Who is Lenny Bruce?
In today’s world of stand-up comedy, there are many comedians who use their comedy to make political statements or gain a reaction. In the 1960s, there was only one person who was really pushing the boundaries of comedy. Lenny Bruce was a true original; he wrote and performed material that was funny, thought provoking and radical for the time. Lenny Bruce was born in 1925 in Long Island, New York. His mother was a dancer, and with her help, the young Lenny Bruce began performing in small nightclubs. Bruce slowly began honing his stand-up comedy skills in New York City jazz and strip clubs. His act was soon recognized as completely different from other comedy routines at the time. Dark and slender with an intense energy, Bruce would prowl the stage attacking taboo subjects. His act was full of four letter words and he would force people to examine their own prejudices. Racism, religion, drugs and sex were all covered in Bruce’s monologues. Writers were beginning to sit up and take notic
