Contrary to reports on this and other sites, and even to the source article itself, Al Franken did not write the opening sketch of the September 20 episode of Saturday Night Live. This was a classic overreach by everyone involved.
The Politico article that's been used as a source for this story says that Franken, an SNL alum, "helped to craft" the sketch, which is like saying that the guy at the paint store "helped to craft" Guernica. The NY Times has a less hyperbolic take:
The skit, which opened the show on Saturday night, was written by Seth Meyers, the show's head writer, but had been spawned by a conversation between Mr. Franken and Lorne Michaels, the executive producer, who suggested the idea to Mr. Meyers. "Al has been friends with Lorne Michaels for over 30 years, and Lorne thought Al's personal experience was funny enough for a 'SNL' skit," Colleen Murray, a spokeswoman for Mr. Franken, wrote in a statement published on Politico.com. "Sure, Al keeps in touch with old friends, but unless the skit is about nonferrous mining on Minnesota's Iron Range, Al's not in the business of developing skits anymore."
Franken was probably the umpteen-thousandth person to observe that the supposed "Real" McCain, the one with all that honor and stuff, would have to wince at recording those "I approved this message" disclaimers for a raft of dirty ads.
Missed in all of this, which is precisely the point of working the ref, is the fact that the sketch is really funny, and a dead-on deconstruction of yellow political ads. Also missed is the fact that SNL is not a news show, and has no duty to be fair or balanced. Who is writing Fox News' jokes?
Tommy Christopher co-hosts "Unusable Signal" , on BlogTalkRadio Tues & Thur at 9pm, and Wed, Fri, & Sat at 11pm. Click here for the Unusable Signal homepage.
Gosh did Al lose his crayons. Maybe he smoke dall of them. Al Farkas Franken, was moderately funny in the real old days of SNL. He rode the coattails of some real talent. Now Al has finally come up with a huge joke that is funny and that is his try for political office. Al will lose and then he can whine on TV to Bill Maher that his loss was due to America being racist or whatever.
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carly
1:19PM Sep 23rd 2008
That was so freakin funny, and a bit of a stretch but so similiar to how these ads go.
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Larry
1:21PM Sep 23rd 2008
Say it you reepuke skunk. Senator Al Franken. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
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Truth
1:24PM Sep 23rd 2008
Tommy, you are a lying sack of crap, and everyone knows it. The skit had the classic Franken signature: unfunny jokes about incest. Granted, it would be even more obviously a "Franken" if there had been some warped, perverted, deranged "jokes" about bestiality, a Franken favorite, but he was involved in these skits up to his vile neck. You sicko liberals will stoop below low to win an election. There is nothing too low for liberals when power is at stake. You all follow the communist commandment: the end justifies the means. The pathetic truth is that you don't understand what is wrong with that.
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eric
1:45PM Sep 23rd 2008
OH, WELL IF TOMMY SAYS IT..IT MUST BE TRUE...HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAH..NOT!!! FUCKER.YOU LIE ALL THE TIME LOSER. PULL YOUR COCK OUT OF FRANKINS ASS AND TELL THE TRUTH FOR A CHANGE.
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Bill
1:58PM Sep 23rd 2008
hahaha, not even SNL can poke fun at the GOP. republicans are so idiotic, well someday soon Lord mcOldy and Lady redneck along with the rest of the GOP will have to come to terms with the fact that America is a republic not a monarchy. So if you want to lead this nation that makes you EXTRA accountable to the people. What are you hiding?
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Don
1:59PM Sep 23rd 2008
I though it was very funny.
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STOP THE DRAMA - NO OBAMA --- GET A BRAIN-VOTE McCAIN!
12:12AM Sep 24th 2008
Obama doesn't have a clue about what to do and has been hiding on economic matters, especially during the past few weeks -- yes he speaks in great, vague generalities and refers people to his website but it only has broad 2006 economic ideas, nothing to address 2008 and beyond.
I would expect nothing less than his same old socialist jargon, since he has zero experience on economic affairs (unless you count his time as a Marxist-in-training).
Couple that with his zero experience on foreign affairs and his zero experience as a leader of anything,... well, I know who is NOT ready to take on the challenges of the current era: Obama is a zero.
Governor Palin knows more about economics than Obama. Then again, she knows more than Obama about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, too.
Obama knows little more than how to puff up his own ego and re-hash old Democratic/Socialist/Marxist talking points.
Americans are not stupid. Obama can keep trying to sell his snake oil but we're not buying.
McCain will be the next president. Palin will be the next Vice President.
After he loses in November, Joe Biden will go back to screwing consumers on behalf of credit card companies, like he always does.
Obama will go back to the Senate and, well, keep doing what he does best: talk and follow the lead of the DNC.
Obama is a Zero. McCain is a Hero.
Country First!
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JACK
3:15PM Sep 23rd 2008
Does Al Franken remind anyone of Jabba the Hud from Star Wars. Same facial features and almost eerie resmblance.
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ProSarah
3:35PM Sep 23rd 2008
Al Franken didn't write the skit and Bill Clinton did not have sex with that woman. You have lying down to a fine art.
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carmine
3:46PM Sep 23rd 2008
Was the skit developed before or after they were coked up, drunk and wasted on pot?
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jblsus
4:06PM Sep 23rd 2008
Off the subject. Can anyone tell me how Obama is more qualified to handle foreign affairs than Sarah Palin?
Plus, she's not even running for president!
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jblsus
4:12PM Sep 23rd 2008
SNL doesn't get it. I'll bet their ratings drop. They are only appealing to the liberal set like the Hollywierd types. They are simply insulting conservatives.
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Churchill.
4:47PM Sep 23rd 2008
John Mccain to me appears erratic, contumacious, borderline unstable and maybe quite volatile. These are definitely not te traits of a good President, which will be Patience, Good Listening skills, even temperament, level headedness, flexibilty and rigidity. No one can argue that the latter qualities fit more closely to Obama. This is why he should win and infact will win.
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Mark
5:13PM Sep 23rd 2008
jblsus4:12PMSep 23rd 2008
SNL doesn't get it. I'll bet their ratings drop. They are only appealing to the liberal set like the Hollywierd types. They are simply insulting conservatives. **************************** No - I'm a white, college educated male in my 27th year of military service, married with two kids. It appealed to me! It was on-topic political satire that skewered the McCain campaign for the outrageous lies put forth in some of their ads. And what, pray tell, is wrong with that? Obama was in JAcksonville, Florida this weekend. What a cross section of America was there! Every age group, color & creed! He has appeal across many segements of society (fair number of military there too) and if he doesn't appeal to you that's fine - but to bitterly cling to your myth that he only appeals to liberals or Hollywood wierdos is just sticking your head in the sand.
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BirdmanJones
5:42PM Sep 23rd 2008
Given that the skit was so funny, it's clear to all that Stuart Smalley couldn't have written it.
But it's easy to understand any confusion about the story, given that NBC is the Official Network of the DNC...
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shighley74
6:45PM Sep 23rd 2008
erica. great answer. I listen to entertainers for my political input like a listen to my mechanic for health tips.
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jinky
5:56PM Sep 23rd 2008
I LIKE THAT! 'Switch from backing BARAACK OBAMA and pick JOHN McCAIN, Go from ZERO TO HERO in no time flat!'
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jinky
5:58PM Sep 23rd 2008
CHURCHILL, IF Barack Obama 'seems' more stable, it's probably because they have him all full of valium or whatever.
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Albert J. Reine
6:10PM Sep 23rd 2008
Nothing more then a SICKO ! Better to send him to IRAN with Nancy and Obama: THE THREE CANCERS of AMERICA ! Maybe some where in Obama Land or Obama/Wood: Three SICKO that will kill AMERICA !