The Al Franken Podcast
A five-time Emmy winning SNL comedy writer/producer, joins a four-time #1 NYT bestselling author, a three-time highest-rated national progressive radio host, a two-time Grammy winning artist, and a former US Senator. So, it gets a little crowded in the booth when Al talks public policy and sometimes political comedy with notable guests. Think “The Daily” without the resources of the NYTimes.
Latest episodes
Sep 27, 2020 • 54min
27: Dahlia Lithwick and The Day the President Laughed
The great Dahlia Lithwick discusses RBG, SCOTUS, and the Election. Depressing? Yes. But then the exciting world premiere of The Day the President Laughed!
Sep 20, 2020 • 59min
26: Debate Prep Vets James Carville and Phillipe Reines on the Upcoming Debate
Carville and Reines (who played Trump in Hillary's debate prep) game out the Most Important Event in the History of the World. And Al on RBG.
Sep 13, 2020 • 55min
25: Laurie Garrett, Pulitzer Prize Winner for her Writing on Pandemics and Andy Slavitt, Obama's Head of Medicare and Medicaid on the (Most Likely) Premature Introduction of a Coronavirus Vaccine
Garrett and Slavitt examine the erosion of trust in our public health institutions - The Federal Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Department of Health and Human Services under Donald Trump. And the tragic consequences now and in the future.
Sep 6, 2020 • 54min
24: Douglas Boin, Author of Alaric the Goth – An Outsider’s History of the Fall of Rome, Discusses the Uncanny Parallels Between Trump’s America and 410 AD Rome,
Hatred of immigrants, religious intolerance, systemic racism. Asshole emperor. Sound familiar? Al and Douglas Boin tells the story of Alaric, the Goth who led the sacking of Rome. Also, Al establishes once and for all that the Romans killed Christ, not the Jews! Plus, Sen.Tammy Duckworth discusses Trump's particular aversion to amputees
Aug 30, 2020 • 53min
23: David Axelrod on the Election. Spoiler Alert: He's for Biden
The political consultant who consulted Barack Obama all the way to the White House discusses how we get Biden there.
Aug 23, 2020 • 51min
21: Repeating My Conversation with Chris Rock Because It's So Damn Great!
Chris discusses being a comedian, being black, being a black comedian, being bussed for nine years as a kid, and a whole bunch of other stuff.
Aug 16, 2020 • 51min
19: Author Susan Nieman on Germans/Holocaust vs. Americans/Slavery – Germans Win
Nieman contrasts how Germans have come to terms with The Third Reich and how Americans have processed slavery, the Civil War, Jim Crow, lynching, and systemic racism.
Aug 9, 2020 • 54min
20: Paul Begala on How to Beat Trump
The stable half of the consultant team that elected Bill Clinton tells us how to beat this psychopath – on the podcast and in his new book, You’re Fired.
Aug 2, 2020 • 55min
22: Andrew Yang and Al Discuss Each Other
Yang and Al Discuss, Among Other Things – Yang’s Past, the Future of Work, and the Present.
Jul 26, 2020 • 54min
18: Fmr. DC and Philly Police Chief Charles Ramsey Talks Police Reform
Al in conversation with the co-chair of Obama’s police reform commission.
