Junkie Gossip as History

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LENNY BRUCE!! Albert Goldman & Lawrence Schiller (Random House) In the years when Lenny was working the club circuit around the country, he was already an underground legend. Lots of fans (beatniks) who couldn't afford the cover charges at the gigs knew the numbers about the reporter interviewing him as he walked thru the town, Bruce popping cough drops as they talked — after half a box he absent-mindedly offered the reporter one, he takes it and immediately zones out for a good 18 hours ... or about the time he thought he could fly and went but a hotel window screaming "It's Super-Jew!" True or not, stories like these had as much to do with his popularity in certain circles as did his work.