Rating: 
Summary: Requires a certain level of intelligence and sophistication
Review: Everyone surprised that avowed Limbaugh listeners disliked this book, please raise your hands? *crickets* Thought not.The problem with this book is that it is thoroughly researched and terrifyingly accurate. Unlike Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Hannity (neither of whom were relevant upon first printing), Savage (come to think of it, they aren't terribly relevant now), et al, this book deals with facts that can be proven--and have been. It also deals with the hypocrisy and lies of the right for the last few decades. It would help if the detractors of this book actually READ it. And if you're going to go that far, why not read it with an open mind? Check his facts for yourself. Then go back and check any fact from any broadcast of any of the above "gentlemen." A fair, intelligent reader would give Franken his due. Of course, a fair reviewer would have read the book.
Rating:
Summary: Al Franklin's classic
Review: Then buy this book. Franken provides a vicious humorous attack on that most famous of conservative radio pundits, with a definite leftist slant. I didn't like the title, because it is somewhat...confrontational. But between the covers of this aggressive book lay a very, very funny man. He combines an astute political sense with a level of indignant humanitarianism which allows him to put radical conservatives in a very bad light. This clown hasn't been funny since he was with Tom Davis on "Saturday Night Live." Come to think of it, you'll get more laughs from watching 25-year old reruns than you will from reading this book. It also exposes many of the lies and demagogery that constitute Rush's discources. Most people ignore Rush Limbaugh because they consider him to be a bombastic idiot. But many ignored Hitler for the same reason which caused the world to suffer enormous conequences. I think we all owe Al Frankin a debt, not only for entertaining us, but also for deflating a bloated presense on the fascist landscape. It's nice when the people who make a career out of attacking people finally find themselves under the gun. I submit that Franken, professional satirist that he is, could be just as funny if he set his sights on the left--no shortage of material there, either. But his targets are the Limbaughs, Buchanans, Ralph Reeds, Gingriches and Pat Robertsons of the world because they, as he says, "are always 100 percent sure of what they're saying." Well, if you brook no contradiction, whether arrogantly or psuedo-humbly (the same thing), and you can be proven to be wrong here and there, you may as well paint a big red and white bull's-eye on your chest. Fire away, Al!
Rating: 
Summary: WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ
Review: When I read someone described as a Satirist I think of Swift. Franken's book is a blatent, democratic propaganda medium. It is admittedly replete with lies and exaggerations. His last chapter is an unmitigated "oral" job on Mr. Clinton. Limbaugh is fair. I listen to him often and he allows the opposite view to be expressed. He rarely shuts callers off.
Rating:
Summary: Even the obvious "satire" not far from the mark
Review: Always puzzled by how Rush and his "ditto clones" could get away with claiming to be right 98% of the time, I was nonetheless taken aback seeing the title of this book right on the cover. There probably was a time when you couldn't say such things out loud. There also was a time where you had to hold your right arm out as the national greeting (not in the US, thank goodness -- here you just had to make sure you picked the correct public drinking fountain). Al Franken clearly has some axes to grind, and this book gives him a considerable outlet. It was immediately clear to me that the illustrations going along with Rush Limbough's alleged diet plans had to be ficticious. How could a man of Rush's height possibly add 14 inches to his waist and weigh in at nearly 400 lbs. within only a couple of years. The exaggerated "facts" definitely made me laugh. Still I'm a little worried whether Franken's jokes are actually funny and not a little scary. This kind of "light reading" is definitely more entertaining than similar (humorless) writings by authors on the other end of the politacal extreme. Franken may lighten up a little, but his far-right collegues could take a lesson in integrity from Franken. Franken calls'em as he sees 'em, but readers must admit that he's much better at telling the (scary) truths. Thanks to the ever-protesting fellowship of right-wing journalists (aka Fox News), I learned of the more recent Franken offering "The Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them". I will definitely give that one a read as well. It probably would've slipped by me unnoticed. Thanks to Fox News for the tip-off! Al Franken is a gifted satirist. SNL was a better show because of him.*****
Rating:
Summary: take a bow Al!
Review: I couldn't agree more with Al. This book is funny and more to the point, is a very accurate picture of Rush Limbaugh portrayed in a humorous manner. Rush and his fans certainly won't like it, but it is about time he gets to be on the receiving end, even though Al is actually much nicer than Rush has ever been with his ridiculous comments. I have this rating system on how high an IQ a person has as to how much they believe Rush and Al is a genius. :)
Rating:
Summary: No Lie
Review: This book is both funny and informative. Franken deftly weaves these two aspects together to make a book that is both entertaining to read, and provides carefully researched information. Unlike other political books by talking heads like Bill O'Reilly, Franken actually backs up his claims with facts, instead of just voicing an opinion and calling it a fact. This book is well worth the read no matter what side of the political spectrum you lean.
Rating:
Summary: Absolute [weak item]
Review: Al Franken is not funny, stay away from his lunacy
Rating:
Summary: Thanks, Al
Review: The pricking of this hot air balloon was well overdue. Thanks, Al. I particularly liked the silhouettes, the recording of the weight and the sitting on his fat posterior eating junk food while the real world went on around him. In any sane society with a sane media this pompous windbag would generate guffaws of ridicule, would be 'in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes' and would end up patrolling the streets 'troubling deaf heaven with his bootless cries'. In ours he gets a radio show.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST primer for the 2004 Election!!
Review: I finally got around to reading this wonderful book, by a wonderful American!! Anybody who remembers the glory days of SNL, certainly can testify to Mr. Franken's contributions to basically all the really sharp stuff on the show. He has the uncanny knack of being able to "disembody" the viewer/reader and give him/her a ringside seat to an almost ethereal folly. I had been hesitant to buy the book, namely cuz I'm always broke with this crummy Administration in the White House, and I already had fashioned in my mind that Rush Limbaugh was in fact a swarthy, overweight, draft-dodging big mouth who would have YOU send your sons and daughters to some 3rd world hovel in the name of "protecting national interests and security", but not his (I mean, if he was capable of parenting in the truest sense)! Well the book spells it out, from Gingrich (the man with a linoleum hairdo) to Howdy Doody himself "down yonder on that there ranch in Texas", and all the other crackpots masquerading as public servants while wearing the Republican nameplate on their uptight shirts. But don't confuse those people with the FACTS!!! They are still busy blaming Clinton for all the failures of the Bush cartel! Oh well, I guess the Bush solution to everything will inevitably be applied to anything from a failed economic solution, to an even more disastrous deployment of hundreds of thousands of troops and equipment worldwide ,not to mention $4Billion a month in "GW's Folly" in Iraq alone. I can see many parades and flag waving hulabaloos in our future, it is Georgie's only answer to problems way over his competency level.Bring back Bill!! I might even get my job back, if its still there?
Rating:
Summary: Ouch
Review: Mr. Franken stopped being funny right about when Bill Murry left SNL. This book is proof. Fox called him shrill and increasingly unfunny. They hit the nail on the head. Borrow this book from the library if you must know what it's about.
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