A total idiot to the fifth power! ! !

He is probably the most dispicable radio talk show host out there. If you like name calling, lying, hysteria and down right boring commentary then you will love Stuart Smalley. I'm sure that Minnnesotan's will regret having ever put him on their ballot. They are only second to Illinois as the laughing stock of American politics.

Hope he wins in Minnesota and stays off the radio.

2nd rate comedian

If I could vote, zero I would have!

Terrible is my opinion

I do not find him entertaining.

Off the air, thank God!

Unfortunately - though he's a thoughtful and intelligent spokesman for center/left liberal policies - he's a terrible comedian and his show's almost as boring as his books..

This guy is a brainless, but why do you idenitfy Sean Hannity as a "very conservative", but not Franken as liberal?

should be: al "franken-stein"

Limited ability and NO sence of reality!

Was one of the better Air America hosts, especially with the "oy oy" segments, though I think Franken is usually better working behind the scenes as a writer, whether in his books or his skitwriting. Many of the earlier negative reviews of this item veer way off topic, and might be be captured by the name of one of the reviewers -- Schadenfreude, taking pleasure in the demise of Air America. It's easy to say in retrospect that the station wasn't going to be profitable, since major corporations weren't exactly going to line up to sponsor it. The greater lesson here is the need to protect the public airwaves by keeping some things in the hands of the people. Dollars don't vote, though some reviewers have apparently deluded themselves into thinking that they do. Public TV has already become a joke, but NPR is more than worth saving, since it still has the strongest radio programming out there, and needs to be protected.

Despite his Harvard education, Franken is not an easy sell unless addressing the converted, perhaps. Much in his discourse seems emotional and, ultimately, thought out in a haphazardly fashion. A sort of liberal William F. Buckley wanna-be, Franken often cannot find the 'mot-juste' in his speech to put a discussion to a definitive close and so rather rambles to beat a point to death. Perhaps he does his better thinking with pen-to-paper than in furious debate.

Didn't like Al Franken.  Tom Hartmann comes prepared with facts and history.  Eventually left Limbaugh when he began mocking people, which I think is cheap behavior.  Otherwise, I ask you to consider that talk radio itself is largely supported by a well-developed media machine.  As soon as liberal talk garners the audience of conservative talk, then powerful advertisers will migrate or include them, too.  Finally, the end result is control of what the public hears; I shudder to think of what We the People must resort to if the internet is regulated or censored.  Regardless, people WILL FIND a way to the truth.  What remains unknown will be its cost.

UPDATE:  To whomever voted "not helpful" that's fine.  Just remember that those shows, in this capitalistic civilization, will not exist if they are no longer profitable.  It is and always will be all about the money.  No political stripe, politician, or personal beef isn't impacted by the power of lustful greed, goaded on by powermongers and those whose psyches are so damaged as to be needful of constant limelight.  Any coverage, no matter how negative, is better than no coverage (Hollywood's PR pundits' motto).  When We the People collectively part the curtains surrounding Those Who Yank the Strings, then the truth shall set us free; right now, we're still imprisoned. 

Sucks, he stumbles over words with too many "you knows" and "ums."

Can display great wit at time, but over the years has become whinney and petulant

UPDATE: The only way that leftos are going to be able to stay on the air with an audience is through government intervention. They must go to National Public Radio and gobble up  your tax money or pray for a government ordered Fairness Doctrine to be imposed. ORIGINAL COMMENT: He is a funny skit writer but he has a hard time carrying the ball on the airwaves. His show does have some moments, however.

HE HOLDS HIS NOSE WHEN HE TALKS, TO HIDE THE FACT HE STINKS

Mario Cuomo, Air America, Franken....the liberals have been trying for years to get their own left-wing version of Limbaugh. For whatever reason, no one is interested enough to keep them on the air in the free market (Hmm). The leftist point of view only survives on radio over at NPR...compliments of the US taxpayer.

His slow paced speech comboed with unoriginal thinking puts me to sleep. I liked him on SNL. Being a radio person myself I have a real problem with celebrities with no radio background being handed their own show.

He is an Idiot, he Believes it is OK to take money from the Poor and the Boys/Girls Clubs in order to keep his Radio Shows' budgets above water level, then tries to Blame the Conservatives for its Failing, when NO ONE really wanted to hear him in the first place.

Al is leaving Febuary 14th. Does anyone really care? Liberals you have the print media and the major networks in your back pocket so understand the conservatives own the radio airwaves!

he just gets on my nerves. I just don't like is style or substance.

He is one of the worst people alive.

Boring, mundane uninformed and not even any comedic value... No wonder the show is on the brink of being canned..

Very funny-particularly "The Oy Oy Oy Show".And also quite informative.

Al is great.. sometimes he is even funny as well. Maybe not perfect, but seldom so very wrong like some talkers. Never the bald faced liar so common among radio blowhards.

Al Frankens ratings go over the top, outrates, Rush Limbaugh, Orielly, Levin and all other right wing hosts combinded. Al Franken for President. Al Franken is the greates talk show host ever to grace the airways, he is a great author as well, He has outsold the bible and The Devinci code combined. I love Al Franken but then I'm am inmate in a nut house and all of us here at nuts anonymous think Al is the greatest. Please sir more Horse S--t on my strawberries and more bull s--t on the airwaves. Signed Jimie Karter. I love nuts.

I found out Air America was being broadcast in my area and was thrilled. I have been a registered democrat since 1973. I started listening to Al Franken, along with the rest of Air Americas programming. Damn, am I ever dissapointed. The Al Franken show is the best of the shows on Air America, and at best, it sucks. I have heard republicans for years call democrats whimpy whiners, which I am not, and I didn't think was a fair stereotype. I have had to change my mind, I now see how they get that impression. Mr Franken may have been a good writer on SNL ( I have no idea who wrote what) but his skits on there were pointless. His skits on his radio show are worse, they sound childish and whiney. He seems like a guy that got his ass kicked and his lunch taken in school a lot. Lots of kids had that happen, but most grew out of it and didn't carry the personna into adulthood. The only one redeeming value about the Al Franken show is that he has good guests and knows how to interview them well. That is why he gets a "2" instead of a "1". Air America radio is a definite asset to the republican party and the extreme right.

Franken is actually intelligent, although he suffers from a disease common to most liberals...overpretentiousness.

As a lefty's answer to Rush and Hannity and the rest of the lunatic fringe, Al is a breath of fresh air. I only wish he was on more.

Al needs to go back to his last career. He sounds drunk all the time, and I'm prone to like his politics, if not the delivery. There is too much of HIM on the show.

He should stick to SNL.......he can't tell the truth .

This guy just creeps me out period.

As a liberal, I do not like Al Franken as a talk show host. He is an educated man, who even thought about running for Senate, but realized you can't be so far to the left to win. As I share some of the same values as he, I just don't like his extreme leftist attitude. There is no moderate standing in Al Franken. I know he does this do degrade Bush--which I don't disagree with, but believe in having your own plan to back up your criticism. Franken just doesn't appeal to me, and the talking heads on the radio are overwhelmingly conservatives. The media is not bias at all, and it seems to be the most impartial as it has ever been. Even "Hollywood" has a conservative following now--which I hate when people label liberal Hollywood as immoral, when the likes of Clooney, Pitt, Jolie do all they can to help impoverished people abroad. But, Franken just doesn't have the appeal as say Bill Maher does.

So full of hate, so unfunny, so predictable. God I hate this man and his show. Ratings are bad so Air America will be off the air within a couple of years anyway.

This looser belongs at the bottom of your list so everyone can { or can"t } find him .

Love the "Wait wait, don't lie to me" segment, and the "Oy yoy yoy" show. I miss his female sidekick however. She kind of kept some control on the show.

The BEST by far!!!

Not nearly as nasty as Rush, Medved, Prager, Hewitt, but just as partisan. Has his moments when he can be funny.

Al Franken, is funny, entertaining and speaks the truth.

I, fortunately, live in an area that does not pick up Air America on the radio, but know enough that Als show is dropping like a fat girl runnin hurdles, probably because he doesn't represent mainstream America's views, probably because everyone with his views are so obsessed with hating G. Dubbya that they don't ever stand back and think "No one's gonna agree with us on anything because we have a one track mind...Down With Dubbya!!!" No one voted for Kerry, they voted against Bush... "Take him below to kiss the gunners daughter!"

You should have seen him on the Daily Show tonight, he totally kicked ass and proved that Democrats do have a plan and that they shouldn't be afraid to speak out on what they believe.

dont stop reading the book halfway through just because u dont agree with what he says, like a couple of people that i know did. if u finish the book, you'll see that Franken has some really good things to say about the world. In the end he turns out to be a really down to earth, observational guy who is able to see through the propaganda.

Do not like his politics OR his looks!!

His show is so totally predictable, the only point in listening is to get a few feel-good moments of liberal jabs at conservatives. He was so much better as a writer for others. What happened to all that originality he showed as a writer? He shows none of it on the radio. All he can do is respond to conservatives. It's time to stop counterpunching and show a little offense of his own.

Is this for real? I'm so glad that this guy is a liberal Democrat because I would be embarassed if he thought the way I do.

Four stars to Al, for giving his time to a needy cause. Al Franken has a difficult job to do. I am not sure how much autonomy he has and if he intended to make it a platform for public figures from the political world and prevent active listener participation. On the other hand, we are all too aware of what the callers would do, complain about low paying jobs, unaffordable healthcare etc... and politicians voting for job losing trade deals like CAFTA as of late. The representatives on the hill are no longer listening to their constituency. They also side with the business party on the war in Iraq although the war is fought at the frontline by the sons and daughters from small towns of America and mostly blue collar families that have a wrong sense of patriotism. Patriotism starts at home, it cannot be exported. Al with his show could make some much needed changes and that is by giving the voters access to the elected officials that are presently avoiding any accountability. The voting booth as is, has to the most part been rendered ineffective. Other than that, I enjoy Al's comedy that includes the ohoi factor and the voice imitation of the late Senator Strom Thurmon. I like the show because I like to listen to conversations, any conversation that is not too insulting when out of eye contact range {people take more liberties in how they express themselves}.

Finally bringing some balance to the airwaves.