The Lowbrow Reader is a lushly illustrated New York City comedy journal founded by Jay Ruttenberg in 2001. Its eight issues have featured contributions from David Berman (Silver Jews), Shelley Berman (no relation), Neil Michael Hagerty (The Howling Hex), Lee Hazlewood, Gilbert Rogin, and other kind souls moonlighting from the hallowed worlds of rock music, fiction, journalism, cartooning, and television. Each issue is designed by Matthew Berube and features on its cover an illustration by John Mathias depicting a man or woman at a toilet or urinal.