It’s easy to see how the actor spun a one-episode appearance as comedian Lenny Bruce oninto a multi-season arc, one that has culminated in Bruce becoming a romantic interest for the titular Miriam Maisel and a runaway fan favorite. Kirby's ability to recreate Bruce's legendary rambling stand-up bits makes for a compelling argument, but really it's Kirby's knack for delightfully baiting-and-switching, whether on screen or real life, that has cinched his success.
So, I had found this book at a relatively young age and had many times gone over the photos. Then, a little later on I saw the moviewith Dustin Hoffman and was so taken with the beauty of the film. I was already secretly wishing to be an actor. I saw that performance and thought,Years and years go by, and I kind of had moved on from my fascination with him, but then got this audition.
The Carnegie Hall concert [which took place in February 1961] is really a great story. It was at midnight; it was during a snowstorm. There was talk that it would be canceled. Lenny opens the bit—this isn't in the finale—but he opens the bit talking about how hard he had to fight to get a flight into the city during an ice and snowstorm. You can feel so much in that recording. You can feel the presence of a generation. You can feel his excitement.