Why Do People Hate Lenny Bruce?

Lenny Bruce was a controversial American stand-up comedian and social critic who rose to fame in the 1950s and 1960s. Bruce was known for his confrontational and profanity-laced style of comedy that challenged conventional standards of decency and focused on topics like politics, religion, race, and sex.

While hugely influential on future generations of comedians, Bruce also attracted significant criticism and legal troubles during his career due to his boundary-pushing performances. But why exactly did some people hate Lenny Bruce so much during his lifetime?

Background on Lenny Bruce

• Born Leonard Alfred Schneider in New York in 1925
• Grew up on Long Island and served in the US Navy during WWII
• Began comedy career in 1947 using stage name Lenny Bruce
• Developed unique improvisational style and commented on social issues
• Used satire and profanity to challenge social conventions
• Rose to fame in late 1950s with appearances on TV and popular nightclubs
• Released several successful comedy albums in the early 1960s
• Faced increasing legal troubles due to obscenity charges against his act
• Died of a drug overdose in 1966 at age 40

Reasons For Controversy and Criticism

Use of Profanity

One of the biggest reasons Lenny Bruce faced so much criticism was his frequent and unapologetic use of profanity and vulgarity during his stand-up routines. At a time when obscenity laws were much stricter and public use of curse words was highly taboo, Bruce regularly incorporated all manner of foul language into his act.

He used profanity to be provocative and confrontational towards his audience’s sensibilities. However, many viewers were shocked and offended by Bruce’s crude language. Obscenity charges eventually contributed to his blacklisting from performance venues later in his career.

Challenging of Social Mores

Lenny Bruce’s comedy routines also brazenly challenged many of the social morals and public standards of decency of the 1950s and early 1960s. He openly criticized and satirized religion, mocked racist and homophobic attitudes, and joked about topics like abortion, prostitution, and recreational drug use.

At a time when discussion of such topics was still very taboo in public, Bruce’s unabashed commentary on these issues caused outrage among more conservative viewers. His counter-culture perspective violated the social mores of the mainstream.

Perceived Anti-Patriotism

In some of his routines, Lenny Bruce was also critical of authority figures like politicians, the police, and the government. During the highly conservative era of the Cold War, Bruce’s irreverent jabs against pillars of authority were seen as over-the-line and unpatriotic by some critics. His mocking of religion was also perceived as anti-American by some. Overall, Bruce’s anti-authoritarian material was just too much for many audiences at the time to handle.

Public Drug Use and Legal Issues

As Lenny Bruce’s career progressed, he developed serious drug addictions that affected his public persona. His arrests on drug charges and obscenity charges led to negative media coverage that turned some of the public against him.

As he faced more legal troubles and prosecution in the early 1960s, Lenny Bruce appeared to some as a dangerous counterculture figure lacking morals and deserving of criticism. The legal attacks on Bruce by authorities likely also hardened some negative attitudes against him.

Key Events That Fueled Controversy

Here are some specific events and incidents during Lenny Bruce’s career that generated major controversy and criticism against him:

• 1961 – Bruce is arrested on obscenity charges for his performance at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco. This begins his long legal battle against obscenity laws.
• 1962 – Bruce is banned from performing in Sydney, Australia after just his first show due to his use of profanity. Authorities revoked his visa and he was deported.
• 1964 – Bruce is arrested again on obscenity charges for his famous Cafe Au Go Go performance in New York, another major setback for him legally.
• 1964 – Bruce’s mocks the Warren Commission’s report on the JFK assassination. This fuels the perception that Bruce is unpatriotic.
• 1966 – Only a few months before his death, Bruce is banned from performing in London. This essentially ended his career and his life began spiraling downward.

Lenny Bruce’s Enduring Legacy

Despite the controversy and criticism against Lenny Bruce during his life, he left an undeniable impact on comedy thereafter. Here are some of the key ways Bruce influenced comedians and social commentary in the decades after his death:

• He paved the way for greater freedom of speech and expression in stand-up comedy. His legal battles against obscenity laws helped relax public attitudes against profanity.
• He established stand-up as a platform for social criticism on major issues like politics, religion, civil rights, etc. This perspective became far more common over time.
• He helped push the envelope for what subjects were considered acceptable topics for comedy and public discussion.
• His improvisational, conversational style set a model for generations of future stand-up comedians.
• Major comedians like George Carlin, Richard Pryor and countless others have cited Lenny Bruce as a pioneering influence on their careers. His impact on comedy remains enormous.

So while Lenny Bruce faced extensive hate and opposition during his lifetime due to his confrontational performances, over the long-term his legacy persists as one of the most influential figures in the history of stand-up comedy. The social norms and taboos he brazenly challenged have substantially evolved in the ensuing decades.

Why the Hate Has Faded Over Time

Given how much opposition Lenny Bruce faced in his day, why has the hate and controversy around him largely faded over time? Here are the key reasons:

Changed Social Values

Many of the social values that Lenny Bruce confronted and offended in the 1950s and 60s have evolved or been overturned since then. Topics like profanity, sexuality, drugs, and anti-authoritarianism simply do not shock general audiences the way they once did. The mainstream has caught up to many of Bruce’s counter-culture ideas.

Greater Rights for Free Speech

Legal rights protecting free speech and artistic expression have expanded since Bruce’s time. The overturning of many obscenity laws have given more breathing room for risqué comedy and criticism of authority figures. Bruce was prosecuted for acts that today would be clearly protected speech.

Comfort with Controversial Comedy

Comedy fans today are very accustomed to controversial subject matter in stand-up. Thanks to pioneers like Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, and Richard Pryor, modern audiences have grown comfortable with comics delivering shocking material and harsh social commentary. The envelope has been pushed very far since Bruce’s era.

Historical Perspective

With hindsight and some historical distance from Bruce’s career, both comedy fans and critics can better recognize and appreciate Bruce’s trailblazing impact and critique of 1950s/60s culture. His rebellious performances are now more likely to be seen in their proper historical context rather than reacted to with shock or outrage.

Changed Laws

Laws prohibiting profanity, lewd acts, and drugs like marijuana have either been revised significantly or overturned entirely since Bruce’s time. As these laws have liberalized, Bruce’s acts appear far less illegal or dangerous. The legal persecution he faced would not occur today.

In summary, social values have evolved to the point where Lenny Bruce’s controversial material no longer generates the horror and backlash it once did. While he was despised by many in his era, he is now rightly revered as an innovative and culturally impactful comedian.

Notable Comedians Influenced by Lenny Bruce

• George Carlin
  • One of the first comedians to use frequent profanity in his act
  • Famous “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television” routine
  • Political and counter-culture comedy pushing boundaries
• Richard Pryor
  • Pioneering socially conscious black comedian
  • Unflinching examinations of racism, drug use, human sexuality
  • Master of conversational, improvisational storytelling style
• Eddie Murphy
  • One of the biggest comedy stars of the 1980s
  • Raw, profanity-laced humor on race, sexuality, and politics
  • Cited Pryor and Bruce as idols
• Robin Williams
  • Improv master who ushered in absurdist, hyperkinetic comedy
  • Used stage to address politics, social issues, and taboos
  • Paid tribute to Lenny Bruce in his stand-up act
• Dave Chappelle
  • Provocative modern comedian addressing race, drugs, and LGBTQ issues
  • Unafraid to court controversy with edgy social commentary
  • Carries on tradition of Bruce examining societal boundaries
• Sarah Silverman
  • Commands stage with controversial politically incorrect humor
  • Fearlessly jokes on racism, sexism, religion, and other sensitivities
  • Credits Lenny Bruce as an early influence on her style

Conclusion

In summary, Lenny Bruce earned significant hate and criticism during his career in the 1950s and 60s because his stand-up comedy confrontational challenged social conventions of the era. His use of profanity, drug-fueled public persona, comments on religion and patriotism generated backlash and legal prosecution at the time. However, in the decades since Bruce’s death, social attitudes evolved significantly on the many issues Bruce addressed in his routines.

The mainstream eventually caught up to Bruce’s counterculture, taboo-breaking perspective. Obscenity laws were revised, and audiences grew comfortable with controversial comedy and social commentary from figures like George Carlin, Richard Pryor and others Bruce heavily inspired.

While Bruce was vilified by many during his life, his legacy is now rightly honored for the major influence he had on stand-up comedy. He demonstrated comedy’s potential to boldly examine any issue, question authority, and reshape cultural attitudes. Lenny Bruce was far ahead of his time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lenny Bruce’s Controversy

Why was Lenny Bruce controversial?

Lenny Bruce was controversial primarily for his frequent use of profanity and vulgarity and for comedy routines that brazenly challenged social conventions and taboos of the 1950s and early 60s. He was provocative on topics like religion, politics, race, and sexuality in ways very shocking to mainstream audiences at the time.

What obscenity charges was Lenny Bruce convicted of?

Bruce was charged with obscenity multiple times during his career for using foul language during performances in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and other cities. Despite his speech having artistic merit, he was still convicted by local authorities for violating obscenity statutes.

How did Lenny Bruce impact free speech rights?

Lenny Bruce helped expand free speech rights by fighting against obscenity laws that criminalized his onstage profanity and edgy social commentary. While never exonerated in his lifetime, his legal battles raised awareness of issues around censorship and artistic expression.

Was Lenny Bruce anti-American?

Bruce was perceived by some as anti-American because he mocked aspects of authority like religion, government, and the police in controversial bits. He also criticized Cold War conformity and nationalism. But he did not fully reject patriotism, only certain hypocrisies.

Why is Lenny Bruce less controversial today?

Over time since Bruce’s death in 1966, social attitudes evolved to accept more controversial comedy on taboo topics, as well as greater freedom of speech around profanity, politics, sexuality and drugs. Bruce’s material seems far less shocking when viewed through a modern cultural lens.