JOURNAL ARTICLE

Al Franken on Political Humor at SNL: 'Our Goal Was to Get Laughs From Everyone'.

  • Published In: Time.com, 2025. P. N.PAG 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Franken, Al 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on the role of political comedy on the television show *Saturday Night Live* (SNL) as it marks its 50th anniversary, with reflections from a longtime writer and performer. It highlights how SNL’s live sketch format allows timely and nuanced political satire, balancing humor for both politically informed and less knowledgeable audiences. The piece recounts specific examples, such as sketches from the 1988 presidential election featuring portrayals of George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis, illustrating the show's approach of smart, nonpartisan commentary rather than advocacy. The article emphasizes SNL’s unique position in American entertainment as a platform for real-time political humor over several decades.

Additional Information

  • Source:Time.com. 2025/02, pN.PAG
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Arts and Entertainment
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:2476-2679
  • Accession Number:182989693
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Time.com is the property of TIME USA, LLC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.