Al Franken

Former Senator from Minnesota; Former SNL Writer; SiriusXM Radio Show Host

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New York, NY, USA
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Al Franken Biography

Al Franken first gained notice as a writer, comedian and sharp political satirist during his long tenure on the comedy sketch program, Saturday Night Live. He wrote for and performed on SNL from its inaugural season in 1975 to 1980; he returned in 1985 and served as one of the show's producers until 1995. During this time he won four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy, Variety, or Music Series. Some of his most famous appearances were as a frequent commentator on the "Weekend Update" sketch and as the self-help guru Stuart Smalley, a character who Franken expanded into a book, 1993's "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me," and a film, "Stuart Saves His Family." On a more serious note, he co-wrote and co-produced the film "When a Man Loves a Woman," starring Meg Ryan as a wife and mother struggling with alcoholism.

From early in his career, Franken poked fun at politics and politicians, engineering a humorous encounter with President Reagan on his campaign bus in 1976 and initiating a number of biting parodies of Democratic and Republican leaders alike on SNL. In 1988, he provided commentary for CNN at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta. Four years later, he worked as an anchorman and writer for Comedy Central's coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions, an eight-day stretch of programming called "Indecision '92."

In 1996, Franken published his second book, a collection of political essays entitled "Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations." During the 1996 presidential election, he memorably paired with the conservative Arianna Huffington as a commentator for Comedy Central's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. Three years later, he published a satirical account of his own fictional presidency, "Why Me? The Inside Story of the Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidency."

In 2003, after winning an injunction by Fox News to stop its publication, Franken put out another political satire, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right," which included a cover photo of Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly. Aside from openly mocking O'Reilly, a chapter in the book accused the commentator of lying. In August 2003, Fox News sued Franken, claiming infringement of its registered trademark phrase "Fair and Balanced." A federal judge found the lawsuit to be "wholly without merit."

The next year, Franken joined liberal talk-radio station Air America. His show, originally named "The O'Franken Factor" aired three hours a day, five days a week in an effort to provide an alternative to the conservative talk-radio circuit. While maintaining his role at Air America, Franken also published a sixth book, "The Truth (with jokes)," which focused on the 2004 Republican presidential campaign. The book debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list, and remained on the list for ten straight weeks.

In 2007, Franken left Air America in order to fully pursue his political ambitions. Franken announced his run for Minnesota Senate on February 14, 2007, on the last day of his radio show. After being tapped by the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party in June 2008,and receiving an endorsement from conservative speech writer and comedian, Ben Stein, Franken won the Democratic primary for the Senate seat.

In the Fall of 2019, he announced the launch of his own weekly radio show on SiriusXM (SIRI). The new show features conversations between Franken and figures in the political, entertainment, media and technology industries.

Al Franken Videos

  • Al Franken Remembers His First Day As A U.S. Senator | Conan O ...
    Al Franken wasn't allowed to be funny as a senator, but that didn't stop him from trying. Hear more from Al Franken on "Conan O'Brien Needs ...
  • Al Franken discusses his new comedy tour, current events and more ...
    Al Franken, the only U.S. senator who was also a writer and performer on “Saturday Night Live,” returns to his comedy roots with the “The ...
  • Sen. AL Franken Gives Acceptance Speech - YouTube

Al Franken Books

  • Al Franken, Giant of the Senate
    Al Franken, Giant of the Senate

Speaker Lists Featuring Al Franken

FAQs on booking Al Franken

  • How do I book Al Franken to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Al Franken for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Al Franken, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Al Franken or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Al Franken

    Speaking fees for Al Franken, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Al Franken are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Al Franken, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Al Franken speak about?

    Al Franken is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Acting, Authors, Celebrity, College, Comedy, Commencement, Democrat, Entertainers, Faith & Religion, Health, Host & Emcee, Jewish Heritage, Journalism, Political, Television & Film.
  • Where does Al Franken travel from?

    Al Franken generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Al Franken for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Al Franken for your next private or corporate function.
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Al Franken is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Al Franken for your event is $50,000 - $100,000. Al Franken generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Ben Stein, Jon Stewart, Chelsea Handler, William Shatner and Billy Crystal. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Al Franken for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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