On this day, Dec. 22, in 1964, comedian Lenny Bruce was convicted in New York of obscenity. Bruce was the most shocking stand-up of his time, taking on sacred cows like religion and sex in ways that no one else had. But by 1961, his career began to spiral. Drug use began to hurt his health and his performances. Police in California arrested him on obscenity charges twice, but he was acquitted. In April 1964, Bruce was arrested twice after performing at the Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village in New York City. Prominent people petitioned against Bruce’s prosecution, including Paul Newman, Bob Dylan, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, John Updike, George Plimpton and Henry Miller. Still, Bruce was found guilty. But during his appeal, Bruce died of a drug overdose. He was pardoned posthumously in 2003. In 2004, Bruce was voted No. 3 of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups by Comedy Central.
– Scott McCabe
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