--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was about 12 when I heard my first…" description: "\"I was about 12 when I heard my first Lenny Bruce record. He was already dead. But it changed my life and really did change the world.\" — Penn Jillette" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/penn-jillette-1046_bruce_i-was-about-12-when-i-heard-my-first-len_1021539.png" --- # I was about 12 when I heard my first Lenny Bruce record… ![“I was about 12 when I heard my first Lenny Bruce record. He was already dead. But it changed my life and really did change the world.” quote by Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/penn-jillette-1046_bruce_i-was-about-12-when-i-heard-my-first-len_1021539.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/penn-jillette-1046_bruce_i-was-about-12-when-i-heard-my-first-len_1021539.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a19/penn-jillette-1046_bruce_i-was-about-12-when-i-heard-my-first-len_1021539.png) > “I was about 12 when I heard my first Lenny Bruce record. He was already dead. But it changed my life and really did change the world.” [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hearing a deceased comedian’s record at a young age profoundly impacted his life and worldview. **In simple terms:** Early exposure to powerful art can change life direction. Key Takeaway Seek transformative art early. Themes culture influence personal growth Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - music - education - personal development - media consumption Key Concepts cultural impact legacy artistic inspiration Questions to Reflect On - What art has reshaped your perspective? - How can you find art that challenges you? A Different Perspective Not everyone resonates with the same art. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bruce/) [Bruce Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bruce-record-2281370/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Changed life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed-life/) [Changed my life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed-my-life/) [Changing the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-the-world/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard/) [Heard Lenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-lenny-2281369/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lenny-bruce/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I'd heard that Lenny Bruce used a lot of profanity and obscenities in his act, and I was curious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-harnick/i-d-heard-that-lenny-bruce-used-a-lot-of-profanity-and-obscenities-in/) [Sheldon Harnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-harnick/) > [I never get tired of performing to people who want to hear me. Hell, that's my handshake to the world. I'm doing just what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-bachman/i-never-get-tired-of-performing-to-people-who-want-to-hear-me-hell/) [Randy Bachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-bachman/) > [Bill Maher fancies himself the reincarnation of Lenny Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/bill-maher-fancies-himself-the-reincarnation-of-lenny-bruce/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [When I was younger, I listened to the greats: Winters, Mel and Carl, Nichols and May, Pryor, Carlin, Klein, Berman and lots of Lenny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lewis/when-i-was-younger-i-listened-to-the-greats-winters-mel-and-carl/) [Richard Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lewis/) > [I set out to be a cross between Lenny Bruce and Robert the Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/i-set-out-to-be-a-cross-between-lenny-bruce-and-robert-the-bruce/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [I'm not a comedian. I'm Lenny Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-bruce/i-m-not-a-comedian-i-m-lenny-bruce/) [Lenny Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-bruce/) > [In my opinion, Lenny Bruce was more of an influence on Zappa's satirical lyric's than anyone that I know of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carl-black/in-my-opinion-lenny-bruce-was-more-of-an-influence-on-zappa-s/) [Jimmy Carl Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carl-black/) > [When I first started out, 'Time' magazine did an article on what it called 'the sick comics,' and they were myself, Shelley Berman, Nichols…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-newhart/when-i-first-started-out-time-magazine-did-an-article-on-what-it/) [Bob Newhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-newhart/) > [I set out to be a cross between Lenny Bruce and Robert the Bruce - my main thrust was the body and its functions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-connolly/i-set-out-to-be-a-cross-between-lenny-bruce-and-robert-the-bruce-my/) [Billy Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-connolly/) > [My influences were Woody Allen and Lenny Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steinberg/my-influences-were-woody-allen-and-lenny-bruce/) [David Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steinberg/) > [On the comedy side of what I love as a filmmaker are Richard Pryor, Lenny Bruce, and Eddie Murphy; those are my favorites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dobkin/on-the-comedy-side-of-what-i-love-as-a-filmmaker-are-richard-pryor/) [David Dobkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dobkin/) > [Any comic like myself owes everything he has to Lenny Bruce. He was the originator. The godfather of uncensored American stand-up is clearly Lenny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-rogan/any-comic-like-myself-owes-everything-he-has-to-lenny-bruce-he-was/) [Joe Rogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-rogan/) > [One of my greatest inspirations for stand-up was Jonathan Winters. He was a genius. One thing about him, and also Lenny Bruce, is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-klein/one-of-my-greatest-inspirations-for-stand-up-was-jonathan-winters-he/) [Robert Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-klein/) > [But the only comparison that I want to Lenny Bruce is that I'm funny. I'm Freddie Prinze, Puerto Rican all the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-prinze/but-the-only-comparison-that-i-want-to-lenny-bruce-is-that-i-m-funny/) [Freddie Prinze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-prinze/) > [When I was 16 or 17, I saw Lenny Bruce being taken to jail. They took him off stage because he talked about race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mooney/when-i-was-16-or-17-i-saw-lenny-bruce-being-taken-to-jail-they-took/) [Paul Mooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mooney/) ## More by Penn Jillette > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I intend to do the Penn & Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Part of the experience of being entertained is sitting back and plugging into someone else's vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/part-of-the-experience-of-being-entertained-is-sitting-back-and/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [That whole 99% thing, they are all in the 1% of the world. Every one of them pays a cellphone bill that is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/that-whole-99-thing-they-are-all-in-the-1-of-the-world-every-one-of/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I will forever stick up for Catholics and Christians in general. With a small number of very horrible exceptions, they do play by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-will-forever-stick-up-for-catholics-and-christians-in-general-with/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I believe very much that the most damning thing you can say about Muslims is that you're afraid to say anything because they'll hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-believe-very-much-that-the-most-damning-thing-you-can-say-about/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I'm not bothered by the idea of getting old, or I guess you could say by having arrived at old. I was 10 when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-not-bothered-by-the-idea-of-getting-old-or-i-guess-you-could-say/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [I'm always surprised when the corporate world does stupid things, because they're often not very stupid in hindsight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-m-always-surprised-when-the-corporate-world-does-stupid-things/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [It's only the losers named 'Dave' that think having an unusual name is bad, and who cares what they think? They're named 'Dave.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/it-s-only-the-losers-named-dave-that-think-having-an-unusual-name-is/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [The only secret of magic is that I'm willing to work harder on it than you think it's worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/the-only-secret-of-magic-is-that-i-m-willing-to-work-harder-on-it/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Well, it's not really the right word, but freedom is kind of a hobby with me, and I have disposable income that I'll spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/well-it-s-not-really-the-right-word-but-freedom-is-kind-of-a-hobby/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [It is really funny to see people that you know acting unpleasantly just because there are TV cameras on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/it-is-really-funny-to-see-people-that-you-know-acting-unpleasantly/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [My whole take on libertarianism is simply that I don't know what's best for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/my-whole-take-on-libertarianism-is-simply-that-i-don-t-know-what-s/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Freedom means the right to be stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/freedom-means-the-right-to-be-stupid/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [“Once you've condoned faith in general, you've condoned any crazy shit done because of faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/once-you-ve-condoned-faith-in-general-you-ve-condoned-any-crazy-shit/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) [Explore all 302 Penn Jillette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## More Bruce quotes > [What was Bruce Lee like? How did you meet? What was it like to choreograph the fight scene in Rome with him? Did you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-norris/what-was-bruce-lee-like-how-did-you-meet-what-was-it-like-to/) [Chuck Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-norris/) > [I completely accept, respect, and support Caitlyn, but I must admit, I sometimes miss Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-thompson/i-completely-accept-respect-and-support-caitlyn-but-i-must-admit-i/) [Linda Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-thompson/) > [Bill Maher fancies himself the reincarnation of Lenny Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/bill-maher-fancies-himself-the-reincarnation-of-lenny-bruce/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [I way prefer Jackie Chan films to Bruce Lee films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-evans/i-way-prefer-jackie-chan-films-to-bruce-lee-films/) [Gareth Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-evans/) > [Sir Alex, Mourinho, Wenger - none of them could have done a better job at Wigan than Steve Bruce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-martin/sir-alex-mourinho-wenger-none-of-them-could-have-done-a-better-job-at/) [Alvin Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-martin/) > [William Atherton has a very different acting style to Bonnie Bedelia; she has a very different style than Bruce Willis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-gray/william-atherton-has-a-very-different-acting-style-to-bonnie-bedelia/) [James Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gray/) > [I would say, from an all-around point of view, Bruce Springsteen is one of the two great poet lords of America, Bob Dylan, coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-davis/i-would-say-from-an-all-around-point-of-view-bruce-springsteen-is-one/) [Clive Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-davis/) > [I remember when I was a kid, I'd watch 'Kung Fu Theater' on TV, and all the movies would star guys named things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/i-remember-when-i-was-a-kid-i-d-watch-kung-fu-theater-on-tv-and-all/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [I certainly look at them very differently now, and enjoy Jackie Chan movies and movies like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiaki-kuriyama/i-certainly-look-at-them-very-differently-now-and-enjoy-jackie-chan/) [Chiaki Kuriyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiaki-kuriyama/) > [Steve Bruce is like a cat on hot tin bricks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-martin/steve-bruce-is-like-a-cat-on-hot-tin-bricks/) [Alvin Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-martin/) > [Something happened when I was in elementary school. A Disney artist named Bruce McIntyre retired, and he had done drawings for 'Pinocchio' and 'Snow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-stromberg/something-happened-when-i-was-in-elementary-school-a-disney-artist/) [Robert Stromberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-stromberg/) > [My dad's weekend treat to me as a kid would be to get me the latest Jackie Chan or some old Bruce Lee classic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-evans/my-dad-s-weekend-treat-to-me-as-a-kid-would-be-to-get-me-the-latest/) [Gareth Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-evans/) > [Bruce Lee was an artist and, like him, I try to go beyond the fundamentals of my sport. I want the public to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-ray-leonard/bruce-lee-was-an-artist-and-like-him-i-try-to-go-beyond-the/) [Sugar Ray Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-ray-leonard/) > [If Mr. Chan ever makes another movie like 'The Tuxedo,' it's American audiences that will see him in court. With 'Shanghai Knights,' he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-mitchell/if-mr-chan-ever-makes-another-movie-like-the-tuxedo-it-s-american/) [Elvis Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-mitchell/) > [My name is Bruce Feiler, and I'm an explainaholic. I first heard this word used to describe Isaac Asimov, and I knew instantly that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-feiler/my-name-is-bruce-feiler-and-i-m-an-explainaholic-i-first-heard-this/) [Bruce Feiler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-feiler/) [Browse all 221 Bruce quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bruce/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was about 12 when I heard my first Lenny Bruce record. He was already dead. 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