Franken's First Time Around: Comedian-Turned-Senator Questioned "Clarence Thomas" In 1991 SNL Sketch (VIDEO)

This isn't Al Franken's first Supreme Court confirmation hearing. In 1991 he appeared in an opening sketch on "Saturday Night Live" that mocked Clarence Thomas's appointment process and those involved. It featured Tim Meadows as Thomas and Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Kevin Nealon, Chris Farley and Franken as his questioners.

Suffice to say Franken was a lot more ridiculous the first time around. He played the perpetually bow-tie-clad senator from the great state of Illinois, Paul Simon, and spent the majority of his time asking Clarence Thomas how to get a date:

Sen. Paul Simon: Um, Judge? Judge Thomas? Judge Thomas, are you aware of that, uh, division of our government known as the, uh, Criminal Justice, uh, Department?

Judge Clarence Thomas: Of course I am, Senator!

Sen. Paul Simon: Well, you know when you walk in the main entrance of the Criminal Justice Building.. there's this receptionist with short brown hair?

Judge Clarence Thomas: The, uh.. one at the third desk on the left?

Sen. Paul Simon: No, no. The one at the big, circular desk, uh.. right there in the center there.

Judge Clarence Thomas: Oh, yes - Sandy.

Sen. Paul Simon: Yes. Sandy. Um.. do you think that she'd go out with me?

Judge Clarence Thomas: Well, Senator Simon, not knowing your technique, I feel that it would be unfair for me to prejudge your chances with her.

Sen. Paul Simon: Uh-huh. Uh.. you think it's the bow tie, then?

Sen. Joseph Biden: Senator Simon. Please.

Sen. Paul Simon: Women just don't seem to like the bow tie, do they?

Sen. Joseph Biden: Senator Simon. Please!

Sen. Paul Simon: Uh, sorry. Sorry.


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Comments

[doberman01]

10:42 PM on 07/20/2009

That is hilarious. Too bad Franken wasnt around to question CT then. Maybe now that he's an actual legislator and not just playing one on tv.....wel­l, one can only hope.

[attilathehoneycom]

07:04 PM on 07/17/2009

Stuart Little, you cute little mouse, please accept my apologies for calling one of Al Frankenste­in's dysfunctio­nal characters by your name - I believe, if memory serves - it was Stuart Smalley- who is the alter ego of the new Senator Al Frankenste­in. To my way of thinking, he is the living embodiment of a liberal crying for compassion for the world - as long as it doesn't come out of their pockets.

Al Franken joined Al Anon, an organizati­on for family members living with an alcoholic. As a child growing up in such a family, I can tell you it is a nightmare. But good compassion­ate Al went to the Al Anon meetings, sucked up their pain, went home popped some popcorn and created the character of a non therapist trying to help others - not unlike being a not so intelligen­t and totally lacking in moral fiber character and calling himself a U.S. Senator.
www.attila­thehoney.c­om

[Junglist119]

10:13 AM on 07/18/2009

Lots of butthurt you got there.

[farmgirl10]

02:45 PM on 07/19/2009

Did you ever listen to Al's show on Air America? He is an incredibly well informed and thoughtful analyst of the political landscape in this country. Unlike the vast majority of the Senate.... and don't even talk about the House. Why is compassion a dirty word for your ilk?

[derekc06]

03:35 PM on 07/17/2009

These embedded NBC videos never work for me...

[Militant Leftist]

12:42 PM on 07/17/2009

I laughed hysterical­ly at this piece. Yes, SNL used to be funny (I've seemed to have forgotten this). I'd place Phil Hartman in the top three, as far as the best cast members in the show's entire history after Belushi - 1st, and Murray 2nd.

[DesertRatzoRizzo]

10:48 AM on 07/17/2009

Al Franken did an excellent job in his debut at the Sotomayor confirmati­on hearings. I particular­ly enjoyed the back-and-f­orth concerning the judge's girlhood passion for the Perry Mason TV series. Bill O'Reilly must be apoplectic­. You go on, Al!

[barackobama4prez]

10:44 AM on 07/17/2009

Phil Hartman - I miss you! Great sketch...s­ome real SNL heavyweigh­ts.

[barackobama4prez]

10:47 AM on 07/17/2009

I miss you too, Tommy Boy!

Franken...­.awesome!

[BobSacomano]

10:03 AM on 07/17/2009

Chris Farley, Phil Hartman, Dana Carvey - 3 of the best, and funniest, SNL cast members ever. I can't even watch the show any more - seriously unfunny. Bill Murray, Mike Myers, Dan Akroyd, and Gilda Radner had some really funny moments too.

Carvey can not seem to get it together these days however.

[OperationChaos]

09:18 AM on 07/17/2009

Hey, a so called comedian in the Senate. Considerin­g we have a "Joke of an Administra­tion" in the White House, seems fitting!

[getoffthecross]

09:34 AM on 07/17/2009

If you think this admin's a joke, you should have stayed sober the previous 8 years.

[BobSacomano]

09:37 AM on 07/17/2009

Kids......­.always looking for attention.

[CaveatMagnusFrater]

12:11 PM on 07/17/2009

Pretty much what I was thinking.

[truesteam]

08:48 AM on 07/17/2009

Chris Farley.... he is missed.

[Classof89]

07:43 AM on 07/17/2009

Back when SNL was worth looking forward to watching. I was in college then, and remember this skit very well. Miss Phil Hartman dearly. I had forgotten about Franken's Sen. Paul Simon bit and "the bow-tie". That always cracked me up. And LOL at Chris Rock, looking like some cheap imitation of Rick James.

[Kleberson]

04:03 AM on 07/17/2009

Dana Carvey MAKES this video!!!!! And poor Phil Hartman. I still miss him!

[hubbage]

03:52 AM on 07/17/2009

Brilliant! Those were the days! It's unfortunat­e that the people who mock the idea of Al Franken as a senator do not know that comedians are by and large intellectu­ally superior to the average American and especially the average politician­.

[T4Obama]

07:57 AM on 07/17/2009

Broad generaliza­tions such as "comedians are by and large intellectu­ally superior" are a bad idea because there are always multiple exceptions to the rule. I cite Andrew "Dice" Clay, Paul Ruebens, and Bobcat Goldthwait as evidence to my previous statement. Ruebens would have made a perfect GOPer, though. I have a feeling he and Larry Craig would have been fast friends.

[PW1206]

11:28 AM on 07/17/2009

Hey, Bobcat's turned himself into a pretty good comedy director these days. Haven't seen the trailer for "World's Greatest Dad" yet? He's managed to get Robin Williams to perform again instead of sleepwalk.

[Ronju01]

01:45 AM on 07/17/2009

He's already my favorite senator.

[redsox09]

09:42 AM on 07/17/2009

Mine too!!!!

[BushBites]

12:58 AM on 07/17/2009

Ha!

I remember that Long Dong Silver part.

He was Clarence Thomas' favorite actor.

[Francesca1214]

12:22 AM on 07/17/2009

I believe Al Franken will make a wonderful senator because:

He's good enough;

He's smart enough; and

By golly, people like him.

[Alex Nichols]

01:17 AM on 07/17/2009

Congrats. You are the 1,000,000t­h person to make that joke.

[T4Obama]

07:59 AM on 07/17/2009

And, sadly, made it wrong. It's "gosh darn it, people like me".

[ibivi]

08:45 AM on 07/17/2009

OK everybody. That was 18 years ago! Franken worked hard to be elected as a senator. He knows his stuff. He may be funny but he's not in the senate to clown around.