Today let’s celebrate the life of Al Franken, from comic to crusader for a free internet. See what he’s been doing since he’s popped on the scene in the mid 70s, it’s not all politics.
Al Franken started his television career as a writer and actor on Saturday Night Live with his comedy partner Tom Davis. Al left the show in 1995, and his career hasn’t ceased its upward trajectory.
In the 1978 film The Rutles, or All You Need is Cash, he and Tom Davis played henchmen to John Belushi’s Ron Decline. They weren’t really the focus of the feature but they added some much needed hilarity to the mix.
The 1983 Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy vehicle Trading Places featured Al Franken and Tom Davis as baggage handlers. Once again not the focus of the film but a definite addition when it comes to comedy.
In 1995 Al Franken made Stuart Saves His Family, which was a complete box office failure. Moving along.
After the utter failure of Stuart Saves His Family Al did what he does best and started making appearances in television shows. In 1996 he made an appearance in the much beloved show 3rd Rock from the Sun opposite John Lithgow.
Al even popped up in the animated series Clerks as Mayor McCheese. An underrated series that you should go out and see right now because of all of the very good actors that they featured.
Al Franken hasn’t existed solely in the realm of television and film. In 1996 he wrote the book Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations, which took on the conservative stalwart Rush Limbaugh. In 2003 he came out with his fifth book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right where he goes after some of the more outspoken conservatives that had taken to television.
In 2009 he tackled his biggest opponent yet, the United States Government. He was elected Senator of Minnesota, and since his election he’s made some serious contributions to the world. His first piece of legislation that he introduced was the Service Dogs for Veterans Act that aimed to pair wounded veterans with service dogs. He’s also been a very vocal proponent of net neutrality, which has made him a hero in many people’s eyes. Including ours. Thanks, Al!
