“”It’s the times that we live in that really shape the comics.””

In our time, the U.S. is filled to the brim with political correctness, comedian Dave Attell said. And there’s no escaping it; it’s everywhere, he said. Attell’s job is to prod the politically correct by taking taboo issues and cloaking them in a comedy bit. A racist dinosaur deals with racism. A “”retard”” wears a ski boot and a flipper for the mentally disabled.

“”The cool thing about being a comic is pushing the envelope and talking about things people don’t want to talk about,”” he said. “”Whether it’s abortion or – whatchamacallit – bestiality and things like that, you try and make those things funny…””

Attell’s been trying to contort sensitive issues into comedy for two decades. When he graduated from New York University, Attell jumped into comedy, but wasn’t entirely sure he wouldn’t give up on standup and join the Navy.

But Attell picked up roles in the animated series “”Dr. Katz”” and “”Everybody Loves Raymond”” and by 2001 had his own show on Comedy Central – “”Insomniac with Dave Attell.”” In 2004, the network dropped the show.

For now, Attell will have to wait as his new Comedy Central show, “”The Gong Show,”” hangs in limbo.

“”‘The Gong Show’ has never been more needed since we do give away money, and people need money, even if it’s 600 bucks,”” he said. “”That’s like what – a million stocks?””

He can’t wait for the current economic doomsday to end. It’s not the economic decline that he’s overly concerned about; he just wants to the see the news cycle change.

“”I think there’s going to be a big kind of morning after of ‘now what are we obsessed about,'”” Attell said.

Attell acknowledged he isn’t much of a political comic, though he does have some political jokes in his repertoire. In the end, he doesn’t care too much about politics, as long as the voters get to the polls.

“”My overall political thing is: there better be a fucking line at that voting booth after all this talk about people better vote,”” he said. “”Because I’ve been down there sometimes where it’s just me, two old women and a World War I vet.””

Then Attell turned his attention to the youth expected to show at the polls.

“”I would say if you’re in college, drop out now because a lot of the jobs you’re going for won’t exist and that the power field in the future is ghost hunting.””

Or –

“”You spend your 20s dreaming of the drugs that you can buy when you’re in your 30s,”” he said. “”That’s basically how I did it.””