Twenty minutes before taping, Brian McCann, one of the writers, takes the stage to welcome the "Late Night" audience with some gentle jokes and instructions.

"Spin Art 2000," by Stephen Hooper of Clifton, is a gentle joke that does not take a political stand.

It was a gentle joke within the family that Mom had never ceased to grieve for the Model T Ford that they had driven in the early years of marriage.

He made a gentle joke about that not being the danger he'd warned her about.

His students were clearly enthralled, one moment laughing at his gentle joke, the next eagerly competing for his attention.

Speaking for the Democrats, he made a few gentle jokes and took an oratorical gamble by singing a song, which he carried off well.

She mused that she had never "known him when he wasn't very interested in elected political life," and then made the kind of gentle joke at his expense that she loves.

The women would soothe and reassure her, the men would offer gentle jokes.

The poll workers smiled and made gentle jokes.