BOOKS
David Sedaris:
The wickedly funny David Sedaris, whose tales of midget guitar teachers and licking light switches have earned him a cultlike following, is on the road again. The best-selling author will visit 34 cities this fall, testing new material that could end up in his next book. The crowds will even have a chance to ask him questions. He speaks at 8 tonight at the Meyerhoff.
For more: ticketmaster.com
DVD
'The Visitor':
Richard Jenkins stars as a disaffected professor whose life is reshaped after discovering immigrant squatters in his little-used New York flat. This gripping film had a long run at both the Charles and Landmark theaters this summer. A sleeper hit in theaters, The Visitor - with ample time to win over Academy voters on DVD - could become a dark horse for an Oscar nomination. In stores Tuesday.
TV
'Kath & Kim':
Like the characters themselves, NBC's new comedy Kath & Kim is far from perfect. Molly Shannon and Selma Blair are a hoot as an ultra-tacky mother-daughter duo, but the show needs a jolt of energy. Yet after numerous attempts, it's the closest American TV has come to capturing the self-centered humor of the classic Brit series Absolutely Fabulous. Airs at 8:30 p.m. Thursday on WBAL, Channel 11.
ART
'Christo & Jeanne-Claude::
Over the River':
Check out Christo and Jeanne-Claude's latest project years before it actually happens. The couple - who famously turned Central Park saffron - plan to span a river in Colorado with miles of fabric. The show at the Phillips Collection in D.C. is more sneak peek than art exhibit, but fans of The Gates may not want to wait until 2012. Opens Saturday.
For more: phillipscollection.org
BOOKS
Bouchercon:
This week, mystery writers will descend on Baltimore for their annual convention. Among the highlights: Charlaine Harris, whose novels inspired the new HBO series True Blood, will sign books and greet fans at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Inner Harbor Barnes and Noble.
For more: charmedtodeath.com
POP MUSIC
Girl Talk:
Many of you probably won't catch the Girl Talk concert this week (shows in Baltimore and D.C. are sold out), but you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. DJ Gregg Gillis has been generating buzz, mashing up existing hits to create a frantic new sound. Yes, it's probably illegal, but for now we can enjoy an ADD wonderland for music lovers.
