Speaker Profile

Al Franken

Former U.S. Senator, Comedian, and Author

Al Franken

Former Senator Al Franken served Minnesota in the Senate from 2009-2018. He was one of the original writers for Saturday Night Live, where he worked for 15 seasons. He has won five Emmys and two Grammys. He has written four New York Times #1 bestsellers, including Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations; Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them – A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right; and Al Franken, Giant of the Senate. He is the host of The Al Franken Podcast and leads the political action committee Midwest Values PAC, which supports Democrats and a host of other good, nonpolitical things.

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Scheduled Appearances

Podcast

Crooked Media presents WHAT A DAY

Sat May 31, 2025 | 6:30pm
In-person
Mainstage

What a Day host Jane Coaston talks with former Minnesota Senator, comedian and author Al Franken about public policy and political comedy. There’s a lot to talk about, and Franken doesn’t sugarcoat any of it. 

LISTEN TO WHAT A DAY

Jane Coaston
Al Franken
Featuring: Jane Coaston, Al Franken
Session sponsored by Alaska Airlines

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About the Festival

The Cascade PBS Ideas Festival is a full-day event in downtown Seattle, featuring live podcast recordings and studio television tapings from The Atlantic, NPR, CNN, Vox, PBS, Crooked Media, The Gist, Open to Debate, and more. Watch live as journalists, newsmakers, and thought leaders from around the world take on hot topics making news and the biggest issues of our time. Plus, community meetups, speaker meet-and-greets, micro-sessions, food trucks, DJs, and artists.

Don't just listen — be part of it. Join us on May 31 (the weekend after Memorial Day) at the Amazon Meeting Center in downtown Seattle.

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