The American Writers Museum (AWM) continues its special program series for American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture in May and June 2025 with events featuring acclaimed authors and comedians spanning genres and faiths. The new American Prophets exhibition opens at AWM on November 21, 2025.
Upcoming American Prophets programs include:
Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Dave Barry, the son of a Presbyterian minister, discusses his new book Class Clown: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass on Thursday, May 15 at 6 p.m. at Chicago Hope Academy (2156 W Ogden Avenue, Chicago). Barry will be interviewed by Mark Bazer and books will be sold at the event, with a signing following the program. General admission is $15 and $35 tickets include a copy of Class Clown. More information and tickets are available on the AWM website at americanwritersmuseum.org/program-calendar/dave-barry-class-clown.
National Book Critics Circle Award finalist Paul Elie discusses his new book The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s on Friday, May 30 at 7 p.m. at the American Writers Museum (180 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago) in an event in partnership with the Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF). In this book, Elie explores the origins of our postsecular present and the moment when popular culture became the site of religious conflict in the 1980s—from Andy Warhol’s adaptation of The Last Supper to the boycott sparked by Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” music video. Event tickets are $34, with books available for purchase, on the CHF website at chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/paul-elie.
In “Faith is Funny: Comedy Writers on God and Religion” on Monday, June 23 at 6 p.m. at the Studebaker Theater (410 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago), leading comedians Negin Farsad, Hari Kondabolu and Kate Sidley talk with “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” host Peter Sagal about why religion is so hilarious and how their faiths—Jewish, Hindu, Catholic and Muslim—inform their jokes. From Sister Act to The Book of Mormon, The Righteous Gemstones to Groundhog Day, religion has been a fertile ground for funny writers, getting serious ideas about American culture across with a laugh. Event tickets are $26 at fineartsbuilding.com/events/american-prophets-faith-is-funny.
Additional American Prophets events with authors spanning genres and faiths will be presented throughout 2025 and into early 2026. Check the events calendar at AmericanWritersMuseum.org for programming updates.
American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture journeys through the pages of American history and both real and fictionalized spiritual practices to explore the profound ways literature reflects and influences our understanding of religion. An immersive exhibit opening at the American Writers Museum on November 21, 2025, will showcase rare artifacts, interactive displays, and related creative works spanning literature, film, music, comedy and more. AWM invites visitors to discover how storytelling serves as a powerful lens for examining belief systems, personal identity and the ever-evolving relationship between religion and American culture.
American Prophets is supported by a $2.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative.
BIOS FOR MAY & JUNE PROGRAMS
Dave Barry is the author of more bestsellers than you can count on two hands, including Swamp Story, Lessons from Lucy, Dave Barry’s Complete Guide to Guys, Dave Barry Turns Forty, and Dave Barry Is Not Making This Up. A wildly popular syndicated columnist best known for his booger jokes, Barry won the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for commentary. He lives in Miami.
Paul Elie is the author of The Life You Save May Be Your Own (2003) and Reinventing Bach (2012), both National Book Critics Circle Award finalists. He is a senior fellow in Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, and a regular contributor to The New Yorker. He lives in Brooklyn.
Negin Farsad was named one of 50 Funniest Women by Huffington Post, named one of the 10 Best Feminist Comedians by Paper Magazine, and was selected as a TEDFellow for her work in social justice comedy. Her docu-comedy film The Muslims are Coming! received an Audience Award from the Austin Film Festival. She is the author of the recently released How To Make White People Laugh, a memoir-meets-social-justice-comedy manifesto which was nominated for the Thurber Prize for Humor and recommended by Oprah Magazine.
Hari Kondabolu is a comedian, writer & podcaster based in Brooklyn, NY. He has been described by The NY Times as “one of the most exciting political comics in stand-up today.” He has performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live, John Oliver’s NY Stand-Up Show, @Midnight & has his own half-hour special on Comedy Central. A former writer & correspondent on the Chris Rock produced FX TV show “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell.” In 2017, he released his critically acclaimed documentary “The Problem with Apu” on truTV.
Kate Sidley is a comedy writer and performer originally from Cleveland, Ohio. She writes for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and her work can be seen in the New Yorker, McSweeney's, and Reductress. Kate has multiple Emmy-nominations, a Peabody Award, a Writers Guild Award and, thanks to her years of Catholic school, a visceral aversion to plaid wool skirts. Her forthcoming book is called How to Be a Saint: An Extremely Weird and Mildly Sacrilegious History of The Catholic Church's Biggest Names.
ABOUT THE AMERICAN WRITERS MUSEUM
The American Writers Museum is the first museum of its kind in the United States. The mission of the American Writers Museum is to excite audiences about the impact of American writers — past, present and future — in shaping our collective histories, cultures, identities, and daily lives. The museum is located at 180 N. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60601, and offers something for every age group including permanent exhibits and special galleries highlighting America’s favorite works and the authors behind them. Tickets to the museum are $16 for adults, $10 for seniors, students, and teachers. Free for members and children ages 12 and under. To inquire about discounted rates for groups of 10 or more, including adults, student travel groups, and University students, visit AmericanWritersMuseum.org/visit/groups/ or call 312-374-8765. Museum hours are Monday, Thursday—Sunday, 10 AM—5 PM. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information visit AmericanWritersMuseum.org or call 312-374-8790. Follow AWM on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.