uli2000

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/...M_Exclude=Juno


Posted 8/25/2004 4:45 PM Updated 8/25/2004 4:47 PM

Comedian Al Franken says "Fuggedaboudit!'
NEW YORK (AP) — Al Franken wants you to get up out of your chairs, open your windows, stick your heads out and yell ... fuggedaboutdit?
Well, yes.

In the spirit of Paddy Chayefsky's classic movie monologue from "Network," the liberal comedian on Wednesday urged New Yorkers — and other Americans — to simultaneously scream the all-purpose local wisecrack at the moment that President Bush accepts the nomination.

"This is a form of protest that is very non-disruptive," Franken said at a press conference in the Park Avenue office of Air America radio network, where he hosts a talk show.

Franken said the Sept. 2 protest, called the "Great American Shout-Out," will not "tax our public safety system at all."

"This is our way of venting," Franken added. "It will be a catharsis."

Franken said he expected the shouts to last less than five minutes. Out of "respect for the office of the presidency," he asked that participants quiet down once Bush begins speaking so "people can hear him give a bad speech."

Franken said he expects 100 million people nationwide to participate, adding: "Anything less would be a horrific failure."

Unlike the movie version — "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" — this protest has been tailor-made for regional dialects, Franken said.

In his native Minnesota, people are to yell "Oh no ya don't!" in an exaggerated accent.

In California, the suggested shout is: "No way, dude!"

Air America has created a Web site, www.thegreatamericanshoutout.org, where participants can plan "shout parties" or let their solo shout be counted.

Air America began on five stations around the country on March 31 as a left-leaning political alternative to conservative talk radio. It now airs on 23 stations nationwide.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
100 million? Pretty abitious. Let's see if these 100 million can wake up in time to vote come November!

bboisvert

hahahahahahahaha

Oh wait.

The Edit King

I wonder if 100 million people even know who Al Franken is.

DaveNinja

wow, this wins the award for "dumbest thing i read today" and i have read a lot of posts.

JasonF

The dumbest thing I red today has to be the rush of people who don't understand that Al Franken is a comedian notable for his tongue in cheek political commentary. Do you really think he expects 1 in every 3 Americans to take part in this "protest"?

The Edit King

Sure! For the fun of it all, why not? I mean, it would be a crack up of sorts if that many people actually did it!

(...but I still don't believe that 1 in every 3 Americans even know who he is, and THAT to me is even funnier! )

THEEK!

Nazgul

Somebody needs to tell Stuart that "Daily Affirmation" has been off the air for a while now.

Save Ferris

Somehow his attitude reminds me of someone copping out of an argument by being silly.

Its like he feels defeated but wants to be silly and not serious so that he can save face.

kvrdave

Yeah, but look at the money he is raking in.

RyoHazuki

Comedian Al Franken? Comedian? Since when?

youtoo

What a joke(r)!


Honestly. Celebrities and politics are the biggest joke!

scott shelton

A member in the movie forum actually quoted a Slant film review.

That clearly beats this.

bhk

Good thing the title has the word "comedian" in it or I would not have known what he's "famous" for.

Da Thrilla

dolphinboy

Unlike Sean Hannity (what's he "famous" for?) or Rush Limbaugh who was best known for being fired from his job selling tickets for the Kansas City Royals before he became an expert on politics.

Franken was a writer back in the best days of SNL. He helped write the comedy skit with the gigantic Jimmy Carter, still one of the best skits from that time. By the way, making fun of a democratic President.

He co-wrote When A Man Loves A Woman, a very good movie, and the only dramatic piece Meg Ryan has ever done that was actually good.

Why does he need to be "famous"? Why is SNL not a solid enough place to come from before you get into partisan politics, but selling tickets for the Royals is?

And for the fella who made the sarcastic remark about his salary, I bet you only wish you made the kind of money Franken does and it's clear that he doesn't believe 100 million people are going to do this.

I would never say he's better than anyone who does radio on the right, because you are probably going to like the guy or gal who's ideas are closer to yours, but is there any right wing radio host that anyone has heard of that is even remotely funny? It wouldn't be such a bad thing if you got someone who wasn't always blasting people hour after hour and got someone who could make a joke every now and then and not spend there whole 3 hours or so acting like every word they say has to be an attack or so serious.

There's a lady on Air America who I agree with politically, but she rants like Hannity and I just can't listen to that, even from my side of the political spectrum.

DRG

So tempted to go invent some fake events on this page:
http://www.thegreatamericanshoutout....s/event/plan/1

Hmmm... would this be a good way to pick up some easy liberal chicks? I'll wear a shirt that says
"The only Bush I like is in your pants"

bhk

Take it easy Francis.

darkflounder

Fixed

Numanoid

Does anybody on the right actually have a sense of humor?

bhk

No, no one does. Thanks for asking.
But no one on the right "answered" a joke with an essay in this thread.

dolphinboy

Any essay, eh? You must also be one of those people who thinks Dean said Bush knew about 9/11 before it happened.

I guess you have the right to reply for every poster by saying everyone was joking too, because you joke was not only very clear but knee-slapping funny.

Oh, and it's funny how people like you (yes people like you) are screaming about the right of free speech for the Swift Boat liars, but then criticize someone because you didn't like what they had to say in a dvdtalk thread and that it might have been a few words more than you would like to have read today. Too bad.

Hope this essay gets a better review than the first one.

bhk

Good stuff. I didn't realize free speech meant never having to listen to criticism. I'll mark that down.

Save Ferris

I think he meant essays = no sense of humor



edit: oops did i ruin it?

bhk

Not really. What I meant was that jokes shouldn't need an explanation as to why they are supposed to be funny or an explanation as to why they are technically incorrect. I made a joke about Al Franken and dolphinboy wrote a long post as to why Franken is actually funny.
Numanoid made a joke about a stereotype of conservatives, and I replied accordingly(in good humor).

RyoHazuki

Sounded more like a love note to me.