Al Franken Sucks

[muchacho]

I heard Al do his talking to people at the Bar-B-Que place shtick today and he was confronted by some clueless lady that claimed we were safer now because of Bush and Al blew it.

I think Al sucks when it comes to the quick factual pummel that might not change that persons mind but might change the mind of skeptics tuning in.

I know Al is smart and has all the facts he's just not very good about retrieving them and framing them in quick points.

[trumad]

1. Nice thread headline...

Who's next, Howard Dean?

[muchacho]

5. nope

Dean actually was on that segment and did quite well.

[redstateblues]

2. That Was A Disastrous Segment- Ill Conceived

[otohara]

14. The First One Didn't Go So Well Either

they need to file this under bad radio programming ideas.

[rumguy]

3. You're right - he's not good at the quick give and take required

for close-combat debating...

I've noticed this as well.

[GreenPartyVoter]

19. I think Jon Stewart is the quick on his feet guy in media today

[muchacho]

24. true

Jon is the man...

even if all his audience are stoners.

[SammyWinstonJack]

He isn't the only one

"he's not good at the quick give and take required for close-combat debating." We Liberals get blind-sided by repukes all the time. Guess we just don't expect the crap they spew. Caught off guard? I don't know. :shrug: My wish is that Kerry slams bush* in this first debate, it might be his only chance with regard to the debates. I say, go for it!

[muchacho]

52. the chips are stacked

Kerry will have to be tough without being a bully. He'll have to be smart without looking elitist. There's a lot of zen moves that will have to occur.

Bush just has to not droll on himself to look like a winner. It;s the soft bigotry of low expectations.

[skooooo]

4. I love Al...he's the best.

But you're entitled to your opinion. (See how easy that is? Other people on here get bent out of shape if you say something aginst one of their favorite AAR hosts.)

[muchacho]

6. don't get me wrong

I love Al, I just wish that if he's going to do segments were he is confronted with Freepers that he get into fighting shape.

Or better yet let Katherine at them. She's good...

[trumad]

7. No! I get bent out of shape with the multiple bullshit negative headlines

[skooooo]

9. Ah, comes with the territory.

Water, duck's back.

[muchacho]

17. yes yes

you're sensitive, I get it....

[Demoiselle]

49. I do too,Trumad, but I heard Al today talking to the woman with no brain

...and her idiot assertions went completely unchallenged. It had me very cranky, and mentally composing a phone call/letter to Al asking him WHY in god's name he gives right wing idiots any air time? I mean we've finally got all of 6 hours of Air America on AM radio on weekdays in Philly ...LIBERAL talk show hours!!... and he gives chunks of that precious time away! Yes, he's funny and I love him, but you don't catch Limbaugh giving anybody who disagrees from the party line so much as a minute. On the rare occasion when he allows a dissenter enough time to form a thought, he's down the guy's throat with hobnail boots on before you can draw breath. THAT is what we're up against, and clever comedy alone isn't enough. Al seems to think that the sheer stupidity of the freepers will convince us all out there in radio land of the worth of the Liberal/Democratic/Progressive cause...but as we all know, if a sizeable number of Americans were able to spot stupidity without it being pointed out to them forcefully and repeatedly, George Bush wouldn't be in the White House. Sorry for the rant but Al really got me mad today. (And it ain't the first time.)

[mairceridwen]

8. i love al too

we can't be good at all things all the time.

i liked his dittohead bit today. that was really good. that guy had nothing. no LESS than nothing.

he's excellent in-studio.

[muchacho]

12. true

The ditto head piece is usually pretty good, but Al has time to prepare his responses and have the tape of fat-boy lying.

I usually end up feeling sorry for his friend in the end..

[mairceridwen]

15. well that's what he'd good at

the prep stuff

I don't feel bad for the guy because I think al handles it very well, like today he was saying that he's not trying to be an ass...but the guy has nothing. I don't think al is exploiting his friendship...the guy is willing to come on the air.

[Eric J in MN]

10. The segment helps us understand what's out there (nt)

nt

[AlCzervik]

11. I'm happy to have Al franken and Air America

it's far better than all right wing radio.

[GR]

13. That Women Through Out So Much Flak It Was Hard To Deal With...

Al is great most of the time and I think he was up against a hard break. He really took it to his friend Mark Luther today and I know it was hard for him to do that because they are long-time friends.

[FrozenNorth]

16. A lot of people like him but...

he makes me cringe personally. He is an abrasive little hobgobblin who comes across as a screecher. I wish we had a more... appealing personality on our side.

[skooooo]

20. Ah! welcome!

Enjoy your stay at DU.

[muchacho]

21. brave soul

Frozen, that's very brave of you to say, Some are not so tolerant as to voice dissent in the ranks.

I like Al overall, but I do think he grandstands a bit much over Katherine (who I like) and their guests and some of his comedy bits are just silly.

[FrozenNorth]

32. Thanks...

Well what's the point of being here if you don't/can't express your real feelings? I'm not part of the partisan cheering brigade, and I'm uncomfortable with a lot of the attacks I've seen here, being a yes-man is not in my nature. That being said however I'm a true democrat and will be voting, unlike last year when I slagged it off and lived to regret it.

[NYCGirl]

34. We have lots of left leaning personalities. Perhaps you'd like to mention

a few you like more than Al Franken.

[muchacho]

36. We?

You work at AA?

[NYCGirl]

42. I was referring to the Democratic Party.

I wanted to find out who was more to the taste of the poster who found Al Franken "shrill."

[FrozenNorth]

50. Just my take on him...

I was referring to Franken as a media personality. There are many out there who appeal to me considerably more. I disliked him back in his comedian days as well though, long before I had a clue about his politics. He, in my eyes, comes across as an enraged chipmunk. I have trouble taking him seriously. That’s just me though, no reflection on anyone else.

[skooooo]

55. That's what she(he?) was asking..who DO you like??

:shrug:

[Cheswick2.0]

80. He has never come across as enraged. What could you possibly be

talking about? Have you ever actually heard him speak or are you just channeling some other radio personlity you od listen to?

[muchacho]

41. good for you

Welcome and keep it real!

[Puglover]

70. When that Freeper woman was prattling on and on

about how WONDERFUL Iraq was and how much safer we all are blah blah blah I wish Al would have said something like "And your children have all volunteered and are over there right?"

[Cheswick2.0]

79. a more appealing personality like, for instance asshole O'Reilly or

Gas bag Rush? Yup, just what "our" side needs.

[GR]

18. That Women Threw Out So Much Flak It Was Hard To Deal With...

Al is great most of the time and I think he was up against a hard break. He really took it to his friend Mark Luther today and I know it was hard for him to do that because they are long-time friends.

[koopie57]

22. Al Franken has worked his

butt off to get air america up and running, he stands up to pundit after pundit and gets under o'reilly's skin, he works hard day after day after day for us and this is the thanks he gets? Cut him some slack! If there is an area he is weak in, so be it, but until you can do as much for our cause as he has done you might be less critical about his shortcomings.

Why do we turn on our own so quickly?

[muchacho]

25. relax

it's a discussion, not a mutiny.

[koopie57]

28. I'm not sure what you are talking about

a mutiny ... take your own advice and relax my friend ... I just get tired of this all or nothing attitude. Franken works day after day after day and the moment we find he has faults he sucks.

[dogman]

23. Al's not rude to the general public.

I don't think it's in his humorous nature. It does seem like in a confrontational setting he speaks quicker than he thinks. That's why O'Viley bullies, so there are too many targets in the air, and he'll call out the ones that are missed.

[muchacho]

27. virtuous

I think mostly it's because Al's a thoughtful guy who tries hard not to misspeak or say something that might not be true.

His virtue is his undoing when going face to face with the freeps.

[Swamp Rat]

26. When has Al Franken ever marketed himself as an stand-up improviser?

Must he be on his toes 24/7 and answer every question perfectly that comes his way? Does he deserve "Al Franken Sucks" for a few bad performances?... maybe, but I still like him a lot.

On the other hand, there are times when I turn him off when his show sucks. This has happened more than once. Right now I am listening to Mike Malloy, who every night :kick: rethuglican ass!

[muchacho]

30. holy crap

The title was bait to get some discussion.

Please relax and understand the point of the freaking thread!

And people say the Left is too shrill!

[koopie57]

31. no one is that upset

we are just voicing that we disagree with it .. really ..

[Swamp Rat]

37. HA! I figured you'd get your ass chewed out for that title.

By the way, I am quite relaxed. If you again look at my previous post, you'll see that I sorta agree with you. Perhaps you might rethink the purpose of the thread and the title you used?

"And people say the Left is too shrill!" - Yes, "people" do, and "they" will say anything about anybody that doesn't agree with them.

[mairceridwen]

44. I learned this today

and it had nothing to do with disagreeing with me (and Radical Activist)

the other person totally misunderestimated what we were saying...twisted it into something else entirely.

now, if that's not *freeper* methodology, I don't know what is.

[Swamp Rat]

58. Forgive my ignorance,

What country does that flag in your avatar represent?... I'm just curious because I don't recognize it. :hi:

[mairceridwen]

59. ireland

[Swamp Rat]

63. Go raibh maith agat

[mairceridwen]

64. Ná habair é.

[muchacho]

45. apologies

after re-reading I see you are quite as ease.

My ass is chewed. But I care not.

Unlike the Repugs us Lefties are a contentious sort and I'm a scraper.

As we say in Texas, Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke.

[koopie57]

47. *LOL* I think your ass is

in place in its entirety. Maybe only a nip in the upper right buttock.

[muchacho]

48. merely a flesh wound!!

[Swamp Rat]

57. Good! We say "fuck 'em if they can't take a joke" in Louisiana too.

;)

[Raster]

73. Dude, you're getting your discussion! Confucius say "Use flamebait...

...in header, wind up getting ass toasted."

on edit: btw, went to your site. I love "Rupture." Hauntingly beautiful.

[Bread and Circus]

29. Does he still have that dittohead on? I have boycotted his show...

due that bullshit. If I wanted coddling of asshole dittoheads, I'd turn regular news on.

[mairceridwen]

33. they don't coddle dittoheads

on the regular news

they ARE the regular news

[muchacho]

35. ha!

good one!

How some people still think that multi-national media corporations have some leftist (or socialist) bias is beyond me.

[mairceridwen]

40. anything left of the 700 club???

seriously, i've heard freepers say that FAUX is "not bad" but not as they would have it.

[Swamp Rat]

61. Right. They'd feature freeper game shows with prizes and vacation packages

given away during beheadings of swarthy, Middle-Eastern captives, surrounded by blonds in bikinis holding big steins of crappy Amerikan beer.

[Swamp Rat]

43. The second time I heard Boortz on his show I turned it off.

I will not waste my time listening to RW shills... unless they are being raked over the coals on the Daily Show. :D

[peacetalksforall]

38. I think he requires more rope or something...

I believe he is at heart a rather magnanimous person and desires to break ground in a bi-partisan way....I think. I believe he really wants to hear the other side, I don't think he sees himself as a talking point operative.

As to magnanimous, I could do without his talks with his old friend, Mark. I tire of the Rush talk. I look down on (nice way of saying I despise) Howard Fineman and wish Franken wouldn't keep talking to him on air. For some reason, I depise Liddy less than Fineman, and again I don't know why Franken also gives him air time. The hours are precious and I'm looking for an education for the hours he's on. Right wing talking journalists like Fineman and talk show hosts like Liddy are way too predicable for the short time I can listen - why bother giving air time to predictable messages.

All in all, he would be a good person to use if the people in this country ever decided to unite and heal.

On the other hand, I don't like his scatological time wasting minutes - he uses up precious interview time with guests who can provide what I'm looking for - insight and new clues.

[mairceridwen]

56. i can see

how the dittohead thing feels old to some people

I don't get to listen to AAR or anything much because I read all day and it would get distracting

since I don't have as much time to dedicate to media matters, I like having the occasional dittohead stuff because I appreciate the talking points--I can pretend I bother with RW news when I just appropriate stuff from Franken & Co.

[skooooo]

39. If you really want to start a flame war..

..start a Cat Stevens thread.

:evilgrin:

[muchacho]

46. Ha!

Peace train my keester!!!

[mitchum]

51. Franken is a very good comedy writer, but he is not quick

[RareLubbockDem]

53. As much as i love him

i have to agree. She was weak and stepford-like.. He could've (anybody could've) handled her better than that. Poor womam.

[muchacho]

54. welcome Rare

I'm guessing you are a fellow Texan.

[RareLubbockDem]

78. That is correct

Not easy to be dem in Lubbock, but we're fighting the good fight.

[UdoKier]

60. I hate the fact that he even DOES that "ribbin'" segment.

He brings on the most moronic people who push the most moronic arguments, and he sits there acting as though he's talking to a sane person.

These people are cult members - brainwashed -nutso!

[Selwynn]

66. I think that's the point, and its one of the segments I like most

You don't need to keep punching someone who is beating themselves into a knockout. That segment always cracks me up becuase the people he interviews always just come off sounding like idiots while franken just essentially nods and smiles.

Pretty clever way of making a point, if you ask me.

[UdoKier]

67. Their moronic blathering gives me a massive headache.

I have to change the station during that and "Oy oy oy".

[muchacho]

68. too subtle

these folks don't get nuances and feeding those of us who already have bitten the apple seems like a waste of an opportunity.

[LincolnMcGrath]

62. "The pecker

Knows no bigotry"

[Selwynn]

65. You suck.

Dumb I know. But then again, so was your headline.

[muchacho]

69. you're the suckiest sucker that ever sucked!

eom sucker!

[Selwynn]

84. LOL! Wasn't that a quote from somehwere...?

I can't place it...

[lojasmo]

71. Sounds like a candidate I know of. N/T

[devinsgram]

72. I agree,

Randi would have torn a new you know what in her. I also do not like him having his dittohead friend on. I really don't appreciate him playing bits of the idiot head blow hard big mouth Rush. We he does that I turn him off. I listen to Air America all the time, and Al's show is the only I don't care for.

Randi and Mike Malloy are great and I love the morning shows.

[King Coal]

74. Hold on just a minute.

Did you think the lady sounded stupid? Of course you did. Al did his job.

[Puglover]

75. Actually the Freeper lady

didn't "sound" stupid at all in spite of the fact that her entire premise was fucked. She was quick and actually was talking over Al.

[robbedvoter]

76. "To stand up to their attacks, you have to know who you are"

Something Clark once said - that I've been testing over and over.
It depends on how deep one's convictions are how fast one reacts - not just radio talent. Al is a friend of Gordon Liddy, Frank Luntz and other luminaries....
Randi wouldn't have suffered all that propaganda. If you don't have an answer, press the button - the show was over anyway.

[Puglover]

77. And that is EXACTLY

why I treasure Randi. Yep, she can be caustic and talk over people but yesterday when that singer was on, Randi didn't sit and suffer through her lauding Ralph Naders wonderfulness. She said what I would have wanted to say had I been there. Granted, she came on abit strong but hey, it's talk radio and that is one of the reasons people tune in.

[retread]

82. Randi is an acquired taste. The more I hear her the more I like

her. I rarely find myself quoting Frankin, maybe one of his guests but never him. Lately I find myself repeating things Randi says.

[retread]

81. He usually has great guests and that is the strongest point of

his show. If I want freeper crap I can start a conversation at work or with my next door neighbors. I don't watch faux,cnn or msnbc because of that crap. I tune out when he has those segments.

[ArtVandaley]

83. I think he's alright

He can rip the republicans apart, but sometimes I think he's more a loyal democrat than a committed progressive, meaning he fails to see how the party can fail us at times, which I don't like. I like more independent minded people than strict partisans, even If I agree with them 99% of the time. If we shut our eyes to the democratic parties failings we'll never fix them.

[951]

85. He does suck thats why I stop listening to AA until Randi comes on

[robbedvoter]

86. Today's show was definitely better (not Randy good, but better)

[vonSchloegel]

87. We're not safer?

How's that for an attention grabbing headline?

Unfortunately, I think Al was over a barrel here. Safer is a subjective term, and difficult to disprove. Especially since there hasn't been any terrorist activity here in three years.

Despite the fact that most thinking individuals do not "feel" safer, proving that we're not safer, and sumarizing that proof into a quick concise and entertaining response is quite a challenge.

I see a lot of people complaining that Al didn't handle it better, but nobody is suggesting how it should have been done.

[krkaufman]

88. I agree

THREE of the bbq "callers" basically got away with verbal murder, without Al successfully challenging them.

(1) Conservative radio talk host (spinmeister)
(2) Conservative radio frequent caller (nutcase)
(3) Clueless conservative lady

I emailed the show asking them to quit doing these BBQ segments. I'm tired of being subjected to the vile rantings of right-wingers without an adequate respondant. (i.e. As you and others in this thread suggest, quick response isn't Al's best suit.)