Al Franken badly needs to learn some manners!!

[flaminbats]

I rarely listen to the Al Franken show, but in the past I have enjoyed it. Today he really pissed me off!

Congressman John Dingell is one of our best! He is a staunch advocate for national healthcare, a powerful defender for Social Security, and one of the greatest allies in Congress for blue-collared workers. So why did Al just treat him like trash? Dingell obviously had a great deal to say about FEMA and its lack of funding. Unfortunately Al interrupted Dingell between every other word just to ask questions and then answer them himself. If he really wanted to do this, why invite John Dingell to call in? Democrats now have few opportunities to speak to the public, if John Dingell calls again...I hope Al Franken gives him an opportunity to speak, not just another slap across the face! That only gave Republicans more to laugh at. :mad:

http://www.house.gov/dingell/

[brainshrub]

1. Al should stop running for the Senate and do a radio show for a change.

Other than name recognition, which AAR does not need, Franken does not have much to offer as a broadcaster.

IMHO, his co-host, Katherine Lanpher, hates Al's guts.

[FreedomAngel82]

3. Katherine doesn't like Al?

How do you know that?

[brainshrub]

7. Nothing I can put my finger on. But here's an example:

Katherine is a true professional, so she does a great job putting aside her personal feelings to keep the show afloat. However, every once in a while, when Al has done something stupid, you can hear her struggle to keep composure.

Once they were interviewing someone, Katherine had obviously done her homework and was asking thoughtful questions. Al interrupted the flow of the conversation to insist that the guest not use a certain antidote on television later that day.

When the guest left the show, Katherine asked Franken on-air why he felt the need to butt-in with that comment in the middle of a serious discussion.

"He used the joke before, and as a comedian myself, I felt he should not be known for using the same material over and over," Al said.

"Oh, well you certainly aren't known for canned speeches," she shot back acidly.

Now I'm paraphrasing the interchange, but I could tell that she wanted to rip Al's face off at that moment... but unlike Al, she has to much class to make a scene.

When Al finally leaves AAR, I hope Ms. Lanpher gets her own show. She obviously has the talent and drive to carry her own program.

This is what I think Katherine looks like after Al has ruined an interview with his inane comments:

[NYCGirl]

9. Do you watch the Sundance show? A lot of their interstitial talk is

pre-scripted.

[brainshrub]

10. I don't have cable.

And if I did, I wouldn't watch Franken.

I am a radio-junky 'tho. I will listen to Franken is he has an interesting guest. I doubt the emotions from Katherine are scripted.

[NYCGirl]

11. You can see her face. They work very well together. NT

[Cosmocat]

15. Nah ...

I think it is pretty clear she loves him ... She about blows a gasket laughing at him at times, and there are times when the kind of flirt ...

At the same time, he gets off track a lot, and she has to redirect him ... You can get frustrated and have to manage someone while liking them at the same time ...

I do agree with this particular interview, though, that he should have just left the guy who knew what he was talking about say what he needed to say ...

[JDPriestly]

30. I think that is supposed to be funny. She does that on purpose.

[Totally Committed]

2. Al is just in love with the sound of his own voice.

It is maddening to try and listen to him interview anyone, because he never shuts up. I don't listen any longer. I either take a break, or watch TV news. He's horrible.

TC

P.S. I wish they'd give the show to Rachael Maddow. She was outstanding last week while he was blessedly on vacation.

[welshTerrier2]

4. Franken's show is important ...

he helps our cause ... it's valuable to AAR to have a "personality" ... he has good guests and fights for what we believe in ...

i'll continue to listen to his show ...

and i completely agree with the BP ... he interrupts way too much and rarely lets his guests be as effective as they might be if he would just shut-up once in awhile ...

[krkaufman]

5. His "interviewing" skills *could* use some work.

I frequently scream at the radio when he interrupts a guest who's just getting into answering a question.

[applegrove]

6. He stepped into the trenches to do a tough job. Because it was needed.

He has brought a face to AAR. He has stuck with it. If he is not a natural - you can only imagine how committed he is to this process.

Like I said before this all started, we need to be wary of people who trash the ones who actually get the message out. Chances are, MSM will return to reporting only the barest of facts and the shallowest of news.

Remember to he is planning on running most likely. I say - since we know the Rove machine will be attacking us in any way our leaders show strength, that we don't attack them ourselves. Where there not rumours pumped out about AAR last weekend?

[melissinha]

8. Randi and Marc often criticize him

and rightfull so. I agree, he gets the good interviews, but sometimes doesn't allwo them to really participate in favor of talking or setting up some joke. It seems like he treats them like commodities.


But he does get AAR some traffic, soon enough they will not need him cause people feel the same way you do.

[peacetalksforall]

12. Al wastes too much time - he uses the time that should go to the guest.

Katherine is a professional. Even in the way she 'handles' Al. I duubt that she hates him.

Anyway, he gets great guests, but then squanders their time. Not honoring guests by listening closely instead of taking over shows a lack of interviewing skills and some or a lot of egoism.

But, he keeps improving.

[flaminbats]

13. A personality like Al Franken will only draw the best guests..

If Al Franken treats these Democrats as allies, not as additional punching bags, it would help the party along with any political ambitions he may have. His show has more potential than all the others, but is he willing to work on the listening skills necessary for making improvements?

[Wordie]

14. Got to remember, he is a commentator first (and comedian). That's just a

different set of skills and a different approach. His experience is all in keeping the audience engaged, and in making the points himself. So, interviewing skills are a whole different thing.

He is an important asset to the left...humor often can tell the story far more effectively than any other means. And he IS funny. So give him time; be patient with him.

[Cosmocat]

16. I was bummed ...

That they took Ed Shultz off ... I saw a bit on C-Span with the guy who took AAR off, and it was clear that he thought that they saw Franken and Rhodes as the flagship people, but I think that Shultz is an important guy who brings some needed crossover ...

Frankly, I can't see how they ever left Alan Colmes get a spot ... They should do a live air execution of Colmes, bump Spinger back to the late night spot and make Shultz the morning guy ...

But, who am I ...

[NYCGirl]

17. Ed Schultz was never on AAR. Some of their stations had a standing

contract with him, but he was never employed by them.

[Cosmocat]

26. Huh ???

I have XM in my car and Shultz was on AAR the last two months or so until last week ...

It isn't local, it is the AAR in my car, that is how I found out about him ...

[renie408]

27. Me too

I listen to Air America Left, channel 167, in the car and up until this week it has been going Spring, Franken, Schults, Rhodes, Garofalo (some of those might be misspelled).

I like Ed Schultz, but I gotta say that I really LOVE Randi Rhodes in the afternoons now while I am sitting in the car rider line behind all the SUV's with W stickers on them.

[snowbear]

18. Took Ed off of what !?!

Big Eddie Schultz (I'm listening to him now) is on the Jones Radio Network.. He rocks!!!! :headbang:

If your local station carried him, but then ditched him.. write them and ask them to reconsider!

He's the fastest growing progressive talk-show in the nation and is beating Rush in several MAJOR markets now! :bounce:

He's never been on AAR, although a lot of stations that air AAR add Big Eddie into their mix...

[aion]

19. Hey Al, Tell Us About The Higgledy-Piggledy Pigs

...and don't pretend you don't know. You have it in your power to help put an end to this disgrace! Or can't you make yourself move?

[Eric J in MN]

29. Huh? nt

nt

[AX10]

20. I like Ed and Randi.

Al is too busy with his 'freinds' from THAT side. I don't want to hear about how 'bad' I am because I don't support Bush. Randi and Ed smack those SOB's down and cut em' off at the first sign.

Screw you Al!

[Lefty48197]

21. Dingell's NRA buddies are ruining this country

Dingell should go fuck himself. I met him in person prior to the last Presidential election, and he said something along the lines of, "they sure gave us a good scare last time didn't they?"
Only problem: He wasn't talking about the Republicans in the general election, he was talking about the very liberal Lynn Rivers who was running against him in the primary. Her crime? Not being a pawn of the NRA. If the NRA is more important to Dingell than the issues that make ME a Democrat, then he should change parties. I can't believe his father would approve of John's schmoozing with the right wingers.

[flaminbats]

25. Dingell is not a DINO or a pawn of the DLC..

When Dingell supported national healthcare the DLC called him too liberal. When he called for better regulation of private insurance companies with the Patients' Bill of Rights, the DLC insisted that was too much regulation of business. When Dingell opposed NAFTA the DLC considered that treason to Bill Clinton!

I have no problem with Dingell winning support from the NRA. This adminstration and their puppets in Congress are the greatest threat in history to our right to bear arms!

[shireen]

22. drop Franken. Listen to Hartmann -- he's amazing!

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

23. I tried listening to,..

...Franken and quit. He's a ranter and it just gets tiresome.

[brentspeak]

24. Al does tend to dominate the conversation

Of course, he does that with his conservative guests, too.

As for Katherine: Her job is to play the professional journalist, as well as the 'straight man'. She often has to interupt Al for commercials, to keep the show running smoothly, etc.

Franken's impersonation of Rush Limbaugh admitting to the world that he is gay is hysterical.

[toffee prophet]

28. I love old Al...

Al's the best thing about AAR in my opinion, although whenever David Cross wanders onto the majority report I get excited. But I'm an Australian so...