.
Not a bad time for a night of insomnia.
A bunch of "readers" had obviously been sent by Malkin, who apparently had a hissy fit along with her hissy-fitter-in-arms, Drudge, over the promotional video for the book, which you can also see at the Amazon link. Some of my favorite reviewers, these first two, were appalled and taken aback and just horrified at the violence--violence I tell you!--portrayed in the video. then they had some violent fantasies about Al Franken. anyway, just for kicks, the work of the esteemed reviewers below.
Oh--I forgot. My real favorite is the last one, er, two. Two reviews from "different people".
CRAP., October 26, 2005
Reviewer:
Joseph S. Magiera - See all my reviews
I get advance copies of democrat swill like this and its aweful.Franken never was funny.Air America has what ...maybe 3 listeners, and his books can be debunked by an 8 year old.That is the TRUTH and Al is the joke.
Come on Al,try to come after me....
Go ahead...make my day..., October 26, 2005
Reviewer:
Thomas Quarles (Austin, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
If I give Al one star can I get him to physically attack me, too?
Please.
Franken's the joke, October 26, 2005
Reviewer:
HarryShooter - See all my reviews
What do you do when you have absolutely no hope of winning an argument intellectually? You make a joke. This man has no intellect, no concept of truth and he isn't even funny. What is funny are the pathetic ratings his little radio show gets. Don't waste your money on this pathetic little(and I do mean dwarf-like), washed up ex-Saturday Night Liver.
Book Lacks Facts, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
openminded (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
As an open minded person I tried to give this book the benefit of the doubt.
I am left doubting if there were ANY facts in this book at all.
Communist-Pinko Rubbish, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
M. C. Leo "mcleo19" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
The title speaks for itself. The video was ridiculous and so is the author.
Way to go on the video!, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
David S. Cline "disgusted" - See all my reviews
Bravo Al and Bravo Amazon. It is high time we rid the world of those we disagree with. I am proud that Amazon has shown their true colors by indicating their support for the elimination of America's number one enemy, conservatives, by kicking the S*** out of them for stating their beliefs. With the help of the likes of Al and Amazon, we can totally eliminate them all! Then we won't have to listen to them and that pesky free speech stuff! </sarcasm>
Hey Amazon, take this a step further! Why not release the names and addresses of any customer you may have left after this stunt who would dare to even browse books by non-liberals to the likes of Brown-Shirt Al so he can send goons to their homes to reeducate them! That is the only way his type can win.
I don't have to read the book to know what's in it., October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
Please! "don't kick me there" (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
What's truly funny is how reviewers that haven't read the book are being taken to task for writing a review. Be honest folks, everybody has gone to the movies and formed an opinion of upcoming movies based soley on their previews. "Yup, I wanna see that" or "Nope, that's a stinker." The Amazon.com promotional serves as the book's essential cliff notes revealing exactly what to expect from the book before even cracking the spine. What more do you need to know about Al's book than what is in the promotional? This fact alone betrays the shallowness of the product being peddled. No matter what the hype, it's easy to spot a bad movie ahead of time by watching the previews. In the same way, it's easy to see this book for what it is after one viewing of the promotional. It's going to be bad, very bad, don't waste your money. Amazon shot itself and Al in the foot if it truly wanted to sell Al's book (or perhaps they secretely don't want to?). Conservatives and Liberals alike don't have to read the book now that we've seen the movie. And, this might be a case where the movie is better than the book. Heh, heh.
The lies which choke. . ., October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
Kevin Bold (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews
First, this isn't the truth; it's Al "Air America Scandal" Franken.
And there are no "jokes" plural; just one big single joke, and it's Franken himself.
I do hope this book does well, though -- perhaps then Franklin will be able to pay back the "loans" that keep the financially struggling Air America on the air. Like the money that was supposed to help the kids at the Gloria Wise Boys & Girls Club, whom liberal trolls like Franken claim to care so much about.
Not really funny, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
James Mitlyng - See all my reviews
Simply: I didn't work up a laugh after more than a hundres pages of Franken's hateful vitriol. I wince at his complete closed-mindedness and ignorance of the threats to our modern world.
Now I get it!!, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
MMM "Critique" (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews
If you have been wondering why the Democratic Party has been losing elections and power these last few years, the answer lies in this book and its brilliant video.
Jokes about the war. Groin kicks to conservatives. Hatred to all who dare to disagree. This is the same vitriol that has led to repeated failure by the democrats to win elections. If anyone doubts that the left wing hates this country, this book is all you need.
At least it makes a few left wing readers laugh, and makes a few dollars for Al Franken.
Is this supposed to be funny?, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
Ron Jon - See all my reviews
I'm what you would call a complete independent. I'm apathetic about most peoples passionate issues and don't really take sides. I'm open to opinions and am willing to listen to all.
I really did not understand the point of this book or find it the least bit funny. I'm presuming it to be satirical but I never found the will to laugh. It felt like a long pent-up diatribe from a man who's angry that I don't care what he has to say or that not everyone thinks like him.
Weak and falls flat, sorry but this one's a loser.
Why Bother?, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
John K. (Arlington, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews
[Yawning] Al Franken was funny...in the 1980s (the "Al Franken Decade"). Now? He's just a tool of the angry Left.
Amazon insults its conservative customers, violates its own standards, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
John Link (Belmont, MA) - See all my reviews
Yeah, makes perfect sense: insult millions of conservative Amazon.com customers by running a video in which Al Franken acts out his impotent fury over his plummeting AA ratings by committing assault and battery on a conservative -- and then THANKS Amazon.com on camera for giving him a forum upon which to broadcast his hate.
Pure marketing genius!
Oh, but I know: we can't take a joke! Liberals take offense to anyone on the right who wanders even slightly off course out of PC territory, demanding that they be fired, humiliated, indicted, denied tenure, and all the rest.
But when one of their own broadcasts a vicious video showing a conservative being assaulted and hit over the head with a bottle -- why, that's just good clean fun!
And isn't ironic, that people can not post reviews that "violate Amazon.com's standards", which include "profanity, obscenities, or SPITEFUL REMARKS", yet Franken gets a pass.
Beating up someone and then grinning like an idiot about it isn't spiteful....naaaaaahhhh.
I suspect Bezos is getting an earful about this. If the video doesn't come down PDQ he can expect an ugly PR situation, and the loss of many, many customers. Count me as one.
Many thanks to Drudge and Michelle Malkin for bringing this travesty to the general public.
Amazon You Just Lost A Customer, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
T. Timmins - See all my reviews
After seeing Al Franken's sorry attempt at humor, I cancelled my order and do not plan to buy from Amazon again. Violence against others with differing views is NOT FUNNY and should never be encouraged.
the Truth = Air America Loan Scandal, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
EasyReader "readreadread" (michigan) - See all my reviews
Poor Al, turns out he is actually more corrupt than the people he writes about. I wonder how much of Al Franken's loan scandal mess is mentioned in his book called "the Truth" with jokes. It has to be with jokes because the man is a walking joke. This guy blew any chance of having any credibility by his involvement the recent air america loan scandal and cover up. Air America will be off the air soon, even his co-host left poor Franken, can you blame her, who wants to be attached to this embarrassment. Well, like mom always said Al, "When you point fingers you got four more pointing right back at you!" Don't sweat it Al, you can always cover them up, you seem to be pretty good at that.
Video explains it all..., October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
A shocked reader... (Irvine, CA United States) - See all my reviews
[...] An unprovoked physical attack, and a group of people beating another person for being different, hardly seems befitting for one who claims he is doing this for tolerance of gays, women, and other minority groups.
Take a moment and in your mind, replace the stuntman with a black man, a woman, or a Muslim, and ask yourself if this expression of a violent act based on differing views is funny. Picture replacing Al Franken with Adolf Hitler, who attacks a Jew in the same manner, and you should be horrified that it would be presented as humor. Picture that Al Franken was driving a pickup truck, and the recipient was Matthew Shepard... being dragged down the street...
A conservative making the same skit and kicking a Democrat would be roasted for being intolerant. Instead, the hypocrisy rings out loud and clear. If the video is how Al Franken chooses to advertise the book, it can only serve as an insight as to the vitriol, the hatred, and intolerance for others that will be contained within the book.
Lost another customer, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
R. Carr (FL) - See all my reviews
It's perfectly legitimate to have differing points of view, but as a vendor, to display a video such as this for promotion is a disgrace. You lost another customer.
Real funny, fatso, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
Otto McFly "Otto" (Up Yours, MN) - See all my reviews
I'm embarassed for Al Franken. That video is just unfunny in 30 different ways. For Amazon to promote a book with such a piece of garbage is insulting and I'll be voting with my pocket book.
The only thing that would justify this waste of trees is if Al Franken would use the proceeds to pay back the money Air America took from the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club.
Al Franken's Mein Kempf , October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
M. Zelenz "The Seeker" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
[...] Smashing bottles over the heads of those that disagree with you sounds a lot like Nazi Germany. I've also listen to your rants calling for the execution of Bush and Cheney. Bashing people over the heads is almost as funny as how you swindled hundreds of thousands of dollars from the NYC boys and girls clubs for your failed hate vehicle called Air America. Keep those laughs coming Al, what do you do for an encore steal from Unicef???
Not funny, no matter what your political persuasion, October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
James N. Ward "High Priest of NuclearPhynance" (Breux-Jouy, Ile de France France) - See all my reviews
Watch Al Franken's execrable video sales skit paired with this latest offering. It is violent, but not funny.
Yep, Al Franken tries to take a page from the late Michael O'Donoghue's anti-humor, but of course misses O'Donoghue's capable acerbic poignancy, and resorts instead to only violence as humor.
Yuck yuck, so much for tolerance. Glad my daughter wasn't anywhere near my computer when I played it.
If this is the best Franken can come up with to pitch his book, regardless of your political persuasion, "The Truth - With Jokes" will likely make a new classification in publishing borrowed from the straight-to-video market: straight-to-remainder-bin.
Which basically describes Franken's career: he is a derivative, and a poor one at that, of better originals. If the originals he wasn't stealing from weren't so obvious and so fresh in our memory, Franken might be funny. But the fact is Franken hasn't come up with a new shtick, well, ever. His shtick is his ego, which, come to think of it, may be WYSISWG after all, not the humorous `visual reality' where he is winking at you to include you in on the joke. Nope, it really is all about "Al Franken."
Funny in 1978, but heck, a lot has happened since then.
And so, we now have Franken's latest turd from his series of throw-up-out-loud witless screeds. If it were funny, I'd forgive him. But it isn't, so we can't.
If you can stomach your way through this unfunny book, you really are a Franken fan, and deserve a full 21 Granola Bar salute.
But if you want "funny" with a liberal slant, there are plenty of better sources.
Full disclosure: "classicist in literature, royalist in politics, and Anglo-catholic in religion." - T. S. Eliot
Full Disclosure II: I once hired Franken and Davis for a college campus comedy night. They re-treaded their old routines from SNL and then did about 10 minutes of unfunny stand-up.
Full Disclosure III: I wear the exact same glasses as Al Franken. They are LaFont Pantheons and I've worn them for years before Franken started sporting them.
The [Disingenuous] Truth (With [Bad] Jokes), October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
Carrol I. Adams (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
Al omitted the critical modifiers, so I reinserted them for elucidation.
I realize that my title alone will invite scorn from about 38% of the readers, but please do as the good lord Al has asked, and read through before grading...then give me your "No" vote.
As a Republican (29% for this), I find it easy to laugh at our "side." In fact, I watch "The Daily Show" every evening and laugh so hard it hurts. I find that Republicans in general laugh at their political views far more readily than Democrats can laugh at theirs. And therein lies the conundrum for Big Al...Al cannot laugh or poke fun at the left because he knows how sensitive they can be. Hence the reinsertion of the modifier, "disingenuous."
Because most who would rate my review will not have read the book before doing so, I will only take on the quips that Al has graciously delineated for us vis-à-vis excerpts from his magnum opus cum tour de force(d).
- Iraq: No, Al, sorry to say that those greeting our brave men and women whom you so heedlessly usurp for the purpose of a chuckle (see second modifier), are not Iraqis at all, but rather the Cool Aid drinkers of the Islamic faith who do not possess a country for which to attack. They're fragmented throughout that hemisphere and Iraq has sought to bring them to the battlefield against highly-trained soldiers rather than poorly-informed, soft in the gut civilians like yourself. At least be even-handed about it, Al, and quip the Dem's plan to address the terrorist problem...oh, that's right, they don't have one, do they?
- Gay Marriage: Even as a joke this doesn't work because Bush would not only stop the unholy matrimony for which you speak (Terrorists), but he would do so by KILLING THE GROOM. But, because you brought it up in an overreaching attempt at humor, might I point out that you have once again disingenuously left out the fact that President Bush has NEVER wanted to deny States their right to make this decision for themselves. FYI: Gay's can breed too, Al. Or don't you approve of gay women being artificially inseminated? Your archaic view of gays is rather shocking, I might add.
- Frist/Schiavo: You have illustrated better than I ever could have, how Left Wing Democrats value life only when it's a mass murderer or cop killer on death row, but somehow cannot bring themselves to show the same level of compassion for babies and seriously ill adults. Further, don't use this isolated case to make your own, lest you be prepared to bring "Jane Roe," as in Norma McCorvey, as in Roe v Wade, back into the Abortion equation. Realizing how ambivalent you are about research, it suffices to say, she changed her mind...oops.
- Bait and Switch: No, Al, a bait and switch would be if the President said we were going to attack Iraq but instead attacked Syria. Although a terrific idea, that would be tantamount to the car dealership bait and switch from whence your "humor was derived. In your scenario, however, it would sound more like this: Al, buy my car because it's cheap...Al buys car. Al drives car. Al is ecstatic when he discovers that it gets 200 miles per gallon. You see, Al, it's a good thing when your plans succeed on more than one level, not a bad thing. Or is this just about semantics? Or better yet, maybe Al knew something that Senators Kerry and Clinton, and the rest of Congress who voted for the War didn't know...that the WMD's were moved, destroyed or never existed? Again, I might find your jokes funny if the referential material was applicable.
- Moral Values: Al, do yourself a favor and read the Bible of which you refer. How can a person publish a book, for goodness sakes, and not spend a few moments first reading his own source material. Inexcusable! And for your information, only a left-wing Democrat who has never read the Bible would draw the conclusion you have drawn...it's simply not accurate...ergo, not funny. If you don't believe in Jesus, then please don't quote, paraphrase or otherwise defer to his divinity because that's as repugnant as Limbaugh quoting you.
- Social Security Crisis: Al, for the love of humanity, it was the Democrats who for years screamed about the eminent peril that Social Security was facing...until someone actually tried to fix that sacred cow, that is. Of course, with all the money you've generated from lying to your own party, what the hell do you care about SS? You certainly won't be living on it. Al, you remind me of all these tree-hugging, rich Democrats who curse the poor Colombian for killing a tree from the comfort of their 14-thousand square foot home made of wood.
I read a couple books by the best selling author, KENNETH C. BUCCHI, and was struck by how so many people of Al's ilk can shamelessly peddle beliefs they don't even trust themselves, because it's easier and far more profitable to shovel slop to the self-deluded than it is to spend time teaching them to think for themselves instead. It's kind of like Gene Simmons claiming moral superiority by stating that he never did drugs or abused alcohol but that he only played the part for his fans. He encourages millions of impressionable teenagers to do drugs, but God bless him, he never did any himself.
Al, seriously, do yourself a favor and watch The Daily Show and learn how political humor is supposed to work. First, you begin with the "truth" and then you turn it on its ear. If you begin with an erroneous assumption or an outright lie and then turn it on its ear, you generally end up with...well, your book.
As an aside, I found your exclusive video quite telling. [...]Consequently, you blew the payoff by having the guy introduce himself as a right-wing "jerk." One more time for the comedic-impaired...you can't flip lies on their ears and hope for scathing political humor...it just ain't funny! Have you ever met anyone who referred to himself as a jerk while attempting to gain respect for his/her position? It's idiotic...like your book.
I'm giving you three stars because you have successfully reached your target audience with this book...in other words; you successfully fed excrement to Dung Beetles.
Marginal recommendation for Al's half-truths but strong recommendations for Bucchi's two most current books (Pseudo Miranda & Inside Job)...skip his paperback, it's wanting.
The [Disingenuous] Truth (With [Bad] Jokes), October 25, 2005
Reviewer:
Narcotics Agent (Oregon) - See all my reviews
Al omitted the critical modifiers, so I reinserted them for elucidation.
I realize that my title alone will invite scorn from about 38% of the readers, but please do as the good lord Al has asked, and read through before grading...then give me a "No" vote.
As a Republican (29% for this), I find it easy to laugh at our "side." In fact, I watch "The Daily Show" every evening and laugh so hard it hurts. I find that Republicans in general laugh at their political views far more readily than Democrats can laugh at theirs. And therein lies the conundrum for Big Al...Al cannot laugh or poke fun at the left because he knows how sensitive they can be. Hence the reinsertion of the modifier, "disingenuous."
Because most who would rate my review will not have read the book before doing so, I will only take on the quips that Al has graciously delineated for us vis-à-vis excerpts from his magnum opus cum tour de force(d).
- Iraq: No, Al, sorry to say that those greeting our brave men and women whom you so heedlessly usurp for the purpose of a chuckle (see second modifier), are not Iraqis at all, but rather the Cool Aid drinkers of the Islamic faith who do not possess a country for which to attack. They're fragmented throughout that hemisphere and Iraq has sought to bring them to the battlefield against highly-trained soldiers rather than poorly-informed, soft in the gut civilians like yourself. At least be even-handed about it, Al, and quip the Dem's plan to address the terrorist problem...oh, that's right, they don't have one, do they?
- Gay Marriage: Even as a joke this doesn't work because Bush would not only stop the unholy matrimony for which you speak (Terrorists), but he would do so by killing the groom. But, because you brought it up in an overreaching attempt at humor, might I point out that you have once again disingenuously left out the fact that President Bush has NEVER wanted to deny States their right to make this decision for themselves. FYI: Gay's can breed too, Al. Or don't you approve of gay women being artificially inseminated? Your archaic view of gays is rather shocking, I might add.
- Frist/Schiavo: You have illustrated better than I ever could have, how Left Wing Democrats value life only when it's a mass murderer or cop killer on death row, but somehow cannot bring themselves to show the same level of compassion for babies and seriously ill adults. Further, don't use this isolated case to make your own, lest you be prepared to bring "Jane Roe," as in Norma McCorvey, as in Roe v Wade, back into the Abortion equation. Realizing how ambivalent you are about research, it suffices to say, she changed her mind...oops.
- Bait and Switch: No, Al, a bait and switch would be if the President said we were going to attack Iraq but instead attacked Syria. Although a terrific idea, that would be tantamount to the car dealership bait and switch from whence your "humor was derived. In your scenario, however, it would sound more like this: Al, buy my car because it's cheap...Al buys car. Al drives car. Al is ecstatic when he discovers that it gets 200 miles per gallon. You see, Al, it's a good thing when your plans succeed on more than one level, not a bad thing. Or is this just about semantics? Or better yet, maybe Al knew something that Senators Kerry and Clinton, and the rest of Congress who voted for the War didn't know...that the WMD's were moved, destroyed or never existed? Again, I might find your jokes funny if the referential material was applicable.
- Moral Values: Al, do yourself a favor and read the Bible of which you refer. How can a person publish a book, for goodness sakes, and not spend a few moments first reading his own source material. Inexcusable! And for your information, only a left-wing Democrat who has never read the Bible would draw the conclusion you have drawn...it's simply not accurate...ergo, not funny. If you don't believe in Jesus, then please don't quote, paraphrase or otherwise defer to his divinity because that's as repugnant as Limbaugh quoting you.
- Social Security Crisis: Al, for the love of humanity, it was the Democrats who for years screamed about the eminent peril that Social Security was facing...until someone actually tried to fix that sacred cow, that is. Of course, with all the money you've generated from lying to your own party, what the hell do you care about SS? You certainly won't be living on it. Al, you remind me of all these tree-hugging, rich Democrats who curse the poor Colombian for killing a tree from the comfort of their 14-thousand square foot home made of wood.
I read a couple books by the best selling author, KENNETH C. BUCCHI, and was struck by how so many people of Al's ilk can shamelessly peddle beliefs they don't even trust themselves, because it's easier and far more profitable to shovel slop to the self-deluded than it is to spend time teaching them to think for themselves instead. It's kind of like Gene Simmons claiming moral superiority by stating that he never did drugs or abused alcohol but that he only played the part for his fans. He encourages millions of impressionable teenagers to do drugs, but God bless him, he never did any himself.
Al, seriously, do yourself a favor and watch The Daily Show and learn how political humor is supposed to work. First, you begin with the "truth" and then you turn it on its ear. If you begin with an erroneous assumption or an outright lie and then turn it on its ear, you generally end up with...well, your book.
As an aside, I found your exclusive video quite telling. Even though you are likely a reasonably deft comedian with the requisite acumen to understand that the "Republican" reviewer in your video should introduce himself sincerely in order to carry off the punch line, you just couldn't resist your visceral hatred for the Right. Consequently, you blew the payoff by having the guy introduce himself as a right-wing "jerk." One more time for the comedic-impaired...you can't flip lies on their ears and hope for scathing political humor...it just ain't funny! Have you ever met anyone who referred to himself as a jerk while attempting to gain respect for his/her position? It's idiotic...like your book.
I'm giving you three stars because you have successfully reached your target audience with this book...in other words; you successfully fed excrement to Dung Beetles.
Marginal recommendation for Al's half-truths but strong recommendations for Bucchi's two most current books (Pseudo Miranda & Inside Job)...skip his paperback, it's wanting.