Playing to a near sell-out crowd at Sanders Theater last night, comedian Paula Poundstone treated Harvard to the proverbial "dose of reality."

On a Monday night, however, few students were in attendance. Poundstone's brash, acerbic humor found a more adult audience than that usually attending Social Analysis 10 and Justice lectures.

The room was transformed into a setting fit for Hollywood by a profusion of red velvet curtains with gold tassels, orange lighting and a three-dimensional representation of the Harvard shield. Two shows were taped consecutively and will appear on HBO on February 3.

Poundstone, wearing a blue suit and a multicolored shirt, pointed to the statue of Josiah Quincy that stands to the right side of the audience, dramatically illuminated for the show, and asked, "Is there a Harvard student here who knows who that guy is?" Nobody knew.

Next, Poundstone delved into the grisly details of academic life at Harvard. Calling on a Women's Studies concentrator in the audience, Poundstone discovered that the student attended one class yesterday.

"When you're studying women you have to pace yourself. Even Senator Packwood could tell you that. Don't do it all at once for God's sake," Poundstone quipped.

A concentrator in cognitive neuroscience, who told Poundstone that her organic chemistry professor had used "molecular molecules" in class demonstrations, fared just as badly as her friend.

But Poundstone herself did not claim intellectual superiority, saying that on the SAT, "I used a straight edge and answered all B's."

Poundstone shared her views on a variety of other topics, both personal and political.

On baby food: "It actually says not to feed the baby from the Gerber jar because it's 'unappetizing.'"

On questions encountered while filling out school forms in Marin County, California for her child: "How long can your child go without water? How much weight can your child's head withstand? In an emergency, could your child make a meringue pie?"

On her therapist: "This therapist fell asleep while I was talking to her...I tucked a blanket up under her chin and left."

On sex, or lack thereof: "You know what I can't figure out about people who have sex? When do they read?"

"I don't have sex but my manager has sex and that's enough for me," Poundstone added.

On hearing that her manager's date had requested to be handcuffed to the headboard during sex: "I told her, 'Why couldn't you just tell him, 'Couldn't I just write you out a citation this time?'"

Throughout her performance, Poundstone heckled audience members.