Rating:  Summary: Liberals for Lyin' Times Review: Past the surface humor, one must ask whether appropriation of another's (more famous) name, coupled with sophomoric slandering, is all worth a few extra sales? Sure says Al, proving he's more of a BFI than the target of his title!
Rating:  Summary: Hilarious - I Couldn't Put It Down Review: Al Franken does a great job of taking down Rush and every right-wing nutjob around him with wit, humor and style.
Rating:  Summary: God, I hate Rush Review: I come from a house where Rush is considered King. In any heated political debate, Rush is mentioned with his on-the-ball "facts". AFter all, he is right 97.9% of the time, according to his website. I was particularly intrigued when Franken interviewed his fact checker. The one inaccuracy that caught my attention was the one that said, "There are more acres of forest land today than in 1492 when Columbus discovered the continent." I told my father, a rush fan, this quote, and he said, "That is just plain stupid, Rush wouldn't say that. You show me that and I will admit maybe Rush is not always right." I say, "Okay." Gearing up for the challenge, I went to the local library, and checked out both of Rush's books. What I found, in both, was no parenthetical citations or a bibliography, or any reference of any kind. I learned in about 9th grade to always cite my sources. And right smack dab on page 171 I found the forest quote. I ran downstairs, book (piece of crap) in hand, and showed my father what I had found. "I don't believe it" he said. I was overjoyed. More about this book. It is hilarious, to say the least. I wish Franken would have said that stuff to Gingrich when it looked like a brawl was to ensue. This book was a real page turner; I read it in two days! It was filled with facts, humor, and keen political insight from a very gifted individual. Thank you, Mr. Franken.
Rating:  Summary: Al Franken is an ugly socialist idiot Review: This book is a piece of garbage, just like his new radio show. it's very funny when the leading lineup for Al Franken's 'Air of America,' is an SNL washout and the lead rapper from Public Enemy. When are people gonna put down this crap, much like Mike Moore's CAPITAL LETTERS and figure out these guys are wrong on every issue.
Rating:  Summary: I don't get it... Review: The book was kind of funny, but somebody really screwed up the index. I couldn't find any of the actual references on the pages indicated there. I hope he got a better editor for his latest book. Matthew writes below that Rush is entertainment, and should not be looked to for philosophical views. I've long suspected this is a view held by fans of Rush who don't want to admit that they actually agree with his overblown, blowhard rantings, and who explain their feelings away by purporting that he is only trying to amuse and entertain, and should not be taken too seriously. But in any case, I ask you, Matthew and those who hold this view of Rush as entertainment, if you can look at Limbaugh in this light, why not Al Franken? Ah, but it's not so easy to take lightly the writings of a man who attacks Rush, and by extension, is attacking some of the beliefs that you may in fact hold dearly, now is it? It's much easier to hold Franken to a standard that you don't hold Rush to, thereby letting you attack Franken while letting Rush off the hook for all his ridiculous meanderings. Now just let me relate a Rush rant from the other day: A typical Rush tactic is to take a Democrat's or a liberal's argument, and hold it up to ridicule, but only after taking it out of context and applying it in a seemingly appropriate, but actually misleading way. In this case, he said that the argument of some Democrats that the war in Iraq is going to make the terrorists angrier at the US is ridiculous, and said that they were already angry enough to crash airplanes into our buildings BEFORE we went to war with them - how could they get any angrier than that?! Makes sense. Until you realize that the Democrat's argument is not that it's going to make already existing terrorists even more angry, but that instead the war may encourage other people to join terrorist organizations who otherwise wouldn't have joined them, if we hadn't gone to war. Very subtle, and very tricky on Rush's part. It could certainly make the Democrats argument look silly, if you're not listening closely. Thus if the above ancecdote is enlightening in any way, might I suggest that if you don't want to pay attention when Rush is on, listen to the MUSIC radio for your entertainment, and certainly not Rush Limbaugh. Oh, and I know the index was a joke, by the way!
Rating:  Summary: Back atcha, Rush! Review: Saturday Night Live's comedian Al Franken takes on Rush and the rest of the right wing in this very funny, though thoroughly vicious, satire. Should one cry foul? Somehow, the spirit of impartiality within me doesn't think so. Rush, for the most part, has been unchallenged. A few books here and there about Rush's factual errors have popped up, but for the most part, no one has ever called Rush on the carpet. This is probably due to the fact that Rush bills himself as an entertainer, which he is. His unique position allows him to bluster his opinions -- often supported by blatant misrepresentations -- and fire potshots at political figures with impunity. Hence, it takes another entertainer to take on the Rushter. A researcher, political analyst or scientist tackling Rush could not be taken seriously. Shouldn't these people be more concerned with more pressing issues than the factual errors spouted on talk radio? Enter Al Franken, champion of the liberals, to call out Rush on his many years of inconsistency, hypocrisy and outright fabrications. Franken mops up the floor with Rush. I almost pity Limbaugh, because it's essentially no contest. After years of spouting his opinion without challenge, someone on his own level confronts the schoolyard bully. The book is a must read for anyone interested in supporting the liberal perspective on virtually any issue: gun control, supply side economics, the environment, you name it. In addition, the Republicans now find themselves on the receiving end as Franken also takes on such ideologues as Gingrich, Gramm, Buchanan, Robertson. Thanks, Al. We needed it.
Rating:  Summary: Let the Laughs Begin Review: This is one of those laugh out loud books, if you tend to lean a little to the left then grab on to this book and speed read. It is something that a book can be so funny yet get you also a bit mad, angry at the nasty little things that the Republican party resorted to during the 90's. If you love barbs at Newt and Rush then sign on for hours of fun with this book. The one thing that I have found in reading this authors books is that, to me, the author always seams much funnier in a book then his personal appearances. I have also seen this author try and debate on TV and he needs to leave his point making to the written form, he always comes off better. This book will not change minds or move debates in American; it is just good fun if you happen to think like the author. If you are one of the folks who are writing negative reviews, we all know you are not reading the book but just responding to the title or the reputation of the author. If you are a Democrat then you will enjoy the book and I would suggest you read it before the popular culture comments get too out of date to really be funny. Buy the book and laugh.
Rating:  Summary: My "interview" with Al Franken Review: inspired by his "interview" with Rush Limbaugh (p.21-25) who "interviewed" Hillary Clinton: Me: Wow, Al, you're fat! You're even bigger than Rush Limbaugh! Al: That's pretty obvious. (Lies, p. xvi) Me: Your guts hanging out. Gucci, gucci, goo... Al: Ha, ha, ho, ho, wheeeeeee!!!! (Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot, p. xvi) Me: I want to talk to you about your previous book "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot". Al: I *like* Limbaugh. (RLIABFI, p. 14 emphasis his) Me: Uh, what do you mean you LIKE Limbaugh? AL: Ha, ha, ho, ho, wheeeeeee!!!! (RLIABFI, p. xvi) Me: Oh... Al: And I'd love to meet him. (RLIABFI, p. 14) Me: Uh-huh... Al: In my parking garage. (Lies, p. 325) Me: Anyway... Al: I tried to meet Rush back in 1992. (RLIABFI, p. 16) Me: Yes, well... Al: ... I don't think *he'd* like *me*. See, I'm a liberal, and evidently, we are pretty awful people... (RLIABFI, p. 14 emphasis his) Me: Really? Al: ...I'm an "obnoxious pr---," a "smug a--hole," and a "clear and present threat to our national security." (Lies, p. xi) Me: No, kidding! Anyway, back to the book. In it, you claim that Rush Limbaugh... Al: I *like* Limbaugh. (RLIABFI, p. 14) Me: Yeah, we got that. But, in the new preface, you claimed that... Al: Ha, ha, ho, ho, wheeeeeee!!!! (RLIABFI, p.xvi) Me: ...you claimed that Limbaugh said you couldn't succeed at anything without using his name. Al: Absolutely. (Lies, p. 326) Me: Maybe he was over exaggerating, but he has a point don't you think? Al: No, no, no, no, no, no, no... (see C-Span, Book Expo, LA Convention Center Saturday, May 31, 2003) Me: But the cover of your book reads "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot"? Obviously, you're using his name. Al: I thought the title, aside from the obvious advantage of being personally offensive to Limbaugh, would sell books. (RLIABFI, p. 5) Me: Ha! So, you admit it! You liar! Al: I'm a bad liar. (Lies, p. 261) Me: Are you kidding me? You're great at lying! Look at all the liberals you fooled with LIES AND THE LYING LIARS WHO TELL THEM. You lied at least seventeen times in that book! That's more lies you recorded from Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity in LIES put together! Al: I love you so much. (Lies, dedication) Me: What?! I beg your pardon... Al: And even more importantly, you love me. (Lies, dedication) Me: This interview is over. Al: ... Doggone It... (RLIABFI, acknowledgements)
Rating:  Summary: Funny thing about the critics of this book... Review: They all say that Franken is a liar, but cite no examples. They do, however, cite "mean spirited hate-filled dialogue". I sure hate it when someone goes to the trouble to write satire, and have it lost on the people reading the book. You folks might try the novelized version of "Ernest Scared Stupid" on your next trip to the book store- quite a bit less thinking involved.
Rating:  Summary: I have never read this book, but i have something to say. Review: For all those who have been saying that Mr. Al Fraken has been resorting to name-calling and that this book is a waste. I highly doubt that you have read this book, mainly because you are against democratic and liberal views. Well, maybe if you read the book (you don't have to agree with it), you may be "suprised" to find out that it is much more than "name calling." I myself am a democrat, and I see the conflict between republicans and democrats extremely immature and childish. We are America, not 2 seperate parties fighting for power. But it seems that people have let their immature motives get in the way of the real American dream. One of those people being Rush Limbaugh.
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