Frank Kogan

except it gains some of its energy -- when it works, when it has any -- from apparent incongruity: ie depends on the level-think of others, to be funny or pertinent or whatever... the fact that i don't believe in something doesn't mean i don't co-opt the forcefield of the beliefs of others to gin up surprises or slippy turns or just gags

(this is generally an interesting territory, with pointed comedy: does satire attack the foibles of society in such a way as to remove them? or does it actually excuse and buttress them? if you constantly make jokes about all politicians being corrupt, do you challenge the corruption or enable it?)