EXHAUSTING THE RESOURCES: Making the Case for a Moratorium on Comedy

Is there no end in sight to the nation’s comedy binge? Toyota obviously hopes not, having announced plans to sponsor Toyota Comedy Festivals this spring. Still, amid all the talk of cultural change in the nation as a new regime takes power, one can’t help wondering whether the stand-up craze still has legs. Americans managed to amuse themselves and each other for decades before every little burg got a comedy club and every other cable channel became a venue for such performances, so there’s no obvious reason why the fad should last forever.