Al Franken
Comic Chris Farley breaks through as a cast member of "Saturday Night Live" and later stars in several iconic big-screen comedies, but behind his over-the-top stage presence lay insecurities deeply tied to his addictive personality.
Explore what makes us laugh, why, and how that's influenced our social and political landscape throughout history.
In this 4th of July special, politicians, celebrities and young people lend their voices to a reading of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Emmy Award-winning comic and talk show host David Letterman accepts the 2017 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. An outstanding lineup of entertainers gathers in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall to salute David Letterman, recipient of the 20th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
Most people think they know the "McDonald's coffee case," but what they don't know is that corporations have spent millions distorting the case to promote tort reform. HOT COFFEE reveals how big business, aided by the media, brewed a dangerous concoction of manipulation and lies to protect corporate interests. By following four people whose lives were devastated by the attacks on our courts, the film challenges the assumptions Americans hold about "jackpot justice."
The humorous, provocative and moving examination of the Culture Wars and faith in America. Featuring interviews from all sides of the issues, the film is a balanced, challenging and entertaining foray into the most divisive and difficult topics in our culture. Includes interviews with Al Franken, Sen. Rick Santorum, Dr. Tony Campolo, Sister Mary Timothy, Michael Reagan, Ron Luce as well as rousing man-on-the-street interviews with director Dan Merchant dressed as Bumpersticker Man, a wild Culture Wars game show pits a Liberal Media Elite team against a team of Young Conservatives and a powerful "reverse Confession Booth" at a Gay Pride event provides unexpected emotion
Feature length documentary about Howard Dean and the Democratic primary.
Join filmmaking duo Chris Hegedus and Nick Doob as their cameras follow Franken to book signings, campaign rallies and the launch of Air America Radio, documenting his transformation from irreverent funnyman to political pundit.
A documentary look at the troubled first year of liberal talk radio start up Air America and its slate of hosts, including Al Franken, Rachel Maddow, and Marc Maron.
Tom Hanks is the host of this show with a comic approach to raise awareness concerning the environment.
This film examines how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, have been running a "race to the bottom" in television news, and provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangerous impact on society when a broad swath of media is controlled by one person. Media experts, including Jeff Cohen (FAIR) Bob McChesney (Free Press), Chellie Pingree (Common Cause), Jeff Chester (Center for Digital Democracy) and David Brock (Media Matters) provide context and guidance for the story of Fox News and its effect on society. This documentary also reveals the secrets of Former Fox news producers, reporters, bookers and writers who expose what it's like to work for Fox News. These former Fox employees talk about how they were forced to push a "right-wing" point of view or risk their jobs. Some have even chosen to remain anonymous in order to protect their current livelihoods. As one employee said "There's no sense of integrity as far as having a line that can't be crossed."
Paul Wellstone was the charismatic Minnesota progressive who used grassroots organizing to get elected and give ordinary people a stake in government. His 3rd election campaign was cut short when his small plane crashed into the north woods of Minnesota just 11 days before the 2002 election. Wellstone! explores the origin of his politics, his controversial road to the United States Senate, his deep bond with his wife and 'co-senator' Sheila, and the legacy of a life of progressive populism.
Classic Saturday Night Live skits featuring the hilarious Phil Hartman.
LateLine is an American TV sitcom that ran on NBC from March 17, 1998, through March 16, 1999. Due to an abrupt cancellation, there were seven unaired episodes. Created by John Markus and Al Franken, LateLine depicted the behind-the-scenes goings-on of a fictitious late-night television news broadcast, patterned in part after the long-running ABC program Nightline. Many plotlines in the series were satirical, dealing with topics like Deep Throat and the Watergate break-in, and the episodes often had cameos by famous politicians. On August 17, 2004, Paramount released a DVD set containing all nineteen episodes on three discs.
When 25-year-old New Yorker Eric Traber gets fired from his job and kicked out of his apartment, he fears the worst. But his best friend, Ziggy, shows up A.W.O.L. from the Peace Corps and leads him out to the swank Hamptons for Easter weekend in search of betterment and understanding. Once there, they confront the adult roles of life for the first time; fraud, attempted murder, two-faced disloyalty and well-catered cocktail parties!
Stuart Smalley, the Saturday Night Live character, comes to the big screen. Stuart, the disciple of the 12 step program, is challenged by lifes injustices.
An airline pilot and his wife are forced to face the consequences of her alcoholism when her addictions threaten her life and their daughter's safety. While the woman enters detox, her husband must face the truth of his enabling behavior.
Politically Incorrect was an American late-night, half-hour political talk show hosted by Bill Maher that ran from 1993 to 2002. It premiered on Comedy Central in 1993, moved to ABC in January 1997, and was canceled in 2002. The show first originated from New York City, but soon moved to Los Angeles to make it easier to get "stars" as guests. The New York episodes were shot at the CBS Broadcast Center and the Los Angeles episodes at CBS Television City, where it remained even after its move to ABC. The first episode featured comedian Jerry Seinfeld, Howard Stern sidekick Robin Quivers, Republican Party strategist Ed Rollins, and comedian Larry Miller. The show won a 2000 Emmy Award for "Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video for a Series." In addition, it was nominated for seventeen other awards, including: "Outstanding Variety"; "Outstanding Music or Comedy Series"; and "Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program" in 1997. The show also won two CableACE Awards in 1995 and 1996 for Talk Show Series and was nominated for a third in 1997. It was also nominated for two Writers Guild of America awards for best Comedy/Variety series in 2001 and 2002.
A TV special celebrating the 15th anniversary of Saturday Night Live. Before a celebrity audience, many of the former cast members and guest hosts return to perform their signature monologues and present a look back at some of the best comedy skits and musical numbers of the past 15 years.
A humourous telling of the history of the comic book superhero.
The problems faced by both teenagers and adults in a small Minnesota town who are trying to get dates for a Saturday night.
Released in 1984 featuring Al Franken and Tom Davis writers and performers on the original Saturday Night Live perform live in front of a small college audience at Stockton State. Some highlights include a representative from the "Whiskey Distilleries of America" tutoring students on what to do if you're drunk and you absolutely have to drive, interviews with a laid off heterosexual auto worker turned male prostitute for homosexuals, A test to see if audience members may be too stoned to be among people, their Rolling Stones parody, their PTL club satire and more; classic 1980s period performances!
A snobbish investor and a wily street con-artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
In this animated pilot based on the SNL sketch, The Coneheads come to conquer Earth but they soon find themselves becoming domesticated.
Recorded October 30th and 31st, 1980, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Dead Ahead showcases the recently reformed Grateful Dead lineup in acoustic and electric splendor.
Paul Simon just wants to perform his songs although an arrogant director keeps on interrupting him with crazy ideas.
A committee investigating TV's first uncensored network examines a typical day's programming, which includes shows, commercials, news programs, you name it. What they discover will surely crack you up! This outrageous and irreverent spoof of television launched the careers of some of the greatest comedians of all time.
A late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels. The show's comedy sketches, which parody contemporary culture and politics, are performed by a large and varying cast of repertory and newer cast members. Each episode is hosted by a celebrity guest, who usually delivers an opening monologue and performs in sketches with the cast, and features performances by a musical guest.
Acclaimed journalist Paul Moreira investigates how Russia manipulates public opinion, undermines democratic governments and attempts to alter world events. The public face of foreign policy: the state news channels, Sputnik and Russia Today. But working in the shadows is the hidden part: the hackers and trolls pushing the Russian agenda - The Russians know that public perception of their country has reached a new low. Russophobia is massive. Their message is tainted with illegitimacy. But how does the Russian information war machine work?
