Historians are a dour lot, but Sarah Vowell looks at America with dark amusement. And that voice!

Once just a pack of Ivy League smartasses, the Harvard Lampoon is now the stepping stone to comedy careers.

From radio’s heyday to SNL and beyond, audiences loved the gentle mockery of Bob and Ray.

TV was “the boob tube” but Steve Allen brought intelligence, style, and a wacky wit that inspired generations.

“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.” — H.L. Mencken

“There’s no secret to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.”