“I felt like the luckiest kid in the world. And I was. I was growing up middle-class in a time when growing up middle-class in America meant there would be jobs for my parents, good schools for me to prepare myself for a career, and, if I worked hard and played by the rules, a chance for me to do anything I wanted.”

American politician, comedian, screenwriter, and actor

Al Franken is an American politician, comedian, screenwriter, and actor. Born Alan Stuart Franken, he served as a United States senator from Minnesota from 2009 until his resignation in 2018. Before entering politics, he worked in entertainment and appeared on television and in film. He is known for moving from comedy and screenwriting into public office, and for his long career across both media and politics.