Release the Franken! The senator from SNL lets himself be funny again
It’s still a little hard to believe, but 17 years ago a comedian famous for his contributions to Saturday Night Live ran to become a U.S. Senator from Minnesota, and won, barely. At first it appeared he had lost, but after a recount and a protracted legal dispute, Senator Al Franken went to Washington. And not because he’s such a funny guy.
As he explains in his new book “Al Franken, Giant of the Senate,” the man who spent most of his career cracking jokes always had a serious side and a serious interest in politics. In a recent Seattle visit, Franken shared anecdotes about his life before politics, why he put being funny publicly on hold, his feelings about Senator Ted Cruz and President Donald Trump, and the state of the nation in general.
Senator Al Franken spoke with journalist Eli Sanders at Town Hall Seattle on June 16. Sonya Harris recorded their conversation.
Please note: This recording contains unedited language of an adult nature.
Listen to the full version below:
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John O'Brien
Producer
John O’Brien is a KUOW newsroom producer. He works with the Morning Edition and All Things Considered teams to schedule, record, and edit interviews and stories on a variety of topics, from politics and public health to arts and culture. He learned to make radio in 2006 as an intern on KUOW’s The Conversation and is a former host of KUOW's Speakers Forum.
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