Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is an Emmy Award–winning American comedian, writer, progressive political commentator, and, recently, politician. He gained fame as a writer and a performer for Saturday Night Live, eventually writing and appearing in several films. Since then, Franken has become more known for his political commentary, writing numerous bestselling books and hosting a nationally-syndicated radio show on Air America Radio.He is currently the United States Senator from Minnesota.On February 14, 2007, Franken announced his candidacy for the 2008 United States Senate election in Minnesota as a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and was nominated by that party on June 7, 2008. He won the Democratic Party primary on September 9, 2008, defeating his closest opponent 65% to 29%. He was elected to the Senate, narrowly defeating Republican incumbent Norm Coleman. In 2014 he was reelected to a second term.
Left "Saturday Night Live" as a writer and featured cast member in 1995 after his request to be the Weekend Update news anchor was denied. He has since admitted that Norm MacDonald was the better choice for the role, due to both MacDonalds deadpan delivery and apolitical comedy style, in contrast with Frankens partisan progressive stance.
Was an improv comedy performer and sketch comedy writer at the Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis, MN, in the early 1970s.
Has two children: daughter Thomasin Franken and son Joe Franken.
Graduated from Harvard University.
When ex-President Bill Clinton was on book tour for his autobiography at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, he saw Franken and said, "My heros here." (reported in USA Today, July 21, 2004)
He received a perfect score (800) on the math section of the SAT.
His book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right," provoked a lawsuit from Fox News--which was prominently featured in the book--alleging copyright infringement of its advertising slogan that claimed its news coverage was "fair and balanced." The suit was quickly thrown out of court as being without merit and is credited with increasing sales of the book. In fact, the publisher moved up its release date to capitalize on the publicity the suit had brought.
He received the New York Festivals 23rd Annual International Radio Programming and Promotions "World Achievement Award For Breakthrough Radio" for his unique perspective and commentary on his daily radio show, The Al Franken Show, on June 27, 2005.
Announced his bid to run for U.S. Senate in 2008 representing the state of Minnesota.
Won the 2008 DFL endorsement for the Minnesota Senate seat against Norm Coleman. (June 7, 2008).
Elected to the United States Senate on November 4, 2008. The election was so close that there was a subsequent recount and legal battles, and he was not officially sworn in as a Senator until July 7, 2009.
Father of daughter, Thomasin Davis Franken (born in 1981), and named after his comedy partner, Tom Davis, from Saturday Night Live. Father-in-law of Brody Konow Greenwald.
He is mentioned in Alicyn Packard s song "The Pinky Song.".
(July 2009) United States Senator from Minnesota
Radio talk show host in New York City.
(May 2006) Radio talk show host in Minneapolis, syndicated nationally on Air America Radio.
His paternal grandparents were German Jewish immigrants, and his maternal grandfather was a Russian Jewish immigrant. His maternal grandmother was born in Pennsylvania, to Russian Jewish parents.
Attended the Blake School in Hopkins, Minnesota with fellow Saturday Night Live writer-producer Tom Davis and Paul David Stark the co-founder of Twin/Tone Records.
In the opening pages of his 2003 book, "Lies: And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them", he quotes Joseph Welchs famous words to Senator Joseph McCarthy , "Have you no decency, sir?" then says "Unlike Senator McCarthy and his intellectual heirs, Ann Coulter and Howard Stern , I do have a sense of decency." When asked what he meant during interview with Stern, who loved the book but didnt understand the intention of that passage, Franken clarified that it was a joke in reference to Sterns notoriety for "indecent" humor.
No one is more sensitive to the issue of overeating than the creator of,Stuart Smalley.
When you encounter seemingly good advice that contradicts other seemingly good advice, ignore them both.
Does the mainstream media have a liberal bias? On a couple of things, maybe. Compared to the American public at large, probably a slightly higher percentage of journalists, because of thier enhanced power of discernment, realize they know a gay person or two, and are, therefore, less frightened of them.
We love America just as much as they do. But in a different way. You see, they love America like a 4-year-old loves his mommy. Liberals love America like grown-ups. To a 4-year-old, everything Mommy does is wonderful and anyone who criticizes Mommy is bad. Grown-up love means actually understanding what you love, taking the good with the bad and helping your loved one grow.
Humor and seriousness are not in opposition to each other.
If you look at terrorists, they really have no sense of humor.
Bob Dole used to be really funny. Barney Frank can be kind of funny. Bob Kerrey has a good sense of humor.
There is - I mean - I found early in life that righteous indignation is a little off-putting, and so I try to couch it with humor.
I felt like the luckiest kid in the world. And I was. I was growing up middle-class in a time when growing up middle-class in America meant there would be jobs for my parents, good schools for me to prepare myself for a career, and, if I worked hard and played by the rules, a chance for me to do anything I wanted.
When you win an election, what you really win is a chance to go to work for working families who need a voice in Minnesota.
National security laws must protect national security. But they must also protect the public trust and preserve the ability of an informed electorate to hold its government to account.
Apple has long been a leading innovator of mobile technology I myself own an iPhone.
During Vietnam, I was in college, enjoying my student deferment. The government wisely felt that, in my case, military service was less important than completing my studies to prepare me for my chosen career: comedian.
When people talked about protecting their privacy when I was growing up, they were talking about protecting it from the government. They talked about unreasonable searches and seizures, about keeping the government out of their bedrooms.
Having an actual income can expand your romantic horizons toward the more appealing end of the spectrum.
My views about God come from my dad. Dad told me that he believed Nature, which to him included humankind, to be so beautiful, so magnificent, that there had to be something behind it all.
My dad loved comedians, especially George Jessel, and he loved Henny Youngman and Buddy Hackett.
My dad was a terrible businessman. .
