Remembering Tom Degan and Lenny Bruce

Humorists of the first order

Tom Degan with Kittie Bruce at Brandeis University

My lifelong friend, Tom Degan, was a brilliant humorist. As a teenager, Tom had already become a self made scholar of Charlie Chaplin, The Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy and significantly, Lenny Bruce. Tom had an extraordinary memory and in the case of Lenny Bruce had memorized most of Bruce’s recorded performances. All of this by the time he was15-years old. In 2016, Tom attended a scholar's symposium on Bruce’s impact on free speech in America. The event was held at Brandies University and was moderated by Christie Hefner, herself a summa cum laude graduate of Brandeis.

For years I had urged Tom to write an updated biography of Bruce. He had read everything ever written on the subject and could critique each new work in exquisite detail. For a number of years Tom corresponded with Lenny’s daughter, Kittie Bruce, and on occasion, they would chat on the phone. At least once, Tom spoke with Bruce's mother, Sally Marr, who died at the age of 91 in late 1997. 

I feel certain that Lenny Bruce would have enjoyed Tom’s years-running blog of political satire and sharp wit. Here is Tom’s last column on Lenny Bruce, the one he wrote after the event at Brandeis in 2016.

Below is a brief clip of Tom’s commentary at that same event. Most of the discussion had been based on legal Q&A surrounding Bruce’s impact on constitutionally based interpretations of free speech. But in a few short minutes, Tom captures the essence of Bruce’s work with a twist of irony. Godspeed Tommy, you done good.