Franken advises 'SNL' on ridiculing McCain...
Ubiquitous
Al Franken, the former "Saturday Night Live" star now running in a
high-profile Senate race in Minnesota, helped craft the opening sketch mocking
John McCain that kicked off the NBC comedy show Saturday, according to two
well-placed sources inside the network.
Franken, who hasn’t been a staff writer on the show for 13 years, “phoned in”
a spoof of McCain recording campaign ads in an edit booth, said an NBC source.
Seth Meyers, the show’s current head writer, wrote it, but the sketch was
hatched by Franken, a longtime liberal satirist and comedian.
An SNL insider said that, as of the Wednesday script read-through, Franken was
the “credited writer with Meyers” on the opening sketch. Show veteran Darrell
Hammond is to play McCain.
Franken’s input to the show blindsided his campaign staff, who have been
forced to explain away some of the more crass and profane parts of his past
writing and acting that have been used as fodder against him in a state known
for its polite manners.
A spokeswoman for Franken, Colleen Murray, first said the Democratic Senate
candidate “didn’t write anything for SNL tonight.” But pressed if he was
involved in the show or had been in contact with staff members, Murray
admitted Franken had a role in Saturday's program.
“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,” Murray said in a
statement, referring to the show’s executive producer and creator. “Sure, Al
keeps in touch with old friends but unless the skit is about non-ferrous
mining on Minnesota’s Iron Range, Al’s not in the business of developing skits
anymore.”
A Franken campaign aide said the candidate had been taping an ad earlier in
the week and had wondered out loud how McCain could include the disclaimer
candidates are required to include in their commercials — “I’m John McCain,
and I approved this message” — when his spots were so “over the top.”
Later that day, Franken talked to Michaels about topics unrelated to the show
and mentioned his thought but did not suggest a sketch.
However, Michaels talked to Meyers about Franken’s idea and the current
writer, believing there was a funny sketch there, called his predecessor and
they discussed it further.
Meyers then wrote it up.
Franken’s campaign sought to downplay the conversations, noting that the idea
grew out of a discussion between old friends and that Franken had not been
pitching an idea.
And a source close to the show said it was not uncommon for past "Saturday
Night Live" stars to suggest ideas to current writers and cast members.
But word that the network’s signature comedy show has allowed a liberal
Democrat Senate candidate to shape content mocking the Republican presidential
nominee may fuel sentiment that the network is sympathetic to the left.
Told of Franken’s role in Saturday's show, a spokesman for Sen. Norm Coleman’s
campaign said it was ironic that the Democrat had a hand in spoofing negative
campaigning.
“Angry Al has run one of the nastiest, most negative attack campaigns in
Minnesota history,” said Coleman spokesman Luke Friedrich. “Angry Al
complaining about someone else’s campaign ads is about as funny as 'Saturday
Night Live' will get this year.”
Franken's campaign was damaged earlier this summer when Republicans unearthed
a racy Playboy article and even more when it was revealed that in 1995, his
last year on the program, Franken had joked about rape while crafting one of
the show’s skits.
Faced with a groundswell of criticism, Franken distanced himself from his past
work as a comedian. In June, he apologized for some of his more controversial
comedy routines when he accepted his party’s endorsement.
“For 35 years I was a writer. I wrote a lot of jokes. Some of them weren’t
funny. Some of them weren’t appropriate. Some of them were downright
offensive. I understand that. And I understand that the people of Minnesota
deserve a senator who won’t say things that will make you feel uncomfortable,”
Franken said in his nomination speech.
Since then, Franken has sought to refocus the race on Coleman and the
incumbent’s ties to President Bush.
But Republicans have continued to use Franken’s past words against him.
Coleman has recently begun airing a tough television ad showing the comedian
using variations of four-letter words, bleeped out, and portraying him as
angry and unstable.
Franken has relied heavily on his show business connections to help fund his
race.
He’s raised more money from California than any other state (including
Minnesota), fueled by support from deep-pocketed Hollywood donors. He has
received campaign donations from a host of famous actors including Tom Hanks,
Candice Bergen, Paul Newman, Meg Ryan, Robin Williams, Steve Martin and Kevin
Kline.
All told, Franken has raised over $523,000 from contributors connected to
Hollywood in the movie and music industries.
Aside from exposing Franken's campaign to further questions about the
seriousness of his commitment to public office, his role in the skit also
leaves the NBC network vulnerable to criticism about the propriety of allowing
a partisan candidate for high federal office to craft a segment mocking a
presidential candidate of the opposing party.
Franken and his wife, Frances, have both maxed out as donors to the campaign
of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
If nothing else, the timing of Franken's involvement is inopportune for the
broadcast network, coming just weeks after delegates at the Republican
National Convention chanted "NBC" in response to a line in GOP vice
presidential nominee Sarah Palin's acceptance speech criticizing the media.
Conservatives have come to view NBC in the way they did CNN — once derided as
the “Clinton News Network” — for many years.
Republican enmity has been mostly aimed at the network’s politically oriented
cable station, MSNBC, and particularly liberal-leaning hosts Keith Olbermann
and Chris Matthews.
But word that the network’s signature comedy show has allowed a liberal
Democrat Senate candidate to shape content mocking the Republican presidential
nominee may fuel sentiment that the network is sympathetic to the left, even
if the treatment of McCain is relatively gentle.
"Saturday Night Live" has a long history of political comedy, with
presidential election spoofs providing some of the show’s most memorable
moments. And, to be sure, over its 33 years, writers on the show have been
equal opportunity satirists, gleefully mocking Republican and Democratic
politicians alike.
McCain, Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton have all made cameos on the show this
year, and the year’s most high-impact sketch may have been the one mocking
reporters for going easy on the Illinois senator at the expense of Clinton.
And SNL executive producer and creator Lorne Michaels has a long history of
donating to political candidates and various PACs on both sides of the aisle
as well as independents.
Michaels has also been a longtime supporter of Sen. John McCain's various
political campaigns, donating $1,000 to him in the 2000 presidential
primaries, $1,000 to his 2004 Senate reelection bid, a similar sum to his
Straight Talk America PAC in 2006 and the maximum $2,300 to his presidential
campaign this year.
When asked about his support for McCain last week by Politico, Michaels said
he has also donated to Obama, although that donation has not been listed on
the most recent available donor statements. Michaels also made a $2,300
donation to the Franken campaign in March.
Representatives for Obama declined to comment on Franken’s hand in mocking
their rival. The McCain campaign also declined to comment.
--
It is simply breathtaking to watch the glee and abandon with which
the liberal media and the Angry Left have been attempting to turn
our military victory in Iraq into a second Vietnam quagmire. Too bad
for them, it's failing.
Anim8rFSK
Ubiquitous <web...@polaris.net> wrote:
> Al Franken, the former "Saturday Night Live" star now running in a
> high-profile Senate race in Minnesota, helped craft the opening sketch
> mocking
> John McCain that kicked off the NBC comedy show Saturday, according to two
> well-placed sources inside the network.
What, they wanted to make sure it wasn't funny?
--
Third root canal - averted.
Hip Hip Hurrah!
Alric Knebel
wrote:
>By: Jonathan Martin and Josh Kraushaar
>
>Al Franken, the former "Saturday Night Live" star now running in a
>high-profile Senate race in Minnesota, helped craft the opening sketch mocking
>John McCain that kicked off the NBC comedy show Saturday, according to two
>well-placed sources inside the network.
>
>Franken, who hasn’t been a staff writer on the show for 13 years, “phoned in”
>a spoof of McCain recording campaign ads in an edit booth, said an NBC source.
>Seth Meyers, the show’s current head writer, wrote it, but the sketch was
>hatched by Franken, a longtime liberal satirist and comedian.
>
>An SNL insider said that, as of the Wednesday script read-through, Franken was
>the “credited writer with Meyers” on the opening sketch. Show veteran Darrell
>Hammond is to play McCain.
>
>Franken’s input to the show blindsided his campaign staff, who have been
>forced to explain away some of the more crass and profane parts of his past
>writing and acting that have been used as fodder against him in a state known
>for its polite manners.
> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
>
>But word that the network’s signature comedy show has allowed a liberal
>Democrat Senate candidate to shape content mocking the Republican presidential
>nominee may fuel sentiment that the network is sympathetic to the left.
That same tired canard. I guess if you keep repeating a lie enough,
there are enough dumb suckers who'll believe it. The network is a
CORPORATION. They'll do what gets ratings. They're ridiculing both
candidates. Haven't guys like you noticed it?
>
>“Angry Al has run one of the nastiest, most negative attack campaigns in
>Minnesota history,” said Coleman spokesman Luke Friedrich. “Angry Al
>complaining about someone else’s campaign ads is about as funny as 'Saturday
>Night Live' will get this year.”
See how he used "Angry Al" twice? He's hoping it'll stick in
everyone's minds as cute and maybe accurate. This is how Republicans
role: "The electorate are DUMB; give them jokes that reflect
pettiness, and we've got 'em."
>Franken's campaign was damaged earlier this summer when Republicans unearthed
>a racy Playboy article and even more when it was revealed that in 1995, his
>last year on the program, Franken had joked about rape while crafting one of
>the show’s skits.
Oh, my! We've got a real scandal here!
>But Republicans have continued to use Franken’s past words against him.
It won't work. People who are far him won't be dissuaded, while
people already against him can spend time in a gleeful circle jerk.
>Coleman has recently begun airing a tough television ad showing the comedian
>using variations of four-letter words, bleeped out, and portraying him as
>angry and unstable.
LOL! Good old Coleman!
>Franken has relied heavily on his show business connections to help fund his
>race.
>
>He’s raised more money from California than any other state (including
>Minnesota), fueled by support from deep-pocketed Hollywood donors. He has
>received campaign donations from a host of famous actors including Tom Hanks,
>Candice Bergen, Paul Newman, Meg Ryan, Robin Williams, Steve Martin and Kevin
>Kline.
Oh, oh! "HOLLYWOOD" is involved. How many trigger words can a couple
of hack conservative writers include in one article?
>All told, Franken has raised over $523,000 from contributors connected to
>Hollywood in the movie and music industries.
Doesn't really sound like that much. But if you include it in an
accusation, people unaware of it's relative insignificance will assume
what you wanted them to assume. This is clearly an article written
with dumb people in mind. How's it working for ya, Ubi?
>Aside from exposing Franken's campaign to further questions about the
>seriousness of his commitment to public office, his role in the skit also
>leaves the NBC network vulnerable to criticism about the propriety of allowing
>a partisan candidate for high federal office to craft a segment mocking a
>presidential candidate of the opposing party.
Oh, bullshit. If they weren't into satire, it would be a different
story, but they've mocked mercilessly everyone since the show's
inception.
>Franken and his wife, Frances, have both maxed out as donors to the campaign
>of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.
So? Good god, man! This is getting dumber and dumber with each line.
He's a fucking DEMOCRAT, you fucking dumbass! Of course he's going to
contribute to him. I'd max out, too, if I had the money.
>If nothing else, the timing of Franken's involvement is inopportune for the
>broadcast network, coming just weeks after delegates at the Republican
>National Convention chanted "NBC" in response to a line in GOP vice
>presidential nominee Sarah Palin's acceptance speech criticizing the media.
>
>Conservatives have come to view NBC in the way they did CNN — once derided as
>the “Clinton News Network” — for many years.
Oh, yeah. What nonsense THAT was, even then. CNN, like all networks,
was following the Republican party in on every accusation, right there
with everyone else, day after day. And that was part of the problem,
because Republicans were hoping to build a case against him by
smearing him constantly. I don't think they should have reported all
that crap at all. It would have discouraged pursuit of that line of
scandal and focused on real crimes, instead of on petty moral
offenses, and trying to turn them into a crime.
>Republican enmity has been mostly aimed at the network’s politically oriented
>cable station, MSNBC, and particularly liberal-leaning hosts Keith Olbermann
>and Chris Matthews.
Fuck those stupid Republicans. It's the same network that hosts
Scarborough, Tucker Carlson, and even gave the absurd Michael Savage a
shot (which proved to be too embarrassing even for a rapacious
network).
>But word that the network’s signature comedy show has allowed a liberal
>Democrat Senate candidate to shape content mocking the Republican presidential
>nominee may fuel sentiment that the network is sympathetic to the left, even
>if the treatment of McCain is relatively gentle.
Yes, yes, you've said this already, UP THERE somewhere. You can't
account for people's PERCEPTIONS, especially when they're so biased to
the right that they can't see when the same show skewers left-leaning
politicians with equal glee.
>"Saturday Night Live" has a long history of political comedy, with
>presidential election spoofs providing some of the show’s most memorable
>moments. And, to be sure, over its 33 years, writers on the show have been
>equal opportunity satirists, gleefully mocking Republican and Democratic
>politicians alike.
>
>McCain, Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton have all made cameos on the show this
>year, and the year’s most high-impact sketch may have been the one mocking
>reporters for going easy on the Illinois senator at the expense of Clinton.
>
>And SNL executive producer and creator Lorne Michaels has a long history of
>donating to political candidates and various PACs on both sides of the aisle
>as well as independents.
Then what the hell is all the yapping about? Clearly the Republicans
are wrong for even bitching about it, and it's wrong for these pie
holes to be writing about it, and it's idiotic for YOU, Ubi, to be
passing it around as if it's meaningful.
>--
>It is simply breathtaking to watch the glee and abandon with which
>the liberal media and the Angry Left have been attempting to turn
>our military victory in Iraq into a second Vietnam quagmire. Too bad
>for them, it's failing.
It's simply breathtaking what an idiot you are.
_______________________________________________
Alric Knebel
http://www.ironeyefortress.com/C-SPAN_loon.html
http://www.ironeyefortress.com
Ubiquitous
>> Al Franken, the former "Saturday Night Live" star now running in a
>> high-profile Senate race in Minnesota, helped craft the opening sketch
>> mocking John McCain that kicked off the NBC comedy show Saturday,
>> according to two well-placed sources inside the network.
>
>What, they wanted to make sure it wasn't funny?
They've been doing just fine without Al Franken's help. *shrugs*
Ubiquitous
wrote:
>It's simply breathtaking what an idiot you are.
You really need to quit throwing ad hominums around when you cannot debate
the facts.
trotsky
> In article <3p7fd4lvveumv7l8d...@4ax.com>, al...@cableone.net
> wrote:
>
>> It's simply breathtaking what an idiot you are.
>
> You really need to quit throwing ad hominums around when you cannot debate
> the facts.
No, I'm pretty sure your being an idiot is a fact.
Antonio E. Gonzalez
wrote:
>On Mon, 22 Sep 2008 06:56:40 -0400, Ubiquitous <web...@polaris.net>
>wrote:
>
>>--
>>It is simply breathtaking to watch the glee and abandon with which
>>the liberal media and the Angry Left have been attempting to turn
>>our military victory in Iraq into a second Vietnam quagmire. Too bad
>>for them, it's failing.
>
>
>It's simply breathtaking what an idiot you are.
>
Obama-willing, it looks like the quagmire may finally be at an end:
sixteen brigades in sixteen months . . .
Ubiquitous
>Ubiquitous wrote:
>> al...@cableone.net wrote:
>>> It's simply breathtaking what an idiot you are.
>>
>> You really need to quit throwing ad hominums around when you cannot
>> debate the facts.
>
>No, I'm pretty sure your being an idiot is a fact.
That's pretty funny, coming from someone who's lost every debate with
me.