1960s: "Jail Time for Stage Time" - Lenny Bruce
Lenny Bruce’s influence on comedy is still felt today and changed the presentation of stand up comedy with his jazz influenced rants during the 1960s. Bruce was influenced by the free-flowing, improvisational aspects of jazz. He would riff on taboo topics of the time, often in an obscenity charged, free form jazz manner. After a few run ins with the law in multiple states, in which obscenity charges were dropped, Bruce’s luck would run out during a performance at Café au Go Go in 1964 when undercover detectives recorded his material, and submitted it to a grand jury for an indictment. In April of '64 Bruce was arrested, and charged with obscene material that could influence the “corruption of morals of youth and others,” and faced up to three years in prison. In November 1964 Bruce was convicted, but was out on bail waiting on an appeal. At this time, he was essentially blacklisted from working clubs; and on August 3, 1966, Lenny Bruce was found dead of a heroin overdose in his home at the age of 40.
Lenny Bruce’s life and career is an archive of American communications history, first amendment activism, NYC obscenity penal code laws, and the impact of drug abuse during the New York Nightclub scene of the 60s. He was an inspiration for future generations of comedians, and artists, who took his rebel rouser spirit and ran with it. Further driving America down the highway of counter culture sensibilities of the 1970s.
