Al Franken is a Jewish Harvard graduate who made his name in the 1970s during the birth of NBC's Saturday Night Live. His wit stood out as a writer and then as an actor for the popular satirical show. When Franken's tenure as host of "Weekend Update" came to an end, he picked up a pen and put his whimsical words to paper. Rush Limbaugh is a big fat idiot and other remarks was the product of Franken's liberalism and humor. Franken's first political satire plays on the self-inflicted wounds of the conservative Republican Party, particularly Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, Pat Buchanan, and Phil Gramm. The 1996 New York Times bestseller hilariously satirizes the hypocrisy, wrongdoing, and physique of the Grand Old Party. First, it is important to note the reasons why Jews are so prominent in politics and comedy. Jews have traditionally been the oppressed of society: they have been perceived as Christ-killers, financial exploiters, and deceitful traitors. Killed during the Spanish Inquisition, by the Klu Klux Klan, and during the Holocaust, Jews have attempted to make progress toward equality and fairness. The passion for progress has driven many Jews into politics, leaning overwhelmingly toward liberalism and away from traditional intolerance. Politics is the platform for change. Although Jews make up only about 2.1% of the U.S. population, they make up 10% of the Senate and 5% of the House of Representatives. However, out of all 32 Jewish congressmen, there is only one member of the Republican Party. In fact, Al Franken was recently elected senator from Minnesota under the Democratic Party. Additionally, Jews have the highest voter turnout rate among all ethnicities......middle of paper......redness and disdain for the GOP in the 1990s. After all the insults and mockery Franken directs at the GOP, he's actually talking about politics. Although humor is an important component of satire, its primary purpose is to criticize society in a constructive and public way. Franken uses many techniques to comically convey the self-inflicted wounds of Republicans: farce, hyperbole, ridicule, and irony. All of these techniques combine to form a political satire that comments on the misleading public discourse of some conservatives. Franken's Jewish heritage influenced his humor and personality, allowing him to succeed as a comedian and political satirist. His works have influenced many modern comedians such as Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert. Franken's book revolutionized the way political satire is conducted through his outrageous yet logical attacks.