Speaking of comedians who perform what some would consider Bad Taste: Publicist Extraordinaire and Comedy Expert Jeff Abraham sent me this link to a BBC Radio documentary about Lenny Bruce.
Having heard so many comedians I respect hail Bruce as a brave pioneer, I acknowledge his importance in the history of stand-up comedy…but I have yet to hear much that makes me think of him as a great entertainer. Perhaps his best work, along with 99% of all he did, was simply never recorded. Or maybe he's one of those comedians that, well, you had to be there. I don't think any of the videos I've seen of Sam Kinison fully capture what was great about seeing him perform live in an intimate setting.
For years when I was around comedians, I was afraid to say that I didn't find Lenny Bruce funny or even all that clever. It seemed like Comedy Sacrilege. Eventually, I came to realize that others around me felt that way but were not saying it out loud for the same reason. Lately, I hear more and more of them saying it out loud. Of course, even if all he did was to make possible guys like George Carlin and Mort Sahl (back when he was Mort Sahl), that's quite a contribution.