Sen. Cory Gardner has been sacrificed selected as the comedian co-host of the Washington Press Club Foundation’s congressional dinner next week where he will square-off with tax cheater the Democratic funny man on Capitol Hill, Rep. Charles Rangel from New York.

Roll Call described the event as a campaign for the biggest laughs — a tough gig for any Republican facing a national press club that thinks it’s only funny when something goes terribly wrong in the GOP.

 The dueling pols are sharing top billing at this year’s typically tongue-in-cheek shindig, a press-friendly gathering — MSNBC personality Alex Wagner is expected to serve as the master of ceremonies — that ushers in the cavalcade of seasonal awards dinners in #ThisTown.

The national press thinks Rangel is funny when he uses a cell phone as a prop during a campaign debate.

Whereas, we find this item from the Roll Call story humorous:

Team Gardner seems excited about the opportunity to needle colleagues and the media in one fell swoop. Although not a trained comedian, Gardner aides suggested the three-term House member and new senator wants not for material — “On the subject of Charlie Rangel, Senator Gardner was quite Evasive, finding the whole process rather Taxing,” a Gardner aide quipped via email, making light of Rangel’s fiscal challenges …

Gardner is quick on his feet, with quips like this from a “Meet the Press” appearance, when asked about the ability of Congress to work with President Obama:

“Time will tell whether this … president’s attempt to … build relationships with Congress for the first time is truly genuine,” said Gardner, R-Yuma, on NBC’s Meet the Press. “I hope he’s genuine but I don’t think we’re going to be doing the Harlem shake anytime soon together.”

Then there was this Fox News appearance, when Gardner was handed the golden opportunity for a Gary Hart joke:

 FOX: In your race in Colorado, the normally left-leaning Denver Post actually endorsed you, and then Gary Hart wrote and ripped into you, saying you are not a serious candidate. Would you like to respond to that?

GARDNER: Well, again, I think there was an article in Politico about Gary Hart ruining politics, and everybody knows his claim to fame. So, I`m not too worried about what Gary Hart thinks about, and he can take his monkey business other places.