Al Franken

Al Franken is a Democratic US Senator from Minnesota who made a name for himself as a writer and performer on the renowned television show Saturday Night Live. As one of the original writers for the show, he helped pioneer the signature style of sketch comedy and satire expected on SNL since its birth in 1975. His 15-year run with the show earned him three Emmy Awards and seven more nominations. After officially parting with SNL in 1995, Franken went on to write five New York Times best sellers including his 1996 book Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations, in which he satirically critiques the right-wing politics of 1990 and its key figures. He was elected to the Senate in 2008.