'SNL' Humorist Franken Speaks At ARCO Forum

Armed with Saturday Night Live clips and shotgun witticisms, Alan S. Franken '73 spoke to a packed crowd on political humor at the Institute of Politics last night.

For most of the evening. Franken reviewed excerpts of political satire from the late-night humor show, which he co-produces.

Franken said he had originally planned to lecture on political satire from the colonial period to the present, but added, "Then I thought, that'd be a tremendous amount of work."

The presentation, which elicited roars of laughter from the ARCO Forum audience, was a decided change of pace from the serious events usually scheduled there.

The Saturday Night Live. staff has so far found little to ridicule in this year's presidential race, Franken said. "I don't know how funny this crop is," he said.

"We haven't really cracked these guys yet," Franken said. he predicted, however, that actor Dana Carvey will do a "hilarious Tsongas."

Political humor is not necessarily the product of deep political opinions, Franken said. He emphasized that the late-night show has no "one political philosophy."

"Our major responsibility is to be funny," he said. "Most of the people are totally apolitical."

Franken defended Saturday Night Live's political im- personations, however, insisting that theshow's frequent protrayals of Vice President DanQuayle and Senator Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56 arebased on fact.

"We do Teddy Kennedy drunk a lot," he said."But he's been provenreal witnesses, on site--tobe drunk, a lot. So we feel we can do that."

Of Quayle, Franken said, "[He] just works sohard to answer in complete sentences. You can justsee those gears working," he said. "There's areason why [Quayle's reputation] stuck."

Most politicians are amused by their parodycounterparts, Franken said. "Actually Bush watches[Carvey's regular Presidential impersonations]. Hemet Carvey at the White House," he said.

Franken described Saturday Night Live'swriting process as being "character-driven" ratherthan "idea-driven." It helps to have a performerwho "thinks in the his character," Franken said,citing Carvey as an example.

In addition to discussing the humor andpolitics of the show, Franken made some commentson minorities that drew a mixture of applause andhisses from the audience.

Responding to a question about the small numberof minorities on the show, Franken said, "We'relooking at the moment at several Puerto Ricans,three Orientals and a Mung tribesman...Minoritiesjust aren't funny. Am I right?"

Franken said that as an undergraduate, he wasinvolved in Dunster House drama productions andperformed stand-up comedy in New York on theweekends. He said he never joined a campustheatrical or humor group.

"At the time the Lampoon was very preppie andthe Pudding very gay," Franken joked. He addedquickly, "But they were great organizations. Theydid a lot of great stuff."

Franken has been a writer and performer onSaturday Night Live for 16 years

"We do Teddy Kennedy drunk a lot," he said."But he's been provenreal witnesses, on site--tobe drunk, a lot. So we feel we can do that."

Of Quayle, Franken said, "[He] just works sohard to answer in complete sentences. You can justsee those gears working," he said. "There's areason why [Quayle's reputation] stuck."

Most politicians are amused by their parodycounterparts, Franken said. "Actually Bush watches[Carvey's regular Presidential impersonations]. Hemet Carvey at the White House," he said.

Franken described Saturday Night Live'swriting process as being "character-driven" ratherthan "idea-driven." It helps to have a performerwho "thinks in the his character," Franken said,citing Carvey as an example.

In addition to discussing the humor andpolitics of the show, Franken made some commentson minorities that drew a mixture of applause andhisses from the audience.

Responding to a question about the small numberof minorities on the show, Franken said, "We'relooking at the moment at several Puerto Ricans,three Orientals and a Mung tribesman...Minoritiesjust aren't funny. Am I right?"

Franken said that as an undergraduate, he wasinvolved in Dunster House drama productions andperformed stand-up comedy in New York on theweekends. He said he never joined a campustheatrical or humor group.

"At the time the Lampoon was very preppie andthe Pudding very gay," Franken joked. He addedquickly, "But they were great organizations. Theydid a lot of great stuff."

Franken has been a writer and performer onSaturday Night Live for 16 years