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Career

United States Senate
2009–present
Senator for Minnesota State of Minnesota and Washington, District of Columbia USA
DOCUMENTARIES
2012
Offered commentary as himself Split: A Deeper Divide - investigates why partisanship is paralyzing American politics
2011
Offered commentary as himself Hot Coffee - explores how the infamous McDonald's hot coffee lawsuit and cases like it were used to weaken civil justice by those on the right
2008
Offered commentary as himself Dean and Me: Roadshow of an American Primary - “feature length documentary about Howard Dean and the Democratic party”
2008
Offered commentary as himself Lord, Save Us from Your Followers - asks “Why is the Gospel of Love Dividing America?”
2008
Offered commentary as himself. principal contributor Split: A Divided America - seeks the truth about the red/blue divide in America
2006
Offered commentary as himself Al Franken: God Spoke
2006
Offered commentary as himself Mr. Conservative: Goldwater on Goldwater
2005
Offered commentary as himself f in his role as co-host of The O’Franken Factor television discussion show America Undercover – Left of the Dial
2005
Offered commentary as himself Live from New York:The First 5 Years of Saturday Night Live
2004
Offered commentary as himself There's Something About W - humorous analysis about the Bush Administration's record during his first term
2004
Offered commentary as himself Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism - explores reported Conservative bias at Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News Channel (FNC), which touts itself as "Fair and Balanced"
2004
Offered commentary as himself How's Your News?: On the Campaign Trail
2004
Offered commentary as himself Bushisms - a collection of some of George W. Bush's more memorable misspeaks
2004
Offered commentary as himself Indian Point: Imagining the Unimaginable - discusses the almost complete lack of security at this nuclear power plant just 25 miles upriver from Manhattan following the tragic events of September 11, 20001
2004
Offered commentary as himself Wellstone!
2002
Offered commentary as himself The Perfect Pitch - a peek inside the world of television production and concept “pitch meetings"
1999
Offered commentary as himself ABC 2000: The Millennium - partying like it was 1999, a ringing in of a new year, century and millennium with messages and commentary from many
BESTSELLING AUTHOR
2009
Author with Tom Davis Thirty-Nine Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL from Someone Who Was There / Grove Press
2005
Author with Joe Conason and James Roosevelt, Jr. The Raw Deal: How the Bush Republicans Plan to Destroy Social Security and the Legacy of the New Deal / Polipoint Press
2005
Author, #1 New York Times Bestseller The Truth (With Jokes) / Dutton
2003
Author, #1 New York Times Bestseller (7 weeks) Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them - A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right / Dutton
2003
Author Oh, the Things I Know! - A Guide to Success, or Failing That, Happiness / Dutton
1999
Author Why Not Me? - The Inside Story of the Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidency / Dutton
1996
Author, #1 New York Times Bestseller (5 weeks) Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations / Delacorte Press
1992
Author, New York Times Bestseller I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me! -Daily Affirmations by Stuart Smalley / Dell Publishing
Saturday Night Live (SNL)
19752008
Writer with over 300 episode credits and comedic performer, noteably his character Stuart Smalley New York, New York USA
19851994
Producer of 165 episodes New York, New York USA
SNL TELEVISION SPECIALS
2007
Writer Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation
2000
Writer and producer Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash 2000
1992
Writer and consulting producer Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash
1991
Writer and producer Saturday Night Live Goes Commercial
1991
Writer Saturday Night Live: The Best of Robin Williams
1989
Writer, producer Saturday Night Live: 15th Anniversary
1986
Writer, producer One More Saturday Night
1981
Writer Bob & Ray, Jane, Laraine & Gilda
The Al Franken Show
20052007
Executive producer, writer and talk show host on Air America Radio with an edited version syndicated on cable television Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
The O'Franken Factor
20042005
Writer with Katherine Lanpher of this precursor to The Al Franken Show New York, New York USA
TELEVISION SPECIALS
2004
Documentary Writer The First Amendment Project: Fox vs. Franken
1995
Writer The 67th Annual Academy Awards
1993
Writer The 45th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards
1992
Writer and acted as himself, a news anchor Indecision '92: The Republican National Convention on Comedy Central
1984
Performed as himself Franken and Davis at Stockton State
1983
Writer for animated television short The Coneheads (Pilot of a program with voiceovers by original SNL actors)
1981
Writer Steve Martin's Best Show Ever
1977
Writer The Paul Simon Special
FEATURE AND TELEVISION FILMS
2004
Acted in the role of the TV Commentator The Manchurian Candidate
2001
Acted in an unnamed role Harvard Man
1997
Acted in the role of the vagabond The Definite Maybe
1995
Screenwriter and author of original source material, acted in the role of Stuart Stuart Saves His Family
1994
Writer and executive producer, acted in the role of the co-pilot When a Man Loves a Woman
1991
Acted in various roles Give Me Back My Life: A Harvard Lampoon Parody on MTV
1988
Writer as team of Franken & Davis Superman 50th Anniversary TV documentary
1986
Writer, acted in the role of Paul Flum One More Saturday Night
1985
Actor in unnamed role Tab Lloyd: Investigative Reporter
1978
Acted in the role Decline's Henchman All You Need Is Cash
1976
Creative staff, acted in the role of Al Tunnel Vision
LateLine
19981999
Program creator,executive producer, and acted as Al Freundlich, an on-camera talent in a series spoof of Nightline Long Island City, New York USA

Professional affiliations

2015–present
114th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Member
2015–present
114th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Member
2015–present
114th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Member Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety Ranking Member
2015–present
114th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary Member Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law Ranking Member
20132015
113th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Member
20132015
113th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Member
20132015
113th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Member
20132015
113th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary Member
20112013
112th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Member
20112013
112th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Member
20112013
112th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Member
20112013
112th Congress of the United States of America The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary Member

Accomplishments of note

2006
Fundraiser: for his Midwest Values Political Action Committee (PAC) State of Minnesota USA Raised more than $1.1 million for progressive candidates in 2006, including Amy Klobuchar, who would one day be his colleague in the Senate
Legislator: The Franken amendment to the Wall Street reform bill to end conflicts of interest in Wall Street's current pay-to-play credit rating system. U.S. Congress / Washington, District of Columbia USA with The Securities and Exchange Commission will automatically implement the Franken amendment or another suitable way to eliminate conflicts of interest The amendment has received favorable U.S. press recognition for being one of the toughest industry reforms in the Wall Street reform bill
Legislator: Fought for a health care reform law provision that make insurance companies put 80 to 85 percent of premiums toward actual health services U.S. Congress / Washington, District of Columbia USA Franken's legislation, based on existing Minnesota law, represents the largest insurance industry reform in the health care reform bill, curbing excessive administrative and marketing costs, as well as profits
2009
Contest Winner: Began service in the U.S. Senate only on July 7, 2009 Minnesota State Supreme Court / State of Minnesota USA with Ran as the candidate of the DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) Party Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008, but the election was contested. Took the oath of office following a decision in his favor on June 30, 2009

Professional honors and awards

2003
Emmy Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program for Saturday Night Live (as one of a team of writers)
1997
Emmy Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation Outstanding Writing For A Variety or Music Program for Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher (as one of a team of writers)
1993
Emmy Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series for Saturday Night Live (with Lorne Michaels, executive producer and James Downey, producer)
1989
Emmy Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation Outstanding Writing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program for Saturday Night Live (as one of a team of writers)
1978
Emmy Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Foundation Outstanding Writing For A Comedy-Variety Or Music Special for The Paul Simon Special (as one of a team of writers)

Community

Community service

2014
USO (United Service Organizations) Germany, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Uzbekistan Took part in seven USO tours, visiting US troops overseas
Nationality
American
Politics
Democrat
Denomination
Judaism

Education

University
Harvard College, Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts USA Bachelor of Arts Government 19141973 Graduated cum laude
Native language
English 

Honorary Degrees

2002
Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts USA Doctorate in Afro-American Studies

Family

Vital statistics

Birth information
May 21, 1951
Gender
Male
Place of birth
New York , New York USA
Marital status
Married

Marriage

1975–present
Franni (Bryson) Franken  2 children Thomasin Franken Joe Franken

Grandchildren & Great-grandchildren

Grandchildren
1

Parents

Father
Joseph Franken
Mother
Phoebe (Kunst) Franken