Minor performer Lenny's repeated arrests and police encounter in 1963

woven into his performances. But as clubs became increasingly afraid to hire him, he devoted more and more time and energy to the law. In less than two years, Lenny was arrested 15 times. Club owners were afraid to book him. He couldn’ t get a gig in six months. On a Christmas day, he was alone in his hotel room, and | brought him a $500 bill. With a large safety pin, he attached it to his denim jacket. When he finally got a booking in Monterey, he admitted, “I feel like it's taking me away from my work.” Lenny lived way up in the hills. His house was protected by barbed wire and a concrete gate, except that it was always open. He had a wall-to- wall one-way mirror in his living room, but when the sun was shining you could see into the room instead of out. He was occasionally hassled by police on his own property. One evening in October 1963, we were talking while he was shaving, when four officers suddenly appeared, loud and obnoxious. He asked them to leave unless they had a search warrant. One of the cops took out his gun. “Here's my search warrant,” he said. Then Lenny and the cops had a discussion about the law, such as the rules of evidence, and after half an hour they left. Lenny tried to take it all in stride, but the encounter was depressing, and he changed his mind about going out that night. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_030193