Heirs to Lenny Bruce

Post by **sammaudlin** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 11:32 am

Did y'all see this article on salon.com?

http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/2004/09/21/bruce/ - today's heirs to lenny'

I agree with some, disagree with others..check it out and discuss (you might need to get a free day pass -- quite simple, just click on the free day link)

Post by **Jennifer** » Wed Sep 22, 2004 4:50 pm

sammaudlin,
good-thank you!

Post by **sammaudlin** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 10:10 am

Jennifer,
Yeah, I like the article. The only things I really disagree with are Howard Stern being #1 (and I like Stern), and Aaron McGruder being #3 ( I enjoy Boondocks, just don't thjink it should be on this list). But I love all of the other eight folks, some are already famous but I'm especially glad to see that Louis CK, Silverman, and Rick Shapiro are getting some recognition that they deserve..

Post by **Murphdogg** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 10:47 am

have we really came that far with free expression? As a new guy I'm told constanlty to clean up my languange, dont express yourself as you normally would talk

Post by **sammaudlin** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 11:57 am

Murphdogg,

I totally understand what your saying. Something that reassures me is that the comics who I respect and have been able to meet(clean, dirty, and in between), have never said to clean up, but instead encouraged to keep doing it and find your own voice, whatever that may be. Something else to consider is who it is that's telling you to clean up. If it's someone who's specifically putting on a clean show or corporate event, than it's perfectly fair for them to expect clean. More often than not, I usually see that it's scared producers, bookers, or embittered comics who for some reason don't believe that an audience full of ADULTS can handle realistic, grittier language. It's kind of ridiculous, but just remember that these people don't control your career spectrum, you do. And we do have the freedom -it's up to us to use it wisely, not get cowed by the folks who want to change/censor you (And I realize this is much easier said than done). I think if you make it a goal to speak truthfully, audiences generally will appreciate that, clean or dirty..

That's just my opinion as another young buck in this game..

Post by **Murphdogg** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 12:39 pm

sammaudlin, thanks for the encouraging words, almost to coincide with it, I just a got a call for my first paid gig, before I've only made money at contests and running my own show..And this Booker has seen me be me up on stage being me and never seen my pg 13 comedy club shit. So I got my first paid gig out of being myself

Post by **sammaudlin** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 1:16 pm

Murphdogg,

Congrats! that's excellent news!

Post by **deathblowthemovie** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 6:20 pm

David Cross is without a doubt, comedy's closest heir to lenny bruce. Pretty much everyone else up there is very solid, but cross cuts down sacred cows by the dozen and he does so with pure hilarity. I could have used doug stanhope on there. Not his man show shit, but his stand-up. And one more thing, judging from the one time I've seen him, rick shapiro sucks. He was belligerant, and unfunny. Just because a guy stands on stage with a drug problem and a microphone doesnt make him the next lenny bruce. Sure shapiro is a spectacle, but so is an epileptic transvestite having a seizure in the middle of 7-11. Neither one are worth paying money for.

Post by **reelblack** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 2:00 pm

Treated myself to the box set for my birthday--what a treasure trove of stuff. I admit I had a lot of fun hearing different versions of the old bits, and some new stuff from Lenny's personal vaults. They did a good job of selecting the later material (no hours of reading court transcripts, thank goodness) and all the photos are great (no overweigh bearded pics). I agree, Howard Stern has continued to fight the good fight for free speech, but he kinda "jumped the shark" in my opinion sometime between when Kinison died and he separated from his wife. The show kinda degenerated into a boobfest, which is cool if you like boobs. I don't think he'll ever get the hoardes of people out to rally for his right to tickle Pam Anderson in the same way he did when he caught his first fines. I think Jon Stewart should be on that lis as well. He understands the nature of "the big lie." It's no longer the hypocracy of religion and the shortcomings of our heroes; The bigger lie now lives within us and how we allow government the media spin doctors to tell us what's right instead of doing what's right. George Carlin's a direct heir who's still out there doing his thing. Put him on and take that schmuck Ali G off.

Post by **phillyjoeslastlaugh** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 2:22 pm

sammaudlin,Only one Lenny Bruce ever. Thats a good thing because he suffered too much for a laugh. Nobody should have gone through that madness of arrests, the recent cd box set about him is a painful testament of his nightmare. Lenny set the blueprint, others have improved on it like Richard Pryor, and I honestly dont know who will continue the fire and passion.