That cow business isn't going to land anyone an Oscar nomination, but David Lynch will still do anything to get you to read his book

After appearing on various street corners around town with a live bovine to try to promote/goose-the-non-existent-Oscar-chances of his widely unseen movie "Inland Empire," David Lynch has taken surreal self-promotion to a new level with a free show at the Kodak Theatre Sunday at 7, featuring a live performance by Donovan.
That's right, English '60s troubador Donovan. "Mellow Yellow." "Sunshine Superman." The guy Dylan mercilessly skewered in "Dont Look Back." It's free, though.
Between sets of "Jennifer Juniper" and "Epistle to Dippy," Lynch will discuss his latest impenetrable cinematic thingamajig and, perhaps more enlightenly, his concise, insightful new book "Catching the Big Fish."
It's sort of a career bio mixed with what could be written off as New Age twaddle. But Lynch's lucid descriptions of how his longtime practice of Transcendental Meditation freshens his artistic soul sound pretty convincing (at least to someone who practices different kinds of meditation and creativity; your experience may vary).
And yes, I attributed lucidity to David Lynch in the previous paragraph. The book is all to-the-point, one- and two-page chapters, most of which are clearer about life priorities, creative nuts and bolts and where such masterpieces as "Mulholland Dr." and "Blue Velvet" and a good 10 minutes of the three-hour "Inland Empire" come from than anything in those movies ever were. Or that the sphynxlike Lynch has been willing to say about them before (he writes good explanations of why he acts like that, too). It's a rare psycho-autobio that's wry and inspirational for both those who want some practical spiritual nourishment in their lives and those hoping to maintain their integrity in the movie business. Or anyone who'd like to do both.
It even sort of helps one understand the cow weirdness, if not the Donovan thing.
And if you want to hear Lynch without the side order of "Hurdy Gurdy Man," he'll be doing a solo book signing at the Westwood Borders, 1360 Westwood Blvd., Tuesday the 23rd at 7 p.m.
Yes, that's the date the Oscar nominations will be announced at, like, 5 in the morning. But I expect Lynch will be lucid; he's not likely to be awakened by any predawn calls.