Find Out What's Behind It

You've probably imagined her in your Hunter S. Thompson dreams: A sexy, unpredictable, brainy absurdist able to keep up with the drug-fueled antics of pornographers while also maintaining a serene humanity. Simone Corday is this woman. In her memoir 9 1/2 Years Behind the Green Door, she describes life with the infamous Mitchell brothers when she danced and caroused at their peepshow theater in the 1980s. In the book, which is largely dedicated to describing her relationship with lover Artie Mitchell, she's often naked or making regular visitor Thompson giggle by chasing men around the strip joint in a gorilla suit. She also pontificates hilariously on hypocritical moralists and the pain they feel due to the success of the theater and those famous films. At a recent reading, her complete lack of bitterness, heartbreak, or regret were evident, and her genuine love of San Francisco, sex, and honesty made the stories even funnier. In the end, she writes on her Web site, "I bought the ticket, and it was a spectacular ride."
Thu., Feb. 28, 7 p.m., 2008