Bruce routines

[doktor at primenet.com]

john m writes:

<snip>

>One of the most beautiful and wise Lenny Bruce bits I ever heard is the
>one where he does
>Lyndon Johnson--in perfect voice--trying, and failing, to pronounce the
>word "Negro"
>properly.  Who am I laughing at when I laugh at that routine?
>
>Would a white jewish comedian be able to do this scene today? (honest
>question, no
>taunt).

This brought to mind two points.

1.  My favorite LB routine is his asking "How many niggers do we have in
the audience tonight?"  He goes on to ask this question using other
outrageously offensive racial/ethnic epithets, and then says he wishes the
President would go on TV and say, I'd like to introduce you to all the
niggers in my cabinet.  He goes on to say, in effect, that if the word were
used repeatedly til it was drained of all its hate, then no black kid would
ever run home from school again crying about being called that bad name.
What we--or at least, I--laugh at in that routine, as well as in the
LBJ-saying-negro routine is the abusrd power that words have to offend,
outrage and wound.

2.  I've always intuited some connection between Lenny Bruce and Thomas
Pynchon, but never really been able to articulate it.  This thread is
interesting.  Anyone care to link the two?  Or to inform me whether TRP
ever heard LB?

--Jimmy

http://www.angelfire.com/oh/Insouciance/