Ray Benson founded the Austin, Texas-based western swing revivalist band Asleep at the Wheel. More than 80 members Ray Benson have passed through since the band's beginnings, but Benson's vision of paying tribute to the giants of the genre, like Bob Wills, plays on. Hear Benson and Asleep at the Wheel 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20. $30. For info, call (734) 761-1451 or go to www.theark.org . For tickets, call (734) 763-TKTS. Salute To Simon Acclaimed playwright Neil Simon can add the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor to his extensive list of accolades. Many of Simon's comedic Broadway and film stories about specific people and events in his life rather than a straight autobiography. Falk recently appeared at the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival and told the local Jewish paper, "I'm not actively, Peter Falk profoundly reli- gious, but I have faith. I believe in the Guy up there. I was bar mitz- vah in a synagogue in New York." Coming out on DVD next month is Falk's 2005 comedy film Checking Out. The film played in hardly any theaters and received fairly poor reviews. Ignore the reviews. I saw the flick and it isn't great — but Jewish audiences will love it. Falk plays a very elderly Jewish bon vivant who plans — over the protests of his loving adult chil- dren — to kill himself while he is still healthy. Very schmaltzy, but fun — and very Jewish. Mother Tongue JTA reports that in all the glow- ing reviews of Sacha Baron productions are based on his New York roots and life experiences as a writer. Simon received Neil Simon the prize on Oct. 15 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. A lineup of comedy stars, including some whose careers he launched, paid tribute to the 79- year-old playwright for his six decades of accomplishments. "He plucked me from obscurity," said Jonathan Silverman, who por- trayed a younger Simon in the auto- biographical plays Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound. The ceremony included clips from Simon's body of work and salutes from stars like Jason Alexander, Matthew Broderick, Richard Dreyfuss, Nathan Lane, Robert Redford and Carl Reiner. PBS taped the tribute and presents it 10 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20, on Detroit Public Television-Channel 56. Check your local cable listings. ❑ Cohen's Borat film in major newspapers and magazines, only a couple of Jewish reporters got the supreme jest — that the Jew- bashing Borat frequently speaks in Hebrew. For instance, when Borat takes leave of his home village, he tells a one-armed peasant, "Doltan, I'll get you a new arm in America," according to the subtitles trans- lated from "Kazakh." What he actually says is, "I'll buy you some kind of a new arm' — in Hebrew. Borat also Baron Cohen sings the lyr- as Borat ics from an old Hebrew folk song, and identifies his country's greatest scientist, who discovered that a woman's brain is the same size as a squir- rel's, as "Dr. Yarmulke." Baron Cohen's Hebrew is excel- lent, thanks to an Israeli mother of Iranian descent, a year spent at Kibbutz Rosh Hanikra in Israel and his early membership in the Habonim Dror youth movement. • Catering available at all locations • Coupons are for all locations including Hercules Family Restaurant at 12 Mile & Farmington , us at www-leosconeyisland.com Visit Receive Receive Receive $100 Off $200 off Total Bill Over $10 Not valid with Specials. Not valid with any other offers. With coupon. Expires 11/30/06 Total Bill Over $20 Not valid with Specials. Not valid with any other offers. With coupon. Expires 11/30/06 10% Off Total Bill Not valid with Specials. Not valid with any other offers. With coupon. Expires 11/30/06 Receive 10%0ff Total Food Bill Dine-in only. Not valid with Specials. Not valid with any other offers. With coupon. Expires 11/30/06 FULL BAR .1301 • ket-IARD LAKE ROAD WEST BLOOMFIELD CROSSWINDS PLAZA 248-538-6000 FULL SERVICE CATERING What a delicious complement to your Thanksgiving table! Delicious Ittrty"' ARRANGEMENTS To order, please call or visit the location nearest you: BERKLEY Berkley Corners 2530 W. 12 Mile Road 248-547-7000 WEST BLOOMFIELD 6167 Haggerty Road 248-960-5200 1175340 WWW.ediblearrangements.com .1N November 16 2006 39