I just learned the Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival is honoring me this year with its Maverick Award. The award is “presented to an artist or individual whose work has set a high standard of individuality and self-styled creativity.” I remember in 2004, when I performed in their festival, they awarded it to Lily Tomlin, who I met for the first time there. I told her about seeing “Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe” as a child, and saying, “I wanna do THAT.” From that moment on, every talent show, I dressed up as a bag-lady and did her opening monologue. Later, when I was old enough to have something to say, I started writing my own. I told her as much when I met her at the LAWTF that night she was receiving her Maverick Award. Now, 20 years later, it’s me. #photoby @devindygert