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MN GOP PRESS RELEASE: “REPUBLICAN PARTY OF MINNESOTA HOLDS FRANKEN ACCOUNTABLE FOR JOKES ABOUT CHILD ABUSE”
By Michael B. Brodkorb | July 29, 2008
St. Paul- At a Capitol press conference today, Republican Party of Minnesota Chair Ron Carey held DFL endorsed Senate candidate Al Franken accountable for a series of shocking and offensive jokes he made in 2000 regarding the deadly serious topic of child abuse.
“For a year and half, Al Franken has asserted his career provided good training for the U.S. Senate. However, I fail to see how jokes about such serious topics as rape and child abuse provide good training,†Carey said. “There’s never a joke about child abuse that was funny — but, it didn’t stop Al Franken from joking about it.â€
According to a New York Observer article published October 16, 2000, Franken took great delight in joking about the imagined child abuse of Rob Reiner during an offensive and tasteless comedy routine, suggesting that Reiner’s father had not only molested him, but had also invited several other friends to do the same.
Minnesotans weighing the very serious decision of who should be elected to represent our state in the Senate will have a hard time finding jokes about child molestation funny.
Al Franken Jokes About Child Molestation During New York Performance
“Mr. Franken told the crowd that Mr. Reiner’s father, ‘frustrated with his career as a second banana to Mel Brooks,’ used ‘Baby Rob’ as a ‘human pinata,’ which, Mr. Franken added, ‘led to the horrible failure of Ghosts of Mississippi.’ ‘How come you didn’t go for North?’ Mr. Reiner asked.†‘Exactly,” Mr. Franken replied. ‘What POSSIBLY could explain North?’†(Frank DiGiacomo, “Requiescat in Pace, Henny Youngman: Comedy Meritocracy Rises at Friars,†New York Observer, October 16, 2000)
“Suddenly, this Mr.-Reiner-as-enabler act was starting to look a little too polished. But Mr. Franken forged on to detail Mr. Reiner’s alleged sexual abuse at the hands of his father. ‘On a typical night, Carl would slip into Rob’s bed, roll him over, swab him down and say something like, “I’m thinking about hiring Morey Amsterdam to play Buddy Sorrell, what do you think?â€â€™ (Frank DiGiacomo, “Requiescat in Pace, Henny Youngman: Comedy Meritocracy Rises at Friars,†New York Observer, October 16, 2000)
“‘Well, the success of The Dick Van Dyke Show changed things dramatically,’ Mr. Franken said, ‘but the abuse continued. Carl started inviting many of his famous friends to f*** his son. That list includes some of the greats in comedy: Paul Lynde, Dom DeLuise, Rip Taylor, Danny Kaye, Charles Nelson Reilly and Rock Hudson — whom,’ Mr. Franken added, ‘I frankly don’t think is that funny.’†(Frank DiGiacomo, “Requiescat in Pace, Henny Youngman: Comedy Meritocracy Rises at Friars,†New York Observer, October 16, 2000)
FLASHBACK: Franken Says His Career Provides “Good Training For The U.S. Senateâ€
Franken Claims His Satire Gets “To The Truth†And Is “Good Training For The U.S. Senate.†“’I’ll tell you what a satirist does,’ [Franken] says. ‘A satirist sees the hypocrisies and absurdities in the world and cuts through the baloney to get to the truth. I think that’s good training for the U.S. Senate. Don’t you?’â€Â (Andrew Romano, “Getting To Know You,†Newsweek, September 17, 2007)
Franken Says His Background As A Comedian Is A Perfect Take-Off Point For Campaign. “Franken made light of his lack of political experience, saying his background as a comedian and satirist is a perfect take-off point for a second career in politics. ‘My job has been finding inconsistencies and absurdities,’ he said. ‘We’re trained to home in on those things. I wish I could’ve cross-examined [embattled U.S. Attorney General Alberto] Gonzalez. You would’ve seen how a little scorn and ridicule can go a long way.’†(“Minnesota Bar Buzz,†MinnesotaJuly 2, 2007) Lawyer,
“Very Proud†Of Comedy Career. Eitchen: “Too much baggage?†Franken: “Yeah, we’ve heard this before. You know, what they attack me on are some jokes I’ve told, essentially, I think. And I’ve had, I had a long comedy career and I’m very proud of it. Not proud of every joke I told, but I know the difference between being a satirist or a comedian and being a Senator and I think using certain kind of language is disrespectful, for example, in the Senate chamber.â€Â   (“Midday,†KNOW 91.1 FM, December 21, 2007)
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37 Responses to “MN GOP PRESS RELEASE: “REPUBLICAN PARTY OF MINNESOTA HOLDS FRANKEN ACCOUNTABLE FOR JOKES ABOUT CHILD ABUSE””
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July 29th, 2008 at 3:24 PM
So, while Coleman’s buddy Ted Stevens is getting indicted, and Coleman’s still not returning all the money he got from Stevens and Veco… MNGOP/Coleman/MDE is going to bring up yet another old Franken joke?
Trying to frame that what Franken said in his career in comedy to what he legitimately stands for… is still a silly prospect.
Imagine if every comedian did what they joked about! Imagine if every fiction writer lived out what they wrote.
*sigh*
July 29th, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Franken’s jokes are about as impressive as Norm’s Senate record.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:35 PM
The time for re-telling Franken jokes is past.
If Norm has no accomplishments of which to speak, he might as well just sit back and silently accept his fate as the future newest member of the former senator club.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:36 PM
Joking about sexual abuse of a child? It was bad enough when it was women but now children too? I see all of his enablers are getting in line to post in support of Al who obviously has sexual problems. May God help him and his fiendish friends..
July 29th, 2008 at 3:37 PM
i am not sure franken will even make it to the general election, much less being able to beat norm. this stuff is absolute poison.
July 29th, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Corruption is poison. Fiction is not.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:00 PM
“Imagine if every fiction writer lived out what they wrote.”
I’d include Obama in that class of fiction writers who can’t seem to live what he writes.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:07 PM
franken supporters say his satire is his sole experience to be u.s. senator.
aaron says franken’s satire is fiction.
thus, we should elect franken based on fiction????
July 29th, 2008 at 4:07 PM
another press release from MN GOP…I might just join their press list and stop reading MDE
July 29th, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Does the MN GOP, DFL, or others, hold NORMAN COLMAN accountable for his RIDDLES?
~ How could norMAN coleMAN seem to be too skinny to be drafted into the USA Military but, seem to go on to LAW SCHOOL?
July 29th, 2008 at 4:31 PM
I imagine I will be reading all about this in the papers tomorrow, because Minnesotans never grow tired of the republicans desperate effort to use Al’s jokes to deflect from their own shortcomings?
July 29th, 2008 at 4:33 PM
It’s so hard to figure out if you guys are being ironic, sarcastic or being satirists. Either you’re all brilliant or don’t know what any of those three words mean.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:33 PM
The lengths Franken supporters go to in defending his vile “jokes” is shocking. Disgusting. Disappointing. Not unexpected.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:36 PM
The lengths Coleman supporters go to in defending his vile “screwing over Minnesotans” is shocking. Disgusting. Disappointing. Not unexpected.
July 29th, 2008 at 4:55 PM
Oh by the way, is Coleman going to donate the $20,000 he received from indicted Ted Stevens as well as the $6,000 he received from Veco employees?
July 29th, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Aaron
Shut up you Hack!! Why would you defend someone like this!!
The people who have first responded are all Paid Political bloggers. You people suck!! If you are getting paid to defend Franken your the lowest form of life.
To defend someone who makes jokes about things like this is way over the line. You all hide behind the blogs as faceless thugs and in real life if you defended him to your friends and neighbors they would kick you ASS.
July 29th, 2008 at 5:11 PM
it seems like most everyone else who has commented (including myself) have used their own name. Is your real name Hottip? Ho Ttip? H. Ottip? Hott Ip? I doubt it. If it is well, then I guess I’m wrong. I don’t think I am. Just saying…if you’re going to attack people for being “anonymous” the least you could do is use your real name. How do we know you’re not Norm Coleman himself? That would be juicy.
July 29th, 2008 at 5:40 PM
I don’t know, Aaron. Are all the Democrats who got money from Franken’s “Midwest Values” PAC going to donate it to womens’ shelters?
July 29th, 2008 at 8:01 PM
I hope that the mainstream media will focus on the child abuse stuff. Amazing how Al hoodwinked the DFL by bringing in bags of money from out of state to buy off the party hacks and hungry legislators. The real question for Melendez is what did he know about Franken and when did he know it? It is irresponsible to allow this guy to continue in this campaign at the risk of being embarrassed and devastated at the polls. Melendez should be fired if he cannot get Franken out of the race.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:07 PM
I see all of his enablers are getting in line to post in support of Al who obviously has sexual problems
how do you figure re-Pete, a successful thirty year marriage, sustaining much of his time @ SNL, yeah that reeks of sexual problems. Norm doesn’t even live with his wife, Pawlenty jokes about not getting laid, and Franken is the one w/ sexual problems. That is a pretty skewed way to look at it. Actions speak louder than words.
On a side note, glad to see McCain got a clean bill of health, still think he’ll be dead before election time.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:11 PM
The real question for Melendez is what did he know about Franken and when did he know it?
Bill you stupid idiot, Franken was in HOLLYWOOD, SNL, NEW YORK TIMES best seller list. How would Melendez not know about the stuff he has said? Don’t you people realize that maybe there is more to focus on with Franken than some bad jokes he told, and might I add the American people ate up and Franken got filthy rich of off?
Are you bad mouthing America now Bill?
July 29th, 2008 at 8:27 PM
I don’t care what he said, wrote or did personally or how much money he made. My only point is that the DFL and Melendez have a responsibility to vette a candidate before offering him up. His humor may go over great in NYC or Hollywood but it does not go over here. Why didn’t he run for the senate in NY?
July 29th, 2008 at 8:41 PM
First and foremost, I am NOT a paid blogger, responder or anything. That said, if you know who I could talk to about changing that, and if a few of you would write me a letter of recommendation, that would be swell.
As to the matter at hand, have any of you ever heard of Carl and Rob Reiner? Dollars to donuts they WROTE this sketch. So, it really sucks out a lot of the outrage when the people the joke is about are laughing along with the joke, and ignoring your desperate and pathetic attempts to make them do otherwise for political purposes.
July 29th, 2008 at 8:43 PM
I have to say from porno jokes ,raping and drugging women and now child abuse.
AL FRANKEN IS CREEPY!!!
July 29th, 2008 at 10:14 PM
What a bizarre little man that Franken!
July 29th, 2008 at 10:36 PM
Will the Republican Party of Minnesota also hold comedians/satirists responsible for telling JOKES/RIDDLES about USA Senators who represent Alaska?
July 29th, 2008 at 10:43 PM
Yoni, Al is the one talking about sexually abusing children and women. Makes you wonder what life was like inside his own home doesn’t it?
July 29th, 2008 at 10:44 PM
~Imagine the “house” bringing down the longest sitting USA Republican Senator.
~The longest sitting Republican USA Senator doesn’t seem to have problems with models, it is “REmodels” that may be his downfall.
July 29th, 2008 at 10:48 PM
~If the longest serving Republican [Alaskan] USA Senator really need more “living” room perhaps he could have asked first-termer Norm Coleman about his living arrangements.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Okay, I know all you DFLer’s have to support your guy -but come on Franken is wierd. I have to agree with Jane, down right creepy.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:09 PM
no it doesn’t re-Pete, if i were able to tell jokes for money I am sure I would say some pretty harsh things. It was his job to say that kinda shit. But that is not who he is and his personal life doesn’t reflect that either.
Like I have said a million times before, actions speak louder than words……
July 29th, 2008 at 11:14 PM
El P,
Are you on crack or something?
Seriously, your posts don’t make any sense at all.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. How is your addiction to animal porn coming?
Remember, by your logic if I make an accusation, you have prove it’s not true.
Or you could finally show any proof to your allegations that Coleman crach dieted to fail his draft physical.
July 29th, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Child abuse vs curing child hood cancer
Child abuse vs curing child hood cancer
Child abuse vs curing child hood cancer
Child abuse vs curing child hood cancer
Child abuse vs curing child hood cancer
Child abuse vs curing child hood cancer
Child abuse vs curing child hood cancer
Child abuse vs curing child hood cancer
Norm Coleman vs The Comedian not such a tough decision
July 30th, 2008 at 1:38 AM
Amy,
uhhhhh, what are you talking about? is your argument that Al Franken is against curing childhood cancers?
July 30th, 2008 at 6:08 AM
Yoni, so you think making jokes about sexual child abuse is funny as long as it is done for money? Interesting. Greedy Democrats ok with child abuse and raping women as long as it is profitable. Once again I am not surprised…
July 30th, 2008 at 8:12 AM
Pablo
I’m not a paid Blogger and I never asked anyone to identify there real names. I have used only one name when commenting since day one. Nice try to deflect the real issue. Franken is not electable and doesn’t have the people of Minnesota interest in mind. His goal is to be the third senator from California. He would make fools of us if elected.
July 30th, 2008 at 10:09 AM
Maybe Anal Al and Crazy Jesse are actually brothers. Both are idiots and make MN look like idiots to the rest of the country. At least Jesse doesn’t support sexual abuse of children.