Documentary "Al Franken: God Spoke" will open in time for Nov. elections

[DeepModem Mom]

Hollywood Reporter: Studio puts Franken documentary in Nov. race
By Gregg Goldstein

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - "Al Franken: God Spoke," which follows the political humorist from his war with fellow commentator Bill O'Reilly to his fight for progressive candidates, will hit U.S. theaters just in time for the November elections.

Indie studio Balcony Releasing has acquired U.S. theatrical distribution rights to Nick Doob and Chris Hegedus' documentary and is planning a "platform" release that will quickly expand from New York in mid-September to 10 to 20 markets nationwide.

The film features such political heavyweights as Al Gore, Michael Moore, Sean Hannity, Henry Kissinger, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Karen Hughes as it tracks Franken's joke-filled journey from satirist to a potential candidate for political office.

Although "God Spoke" isn't overly critical of its subject -- unlike O'Reilly, the Fox News Channel commentator who is seen onscreen claiming that his nemesis has "emotional problems" -- Franken makes it clear that he had nothing to do with the production.

"There are shots of me riding this bike, and I look like (former Democratic presidential nominee Michael) Dukakis in the tank," he said, referring to an embarrassing 1988 photo op of the Massachusetts governor....As for his political opponents, Franken said: "I think some will like it and some will hate it, depending on how open-minded they are. I think it's fun and will motivate people to work for change."...

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0002/20060625/2300233164.htm

[itzamirakul]

1. I just really don't like this man as a humorist, a political pundit,

a radio host or anything else that supposedly represents Progressives. For my taste, he is too accomodating to the rw.

It was mainly because of Franken that I stopped listening regularly to AAR which I loved when it first began. But as time went on and Franken brought on so many rw voices and took a centrist position with them, I just got sick to my stomach. I finally had to give it up at about the same time that the woman who used to be on with him left the show. (And I certainly didn't blame her. She stayed a heck of a long time more than I could have stayed.)

I for one, am not interested in his story. He just seems like an egotistical blowhard.

For those who like him...fine. I'm sure the DLC finds him acceptable.

I just hope he is not the best we can do before the election. And if his doc turns out to be successful and helpful to Dems in the election...well, of course I'll eat crow or take a leaf from the Repubs and deny that I ever said the above.

[NYCGirl]

2. Al Franken has done an amazing amount to help Democratic candidates

of all progressive stripes. You don't like him? Fine, don't listen to him. But I would hope you realize that he brings most of the ratings to Air America and it very possibly wouldn't exist without him.

BTW, he's so DLC that he's on the board of Wellstone Action? Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.

[itzamirakul]

3. Exactly! That's what I said...I DON'T listen to him...but obviously

enough other people DO listen to him so that he is still on the air.

Personally I would much rather listen to Mike Malloy for five hours a day rather that 15 minutes of Franken. That's MY opinion and choice.

I can also take a few hours of Randi Rhodes.

If Franken is the main reason that AAR is on the air then good for him. If he is what keeps the station in existence then that puts AAR's weight totally on one man...not good...

Being on the board of certain organizations doesn't really mean that the member accepts everything that the organization stands for. Sometimes they join a particular board to bring changes to the organization i.e. Some of Bush's handpicked cronies being put on the board at PBS to eliminate the liberal voices and force the station into becoming another rw organ.

But don't get in a snit. I already gave a disclaimer to my first post...

[NYCGirl]

4. Of course he might be on the board of Wellstone Action because

he believes in what they do, and that the Wellstones were among his best friends.

[iconoclastNYC]

5. His position on the war is pure DLC

The DLC's tactic is to criticize Bush's handling of the war, and turn a blind eye on the ridiculous manner in which we started it (lies) The key for the DLC is to ignore all that because it might make the next preemptive imperialist war harder. Remember war is good for business, and the DLC is "pro-business".

On matters of foreign policy The DLC functions as neocons enablers of our party. Franken's views mirror them. He's right up there with Hillary on this issue.

[itzamirakul]

6. Of course! You made that point quite well and succinctly in your first

post. I understood exactly what you meant when you mentioned Wellstone. I merely gave an example of why some people join the boards of organizations. The other side of the coin that you presented, if you will.

I have many friends who do not believe the same way that I do. That does not keep me from being friends with them. And some of my friends and I believe in the same things but at different levels of intensity.

I don't believe that we can say that just because people belong to the same organization that they all think in lockstep. I am sure that they all want to see the organization succeed, but perhaps they have different visions of success or different ideas about which methods and strategies and tactics to use to accomplish that success.

Anyway, I have said three times now that evidently enough people enjoy Franken to keep him on the air. I am not one of them at this time. If he changes,(or if I change) maybe I will be.