Funny Business

Let's face it: Most premiums are boring. Pens? Nah. T-shirts? Eh. Mugs? Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…

For the recent “Night of Too Many Stars” benefit for autism education, Comedy Central went a different route with its gewgaws to entice contributors.

Give $50 or more, get an oven mitt with the event's logo. Why an oven mitt? Why not? Give $100 or more, get a black ski mask with the logo and the words “Anonymous Donor” printed on the front. It's the perfect way to show you care during a liquor-store holdup.

Those willing to cough up $200 or more during the Jon Stewart-hosted show got their name sung during a performance of “They Didn't Start Autism” (to the tune of Billy Joel's “We Didn't Start the Fire”) by Ben Stiller and “Saturday Night Live” cast members Fred Armisen and Will Forte.

The premiums were funny, skewed on target for the network's audience. I'm betting they got more than a few viewers to give to the benefit organized by Robert Smigel (better known as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog).

Next time you're looking for donations, consider that sometimes funny = money.