A brief history of comics being arrested onstage

Bruce and his stand-up were targeted by police for much of the early 1960s. He was arrested a whopping five times.

In 1961, the comedian was arrested and later acquitted of obscenity charges in San Francisco. The following year, he was arrested twice in Los Angeles and once in Chicago on claims of obscenity. Only the Chicago charges stuck.

Hoping for reprieve, Bruce took his act to New York City in 1964 and was summarily targeted there as well by undercover cops and District Attorney investigators who attended two of his performances. Armed with material gleaned from his act, the DA convinced a grand jury to indict Bruce on obscenity charges, which he disputed.

When investigators testified with hand-written notes they’d taken from Bruce’s act, he said “I’m going to be judged by his bad timing, his ego, his garbled language.”

Bruce was sentenced to four months in prison. He later appealed the conviction but died of a morphine overdose before he could appear before an appellate court.

Bruce and his stand-up were targeted by police for much of the early 1960s. He was arrested a whopping five times.

In 1961, the comedian was arrested and later acquitted of obscenity charges in San Francisco. The following year, he was arrested twice in Los Angeles and once in Chicago on claims of obscenity. Only the Chicago charges stuck.

Hoping for reprieve, Bruce took his act to New York City in 1964 and was summarily targeted there as well by undercover cops and District Attorney investigators who attended two of his performances. Armed with material gleaned from his act, the DA convinced a grand jury to indict Bruce on obscenity charges, which he disputed.

When investigators testified with hand-written notes they’d taken from Bruce’s act, he said “I’m going to be judged by his bad timing, his ego, his garbled language.”

Bruce was sentenced to four months in prison. He later appealed the conviction but died of a morphine overdose before he could appear before an appellate court.

Bruce and his stand-up were targeted by police for much of the early 1960s. He was arrested a whopping five times.

In 1961, the comedian was arrested and later acquitted of obscenity charges in San Francisco. The following year, he was arrested twice in Los Angeles and once in Chicago on claims of obscenity. Only the Chicago charges stuck.

Hoping for reprieve, Bruce took his act to New York City in 1964 and was summarily targeted there as well by undercover cops and District Attorney investigators who attended two of his performances. Armed with material gleaned from his act, the DA convinced a grand jury to indict Bruce on obscenity charges, which he disputed.

When investigators testified with hand-written notes they’d taken from Bruce’s act, he said “I’m going to be judged by his bad timing, his ego, his garbled language.”

Bruce was sentenced to four months in prison. He later appealed the conviction but died of a morphine overdose before he could appear before an appellate court.

Bruce and his stand-up were targeted by police for much of the early 1960s. He was arrested a whopping five times.

In 1961, the comedian was arrested and later acquitted of obscenity charges in San Francisco. The following year, he was arrested twice in Los Angeles and once in Chicago on claims of obscenity. Only the Chicago charges stuck.

Hoping for reprieve, Bruce took his act to New York City in 1964 and was summarily targeted there as well by undercover cops and District Attorney investigators who attended two of his performances. Armed with material gleaned from his act, the DA convinced a grand jury to indict Bruce on obscenity charges, which he disputed.

When investigators testified with hand-written notes they’d taken from Bruce’s act, he said “I’m going to be judged by his bad timing, his ego, his garbled language.”

Bruce was sentenced to four months in prison. He later appealed the conviction but died of a morphine overdose before he could appear before an appellate court.