San Francisco Chronicle
Tuesday, October 11, 2005

"Howl Redux,” a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first reading of Allen Ginsberg’s landmark poem and the opening event in Litquake festivities, heated Herbst Theatre on Friday with a bonfire of words. Most authors read works by other authors, except Michael McClure, who read poems he’d introduced at the original event, and Ginsberg himself, whose taped performance ended the program.
And now, the naughty bit: Cintra Wilson, saucy in tight checked suit, began with vigorously read bon mots from Ambrose Bierce; Armistead Maupin, who followed her with Mark Twain, emerged from backstage and observed that "looking at the ass of Cintra Wilson is enough to turn this gay boy straight.” Next up: Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown reading Jack London, followed by Daniel Handler, who before reading Gertrude Stein said, "Waiting backstage looking at the ass of Jerry Brown is enough to turn this straight boy gay.”