‘Lizard People’ make The New Yorker

This week’s issue of The New Yorker features a long profile of Al Franken by John Colapinto. For those who closely observed the eight month post-election battle between Franken and Norm Coleman, the piece offers few revelations. But it provides an entertaining, detailed account of the extraordinary U.S. Senate contest — including the memorable cameo by the “Lizard People”:

After a few minutes of discussion, Marc Elias, a lawyer for Franken, spoke up. “My argument would be that ‘Lizard People’ is not a genuine write-in,” Elias said. “In other words, is not a person.”

“Do we know that for sure?” one of the judges asked.

Another asked, “If it said ‘Moon Unit Zappa,’ would you say, ‘Oh, no, there is no such person as Moon Unit Zappa?’ ”

“I would say that that would be permissible,” Elias said.

“Well, but you don’t know that there’s not someone named Lizard People. You don’t!”

The judges voted to have the ballot tossed out.