Al Franken to perform at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall
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Comedian Al Franken has a question.
“Is it pronounced Car-neg-ie or Car-negie?” said Franken. “I want to find out from the people in Pittsburgh. It’s a lively debate.”
Franken wants to know because he will be on stage at Carnegie of Homestead Music Hall in Munhall. The former “Saturday Night Live” writer, who served as a U.S. senator from Minnesota for nine years, will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23.
His tour is called “The Only Former U.S. Senator Currently on Tour.” Tickets start at $50 and are available here.
Franken said he wanted to perform in Pittsburgh because he’s friends with journalist Howard Fineman, a Squirrel Hill native who writes often about his hometown. Franken also noted another Pennsylvania connection: his mother was born in Altoona.
“I love Pittsburgh,” he said. “Its three rivers and city skyline create beautiful views.”
Franken gets some of his material from his past political career as well as the 15 seasons he worked for “Saturday Night Live,” which included writing political satire for the show.
Franken won five Emmy awards for his work on “Saturday Night Live.” His books include “Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot,” “Other Observations, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right” and “Al Franken, Giant of the Senate.”
His political career didn’t start smoothly. There was a recount, he said, “because the Republicans wanted to keep me out.”
Franken was elected in November but not seated until the following July. He served from 2009 to 2018.
One of his first duties was traveling to Iraq and Afghanistan where he met a veteran in a wheelchair who had a service dog. He proposed legislation for a bill to pair therapy dogs with wounded veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
A study showed the tremendous benefits. Last month the Senate passed the bill supporting the need to help veterans with mental health conditions.
“These veterans can get service dogs which we believe will reduce the number of lives lost,” Franken said. “These dogs give emotional support. They can do things such as anticipate a panic attack. This was a very emotional moment for me.”
This week on The Podcast: @MichaelWolffNYC on his 3rd book inside the Trump White House. Here Wolff makes the case that the 2nd impeachment gave Trump life.
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— Al Franken (@alfranken) September 8, 2021
Franken currently hosts a politics and public affairs podcast, “The Al Franken Podcast.” Guests include Malcolm Nance, Sarah Silverman, Paul Krugman, Chris Rock and Michelle Obama. “Well, not Michelle Obama, but guests like her,” according to his website.
His comedy involves civil rights, Vietnam and former President Donald Trump.
“There is no way you can do a show without talking about Trump,” he said.
The pandemic is another popular topic.
“I tell the audience that during covid I have been home a lot, and when people say a ‘watched pot never boils,’ that’s not true,” he said.
Franken incorporates some Senate stories as well.
He was asked to write a congratulatory note to a woman in Minnesota turning 110.
“I wrote, ‘Dear Ruth, you have a bright future,’ ” he said. “It was a joke. I changed it.”
Franken’s appearance is presented by Drusky Entertainment, a Pittsburgh-based promoter. Ticket holders are required to present proof of covid vaccination or a negative covid test.