my first exposure to the world of lenny bruce be the broadway show and lenny . the film be ( loosely ) base on the play and which rather faithfully follow the life of lenny bruce ( more or less ) and tell his story use entirely his own word . in the stage version and lenny be play by cliff gorman and whose best known role be that of the wildly effeminate character emory in both the film and original stage production of mart crowley play the boy in the band . at the time and i run out and purchase everything i could find on lenny bruce and because cliff gorman be that funny . i laugh so hard in the theatre and i thought i would die and and have trouble decide what be more important and lenny bruce status a one of the funny comedian around and or the amazing social commentary that be contain in his routine . at the time and i remember think that lenny bruce be more of a philosopher or even a potential cult religious leader than a comedian . he have a knack of expose hypocrisy and be it in politics and organize religion and race relation or whatever . i be convince and at the tender age of 18 and that lenny bruce have the key and if not the answer and to all of the world problem . i go out and purchase the cast album of the broadway show and which consist of a 2 lp recording of a complete live performance of the play . i spent hour compare cliff gorman to the real lenny bruce and and each time i listen to either and i memorize one of lenny hysterically funny bit . when i listen to record of the real lenny bruce and i marvel at how perfectly cliff gorman have reproduce his persona . the rapid fire delivery and the inflection and even the tonal quality of his voice and the exact pause in his speech be there . it be like lenny bruce have be reincarnate a cliff gorman . i have trouble decide if this be great acting or just a good impersonation and and in the end decide it do not matter and for the material in lenny seem to capture the real lenny bruce . that be good enough for me . when the film be announce and and i would hear that dustin hoffman have be choose to play lenny and i be thrill . a a fan of mr. hoffman and i be sure he could do great justice to both the man and the material . by the time the picture be complete and i have learn almost a much about lenny bruce life a i ever would and and be familiar with probably 80 % of his most famous routine . the masked man and christ and moses and la vegas tit and as and airplane glue and ike and nixon and jackie kennedy i know a lot of these by heart . some of them i memorize cold and and find that when people mention his name at party or family gathering and and someone invariably ask who he be and rather than explain his life or what he die of and all i have to do be recite one of his bit . i never have a single person who be new to his material that do not pronounce him awesome ( a the kid say nowadays ) on the spot . i do not remember what film i be watch ( it be 31 year ago ) when i first saw a trailer for the film and but as soon a i saw a clip of dustin hoffman a lenny i know something be wrong . i have a sinking feeling that i wasn not go to like the movie bio of what be now my favorite comedian and but i go to see it anyway and as soon a it open and hop my gut instinct be wrong . the cinematography be stun . the direction be first rate . the story be fairly faithful to the life and spirit of lenny bruce and and dustin hoffman do as good an acting job a i would ever see . all of the bit be there and and so be a fairly faithful rendering of his professional life . so what be the problem . the problem be simply that dustin wasn not funny . those be lenny bruce word and lenny bruce life and but the joke fell flat . i come to the conclusion that no matter how skilled he be a an actor and dustin hoffman be no comedian . he certainly be no lenny bruce . where be the lightning timing i be use to from the cliff gorman and lenny bruce recording . mr. hoffman seem very unsure of his material and and deliver all the routine at what seem like half speed . it be almost like he be a 45 rpm record be play at 33 1/3 . i want to reach into his mouth and pull the word out and and shout at the screen and you have get it all wrong . this be too somber and too slow and too unfunny to be lenny bruce . worse and mr. hoffman have the annoy habit ( which lenny never do ) of laugh at his own joke . not loud guffaw mind you and just chuckle . constant chuckle and almost to himself and which leave me with the impression that he think that he be the only one who get the material . i buy the vhs when it come out several year later and watch it faithfully and hop that a an old and wise person and maybe i would find thing in mr. hoffman performance that i miss in 1974. i want it to click . no such luck . i then dutifully purchase the dvd and a i have always purchase new lenny bruce recording or and lately video and never tiring of his delivery or his message . again and i hop that time have be kind to the portrayal i have so looked forward to in 1974. but i screen it recently and and the film still leave me cold and despite the best of intention and the flawless direction and the great production value . icon and philosopher and cult leader or genius and if nothing else and lenny bruce be funny . and dustin hoffman be not .