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SNL video’s short online shelf-life not a sign of Franken humor-management

By Chris Steller | 07.23.09 | 5:02 pm

hulu-no-franken-stillSen. Al Franken was famously contained during the long period of limbo between Election Day and his swearing-in, suppressing his wit by keeping mum in an effort to seem more senatorial. So when a video of Franken impersonating the…

Video: Franken on SNL, spoofing senate Supreme Court hearing

By Chris Steller | 07.17.09 | 11:30 am

NBC just dug a timely video out of its vaults: Al Franken playing a U.S. senator on the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, questioning a U.S. Supreme Court nominee. Now viewers can compare and contrast his 1991 and 2009 performances.

Before he was a senator, Franken played one on TV

By Chris Steller | 07.08.09 | 10:03 am

In a story on the Senate Judiciary Committee taking up Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court next week, the New York Times makes mention of something noted here last week: committee member Al Franken’s

Amy Poehler apologizes to Bachmann on NBC

By Chris Steller | 05.01.09 | 7:42 am

poehlerMichele Bachmann received an apology on NBC-TV last night. Amy Poehler — formerly of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and now the star of the network’s new series, “Parks and Recreation” — looked straight into the camera and said…

Comedians show more spine than Dems on Lieberman

By Paul Schmelzer | 11.23.08 | 10:22 pm

The Democrats’ response to Sen. Joe Lieberman’s vigorous campaigning for John McCain, which included the former Democrat taking to CNN to endorse the GOP’s talking point that “Hamas endorsed Obama”: He got to keep his chairmanship and was…

Video: Cliff Clavin, Pat Boone and Victoria Jackson stump for Norm

By Paul Schmelzer | 10.28.08 | 11:59 am

The Republicans are bringing out the big guns in defense of Sen. Norm Coleman this week. A new video by the National Republican Senatorial Committee enlists Hollywood has-beens Pat Boone, Stephen Baldwin, John “Cliff Clavin” Ratzenberger, Robert (

SNL Thursday: Bush endorses McCain/Palin

By Steve Perry | 10.24.08 | 7:34 am

Will Farrell returned for a cameo as George W. Bush on last night’s Thurday edition of SNL weekend update. The video, for sizing reasons, is below the jump.

In its hand-wringing over McCain skit, GOP fails to note McCain campaign contributions from SNL producer Lorne Michaels

By Karl Bremer | 09.23.08 | 11:25 am

Norm Coleman’s campaign and his henchmen are bloviating overtime about Al Franken’s reported contribution to a Saturday Night Live skit last week mocking John McCain. The skit was conceived from some comments made by Franken in a phone conversation with his old friend and boss, SNL creator and Executive Producer Lorne Michaels.