Al Franken

Annouced he will run for the U.S. Senate from Minnesota in 2008

Radio Broadcasting debut with The O Franken Factor on Air America Radio, the liberal talk radio network

Received a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album The O Franken Factor

Writer and Producer for Saturday Night Live: Presidential Bash 2000

Starred in the NBC midseason replacement Lateline

Served as a political commentator during the presidential election on Comedy Central s Politically Incorrect With Bill Mahr

Adapted his book for the screenplay of the unsuccessful comedy feature Stuart Saves His Family (also starred)

Wrote special material for David Letterman for The 67th Annual Academy Awards

Feature producing debut, executive produced (with Simon Maslow and Bass) and co-scripted (with Bass) the dramatic feature When a Man Loves a Woman starring Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia

Published first book, I m Good Enough, I m Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!: Daily Affirmations with Stuart Smalley

Anchored Comedy Central s election eve coverage of the 1992 Presidential election

Appeared as a guest on the teen-oriented PBS special Why Bother Voting?

Served as a producer, writer (of special material ) and performer (portraying Pat Robertson and Senator Paul Simon) for the special Saturday Night Live s Presidential Bash

Served as the anchor for Indecision 92: The Democratic National Convention , Comedy Central s eight hour, four-day coverage of the convention in NYC

Served as the anchor for Indecision 92: The Republican National Convention , Comedy Central s eight hour, four-day coverage of the convention in Houston TX

Began collaborating with screenwriter Ron Bass on a dark comedy-drama about an alcoholic and her co-dependent husband; the project eventually became When a Man Loves a Woman

Co-wrote the failed pilot The Coneheads , an animated children s special based on the popular SNL sketches

Provided commentary for CNN at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta

Served as a writer for The 40th Annual Emmy Awards (executive produced by mentor Lorne Michaels)

Hosted (with Davis) High School Video Yearbook with Franken & Davis , a Cinemax Comedy Experiment

Joined Al-Anon, a 12-step support program for co-dependent family and friends of alcoholics (date approximate)

Feature screenwriting debut and first starring role, both co-scripted and co-starred with partner Tom Davis in the poorly received One More Saturday Night

With Davis, worked as staff writers on The New Show , a short-lived comedy variety series produced by Michaels; had an angry parting of the ways with Michaels by the show s end; vowed to never work with him again

Film acting debut, a cameo performance in John Landis Trading Places

Franken and Davis hosted the second Saturday Night Live produced by Dick Ebersol (date approximate)

Announced the beginning of the Al Franken Decade on SNL

Attacked then-NBC president Fred Silverman in the subsequently notorious Limo for the Lamo tirade on SNL

First TV special, co-wrote (with Michaels, Davis, Chevy Chase, Charles Grodin, Lily Tomlin, Alan Zweibel and Paul Simon) The Paul Simon Special for NBC; shared Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy, Variety or Music Special

Franken and Davis filled one apprentice writer slot while Alan Zweibel filled the other; Franken and Davis split one apprentice salary of $350 per week

Gave away Rolling Stones concert tickets and flew to NYC when summoned by producer-writer Lorne Michaels who was then assembling the writing staff for the late night sketch comedy-variety show that would become Saturday Night Live

Worked with Davis as, first, apprentice writers and subsequently staff writers and featured performers on Saturday Night Live ; left when Michaels left the series

Appeared frequently as a commentator on the Weekend Update portions of Saturday Night Live

Formed writing and performing partnership with Tom Davis

Played Santa Claus and Winnie the Pooh at a local Sears department store

Raised in Minnesota

Studying WWII and the Holocaust as a youth caused Franken to doubt his (Jewish) religious faith

With Davis, returned to Saturday Night Live as producers when Michaels returned to oversee show (also wrote and performed)

Worked on the fringes of the Los Angeles comedy scene in the early 1970s