“A topical comedian with a well-honed sardonic slant on every issue and everybody, Sahl was a major influence on comics from Lenny Bruce and George Carlin to Jon Stewart, Chris Rock and Will Durst — as well a joke writer to presidents ranging from John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan.” He was considered the inventor of modern standup and he used to get on stage with a newspaper and just riff on the news. I can relate. Mort Sahl, giant of political comedy who emerged from S.F. clubs, dead at 94.