Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Who Was It Who Said...?

The line "Death ends a life, not a relationship" is quoted on several websites with attribution to Robert Benchley, but none, at least not any of the sites that I visited, offer any verification (such as when and where was it uttered or printed). In fact, the various websites all seem to be simply swiping it from each other with no attempt to verify. So, my question is: Does anyone have, or care to at least attempt to find, a source for the line?

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Dave Barry and Alan Zweibel at Thurber House

Thurber House kicks off 2012 with a special evening featuring the bestselling, Pulitzer-Prize winning columnist/humorist Dave Barry and Emmy-Award winning TV writer, SNL alum, and Thurber Prize for American Humor winner, novelist Alan Zweibel!

Friday, January 13, 2012
Columbus Museum of Art
480 E. Broad St.
Reception: 5:30 - 6:45 p.m.; Reading at 7:00 p.m.

The two have joined forces to write Lunatics, a hilarious new novel of comic mayhem and sublime nuttiness. In alternating chapters, Barry and Zweibel have written an outrageous, laugh-out-loud humor masterpiece that tells the story of two 'joe schmoes' who meet through an escalating series of events, sending them running for their lives and ultimately solving everything from world conflicts to the perils of school soccer leagues. Universal Studios has already acquired the rights to make the film, and Steve Carrell is attached to play one of the leads.

Get up close and personal with these two funnymen at a wine and hors d'oeuvres reception followed by a reading. The new book, to be published January 10, will be available for purchase and signing by both authors.

Tickets for the reception are $45 and include reserved seating at the reading, space is limited. The deadline to purchase tickets for the reception is Tuesday, January 10.

Tickets to the reading only are $25.

Tickets may be purchased at http://www.thurberhouse.org/special-events.html.

Video of Mark Russell at the 2011 Robert Benchley Society Annual Gathering

Mark Russell has us all cracking up with his witty informal performance at the 2011 RBS Annual Awards Dinner.

Thanks again to Mark and Ali for making the evening such a hit!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Registration for the 2012 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop is now open!

Registration for the 2012 Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop is now open! You can register at this link:

https://www.regonline.com/2012bombeckworkshop

The workshop sells out quickly -- typically in days or weeks -- so register soon to avoid being shut out.

The keynoters include:

Alan Zweibel, winner of multiple Emmy, Writers Guild of America, Tony and TV Critics awards for his work in television, film, theater, and print. His newest novel, Lunatics, written with Dave Barry, will be published in January 2012.

Jeff Zaslow, Wall Street Journal columnist and bestselling author of The Last Lecture, The Girls from Ames and Highest Duty. He recently collaborated with astronaut Mark Kelly and his wife, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on their memoir, Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope.

Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of hilarious and heartwarming novels, including the critically acclaimed bestseller Big Stone Gap. Her Lifetime television special, "Growing up Funny," garnered an Emmy nomination for Lily Tomlin.

Gina Barreca, author of It's Not That I'm Bitter: How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the World. She has appeared on 20/20, 48 Hours, NPR, the BBC, The Today Show, CNN, Joy Behar, and Oprah.

Ilene Beckerman, author of Love, Loss and What I Wore, which became an off-Broadway hit. Her articles have appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Ladies' Home Journal.

Two dozen writing and publishing professionals are part of our faculty, all there to help you become a better writer and marketer of your work. They include Pulitzer Prize recipient Connie Schultz, USA Today columnist Craig Wilson, and many more.

From the Mailbag

This just in:
Following up my October e-mails, may I just let you & your members know that my excellent contact in Surry has now aquired me a region free DVD of the Paramount shorts as well? He's Geoff Hogg (geoff hogg geoffhogg@btinternet.com) which my wife & i are so enjoying watching.
All the best, David C.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Save the night: January 14, 2012

Urban Noir Opening Night

Robert Benchley Society member Helen K. Garber announces her latest solo exhibition in Los Angeles: Jan. 14 - Feb. 25, 2012 @ dnj Gallery, Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, Calif.

Helen has spent the last two years creating Encaustic Noir, the series of mixed media assemblages that will be exhibited in the main gallery.

dnj owner/director Pamela Schoenberg curated an amazing companion show of vintage night photography by the master artists who have inspired Helen's work.

You will be able to see original vintage images by Brassai Henri Cartier-Bresson, Andre Kertesz, Robert Doisneau and other renowned photographers in the second gallery. Pamela chose only photographers working in Paris in the 1930’s.

If you don’t know photographic history, please consider that they were among the real life characters represented in Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris.

The reception takes place during Photo LA weekend http://photola.com/, when the international photographic community gathers in Santa Monica.

So please save the night of January 14 and enjoy stepping in and out of the past with Helen.

Robert Benchley Society

For more information about the Robert Benchley Society, local chapters near you, our annual Award for Humor, and our Annual Gathering, visit The RBS Website