Senator Al Franken keeps comedy in check -- most of the time

[Tx4obama]

When Rand Paul needed a zinger, Al Franken gave him a suggestion: a self-deprecating joke about suffering through childhood with a libertarian father who wouldn’t let up on the gold standard.

“It wouldn’t have been so bad if my dad wasn’t so damn cheap,” Franken privately told Paul to use as a laugh line. “Just 50 cents in gold coins.”

Since he arrived in the Senate three years ago, the former “Saturday Night Live” star has tried to project an ultra-serious public image of a studious and hard-working senator who shuns the media spotlight and whose past career as a comedian and satirist is just that — a thing of the past.

But behind the scenes, Al Franken is still Al Franken. He ribs fellow senators and cracks jokes, whether it’s impersonating the first Jewish man he met with a heavy West Virginia drawl or giving a mock Oscar speech before the Senate Democratic Caucus. His star power is a major draw at Democratic fundraisers, having attended a dozen events for state parties and Senate candidates across the country, including Richard Carmona in Arizona and Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts.

-snip-

Full article here: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78572.html

[Scuba]

1. Love me some Al Franken.

[underpants]

2. He is just funny - his radio show (Oy!), Tom Davis's autobiography, "The Truth...with Jokes"

"The Truth...with Jokes"
is flat out one of the funniest books you will ever read and then the last 3rd becomes quite serious as he talks about the tragedy of the War on Iraq. Franken is a frequent visitor to VA hospitals and multiple USO tours - He opens with "So... anyone here from out of town?"

His radio show was intelligent, informative, and really really funny.

Tom Davis's autobiography showed Franken at his classic comedy best.

To John Davidson - the magnificently quaffed celebrity of the 70's - after a Vegas show (this was meant with respect):
Franken "You have no idea how many people come up to me on the street and think that I am you"
Franken and Davidson couldn't look more unalike.

Franken while working as a caddy in high school before going to Harvard.
The guy he was caddying for was having a horrendous round:
Golfer (after another miserable shot) : "You HAVE to be the WORST CADDY IN THE WORLD!!"
Franken: "That....would be too much of a coincidence."

[flamingdem]

3. Does he still have the radio show? nt

[MiniMe]

4. No, he gave it up a while ago when he decided to run for Senator

And he has turned out to be a great Senator.