def formatter(sentence):
    sentence = sentence.split # split the sentence into words.
    formatted = ''
    
    if sentence[0][0] == '#':     # If the first character of the first word is an "#",

        # the formatted sentence now has the channelname.
        formatted = formatted + sentence[0]    

        # the formatted sentence has 'channelname <b>&lt;' plus everything except                   
        # the first and last character of <nickname> + &gt;</b>'
        formatted = formatted + ' <b>&lt;' + sentence[1][1:-1] + '<b>&gt; '
 
        # Add everything that's left.
        formatted = formatted + sentence[2:]

        # inputed: #channelname <nick> message
        # end product:   #channelname <b>&lt; nick &gt;</b> message


    # the first character of the word isn't #, it's a nickname in privmsg
    else:

        # the formatted sentence has bold nick, plus everything else.
        formatted = '<b>' + sentence[0] + '</b>' + sentence[1:]

        # inputed: nick message
        # end product: <b>nick</b> message

    return formatted