On June 20, First Amendment lawyer Bob Corn-Revere will lead a discussion of free speech and comedy as part of a First Amendment lecture series called Freedom Reads, in its second year. The series, created by a partnership with Flying Dog Brewery, the 1st Amendment Society and Frederick County Public Libraries, will discuss controversial moments in pop culture.

Corn-Revere has experience with free speech conflicts and petitioned for the posthumous pardon of comedian Lenny Bruce, who was found guilty during an obscenity trial in 1964.

Corn-Revere plans to assess todays politically contentious climate where comedians like The Late Show host Stephen Colbert take on President Donald Trump.

You can say its a great time for comedy except theres a lot of people who say comedians go too far, said Corn-Revere, a partner at D.C.-based Davis Wright Tremaine LLP.

During his Freedom Reads talk, Corn-Revere plans to show a clip of Colberts controversial joke that made a reference to President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in an intimate moment. Some listeners were not pleased with Colberts language and contacted the Federal Communications Commission that regulates communications on media outlets. The actual words were bleeped they did not go on the air, Corn-Revere said. Some 6,000 complaints were filed to the FCC.

Corn-Revere cited that the FCC didnt issue a fine since The Late Show airs on late-night television after 10 p.m., during the safe harbor period where stations can air content that may be considered indecent or profane. The appropriate action was nothing, Corn-Revere added.

Conflict surrounding what is protected by free speech and what is not is also happening on college campuses. Corn-Revere is currently dealing with a case involving a tenured Louisiana State University professor who was fired for using a controversial word while training student teachers to handle antagonistic parents. In other cases, hes dealt with colleges enforcing free speech zones, where outside of a designated area, students are unable to do things like hand out copies of the Constitution.

You would think the free speech zone is from the Atlantic to the Pacific and above the Gulf of Mexico, Corn-Revere said.

With a myriad of free speech battles, Corn-Revere isnt lacking work.

Im told its a great time to be a First Amendment lawyer.

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First amendment lawyer Bob Corn-Revere talks comedy and free speech for Freedom Reads series - Frederick News Post (subscription)