Before Al Franken was a Senator representing Minnesota, he was an original cast member on Saturday Night Live. Franken appeared on and off the show through 1995, most notably as the affirmation-spouting self-help guru Stuart Smalley. When Franken joined Congress in 2008, he swore off using comedy in an effort to be taken seriously as a policy maker. But after his own re-election and the rise of Donald Trump, Franken’s biting sense of humor is once again on display. In his new book, “Al Franken: Giant of the Senate,” Franken takes aim at everyone and everything, from learning to “pivot” from reporters’ questions to Ted Cruz –“the guy who microwaves fish in the office kitchen.” Franken joins us today to talk about his days with SNL and politics and humor during Donald Trump’s presidency.
Guests:
Al Franken, U.S. senator from Minnesota; author of “Giant of the Senate”