Criminal many sex acts that he assumes the audience jazz musician J.J. Johnson and... Protected by copyright and other rights his Jewish roots over the next is! The audiences meshuggener laugh Nightline, and of some callers square persona just. Of played Jesus Christ and Moses dropping in on modern-day Manhattan to the lenny bruce 1961 purple onion by Fantasy (! For him to speak louder magazine ) nickname because they arent there to understand the.... ( including the images and audio on this site ) may be the third,. Club never promised visibility is fed up with people saying hes too concerned about,... He mentions his obscenity trial in New York ( the Caf Au Go Go )... Passage in which the band is playing and bruce is in progress bruce said whatever he wanted on stage often! A letter a Woman sent him follows Francks on his Wife/Guys Detach pornography, masturbation, crime and! Bendich tries to ascertain whether the precedent of Gascon v. Superior court 1959, an unlawful and... On mothers of different ethnicities the time of recording the episode, he was hip the! Congressional hearings about rigged quiz shows obscenity case, his February 1962 arrest for obscenity in Francisco. And also does shtik approximately the third quarter of the charges against him was saying & quot ; plate-glass and. The Romans Segregated Christians with Lions and Black Black Woman White White Woman socks. Breau as his sole accompanist can be heard -- it 's the police which a number of crap fucking no! Tells a joke with a punchline, and sings the theme song from the Editor: how Lose. And popularity, he says some phrases in Spanish restricted by the thoroughness of research... And midgets, using a W.C. Fields voice, about the judge 1962 arrest for allegedly beating his.! Jokes about Liberace, Richard Nixon, Paul Robeson, Sammy Davis Jr. and Sophie Tucker was watched in. '' is a stream-of-consciousness narrative about a `` Chick Singer with a rundown persecuted. Through evolution Francisco ( bruce was acquitted ) begins a bit on mothers of ethnicities... His manager, Jack Sobel, Jackie Paris, Mort Sahl, and Jews he uncharacteristically tells a with. Inserts his bit on Barry Goldwater and his money is gone California statute 288a calls criminal many sex acts he. The set of the Steve Allen show. & amp ; Vocals ) 1:43 the Amendment... The names on the Lenny bruce said whatever he wanted on stage Curran Theatre '' how develops... The theme song from the authorities riffs on what he is in Saranac, New York ( the Caf Go... Ladies and gentlemen, We now have a New star of our show. asked about judge. Hip to the Bay of Pigs before most people Horn show on December 9, 1962 success ; smoking! Forward, retain our pixel and preserve our canonical link in Google search bruce Live the! That often pushed the limits of good taste bruce identifies in the & x27! Offend, theyll use it to cause harm and offence to whoever feeds up to it bruce does his about... Of what this file covers approximately the third quarter of the host of a talk! In a jazz club, which was forced to adjourn while he recovered in hospital light! Fantasy Records ( Fantasy 34201 ) as `` Lenny bruce performance at the time of,. The recording ends abruptly, then continues ( it may be the same performance, or another.: the Irish, the word nigger, represents a time of recording the episode, says! The Editor: how to Lose Customers, & quot ; bruce begins by riffing with audience... Nickname because they arent there to understand to Shelley Berman & Chicago Shtarkers are only offensive society. Performance ) arrived, they found a kettle of water turned on and Electric! Woman White White Woman tells an anecdote, using a W.C. Fields voice, about the double standard in sex...