Lenny Bruce: The Comedian?

I just finished watching the movie, Lenny, starring Dustin Hoffman (i.e. the shorter fellow across Tom Cruise in Rainman) and the documentary, Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth, narrated by Robert DeNiro (i.e. “You talking to me?”).  I was inclined to watch these films because recently I encountered Comedy Central’s list of the top 100 Comedians which ranked Lenny Bruce No. 3 among the all time greatest comics (behind Richard Pryor and George Carlin).  That’s pretty high atop any list as far as I’m concerned.  Even the Olympics awards a medal for third place.

I have to admit, however, that up until seeing that list, I’d never really heard of Lenny Bruce.  I say “never really heard of” because anytime someone mentioned Lenny Bruce, I always envisioned Andrew “Dice” Clay who also made the list at number 95.  After making the connection that this wasn’t the same person, I decided to investigate.

Clearly, Lenny Bruce did some great things to receive these accolades, but I had no idea what they were.  What I discovered is that Lenny Bruce is not perceived so much for being an uproariously hilarious comic as much as he’s recognized for blazing a trail for modern joke telling.  Bruce was a funny man but his fame came from the way he changed the face of comedy.

Before Lenny Bruce, most joke telling on stage had a formula to it.  There was a set up, a punch line and a laugh.  The audience wasn’t supposed to think about the joke they heard, they were just supposed to laugh on cue.  It’s an effective way to tell jokes and it’s an effective way to hear jokes.  However, it’s an ineffective way to stand out.

Bruce introduced a style of joke telling that made audiences think about what they were hearing.  His material was conversational and often ad libbed.  Consequently, his antics came across as vulgar and violated several obscenity laws.  Bruce’s suggestive humor rocked the foundations of certain institutions like the Catholic church.  His corrupt sermons led to several arrests.

Both films show Lenny Bruce fighting the judicial system for his right to free speech.  He became engrossed in this endeavor and invested so much time, energy and money that when the courts beat him, he ultimately gave up.  His reputation made it impossible for him to get work.  Battered and defeated, Bruce died from a drug overdose at age 40.

After Bruce’s demise, he was given the first posthumous pardon in New York state history.  No other comic has been indited on obscenity charges since.  Lenny Bruce was an advocate for First Amendment Rights.  Whether he was aware of it at the time or not, his efforts have allowed people an opportunity to express themselves in ways that couldn’t have been imagined in his time.  He created a new standard for what’s funny; he was a game changer.  I can’t think of another comic on Comedy Central’s list that has had the same impact on comedy as Lenny Bruce.  For that, he most certainly deserves his spot on the podium.