"Favorite Animal: Steak"

If you are within walking, subway or driving distance of NYC this evening at 7PM, then you will kick yourself if you miss this FREE event with Wally Shawn, Julianne Moore, FRAN LEBOWITZ (I fucking love her!), Mary-Louise Parker and a cast of other quirky and talented actors and writers reading from Shawn’s plays and Essays, his Haymarket book, now out in paperback.

If you don’t immediately recognize the name Wally Shawn, then think short, bald, funny-faced character actor in everything from Woody Allen’s Manhattan to My Dinner With André, The L Word and the voice of the dinosaur, Rex, in Toy Story 3. Aside from being a hoot, Wally has excellent left-wing politics and, as I came to know this past summer at Socialism 2010 conferences in Chicago and San Francisco, he’s an unbelievably nice guy.

Shawn’s a die-hard New York Jewish anti-Zionist who is  fiercely in support of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement on Israel. His book of essays, like the man himself, is a serpentine study of artsy politics spiced with chuckles and smirks.

And if you don’t know Fran Lebowitz’s writings, which I devoured as a teenager, just come out to listen to this woman.  You’ll recognize her as the butch judge on Law and Order, but really, she’s a fascinating yapper and humorist who Martin Scorcese has decided to film in a series of conversations for HBO.

Because Lebowitz suffers from writer’s block, she hasn’t penned much in years, but here’s a sample of some of her more memorable one-liners:

Life is something to do when you can’t get to sleep.

If you are of the opinion that the contemplation of suicide is sufficient evidence of a poetic nature, do not forget that actions speak louder than words.

Humility is no substitute for a good personality.

Remember that as a teenager you are at the last stage of your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you.

If you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater, suggest that he wear a tail.

Favorite animal: steak.

See you tonight at:

PLAYS AND ESSAYS OF WALLACE SHAWN

The Author and Friends Read from his Work

November 22, Monday, 7:00pm, Proshansky Auditorium

The Center for the Humanities at

The Graduate Center at the City University of New York

Co-sponsored by Haymarket Books and Theatre Communications Group. Join playwright and essayist Wallace Shawn and a cast of his friends for readings of his work. Participants include Deborah Eisenberg, Fran Lebowitz, Julianne Moore, Mary-Louise Parker, Mark Strand, Bob Balaban, Josh Hamilton, and

many others. Wallace Shawn is an Obie Award-winning playwright and a noted stage and screen actor. His plays The Designated Mourner and Marie and Bruce have recently been produced as films.

He is co-author of the movie My Dinner with

Andre and author of the plays The Fever, The Designated Mourner, Aunt Dan and Lemon, and Grasses of a Thousand Colors. He recently published his first nonfiction book, Essays.