"What's the deal with politics?" — Kramer, imitating Seinfeld

Seriously, what's the deal? Specifically, with political humor. It's impossible to turn on a late-night show or listen to a stand-up act without encountering some flavor of it.

That wasn't always the case. Politics were pretty much off comedic limits until 1950s... and Mort Sahl.

Sahl, who recently passed away, was truly the first stand-up to do political humor. Armed with a newspaper and monologuing to the audience, he pioneered the type of comedy that became incredibly popular in years since.

Of course, today you don't need stand-ups to make fun of politicians. They do a better job of it themselves...