My friend Steve Elliott has just announced the following event, which I highly recommend:

“Laughing Liberally and LitPAC Present

Two Hours Of Comedy & Literature; A Benefit for Slain Iraqi Comedian Walid Hassan
When: Monday, January 8, 2007, 7pm to 9:00pm
Where: Make-Out Room, 3225 22nd St. at Mission

Comedians and writers will perform to raise money for the family of Walid Hassan who was murdered in Baghdad. Hassan was the creator of the sketch comedy show “Caricatures” on al-Sharkiya television, which made fun not only of the US Army and Iraqi authorities but also the Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias. The benefit at the Make-Out Room at 3225 22nd St. in San Francisco on Monday, January 8 at 7pm will feature subtitled video of Hassan’s show.

Price: Donations requested of $10-20.

Who:
Daniel Handler author of Lemony Snicket
Andrew Sean Greer author of Confessions of Max Tivoli
Michelle Tea author of Valencia and Rent Girl
and Tom Barbash author of On Top of the World.

Comedians: headliner Joe Klocek, Sal Calanni of sketch group Tossing Alice, Ali Mafi of the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour, podcast comedy phenomenon Mark Day, Samantha Chanse, Tessie Chua, Arthur Gaus, and Kurt Weitzmann.

The benefit will be hosted by Nato Green of Iron Comic and Stephen Elliott of LitPAC”

I don’t know about the comedians, but the writers involved are fantastic, and God knows we could all use a little humor with the bad news coming out of Iraq. See you there.