Comedian and Future Senator Al Franken With a Hilarious Performance at the 1996 WHCP

[@arielporte4149]

Oh how I wish Al was still our representative....please Al run again...we miss you and we NEED YOU !!!!!

[@ericwahlund6968]

I agree

[@roseannkraynak-jf7xr]

I live in PA & I wish he was Minnesota’s senator, too! He was an incredibly smart & efficient Senator unlike dimbulbs like Lindsey Graham & Ron Johnson who are unscrupulous pinheads.

[@dolliscrawford280]

​@roseannkraynak-jf7xr The best thing I liked about AL was his efforts to eliminate the ability of people to sign away their rights to the courts by Arbitration only agreements.

[@9275633]

Please run for office again No one but gillebrandt cares about an ancient photo when u we’re a court jester kid We need u!!!!

[@debbiemolnar4835]

Saturday night live

[@susie6319]

Al Franken is a natural born comedian however he cared for his constituents in the winter In Minnesota he drove to visit a lady in the hospital who just had a cancerous tumor removed now we need more senators with that kind of heart's ❤❤❤

[@neilturetsky6038]

Best senator ever, love him. Never forgive Gililand for getting him thrown out for the silliest least significant prank ever

[@lorimentzer5866]

Come back Al Franken, you should have never resigned.

[@sealyoness]

The clipped video showed a bunch of ISO entertainers clowning around, admittedly drinking on the transport. The woman who accused him of groping her or whatever was filmed making a young military escort turn red around his ears as she rubbed herself (clothed) all over him. Who sexually exploited whom? Al and his wife are still married, I believe. I've long forgotten who his accuser was.

[@otthoheldring]

Why did he cave so fast?

[@gingergrant6759]

Reminds me of how much I'm still mad at Kristen gillibrand for taking away a decent Democrat senator

[@LeeMaiden]

Kristen has proven she is someone that needs to be kicked to the curb, Al Franken needs to step back in, what he did was actually a nothing, a picture of someone about to do something wrong, but he didn't do anything in reality. Al needs to come back, his honesty and character, are missed in the Senate.

[@cynthiarowley719]

Very glad he's not gone

[@mikelemmon888]

I hate her so much but Al was an idiot to resign.

[@Seilolo]

SAME!!!!!! He shouldn’t have been ousted.

[@janineharkins3513]

Maybe the most shameful bit of that chapter was that Al was actually there to fight for the very basic rights of all Minnesotans in an occasionally humorous, but always humble, earnest and honest way. No dirty tricks or dark money, eyes never focused on what special perks or more prestigious positions his senatorship could garner him....but to be fair, the GOP had Roy Moore, so...

[@linshanhsiang]

I've been watching various versions of these dinner speakers and Al Franken has them beaten all hollow!

[@donnaniemi]

Me too and I couldn't agree more

[@DrainItNow]

Except Stephen Colbert's roast of W!

[@craighunt6098]

Thanks Mr. Franken for being so prophetic about one the OG's and megaphones of modern MAGA intolerance--ie Rush Limbaugh and his impact on US politics...man 1996--only 27 years ago! And I loved the Slow Army of Retirees---now that I am one now, I am a "fast walker" fortunately and a very infrequent visitor to hospitals at age 68---same with my 68 year old wife!

[@janineharkins3513]

Bless you. Keep it up...

[@bubbercakes528]

This man SHOULD BE president now! So many other Republicans have done far worse and just denied their actions. He apologized and showed remorse. I would still vote for him!

[@bananaramadingdong]

He shaped 90s humour, he acquitted himself admirably as a senator - the last thing this man deserves is a 4-year sentence in DC, herding angry cats.

[@billolsen4360]

He's a clown and a democrat. We've to too many of those already.

[@beenaplumber8379]

I'm a liberal AND a Bob Dole fan. Those jokes with the Dutch guy made my eyes water!!!

[@contrarian23]

It's a great tragedy of American politics that Franken had to resign, and somehow Trump became president. We should all be ashamed.

[@JulyChilds]

I am mad as hell. Ashamed? I told him not to resign I told her not to be a Roger stone stooge.

[@juice14oj]

He didn't have to resign.

[@AbeFroman-zx5hs]

😢😢😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@AbeFroman-zx5hs]

Annoy the left. Do nothing.

[@billolsen4360]

I'm ashamed of Al Franken.

[@philipburton9518]

In 1996, how could we see that a call for civility would become an insane food fight of lies and desception by 2020? Franken is genius. I'd love to return him to DC.

[@lindamullins1446]

Who would think after Obama and his lovely family common sense and hard work and a good vp like Biden The people would put in trump Then voted him out Then Biden in 2020 Has done good work And some people want trump again in 2024 After such a horrible job with covid and 8 trillion deficit after his tax cuts for the very very rich Half of our deficit is Trump's doing and he added more debt then almost all presidents in history added together. Vote Blue For Truth & Democracy 💙😎💙

[@billolsen4360]

If Franken is a genius, Camela Harrys must be Einstein.

[@jadedbrad]

Bob Woodward says "falsehood" rather than lie because we don't know if therewas intent to tell the falsehood. But if you don't know that what you are saying is false, that makes you a dimwit.

[@225marklin3]

2024

[@thomthom6268]

The algorithm got this one right. What a treat on a rainy DC afternoon.

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

yes good ol' yt scores sometimes

[@thomthom6268]

@@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491 too many letters... hee hee And isn't that Latin & italian?

[@suemick8709]

At 34:12 Clarence and Ginni Thomas? It's pretty unnerving to watch this in the present but Franken was hilarious and it was even funnier to witness all the seat squirming.

[@Dead8Phish]

I think that was Tipper Gore, not Ginny...

[@harrodsongs]

@@Dead8Phish Yes that was Tipper Gore and my guess is the gent beside her was Secret Service.

[@henrimatisse7481]

Ginni look alike

[@UserName_no1]

Who would've ever guessed Al would be drummed out for the reason he was (compare that to everything that's happened since) and that Rush Limpdick would receive the Medal of Freedom and thus forever tarnish the award. What a shame, on both accounts.

[@granthurlburt4062]

A brilliant and funny and honest and sincere and a great senator

[@rayceeya8659]

Fun Fact, this was the same night Franken almost got into a fist fight with Sean Hannity.

[@pauldurand4780]

Hannity needs at least a punch in the mouth..And I'm among other networks a fox watcher..

[@Lisa-ik3wt]

I wonder if he started lying liars directly after that.😊

[@J.M.-nb4gw]

Really I never heard of that? Al Franken was a good HS wrestler and would probably kick little Sean's butt!

[@mxdavis]

What stones he had to deliver these stinging rebukes. Brilliant!

[@lornahuddleston1453]

​@@Lisa-ik3wt😂🤣

[@kathygoheen4626]

He's still hilarious and on point in 2023😂🤣Love Al.

[@philgilmore1176]

Absolutely!

[@neilturetsky6038]

Great smart, funny incisive podcast

[@womanofsubstance8735]

Al, as usual, is/was great, and I wish he was back in the Senate. Somebody needs to ask the anti-Medicare crowd how much money could be saved on Medicare if govt would do something about reducing the cost of health care and medications.

[@robertcamilleri8613]

The very best Comedian to grace a WHCD.

[@poppamichael2197]

Our senate could use the brilliance of Al Franken today. It is so sad that a single gratuitous, but gross, comedic gesture--which was wholly forgiven by the person who might have been offended--served as the basis, years later and in a different era, for a small but vocal movement to embarrass him and cause him to resign from the senate. All Americans lost something when he resigned, including those who lobbied for his banishment and who, most likely, will not be forgiven for it.

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

that woman betrayed her country i still wonder how much she got paid now the Dems were POSs

[@louisemiller9921]

Led by Kirsten Gillibrand for opportunistic reasons. I’ll never forgive her.

[@andrealingenfelter576]

I second that Gillibrand got on the bandwagon to “promote” her Pres run….Schumer put the screws to him….he should have had ethics committee and would have prevailed as his “offenses” were laughable and the woman in the “photo” was a conservative plant to bring him down. Gov Cuomo had way more dletailed and serious charges against him….and he resisted resigning for months. Franken was no given his due process…..phony Senators!!!!

[@andrealingenfelter576]

He even fit in as a Harvard graduate in the Senate and his questions were more incisive, detailed, to the point…like had he been able to question Kavanaugh!!!

[@voxveritas333]

@@louisemiller9921 haven't heard anything much from or about her lately. Hope she leaves.

[@Meinstein]

This should be cut up into it's "best of" clips. SO many really golden observations that hold up still today.. no matter which party is in power.

[@cockeyedoptimista]

The part about Bob Dole and Holland was great. Also the part where he made fun of Jews (not) in the military. (I'm one, so I can laugh.)

[@gheller2261]

This was a master class on cadence and comic timing.

[@grggsctt]

He could have taken more time with the seniors as soldiers bit. I don’t think he realized how much momentum he was building. It’s one of those pieces that could have brought the house down.

[@J.M.-nb4gw]

Very well said and spot on, Al Franken is a national treasure and possibly the best senator of the last 20 years. He's smart and funny and insightful and he always says and does what is best for the American people!

[@lindamutch191]

Oh how I wish you were in Congress today!! We NEED YOU!! 😅😅😅

[@channarosenblatt8197]

Al Franken was simply stunning here. Laughing, laughing, laughing! Please give Al Franken the Daily Show host position. You are way too smart and way to funny not to have your own show.

[@philgilmore1176]

Is this really a possibility? He'd be terrific ..

[@guyguyguy362]

President Bill Clinton took time from a crazy busy job to do Make a Wish for a very sick child. "All I want is a Balanced Budget based on the Congressional Budget Office numbers, sir."

[@charleslehner6083]

Agreed😂

[@charleslehner6083]

​@@guyguyguy362🎉

[@commontater8630]

@@philgilmore1176 Al was guest host of Daily Show for a spell and killed it.

[@danolson5387]

I just stumbled on this. I'd seen his other one (didn't realize he'd done it twice). He is the GREATEST satirist of the modern era. Like Twain was for his.

[@janineharkins3513]

Stumble on: Franken roast of Rob Reiner. Bring a change of pants.

[@margiealbiani7301]

X jd Ty

[@jaybestnz]

God I hope that Al hosts the Daily Show..

[@Ishai1]

He said on some podcast he wouldn't do it full time, too much work...

[@donalodonoghue7554]

Better if he served as president.

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

klepp is hard to beat

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

​@@donalodonoghue7554 no NO! Senator

[@thomthom6268]

@@Ishai1 it's not like AI can't work 24/7. I never trusted those lazy infernal programs.

[@eldergeektromeo9868]

In his usual, style (that is truly missed, btw) Al continues to slay the audience! Thanks Al. We miss you!

[@terrancelewis2980]

Yeah he’s one of a kind. Shame what transpired - for all parties….. 😢

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

his Party refused to defend him and those women ....

[@katmandudawn8417]

Certain members of his own party thought they would build their own brand off take taking Al out. I’m thinking about Kirsten Gillibrand…

[@MrSoulauctioneer]

well he did what he did, so it's on him

[@sandykravetz4523]

This is Franken performance is hilarious; so glad I stumbled into this on KZbin.

[@FakingANerve]

Same here. A lot of this material is in his books, but seeing him do this to in person _to_ his targets is something else! 😂

[@gheller2261]

He was very good, very tight through most of it, but probably went on 7 or 8 minutes too long.

[@janineharkins3513]

This is an amazing roast, but if you've never seen it, check out his roast of Rob Reiner. May be the single best roast I have ever seen.

[@janineharkins3513]

​@@FakingANerve Comedians using material MORE than once?! Get right the heck outta town! Seriously, great book, too. Fat Idiot, Lying Liars, and The Truth have got to be histories best hat trick for political satire. Well, he's no Greg Gutfeld, but...I'm sorry. I'm thinking of Bill O'Reilly.

[@michaelfritts6249]

His twist on "A Modest Proposal" was on point.

[@zxbc1]

The balls on Al to do such an acerbic satire with straight face in front of stuck up politicians, the very crowd that the satire aims to ridicule. You can see and hear the uneasy laugh in the audience.

[@curtrice6060]

27 years, and is as relevant as yesterday 😊 .

[@michaelfritts6249]

@@zxbc1 funny thing is, someone might read this and start a new "AI" consipracy because.. Ignored the video AI and robots are in cahoots.. Comedian Franken did become a Senator Franken.. How did they know he would be a Senator in the Future.. AI has obviously been around for awhile.. 😉😁🤣 Be Well!! 😀

[@susieb7305]

You are funny. And smart. Sorry we lost u in congress.

[@sommmeguy]

Newt Gingrich and Steve Forbes. And we thought politics was bad in the 90s. I wish our politics was half as civil and well spoken now. There's a walk down memory lane. Franken is still the best.

[@JohnMarkOrg]

"and if you believe that, ive got some land in Arkansas I'd like to see ya" Bwahaha hahahaha!!!!

[@Redmenace96]

I've watched about 10 these, and they are comedy gold. My first Al Franken episode. He is great!

[@helenstylianou5280]

I really like Al Franken, such a great shame he stepped down from the Senate. And I live in Cyprus.

[@kaysloan2787]

Totally agree!

[@lornahuddleston1453]

​​@@kaysloan2787That emphasizes how valuable Al Franken is 👍

[@chrisanderson1608]

Anyone catch the "be safe" during the hand shake at the very end. I'm glad he's still around.

[@craighunt6098]

OMG---I saw a shot of Sonny Bono in the crowd with a greying mustache---I Miss You Babe! :) On behalf of Cher and your millions of baby boomer fans!

[@anncarlson7609]

Run again. Please. The country needs you.

[@Yell5651]

I missed it 5 years ago. Glad they ran it again.

[@jackhammer8563]

It's April 2023 and all of his jokes made me laugh because I remember all of the back stories.🤣

[@J.M.-nb4gw]

I know right, I'm old too and remember ALL of this!

[@hrshsmpt]

"would aluminum foil make a good space suit or would you just bake like a potato" certified genius

[@Meinstein]

that one made me LOL.. something I do not often do.

[@mattep74]

And then apple tv made a whole episode in for all mankind revolve around just that

[@sealyoness]

How FUN. A kinder and gentler time, I guess.

[@ZsuzsannaBudapest]

Al Franken! I have your books,but watching you doing the sound effects makes it all more enjoyable. Thank you!!

[@Redmenace96]

This is from the era when I read newspapers and watched Cross Fire. I know all the characters he was roasting. Very funny, today.

[@bill8985]

I could watch this a hundred times. The best part is him giving it to Newt. Over and again. That was the peak of Al's humor. He's funny, yeah, even today. But this made me crap my pants.

[@jefolson6989]

Al should have stayed and fought the GOP, but fellow democrats , in an effort to take the high road, through him under the bus. Brilliant comedian ,shrewd politician.

[@johnajda]

You mean “threw” (not through).

[@robertgreen9150]

Al, please come back as Senator as YOU are greatly needed!!!😊

[@Lambert7785]

strikes me as a rather tough gig to pull off... :). not having al on senate committees is a big loss to our balance and well being, in my view

[@lintelle2382]

some folks since him have done an OK job, but this is Top Notch!

[@johnarnold893]

Al should have switched to Independent and stayed in the Senate. The US needs more people like him running the show.

[@IsaDesOsiers]

Brilliantly hilarious!

[@pauldicato5727]

Effing HYSTERICAL !😂😂😂😂😂

[@haeuptlingaberja4927]

Beck had that exact effect on me at a crazy show in Comiskey Park in Chicago in 1976. An electrical fire broke out while Jeff was playing. The massively oversold crowd panicked because the smoke was so thick and charged the ancient, not opened in decades emergency exits on the baseball field walls, which were only opened with a great deal of banging, thousands of kids left...and then Jeff Beck started playing the guitar intro to Blue Wind while the stage was still covered in heavy blue smoke. It was insane symmetry. It calmed everyone down, the fire was put out, the all-day show went on. I had already loved Jeff Beck for years, but that show was the most oddly personal connection I ever had with the great man.

[@davidtyler2012]

i knew Alfonse D'Matto... he was a dick. that was a good impression

[@jefolson6989]

Ive been bingeing WHCDs . As far as audience reaction, Franken is the best. ( Worst was Rich Little. Most savage: Michelle Wolf).

[@erikheymann9390]

The joke about Charles Murray made me spit out my coffee, totally brilliant.

[@allenburnett5422]

Would Al take over Late, Late, Late Night TV, or in other words, the CBS Morning Show?

[@MarthaRoseMoore415]

Holy crap - at about 2:31-33, right after Al says " mission accomplished" - You can TOTALLY hear Jake "I don't even know her" Tapper laughing. PRICELESS!!

[@Bob-nw7do]

I liked Al since Saturday Nite Live.

[@thomassicard3733]

Franken is BRILLIANT!!!!

[@milart12]

I'm not a huge Al Franken fan, but this is fantastic .

[@J.M.-nb4gw]

Definitely a classic!

[@danbev8542]

I’m a huge Al Frankenstein fan!

[@jpan7071]

A genius. He has a wonderful podcast now. I do miss his days on Air America Radio. He was in top form those days.

[@sachiperez]

Kind, smart and too funny!

[@cjjackson2475]

He's not only a great patriot but also a true mensch! God bless his soul. ❤

[@picklefish74]

I had forgotten all about that book. So now I have it on Audible.

[@guynorth3277]

Gosh, I stumbled into this and Al had me roaring, that really was a treat!

[@J.M.-nb4gw]

I know right, Al Franken has been a national treasure since the 1970s and arguably his best years for from this point in the 90s until now!

[@joanneclarke771]

I hated losing him as a senator. But we got the comedian back.

[@davidtyler2012]

i just realized... Johnny Galecki borrowed heavily from Al Franken in creating his performance of Leonard Hofstadter.

[@justbecauseOK]

this is amusing...a time before Trump...how innocent we were.

[@MrSoulauctioneer]

you think the list of subjects to avoid was a joke?

[@sherryvt61]

Al is a very funny dude. I've liked him since his days on SNL and especially his Stuart Smalley character.

[@jamesgray9950]

Al Franken is the best!

[@paulaitix77]

🤮

[@erichvonmolder9310]

Smart jokes and he delivers it well.

[@robertafeiler5320]

Brilliant! Beautifully written and delivered .👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@kenfletcher8855]

Brilliant!!!

[@kevincallaghan326]

So brilliant and still funny as hell after all these years. More recent WHCP performers should have paid more attention to Franken's more balanced approach.

[@kaysloan2787]

Love the little jab at Dick Cavett!

[@christinekoehnen9696]

❤ Al

[@MichaelMcFerrin]

Al Franken used to be an announcer at Air America on then 1690 WWAA AM in Avondale Estates Georgia....now WMLB.

[@kevinvilmont6061]

The guy is talented.

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

man we still need Al !

[@kaipeterson]

Al Franken for President!

[@optophobe]

What a talented man. Must have taken a very long time to prepare this very funny speech.

[@NxDoyle]

The Oliver Stone bit was very good, but Al had pretty much lost them by that point. They ran out of gas halfway through.

[@CathieDonohoe]

Franken is brilliant

[@cz2165]

His humor is too smart for these dweebs.

[@cockeyedoptimista]

Those aren't dweebs, those are intelligent reporters, what are you talking about?

[@commontater8630]

@@cockeyedoptimista Maybe he means some of the commenters in this thread. I'd agree.

[@phildirt3]

Just think how great it would be if congress was full of al types

[@ellenmadsen7308]

I think he should run again. Could see him at president.

[@alysaad07]

He shares so much with Letterman. Miss them both-

[@jwraithel]

Wow, some forgotten faces (like Sonny Bono!).

[@cockeyedoptimista]

Can you tell me who the guy is at 9;27, clapping at the Dutch WWII Bob Dole joke? The guy with beard and dimples? I can't place him: who is it? (And where is Sonny? Geez. But I didn't watch the whole thing yet. [Saving it.])

[@getyerkix]

FRANKEN 2024

[@gregedwards5608]

Outstanding Reality by him!!!... Smart and Comedic. Snl writer As well.

[@melorafoy7109]

He was great on SNL. Did Stuart Smally and "The Al.Franken Decade" on the Weekend update.

[@Highley1958]

At least Rush Limbaugh cared enough about America to drop dead.

[@Highley1958]

Time to step up, Newt Gingrich.

[@Peacemaker-er3tl]

More destinations for my road trip urination list

[@jerdonsbabbler3515]

Ooo, so darn funny.

[@gheller2261]

Took way too long.

[@amc8437]

Hilary was pretty, old age sucks!

[@wayneriley7367]

History will state that todays incivility goes back to rush and newt.

[@MrSoulauctioneer]

nope, Bill and Hillary

[@wayneriley7367]

@@MrSoulauctioneer really? I’d love to hear the reasoning? Clinton had the lowest deficit when he left, can’t say that for the no tax rich republicans. What do you really hate Hillary for? Because she is still married to Bill? Did you not get Al’s jokes about all the first and second wife’s of the GOP? And how are the GOP following Bill Bennett book of Virtues? Newt and rush were the ones bitching and moaning about how the country was being taken away from white people. I think Rush had a drug addiction? What substance addiction did the Clinton’s have? White water and Benghazi never amounted to anything but it is quite obvious the the orange pumpkin will be in jail soon.

[@voxveritas333]

@@MrSoulauctioneer nope, it was rush and newt. both bastards.

[@richardbetts816]

@@MrSoulauctioneer ope

[@MrSoulauctioneer]

Rush and Newt....Bill and Hillary. same time period. I remember the Clinton machine ruining anyone that dared stand against them, democrats included. Newt was a problem because he was the first speaker of the house that wasnt a democrat in over 40 years. and did they reach across the aisle to work with the long time minority that was finally the majority? Not if they weren't forced a couple times. Remmember Bill assaulted women, and Hillary vilified them. YOu still think Republicans are the cause of Vietnam and the 70s inflation, though the Dems held all the power except when the GOP held the White House 2x.

[@cavaliermama56]

They drove him out because he was brilliant and had a shot at the top.

[@danieljstark1625]

He is SO good. SO bright. So missed in the Senate.

[@maxheadrom3088]

And that's why he's a senator and that other guy is hosting "A Closer Look" after really making Trump decide to run for president.

[@gailremp8389]

Incredible. Too funny.

[@djinnko]

Back then, I did think Christine Whitman looked like she could be a close relative of (then) Prince Charles.😆

[@ksb2112]

OMG. I haven't laughed this hard in weeks!

[@jimreadey4837]

Why does Al appear so green-faced in the thumbnail...? He looks like *Al **_Frankenstein...._*

[@chrismangold79]

Classic, great material. Love his attacks on the Newt.

[@cimjindy1]

I am glad you reminded me. I mean, sadly. We would be so much better off. He could reach across the aisle! He got how to speak with people like Ms. Lindsay