Laughing in the storm: Comics don’t shy from Sandy

NEW YORK (AP) — Superstorm Sandy is a punchline. That’s the word of New York comics who haven’t skipped a beat in adding the storm to their acts.

Comedian Paul Mecurio says he finds crowds eager to laugh at circumstances beyond anyone’s control. But the storm pulled the plug on comedy at several comedy clubs for nearly a week, including the Gotham Comedy Club in Chelsea and the Comedy Cellar in the West Village.

The Comedy Cellar brought in a generator for a show Nov. 2 before power was restored hours afterward. Mecurio says he thought the joke was on him when the club summoned him downtown into dark streets for the show. He says it was a great experience for everyone, including cynical comics and a packed house that needed a cathartic event.