Lenny Bruce, who most people consider the father of modern stand-up comedy, died 40 years ago yesterday, fittingly enough, at the age of 40. Lenny changed stand-up because he not only attacked social and political institutions when it was basically unheard of, but was also profoundly personal and didn't always go for the laugh. Some of his material on religion in particular would still be more controversial than you'd hear in any comedy club today. Sadly, his life and career veered out of control, partly because of drugs and partly because of his passion not to compromise.

I'd like to think that if Lenny was around today that we'd be in the same group of comics, all trying to get better, get deeper, and get wherever we're supposed to go. I'd probably skip out on the heroin, but you never know.