Louis CK directs and stars in one of the most fascinating television shows ever. “Louie” is a combination of behind the scenes of stand-up comedy and a realistic and sometimes depressing depiction or real life while raising two daughters. Yet, “Louie” is completely indebted to Lenny Bruce, arguably the most influential comedian ever.
Bruce was born in New York in 1925 and died in Los Angeles in 1966, but those details don’t matter nearly as much as his legacy.
Imagine comedy in the 1950s with jokes like, “I have a brother who is afraid to go to sleep … he dreams he’s working.” These one-line jokes were clean, bland and prone to theft.
This particular joke was attributed to Milton Berle, a known joke thief, and does not contain an authoritative voice to identify the original creator. Because of this conundrum, comedians did not spend much time creating jokes, thinking they would just be stolen in the end anyway.
Bruce changed comedy by telling long form stories about religion, language and sex, all revolutionary topics in the 1950s. His material contained an authoritative voice so listeners could identify a Lenny Bruce joke. No longer could comedians steal other jokes without them being recognized. Today, stealing jokes is the ultimate sin.
But Bruce’s legend is greater than just changing how comics perform their art. He later became a champion for the First Amendment by challenging the government.
In 1961, Bruce was arrested for obscenity for using one of George Carlin’s “seven dirty words” at a club in San Francisco. Under California penal code section 311.6: “Every person who knowingly engages or participates in … presents or exhibits obscene live conduct … in any public place … is guilty of a misdemeanor.” This language has been changed since 1961, but the law still exists.
Bruce spoke out about how words are just words: “It is the suppression of the word that gives it the power, the violence, and the viciousness.” He fought the charges and was later acquitted.
But this didn’t matter as Bruce was constantly getting arrested across the country for obscenity charges. Eventually, clubs stopped booking him to avoid large fines and being shut down. In 1966, an overdose of morphine finally killed Bruce, who was no longer able to find work.
Today, Lenny Bruce’s legend is more important than his material.
You can find his routines online but be warned they are incredibly dated. Instead, seek out the Dustin Hoffman film “Lenny” — which captured Bruce’s essence — or the work of his successors George Carlin and Louis CK. But remember, every time Louis CK talks about “objectionable” subjects in front of an audience, as “Louie” or as himself, he owes thanks to Lenny Bruce.
Nice to know somebody still knows about Lenny Bruce a bit. However one thing quite backwards: Carlin’s 7 Dirty Words are directly lifted from Lenny Bruce! Carlin says so on rare occasion and I was a bit miffed when it went to the Supreme Court and Bruce’s name was also not mention but these originate from Lenny word for word long before Carlin went solo. Also he could not work because his cabaret card was taken away..long story but he refused to pay a bribe to a judge and the retribution was harsh. His mind went as he immersed himself… Read more »
You need to do your research a little better. Carlin didn’t lift the 7 Dirty Words bit from Lenny Bruce. Lenny was arrested for saying 9 words on stage during one of his performances (they were “ass, fart, balls, cock, cunt, fuck, whore, piss, shit, and tits”). Years later Carlin created the 7 Dirty Words bit about how “bad” words themselves aren’t really bad but only deemed offesnive by society’s taboos. Lenny had no part in actually writing the routine or had any reason to be involved in the Supreme Court case (especially since, you know, he was dead for… Read more »
It doesn’t matter how or if the seven dirty words bit was lifted. Carlin was paying tribute and supported him by joining him in the back of the police car in 1964. Human is making solid points and I’m impressed he points out the Berkeley Concert. Because he was getting gigs in the bay area and could still pack a theater there. People wanted to see him, but he was barred from every major progressive city, where indeed, he was packing theaters until 1963, when the heat really cranked up. I’m not sure where you get the info about him… Read more »