The trials of lenny bruce the fall and rise of an american icon. Cohen employed in the field of public interest, may 25, 1986. Shefelman scholar at the university of washington school of. One measure of how the justices viewed the standard came in manual. Chicago manual of style, and the american psychological association apa. Collins and skover, both lawyers, do not provide a traditional biography of the infamous sick comic, but rather a legal lineage of his battles against misdemeanor obscenity charges brought forth as a result of his standup acts. Also in 2014, he launched with lee levine and david skover the first amendment salon.
In addition to the trials of lenny bruce, they have also coauthored three other books togetherthe death of discourse 1996, on dissent 20, and mania 20 ron, who grew up in southern california and teaches at the university of washington law school, lives in bethesda, maryland. From 2002 to 2009 he was a scholar at the newseums first amendment center. The purpose of the authors was to show how far america has come along since the 1950s. Dig, i read this book about lenny bruce, the trials of lenny bruce. His 1964 conviction in an obscenity trial was followed by a posthumous.
Ron collins and david skover have been writing together for almost three decades. His 1964 conviction in an obscenity trial was followed by a posthumous pardon, the first in. The trials of lenny bruce enhanced the fall and rise of an american icon, ronald k. Ronald kenneth leo collins born july 31, 1949 is the cofounder and co director of the. Leonard alfred schneider october, 1925 august 3, 1966, better known by his stage name lenny bruce, was an american standup comedian, social critic, and satirist. He was renowned for his open, freestyle and critical form of comedy which contained satire, politics, religion, sex and vulgarity.
New york, part iii the path to vindication the resurrection of lenny bruce. They offer biographical highlights along the way, including bruces marriage to stripper honey harlowe, the club life he lived so intensely and his infamous runins with policemen eager to stifle his dirty mouth. Lenny bruce trial transcripts and other related documents. Timesthe authors led the successful push for the late comedians posthumous pardon in 2003 for his 1964 conviction on obscenity charges in new york. Ronald kenneth leo collins born july 31, 1949 is the cofounder and codirector of the history book festival and cofounder and cochair of the first amendment salons. Lenny bruces words had the power to provoke laughter and debateas well as shock and outrage. Limits and laughter the comedy of lenny bruce and andy. Skover, the authors of the trials of lenny bruce, had a clear reason on writing a book based upon the life of lenny bruce and the period of time when he was prosecuted for his comedy routines. Not only did the trials of lenny bruce set the record straight on lennybeing named one of the best books of the year by the l. Shefelman scholar at the university of washington school of law.
1605 178 1336 679 1184 781 242 664 1549 1430 566 636 1556 1193 351 807 1516 92 839 1012 145 662 1153 152 780 584 574 882 573 197 587 1109 1650 457 507 246 488 1284 1044 705 519 1478 828 215 1377 399 971