Portrait of Lenny Bruce

Lenny Bruce

Provocative comedian

Modern influential 100 sayings

Sayings by Lenny Bruce

“I'm not trying to be offensive. I'm trying to be relevant.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be controversial. I'm trying to be honest.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be popular. I'm trying to be real.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be politically correct. I'm trying to be funny.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
Political Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be a role model. I'm trying to be myself.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be offensive. I'm trying to be thought-provoking.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be a provocateur. I'm trying to be an artist.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be a revolutionary. I'm trying to be a comedian.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be a philosopher. I'm trying to be a human being.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be a guru. I'm trying to be a clown.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

“I'm not trying to be a saint. I'm trying to be a sinner.”

1960s — Performance, various shows
General Unverifiable

If you believe in God, you're a believer. If you don't, you're an infidel. If you don't know, you're an agnostic. If you don't give a damn, you're an atheist. If you don't know and you don't give a damn, you're a philosopher.

1965 — How to Talk Dirty and Influence People (autobiography)
General Unverifiable

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul will grow sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself.

1960s — Unidentified performance, often attributed to Oscar Wilde first but Bruce popularized it in his cont…
General Unverifiable

Every day, people are dying. They're not dying because they're old, they're not dying because they're sick, they're dying because they're bored.

1960s — Unidentified performance
General Unverifiable

A lot of people think I'm a dirty comedian. I'm not a dirty comedian. I'm a comedian who talks about dirty things.

1960s — Unidentified interview
General Unverifiable

I'm not trying to be shocking. I'm just trying to be honest.

1964 — Court testimony
General Unverifiable

If you live in a society where the truth is illegal, then you're a criminal.

1960s — Unidentified performance
General Unverifiable

The only thing that's consistent in life is inconsistency.

1960s — Unidentified interview
Life & Aging Unverifiable

I'm not a role model. I'm a warning.

1960s — Unidentified performance
General Unverifiable

The world is a joke. The only way to survive is to laugh at it.

1960s — Frequently attributed to Bruce
General Unverifiable
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