Best Albums of 2008 from Chris

Best Albums of 2008 | NBC Washington

Black LGBT, Not Queer

This white boy learned something today from TransGriot

Why Some Black GLBT Peeps Hate the ‘Q’ Word

15 Days, 3 Hours to Go

The Night I Met Al Franken

Al Franken has apparently won the Minnesota Senate seat by about 250 votes. I am so proud of him that he won. 

I listened to Al’s (sorry, Senator-elect Franken’s… I remember his co-host Katherine yelling “Al!” so often, it’s hard now to call him “Senator Franken”) radio show religiously for about two years I guess. I listened via iPod podcast at work, so in my head I deeply absorbed nearly every word, skit, joke, and interview on that show. I loved the guests. I loved Al’s bloopers as a broadcaster, always willing to put himself on the line while learning how to follow – or break – the rules. He is a craftsman. Comedy is his tool. 

He often snarled at Norm Coleman the incumbant senator, who he now he just defeated. “What do you think about that, Norrmm?!” he might say on the air. It wasn’t a political plug for his own career, but instead sincere outrage at things Coleman had said or done. Al Franken wears his heart on his sleeve. He would crack with tears when talking about his late father, and his questions were more often about learning something new than scoring a political point.

Al Franken and Global Justice, with Jokes

He was a warm, charming, engaging and funny guest at an awards dinner I photographed in 2005. It was a tiny room, and he chatted with family and friends of other guests at the dinner. I discovered his new book “The Truth – with Jokes” on the bookshelf a weekend too early, so I had a copy for him to autograph. He didn’t seem upset, and he appreciated my regular listening and my compliment on the recent Oy oy oy show with the Isreali ambassador. He spoke at the dinner, where a former intern of his was receiving an award. 

Franken is a small man in stature but with a big brain. He’s been filling that brain up for years by interviewing people on the radio. Now he wants to put what he’s learned to work in Washington.

By the way, Franken loves concept humor. For the best example – and simply the largest laugh he’s ever given me – see the “Buddy Hackett” episode of Al’s cancelled sitcom “Lateline,” available on Netflix.