As we previously reported, Ben Bankas, a Toronto-based professional stand up comedian, decided to give back to the community, spreading some mirth and merriment by hosting comedy concerts at Christie Pits Park. 

The comedy clubs, as it stands, still remain in lockdown mode for whatever reason.

Ah, but in John Tory’s Toronto, having fun in the park – as opposed to say, erecting filthy tent cities in the park – is strictly verboten under penalty of law.

It’s that Wuhan virus thingy, you see.

We must diligently stand on guard and enforce social-distancing laws, you understand – even if that means walling off Toronto’s High Park during cherry blossom season and painting white social-distancing circles at Trinity Bellwoods Park.

We just can’t have mass congregations of people spreading the virus… unless those people are Black Lives Matter protesters or Afro Indigenous squatters because, well, the Wuhan virus is politically astute and it would never, ever infect social justice warriors and/or gender studies graduates.

Alas, funny man Bankas doesn’t belong to those two camps, so he was slapped with about $2,000 worth of tickets at a recent performance for having the temerity to… entertain people?

Bankas isn’t holding his comedy festivals at Christie Pits anymore — but he’s not taking the knee, either.

Last Friday, he staged a show at Bickford Park, just south of Christie Pits. Hundreds showed up, had a jolly good time, laughed heartily, and at last report, nobody keeled over gasping for breath due to the Wuhan virus.

Can you believe it?

Alas, this being Tory-onto, a police officer approached Bankas after the show to make note of his I.D. in case, presumably, law enforcement decides to charge Bankas at a later date.

But at least there wasn’t $2,000 worth of fines handed out.

So, in that regard, it indeed seems as though Ben Bankas gets the last laugh after all.