Mort Sahl was a Canadian-born American stand-up comedian and social satirist. He was known for his sharp wit and often controversial political humor. He was one of the first modern stand-up comedians to become a household name, and he was widely regarded as the father of modern political comedy. He was also the first comedian to appear on the cover of Time magazine. Sahl's career spanned over five decades, and he was nominated for an Academy Award for his screenplay for The Candidate in 1972.