What's the most important thing about comedy?

One of my favorite from-LAGuy jokes requires the victim (I'm sure there's a term for it-in any case, an audience member) to participate in a complicated set up. The joke teller has to say to the audience member, "Ask me, 'What's the most important thing about comedy?'" It takes a moment to persuade the person to do it, but eventually you do, and then the finish:

Audience member: "Tell me, LAGuy, what's the most important--" (LAGuy abruptly interrupts: "Timing."

So, what I want to know is, while I think it's a fine thing to investigate Sandypants Burglar, what's the p[oint of doing it now? Do these morons have polls telling them they'll get an extra 2 percent of the base to the polls in four weeks?