The Purple Onion was a legendary comedy club in San Francisco. He died of an accidental drug overdose. [2] Twice after shows in Los Angeles, Bruce was charged with obscenity violations. He does his bit The Clap. But at that time of recording, Lenny Bruce was under litigation for obscenity by New Yorks [then] District Attorney (D.A. He talks about obscenity, Tab Hunter, slang used by black gay men, double-entendres used by comics, the nature of gay relationships. A series of short clips follows, date and venue unknown. You can follow me on: Instagram/Facebook/Snapchat/Youtube. 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? The set ends. Reading law books and other commentaries on free speech now took up most of Bruces time. Bruce refers to his attire, reads from the transcript of his trial for obscenity in San Francisco earlier that year, talks about the hostility in the audience. He does Flashers, then Midgets, wonders whether Pygmies are midgets, and imagines Gov. 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. These recordings are from the personal collection of the Bruce family and some of this material has been previously released in edited form. What is possibly a different set has Bruce doing bit with Santa Claus as the subject of Edward R. Murrows show Person to Person. A third section begins. (2) The bit The Reason We Left England is in progress. 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. Best Known For: Lenny Bruce was an American stand-up comic and satirist who became a target for prosecutors and a poster boy for freedom of speech. He does Flashers. Were simply trying to make our ride, the best ride possible with what weve got. 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 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. He talks about changes in Miami and an absurd kidnapping there. He does the bits The Romans Segregated the Christians with Lions and We Did It to Their Mothers for Chocolate Bars. He refers to a gig he did in Milwaukee, then does his bit about playing at small-town venues. A new set begins. He does the bit Chicks Are Boss. He says he was hip to the Bay of Pigs before most people. He ends with joking comments, reading from a law book about regulations regarding kosher meat, and then about a law against aiding a suicide. 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. Bruce died in his home in Hollywood Hills in 1966. "A New Electric Chair" is a stream-of-consciousness narrative about a warden deliberating a purchase. Opened in 1952, the Purple Onion ran for roughly 60 years before closing its doors in 2012. He played around with the word, using it in the same context as he would do if the word was shit. Conspiracy to interfere with the fourth amendment const Lenny Bruce. 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. George Wallaces reaction to Pygmies. The location is Club Renaissance in Los Angeles. Lenny Bruce, head-and-shoulders portrait. He says men will have sex with anything. The clientele was mixed, but author David Rosen called the Village Purple Onion a "mob-run gay hangout." . He does his bits Custody/Get Even, and Stag Film vs. King of Kings. He asserts that chicks are the boss. For example, the word nigger, represents a time of slavery, extreme racism and social injustice at a basic human rights level. Bruce seeks Bendichs advice. Race. He talks about Las Vegas and the things he did to get thrown out of Las Vegas. Bruce blames the Maryland Hotel cleaning service for the fact that hes wearing a raincoat. The second set begins. 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. 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. One of my favorites is Tea for Two. A new set begins. Bruce says "It's the first time they've made a bust right in an audience" and imagines he's "Superjew" who can fly out the back way. Of more interest is the extended interplay between Breau and Henstridge, as Francks' silliness quickly wears thin. He talks about pornography, masturbation, crime, and Jews. The recording continues with the first part of a Lenny Bruce performance at the Gate of Horn on December 9, 1962. Class. 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. Bruce talks about undetected perverts, generational differences in sexual practice, and does his bit Chick Singer With a Gimmick. "She was the most diverse and tolerant woman I've ever . 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 discusses New York sportscaster Bill Stern, and talks about a jazz show he went to. He comments on contemporaries Mort Sahl and Bob Newhart and does his bit Shelley Berman & Chicago Shtarkers. 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). He was walking on to that stage, knowing that his shocking four letter word could land him behind bars the moment he walked off stage. Bruce does some bits about air travel. Bruce also attracted attention for his edgy routines that often pushed the limits of good taste. 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. 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 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. 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. He reads a newspaper review of his opening night show at the club. 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 second clip is a bit on how Lawrence Welks accent and square persona were just a put-on. Bruce does some bits about air travel. Brandeis University Upload, livestream, and create your own videos, all in HD. He loses his place, then continues to Custody/Get Even, Divorce, and Deny It. He refers to the sex scandals involving Bill Tilden and Fatty Arbuckle. August 5, 2016. There are things you . It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. He does short jokes about Liberace, Richard Nixon, Paul Robeson, Sammy Davis Jr. and Sophie Tucker. Bruce refers to his legal troubles. 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. Bruce starts by joking that hes living on a boat thats outside the three-mile limit. He then tells Gleason about his arrest the previous night, at his home, for having given obscene performances at the Trolley Ho nightclub in Los Angeles (under California Penal Code 311.6). He flips through a magazine with stories about celebrities and lady-kinda ads. He reads the ad for the Mark Eden Method Bust Developer. Schwartz tells Bruce about his meeting with New York City License Inspector Herbert S. Ruhe. Also available in the iTunes Store. He talks about critics and is asked about the recent Congressional hearings about rigged quiz shows. Bruce does The Act Is Hugging & Kissing, The Clap. On that day, Lenny Bruce was making his debut appearance at Carnegie Hall, a sold out performance. 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 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. By Philip Eil However, that episode of the Steve Allen Show was eventually shelved by the censors, it was never aired. They performed as a trio called Three. He uses the word shit and says the Supreme Court ruled that its not obscene if youre talking about narcotics. In the early 1960s, the raunchy comedian was at the height of his career. In March 1964, Steve Allen invited Lenny Bruce to make his 3rd appearance on his show. (1)The recording begins while the set is in progress. He does Ten Thousand Asses (Tigers & Lions) and repeats a quote where JFK used the term son of a bitch. The set ends. 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. He speculates on Rock Hudsons sexuality. 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. Went to New Yorks [ then ] District Attorney ( D.A then continues Custody/Get... 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