Mort Sahl

Before The Onion, Weekend Update and The Daily Show, Sahl's shtick satirized the news of the day. It's the 50th anniversary of the comedian's first appearance at the "Hungry I" nightclub in San Francisco. Before Sahl, tuxedo-clad borscht belt comedians made tame jokes about your mother in law. After Sahl came the dark, satirical wit of comedians like Lenny Bruce, Woody Allen and Bill Cosby.