Lenny Bruce Gets Busted

Summary:

how comedy's great free speech martyr fought the law, and how the law won

Tones:

Contemplative, Provocative, Sound Rich

Language:

English

Description:

When Howard Stern crossed other people's lines of taste and decorum, he got fined by the FCC. When Lenny Bruce did it, he went to jail. That was forty years ago, and he has since come to be regarded by many as comedy's great free speech martyr. This piece presents archival tape of some of Bruce's routines, alongside comments from Ronald Collins and David Skover -- the authors of "The Trials of Lenny Bruce" -- to explain how the comedian fought the law, and how the law won.

Originally aired on Studio 360 in March, 2003

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