Comedy and the Constitution: the Legacy of Lenny Bruce

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H-Law Comedy and the Constitution: The Legacy of Lenny Bruce Discussion published by Charity Adams on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 Type: Call for Papers Date: October 27, 2016 to October 28, 2016 Location: Massachusetts, United States Subject Fields: American History / Studies, Jewish History / Studies, Graduate Studies, Communication The American Studies Program and the Robert D. Farber University Archives and Special Collections Department at Brandeis University are pleased to announce a conference scheduled for October 27-28, 2016, to evaluate the legacy of comedian Lenny Bruce. His corrosive and transgressive satire as well as his boldness in pushing the envelope of the laws of obscenity have made him an iconic figure in American culture. In March 2014, the Special Collections Department at Brandeis University acquired Bruce’s papers from his daughter, Kitty Bruce, who is scheduled to attend the conference on campus. “Comedy and the Constitution” will coincide with the formal opening of this collection of archival material associated with the most influential American comedian of the post–World War II era. We invite interested participants to submit proposals for individual papers or pre-constituted panels. For each paper, email (as separate attachments) a 150-200-word abstract, along with a brief biographical note, to [email protected]. The deadline for proposals is April 11, 2016. Topics may include but need not be limited to: the nature of obscenity; aspects of Bruce’s work (LPs, nightclubs, television, autobiography); First Amendment rights; Jewish humor; Cold War culture; the transformations of the 1960s; and Bruce’s comedic predecessors, contemporaries, and descendants. Contact Info: Charity Adams, Brandeis University Email: [email protected] Telephone: (781) 736-3030 Contact Email: [email protected] URL: http://www.brandeis.edu/programs/american-studies/Bruce2016.html Citation: Charity Adams. Comedy and the Constitution: The Legacy of Lenny Bruce. H-Law. 03-16-2016. https://networks.h-net.org/node/16794/discussions/115997/comedy-and-constitution-legacy-lenny-bruce Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 1.

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Efficacy and Meaning in Ancient and Modern Political Satire: Aristophanes, Lenny Bruce, and Jon Stewart." Social Research 79.1 (Spring 2012): 1-32
University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Departmental Papers (Classical Studies) Classical Studies at Penn 2012 Efficacy and Meaning in Ancient and Modernolitical P Satire: Aristophanes, Lenny Bruce, and Jon Stewart Ralph M. Rosen University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/classics_papers Part of the Classics Commons Recommended Citation Rosen, R. M. (2012). Efficacy and Meaning in Ancient and Modernolitical P Satire: Aristophanes, Lenny Bruce, and Jon Stewart. Retrieved from https://repository.upenn.edu/classics_papers/33 Rosen, Ralph M. "Efficacy and Meaning in Ancient and Modern Political Satire: Aristophanes, Lenny Bruce, and Jon Stewart." Social Research 79.1 (Spring 2012): 1-32. http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/social_research/summary/v079/ 79.1.rosen.html Copyright © 2012 The Johns Hopkins University Press. This article first appeared in Social Research: An International Quarterly, Volume 79, Issue 1, Spring, 2012, pages 1-32. Reprinted with permission by The Johns Hopkins University Press. This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/classics_papers/33 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Efficacy and Meaning in Ancient and Modernolitical P Satire: Aristophanes, Lenny Bruce, and Jon Stewart Keywords Satire, Aristophanes, Lenny Bruce, Jon Stewart Disciplines Arts and Humanities | Classics Comments Rosen, Ralph M. "Efficacy and Meaning in Ancient and Modern Political Satire: Aristophanes, Lenny Bruce, and Jon Stewart." Social Research 79.1 (Spring 2012): 1-32. http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/ social_research/summary/v079/79.1.rosen.html Copyright © 2012 The Johns Hopkins University Press. This article first appeared in Social Research: An International Quarterly, Volume 79, Issue 1, Spring, 2012, pages 1-32.
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Lenny Bruce Arrived in London in 1962 with a Reputation: the Man Who Revolutionised Stand-Up
NIFE 'rrO ,,1,::l!1,'w n fi+I m"* Effi;- l.-i; lw}atr-|tr 'lti.,lx{t ' -- : . '.' :'. : .' . ^- ': ' .. ,: -rt,' '."' .. tll :^ :i:ji ""-"-, ::-- -':- LENNY BRUCE ARRIVED IN LONDON IN 1962 WITH A REPUTATION: THE MAN WHO REVOLUTIONISED STAND-UP. Instead ofthe preparedjokes on predictable subjects then prevalent, his routines were made up offree-associating stories and skits that took on the subjects ofreligion, race, sex, drugs, politics ar-rd patriotism in confrontational style. It had won him hero worship amongliberal intellectuals, Holly.wood celebrities and hip insiders. It had also earned him titles such as "the sickest ofthe sick", "the man from outer taste" and "America's number one vomic", and landed him in trouble - justbefore arrivingin London he had been put on trial in San Francisco on charges ofobscenity. Britainwas not exactlyready for him. Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett and Jonatharr Miller had certainly caused a stir withBeyondthe Frlnge, a satirical show that for the firsttime tackled such sacred cows as the Prime Minister, Shakespeare and the Queen. Its success had led Cook to set up The Establishmen! a smal1 club on the first floorofaformerSohostripjoint,whichwaswhereBr-ucewastoperforminlg62.Btt ) JULY 2006 ESOUIRE 5] At,HI'3 t t Ol rn,J!, .tu5 Booed offt Apdl 1963, Brue the countqr as awhole was in grip still the ofpost-war Conservative austerity; is retused entry to Britain the Sixties had notyet started swinging. Cook and his cohorts were thrilled becaus it would "not b€ in tfte public interest". Beror, and awed by Br-uce's fearless and freewheelingbrand of sharp-tongued, with his wife, Honey, and foul-mouthed comedy.
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