FRIDAY, July 20

Famous as publisher of the counterculture satirical magazine The Realist, a member of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters and the youngest person to ever play Carnegie Hall (the violin at age 6; thanks, Wikipedia!), Paul Krassner has lost none of his irascibility over the years. His recent entry on The Huffington Post shows he’s in fiery form, socking it to the Supreme Court over such issues as medical marijuana. Here, he’ll tackle “political bullshit, the war on drugs, religious hypocrisy, the evolution of porn, the Yippies.” Also on the bill is Murray Meyer (great name), criminal lawyer and author of What I Do for a Living Is Criminal. M Bar, 1253 N. Vine St., Hlywd.; Fri., July 20, 8 p.m.; $15, plus $10 food minimum. (323) 856-0036.

SATURDAY, July 21

What’s the difference between a Mod and a Rocker? Is it like the Crips and the Bloods, or the Jets and the Sharks? Whatever it is, Hollywood Boulevard and Montana Avenue are buzzing with people badly maneuvering their Vespas for the Mods & Rockers Festival, well into its three weeks of celebrating all the fun you missed in the ’60s. The fellow who puts the whole shaggy megillah together is a chap — or is he a bloke? — named Martin Lewis, whom you may have heard on Sirius’ Underground Garage (pronounced GARE-aj) with his “Sgt. Pepper Minute.” Still on the slate: screenings of the Stax Records doc Respect Yourself (tonight), the U.S. premiere of Stax Revue, Wattstax and Sounds of Memphis; a tribute to Ahmet Ertegun; Leiber & Stoller in person; the D.A. Pennebaker classics Only the Strong Survive and Shake!: Otis at Monterey, among others. You’ll need some of those little black pills Jimmy swallows in Quadrophenia just to get through it all. At the Egyptian and Aero theaters, thru Aug. 1. For full schedule: www.modsandrockers.com.

SUNDAY, July 22

Who wrote, “Come down out of the skies, you God, come on down and I’ll hammer your face all over the city of Los Angeles, you miserable unpardonable prankster”? If you said John Fante, you know your L.A. writers and may proceed to John Fante: Dreams of Bunker Hill, an Esotouric Bus Adventure through such downtown haunts as the Goodwill store, King Eddy’s bar, Sonora Town (now Chinatown) and the Central Library’s Reading Room. Meet at Lincoln Heights Gold Line Metro Station, 370 W. Avenue 26, dwntwn.; Sun., July 22, 1-6 p.m.; $55. (323) 223-2767.

MONDAY, July 23

During the fall of Baghdad in 2003, filmmaker Charles Ferguson shot more than 200 hours of footage, including looting and interviews with Iraqi citizens and high-ranking U.S. officials, to make No End in Sight, a documentary that should enlighten and thoroughly depress us. Ferguson takes part in a Q&A session following the screening. Part of AFI’s Uncensored Documentary Series. ArcLight Hollywood, 6360 Sunset Blvd., Hlwyd.; Mon., July 23, 8 p.m.; $11. (323) 464-4226.

TUESDAY, July 24

Films for Play: A Moving Picture Picture Show!, Theater of NOTE’s series of features, shorts, documentaries and music videos by local filmmakers, continues with a program of the horror and thriller variety. If you live for cheap-looking effects, this is the show for you. Upcoming themes: science fiction (Tues., July 31) and experimental (Tues., Aug. 7). Theater of NOTE, 1517 Cahuenga Blvd. (park at ArcLight Hollywood on Sunset & Vine), Hlywd.; Tues., July 24, 8 p.m.; $10. (323) 654-4571.

WEDNESDAY, July 25

The Skirball Center’s Noah’s Ark truly has to be seen — and climbed and handled and petted — to be believed. Wear comfy shoes, because you’ll want to climb a rope ladder to see all the goodies onboard this hands- (and feet-) on wonder ship. All the animals are designed with inspired whimsy and surprising touches — a keyboard for a zebra’s stripes, macaroni for porcupine spines. An enthusiastic and helpful staff — yes, there is such a thing — perform random jam sessions, storm making and stories to round out the whole 40 days–40 nights thing. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., L.A.; Tues.-Fri., noon-5 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; $10; call for Noah’s Ark appt. (310) 440-4500.

THURSDAY, July 26

Rejection — it’s what fills this town with countless insufferable no-talent blurbists. The Rejection Show is a “live comedic event that embraces the rejected and turned down material of well-known and under-the-radar writers, comedians, cartoonists, artists, filmmakers, TV personalities and other artistic types who display their creative failures live onstage.” Jon Friedman hosts, with rejecto-stories by Odd Todd, Bob Wiltfong and Wendy Spero. Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, 5919 Franklin Ave., Hlywd.; Thurs., July 26, 8 p.m.; $5. ?(323) 908-8702.

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