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MUSEUM OF TELEVISION & RADIO SEMINAR SERIES, THE: TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL EVENT: LENNY BRUCE: SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH {LONG VERSION}

Summary

One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Museum of Television & Radio's Television Documentary Festival in New York. The festival explores the art and craft of the television documentary through a series of screenings of recent, celebrated works, as well as the premieres of several new films. The program salutes filmmaker Robert Weide's Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning "Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth," about the late, controversial American comedian Lenny Bruce. After an introduction by moderator Allen Glover (assistant curator), Weide introduces the film, which is then screened in its entirety. (For synopsis and credits, see T:57421.)

Following the screening, Glover and Weide are joined by panelist, Nat Hentoff of the New York Times. The panelists then discuss subjects which include: the ironic use of the song "I Fought the Law (And the Law Won)" by the punk band the Clash over the film's end credits; the sensational nature of the footage of a dead, naked Bruce that ends the film; the process of financing the film: why the documentary took twelve years to complete; why so many people in the '50s were disturbed by Bruce's material; and why authorities hounded Bruce for the last years of his life.

Questions from the audience lead to a discussion of the following topics: how much of today's artistic freedom can be attributed to the late comedian; the specifics of Bruce's ongoing legal woes; the ACLU's curious distance from Bruce's case; and the authenticity of certain bootlegged materials that have eluded Bruce's die-hard fan base for years.

Details

  • NETWORK: Paley
  • DATE: May 8, 2000 7:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 2:19:38
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: 101224
  • GENRE: Seminars
  • SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
  • SERIES RUN: N/A
  • COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

  • Allen Glover … Moderator
  • Robert B. Weide … Panelist
  • Nat Hentoff … Panelist
  • Steve Allen
  • Lenny Bruce
  • Clash, The