Comedy Pioneer Sahl Takes Throckmorton Stage

One of the icons of comedy will take the stage at 142 Throckmorton Theatre Saturday night for another set of political humor.

Mort Sahl, who laid the groundwork for countless comedians, particularly those who wield humor as a blunt object against politicians, has lived in Mill Valley for the past year and has been a regular performer at the Throckmorton. In addition to solo sets and pairings with fellow comedy great Dick Gregory, the 83-year-old Sahl frequently appears at Mark Pitta's Tuesday comedy night.

Born in Montreal in 1927, Sahl began developing his name at the hungry I nightclub in San Francisco's North Beach alongside many jazz musicians, including Vince Guaraldi, then a resident of Enchanted Knolls in Mill Valley.

Sahl is considered a pioneer of political humor, and he often took the stage with a rolled-up copy of the day's newspaper and rattled off jokes based on the latest headlines. Sahl tested his friendships with both President John F. Kennedy and President Ronald Regan by frequently performing jokes about them while they were in office, a much less common practice then.

Critically acclaimed violinist Patrick Tuzzolino will open for Sahl. The show begins at 8pm. See the theater's Web site for tickets and more information.