Franken's Senate tenure no laughing matter
WASHINGTON -- All joking aside, Al Franken is about to face his toughest crowd yet.
As the Minnesota Democrat and former comedian takes his seat in the Senate this week after an eight-month election battle, he follows a long line of celebrities who have had to put their fame in check to serve as humble, freshman members of Congress.
In a town full of strong egos and intense media scrutiny, the transition for entertainers, athletes and other stars can be a bit dicey, experts say.
"You can have any mistakes or non-mistakes magnified," said Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and a friend of Franken's. On the plus side: "In the cacophony that we have out there ... getting positive attention is always difficult, and any leverage that you have helps."
Before he came into politics, Franken gained fame as a performer and writer on Saturday Night Live and a best-selling author. His best-known character on the show was Stuart Smalley, a mock self-help talk show host who coined the phrase, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me."
Plenty of celebrities have preceded Franken through the Capitol's ornate halls, including Fred Grandy, also known as Gopher on The Love Boat, a Republican who served four terms in the House from Iowa and Bill Bradley, the three-term New Jersey Senate Democrat who in the 1970s helped carry the Knicks to two NBA championships.
Rep. John Hall, D-N.Y., was previously a front man for the band Orleans, whose 1976 hit Still the One has played on the air 5 million times, according to music licensing group BMI.Hall said his stage life has helped him to communicate his policy ideas, but he warned Franken against relying too heavily on skills learned in a past job.
"I was told early on, when I was tempted to sing a line or two of a song when I got on the floor, that the last guy that did that ... lost his election," Hall said, adding that "it's a jinx to sing on the floor of the House."
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