Posted on 03/31/2004 2:13:57 PM PST by 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 OFranken 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 youd 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-IDd 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 youd 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 networks listeners are probably eager to hear.
Sen. Hillary Clinton is scheduled for Thursdays show. Former Bush administration counter terrorism expert Richard Clarke will be a guest on Friday
Kerrey is no longer a member?
Oh, you mean the bipartisan 9/11 Commission??? What a joke. Bob Kerrey ought to resign from that commission, after going on a blatantly anti-Bush show. What a jerk Kerrey is. And so is Kerry.
LOL!!! I almost swallowed my bite guard on that one!
It's no fun listening to someone when it sounds like they're about to blow a big old booger on you.
The point being that Air America is Public Radio Version 2.0.
I have no doubt that when Air America finds itself on the verge of bankruptcy, it will continue to follow in Public Radio's footsteps by seeking taxpayer-funded subsidies.
Man, talk about your big fat drunkards idiots!
Host: Okay, we're back. Still hate Bush?
Co-Host: Oh yeah. You?
Host: You bet.
[pregnant pause]
Host: Well, let's...uh...let's take some calls. Caller number 1, you there?
Caller: Yeah, I wanna talk about hating Bush?
Host: Go right ahead. Do you hate Bush?
Caller: Yep, I hate him.
[pregnant pause]
Host: Tell us about it.
Co-Host: Yeah, caller, tell us about it.
Caller: Well, it's just George Bush....I hate 'em....
Co-Host: Oh, me too...[crosstalk]
Host: I hate Bush so much....
Co-Host: ...I hate 'em.
Host: Caller, how much do you hate Bush?
Caller: A lot.....I hate him a lot....
But a few years honing his skills on a small station in the sticks are beneath him, so what the hell. The leftwing dummy audience isn't interested in professionalism anyway - Franken's juvenile name-calling will do until the plug gets pulled in November.
Hmm. Mar + 6 = Oct
They need to make it through the first week of Nov unless a recount gives them fresh material.
Did he quit the commission, did the commission quit him? I must be out of touch. Actually, I find it difficult to read about or listen to the commission over long. I must however, admit to having listened to the "radio program" for almost exactly 7 minutes this morning while Moore was spouting off and implying that Bush conspired with the Bin Laden clan. That was all my blood pressure would allow. If you want to test your medications, it can be heard at www.airamericaradio.com
Hope any listner has better luck than I.
Former? Kerrey's still on the commission!
"So, um, the guy's an idiot. He's a total dumbass, rearend talking, stupid, frat boy. Right? I mean, what a total idiot... The guy's just dumb. What a stupid idiot. Who could vote for this guy? How dumb is this guy? This guy is so dumb... he's the biggest idiot in the world. And he's a liar. Check your facts, Republicans. I've just given you tons of solid reasons why George Bush's record stinks... How can anyone argue with that?"
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