Franken Pokes Fun at Harvard, National Politics

Laughter filled Lowell Lecture Hall Friday afternoon when Al S. Franken '73 shared his humorous views on current events, the 2000 presidential campaign and Harvard, among other subjects.

Franken, who rose to fame on Saturday Night Live, spoke to undergraduates during a Harvard Law School Forum event.

In his introduction, Director of the Institute of Politics Alan K. Simpson, a former Republican senator from Wyoming, described the comedian as creative and cunning.

"He is a wise, warm, witty man who can laugh at himself as well as others," Simpson said. "He has infected us with his brand of humor and satire."

Immediately upon taking the stage, Franken shared one of his own Harvard memories.

"When I was a student here, I took an exam right here," he said of Lowell Lecture Hall. "But senior year I had already decided to be a comedian, and decided I wasn't taking school seriously."

At the time, Franken was taking a class on social history of the United States with Daniel Bell, now Ford professor emeritus of the social sciences, in William James Hall.

"William James was very overheated," Franken said. "Somehow, I fell asleep every lecture." At this, the audience burst into laughter.

Franken approached Bell before the final exam, and upon learning that the exam was based solely on reading, spent three weeks doing nothing but the entire semester's reading, he said.

After the exam, Franken's teaching fellow told him Bell was frustrated because he had gotten the highest grade in the class.

"I was really happy," Franken said. "Then I realized I was taking the class pass/fail."

Harvard-bashing proved successful with the audience.

Franken said he had wanted his daughter, now a first-year at Duke University, to attend Harvard.

"She looked at both, and said she wanted to go to Duke because they have more fun," he said.

After visiting for parents' weekend this fall, Franken discovered that at Duke, "all the kids were well-rounded, and had social skills."

"I came to the conclusion that Harvard's administration's goal is to have a well-rounded class," Franken said. "Duke's goal is to have well-rounded kids. That explains the Ted Kaczynskis."

Franken also ridiculed and mocked today's politics.

He spoke of some of the successes and failures of the Clinton administration.

"Some failures are health care and the scandals," Franken said. "The president made some mistakes. But the good things are that married couples can now have honest discussions on what constitutes adultery."

However, he said, Clinton's behavior should be put into context.

"Jefferson had sex with slaves," Franken said. "What kind of message does that send to the other slaves?"

Franken also expressed his views on presidential candidates.

"I think Vice President Gore would make a good president," he said. "He knows the names of all the countries."

"I met Steve Forbes," he said. "The flat tax is a big issue. My books have done so well, that now I'm for the flat tax."

Franken is the author of several books, including Why Not Me?, a fictitious story of his successful presidential campaign and of his ensuing administration, during which his only goal was to eliminate ATM fees.

In addition to writing several humorous novels, Franken spoke at the 1994 and 1996 White House Correspondents Dinners and co-wrote the 1994 film When a Man Loves A Woman.