Comedian Lenny Bruce Denied Hearing by Supreme Court

June 1, 1965 - The U.S. Supreme Court today denied a hearing to comedian Lenny Bruce, who sought a Federal court order to prevent New York authorities from interfering with his appearances, which sometimes include obscene words.

The brief order left standing two lower Federal court decisions rejecting Bruce’s arguments.

The case focused specifically on two 1964 performances at the Café Au Go Go in New York, for which Bruce was convicted under a state law prohibiting obscene performances. He was sentenced to four months in jail.

Meantime, the comedian had asked the Federal District Court in New York to stop the state proceedings and bar any interference with his public appearances. Both that court and the Second United States Circuit Court of Appeals refused to interfere.

Bruce pleaded a First Amendment right to “deliver dramatic monologues dealing with subjects of topical importance anywhere in the nation regardless of state lines or varying local standards or conflicting state court decisions.”

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