A dancer snaps a photo of his partner tonight as they danced to the Doug Wahlberg Band at the Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) WestportNow.com photo

DJ Rekha led the Levitt Pavilion crowd in dancing tonight to South Asian sounds. She performs at a monthly event known as Basement Bhangra at SOB’s on Varick Street in Manhatttan. Since its launch in 1997, Basement Bhangra has popularized the traditional-modern bhangra blend, making the genre a part of the New York City club scene. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) J.C. Martin for WestportNow.com

DJ Rekha had the crowd dancing tonight at the Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts.  (CLICK TO ENLARGE) J.C. Martin for WestportNow.com

DJ Rekha, often credited with bringing South Asian music to New York, gave Bhangra dance lessons tonight to Westport’s Levitt Pavilion crowd. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) J.C. Martin for WestportNow.com

The Westport Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts tonight presented Old School Revue featuring The Saugatuck Horns with special guest Tom Bowes (r), formerly lead singer with Tower of Power. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) JTG Photography for WestportNow.com

Special guest Tom Bowes, formerly lead singer with Tower of Power, had the crowd dancing tonight as he performed at the Levitt Pavilion with Old School Revue featuring The Saugatuck Horns. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) JTG Photography for WestportNow.com

By Susan Granger

Woody Allen has won four Academy Awards, along with the seven bestowed on actors in his films. “An Irrational Man,” his 46th film as a director, is a comedy about a tormented, disillusioned philosophy professor who muses about “morality, choice and the aesthetics of life, randomness and murder.”

When Abe Lucas (Joaquin Phoenix) arrives at Rhode Island’s (fictional) Braylin College, his charismatic reputation precedes him – at least rumors about his alcoholism and legendary penchant for young women. Which poses an enticing challenge for frustrated faculty colleague, Rita Richards (Parker Posey), and eager philosophy student, Jill Pollard (Emma Stone).

Addressing his Ethical Strategies class, Abe casually informs them that “much of philosophy is verbal masturbation.” While we think we know right from wrong, circumstances can change things. Later, at an off-campus party, he horrifies onlookers by playing an impromptu game of Russian roulette.

Nihilistic Abe suffers from psychological depression, a condition which is immediately relieved after he and Jill eavesdrop on a cafe conversation in which a distraught mother recounts how she’s about to lose custody of her children because her estranged ex-husband is in cahoots with a corrupt judge.

Westport best-selling author Jane Green told the Westport Rotary Club today while social media is presenting time-consuming challenges for writers, it also produces rewards.

Westport best-selling author Jane Green addresses the Westport Rotary Club today. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“Social media is a blessing and a curse for me,” she said. “It’s such a curse and such a drain and so time-consuming, but I can see how my writing is touching people.”

Green, an English-born journalist now a naturalized American citizen living in Westport’s Compo Beach area with her husband and six children, said while more and more people are using smartphones and other devices, there still is a inner desire unmet by electronics.

“We all hide behind phones and computers, but long for a human connection,” she said.

Renowned author and human rights advocate Salman Rushdie will deliver the Westport Library’s annual Malloy Lecture in the Arts on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Staples High School auditorium, it was announced today.

Salman Rushdie: will speak Oct. 22. Contributed photo

Widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of our time, Rushdie is the author of twelve novels including “Midnight’s Children” (for which he won the Booker Prize and the Best of the Booker), “The Satanic Verses,” “The Moor’s Last Sigh,” and “The Ground Beneath Her Feet,” which was the inspiration for a song produced by U2 with lyrics by Rushdie.

He has also published four works of nonfiction, including his acclaimed memoir J”oseph Anton.” The memoir’s title was taken from the code name he used after Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran charged him with blasphemy and issued a fatwa calling for his assassination following the publication of “The Satanic Verses.”

Rushdie has co-edited two anthologies, “Mirrorwork”, a collection of contemporary Indian writing, “Best American Short Stories 2008.” and a collection of short stories, “East and West.”