Jitters plague Franken during show's debut

TwinCities.com/Pioneer Press ^ | Pioneer Press | BRIAN LAMBERT

[veronica]

History will record that it was the celebrated author, comedian and Hollywood hobnobber Al Franken who sounded most ill at ease in the early going of his new radio adventure, while the kid from the provinces, former Minnesota Public Radio host Katherine Lanpher shined.

“The O’Franken Factor”, the marquee program of the new liberal network, Air America Radio, staring Minnesotans Franken and Lanpher debuted this morning. (It is heard locally, and temporarily, on WMNN 1330-AM from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays.) The first hour provided dollops of palpable, opening night jitters, satirical swagger and old-fashioned partisan invective in pretty much equal measure.

Franken, the “Saturday Night Live” alumus and conservative-bashing best-selling author of “Rush Limbaugh is a Big, Fat Idiot” and “Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them,” was clearly feeling the pressure of being the tent-pole of the much-publicized new network. His first few minutes, reading a script promising, “A battle for truth, justice and indeed America itself … not to be too grandiose,” was funny enough, but was read with enough tension in his voice you’d have looked away in embarrassment were he performing stand-up in front of you.

Fortunately, Franken acknowledged his unfamiliarity with the tricks of the talk radio trade and the value he places on Lanpher, who sounded reassuringly poised. At least for the time being, Lanpher is cast in a kind of Mother Hen/Voice of Reason role. She kept Franken on his cues, introduced and re-ID’d guests and cut to commercials. Happily, her trademark laugh, so problematic for MPR, appears to have been unfettered here.

By the second hour, when former 9/11 Commission member Bob Kerrey came on, Franken found a comfort level, although the interview itself was a slightly more informal version of what you’d get on public radio.

The show flashed more of the comic colors and tone the network has been promising when filmmaker-provocateur Michael Moore arrived. The sound of Franken and Lanpher trying to embarrass Moore into publicly apologizing to former Vice President Al Gore, stifling a laugh on the phone, hit the kind of mischievous-insiders tone the network’s listeners are probably eager to hear.

Sen. Hillary Clinton is scheduled for Thursday’s show. Former Bush administration counter terrorism expert Richard Clarke will be a guest on Friday

[hershey]

That shiv went in without a sound! Nicely done!

[hershey]

A weirdo off the street is hosting the show already.

[Aquinasfan]

His first few minutes, reading a script promising, “A battle for truth, justice and indeed America itself … not to be too grandiose,” was funny enough, but was read with enough tension in his voice you’d have looked away in embarrassment were he performing stand-up in front of you.

He won't take calls from conservatives. He'd melt.

[gogeo]

Franken is trying to pick a fight with anyone. If he can, that will mean he's somebody. Ann Coulter, Rush, Hannity, whoever.



Hopefully he will be ignored.

[Aquinasfan]

How can anyone argue with that?"

Wow! I'm impressed. I see the light! Where do I go to sign up? ;^)

[Cultural Jihad]

A veritable whos who of losers...I give the network 6 months.

Stock in Salon is holding firm at 14 cents a share!

[Bullish]

Kato Kalin had a longer radio career than this puss-head will have.

[OrioleFan]

The O'Frankenstein Factor - these guys can't do anything original. Maybe this will push O'Reilly back over to the conservative side during this election cycle - if O'Reilly doesn't sue them outright for the "Factor".

[katz]

I just found this thread. Tonight, I tuned into the Air America Radio between 5:00 & 6:00 p.m. The female ? on the air was into it with Ralph Nader for running on the Independent ticket. I listened to the Ralph interview/whatever and part of the show after the commercials. She lost me....I tuned out...what can I say, it wasn't funny or intertaining.

[GretchenEE]

Did you see that movie? I actually thought it was hilarious, the ONE thing Al's done that I can say that about, but either I am in the minority or I am one of the few thousand (hehe) who will admit it.

I have a theory about the lack of financial success of the movie: it hit far too close to home for many people who weren't ready to face themselves and their kin in the mirror of the big screen. I could be wrong, but given the stats on alcoholism and etc. in America nowadays, I don't think so.

[PhilDragoo]

presents
FRANKEN & FRANK in

"Tentpole & Hobknobber"

[onyx]

LOL-LOL-LOL
You are too much.
Your mind works in __________ ways.

[Tanniker Smith]

This will likely be my only comment on Franken for the simple reason that I won't comment on something I don't listen to. (I am commenting now on the article that was posted on the site, and no more.)

As far as the show goes, my policy will be "Don't Listen, Don't Review, Don't Tap on the Glass, Don't Feed the Animals, etc."

I'm sure some of you -- against better judgment -- tuned into Franken's first show. And I'll bet that he tried tweaking your noses a bit, and I'll further gamble that some of you were provoked or at least ticked off by it. I, on the other hand,while I was in my car, was tuned into Rush -- even though it was a sub filling in and even during the commercials. (Okay, I may have flipped over to WPLJ during one commercial break . . .)

Life's too short -- though not as short as Franken's radio career will likely be. By the way, NY Daily News had a great article today. It seems the folks in Harlem aint to happy with Franken. W-LIB (how's that for the perfect station, eh?) used to have Carribean music. Not any more. Can't really find it in NYC anymore thanks to Air America.

TS

[lewislynn]

It should read 'Hollywood knobgobbler'.

LOL!

[MeekOneGOP]

haha ! I can't wait to see the 'Liberal' reviews of this 'show'.

That should be entertaining ...

[RightWingAtheist]

Franken before going on the air:

Franken after going on the air:

[RightWingAtheist]

Oh, and should Air America actually get a following of devoted listeners, should we call them Airheads?

[hellinahandcart]

"Jitters plague Franken" just about all the time. Have you ever taken a good look at that guy's eyes? They are vibrating in their sockets.

Phil Donahue's eyes used to do the same thing.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Memorable line by Tom Davis's kid when he hears the news, "I hate you daddy, I hate you!"

I remember that. Creepy. One of them was in diapers or something like that. It was very early on in his career. I remember thinking it was very odd and not very funny.

[claudiustg]

Franken who?