CHRISTIAN TOTO: Can Comedy Recover from Russia Conspiracy Hoax?

Night after night, show after show, the notion that the U.S. president colluded with a foreign government flavored the monologues.

Don’t forget how “Saturday Night Live” carried the Russia collusion torch, too. The show hired Robert De Niro, an avowed Trump hater, to play Robert Mueller investigating the president’s alleged Russian ties. The purpose was clear: the president was one report away from going to the hoosegow.

The women of “SNL” even sang “All I Want for Christmas Is Mueller” just a few weeks back.

And, as we all just learned, it wasn’t true. No Russia collusion. Period. Full stop.

Click over for examples of the New Funny.

Comedy was never pretty, but it sure has gotten ugly.