Al Franken Remembers His First Day As A U.S. Senator | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

we've known each other for a long time. and I've seen you through I think a a. dispassionate lens where I can say there. was this period in the Senate where you. needed to be serious yeah don't be funny. they said don't be funny and so don't be. funny don't be funny on the floor it. might be funny and hearings don't be. funny. uh don't be funny no jokes no sarcasm. because the other side whoever that is. can take that out of context just read.

it well that was true of course that was. true but it was also more you won by 312. votes. right and people in Minnesota want you. to be want to know that you're serious. about this yeah and I went yeah no. and I didn't really internalize it at. first so I um. I tell the story well uh first day I'm. there I get sworn in go back to my. office first day in my office I've never. been you know take the subway back to.

office go to the heart art building get. in my office there's a sheet on my paper. on my desk. set and I learned that one of your. duties as. a senator is to write congratulatory. notes to constituents and this first. note is to Ruth Anderson who's turning a. hundred and ten she's from Marshall. Minnesota she's turning 110. so I've been told don't be funny so I. get out my official stationary use it. for the first time I write Dear Ruth you.

have a bright future. [Laughter]. Shredder uh yeah close. my new assistant who I had never hadn't. met comes in oh I'd better but I hadn't. worked with her she takes it and brings. it to my new Chief staff who had. selected and uh he says what is this. and I said it's a joke yeah uh-huh.

you think Ruth Anderson will find it. funny. I said I don't know she's 110. he said do you think her family will. find it funny and I went oh yeah and I. started thinking about her 90 year old. son reading it. but see this is what I'm trying to get. to is for those of us who knew you and. you worked so hard at being a senator.

and taking it very seriously and really. doing the work well of course yeah of. course but of course it was interesting. of course for me to see you I'm gonna. keep saying that of course it was. interesting to see you at that time. because uh I knew that you had to. restrain this whole other side of you. which was really funny because you can't. you really can't be doing that uh if. you're in the Senate and then now I see. that you're just back to hitting on all. cylinders comedically I'd say on three.

out of fours. I'm trying to hit on all filmers oh it's. been great I've been feeling cylinder. engine and you're hitting on three. cylinders. three out of four but no I I think I'm. I'm hitting I'm doing uh. so two cylinders two cylinders you're. now down to two out of 12. oh boy the. car is smoking. that's not even moving yeah no I I mean.

it was interesting like the second week. I'm there there's a supreme court here. and I'm on the Judiciary Committee and. Sotomayor. and Amy Klobuchar who's my senior. senator who's a Pros was a prosecutor. asked her like why did you become a. prosecutor and she said well I because I. watched Perry Mason as a as a and I. watch Perry Mason too and I so when it. got to me I just said why if you watch. Perry Mason a case a show in which the. prosecutor lost every case yes a.

prosecutor and she goes actually Burger. one one case. yeah I was a prosecutor and so I said. okay well look I got 30 minutes of. questioning so let's get to that and. then at the end I had like I had about a. minute left and I couldn't develop a new. line of questions so I said okay as long. as we're at it what case. did Burger Perry Mason lose yeah and she. said I I don't know. and I said just because.

I'm trained like you I just said didn't. the White House prepare you. which. okay prepare you on TV trivia. well she offered it as a piece of. information and then couldn't follow up. so that was very damaging but. uh and then but with the point about.

that is I just got killed for that ah. real does Al Franken have to be funny. yeah yeah and it was as you know it was. just I didn't go okay I will ask her. yeah well I should became a prosecutor. because Amy hadn't yeah and then she. will say Perry Mason and then she'll say. well how did you become because hey. at what point because I know that you. you know your history well at what point.

uh. did were we not allowed to be funny. anymore in our political discourse I. mean real politicism I'm not talking. about Wags on the sidelines but there. have been some there's a kind of funny. you're supposed to be right or can be. and sometimes it's funny like everyone. hates me because I say Lindsey Graham. was the funniest. say yeah Sona just hates me right now I. saw that you know I hate you I'm just. confused well uh I it is a quick sense.

of humor he has a a sharp sense of humor. he does and his sense of humor is I'm. very cynical so I'll give you an example. I'm going to uh we're taking a break for. a winter vacation for Christmas vacation. and he says well you're going anywhere. take your family for son I said I'm. going to Vieques which is Puerto Rico. and he goes like do two immediately boom. do two fundraisers one for the people. for who are for Statehood one for the. people who are against they never talk.

to each other. every one of his jokes is I'm the most. cynical guy in the world yeah and he's. proving that actually he has proven Day. Out.