Examining the many different ways that comedy has lampooned and influenced politics over the years.

One of the oldest forms of comedy, sexual humor, has been a part of funny storytelling throughout history. From Aristophanes to Shakespeare to Sarah Silverman, the ubiquitous nature of relationships and sexual pursuits throughout life has made sexual humor an attractive topic for comedy—frequently pushing the limits of both comfort and political correctness. Whether it be Mae West or Animal House, Eddie Murphy or American Pie, sexual humor has always found a way to get past the puritanical and continue to land on the front lines of comedy.

Ever since Commedia dell'Arte brought traveling troupes through Renaissance Europe presenting short shows with improvised dialogue, sketch and improv comedy has been an important part of new comedic talent. On television, sketch comedy has always been present with Your Show of Shows, Monty Python's Flying Circus, SCTV, The Kids in the Hall, Mr. Show and In Living Color, providing decades of short-form comedy to audiences. In comparison, Saturday Night Live has spent over 40 years recruiting talented performers from influential improv groups to create the longest-running sketch show in American television history.