Greetings ULU readers! The Desk Set is grateful for the opportunity to repost the invitation below. Hope, hope, hope to see you at Public Assembly on Wednesday, September 19th for our upcoming event featuring some extraordinary women.

Originally posted here on 9/6/2012.

2012: Year of the Dragon, Year of 30th Olympiad, and year of outrageous lady hating. It seems almost silly to point out areas where women are particularly marginalized, because the past few months have brought us this, this, and who could forget this?

But most of think of the arts as a kinder, gentler, or at least better and more gender equal place. Oh, but this guy thinks that women can’t be funny, and (some) people seem to…like him? His “argument” isn’t even worth debating, but here’s a debate you might have time for: why are women so underrepresented in the literary arts?  Women who choose to pursue careers in comedy or in writing are bravely facing obstacles that their (straight) male counterparts are unlikely to ever experience. And I’m being really generous with the use of the word “unlikely.” And what of the women who do both? Women who tell jokes in public and write books? These women should be celebrated, cheered, given their own day, their own year even (2013 is available). Well, the Desk Set can at least give them a couple of hours. Jumping off my high horse just in time to have some fun and invite you to :

the Desk Set & the G.L.O.C. present

That’s What She Said:
Conversations with Women Writers/Comics

Wednesday, September 19, 2012 7:00PM

Public Assembly’s back room

Glennis McCarthy, of the Gorgeous Ladies of Comedy (G.L.O.C), will moderate a panel discussion with women navigating the worlds of both comedy and literature. Panelists include legendary SNL cast member Rachel Dratch, Elna Baker (The Moth, This American Life, Studio 360, Radiolab), Kambri Crews (92Y, UCB, the Moth, Ochi’s Lounge), and Karen Bergreen (Gotham, Comic Strip)



That’s What She Said is part of Etcetera, Public Assembly‘s week long festival of art, talks, films, comedy, learning, music and dancing.

This event, like many of the Et Cetera events is FREE. (But bring cash if you want to buy a book!) 21+

9/19/2012

7:00 PM

Public Assembly

70 North 6th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Rachel Dratch grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, attended Dartmouth College, and spent nine years in the Chicago improv scene, eventually making it to the Second City mainstage, where she worked with Adam McKay, Tina Fey, Scott Adsit, and Kevin Dorff among others. Starting in 1999, Rachel famously spent seven seasons as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. After leaving SNL, Rachel has performed in various TV, film and theatre projects. Last spring, she published her first book, the memoir Girl Walks Into a Bar…

Elna Baker is a writer and comedic storyteller. She’s appeared on The Moth Radio Hour, This American Life, BBC Radio 4, All Things Considered, WTF with Marc Maron, Studio 360, The Sound of Young America, and at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. She’s written for ELLE, Glamour and Men’s Journal among others. Her memoir The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance was published by Penguin, earning four stars in People Magazine and the 2010 AML award for best humor writing. She’s also the co-host and co-creator of The Talent Show, recently named best variety show by New York Magazine.

Kambri Crews once lived with her deaf parents in a tin shed in Montgomery, Texas. She now runs her own PR and production company in New York City, books comedy for the 92YTribeca, and is the author of the critically acclaimed memoir Burn Down the Ground(Random House). A renowned storyteller and public speaker, Kambri has performed on The Moth’s Mainstage, The 92Y, SXSW Comedy, Risk!, UCB Theatre, Gotham Comedy Club and given speeches at SXSW, DeafHope, and many other schools, colleges, venues and events.

 Karen Bergreen, a mainstay in the New York City comedy clubs, has been invited twice to perform at HBO’s U.S. Comedy Festival in Aspen, Colorado and the Great American Comedy Festival at the Johnny Carson Theatre in Norfolk, Nebraska.  Karen has appeared on Comedy Central, The Oxygen Network, and The Joy Behar Show, and Law & Order. Her 2010 comic novel Following Pollyearned praise from The New York Times, Oprah Magazine, and her mother-in-law.  Her newest novelPerfect is Overrated came out in July.

 Glennis McCarthy (nee McMurray) is a New York Timesprofiled comedian, actress and founder of TheGLOC.net, a community-building website for women in comedy. At 19, Glennis moved from a trailer park in Colorado to New York City with a degree in manicurist…ing. [Nails.] She survived a 93-year-old French roommate with Dementia; a customer service job opening mail containing used condoms; a winter in Jersey City on $200 a week; an almost marriage; lots and lots of credit card debt; a celebrity boyfriend; a blue album; and an eventual emersion as the FIERCE butterfly you see before you. She is writing a book about it and yes, mom, you will be in it.