Here’s Lenny Bruce’s original application for a New York Cabaret and Public Dance Hall employee identification card and the card itself from 1963. These cards were required by law in order to perform at clubs and venues. If you didn’t have one of these, you didn’t work.

What’s noteworthy here is where the application asks “Have you been arrested since issuance of the card you now hold?”

Bruce answered “Yes.”

The application then asks “If so, give full details.”

Bruce writes “For violation of obscenity laws in California.”

Unfortunately I can’t really make out the rest due to an ink smudge. But it appears he was only granted a 3 month temporary card until a hearing was held.
 
I found this on the Live Auctioneers website. These Smithsonian-level items were up for auction in 2006, but it looks like no one placed a bid?!
 

 

 
Previously on Dangerous Minds:

‘I am not a comedian, I am Lenny Bruce’: His brilliant performance from 1966