Lenny Bruce
From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lenny Bruce (October 13, 1925 – August 3, 1966), was an American comedian. His real name was Leonard Alfred Schneider. He is considered an innovator of modern stand-up comedy and changed the way many people see comedians. His jokes and routines were very improper and off limits for the time and he got in a lot of trouble for them. He is considered a hero for the defense of the First Amendment rights in the United States, especially for free speech.
In the 1960s he was the last person arrested for impersonating and swearing, overwatched by martial law and police and banned from many cities and comedy clubs. He committed suicide in 1966 with a morphine overdose while being on trial. In 1970 the New York's highest court of appeals decided that he is "not guilty for using bad words".
[edit] Trivia
- He is one of the famous people who appears on the cover of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
