By Jaime Woo

Photo by Gardinergirl from the Torontoist Flickr Pool.
The upcoming election provokes many reactions—fear, anger, and apathy—but very little laughter. Instead, political comedy flows from south of the border, where shows like Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, and The Colbert Report lampoon the absurdities in their own election, alongside late night talk shows and the unintentionally funny 24/7 EVERYTHING! IS! NEWS! cable news broadcasts.
At home, most of the comedy shows won’t start up until the campaign is midway through. The Ceeb’s Air Farce returns on October 1, while 22 Minutes starts its run a day earlier on September 30. (Cleverly, the Ceeb has kept the start date for The Rick Mercer Report a secret as it’s not listed anywhere on the website. Taping starts this Thursday, so one presumes it’s coming back soon, but master comic ninja Rick Mercer is aiming for an element of surprise, no?) On the Comedy Network, hopes for a Canadianized version of The Daily Show—why not? correspondents Samantha Bee and Jason Jones are Canucks—were dashed by a rep, which is a shame since parent network CTV loves the remakes. Subsequently, we’re left watching from the sidelines as Tina Fey pokes fun at Sarah Palin, when Canadians themselves desperately need a good laugh.

The public will require some catharsis from the fatigue of facing another election so soon. Who will skewer the Conservatives—who hold little regard for voters, casually insulting the father of a fallen soldier and the victims of the listeriosis crisis—by taking the party’s insensitivity to ridiculous heights? Who will make fun of Stéphane Dion’s aw-shucks grandfatherly response to being allowed unlimited friends on Facebook? Who will have a go at Jack Layton’s new master plan: try to take over the world?
For a start, Torontonians can find relief in live comedy. The Second City will be offering a free post-show improv focusing on the election, says rep Julianne Barager. Show times will be 10 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays, midnight on Saturdays, and 9 p.m. on Sundays. There’s also The News Show, which has sketch comedy that focuses on current events. (Clips of previous shows are available on the TNS website.) Cast member Ian MacIntyre says TNS will “be doing an entire election-edition on Tuesday, October 8. Nothing is set in stone, but we’re aiming for mock debates, campaign ads, and Layton-moustache jokes.”
As we count down to the election date, all eyes will be on whoever can create a sketch that distills the political atmosphere and causes people to race onto YouTube, in the same way Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and writer Seth Meyers did on the season premiere of SNL. Pull out the Mr Rogers sweaters and fake Jack Layton-moustaches, Toronto, because you’re on a mission now! Our bet is on ninja Mercer, who eviscerates with ease. As the incumbents, the Conservatives should expect the brunt of the jokes—especially since they’ve already invited ridicule when the (puffin) shit hit the Stéphane.