Al Franken = Lame

[Jack_Dawson]

Is this the strongest voice the Dems have? His "oy oy oy" show is the epitome of unfunny.

Something tells me if the PUKES had been screwed out of votes, Hannity/Limpballs/Drudge would be screaming about it 24/7. Once again, we are the party of rollover.

[LibInternationalist]

1. and I'm sick of this ditto-head

idiot that he has on his show

[quiet.american]

47. Some days are better than others

But at least we can have a *discussion* on the subject. For me, the larger picture is that there *is* a Democratic talk network at all! And for that, God Bless Him!

(Have to admit, though, Mike Malloy's become my favorite.)

[helnwhls]

2. Hannity/Limpballs/Drudge are all screaming repuke lies 24/7

Al is tearing into the ditto head.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

5. We need someone to "scream Democratic lies" 24/7.

We need a propaganda machine.

[glitch]

11. the truths will do - they'll think it hell. nt

[helnwhls]

12. the truth is frightening enough

the truth of republican policy and it's immorality is enough to demonize these thugs. We need to stand up and start throwing it back on them and demand Rethuglicans make it jive w/Xtain values they claim to be basing their policy on.

[andyhappy]

3. I have to agree

where is the fight?

and the oy oy oy show has always been the weakest part of the show. I can see doing it once a week but everyday?

I can't wait to get my rage on with a little randi rhodes!

[DeadHead67]

27. If you were a Jew in New York , you might see . . . ..

. . .the humor in it. I'm neither a Jew nor a New Yorker, but I get a chuckle out of 'Oy Oy Oy'. There is a genre of comedy, 'Borscht Belt', which refers to comedians who worked vacation hotels in the northeast, mainly the Catskills, where New York Jews frequently took their holidays. Many of you are too young to remember this strain of humor: i.e. 'take my wife! Please!'.Henny Youngman was a good example. SO, let's take a deep breath, stop venting on each other in our present anger, and most of all GIVE AL FRANKEN A BREAK!!! That guy has given and continues to give A LOT to our movement. And don't ever forget; WE are A MOVEMENT!!!

[info being]

4. He's a dork. He isn't funny at all.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

8. I agree he

isn't funny on radio. He used to be a good debater on TV before he became the big celebrity.

[BrendaStarr]

34. The problem is the full time radio show.

Why do we want to copy the Republican format there?

The 15 hour a week gambit is stupid anyway. It leads to a lot of stupid talk, cuts down on our showcasing our talent.

Give lots more people an hour a week. Get a lot of hungry liberals out there pushing the envelope.

For example it would be great if Jerry Quickley of KPFK was able to get a national spot. He can carry an hour a day pretty easily.

http://radio.kpfk.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=67&Itemid=62 (if they divert you to the kpfk home page look for Beneath the Surface with Jerry Quickley) I can't find any audio yet.

Jim Hightower's short spots are some of the best stuff on Pacifica network and it's about 5 minutes I think.

Build up new stars and then maybe later they can move to other venues with their talent and their liberalism intact.

Code Red News Forum

[Kipepeo]

35. I think he is hilarious

I laugh out loud several times a day during the Franken show, which is a talent to be able to get people to laugh during discussion of NEWS.

What is with the eating of our own lately?

It's disgusting.

[GDoyle]

50. I think...

He's occasionally funny, his books certainly are. He is very well prepared and has excellent command of the issues in terms of his knowledge of them.

However, I don't think he is the best debater, though not terrible, because despite his knowledge of the facts and the issues, the right ones don't always pop into his head when he is being challenged. Often times he misses the devastating arguments for lesser ones.

But I do like him, he is to be applauded for what he is doing, not ripped.

GDoyle

[4_Legs_Good]

6. Some stuff is good, some is, as you say, LAME

I prefer Democracy Now! any day.

david

[Jack_Dawson]

14. Link?

[4_Legs_Good]

17. DN! is an independent news program

http://www.democracynow.org

It's a pacifica radio program, very progressive, but almost as rough on the Democrats as the Republicans. Still, it's where you get the real news. It's on FSTV several times a day weekdays. FSTV (Free Speech TV) is available on both Dish Network and Direct TV now.

http://members.freespeech.org/fstv/

david

[deutsey]

18. I love Democracy Now

:thumbsup:

[eleny]

7. Not the strongest voice in that vitriolic sense

He only spends almost all of his time trying to fight the good fight. You want artery popping vitriol? Listen to Mike Malloy at night.

[Mika]

9. Franken isn't the strongest voice of the Dems

He never pretended to be.


Al is fair, caring, and honest. I'll take that over lying liars any day of the week.


:dem:

[gulfcoastliberal]

10. Agreed

He sucks so hard he blows.

[elemnopee]

13. Its hard to fill three hours a day

I find the show mildly entertaining.

We do not more centralized information, and daily talking points, but not out right propghanda.

[Artemis Bunyon]

15. Al is a good soul.

His co-host, on the other hand...

Secret conservative, I suspect.

[MrsMatt]

43. If you're referring to Katherine Lampher,

you are obviously clueless.

She's no conservative.

[soleft]

16. Another thing Hannity and Rush wouldn't do is turn on their own

[Jack_Dawson]

19. Why would they need to?

They keep "winning".

[Raster]

21. Absolutely. Why kick yourself in the ass when there are so many....

....willing to do it for you. We need to ditch the culture of blame and encourage the culture of responsibility. And no, the two are not synonymous.

[Jack_Dawson]

24. Loved his book - but his radio show is weak let's face it

Love him or hate him, but sexual harrasser Bill O'Reilly at least has a strong presence. Our highest profile "presences" are Al Franken and Alan Colmes.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jack_Dawson]

22. Actually, it's "you're" an idiot

Are you some kind of "moran"?

:toast:

[melissaf]

30. see, here's the thing

Accusing your fellow DUer of being a "moran" may seem cute and funny and a way to blow off steam, but to me (being a relatively new poster) it tells me if I don't agree 100% with a poster I will get shot down or smeared as a freeper, lurker, etc. PLEASE stop attacking people who are on your side! Being a newbie, it's quite intimidating to have to worry about being flamed on a democratic board.

[Jack_Dawson]

33. Melissa - he started the namecalling, not me

and "moran" is a DU inside joke. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[melissaf]

39. thanks

and sorry--I've developed quite a hair-trigger temper since the election. Had a major meltdown with my Republican father last night. Not sure when I'll regain my equilibrium.

But anyway--how 'bout them morans? ;-)

[Jack_Dawson]

41. I have friendships on the edge of ruin

thanks to peoples' idiotic beliefs. It must REALLY suck to get into it w/ your Dad. Thank God my family is on the same page.

[melissaf]

42. true...

Yeah, it does kinda really suck. But my dad is sort of a special case. He's what you might call a "Can't we all get along?" Republican. He's always been very supportive of me and what I believe in. In general, he doesn't even want to talk politics because he knows it's a divisive issue. But I honestly think he believes that siding with Bush is an _ideological_ issue, not a moral or emotional one. I think he's one of those Republicans who looked at all of our sobbing faces and couldn't understand why people were so upset. To him, I think, it really _is_ "just an election." He doesn't get it. Someday he might, but I, of course, can't count on that. I'm hopeful, though.

Anyway, this is way off topic. Sorry. :-)

[elsiesummers]

23. He said yesterday that something is wrong with exit polls.

But, he never acknowledged that it could be that something is wrong with the vote and that it is not the exit polls that are bad.

This really annoyed me. If he doesn't want to mention it as a discrepency between the vote and the exit polls, then don't say anything.

I listen in the car sometimes and actually find myself flipping back to Bloomberg radio more often.

Maybe if I didn't read DU I'd find Air America refreshing - as it is it seems second rate.

Not fond of Randi Rhodes either - she is obnoxious.

Maybe it's just that I really don't like talk radio.

[Kipepeo]

25. Stop It

Franken has tirelessly stood up for Democrats. I for one, owe him a lot of thanks for my sanity in these times.

If you don't like his approach, fine, but he doesn't represent the whole party, or even the whole radio station. There are others to listen to and promote. If you want yelling, try Randi. I love her too.

Personally I have never liked the oy oy oy show, but I love the Franken show in it's entirity.

[Rose Siding]

36. But...but...there's meat left on a liberal carcass

It must all be consumed!

[K-W]

26. Franken isnt your cup of tea, COPE

And find a better way to cope than adding to the string of silly Franken bashing threads.

[melissaf]

28. I'm amazed

No offense, but I can't believe that so many people would want to attack Al Franken. Al Franken has been one of the few rays of light that has been keeping me afloat for the past three days. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the OYOYOY show, and I appreciate the fact that he can actually talk to the people he seriously disagrees with.

My father is a Republican who supports Bush. Should I completely cut him out of my life? It's so easy just to turn our backs on the entire Republican party. I'd love to do that, too, but I can't. And I think it might shock you to know that some Republicans truly do not understand what we're going through. I think they need to hear our rage and resentment. I think that a lot of us SHOULD be out there screaming at them. But some segment of our population has to talk to these Republicans, if only to explain WHY people are screaming, in language that MIGHT get through. (Think Martin Luther King vs. the Black Panthers. There has to be a moderate wing somewhere in the progressive movement to offset the militant one. BOTH branches are important.)

Plus, does anyone watch Al on the Sundance Channel? He and Kathryn Lanpher and the staff played Kerry's concession speech, and every single one of them were _crying_. Does that sound like someone who's lame, who doesn't care, who only wants to attack fellow democrats, who "sucks so hard he blows"?

I'm sorry this is turning into a rant, but I love Al just as much as I love John Kerry and John Edwards. And John Stewart, for that matter. Al Franken is one of my all-time heroes. He has his faults, but I will listen to him and watch him for as long as he's around. If he's not your cup of tea, don't listen.

P.S. Again, not to sound overly belligerent, but if anyone tries to attack me as a freeper or a "lurker" or wants somehow to invalidate my opinion because I don't have many posts, I WILL go ballistic. There are enough people out there who are telling me to shut up. I don't need my fellow democrats trying to smack me down, too.

[Jack_Dawson]

29. I like Al too...

We just need someone calling the pukes on their voter fraud that's all...

[bullimiami]

31. i like his being funny and not having a problem

discussing with mark etc....

but today he is still talking like we lost the election and the mandate and about what we should do to increase the base.

hey al, buddy.
we have it now. we did it. we have a strong majority and we are energized we have only one issue right now. we need to deny this stolen election and get benedict bush tossed in jail and the key thrown away.

[Suziq]

32. If It Weren't for . . .

Al Franken, there would probably be no Air America.

As for all the "bash Air America" threads, if you don't like it, simply turn the channel.

I personally like Franken and try to stay up and watch his show on Sundance at 11:30pm EST.

[TexasSissy]

37. How quickly some turn against the ones who fought the good fight.

What did you do that equals what Franken did this past year?

Until you write several books, start a radio show against all odds, and hang on in the radio show through practically insurmountable odds, start giving lectures that lure hundreds or more to each...

until then...

keep your criticism to yourself.

Oh, and the "oy oy oy" part? Hysterical. You write something funnier to fill hours and hours and radio time, and send it in. Tell us when it plays, and we'll post our "criticisms" of the material here.

[FlaGranny]

38. It's funny, when he first came on

I didn't like him much. I'm liking him more and more every day. I just loved his exchange with the dittohead today. He was really emotional about "moral values" of Democrats and those of Republicans.

[The_Casual_Observer]

40. Franken and the left are in a bind when it comes to expressing

the message of hate, outrage, anger, fear, and, fire and brimstone Jesus that the rw exploit.

[Kurovski]

44. You want to listen to Mike Malloy or Randi Rhodes

to hear that which you speak of.

There's something for everyone on Air America.

Personally, I enjoy the OyOyOy report, right down to the Klezmer music.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

45. I love Al

His is just one in a spectrum of voices on AAR. So he's kind of the "Don McNeill's Breakfast Club" of liberal radio. That's okay. Randy Rhodes, Janeane Garofalo and Mike Malloy scream nonstop. And that's okay too. I love Al, and all of AAR.

[Borgnine]

46. Al is wonderful.

The thing is, his style is droll humor. That's not what a lot of us are looking for right now, but it's not Al's fault. Running up to the election, I wouldn't miss the repeat of his show at 1 AM. I'm taking a break from it now, because I don't need to hear from the resident dittohead, and there's just too many things to "oy" at. No matter, I think Al is brilliant, and while he's not the anger-spewing radio messiah of the left, he probably is our most positive representative for the noon timeslot.

Listen to Malloy right now. He's a great preacher for the converted, but he wouldn't win over many moderates or right-wingers. I love his show and adore the man, but could you imagine what would happen if he was put in Franken's timeslot?

[NervousRex]

48. Weakest show on the network....

I listen to every other show except his. What about Thom Hartmann or Peter Werbe or the Young Turks...anything but this cornball drivel.

[NJmaverick]

49. Rhandi Rhodes is the strongest voice we have!

Franken is a court jester.