Al Franken Wins

The Al Franken Decade Has Arrived

Most people celebrating the end of the counting and the victory of Sen.-Elect Al Franken (DFL-MN) are citing the Stuart Smalley line "he's good enough, he's smart enough, and doggone it people like him." But my favorite was always this Weekend Update bit from December 1979:

Well, the "me" decade is almost over, and good riddance, and far as I'm concerned. The 70's were simply 10 years of people thinking of nothing but themselves. No wonder we were unable to get together and solve any of the many serious problems facing our nation. Oh sure, some people did do some positive things in the 70's - like jogging - but always for the wrong reasons, for their own selfish, personal benefit. Well, I believe the 80's are gonna have to be different. I think that people are going to stop thinking about themselves, and start thinking about me, Al Franken. That's right. I believe we're entering what I like to call the Al Franken Decade. Oh, for me, Al Franken, the 80's will be pretty much the same as the 70's. I'll still be thinking of me, Al Franken. But for you, you'll be thinking more about how things affect me, Al Franken. When you see a news report, you'll be thinking, "I wonder what Al Franken thinks about this thing?", "I wonder how this inflation thing is hurting Al Franken?" And you women will be thinking, "What can I wear that will please Al Franken?", or "What can I not wear?" You know, I know a lot of you out there are thinking, "Why Al Franken?" Well, because I thought of it, and I'm on TV, so I've already gotten the jump on you.

I missed it, but a decade later, during Dennis Miller's term behind the Weekend Update desk, Al reprised the bit and declared the `90s to be the Joe Franken decade, for then his five year old son.

At the end of the 90s, Franken published one of his lesser-know books, Why Not Me?, in which the concept of Franken running for office is raised amidst much hilarity. Kinda like Chris Rock thought the idea of a black president was really funny five years ago.

Well, it may be three decades late, but the 2010s appear to finally be the Al Franken Decade.