Comedian Lenny Bruce Retrospect

[00:00:00] This podcast is a production of Unfiltered Studios. If you would like to know more about joining Unfiltered Studios, please visit our website at unfpod.com for more information. By the way, before I continue, with obscenity, I might not be in addition to that word. You know the meaning of obscenity, don't you? Perhaps you don't. See, if I do a disgusting show, or use any disgusting words, you're talking about pork.

[00:00:28] Pork. That's my right, you see, as an American citizen, to discuss pork on stage. Although disgust all of you vegetarians and Jews and Muslims, that is my right. And if you communists would like to suppress that right to talk about ham and pork, that's your right. Now, if I do a vulgar show, I sing rock and roll tunes. Just in the most vulgar form, with a big boobous nose, that is not obscene.

[00:00:55] Obscenity has one specific meaning, to appeal to the prurient interest, to get you horny. That's what obscenity means, yes. See, that's why strip doesn't get arrested for being obscene. They come out and they do a horny dance. The viewer gets horny and rapes somebody who didn't see the show. That's why we have the laws. So obscenity does have one specific meaning, and only those illiterists that are offended. And if, quote, I drew Pearson as a son of a bitch. I'd like to introduce you to my aunt, and this is her husband. What's he do for a living? He's a businessman.

[00:01:25] He's a son of a bitch. Not very nice of you. You don't even know the man to make a generality. I tell you, all businessmen are son of a bitches. Are you kidding me? In fact, my father told me that. My father told me that all businessmen are son of a bitches. I never believed my father until now. What's your name? JFK. Your initials are lewd, I see. That is a direct quote, Time Magazine, London Observer. The president, President John F. Kennedy said during the seal strike,

[00:01:55] my father once told me that all businessmen are son of a bitches. I never believed my father until now, unquote, President Kennedy. And we have two presidents that use the word son of a bitch. It was Truman with Drew Pearson. Now supposing we have an integrated cabinet in 30 years, might I hear? Drew Pinn's a motherfucker, Daddy. Or my daddy wants to tell him all business and motherfuckers. Motherfuck you too, Daddy. I would like an honest equation from any, at least, grammar school graduate.

[00:02:22] Is the word son of a bitch less obscene to you than motherfucker? Is it the fact that a Catholic president called all businessmen son of a bitches in a Jewish comic relates motherfucker? If you're interested in the meaning of obscenity, I'm less obscene than a president. If the word motherfucker stimulates you sexually, you're in a lot of trouble. Especially if it's my mother.

[00:03:35] Oh my God. Oh my God. He's a fag. The Lone Ranger's a fag. Yeah. Fag. Fag. It is at this point that Tom answered the call. And if now in the podcast. Yes. When you were talking about Lenny Bruce. Yes. Lenny Bruce tonight.

[00:04:12] Lenny Bruce. This is really, really, really, this is, this is something like, you know, I tried to figure it out when I was like, Lenny Bruce was like talking about shit no one would want to talk about. You know? There's a great episode on American Scandal talking about his many times he was thrown in jail. And yeah, I'm going to say this with the utmost respect. We need him as a voice. Take with that what you will.

[00:04:39] But like he was definitely, I always would hear his name in circles. It was never uncommon for people would ask a famous comedian, what are your influence? And almost always like in their top five would be Lenny Bruce. And I don't think the Marvelous Miss Maisel did a great portrayal of him. I just thought it was kind of weak sauce. The actor was good in other stuff. It just was one of those you're like, yeah, it's pretty hard to replicate. You can watch the Justin Hoffman biopic. But again, it's kind of just barely. Yeah.

[00:05:09] The Dustin Hoffman one is kind of like. It's an okay awareness. It's okay. But it's not. It's more. You're watching it because Justin Hoffman is giving a good performance versus. Dustin Hoffman. Dustin Hoffman is giving a good. You're saying Justin. I was like, who's Justin Hoffman? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Justin the Dustin. But I think he was a smart guy. I think he also, contrary to like other comedians like Pryor or Carlin who had had their scuffle

[00:05:36] with the law, I think he, I wouldn't say he didn't know when to shut up because that sounds like I'm caving into the political and unjustly, you know, arrests and everything. No. But I think he, I think he should have played his cards a little better. You know what I mean? Like, I think he should have said, okay, this club sucks. They don't have my back. I better perform at a different club instead of, you know, waste half my pension on. Well, what it was was that.

[00:06:03] What it was is that when you got him in the sick, in the early sixties, you didn't know what you were going to get because he could say he could do anything on stage right at that point. And I remember. Will Elizabeth Taylor become bar mitzvahed? I promise continuity. I'll behave myself. I'll do all the lines where he hurts, you know, that's the thing.

[00:06:31] You know, I have a reputation for being sort of controversial and irreverent and also the semantic bear trap of bad taste. And actually I do have, and I will always be accused of bad taste by the people who eat in restaurants to reserve service, you know, that kind of scene to anyone. But you might be interested in how I became offensive.

[00:06:56] I started in school with drinking and I was really, I was like a real depressed kid, you know, seven, eight years old. And I really get used and get out of my way. And so the teacher would really get bugged, you know, with, with me singing and carrying on and calling Columbus a fink and, and boosting Aaron Burr and all that.

[00:07:23] I remember hearing him do a bit about how to relax your friends at color parties. Right. He did this, he did this, he did this with a guy named Earl, Earl Gardner, who was a jazz guitar player. Right. So, so it's like, it's like, you know, it's this, uh, you know, Earl Gardner's playing this or being, you know, what, you know, but, and he's supposed to be like, Glady Bruce was

[00:07:52] supposed to be like the guy who sees no color or anything like that. But he just keeps saying like the most racist shit to the guy. Like, you know, like, you know, Bojangles, don't you Coca-Cola and watermelon, you know, like that shit, you know, I'm like, I'm like, Oh my God. You know, but it was like, I heard it. And I was like, I kind of knew people like that who were always kind of like saying, you know, that's the thing. Like you say, he talks about uncomfortable stuff, but he also talks about, yeah, there are those weird people in the room who are contrarians. Contrarians.

[00:08:22] You don't know why. Well, I don't have to kind of remember the atmosphere of the night show or night club show atmosphere and comedy in general. It was very sanitized. It was very non-controversial. You can't say any of the seven infamous dirty words, you know.

[00:08:40] Well, and to that point, when Bruce came along, it opened up avenues that comedians at the time hadn't even considered. I mean, you think going back to George Collin for a moment, he was doing very straight laced stuff with occasional forays into the hippy dippy weatherman. But you could tell he was still kind of assigned by a suit and tie because that's what comedians wore at the time. Right.

[00:09:11] No, that's a good point. That's a great point, Tom. That's just someone had to start the show. Yeah. If it wasn't going to be him, you might have had 20 more years and there was someone else. I mean, in the 90s, I saw on another history podcast on Slate how there was this issue involving there's all these many people attached to it where this artwork was banned because it involved a minor and people like to associate different things with it and everything.

[00:09:41] Yeah. And was it Mapplethorpe? I think it was. Yeah. And but Mapplethorpe. And there was also one that was called Piss Christ. There you go. And could you imagine, despite all that blessing, if that were to happen now, people would be like, you're supporting this or that. And so when I see a cancel comedian going, you don't have the right to do this to me. I'm like, dude, you don't know how far we've come. We're fortunate to be in a country where we don't have a Gestapo that comes in and like

[00:10:09] no, we have a we have a Gestapo now and they're called the the the woke people in this world. Well, there's that. But I'm not. No, I'm not. I'm not bashing it. But I'm saying it's like it's like it's I just mean they don't come into your house and threaten to arrest you. No, no, no. But, you know, it's like it's like now there's no there's no comedy in it. There's no funny comedy anymore.

[00:10:36] I mean, like I can't remember like or everybody's rude, but there's no punchline. Everybody's like there's no punchline or everybody makes up like I got to make fun of an idiot on TikTok who you'll forget in two weeks. Well, yeah, it is. And think about that, about about Bruce's impact on comedy. Like I said, it opened up a lot of avenues. It made it helped to make George Carman. And you'll name off people like Richard Pryor, Paul Mooney.

[00:11:04] Paul Mooney is a great one. Oh, my God. Yeah. And literally people who would not have taken that step had it not been for someone in taking the bullets early on and people. Like Phyllis Diller was a great voice for women that early. Yeah. Caesar was another wise ass. I don't I mean, well, I miss his kind of style where I'm going to insult you without saying a single dirty word and you're still going to feel dirty.

[00:11:33] You know, here's here's the thing I got to say about Lenny Bruce, though. You got to think Lenny Bruce, when he started out. Was playing was playing straight comedy, right? Was playing, you know, was playing by the rules. And he was up at the Catskills one time because his wife, Honey, was a was was his wife. Honey, his wife. Honey at the time was was trying to be a singer. Yes. And and what happened was, was that the guy was like, well, you got to play by the rules up here.

[00:12:00] And he had been around, you know, the jazz clubs and all that shit. So he kind of knew, you know, he could he could be a little bit more open. So he just said something on stage one time up the Catskills. You're not supposed to say some things. And they kicked him off and he said, you know what? Fuck you. I'll do what I want to do. Yes. Yes. And he is. I feel like Jerry Seinfeld gets his observations from him. Sir Silverman is definitely a Jewish version of that a bit.

[00:12:28] But sorry, I don't mean to drill. I mean, here's a guy. Here's a guy born Leonard Schneider. Right. His father was it was a shoe salesman. His father. His mother was a dancer. Right. He goes. He goes in the Navy when he's 16. Right. World War Two. He's on a boat. He performs in drag. OK. And he gets he gets kicked out of the Navy. Honorable discharge. Mind you.

[00:12:57] Then when the Korean War happens, he signs back up. He's on the merchant marine ship. He comes back to America. He wants to be. And I'm trying to remember this. He wants to be. First off, he he got arrested for for imitating a priest. Yeah. In the 50s, you know. And everyone's like, oh, that was then. I'm like, well, we should be fortunate. That's not the case now. But I mean, yeah, the joke was, was that.

[00:13:27] He. He was hope he was trying to be a comedian and he was like. Everybody back in those days who was a comedian was doing the same sticky material, you know? Yes. And I saw a list of people who were inspired by him from this one great article on Brandis magazine.

[00:13:47] They mentioned a lot of people who were inspired by him were definitely Mike Nichols, the filmmaker Elaine May, Dick Gregory, Morton Saul, Shelley Berman, Tom Lehar and Jonathan Winters. Yeah. Tom Lehar. Definitely. He is. The music. The music and the subject matter. Masochism tango is a personal favorite of mine for various reasons.

[00:14:18] But I'll take a step further without Lenny Bruce. I've said this before and I'll say it again because this is a hill I will die on. Without Lenny Bruce, would we even have had the early seasons of SNL? No. It wouldn't have happened. No, that's a good question. Because even if you had it, it would still be way different. It would be. It would be like Saturday Night Live today. Oh, yeah. You can't do that.

[00:14:47] You got to play nice. Whatever the fuck that means. Yeah. Well, you got to remember, too, like back then it was called Blue Material, right? Yes. And nobody did Blue Material unless it was like later in the night, you know. Even if he was hinting at it. He was in deep shit. And you're like, good God, he didn't say anything. But there was a guy he met called Joe. Joe Ansis, right? I think so.

[00:15:17] And his humor involved like very like, you know, stream of consciousness kind of shit, right? Joe Mantegna even directed a play he directed based on Lenny. And what happened was, was that it was like, it was like the thing was with Lenny Bruce was that he started to like criticize. He wasn't criticizing like, oh, that's wrong. But he would he would kind of bring it up about how like religion was wrong.

[00:15:42] How, you know, obscenity, you know, subjects that you don't talk about, you know, I remember one he did one where he. He talked about coming, right? He's like, did you come? Did you come? Did you come good? Did you come good? Did you come good? Did you come good? And he was playing a drum, right? And he's like doing this. And like everybody's going, oh, my God, this is fucking hilarious. You know, because it's like it's like like he would and he would he wouldn't talk like, you know, like most comics would talk, you know.

[00:16:11] So where they said all the dirty words and there's nothing much left for the last 40 minutes, you know, except. But the thing was, too, is that when he started to get popular, he was on Steve Allen one night and I saw one of those clubs. I couldn't believe it. He sits down and because Elizabeth Taylor just married Eddie Fisher. And he says, will Elizabeth Taylor become bar mitzvahed?

[00:16:42] Wow. And then he and then he started to do the the airplane glue bit, which I love, you know, I'm glad you brought up the Steve Allen one, though, because like I think he shows a lot of range there. And unfortunately, I hate to say this, I think people are going to keep missing out on him just because not everyone listens to CDs anymore. And a lot of his best material wasn't recorded. You know, the Carnegie Hall concert was recorded.

[00:17:12] Right. The Carnegie Hall was. But there was like so many others, which were reportedly so funny, but no one saw because those were some of the same ones he was getting arrested at. And you're like, damn it. I wish someone had the equivalent of a recorder, you know, out at that time. But yeah, you and going to those arrests, you could literally do a First Amendment law class just on Lenny Bruce and still not scratch the surface of all the implications.

[00:17:42] I was thinking the same. He'd be the foreshadow, but wouldn't even begin to touch the surface. I mean, we've already talked about Howard Stern and some of the other edgy guys who I mean, we got to bring up Michael Richards at one point. When are you allowed to fight back at the dickhead in the office?

[00:18:02] And when have you got to collect your cool and say, you know, this idiot is not worth my time and getting me upset and making me become a dickhead in return, you know, the heckler. Yeah. Yeah. And you also have to throw back to another blue comedian, Red Fox. Yes. Yeah. I mean, you. The one where he's talking about wiping his ass.

[00:18:30] But just just and that's not even scratching the surface of what he was doing either. Sure. And the whole thing comes down to, again, would we have had comedy that we did that pushed the boundaries that made us question things? How did not venture Lenny Bruce? And I can't see it. I really I really can't see where even people want to go to another level.

[00:18:58] Somebody who to the Smothers Brothers, they were subversive, but they were still clean cut. And you can tell there was friend in vain, but there was also that there was also a lot of subversive elements to it. Same thing with Laugh-In. Laugh-In is a great one. I'm glad you brought up Smothers Brothers because that's a perfect example of just because they got political and how dare you get political back then. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:19:25] Even if you want to go with another route, there was even some some some birthed material in Rocky and Bowling Hole. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, Boris and Natasha, that's a total Cold War. And just some of the some of the things that they were able to meet in there because of the because of the phrasing that the kids laugh because of because of something else. But they don't for laughing because they they saw that they hidden the hidden message. Yeah.

[00:19:54] Oh, my goodness. Yeah. And I'm sure I mean, Looney Tunes would definitely have some funny World War Two jokes is like it doesn't matter that it's still kind of for some pro war propaganda. There's still some funny just caricatures of French and German people as well as this morons who fall in love with a bimbo. You know, it's like I you need that. But it is funny how cartoons. Oh, it's fine. You know, Twilight Zone. Oh, it's fine.

[00:20:22] It's after primetime, you know, and we happen. And we don't get the bigger picture, you know, we really don't. I'm still seeing people act like Star Trek is just a sexy show with effects. I'm like, good fucking grief. It's a space cop Western doctor. But but the thing is, Lenny Bruce is that he was the first one to break the walls, right? To break the walls down. You got to think, you know, who and then, you know, who came after him?

[00:20:50] I mean, you had Jonathan Winters, who I think is one of the greatest communities of all time. I saw that he was considered a liability at a few points just because the same much like Lenny. No one knew what they would get until the cameras rolled. Well, well, the thing with Lenny Bruce was that, you know, he he was on so many fucking trials. I mean, he would get he got a right one night. OK, you want to hear something really weird? He was arrested in Milwaukee one night for obscenity. The whole club was brought.

[00:21:19] Did he say that he didn't even start? Not that it matters. But, you know, but the thing the thing was, was that. He was he was he was. He he was brought in and he said he started a joke and the police came in, they arrested him. And George Carlin was in the audience that night. So he got inspired.

[00:21:49] George Carlin at that time was was with a guy named Jack. Scanning my cranium. Yeah, I love it. I was wondering. Jack Burns and George Carlin were a comedy duo and they broke up around 1966, 67 because Carlin wanted to do something and Jack Burns wanted to do something. But what it was, was that Carlin saw that that night was like, I want to do this. I want to be like this because you got to realize comedy.

[00:22:16] They were thinking if they just didn't know when and where they could say without getting, you know, punched in the face and thrown in a jail cell, you know, here's what it was. And if you look at this, you're coming before Lenny Bruce, everybody was doing, you know, my wife jokes, you know, this joke, this joke, this joke, this joke. And it was all the same fucking jokes over and over again. Right. Absolutely. It's the same. Where do you go to a carnival? Where do you go for dinner? Yada. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:22:43] You know, Lenny Bruce came in and was like, all right, listen, you've had enough of this. I'm going to show you this. And if you get uncomfortable, fuck it. I'm going to still keep going. I'm still going to cross that line where you, you know, where your, your brain ends and you're, I'm going to take you into that land of forbidden taboo subjects. You know, I'm going to, I'm going to expose. It's basically, well, you know, he, he did like, he would do things like one time.

[00:23:11] I remember there's a guy, Chips Cooney, who I'm friends with, who was a comedian. And he told me a story one night that Lenny Bruce, the night Kennedy died, Lenny Bruce got on stage. Yes. And said, you've heard this. I definitely heard of this one, but he got, he got up on stage. And at the time there was an album called the first family with one meter, one meter, one meter did the voice of Kennedy. He was the guy who could imitate Kennedy. Okay.

[00:23:41] So. So. He gets up on stage that night. It's quiet. There's like 50 people in the audience. It's quiet. He just turns and says, well, I guess one meter's out of a fucking job now. You know. And the police, the police erupted in laughter, you know. Well, and I'm glad you brought that up.

[00:24:02] We're doing that now where, you know, people are getting canceled because if they mention either political side now and make a assassination joke. And it doesn't help that the people who we're talking about are really unlikable. So it is one of those. It's like, shit, do people just people shouldn't have to say. I do believe in freedom of speech, but I also believe in not being a dick. So it's just one of those.

[00:24:27] You're like, are we just going back to the midi middle ages where we just can't say a single fucking thing? It's going to turn out like that. You know, you know, it's going to happen. Yeah. You know, it's going to turn out like that. We're going to be we're going to remember the good old days of comedy while there are these comics that are basically like derivative. They're not funny, but they play. Oh, they're asked at a college campus because they play a thief. I don't want safety. I want I want danger. I want clever.

[00:24:57] I want clever. Instead of. I want funny. I want funny. I mean, I believe, you know, Rogan, especially because he's doing the whole. That's amazing. Well, I'm getting high. And then the whole. Oh, do you just not respect other people's opinions? It's like, shut up, dude. You don't respect anybody. Is this like I think we're getting to that point now where it's just like the ones who want a free voice still don't know how to express themselves without going too far.

[00:25:26] And the ones who are edgy, unfortunately, they sell out pretty fast. Like they do a Kevin Hart or something where you're just doing awful comedy is not worthy of anyone's talent, you know, and you're just like, OK. Now, I'll take a slightly different take on this. I think comedy goes in cycles. Yes. Because you go. You start before me, Bruce, you have the straight laced people, your Bob Newhart's the thing like that.

[00:25:56] And very clean, very respectful. Then you have Lenny Bruce who kind of takes things lower as far as rhetorical aspect, but elevates the art form of comedy. Yeah. And then from there, you get people who imitate it and imitate it or at least get inspired by it. And then there's that boom period for people like that. And then very gradually, there's a tapering off.

[00:26:22] And then like you compare the standup scene from like the 60s and maybe even into the early to mid 70s to compare to like the late 70s to early 80s where everything became very bland again. It became very, once you had that peak, you had that valley. It's kind of like a TV show that goes downhill once it wins all the awards. Now they don't know how to, they bring themselves into a corner.

[00:26:52] They don't know. And they're so worried about getting picked out versus being good now. And then from there, you'll have that low period. And then like the late 80s, early 90s, that's when you got people like Sam Kinison, Andrew Dice Kress. People who were listening to me. Yeah. Yeah. People who pushed the boundaries. And again, Corson did the rhetoric, but elevated comedy.

[00:27:19] And then we started going down again. Then you have people, then you started having people coming back like Dave Chappelle, who, again, we'd argue lowered the rhetoric, but raised the stakes and raised the game of comedy.

[00:27:37] And I was back in that low period where someone like Hannah Gadsby, who, I'm sorry if this will offend, but I sat through 10 minutes of comedy, especially if you did, didn't laugh once. And for somebody who has an appreciation for comedy. That ain't it. Oh, who was he again? Hank? It was Hannah Gadsby. Hannah Gadsby.

[00:28:06] Who's Hannah Gadsby? That's so infamous. That's so infamous. JJ, let me tell you, you don't want to know. You're better off not knowing. But basically. Yeah, I think I've seen this individual. But the thing was, is that Chappelle actually made a joke at her expense. And she got all offended and went on social media tirade and got, and Chappelle got in trouble for it.

[00:28:33] But in doing so, he made a legitimate point. That's the, that is one part of comedy that a lot of people don't get. That comedy with a point could be some of the most brilliant. Fat tire could be the most brilliant commentary there is. There's a reason why people liked Mark Russell.

[00:29:02] And it wasn't because. We're going really deep here, guys. I love it. I love it. Same reason why some people like Dennis Miller. And like some people like the more, the thinking man's comedians. I'm glad you're bringing these individuals up. Because, I mean. Again, Miller was good on SNL. And then we talked about before, kind of by like 08, he kind of just tapered off. He was just kind of going on a rant. Kind of a shadow of his former self where he was. Hey, I'm going to do this. I'm going to talk.

[00:29:31] You know, and so I think Chappelle is another good example. His sketch show will always live on. His early standups are still fucking hysterical. And then I think when he did the whole. I'm not going to get canceled. It was like, dude, you're too brilliant to be canceled. But at the same time, you're being a dick. So I think. I think everybody. But people still want to see him. So I think he's now in that stage where he's just. Waiting. To come up with new material.

[00:30:00] And then he's going to do it again. Yeah, he's. He's as best as you can call him. He's bulletproof at this point. Absolutely. I think that. I think that was a perfect example. Like. Because. The cancel culture is still not figured out stuff like. Say. James Bond. Or even rap music. Or heavy metal. Like that will never be. South Park. Yeah. South Park. Yeah. South Park's too witty. Even by a. Rude cartoon standards. Yeah. So. But there. But there are still people out there. Or who used to be out there.

[00:30:30] Who were pushing boundaries still. Craig Ferguson is a great example of this. I. I went to a live show. He did. It was a whole fabulous tour. And. Oh my goodness. He swore. He threw in a lot of. Innuendos. My profanity. But it was. It was so. Fucking funny. Who is this again? Craig Ferguson. Craig Ferguson. Oh Jesus. Yeah. So. So.

[00:30:59] The spirit's still out there. It's just. It's just. People are afraid to. Embrace it. We'll return. After these messages. If you like small town mystery. Crazy news. And wild history. Then the Florida Men. On Florida Man podcast. Is for you. Each week. Josh Mills. And Wayne McCarty. Bring you the absolute best. Florida has to offer. So if you're looking for a show.

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[00:31:57] Great breakfast wrecks and booty debates. Most of all you get the most delightful 30 minutes of your week. So dig in. It's Brentfist time. Listen at Brentfist.com. Apple podcasts. Or wherever fine podcasts are found. Embrace the stuff that. Or they sell out too fast. And they kind of forget why they're funny. Because they're not. It's kind of like. Yeah. I think Chris O'Donnell and George Clooney were saying in interviews. Once upon a time. How it's like. Oh I don't. I don't take acting lessons. Lessons anymore. I'm like well. So you're letting it dry up in a well. Because you got.

[00:32:26] Career stability now. You don't have to worry about. Am I a good actor anymore? Now I'm famous. Yeah. But one thing that we'll say about. About people. Having. Not having to worry about. About. Not being funny. Dane Cook. He did that for himself. Yep. Yes he did. It was a shame growing up. Because you would hear some people. Like taking clips. And making it as ringtones. I think the skit about. Someone gave me the middle finger.

[00:32:56] And then I think. The reason he just deteriorated. Was. He started doing like. Shared stand-up shows. He was hosting. And then it became very clear. He's not much of a host. And everyone else. Was just basically listening. To all the other. Wacky comedians. He had brought along. It's kind of like. You host a party. But people forget. You're the host. We're not here to celebrate. Your birthday. Sorry. Not to be a douche. But like. You're just not very present. You're just kind of. Snorting weed in the back corner. And saying.

[00:33:26] Am I funny man? I'm glad you brought that up. Because I mean. There's a reason. I mean. You've talked about Amy Schumer. You've talked about some of these other comedians. Who are just like. What? Is this. Like. If Jerry Seinfeld. Would have come up with a new stand-up. And it sucked. That would also kind of be bulletproof. Because we'd be like. Hey. We're still going to go back to his early stuff. And watch his classic sitcom. So I'm like. Okay. But even. Even now. Seinfeld.

[00:33:56] The thing is. Seinfeld. Is still funny. He can be as controversial. As he wants to be. But he's still. He still has the. The fallback kind of. He. He is funny. People don't feel like he's outdated. They just say. Okay. He's got a difference of opinion. Versus. Bill Maher. Who kind of varies on everything. And he has a lot of politics behind him. So I mean. Jerry just has a lot of wit. And has always kind of. Prided himself on being. I'm a PG-13 comedian. But I don't have to be wimpy.

[00:34:26] Or negate. You know. I. I think that's the other thing too. Is like. You can be risque. Without having to. Describe how you're getting a blowjob. You don't. You also don't have to like. I. None of us are the kind. Who go. Oh my god. He said that four letter word. You know. But at the same time. It's just like. There have been ones. Where I'm like. Okay. Getting still there. You know. Like. I've seen it with Dennis Larry. Like his early stuff is good. And then I would see some of his. 2000s one. And it's like.

[00:34:56] That literally fell apart. After the first 20 minutes. The fuck dude. I don't know man. I think. I don't know how much of it is age. Versus they're out of practice. Versus. They're. Mistaking. Being edgy. With. I must piss off. Everybody in the audience. Right now. There's a difference. Between. Being comic. And being mean. And I think. As years go by.

[00:35:25] It's starting to meet in the middle. More and more. Yeah. That's a good point. Yeah. If. If you want. If you want mean. Just go to TikTok. Top. When it's not. The same thing. As a. As a well-crafted. Stand-up act. Yeah. It's just. I don't know. Why anyone. Wants to get. Angry over anything. Now. Like. I saw someone. Do a loaded poll. On the recent. Political stuff. And like. You're not going to like. Any result. Even if it's your side. Because. Either way.

[00:35:54] There's going to be people. In a discourse. In the chat. And I think. I don't know. I think a lot of people. Are bored. I see people. Who knowingly. Will click on a. Click bait. List. Just so they can be angry at it. I'm like. So I wonder where that came in. Like where that. Even prior to social media. Where are these people. Who are all these people. Who. What are they doing in my room? What are they doing in my room? What are they. Where did these guys. Who want to be pissed off. What's the deal with airline food? Because. I feel like some of that.

[00:36:25] Transended into the like. The shock jog. I want to tune in. Just so I can be. Angrily call in. Until this guy. He sucks. But it seems like. Now that. It's at a click of a button. You just got more cowards in disguise. Some of them are gamers. Who. You know. Shouldn't be even using these platforms. And then there's others who are just. It's tough to tell if they're even a bot. Until it's too late. You know. Like. You just attack. Attack. Attack. Yeah. And I'll. The best way I can describe it is.

[00:36:54] Baseball was no longer America's favorite pastime. Today. Today's. Today is America's favorite pastime. And it's outrage. Good point. And the reason is very simple. You show up outrage. You're going to have people who are going to feed you that dopamine hit. I say. Oh yeah. You're absolutely right. And then there's going to be people who are. Who will also be feeding your dopamine hit. By saying. Oh you're so wrong. You're an idiot. And you. And that's. Exactly. I've brought into that a few times myself.

[00:37:24] Fairly recently. And. The whole thing comes down. We are. We are so divided as a country. That we can't even express. Even a middle of the road. Observation. Oh yeah. Based on facts. Yeah. Yeah. And. But now everybody. We treat it like sports too. In a way. Where it's just like. We do. Your team never had it. But I think there's one thing that unites everybody. And that is. The Packers winning the Super Bowl.

[00:37:54] Oh. And really. If you really. You got arrested in Milwaukee. I'll bet you the reason why. Lane Bruce got. Got arrested there. Is because he talked bad about. About the Packers. Yeah. It. There's a bit of everything. I mean. So we've already talked about. Again. Assassination jokes. I mean. He had plenty of nights. Where he was like. Oh. The Popo is going to come by. And sure enough. He wasn't kidding. Yeah. The police are out there. I'm going to arrest him. Literally.

[00:38:23] After his show. Wraps up. And it's like. Can you imagine. I'd be wanting to. Hmm. You know. Like. I'd be the kind of guy. I would want to just throw a five dollar bill. So people can block my way. While I make an exit. I'd be like. Sure. I guess I'm going to take my earnings. For tonight. You know. Live under a bridge. Just so these coppers don't. You know. Put me in a cell. That's where. Coming in. Becoming a master of disguise.

[00:38:53] Because it's a brandy. The fugitive was actually an allegory. For Lenny Bruce. I'm sorry. The one-armed man. Was the man. He was the man. Follow us on the web. On Facebook. Twitter. And Instagram. The podcast is available on. Podbean. Spotify. I heart radio. Anchor. Apple. And anywhere else. Podcasts are available. Feel free to review our show.

[00:39:23] And leave comments. On any of those sites. Thanks a million for listening. It's a jacked up.