Mark Russell

Whenever Political Humorist Mark Russell is down in the dumps, he opens the newspaper and immediately cheers up. Practically everything he sees strikes him funny. Some days, he says, the jokes jump off the pages and write themselves.

TV Guide has called Russell "the funniest man on television." But he disagrees. "No, the funniest guys are on C-Span," he says.

Russell has spent most of the past 30 years on Public Television. The Mark Russell Comedy Specials have consistently ranked among the top-rated shows on that network. He works live, fresh and topical, performing stand-up comedy while accompanying himself on the piano.

Russell readily admits that when he was a kid, he dodged the draft. He did it by joining the Marine Corps. After serving his full hitch, he found himself in the smoke-filled bars of Washington, D.C., singing his funny songs.

Around the time the New Frontier was invading Washington, Russell invaded the Shoreham Hotel for a risky two-week gig. It lasted for 20 years. The Marquee Lounge became the place where politicians would come to hear his jokes about the things they had done that day. Today, his syndicated column is enjoyed all over America.

Russell says the question he is most frequently asked is "Do you have any writers?" "Oh yes," he always answers ... "I have 535 writers - 100 in the Senate and 435 in the House of Representatives."