AS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW, MORT SAUL IS 80 YEARS OLD, HAS LOST HIS 
HOME AND IS IN NEED OF WORK. THE COMEDY COMMUNITY HAS COME TOGETHER 
TO HELP HIM. THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THAT PROGRESS. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO 
WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.  THE FOLLOWING LETTER IS FROM ROSS 
SHAFER WHO HAS BEEN SPEAR HEADING THE DRIVE TO HELP MORT.


>
>
> Dear friends of Mort Sahl,

> A lot has happened since my "Mort Needs Your Help" email went out 
> last week.
> The response from all of you has been astounding.
>
> Before I tell you who has stepped up - and what's being planned, 
> let me answer a couple of recurring questions.
>
> IS THIS REAL? Yes!
> Hopefully you have talked to your friends and discovered this is 
> not a scam. Rather it's a solid effort to help one of our nation's 
> most influential comedians pay his modest monthly bills.
>
> DOES MORT KNOW? Yes. I knew he had been struggling for awhile
>
> WHY IS THE MONEY BEING SENT TO ROSS' HOUSE? Since Mort lost his 
> house in Beverly Hills (of 40 years) he has been moving from rental 
> to rental.  My address is stable. Also, Mort will be the first to 
> tell you he is a much better Presidential speech writer than a 
> money manager. So, I plan to help him with that.
>
> WHO'S CONTRIBUTING $$ or JOB LEADS? In the first email I asked you 
> for ANY amount of money to help with food and rent...or club 
> leads...because Mort is as funny and current as ever.
>
> As of today, cash and booking help is coming from: Mel Brooks, 
> George Carlin, Richard Lewis, Albert Brooks, Howard Storm, Art 
> Metrano, Steve Middleman, Billy Rebak, Bob Weide, Cathy Ladman, 
> Steve Bluestein, Lucy Webb, David Feldman, Drew Hedgcock, Paul 
> Boland, Donny Conn (aka Donald Clap), Shelley Berman, Alan Zweibel, 
> Pauley Shore, Budd Friedman, Eliot Threatt, Jamie Alcroft, Tony 
> Lani, Lou Lotorto, Mark Romanek, Marty Rudoy...and ME...and getting 
> more emails, checks, and commitments for $$ every day.
> Thanks to you all - and PLEASE forward this email - maybe we can 
> shame more of our friends into
> opening their wallets a little ;-) I'll update with the new names 
> next time.
>
> WHAT'S IN THE WORKS? In addition, we want to organize a MORT SAHL 
> TRIBUTE CONCERT...(not labeled a "benefit") in conjunction with 
> Mort's 80th Birthday in May. We would need some of our heavy 
> hitters to each do a little time (ala Billy, Robin, Richard, 
> Shelley, George, Jerry, Larry, Garry, Bill Maher, Dennis Miller, et 
> al.) and have Mort close the show; prove he is still very funny, 
> vibrant, and current.
>
> WHERE? If we can get "the names" Irvin Arthur, Howard Storm, and 
> Buddy Morra and others have been bantering the idea of doing this 
> in The Wilshire Theater in LA (1,400) seats...naturally after the 
> theater costs...the balance of the proceeds would go to Mort.
>
> MORT ON TV? Wednesday, I talked to Jim Sharp at Comedy Central (sr. 
> VP of Programming) about taping such a concert..intercutting with 
> vintage clips from Bob Weide's great American Masters documentary 
> about Mort...PLUS..Happy Birthday Clips from Hugh Hefner, Clint 
> Eastwood, Warren Beatty, Robert Redford, and Woody Allen. Jim is in 
> Aspen at the Comedy Festival and will know something by Tuesday. 
> Jim is very supportive and said CC will contribute in some fashion 
> regardless. If CC can't tape it for scheduling or budget purposes, 
> who has strong contacts at HBO I can call? (Marc Gurvitz? Bernie 
> Brillstein? help?)
>
> SPECIAL THANKS: We really need to thank Bob Weide and Richard Lewis 
> for their tremendous enthusiasm for this project and their 
> incredible email lists. They have truly made this "the email heard 
> 'round the world." Mort is blown away and grateful for this 
> outpouring of affection. Steve Bluestein has also been relentless 
> in asking for booking ideas and help. Tony Lani is getting Sydney 
> Pollack and the 'movie star' contingent involved. ...Mort will be forever in your debt.
>
> NOTE #1: In the first email, I said that your contributions were 
> tax deductible. For IRS purposes Mort would have to be a registered 
> non-profit organization (oxymoron here) - or mutually agree to bad 
> debt status with you. To make this simple, please just give from 
> your heart and not from a tax advantage point of view. I apologize 
> for not being clear the first time around.
> NOTE #2: I don't have everyone's email address so please forward 
> this to your own mailing list - as you did the first time around. 
> That way we can keep the circulation building - and respect privacy 
> for those who want it.
>
> Thanks again for doing the right thing. Updates once a week.
> Ross
>
> PLEASE MAKE YOUR CHECK OUT TO:  Mort Sahl - but send them to my 
> address below.
> FYI: Any amount is welcome $50, $100, $200, $500, $1,000..whatever 
> you can spare.
>
> Mort Sahl
> c/o Ross Shafer
> 176 S. Trish Court
> Anaheim Hills, Calif. 92808


:\'(

Yes, this is real. Please, Mort Sahl fans, help out. I know Mort, and, aside from being a truly unique thinker, he is a truly great human being, with the emphasis on the human. He told America the truth when it counted, and it would be great if Americans would contribute now. Because Mort is all about integrity, and honesty, and true patriotism. Thank you all...