Join the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library (KVML) for an unforgettable event. Esteemed members of the KVML Board of Directors, comedian Dwight Simmons and free speech activist Barry Lynn, will come together to emcee and moderate an engaging evening with an appearance by comedian and KVML Chairman of the Board Lewis Black.

Hosted by Greg and Jane Castanias, during this evening we will explore topics of humor, free speech, and the evolving cultural landscape. Following the program, mingle with fellow enthusiasts and special guests during a delightful reception.

By supporting this event, you're not only engaging in enlightening discourse but also contributing to a vital cause as part of KVML's Vonnegut USA program. Vonnegut USA is KVML's commitment to championing literacy programs everywhere and combating censorship across the country. KVML and former James Madison University English graduate Morgan Aderton will distribute banned books to students in Rockingham County, Virginia, where challenges to literary freedom persist.  

About our Special Guests:

Lewis Black is a comic, actor, and a writer. He has eight comedy albums, two Grammys, numerous specials, and is the longest-running contributor on The Daily Show. Black has also written three New York Times Best-Selling books, and his plays have been published and produced throughout the country. He has appeared in many films, but he is perhaps best known for his portrayal of "Anger" in Pixar's Inside Out. His newest comedy special, Thanks For Risking Your Life, is currently available for streaming. Lewis is the Chairman of the Board for the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library.

Dwight Simmons' debut comedy special, "Who's The Master" debuted on YouTube on July of 2023. In that same year, he was selected to the 10,000 Laughs, Milwaukee, Flyover and West-End Comedy Festivals. His self-produced album "Sip and Pass" reached #1 on the iTunes comedy charts, making it his second release to do so. He was listed as Indiana’s selection for Thrillist’s 50 Best Undiscovered Comics in the country. Dwight’s comedy has been featured on Kevin Hart’s LOL on Sirius XM and on the Bob and Tom show for which he is also a writer. He is a co-director of the Limestone Comedy Festival and the creator and host of the web series BrewTube Comedy. Be sure to check out his podcast Mat and Dwight Just might wherever music is available.

Barry Lynn was legislative counsel for the Washington Office of the ACLU for 5 years in the 1970s where he, among other things, spent years ruining the work and reputation of the Attorney General's Commission on Pornography. He then worked for over 25 years as Executive Director of Americans United For Separation of Church and State where he battled the Religious Right's efforts to destroy public education, get special privileges for religious groups, curtail the right of women to obtain abortions and LGBTQ Americans to live their lives, and try to censor materials in schools and libraries. Lynn has written for many publications and is the author of a number of books including Piety and Politics and God and Government. He has been a guest on virtually every major radio and television show in the United States. His latest release, a memoir called Paid To Piss People Off, is now available. Lynn retired in 2017 but has kept busy as a political commentator, stand-up comedian, guest preaching, and teaching. Lynn's most direct connection with Kurt Vonnegut was when the two of them joined National Organization For Women founder and author of The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan at a New York press conference to denounce the aforementioned Commission on Pornography.

About the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library: 

Kurt Vonnegut was a soldier, writer, artist, humorist, teacher, and Indianapolis native. The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library (KVML) champions the literary, artistic, and cultural contributions of Vonnegut to improve the lives of students, teachers, veterans, readers, and our community through cultural and educational experiences. KVML continues Vonnegut’s fight against censorship and supports language and visual arts education through programs and educational engagements for all ages.