History Creator / AlFranken

In December 2017, due to claims of sexual misconduct, Franken announced his resignation from the Senate, before formally resigning on January 2, 2018.[[note]]and yes, ''SNL'' did make fun of that, though not as savagely as one would hope[[/note]]

* PassThePopcorn: The only accurate description of his senior Senator UsefulNotes/AmyKlobuchar's reaction to Franken deciding to cut Ted Cruz -- infamously the most hated man in the Senate by ''both'' sides -- down to size.[[note]]For context, the full anecdote involves Klobuchar attempting to get Cruz's blessing for a joke about him at the Gridiron Dinner -- where politicians tell jokes, essentially -- and Cruz (unfunnily) "rewriting" it for her. At that point, Franken turned his "rewrite" back around on him.[[/note]]

First known as a writer and bit player on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' in the 1970s with fellow writer Tom Davis, Franken left the show after it changed producers in 1980 but returned five years later along with Creator/LorneMichaels, helping contribute to its resurgence over the following decade. (Franken is ''[=SNL=]'s'' longest-running feature player who was never promoted to cast member as of 2011.) A film based on his recurring Stuart Smalley character, ''Film/StuartSavesHisFamily'', was released in 1995 and flopped. In the late '90s he became a bestselling author, with a strong liberal political bent. He also appeared in a few (largely forgettable) films, and hosted a radio TalkShow on the short-lived Air America network.

First known as a writer and bit player on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' in the 1970s with fellow writer, Tom Davis. Franken then returned in the 1980s when Creator/LorneMichaels decided to come back to save his show. Franken then appeared on the show again in the 1990s when the show was once again on top -- before its decline in the mid-1990s (Franken is the show's longest-running feature player who was never promoted to cast member as of 2011). A film based on his Stuart Smalley character, ''Film/StuartSavesHisFamily'' was released in 1995 and flopped. In TheNineties he became a bestselling author, with a strong liberal political bent. He also appeared in a few (largely forgettable) films, and hosted a radio TalkShow on the short-lived Air America network.

Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American comedian, writer, political satirist, and former U.S. Senator from Minnesota.

First known as a writer and bit player on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' in the 1970s with fellow writer, Tom Davis. Franken then returned in the 1980s when Creator/LorneMichaels decided to come back to save his show. Franken then appeared on the show again in the 1990s when the show was once again on top -- before its decline in the mid-1990s (Franken is the show's longest-running feature player who was never promoted to cast member as of 2011). A film based on his Stuart Smalley character, ''Film/StuartSavesHisFamily'' was released in 1995 and flopped. In TheNineties he also became a bestselling author, with a strong liberal political bent. He's also appeared in a few (largely forgettable) films, and hosted a radio TalkShow on the short-lived Air America network.

First known as a writer and bit player on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' in the 1970s with fellow writer, Tom Davis. Franken then returned in the 1980s when Creator/LorneMichaels decided to come back to save his show. Franken then appeared on the show again in the 1990s when the show was once again on top -- before its decline in the mid-1990s (Franken is the show's longest-running feature player who was never promoted to cast member as of 2011). A film based on his Stuart Smalley character, ''Film/StuartSavesHisFamily'' was released in 1995 and flopped. In TheNineties he also became a bestselling author, with a strong liberal-political bent. He's also appeared in a few, largely forgettable, films, and hosted a Radio TalkShow on the short-lived Air America network.

Oh, and he can freehand draw an accurate map of the United States of America (mostly the continental 48) ''from memory'' (a skill he once showed on a late-1980s episode of ''Saturday Night Live'' where he was showing then-''Weekend Update'' anchor Creator/DennisMiller what the electoral college votes would be for the 1988 election).

Oh, and he can freehand draw an accurate map of the United States of America (mostly the continental 48) ''from memory'' (a skill he once showed on a late-1980s episode of ''Saturday Night Live'' where he was showing then-Weekend Update anchor, Dennis Miller, what the electoral college votes would be for the 1988 election).

In 2009, he became the Junior Senator from Minnesota in a very close [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Minnesota,_2008 frighteningly protracted election]]. His reelection was more of a CurbStompBattle, him beating his opponent by ten points. Interestingly, as a Senator, he was rather mild-mannered, level-headed, and kind of sheepish. It's actually kind of endearing. Didn’t stop him from making frequent jokes, though.

[[quoteright:190:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/topics_alfranken_190_8196.jpeg]]

Alan Stuart Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American comedy writer, political satirist, and formerly a Senator from Minnesota.

In December 2017, due to claims of sexual misconduct, Franken announced his resignation from the Senate, before formally resigning on January 2, 2018[[note]]and yes, ''SNL'' did make fun of that, though not as savagely as one would hope, though {{YMMV}}[[/note]]

In December 2017, due to claims of sexual misconduct, Franken announced his resignation from the Senate, before formally resigning on January 2, 2018.

First known as a writer and bit player on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' in the 1970s with fellow writer, Tom Davis. Franken then returned in the 1980s when Creator/LorneMichaels decided to come back to save his show. Franken then appeared on the show again in the 1990s when the show was once again on top -- before its decline in the mid-1990s (Franken is the show's longest-running feature player as of 2011). A film based on his Stuart Smalley character, ''Film/StuartSavesHisFamily'' was released in 1995 and flopped. In TheNineties he also became a bestselling author, with a strong liberal-political bent. He's also appeared in a few, largely forgettable, films, and hosted a Radio TalkShow on the short-lived Air America network.

Oh, and he can freehand draw an accurate map of the United States of America ''from memory''.

* BoomerangBigot / YouAreWhatYouHate: Wrote a book called ''Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot'' mocking him for his then-status as overweight,[[note]]Practically the ''[[UpToEleven whole]] [[OverlyLongGag index]]'' consists of jokes relating to Limbaugh being fat and/or a BigEater, with the notable exception of a quick gag about Republican pollster Frank Luntz's reluctance to search for himself in that index.[[/note]] but Franken himself is a bit on the pudgy side.
** In Al's defense, the title wasn't so much a reference just to Limbaugh's weight, but to his tendency toward [[BigStupidDoodoohead juvenile name-calling]] and other AdHominem attacks on people he doesn't like.

* FetishRetardant: In ''Lies'' Al quotes verbatim a scene from Bill O'Reilly's book ''Those Who Trespass'', containing [[IkeaErotica a rather clunky and almost perfunctory performance of cunnilingus]] that seems to come out of nowhere.

* JustJokingJustification: He's famous for this. His ''Rush Limbaugh'' book is filled with disclaimers of sorts to the effect that all the fat jokes, etc., are "satire". He then [[InvokedTrope began his forward to]] ''Lies'' with a ''major'' one:
--> Thanks to Team Franken, you can rest assured that everything in this book is true. Either that, or it's a joke. If you come across something that doesn't ring true, you probably just missed a hilarious joke and should blame yourself rather than me or Team Franken.

* [[StrawCharacter Strawman Political]]: Republican pundits tend to become this.

* ZeroGSpot: {{Deconstructed}} in ''Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot'' in response to something on the subject Newt Gingrich wrote in one of his books.

First known as a writer and bit player on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' in the 1970s...then returning in the 1980s when Creator/LorneMichaels decided to come back to save his show and again in the 1990s when the show was once again on top -- before its decline in the mid-1990s (Franken is the show's longest-running feature player as of 2011); a film based on his Stuart Smalley character, ''Film/StuartSavesHisFamily'' was released in 1995 and flopped. In TheNineties he also became a bestselling author, with a strong liberal-political bent. He's also appeared in a few, largely forgettable, films, and hosted a Radio TalkShow on the short-lived Air America network.

First known as a writer and bit player on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' in the 1970s...then returning in the 1980s when Creator/LorneMichaels decided to come back to save his show and again in the 1990s when the show was once again on top -- before its decline in the mid-1990s (Franken is the show's longest-running feature player as of 2011), in TheNineties he also became a bestselling author, with a strong liberal-political bent. He's also appeared in a few, largely forgettable, films, and hosted a Radio TalkShow on the short-lived Air America network.

Alan Stuart "Al" Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American comedy writer, political satirist, and formerly a Senator from Minnesota.

* LetsSeeYouDoBetter: He has probably received vituperations of this sort from various factions. His response was to [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome get himself elected to the United States Senate.]]

* TheCameo: He's been a guest star on his friend (and fellow Minnesotan) Garrison Keillor's radio show APrairieHomeCompanion where he's done pretty good impression of Henry Kissinger.

* {{Jerkass}}/JerkassFacade: Take your pick. UpToEleven either way.

Alan Stuart "Al" Franken (born May 21, 1951) is an American comedy writer, political satirist, and now Senator from Minnesota.

In 2009, he became the Junior Senator from Minnesota in a very close [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_election_in_Minnesota,_2008 frighteningly protracted election]]. His reelection was more of a CurbStompBattle, him beating his opponent by ten points. Interestingly, as a Senator, he's been rather mild-mannered, level-headed, and kind of sheepish. It's actually kind of endearing.

In December 2017, due to claims of sexual misconduct, Franken announced his resignation from the Senate.

First known as a writer and bit player on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' in the 1970s...then returning in the 1980s when LorneMichaels decided to come back to save his show and again in the 1990s when the show was once again on top -- before its decline in the mid-1990s (Franken is the show's longest-running feature player as of 2011), in TheNineties he also became a bestselling author, with a strong liberal-political bent. He's also appeared in a few, largely forgettable, films, and hosted a Radio TalkShow on the short-lived Air America network.

-->'''Franken''': We love America just as much as they do. But in a different way. You see, they love America like a 4-year-old loves his mommy. Liberals love America like grown-ups. To a 4-year-old, [[MyCountryRightOrWrong everything Mommy does is wonderful and anyone who criticizes Mommy is bad]]. Grown-up love means actually understanding what you love, taking the good with the bad and helping your loved one grow.