The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

SPECIAL EVENT
History of Hip: Comedy vs. Art. Vs Obscenity: Lenny Bruce

Join the Minnesota Historical Society tonight as they celebrate the pioneer comic styling of Lenny Bruce. Bruce's short-lived comedy career shocked audiences with its barefaced commentary on the America's view on controversial subjects. Bruce sustained a long legal battle due to the content of his stand-up shows and eventually died of a drug overdose in 1966, but not before paving the way for other candid comedians to challenge what boundaries artists are allowed to push.  U of M professor and poet Maria Damon, lawyer Bart Torvik and Grammy award-winning comedy producer Dan Schlissel will reflect on Lenny Bruce's impact on both the legal and comedy world. Refreshments will be offered. -Juleana Enright

7:30 p.m., Turf Club, 1601 University Ave W, St. Paul, $6, $5 for MHS members  

SPECIAL EVENT
Salon Saloon: Hard Luck

Ok, so we fully get behind anything that includes Andy Sturdevant. Why? Well, as if the beard isn't reason enough, Sturdevant is one of the most charmingly quirky fellows we know; a man filled to the brim with odd ball knowledge and a talent for public displays of outrageousness -- not to mention a snazzy fashion sense. Tonight, point yourself in the direction of the Nomad World Pub for Salon Saloon, a high-brow variety show for artsy types which features the charismatic Mr. Sturdevant as host. This evening's edition will feature local treasure, Mike Gunther, offering "a field guide to the history of hard luck, with songs," along with special guests Kelly Kinnune discussing the creative process; Brad Zellar reading from his collection of hard luck fiction; and Molly Priesmeyer speaking on "what happens when newspaper editors decide that people don't want any more sad stories about poor people." Filled in with other fun antics such as group poker, big bottles of cheap beer and sing-a-longs, we think Salon Saloon is where it's at every first Tuesday of the month!

7 p.m., Nomad World Pub, 501 Cedar Avenue S., Minneapolis, Free

FILM
Manufactured Landscapes

Edward Burtynksy's large-scale photographs are the focus of tonight's Celebrate Sustainability Film Series.   He captures quarries, construction sites, and scrap yards and transforms them into modern industry landscapes.  Reminiscent of Andreas Gursky's massive photographic studies, this Canadian photographer is interested in what happens to the topography when humans impose their technology on it. Make a night of it with a pre-flick bite at any number of great Eat Street restaurants in the vicinity of MCAD, such as Quang, Jasmine 26, or the Black Forest Inn!

7 p.m., MCAD, 2501 Stevens Avenue, Minneapolis, Free