l definition was “arousal of sexuality.” I think Bill Maher’s show, February | EP: Was this for the Harvey Milk trial? Lenny was performing that night at | 17, was terrific. Lenny would have really | PK: Yeah. Town Hall. He asked me to hand out | appreciated it. Just the same way Lenny | EP: During that trial, you coined the copies of The Realist, with the Ellis in- | got serious sometimes, and the audi- | phrase “The Twinkie Defense”. You’ve terview, in front of the theater. From then | ence would say, “Hey, you’re honest!” | done this a couple of times, creating an on, Lenny thought that his act would | instead of “Hey, you’re funny.” Maher’s | expression or a term, that becomes a be protected, because it had redeem- | monologue that night was really beauti- | permanent part of the language. able social value. But that’s not the way | ful. Because he’s well informed, and he | PK:I once started a list: Yippies, Twinkie prosecutors felt about it. couldn’t just do jokes about it. He talked | Defense, jilling off — that’s a woman EP: Right. The conspiracy theory I’ve | about the fascism. He talked about the | masturbating, instead of jacking off. heard is that it’s because he took on the | dangers. It was just brilliant presentation | EP: “Soft-core porn,” you coined that. Catholic Church. of the seriousness of fascism in action. | PK: Yes. PE: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely right. His | EP: What do you think Abbie Hoffman | EP: What do you think Robert Anton “Religions, Inc” piece got him in a lot | would do about Trump? Wilson would say about Trump? of trouble. The reason he got busted for | PK: Oh, I think he would do the same | PK: He would be very analytical about obscenity was there wasn’t a law against | thing as Maher. Abbie really hada sense of | him. You know, he would talk about the blasphemy, but that’s what he was really | humor that was spontaneous. And it was | insanity of it. He would just get to the arrested for. based on being well informed. Bill Maher |