Humorous Novel by RBS Member Angie Brennan

Angie Brennan---humor-writer, coffee-drinker, and Robert Benchley fan---is happy to announce that her novel, MY LIFE BEHIND THE BRICK WALL, is now available as an e-book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.com.

Vivian Craig's main problems aren't so much her mind-numbingly boring duties as editor at "The Brick Bulletin," her wary encounters with a hypochondriac receptionist, her daily dose of melodrama from her romance novel-loving sister, her unsuccessful attempts to rebuff an egomaniacal suitor, or even her propensity for clumsiness. It's her blog.



The $2.99 e-book is available for Kindle, Nook, and other digital formats at Smashwords. Free sample chapters of MY LIFE BEHIND THE BRICK WALL are available at all three websites.

Angie's humor column, "Banter from the Burbs," ran in the Suburban Scene magazine for two years. Publishing credits also include"Exceptional People" magazine, "National Post," "Inside Annapolis," and "The Capital." Visit her website at angiebrennan.com for humor columns; spoof advice from Aunt Angie, Domestic Docent; cartoons; comic verse; and more.

Judging Begins in 2010 Benchley Humor Competition

The entries in the 2010 Robert Benchley Society Humor Award Competition are avaiable for viewing on our website at http://www.robertbenchley.org/2010_competition/index.htm. The preliminary judges will be narrowing it down to the top ten by the end of this month and the final announcement of the winner will follow shortly thereafter.

I apologize to the entrants who have been awaiting our action. Please understand that we are a small group of volunteers that run this and, unfortunately key volunteers in this process have experienced serious illness, job loss, and other disruptions over the past months that have severely limited our ability to carry on as promptly as in past years. The process is now "back on track" and we all look forward to finding out who this year's winner's are.

-David Trumbull

Photos of RBS 2010 Annual Gathering Now Available Online

Photos of the Seventh Anniversary Robert Benchley Society Annual Gathering and Humor Award Ceremony are now available on the Robert Benchley Society website. The nearly 250 photos were taken by several of the participants in the event. Click HERE and Enjoy!

Urban Noir/LA-NY on the Big Screen

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences presents

Helen K. Garber's Urban Noir/LA-NY

Oscar Noir Film Festival

Samuel Goldwyn Theater, 8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA

August 23, 2010, 6:30 p.m.

The HD Projection combines the night urban landscapes of photographer Helen K. Garber, pulp fiction text using the city as character and original jazz music composed and performed by John Beasley. Taka Aria, Pathfinder Pictures, designed and edited the production.

Authors quoted include Raymond Chandler, Mickey Spillane, Michael Connelly, Ray Bradbury, Dorothy B. Hughes and Denise Hamilton. Abigail Lewis researched and edited the NY text. ©2009

This will be the first time that the projection will be shown in HD. An earlier version premiered in 2007 at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, New Paltz, NY as part of a one-woman installation of Helen's work. John Beasley scored the music and performed the work at the Annenberg Space for Photography, Los Angeles in 2009.

The program begins at 6:30 pm and features a cartoon, short and the main feature, noir classic, Kiss of Death, starring Richard Widmark.

For more information please go to:
www.oscars.org
www.helenkgarber.com
www.johnbeasleymusic.com
www.pathfinderpictures.com

Robert Benchley Society Announces Free Book Talk and Reading Saturday, July 17th, on Beacon Hill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: David Trumbull, Robert Benchley Society, david@robertbenchley.org, 617-285-6004

June 15, 2010

BOSTON—Four writers and editors will tip their caps to beloved American humorist Robert Benchley at a free book talk and reading Saturday, July 17, on Beacon Hill. The event is sponsored by the Robert Benchley Society, which is hosting its seventh annual national meeting in the city July 16-18.

The event begins at 11 a.m. at the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem, the Church on the Hill, 140 Bowdoin Street (churchonthehillboston.org). The talk and book signing is free and open to the public. The participants are from across the country and will present brief remarks and a reading from their work. Attendees are:

· Benchley cousin T. Marie Benchley is a Miami-based author of thrillers. Once Wicked Always Dead (M.M.W.E. Publishing, 2010) is a sharp mystery that swirls with family secrets, betrayal, love and loss. Molly Madison is unaware of a sociopath who is on the loose. Her life is shattered by the sudden death of her beloved parents and the revelation of her husband’s affair—with another man. Molly leaves the life of country clubs and heads west to Montana to run the family ranch. Her attraction to the foreman is instant, but intrigue and mystery await her. Visit author website at tmariebenchley.com.

· Robert Benchley was a member of the legendary Algonquin Round Table, and the new book, The Lost Algonquin Round Table (Donald Books, 2009) brings out many missing pieces by Benchley and his friends, including Dorothy Parker and George S. Kaufman. Kevin C. Fitzpatrick edited the book with Benchley’s grandson, Nat, and has uncovered more than 50 pieces by the illustrious group. Fitzpatrick is the author of A Journey into Dorothy Parker’s New York and is president of the Dorothy Parker Society. Visit his site, dorothyparker.com.

· Detroit humorist and editor Thomas Saunders will be on hand to present The Athletic Benchley (Glendower Media, 2010). Robert Benchley was only one of the writers of national fame who wrote for The Detroit Athletic Club News. Dorothy Parker, Ring Lardner, Donald Ogden Stewart and many others contributed to the magazine for the elite members of Detroit’s automobile industry. These pieces are presented in their original form for the first time in The Athletic Benchley—105 Exercises from The Detroit Athletic Club News. Here are old favorites as they first appeared and here also are many Benchley gems that have never been seen outside of the DAC. For details visit glendowermedia.com.

· Following on the heels of his novella, The Fishing Trip That Got Away, Philly native Ed Tasca continues his humorous tales of adventure and entertaining escapades in his latest comic novel, Lub Dub (Rose Heart Books, 2009). In this hilarious account of a heart delivery gone wrong, the comic antics are never-ending. Tasca won the 2009 Robert Benchley Award for humor. His work has appeared in several humor anthologies such as America’s Funniest Humor and M. Culbertson’s Laughter in Shorts By Award-winning Writers. His work has appeared in humor publications in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Lub Dub is his fourth novel. Visit author website at www.authorsden.com.

The authors will be available to sign copies of their books following the talks.

For more information about the weekend activities, which includes a walking tour and evening harbor dinner cruise, visit robertbenchley.org.

About the RBS: The Robert Benchley Society is a forum for appreciation and discussion of the work and life of twentieth-century American humorist Robert Benchley. The Society formed in the spring of 2003 in Boston, Massachusetts. Our membership is international and includes persons with scholarly interests in Robert Benchley as well as persons who just like to get together over drinks for the mutual enjoyment of Robert Benchley writings and motion pictures. To join contact us:
David Trumbull
130 Bowdoin St., Apt. 1110
Boston, Mass. 02108 USA
or by e-mailing david@robertbenchley.org

###

Dorothy Parker Society Newsletter, June 2010

Summer is here and there is a boatload of Dorothy Parker news and events to tell you about. In June, July and August there are events in many cities. And if you hate summer resorts, read what Mrs. Parker had to say about it.

It was just announced that Mario Brassard's 2008 short film Dorothy Parker's "The Sexes" is an official selection of the 13th annual Long Island International Film Expo in Bellmore. The film will be screened on Saturday, July 17, at 4:30 pm. For more info visit www.liifilmexpo.org and www.TheSexesFilm.com. Congratulations to Mario and his fine cast and crew. This is nice, because Mrs. Parker spent childhood summers in Bellmore, more than 100 years ago.

In August, Mrs. Parker's short story "Here We Are" will be part of the Silver Spring Stage's one-act festival. The festival runs two weekends and by happy coincidence "Here We Are" will run the 19th to 22nd of August, thus closing on the 117th anniversary of Mrs. Parker's birth. Silver Spring Stage is an all-volunteer community theater in Silver Spring, Maryland, outside Washington, DC. For more info visit here.

Dorothy Parker Society News

The Dorothy Parker Society is heating up June with two big nights of fun, live music and cocktails. The Last Thursday Series in the Borsalino Room is Thursday, June 24, at Flute Gramercy. Two nights later, the monthly Wit's End (clubwitsend.com) bash will be at Flute Midtown on Saturday, June 26 for the "Beyond the Silvery Sea" party with the world-famous Moonlighters performing. The venue on June 24 is underneath Flûte (flutebar.com), the popular Champagne lounge in Gramercy Park (40 E. 20th Street) in its underground private cabaret room. The DPS, New York's #1 literary association, is the evening's sponsor. The musical director and accompanist is the incomparable William Zeffiro, the man behind the hit show "The Road to Ruin" at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Table reservations for the Last Thursday Series are encouraged (212-529-7870). There is no cover with a 2-drink minimum. Must be over 21 to attend. Then on Saturday, June 26, is the monthly Wit's End party at Flute Midtown (205 West 54th Street at Broadway). Swing and tap those toes into the glorious summer season with us as we celebrate the wonder of the underwater world in Jazz Age style! Songs inspired by the sea and fabulous uke tunes brought to you by The Moonlighters. More information about both events is here.

In July there are 2 events on the same weekend, in New York and Boston:

NEW YORK: The 5th Bi-Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island, Saturday & Sunday, July 17th & 18th and August 28th & 29th, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Admission $7/advance (available on brownpapertickets.com), $10/door (Children Under 12 Free). Michael Arenella and his Dreamland Orchestra (http://dreamlandorchestra.com) will perform and there will be a whole schedule of activities (to be posted on the News page). This is a fantastic weekend, among the best events in the city all summer. The DPS will be at the August weekend (see below).

BOSTON: The 7th Annual Gathering of the Robert Benchley Society will be Friday through Sunday, July 16-18, 2010, in Boston. The Dorothy Parker Society will be in attendance (if you want to attend email Kevin@dorothyparker.com). Boston's We've Come for the Davenport Chapter has planned an outstanding weekend packed full of events. There is a cocktail party, walking tour, book talk & author signing, evening dinner cruise, and much more. Info: Four writers and editors will tip their caps to Benchley at a free book talk and reading Saturday, July 17, in Beacon Hill. The event begins at 11 a.m. at the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem, the Church on the Hill, 140 Bowdoin Street (churchonthehillboston.org). The talk and book signing is free and open to the public. More info here.

This year's Annual Robert Benchley Humor Awards Dinner will be held aboard the Secret Love. This handsome yacht has the charm and amenities that define private yachting. We have chartered the vessel for Saturday evening. There will be a full open-bar for the entirety of the cruise. Boston organizer of this event, Mary DiZazzo-Trumbull, has opted for the most luxurious of the dinner selections offered on the Secret Love, Boiled Maine Lobster Tails with drawn butter and Tenderloin of Beef with creamy horseradish sauce. Tickets for the weekend, which includes the walk, cruise, dinner and open bar, are $225 and all information is here.

August Event: the DPS will hold the 12th annual Parkerfest on Governors Island during the Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island, Saturday & Sunday, August 28th & 29th. More info to come later, check the News page.

More Dorothy Parker News

In May when Dorothy Parker Complete Poems was published (read the story about the book here) we ran a little trivia contest to win a free copy of the book, courtesy of Penguin Classics, and signed by editor Marion Meade. The question: "The Passionate Screen Writer To His Love" is expanded with lines missing from the earlier edition. To celebrate, where did Dorothy Parker meet Marilyn Monroe? The correct answer was the American Academy of Arts & Letters (www.artsandletters.org), 633 West 155th Street. We got two copies of the book to give out, and the first two people with the correct answer were Beth Woolley (Long Branch, NJ) and Jason Stoneking (Paris). Congrats!

Dorothy Parker Verse of the Month

Since the DPS is having an event next month with the Robert Benchley Society, here are a few lines that Mrs. Parker wrote to her best friend, Robert Charles Benchley (available in Complete Poems and the 2006 edition of The Portable DP):

For R.C.B.
By Dorothy Parker

Life comes a-hurrying,
Or life lags slow;
But you've got to stop worrying—
Let it go!
Some call it gloomy,
Some call it jake;
They're very little to me—
Let them eat cake!
Some find it fair,
Some think it hooey,
Many people care;
But we don't, do we?

***

Thanks for reading!

Forward this newsletter to your friends, post it on your blogs, and we hope to see you at a Dorothy Parker Society gathering!

Kevin Fitzpatrick,
The Dorothy Parker Society
Email: kevin@dorothyparker.com
AIM - k72ndst
Skype - k72ndst
http://www.dorothyparker.com
New! Facebook: Dorothy Parker Society

Book the Parker House in Boston Through AAA for $123 Per Night

Robert Benchley Society director Gordon Ernst reports that he went through AAA.com for the hotel for the July 16-18 Annual Gathering and Humor Award Ceremony in Boston and got a prepaid rate of $123 per night at the Parker House.

Benchley Fans from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico Plan Big Weekend in Boston, July 16-18

The Boston, Massachusetts, "We've come for the davenport," Chapter of the Robert Benchley Society has arranged a full weekend, July 16-18, of events in conjunction with the Seventh Anniversary Annual Gathering and Humor Awards Ceremony. This is the first time since 2005 that the Annual Gathering has returned to Boston. RBS Annual Gatherings have been held in the past in New York City and Los Angeles.

So far we have confirmed reservations from delegates from three local chapters in addition to the Boston members:

The Ann Arbor, Michigan, "A Moderate State of Preservation," Chapter

The Washington State, "We Only Came to See if There Really is an Award," Chapter

The New York, New York, "Fascinating Crimes," Chapter

At-large Members from as far away as Canada and Mexico are also confirmed.

This year's Annual Humor Awards Dinner will be held aboard the Secret Love.

This handsome yacht has the charm and amenities that define private yachting. She features luxurious finishes and state-of-the-art electronics, a full galley, and multiple dining layouts. Secret Love has a large and airy salon. For the guests wanting to take in the ocean breezes, the large aft-deck, spacious bow and expansive fly-bridge offer ample seating -- the perfect locations for cocktails under the stars.

We have chartered the vessel for Saturday evening, which will start with the crew passing hot and cold hors d’oeuvres. There will be a full open-bar for the entirety of the cruise. Boston organizer of this event, Mary DiZazzo-Trumbull, has opted for the most luxurious of the dinner selections offered on the Secret Love, Boiled Maine Lobster Tails with drawn butter and Tenderloin of Beef with creamy horseradish sauce.

Our daylight departure will afford stunning views of Rowes Wharf Marina, the Boston skyline as best seen -- from the water -- and historic Boston Harbor. The cruise is timed to give us a fabulous view of sunset over Boston and after dark return to spectacular Rowes Wharf and its Venice-like waterside promenade. The Secret Love, at 80 feet, can accommodate up to 65 guests. Our party is expected to be no more than half that number, so there will be ample room to enjoy the amenities of this vessel. As a private charter we will be the only guests on the yacht, so this will truly be an evening to remember with the members of the Robert Benchley Society.

At this event Ed Tasca of Toronto, Ontario and of Mexico will be presented with the Robert Benchley Award for Humor.

In addition to Mr. Tasca's first place entry,"Let’s Click Up the Old Gang Sometime", we'll be honoring our medalists in this year's competition, which was judged by Kevin Fitzpatrick.
They are Brenda Pontiff of Los Angeles, Calif. for "A Teensy Weensy Renaissance", Con Chapman of Weston, Mass. for "Foundations of Western Logic", and B. Elwin Sherman of Bethlehem, N.H. for "A Woman At Home".

Dress for the private dinner cruise on the Secret Love is optional black tie and/or 1920s-1940s period.

On Friday, July 16th you'll gather for a private party at Mary and David's poolside cabana at the Clubs at Charles River Park. Bring your swimsuit or work-out clothes to enjoy the fully-equipped gym, operated by Massachusetts General Hospital, and the outdoor and indoor swimming pools with hot tub. David will be pouring the drinks at the cabana tiki bar. Please note: this event is currently scheduled for Friday but may be moved if the weather looks better on one of the other days. Food will be catered from one of Boston's restaurants.

If there is interest we'll catch Kris Knievil and the Miss-Leading Ladies at the 10:15 p.m. show at Jacques Cabaret. This adult show was quite a hit with some RBS members back in 2005. I understand one member is still being blackmailed over a certain lap-dance photo!

For breakfast and luncheon on Saturday we take you a little off the usual tourist route to show you where Beacon Hill locals eat at reasonable prices.

Did Boston roar in the 'twenties? Find out on this walking tour designed to show off buildings and sites in Boston associated with Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, and other note-worthy or notorious characters of the 1920s. A couple of the sites at the beginning of the tour may be familiar to those who went on the 2005 Boston walking tour, but the rest of the route and narrative are completely new and will include things that even most Bostonians are not aware of, such as the Niles Building, out of which Charles Ponzi ran his eponymous scheme. Don't miss this Saturday event!

Also on Saturday we have arranged for a hall to meet in where any Robert Benchley Society member with a book in print or coming out soon will be able to display, sign, and sell books. Just let us know ahead of time that you need space on the program to promote your book.

On Sunday, July 18th beginning at 1:00 p.m. we'll be in Boston's North End, the "Little Italy" of the hub city, for the Processione San Rocco. Even if you've been to other Italian feasts, you will be in for a treat. Those of you who have never been to an outdoor Italian festival don't know what you've been missing. Boston is world-famous for our Italian feasts. Your local hosts, Mary DiZazzo-Trumbull and David Trumbull, both write for the North End's Italian-American newspaper, the Post-Gazette, and can offer suggestions for things to do and see in Boston's oldest neighborhood. For a glimpse of what's in store for you at this fabulous outing, view this Youtube video of last year's procession. Dress is casual and be sure to bring dollar bills to pin on the San Rocco!

For those who are interested, brunch in an Italian cafe on the North End's Hanover Street can be arranged.

For more information or to register, CLICK HERE.

July 11th Deadline to Enter 2010 Robert Benchley Society Humor Award Competition

2005 RBS Humor Award Winner HORACE DIGBY

The Robert Benchley announces the 2010 Robert Benchley Humor Award Competition. Entries are due no later than July 11th. The winner will be announced October 31st.

For contest rules or to enter see robertbenchley.org/2010_competition/enter1.htm.

For more information on the competition see lexingtonfilm.com/rbscompetition.htm, which also has a link to the page for submitting entries.

Register Now for the Robert Benchley Society July 16-18 Annual Gathering and Beat the June 6th Price Increase

Details here

Benchley is Coming to Your House!

The Athletic Benchley is available in both hard and soft cover editions.

Order now and receive your copy of this historically important yet lighthearted book of Robert Benchley's humor.

Some of these articles have never been seen except by Detroit Athletic Club members. Some were modified to appear in Robert Benchley's books.

Now, for the first time, the original versions of 105 of Robert Benchley's Detroit Athletic Club News articles - with the original illustrations - are available in book form.

Plus . . .

Be among the first 250 people to purchase The Athletic Benchley and receive a free copy of the 2009 Benchley Award Winner Ed Tasca's new comic novel, Lub Dub:
"Love stories wrapped up like a valentine into one long, frantic chase scene."

For more information, or to order see theathleticbenchley.com

Events in NYC for Dorothy Parker Society

Dorothy Parker Society friends and lovers in New York City, can enjoy two events this week. Both involve live music and cocktails in vintage settings, uptown and downtown. Make plans on Thursday and Saturday night to come out for a great evening. Read on!

The Last Thursday Series in the Borsalino Room is Thursday, May 27, with a very special performance by Karen Oberlin. She is a Bistro and MAC Award winning jazz-pop vocalist, recently described by Stephen Holden in the New York Times as having “impeccable classic pop style…musical intelligence…arresting and perfect moments (with) beautifully shaped, delicately voluptuous phrasing.” In addition, five other special guest vocalists will be performing.

The venue is underneath Flûte (http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;flutebar.com), the popular Champagne lounge in Gramercy Park (40 E. 20th Street) in its underground private cabaret room. The Dorothy Parker Society (http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;dorothyparker.com), New York’s #1 literary association, is the evening’s sponsor. The musical director and accompanist is the incomparable William Zeffiro, the man behind the hit show “The Road to Ruin” at the New York Musical Theatre Festival.

Appearing at the Last Thursday Series on May 27 at 8 pm:

• Karen Oberlin (http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;karenoberlin.com), is performing at the Algonquin Hotel for three weeks in June. She is a 2010 MAC award nominee for outstanding vocalist of the year. Bistro Award winner. She has appeared at major New York venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Iridium Jazz Club, Feinstein's, Merkin Hall and The Metropolitan Room.

• Kristin Maloney (http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;kristinmaloney.com), performed Off Broadway as Dorothy Parker in a mini-tour of Ginny Redington/Tom Dawes musical, Talk of the Town, as well as a full year at the Algonquin. Kristin made her principal debut at New York City Opera in the Glimmerglass Opera co-production The Glass Blowers as comic soubrette Rose Green.

• Adam MacDonald (http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;adamjmacdonald.com), also starred in Talk of the Town, as Robert E. Sherwood, MacDonald has performed in the national tour of My Fair Lady.

• Danielle Erin Rhodes (http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;myspace.com/danierhodes), a pianist, composer, and songwriter has performed twice at the New York Musical Theater Festival. Danielle toured all over the world with such shows as Grease and Oliver!

• Libba Bray (http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;libbabray.com), author-vocalist Bray has written hit novels for teens including Going Bovine and Rebel Angels, and she is making her cabaret debut.

• Marnie Klar presented her New York solo cabaret debut at Don't Tell Mama in December.

Table reservations for the Last Thursday Series are encouraged (212-529-7870). There is no cover with a 2-drink minimum. Must be over 21 to attend.

Then on Saturday, May 29, is the monthly Wit’s End party at Flute Midtown (205 West 54th St). The party starts at 7 pm. All info and photos here: http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;clubwitsend.com

Celebrate the vibrant history of America this Memorial Day weekend at the Star Spangled Soiree! Patriotic vintage dance tunes brought to you by favorites SKY BLUE & JESSE SELENGUT (http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;jesseselengut.com)!

Free Hors D'Oeuvres 7pm-8pm...come down early and have dinner at Flute!

FREE BEGINNER DANCE LESSON – 830 pm! Jeri Lynn Astra helps you tap those toes!

Come in your finest vintage patriotic attire - 1910s/1920s/1930s/1940s! Bring out that red, white, and blue and enjoy dancing and have some vintage cocktails with us!

There is a $12 cover. Must be over 21 to attend.

Check out http://www.facebook.com/l/66c44;dorothyparker.com for more news about summer events, including Parkerfest in August.

Register Now for July 16-18 Robert Benchley Society Annual Gathering

The Seventh Anniversary Annual Gathering of the Robert Benchley Society will be Friday through Sunday, July 16-18, 2010, in Boston.

The Boston We've Come for the Davenport Chapter of the Robert Benchley Society has planned an outstanding weekend packed full of events for this the Seventh Anniversary Annual Gathering of the Society. This is the first time back in Boston for the Society since the very successful 2005 Annual Gathering and we hope to top that event.

This year's Annual Humor Awards Dinner will be held aboard the Secret Love. This handsome yacht has the charm and amenities that define private yachting. She features luxurious finishes and state-of-the-art electronics, a full galley, and multiple dining layouts. Secret Love has a large and airy salon. For the guests wanting to take in the ocean breezes, the large aft-deck, spacious bow and expansive fly-bridge offer ample seating -- the perfect locations for cocktails under the stars.

At this event Ed Tasca of Toronto, Ontario and of Mexico will be presented with the Robert Benchley Award for Humor. In addition to Mr. Tasca's first place entry,"Let’s Click Up the Old Gang Sometime", we'll be honoring our medalists in this year's competition, which was judged by Kevin Fitzpatrick. They are Brenda Pontiff of Los Angeles, Calif. for "A Teensy Weensy Renaissance", Con Chapman of Weston, Mass. for "Foundations of Western Logic", and B. Elwin Sherman of Bethlehem, N.H. for "A Woman At Home".

Dress for the private dinner cruise on the Secret Love is optional black tie and/or 1920s-1940s period.

On Friday, July 16th you'll gather for a private cocktail party at a poolside cabana at the Clubs at Charles River Park. If there is interest we'll catch Kris Knievil and the Miss-Leading Ladies at the late night show at Jacques Cabaret.

Did Boston roar in the 'twenties? Find out on this walking tour designed to show off buildings and sites in Boston associated with Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, and other note-worthy or notorious characters of the 1920s. A couple of the sites at the beginning of the tour may be familiar to those who went on the 2005 Boston walking tour, but the rest of the route and narrative are completely new and will include things that even most Bostonians are not aware of, such as the Niles Building, out of which Charles Ponzi ran his eponymous scheme. Don't miss this Saturday event!

Also on Saturday we have arranged for a hall to meet in where any Robert Benchley Society member with a book in print or coming out soon will be able to display, sign, and sell books. Just let us know ahead of time that you need space on the program to promote your book.

On Sunday we'll be in Boston's North End, the "Little Italy" of the hub city, for the Processione San Rocco. Even if you've been to other Italian feasts, you will be in for a treat. Those of you who have never been to an outdoor Italian festival don't know what you've been missing. Boston is world-famous for our Italian feasts.

Don't miss this event, which will be the largest 2010 gathering of Robert Benchley fans. Commitments to attend have already been made by members of Robert Benchley Society Chapters in–

• Ann Arbor, Mich.,
• New York City,
• Washington State, and
• several members from the Boston and Providence area

For more information and for registration see our website 2010 Annual Gathering Registration Page.

Vintage Hollywood Menu at New York's Algonquin Hotel

Vintage Hollywood Menu at New York's Algonquin Hotel

2010 RBS Annual Gathering and 2009 Humor Award Dinner *** PLUS 2010 Humor Award Competition Update

The Robert Benchley Society announces plans for the Seventh Anniversary Annual Gathering, Friday through Sunday, July 16-18, 2010, in Boston, Massachusetts. The highlight of the event will be the Saturday, July 17th dinner cruise aboard a private luxury yacht. We are finalizing plans and expect to post prices and registration details shortly.

2009/2010 RBS Award for Humor Winner, Ed Tasca

The highlight of the event will be the Annual Award Dinner and Ceremony, Saturday, July 17th. This year's first place winner is Ed Tasca, of Toronto, Ontario and an undisclosed location believed by the authorities to be in Mexico, for his entry Let’s Click Up the Old Gang Sometime. Of Ed's essay, final competition judge Kevin C. Fitzpatrick says "It is an original and lively writing on a new topic, social networks.”

Kevin has been a past judge of the competition. He is the president of the RBS Fascinating Crimes RBS chapter in New York. In 1999 he founded the Dorothy Parker Society and serves as president. He is the author of "A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York" and with Nat Benchley, is the co-editor of the new book "The Lost Algonquin Round Table" (Donald Books-iUniverse). Link for the book: http://www.donaldbooks.com/catalogue.html

Other winners in this competition are:

• Second place: Brenda Pontiff of Los Angeles, Calif. for A Teensy Weensy Renaissance.
• Third place: Con Chapman of Weston, Mass. for Foundations of Western Logic , and
• Fourth place: B. Elwin Sherman of Bethlehem, N.H. for A Woman At Home

Kevin Fitzpatrick

The preliminary judges of the competition were author of Robert Benchley An Annotated Bibliography, Gordon E. Ernst; writer and RBS Director, Eileen Forster Keck; puzzle designer RBS Vice Chairman, Chris Morgan; 2007 RBS Humor Award winner, Daniel Montville; radio personality and chairman of A Moderate State of Preservation Chapter (Ann Arbor, Mich.) of RBS, Tom Saunders; RBS Director Pamela Siska and Robert Benchley Society Chairman David Trumbull.

Preliminary plans for this year's gathering were set during a recent tele-conference among Horace Digby (2005 RBS Humor Award Winner), Kevin Fitzpatrick, Wiliam Goldsmith (Chairman of the "Uncle Edith Chapter" RBS Chapter in Los Angeles), Chris Morgan, Tom Saunders, David Trumbull, and Mary DiZazzo Trumbull

HOW TO ENTER THE 2010 ROBERT BENCHLEY SOCIETY HUMOR WRITING COMPEITION

Details of how to enter this year's contest will announced at the Annual Gathering in Boston, July 16-18 and will be post online immediately following that event. The rules of the contest and procedures for judging will be the same, or very nearly the same, as they were for the 2009 contest, the winner of which will be recognized at the July 17 dinner.

RBS Los Angeles Chapter's Wm. Goldsmith Announces New Book

I’m You, or, The Clone and I
By William Goldsmith, M.D.

Meet the Author

Author William Goldsmith is a psychiatrist with a practice in Los Angeles. He retired as a flight surgeon in the Air National Guard and is a veteran of three wars.

Bring in the Clones

If you could clone yourself – or clone a loved one – would you do it? This fascinating novel takes a look into the future and what could happen if cloning is an option.

The questions the book asks are compelling and the scenario is very possible. I’m You or, The Clone and I provides a breathtaking look into what our world may become.

Twenty years in the future, Dr. Harry Saul agrees to be cloned. But the experiment takes on a life of its own, and Harry soon finds that it totally re-shapes his life and his character. The fertilized test-tube egg is implanted into Pam Rubin, a lesbian psychiatrist. But in the embryo stage, the parents learn their cloned child will be vulnerable to schizophrenia.

Harassed by the government for their daring attempt at cloning, the two doctors take refuge in the Army. Harry becomes an Army flight surgeon, a perilous and varied career, serving in the thick of a near war with China, a typhoid epidemic, and is marooned on an Alaskan glacier, loving every minute.

Despite their problems, Pam and Harry forge a loving relationship. But their cloned son, Phil, does become schizophrenic. In a desperate effort to cure his son, Harry volunteers himself as a donor in a mind-transfer experiment. This scary look into the future will keep you enthralled until the very last page.

Hard Cover - 6x9 - 202 pages - $24.50
ISBN: 978-1-60860-575-0
ISBN / SKU: 1-60860-575-2

http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/ImYouOrTheCloneAndI.html

Thurber House is Pleased to Announce the 2010 Summer Literary Picnics Line-Up

The Thurber House 2010 Summer Literary Picnics are scheduled and offer another fantastic summer line-up of outdoor picnics and readings with authors who have an Ohio connection.

Each picnic runs as follows:

5:20 p.m. - Guided tours of the house given by our Young Docents.

6:15 p.m. - Dinner is served. Order one of our festive catered dinners, made fresh by Party Panache catering, or pack your own.

7:00 p.m. - The reading begins. Thurber House remains open after the reading for tours, book buying, and signing.

Please bring your own lawn chairs or blankets. You are also welcome to bring alcoholic beverages. Parking is free after 6:00 p.m. at the meters along Jefferson Avenue. In case of rain, join us at State Auto Insurance, 518 E. Broad St. for all picnics except July 14, which will be next door at Thurber Center.

Wednesday, June 16: A Thurber TreatThe season will kick off with our annual Thurber Treat writing contest. This year writers, of any age, are asked to choose one Thurber cartoon from a predetermined selection and come up with a new caption and then elaborate on the caption with an amusing story. Cheri Mitchell, Executive Director of BalletMet, will be the host for the evening. The top three winners will read their entries.

Wednesday, June 30: Carrie BebrisCarrie Bebris is the author of the beloved Mr. and Mrs. Darcy mysteries, which are known for capturing perfectly Jane Austen's Regency England. She will read from the latest in the series, The Intrigue at Highbury (Or Emma's Match), a tale complete with robbery, murder by poison, and a family with perhaps something sinister to hide.

Wednesday, July 14: New Voices- Back by popular demand, Thurber House presents a Summer Picnic highlighting emerging authors of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. All three authors have been published, and all three are Ohio connected.

Fiction - Carla Buckley will read from her debut novel, The Things that Keep Us Here. With Columbus as a backdrop, it is a chilling and intimate look at one family's struggle as they try and survive a virulent pandemic that has paralyzed the world.

Poetry - Sarah Gridley is the author of two books of poetry, and has appeared in many print and online journals including Kenyon Review online and New American Poetry. She will share selected poems from her latest collection, Green is the Orator.

Non-Fiction - Paula McLain will read from her memoir, Like Family: Growing Up in Other People's Houses, a searing portrait of three young sisters who are raised as wards of the Fresno County court system. She has also written two books of poetry and the acclaimed novel A Ticket to Ride.

Wednesday, July 28: Craig McDonaldAward-winning journalist and crime writer, Craig McDonald is the author of the Edgar nominated Hector Lassiter series that includes Head Games and Toros & Torsos. He will read from the latest in the series, Print the Legend, a literary thriller about the death of Ernest Hemingway and the patina that perceived suicide lends the author's legend.

Wednesday, August 11: Sharon DaviesThe John C. Elem/Vorys Sater Designated Professor of Law at OSU's Moritz College of Law, Sharon Davies will read from her new book Rising Road: A True Tale of Love, Race, and Religion in America. It is a harrowing look at the all but forgotten murder of Father Coyle in 1912 Alabama, and the trial that followed.

Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop -- University of Dayton

The Bombeck Writers' Workshop has been scheduled to be on CBS Sunday Morning on Mother's Day, May 9. They just finished the 2010 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, and among the attendees were Mo Rocca and a film crew working on a piece about the workshop. The piece is scheduled to air this Sunday. More than 350 writers from all over the United States and Canada came to Erma Bombeck's alma mater, the University of Dayton, for three days of laughing and learning, and to lay the groundwork for staying connected in the months and years ahead.

Read all about it in this month's newsletter:

http://www.humorwriters.org

If you missed the workshop, you can still take advantage of a great offer to purchase recordings of the 2010 workshop. You can take the workshop with you as mp3 files, and our proceeds go to funding future workshops.

Coming May 24th, America's Greatest Humorist, Robert Benchley

COMING MAY 24TH, AMERICA'S GREATEST HUMORIST, Robert Benchley

THE ATHLETIC BENCHLEY -- 105 EXERCISES FROM THE DETROIT ATHLETIC CLUB NEWS

“Benchley has no superior among American writers in subtle humor. He has the pulse of the discriminating readers as few others have.”

Charles Hughes-Founder and Editor DAC News

“When I write a piece, I would rewrite it, then polish it; it took a lot of time and then I’d find out that Benchley did it better fifteen years before.”

James Thurber-Writer

“A good, stuffy way to describe Benchley would be to say that ‘he occupies a unique position in American humor’. He occupies nothing of the sort. He is top dog.”

S J Perelman-Writer

“Way to go. Another generation gets to discover SOB (Sweet Old Bob ).”

Horace Digby-2005 Winner Robert Benchley Award

Presented in their original form these pieces have not been seen in decades. Hilarious and funny, Benchley is the Master of Nonsense for its own sake and he demonstrates it to the full in

THE ATHLETIC BENCHLEY -- Available MAY 24 from www.glendowermedia.com and Amazon.com

Hardback or paperback, the sophisticated humor of the Algonquin Round Table from its funniest soul will be sure to become a treasure in your library.

Reserve a copy starting May15th.

Please forward this email to your list cause we are trying to prove to Amazon.com that small publishers can sell books,too.

Thomas Saunders
CELL PHONE: (734) 604-5347
Email:tsaunders_48@hotmail.com

LOOK FOR A SPECIAL BONUS IF YOU ORDER BEFORE MAY 24TH!

Benchley Humor Competion

There will be a Robert Benchley Society Humor Award Competition this year, but the dates are yet to be settled. The rules will be the same, or very nearly the same, as last year's.

Thurber House Adult Writing Workshops present a Special Master Class

Thurber House Adult Writing Workshops present a Special Master Class in Fiction with New York Times Bestselling Author: Jennifer Crusie

Limited to only twenty, this Master Class in Fiction will cover the basics of fiction writing, taught by one of the most popular and acclaimed novelists, Jennifer Crusie. The class will include:

identifying and sharpening the central conflict revising , using classic plot structure and character arcs unifying the story through theme

Students should bring a synopsis of their novels, and the first and last page which will be used to work through the basic elements of fiction to be discussed.

DATE: Saturday, June 19, 2010
TIME: 1-4 P.M., followed by a wine and cheese reception
LOCATION: THURBER CENTER, 91 Jefferson Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215
PRICE: Non-refundable $150

Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis and is limited to 20 students.
DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION: Friday, June 11

Click here for a downloaded PDF of the registration form


Mail registration and payment to:

Thurber House Master Class in Fiction
77 Jefferson Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Or fax it to: Thurber House Master Class in Fiction Fax #: 614-280-3645

It Happened One Morning

And now a short comedic film by Jesse Levy, runner-up in the 2008 Robert Benchley Humor Competition. -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl_witWiLv0

New York in the Springtime

Experience NYC in style at the Algonquin with 15% off our Best Rates. Located between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown, The Algonquin is in the heart of the excitement with world-class shopping, dining, and nightlife all just steps away. Newly renovated guestrooms blend timeless décor with modern conveniences. The Round Table delights with superb cuisine, while the Blue Bar and lobby serve up great conversation and excellent cocktails.

See more information or book this limited time offer at http://zimmerman.bm23.com/public/?q=preview_message&fn=Link&t=1&ssid=12615&id=jlg33s671ddwkf3k6fviv76veqwm1&id2=1heku6ylhunbm0cdbdrsrvu80z1h1&subscriber_id=axspmsdmgbzhenliukvzfxcjmqatbkp&messageversion_id=aeanhbxsgkukdpkealvuxxkbcjrubaj&delivery_id=bbsbqemrxviptxulrbdvjrwmzvwbbkb.

Robert Benchley Shorts (30 Shorts 1935 - 1944)

From the pages of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker to a seat among the wits at the Algonquin Round Table to movie screens nationwide, Robert Benchley cut quite the funny figure. And never more so than in the short subject series the humorist made at MGM from 1935 to 1944, gathered here in a complete - and completely uproarious - 3-Disc Collection of 30 Theatrical Shorts. The writer adopted a common-man persona to investigate and comment on the challenges of daily living and scored the first time out: his debut short How to Sleep won an Academy Award?. And whether trying to figure income taxes, enjoy a movie, train a dog, take a nap or tackle many other daunting situations, the beloved comic master's foibles have always delighted and influenced generations of funnymen and -women who followed.

For more information or to order see the Robert Benchley Society website at www.robertbenchley.org/shop.

Benchleyite Jerry Zezima Publishes Book

Robert Benchley Society member Jerry Zezima writes to say that his first book, "Leave It to Boomer," has just been published. It's a collection of the humor columns written for a hometown paper, The Stamford Advocate in Connecticut. The column is syndicated by McClatchy-Tribune and has run in newspapers across the country and around the world.

Here is the direct Amazon link to my book: http://www.amazon.com/Leave-Boomer-Parenthood-Modern-Middle-Age/dp/1440194319/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264019887&sr=8-1

Or see Jerry's blog: http://www.jerryzezima.blogspot.com.

GroupSC 2009 An Intimate View of Southern California

Santa Monica – GROUPSC 2009, a consortium of fifty regional documentary artist-photographers, directed by Robert Benchley Society member Helen K. Garber, will showcase An Intimate View of Southern California at MOPLA’s opening reception at Bergamot Station as a featured installation. The exhibit will then travel to a downtown site, hosted by L.A. Center for Digital Art for the April 8 Downtown Art Walk. This is the third in a series of site-specific pop-up digital installations designed in collaboration with award –winning architectural design firm MINARC/Gallery SKART who will host an exhibition of GroupSC 2009 Artist Works on Paper at their Bergamot adjacent Gallery SKART through May.

Each of GROUPSC’s photographers has embedded their signature style into the documentation of the region’s unique neighborhoods where they reside, work or play, resulting in a gestalt of fifty, up-to-the-minute perspectives tinged with current affairs. Central to this year’s theme is a defunct trailer rescued and reclaimed by Project Director Garber, who, with the expert repair skills of Banning Discount RV of Beaumont, CA and Digital Director Chris Quilisch; Artist/Designer Duce; and the Minarc team, has recycled salvage parts from within the trailer and trailer yard, transforming it from a decaying piece of trash, into a mobile digital projection vehicle for GROUPSC2009’s forthcoming photo tours.

Garber is committed to “uniting the energy field” of LA and environs’ creative community by engaging local artists who are struggling to survive in tandem with the community-at-large. According to Nancy Louise Jones, Project Editor, Garber has brought talent together for a different type of showcase; one that makes a significant statement about our society, and about how we communicate with each other, to surmount the challenges in our personal careers as photo professionals. Jones: “What many people will never see is that Helen has managed through sheer persistence, love of life, love of art, caring for her peers and impeccable timing to coordinate an amazing group of professional and amateur photographers who would normally be disengaged from each other. She is making a statement with the power and strength of creative numbers.”

By taking the show on the road, Garber believes that geographically isolated neighborhoods and insular ethnic enclaves will be exposed to the breadth of our humanity with all of its beauty, variety and recessionary pain depicted.

Grown from last year’s GroupLA 2008, the expanded circumscribed territory is bounded by Santa Ynez/Northwest, San Diego/Southwest, Anza Borrego/Southeast, and Apple Valley/Northeast. Jones opines that “there is a trend in photography now to romanticize the landscape,” but “we live in a large city where there is a lot of loneliness and this year there is an abundance of shots void of humans, but you can still feel presence.” In portraying that loneliness, the images also convey “a sense of trying to connect to survive; when we’re looking through the trash for clothing or food, this project makes the statement, ‘you are not alone’.”

In the process of reviewing what has become a contemporary image archive, Jones has reveled in the artistic rendering that illuminates Redlands’ old Americana; sugarcoats the aftermath of the Santa Barbara fires; and turns an Eastside mired in ugly poverty into surreal beauty, in spite of “an undercurrent of people…out of touch with themselves because they are just trying to find food for their next meal…and boredom, sheer boredom…people walking through life with no more curiosity…” But the curiosity of the artists includes witnessing life through a hotel peephole; trying to comprehend a pathology that banishes sofas to street corners; and questioning why what was at one time dubbed trailer trash has become the new middle-class, living from parking space to parking space. All the while, Eagle Rock churches provide free sermons to us on surviving the economy vis-à-vis signage on their facades and front lawns.

In editing the show’ s narrative into digestible viewing nuggets, Jones selections include pictures that reveal last year’s ongoing desolation along the rural and urban landscape: amid the eclectic blend of wealth and poverty from Santa Monica to Marina del Rey; the desert’s hot, dried-out establishments under brilliant blue skies animated by Joshua Tree’s military outpost populated with “short stud-cuts,” Oxnard day-laborers, the underworld of South-central, foragers for food around the Midnight Mission, and the grit of alleyways in Boyle Heights.

But hope is not lost, evidenced by renewable desert and sea flora and fauna, life goes on for Isla Vista hippies, multi-tasking Burbank-to-Brentwood freeway commuters, the manicured lawns in suburbs of Lakewood, the Laguna Woods retirement community, and the mid-century architecture of Palm Springs. The celebratory mood moves from the daily zaniness that transits on and off Santa Monica’s pier and crowded beaches, toward gorgeous neon and gay life in West Hollywood, to the perennial Chinatown parade, and further east to Idyllwild’s crafty woods.

According to Rex Bruce, Director of LACDA, "This is an exhibit that has been needing to happen and is finally being realized. To put cogent documentation of the L.A. 'City State' on wheels and readied to make the great American road trip makes sense for a place that has more cars than people. Each area is represented by photographer artists that really know the experience there, so the flavor of the differing regions are captured in their stories told in an unusual and compelling manner for those who view the installation."

Garber likens the mobile concept to a travelogue that travels. “People used to go on adventures and bring back the photos… We are reversing the experience…taking the photos on the adventure…taking our home on the journey.”

Plans Being Made for Next Benchley Humor Contest

The Officers and Directors of the Robert Benchley Society recently conferred, by telephone, on plans for the Seventh Anniversary Robert Benchley Society Annual Gathering and Humor Award Ceremony, set for July 16-19, 2010, in Boston, Mass. At the same time planning was begun for this years Robert Benchley Society Humor Competition. Watch this blog for details and deadlines. In general, it was agreed, to keep the rules of last year's competition more-or-less unchanged; they can be reviewed on the Robert Benchley Society website www.robertbenchley.org.

L.A. Writer Recreates the Round Table in New Book

PRESS RELEASE - MARCH 28, 2010

contact: Mr. Kim Goldsworthy (Rosemead, CA)
tele: (626) 280-5644
e-mail: gebegb@earthlink.net

FAMOUS ALGONQUIN HOTEL "VICIOUS CIRCLE" LUNCHEON GATHERING RE-CREATED IN BOOK

Mr. Kim Goldsworthy of the Los Angeles area has re-created an afternoon luncheon dialogue of the Algonquin Round Table, featuring Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley, among half a dozen others, in that famous "Vicious Circle" which met in the Algonquin Hotel in New York City throughout the decade of the 1920s.

Mr. Goldsworthy wishes for members of the RBS as well as members of the Dorothy Parker Society to contact him via e-mail. Object: to ascertain the interest level of people interested in "hearing" what those now-famous people were chatting about in a typical lunch hour circa 1921, with insults and suggestive humor punctuating their literary allusions, their puns, and their respect for each other, and their disrespect for the rest of the world outside of their circle.

If interest is sufficient, then the book may be self-published via one of the major on-line e-publishing companies. If interest is light, then chapters may be shared among the readers who have shown an interest by contacting the author.

Robert Benchley Society member Helen Garber announces Night Lights: Venice/Venezia March 15 - May 1, 2010 at the DNJ Gallery, Los Angeles

As Funny as a Stick in the Eye

Thanks to Robert Benchley Society Vice-Chairman Christopher Morgan for passing this on--

"The word humor comes from humorem, the Latin word for fluid, and originally had as much to do with funny as the aqueous and vitreous humors of the eye. Nothing funny there at all, except the Canal of Schlemm which, as you can see by looking at the diagram, I’m not making up."

Read more at http://ow.ly/1ejgn

The dear dead table d'hote days

Q. Do you know where and when Robert Benchley's essay "The dear dead table d'hote days" was published? Do you think that it may have been inspired by the annual game dinners at the Grand Pacific Hotel each year (I know that they held a game dinner in 1885; I believe I even once saw a copy of that menu posted on the internet)?

A. The essay appears in the book Chips off the Old Benchley (1949), beginning on page 329. According to Gordon E. Ernst, Jr,. in Robert Benchley: An Annotated Bibliography, it was first published in Liberty magazine #7, (April 19, 1930) beginning on page 26. Looking at the essay, Benchley says he's reading an 1885 menu from a Chicago hotel.

Coming in July from W. Bruce Cameron

A DOG'S PURPOSE -- Available everywhere July 6, 2010

What if your dog never dies? What if dogs live multiple lifetimes, and remember all of them?

What if every animal has a purpose, and your pet’s purpose is intimately bound to yours?

A Dog’s Purpose tells the story of a dog who finds himself reincarnated and decides there must be a reason, a purpose he must fulfill, and until he does so, he’ll continue to be reborn. The story is narrated by Bailey, a wise and funny dog who is very much...a dog

A Dog’s Purpose is funny, endearing, touching, uplifting, and as full of life as dogs themselves.

Author W. Bruce Cameron is the 2006 winner of the Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor.

For more information see http://adogspurpose.com/

Coming Soon! The Athletic Benchley

Coming Soon from Glendower Media.

Robert Benchley, America’s greatest humorist, was famous for being one of the members of the Algonquin Round Table and for writing hysterical pieces for Vanity Fair, Life, and many other publications. He was the Drama Critic for Life for years and his reviews of plays were required reading for the New York theater public. He went on to make many movies with a list of Hollywood stars that no one else could claim and was known for his books of short hilarious articles.

What most people do not realize is that Benchley, and the most famous and talented writers in the country, also wrote for The Detroit Athletic Club News, the monthly house organ for members of that legendary auto and advertising club.
For the first time Benchley’s articles written for the DAC News will be published in The Athletic Benchley, 105 Exercises from the Detroit Athletic Club News.

These articles, in their original presentation and with the original artwork, are sure to recruit new fans for the Master of Nonsense. Famous pieces in their original form are here along with articles that have never before been seen outside the membership of the DAC., such as:

• Carnival Time in Sunny Las Los
• Kiddie Car Travel
• What to Do When the Family Is Away
• The Church Supper
• And the ever popular Uncle Edith stories

The Athletic Benchley is expected to be available for the first time during May, 2010

Edited by Thomas Saunders, chairman of the "A Moderate State of Preservation" Ann Arbor, Mich. chapter of the Robert Benchley Society.

For more information see http://glendowermedia.com/blog/

Lub Dub, a novel by, Ed Tasca

A comic novel about a heart donor delivery that goes disastrously awry, when the driver of the delivery van spots his girlfriend, a brilliant university student in the arms of another. Unable to resist he follows her in the van through a succession of comic episodes and hurdles until he loses the heart completely and finds the mission, his love relationship and his sanity totally in jeopardy. A grudging cardiologist who accompanies him is the enraged, consummate professional who needles and prods him throughout for his foolishness. All ends well, saved at the last by the intervention of, ironically, the driver's brilliant girlfriend.

For more information see http://www.lexingtonfilm.com/tascalubdub.htm

Another Benchleyite with a Book You'll Love

Laugh your heart out as author Rose A. Valenta paints a satirical picture of the world today. Sitting on Cold Porcelain will entertain you with an amusing, perceptive, and laugh-out-loud take on the state of our country and our world, on celebrities and politicians, and all the news events that make us roll our eyes and groan.

Its satirical essays include "Giuliani's Gaffe Could Qualify for Political Darwin Award," "Rush Limbaugh: The Don Rickles of Radio," and "The Mona Lisa Had High Cholesterol?"

You will also find Rose’s hysterical consultations with her best friend, Mrs. Giordano, a South Philadelphia malocchio (evil eye) doctor. Mrs. Giordano bloviates in Italian and is the Italian equivalent to the ‘Numa Numa Guy’ in front of the TV when watching The O’Reilly Factor.

Witty and honest, Sitting on Cold Porcelain is an unapologetic yet unmistakably intellectual read that will challenge your ideas and stir your beliefs.

For more information see http://www.sittingoncoldporcelain.com/

RBS's Digby Authors Book on Mark Twain

Mark Twain's Geographical Imagination, co-authored by Horace J. Digby, 2005 winner of the Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor. Mark Twain once wrote:
"The human imagination is much more capable than it gets credit for. This is why Niagara is always a disappointment when one sees it for the first time. One's imagination has long ago built a Niagara to which this one is a poor dribbling thing. The ocean "with its waves running mountain high" is always a disappointment at first sight; the imagination has constructed real mountains, whereas these with swelling at their very biggest and highest are not imposing. The Taj is a disappointment though people are ashamed to confess it. God will be a disappointment to most of us, at first. I wish I could see the Niagaras and Tajs which the human imagination has constructed, why then, bless you, I should see Atlantics pouring down out of the sky over cloud ranges, and I should see Tajs of a form so gracious and a spiritual expression so divine and altogether so sublime and so lovely and worshipful that—well—St. Peter's, Vesuvius, Heaven, Hell, everything that is much described is bound to be a disappointment at first."

For more information see http://www.lexingtonfilm.com/marktwain.htm

Robert Benchley Society Annual Gathering Set for July 16-18 in Boston

The Robert Benchley Society announces plans for the Seventh Anniversary Annual Gathering, Friday through Sunday, July 16-18, 2010, in Boston, Massachusetts.

2009/2010 RBS Award for Humor Winner, Ed Tasca

The highlight of the event will be the Annual Award Dinner and Ceremony, Saturday, July 17th. This year's first place winner is Ed Tasca, of Toronto, Ontario and an undisclosed location believed by the authorities to be in Mexico, for his entry Let’s Click Up the Old Gang Sometime. Of Ed's essay, final competition judge Kevin C. Fitzpatrick says "It is an original and lively writing on a new topic, social networks.”

Kevin has been a past judge of the competition. He is the president of the RBS Fascinating Crimes RBS chapter in New York. In 1999 he founded the Dorothy Parker Society and serves as president. He is the author of "A Journey into Dorothy Parker's New York" and with Nat Benchley, is the co-editor of the new book "The Lost Algonquin Round Table" (Donald Books-iUniverse). Link for the book: http://www.donaldbooks.com/catalogue.html

Other winners in this competition are:

• Second place: Brenda Pontiff of Los Angeles, Calif. for A Teensy Weensy Renaissance.
  
• Third place: Con Chapman of Weston, Mass. for Foundations of Western Logic , and
  
• Fourth place: B. Elwin Sherman of Bethlehem, N.H. for A Woman At Home

Kevin Fitzpatrick

The preliminary judges of the competition were author of Robert Benchley An Annotated Bibliography, Gordon E. Ernst; writer and RBS Director, Eileen Forster Keck; puzzle designer RBS Vice Chairman, Chris Morgan; 2007 RBS Humor Award winner, Daniel Montville; radio personality and chairman of A Moderate State of Preservation Chapter (Ann Arbor, Mich.) of RBS, Tom Saunders; RBS Director Pamela Siska and Robert Benchley Society Chairman David Trumbull.

Preliminary plans for this year's gathering were set during a recent tele-conference among Horace Digby (2005 RBS Humor Award Winner), Kevin Fitzpatrick, Wiliam Goldsmith (Chairman of the "Uncle Edith Chapter" RBS Chapter in Los Angeles), Chris Morgan, Tom Saunders, David Trumbull, and Mary DiZazzo Trumbull

Save the Date - July 16-18 -- Benchley Soc. Annual Gathering

Save the date and watch for details. The Robert Benchley Society Annual Gathering and Humor Award Competition Dinner have been set for July 16-18, 2010, in Boston, Mass.