Lenny Bruce Exhibit Coming to National Comedy Center Along With Panel About Comedy and the First Amendment
The National Comedy Center just announced the inclusion of another exhibit honoring one of comedy’s trailblazers. A Lenny Bruce Exhibit and Memorial Foundation will be established at the new National Comedy Center set to open this August during Jametown’s annual Lucyfest.
The Center’s exhibit will feature storytelling of Bruce’s legacy as a stand-up comedian, social critic, and satirist, highlighted by rare artifacts courtesy of Kitty Bruce and the Lenny Bruce Memorial Foundation. Items include Bruce’s iconic trench coat, which he began wearing as a matter of course owing to his being taken to jail directly from the stage; his typewriter; a hand-annotated manuscript for his book “How to Talk Dirty and Influence People”; a personal letter to his father (from jail); court transcripts; Governor George Pataki’s pardon letter and more. Bruce was convicted in 1964 on obscenity charges and was posthumously pardoned by Governor Pataki in 2003, the first in the history of New York State.
he Lenny Bruce Memorial Foundation, founded in 2008 by Bruce’s daughter, Kitty Bruce, combats alcohol/drug addiction with scholarships and education.
And to celebrate the opening of the Lenny Bruce Exhibit, the Center’s team has invited Bruce’s daughter, Kitty Bruce to attend the grand opening week this August. Ms. Bruce will participate in a panel discussion centering on a subject near and dear to the late Lenny Bruce’s heart- Comedy and the First Amendment. Participating on the panel with Kitty Bruce will be Lewis Black and Paul Cambria. “Comedy and the First Amendment: How far is too far and who decides?” will spotlight how comedians use humor to speak truth to power, but not without the consequence of censorship, lost work, and even criminal prosecution. This event will take place in Jamestown at the Robert H. Jackson Center on Thursday, August 2nd at 4:00pm.
Kitty Bruce will lend personal stories of her father’s battles with the law as he plied his comedy craft, often in defiance of obscenity laws. An expert on First Amendment rights, attorney Paul Cambria has represented many prominent individuals including sexually graphic magazine publisher Larry Flynt and musicians DMX and Marilyn Manson. Lewis Black, known for his trademark comedy rants about current events and politics, has been a vocal fan of Lenny Bruce and the importance of his legacy.
The National Comedy Center, opening August 1st in Jamestown, New York, is the first non-profit cultural institution and national-scale visitor attraction dedicated to the art of comedy. Other events during the National Comedy Center’s grand opening week include appearances by Amy Schumer, Lily Tomlin, original cast and writers of Saturday Night Live Dan Aykroyd, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris and Alan Zweibel, Lucie Arnaz, and more than 30 comedy artists.
The National Comedy Center embodies Lucille Ball’s vision for her hometown of Jamestown, New York to become a destination for the celebration of comedy in a way that educates, fosters and inspires. Featuring more than 50 immersive and interactive exhibits designed by leading museum design firms in the world, the 37,000 square foot National Comedy Center visitor experience tells the story of comedy from its origins through the present.
Tickets may be purchased by visiting by calling 716-484-2222, visiting the festival box office located at 2 W. 3rd Street, Jamestown, NY 14701 or by going to www.NationalComedyCenter.org.
