Fraters Libertas

No Rumor of Humor

Over the past 2 days I’ve listened to about 30 minutes of the O’Franken Factor. Verdict: an unqualified disaster.

It’s an audio car accident, broadcast live everyday on your radio. A Chevy Chase Show level embarrassment. Perhaps rivaling only “The Magic Hour” for uncomfortable broadcasting moments per hour.

As an example, take the Strom Thurmond impression Franken did about 30 minutes ago. After taking about 5 minutes to outline the premise with his side kick (Cacklin’ Katherine Lanpher), it consisted of these words, in a gravel voiced, LOUD, angry, southern drawl:

“I screwed colored girls! I screwed Puerto Rican girls! I screwed them all! The pecker don’t know no color!”

And he said it over and over and over again. I actually had a shudder of embarrassment run down my spine and I considered crawling under the car seat to somehow distance myself from what was coming out of my speakers. The bit didn’t contain even a rumor of humor, just a guy shouting hateful nonsense in an attempt to be irreverent and edgy. Even Cacklin’ Katherine could only manage a few bursts of uncomfortable, embarrassed courtesy laughter. Which is more than she wanted to give, I’m sure. Can you imagine her reaction to someone saying those words on her old MPR program? Or imagine her and Franken’s reaction if Rush Limbaugh had said those words (even under the guise of it being satire)?

More wincingly uncomfortable yet, within 5 minutes Franken was talking about how unqualified and unprepared Condi Rice is to be National Security Advisor. Alleged satire or not, the combination of Al Franken shouting about “screwing colored girls” then savaging the credibility of the most powerful African American woman in the country was jaw droppingly offensive. Even for me, a guy who generally can’t be offended.

I have no doubt the childish and vengeful MoveOn.org crowd would claim the Thurmond impression was the height of hilarity. But recall, the point of Liberal Air America was to be centrist and to persuade and influence-independent minded average Americans to support John Kerry. After two days of listening to Franken’s rhetoric, I doubt he’s doing Kerry any favors. But if I’m wrong and this is exactly what those folks in the middle want to hear, then I say good riddance to them. I don’t want to belong to any political movement that has people who think Al Franken is funny as members.