There is a lot left to learn
Here's what the first day of liberal talk radio sounded like:
An interview with 9/11 commission member Bob Kerrey about the Bush administration's failure to prevent the terrorist attacks.
A bit of satirical shtick with Bob Elliott of the immortal Bob and Ray comedy team.
A discussion of tunes and patriotism with rapper Chuck D.
An effort to get filmmaker Michael Moore to apologize to Al Gore for supporting Ralph Nader in 2000.
A skit in which liberal-bashing pundit Ann Coulter is supposedly held prisoner in a small room.
Grateful Dead music, used between segments.
No one can say Al Franken's first day as the midday host and anchor of Air America Radio's liberal talk radio network didn't provide a stark contrast to the conservative fare that has dominated the airwaves for 15 years. But after Franken's first outing, it's clear he has work to do to master the rhythms and power of the medium if he wants to become the Rush Limbaugh of the left.
Yesterday's rollout of the liberal talk network could be heard on stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, and Portland, Ore. The broadcast could also be picked up on
From his opening monologue, Franken seemed to be torn between desires to be disarmingly funny and deadly serious. On one hand, he joked that his show's title -- "The O'Franken Factor" -- was created for "one reason and one reason only: to annoy and bait Bill O'Reilly." On the other, he solemnly vowed "that this show is about taking back our country."
There was a little something for everyone on yesterday's show, and some of it was promising. In a humorous if moderately tasteless skit, Elliott played an unwitting reporter interviewing a terrorist waiting to board a flight in London. Actor, former Nixon speechwriter, and political conservative Ben Stein called to congratulate Franken, adding: "I know you'll do your best to subvert the free enterprise system." And there was the fun bit in which Gore dialed into the show in a halfhearted attempt to elicit a mea culpa from Moore over his support for Nader.
On the more serious side, there was a lengthy interview with Kerrey about the work of the 9/11 commission and the apportioning of blame for the nation's unpreparedness on Sept. 11. (The cerebral, no-nonsense guest didn't particularly cotton to Franken's enthusiasm for a "Kerry-Kerrey" Democratic ticket.) During his appearance on the show, Moore read several passionate anti-administration letters that he said he received from US troops in Iraq and firmly denied any regrets about calling the president a military "deserter" despite widespread criticism of those remarks.
But no matter how many high-powered guests the show attracts, the key to its success is Franken and, to a lesser extent, his sidekick, Katherine Lanpher, a former Minnesota Public Radio host who is clearly the radio pro on the team. While Franken is undeniably quick-witted, he will need other skills to make this work. As Franken himself admitted yesterday, he is not a good interviewer, something that became obvious when he awkwardly attempted -- on several occasions -- to goad Kerrey into an all-out assault on Bush. Some of his meandering musings, which might work well in a standup routine, served to choke off the flow of conversation yesterday. At one point, Franken abruptly interrupted his own remarks to declare, "Oh, we got a call." (Lanpher will surely teach him not to act surprised when someone actually phones in.)
Much of that can probably be fixed. The unanswered question is whether -- without resorting to the overcaffeinated chest thumping that distinguishes much of the talk industry -- Franken can create the crackling energy and sharp pacing that make radio entertaining and set liberal pulses racing.
