Being Franken and to the point

New York Daily News ^ | 1/29/04

[mylife]

Being Franken and to the point

The lunch crowd at Michael's craned their necks yesterday as Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes bantered with Fox News nemesis Al Franken.

"Will you go on my radio show?" demanded Franken, who's launching a liberal talk radio venture in a couple of months. "Remember that I helped you out once when you asked me to come on your radio show."

"I really don't do those things anymore," replied Ailes, who had dropped by the table on his way out of the restaurant. "I haven't done it in two years."

"Here, I do you a favor, and that's the thanks I get?" Franken persisted.

"Yeah," Ailes fired back, "but you were the only guest who ever demanded to be paid. I think we had to give you $12."

"That was for cab fare," the comedian insisted.

Franken, my lunch partner, also interrogated Ailes about the cable network's notorious lawsuit against him for appropriating the Fox News slogan in his book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right." The publicity over the unsuccessful suit helped turn Franken's book into a huge best seller.

"Whose idea was it to sue? Was it O'Reilly's?" Franken probed, referring to Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, star of "The O'Reilly Factor," whose photograph is prominent on the cover of Franken's book.

"I can tell you that it was August, and I was on vacation," Ailes parried. "I think I said, 'Let's send this over to the legal department,' and somebody there must have thought that meant sue. That's not what it meant."

"But was it O'Reilly who asked for the suit?" Franken repeated.

"Let me put it this way: It wasn't my idea - and it wasn't the legal department's," Ailes said. "Listen, talent always wants to sue about everything. ... It's the sort of thing that happens in August."

Franken quipped: "I'm planning to call my radio show 'The O'Franken Factor.' Do you think you can sue me again?"

Ailes just laughed.

[mylife]

'The O'Franken Factor.'

Oh brother!

[rod1]

Yes. Speaking of lawsuits.

When does Franken lose his shirt over the impending New Hampshire assault charges I wonder?

[trad_anglican]

"Will you go on my radio show?" demanded Franken,

failing to point out that the show is on the air at exactly zero radio stations.

[TheBigB]

Wonder if Franken would have Dennis Miller on...THAT I would love to hear.

[Trueblackman]

Nothing like an angry troll.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Please FReepmail me if you want on/off this ping list.

[Samurai_Jack]

Franken has just demonstrated that he is a Dimwit. He reached a diminuitive peak in his Saturday Night Live days and now he is struggling in a career as a political smartass.

This lead zepplin wont float even if supported by the population of india full of soros.

[Reo]

'The O'Franken Factor.

More proof the Dims haven't had an original idea since JFK shot for the moon.

[ken5050]

Listen...Miller's show is AWFUL...almost unwatchable...he needs a bigger revamp than Dean....it almost..not quite, but almost, makes me long for the goatee with the sweater..

[The G Man]

It's really too bad because I used to enjoy Al Franken on SNL ("Take it from me ... Al Franken."). But he like all the other "blabbering boobs of bolshevicism" out there in Hollywood just can't keep their yaps shut about their politics, and because of that they are banned from my TV.

And my apologies to the nattering nabobs of negativism by the way.

[Jhensy]

'The O'Franken Factor.'

He has to call it something like that. The only successes he's ever had were when he puts Rush Limbaugh's or Fox's or O'Reilly's names/likenesses on his covers. For instance, do you remember his 2000 book "Why Not Me", about his mock campaign for president? Neither do I.

[cripplecreek]

You're right it needs help. For starters stop letting that liberal woman talk everyone else down. Like last night with her comments that hollywood is liberal because they care and are close to nature or some such tripe.

[ken5050]

I skipped it last night...I was watching the PBS show about the decline in the earth's magnetic field...I know, I know.. I gotta get a life...

[mylife]

For instance, do you remember his 2000 book "Why Not Me", about his mock campaign for president? Neither do I.

I hate to admit that I gave a dime to Franken, but I have "why not me" on audio tape. It was in the "cut out" bin. its kinda funny in a weird "Al Franken is the center of the universe" kind of way.

[Tanniker Smith]

By him a piano.
Call it a Franken Steinway.

ts
(well, the beer joke would've been too obvious.)

[Semper Paratus]

Angry comedians are as popular as angry politicians.

[Tanniker Smith]

And how much money did his "Stuart Smalley" movie make? (The last thing before the "Rush" book)? About 46 dollars.

[Tanniker Smith]

And how much money did his "Stuart Smalley" movie make? (The last thing before the "Rush" book)? About 46 dollars.