“Mr. Kushner squeezed a New Yorker profile-length introduction to Mr. Albee into his alotted three minutes, including a brief recap of Sunday night’s episode of Mad Men (it name-checked Mr. Albee) and running only ten minutes over.

“You’re talking too long!” a heckler from the squirming audience eventually told Mr. Kushner. But, in accepting the award, Mr. Albee also demonstrated PEN’s mission to fight the censorship of writers.

“That was a very good three minutes,” Mr. Albee said, looking rakish in mustache and brown leather blazer. “Since I’m allotted five I’ll only go on eighteen.”

After applauding PEN, “an organization that does you honor by honoring you,” Mr. Albee honored himself by interviewing himself about his career, playing both the role of Mr. Albee and an invisible journalist he’d just met, a young fellow named Tommy.”

(via Tony Kushner and Edward Albee Go Long at PEN Literary Gala | The New York Observer)