Top 25 Lenny Bruce Quotes About Life, Comedy, And Politics

Isobel Murphy
Dec 12, 2023 By Isobel Murphy
Originally Published on Jan 12, 2021
Spacious modern assembly hall

Lenny Bruce (full name: Leonard Alfred Schneider) was born on 13 October 1925, and was a stand-up comedian from New York, America.

He was famous for his open and freestyle comedy. He earned a lot of respect from intellectuals and artists alike.

Lenny Bruce is a notable social critic of the mid-20th century in his comedy, and is considered one of the most influential comedians of all time. As a result of his outspoken views, he was often criticized, persecuted by the authorities, and shunned by the entertainment mainstream industry during his life.

After his death, he emerged as a cultural icon among advocates of free speech and political humor.

Below are some of the most famous Lenny Bruce quotes. If you are interested in similar quotes, then also check out these Larry David quotes and Tina Fey quotes.

The Best Lenny Bruce Quotes

These are some famous Lenny Bruce quotes that are wise and witty at the same time and give us lessons to learn.

1."In the Halls of Justice, the only justice is in the halls."

– Lenny Bruce.

2."I am influenced by every second of my waking hour."

– Lenny Bruce.

3."Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God."

– Lenny Bruce.

4."Every group needs a comedian."

– Lenny Bruce.

Lenny Bruce Political Quotes

Lenny Bruce had a good insight into politics.  Here are some Lenny Bruce famous quotes which share with us some of his insight.

5."The American Constitution was not written to protect criminals; it was written to protect the government from becoming criminals."

– Lenny Bruce.

6."The liberals can understand everything but people who don't understand them."

– Lenny Bruce.

7."Communism is like one big phone company."

– Lenny Bruce.

Lenny Bruce Quotes Comedy Fans Will Love

Lenny Bruce is one of the funniest comedians. Some Lenny Bruce  quotes about comedy that will make you adore his words are listed below.

8."The only honest art form is laughter, comedy. You can't fake it... try to fake three laughs in an hour - ha ha ha ha ha - they'll take you away, man. You can't."

– Lenny Bruce.

9."I hate small towns because once you've seen the cannon in the park there's nothing else to do."

– Lenny Bruce.

10."Guys are like dogs. They keep comin back. Ladies are like cats. Yell at a cat one time, they're gone."

– Lenny Bruce.

11."If something about the human body disgusts you, the fault lies with the manufacturer."

– Lenny Bruce.

12."When you're eight years old, nothing is any of your business."

– Lenny Bruce.

13."The role of a comedian is to make the audience laugh, at a minimum of once every fifteen seconds."

– Lenny Bruce.

14. "These days, it’s not enough to boost that roomful of strangers. The young comic spends all their time trying to sound different from the million other jokesters grabbing for the mic."

– Lenny Bruce.

Lenny Bruce Quotes About Words

Lenny Bruce performed comedy that was composed of various genres.  Here are some of the best Lenny Bruce quotes about words.

15."I won’t say ours was a tough school, but we had our own coroner. We used to write essays like: What I’m going to be if I grow up."

– Lenny Bruce.

16."What is truth today may be a damn lie next week."

– Lenny Bruce.

More Great Lenny Bruce Quotes

Would you love to read more Lenny Bruce quotes from this controversial comedian?  This list contains some more for you.

17."The 'What should be' never did exist, but people keep trying to live up to it. There is no 'What should be,' there is only what is."

– Lenny Bruce.

18."There’s a lot of money in wars, except in the war on poverty. Can’t make any bread helping the poor. "

– Lenny Bruce.

19."You got to pay your dues to get the joke. Besides, laughter is cheap and very portable... nothing is easier to pack than a sense of humor."

– Lenny Bruce.

20."TV is just advertising for your live gig, so I’m playing whichever show is gonna get me the biggest crowd."

– Lenny Bruce.

21."My only challenge was to tell my truth, man… figure out what I had to say."

– Lenny Bruce.

22."I credit the motion picture industry as the strongest environmental factor in molding the children of my day. "

– Lenny Bruce.

23."Let me tell you the truth: The truth is what is. And what should be is a fantasy a terrible, terrible lie that someone gave the people long ago."

– Lenny Bruce.

24. "I'm not a comedian. I'm Lenny Bruce."

- Lenny Bruce, 'Lenny Bruce: Swear To Tell The Truth'.

25. "There are never enough 'I love you’s'."

– Lenny Bruce.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly quotes for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for the best Lenny Bruce quotes about life, comedy, and politics, then why not take a look at these Alex Honnold quotes, and Jerry Seinfeld quotes for more?

Main image credit: Joseph Sohm / Shutterstock.com

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Written by Isobel Murphy

Bachelor of Arts specializing in History

Isobel Murphy picture

Isobel MurphyBachelor of Arts specializing in History

With a love for exploring cities and finding outdoor spaces to enjoy, Isobel has spent her life exploring various cities in the UK, from her hometown of Surrey to Birmingham where she studied history for three years. She is passionate about sports and enjoys watching and playing, as well as baking and spending quality time with her loved ones.

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