[lbo-talk] "Lenny Bruce needs no pardon"

[Brian Siano]

Dennis Perrin wrote:

>>The "chill" Bruce endured for commenting on national drama was visible
>>in every comedian's demeanor after 9-11. The first I saw step up toward
>>the "line" was Jon Stewart. But he was sweating on camera as he did.
>>Mahr took the actual sacrificial hit.
>>    
>>
>Actually, The Onion was first out of the gate (and since some of Stewart's
>writers come from The Onion, his early attempt was not surprising):
>
><http://www.theonion.com/onion3734/american_life_turns_into.html>
>
><http://www.theonion.com/onion3734/us_vows_to_defeat_whoever.html>
>
>And my fave:
>
><http://www.theonion.com/onion3734/on_tv_tonight_3734.html>
>
What bugged me was that it wasn't hard to think of any number of decent 
jokes that could have been done that week. I had an idea for a great 
cold opening for SNL, based on a minor incident that also happened that 
week: Iraq had shot down an American plane. Open with Saddam Hussein 
calling a press conference, to announce this tremendous victory, and to 
remind everyone that no one stood against the United States as much as 
he did. Then an aide leans in to whisper something to him. "Planes?" 
Saddam whispers, incredulous. "Both of them?" His face goes white, and 
he gamely tries to regain his composure. "I remind everyone here that 
shooting down a plane is _really hard_," he says, "and it's not as easy, 
as, say, flying a plane into a _really big building..." One reporter 
asks if there was anyting to the rumor that "No rumors!" Saddam cries, 
desperately. "Rumors are never true! Bit we shot down a plane! We'll 
show you the wreckage!" Another reporter's cell phone rings, and Saddam 
leaps over the podium to grab it from him before...