2003-06-15

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Did You Hear the One About the Suicide Bomber?

Shazia Mirza is coming, and Mirza is a Big Act in Britain these days. She enters and steps up, or rather over, to the stage and prepares to do her set. A few in the tiny crowd do a double take, for this comedian is wearing a traditional Muslim headdress. ''I'm really pleased to be here, because my dad has let me out for the night,'' Mirza says, utterly deadpan. ''So I'm not going to stay long. My dad is picking me up in 10 minutes. He thinks this is a library.''