Paul Provenza

The guys that brought you The Aristocrats, the movie where more than a dozen comics delivered versions of the oldest, dirtiest joke on the Hollywood comedy circuit, have just signed a six-figure deal for a book that will interview salty comics about controversial topics.

!Satiristas¡ will be written by Paul Provenza with photographer Dan Dion, the house photographer at the Fillmore Auditorium.

Matt Thornton at Publishers Weekly writes:

In the book, comedians George Carlin, Lewis Black, Janeane Garofalo, Sarah Silverman and others will sound off on everything from race to religion, politics to pornography.

There's talk of a concert tour based on the book.

• Publishers Weekly

"I love the idea that we're just allowed to riff, like jazz," said Bob Saget at The Aristocrats premiere after-party at Caroline's comedy club last week. "It's like giving 100 people a nude to paint. About twenty of them won't paint her naked, and then some will paint her so graphically - like, gynecological - and whatever's left, sixty people will paint her as they see her."

"It [the film]'s kind of a love letter to comedians," said Bob Saget. "I think it accidentally became a piece of art."

"Have you met my friend, Gilbert [Gottfried], the voice of the parrot in Aladdin?" he asked. (Other credits, of course, include a 1-800-collect commercial and Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas.) Mr. Gottfried kindly informed the Transom, "No one reads the New York Observer. I could Scotch tape diamonds inside it and get them all back." On the contrary, Mr. Saget contended that his ex-mother-in-law read his profile.

On the question of exposing this insider joke, the film's director, Paul Provenza, said, "It's not a Masonic rite. It's not like there's a ‘comedy illuminati' that's going to hunt us down... I made this film to get Bob Saget to work."

"And Bob Saget made this film to shock his mother-in-law," chimed in filmmaker Aviva Kempner.

If the Aristocrats joke is regarded as a "secret handshake" among comedians, Mr. Saget's ex-mother-in-law may well be the password. Ms. Kempner later deadpanned that Mr. Provenza's next documentary will feature Karl Rove interviewing Judith Miller. Mr. Provenza continued to eat his barbequed chicken.  read more »

The Transom finally caught up with Susie Essman of Curb Your Enthusiasm and comedian and radio host Frank DeCaro. "No one swears like Susie!" he said. "Fuck you, Frank!" she responded in that warmly familiar, wonderfully shrill tone.

—Blythe Sheldon