Al Franken was born in 1951 and grew up in Minnesota. He got his start in show business in high school, when he began performing stand-up comedy. He attended Harvard University, but his comic talent went unrecognized by the school's famous Harvard Lampoon, which rejected him. Undaunted, Franken continued to do stand-up with a friend from high school, Tom Davis.
Franken and Davis became celebrities when Lorne Michaels discovered their act and hired them for his new show, Saturday Night Live. In addition to doing the stand-up, Franken wrote many funny skits, including Chevy Chase's famous Gerald Ford bits, and created memorable characters like Stuart Smalley.
Franken's ability to write comedy translated into a best-selling success with his political satire, Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot. The book has sold almost one million copies. His other books include The Truth (with jokes), and Al Franken, Giant of the Senate.
Franken was elected to the U. S. Senate representing Minnesota in 2009.
030