Stand-up comedian Laura Lexx brings this case file to the table to address one of the top questions she’s presented with when telling strangers what she does for a living… “Oh but you can’t say anything these days…” Or can you?

Academic Oliver Double sits down with Laura to discuss a history of censorship in stage comedy in the UK and USA. From the early years of front cloth comics and monologists, through the legal battles of Lenny Bruce, to the brilliant Billy Connolly. In this episode Laura and Oliver debate the common perception that speech has become less free and that we are far more monitored now on what we say than ever before.

Is this true? In what ways is speech in comedy monitored and censored? Crucially, is this criticism from a point of authority or the now amplified voices of the many but much less powerful general public?

Do you agree with Laura’s argument that it is not cancellation but capitalism that affects your bookings once the general public falls out with you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Our Sources for this episode are:

• Burgis, Ben (2021), “Cancelling Comedians While The World Burns, A Critique of the Contemporary Left”, Zer0 Books

• Bruce, Lenny (1975), “How To Talk Dirty and Influence People”, Harper Collins Distribution Services

• Goldman, Albert (from the journalism of Lawrence Schiller), 1974, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Lenny Bruce!!”, Random House

• Thomas, William Karl (1989), “Lenny Bruce - The Making of a Prophet”, Media Maestro

• Collins, Ronald K.L. (2002), “The Trials of Lenny Bruce”, Sourcebooks, Inc

• Lenny Bruce audio CD: Lenny Bruce, The Historic 1962 Concert When Lenny Was Busted, from Viper’s Nest

• Index on Censorship: 1 Nov 2000, Volume 29.06 Index on Censorship can be found here: https://www.indexoncensorship.org/

• Here is a link to the article about Billy Connolly from 2004: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2004/nov/28/theatre.billyconnolly

Comedians Laura and Olly mention in this episode, just on the off chance you’ve not heard of them, are:

• Nish Kumar - @mrnishkumar

• Ross Noble - @mrrossnoble

• Sajeela Kershi - @sajeelakershi

Podcast cover art by Adam Richardson

Artwork for The Comedy Bureau is by Matthew Grant at Tiny Worlds Workshop @tinyworldsworkshop.

Our video editor and credit sequence designer is Lucas Orme.

Music was devised and performed by Olly Double.

Huge thanks to the whole team at Podspike for invaluable advice and help launching and marketing the show.

All media enquiries via Julian Hall textualhealingpr@gmail.com