The failing Air America Radio Network is getting a boost from cable television's Sundance Channel. Starting on September 7th, a hour—long edited version of The Al Franken Show (formerly known as The O'Franken Factor, until the network realized how lame that derivative title was), in the late evening hours.

I am hopping mad. My cable package includes the Sundance Channel, so some of my monthly bill is going to support O'Franken. I subscribe to a package including Sundance because, despite the incredible number tender lesbian love stories, and gay teenager coming of age movies, it is the only channel showing recent Korean movies, the occasional Japanese, Swedish, Indian or even French film. I like to see films from around the world.

As befits a channel bearing the name of Robert Redford's Sundance Institute, the general tenor is lefty. But so is that of Hollywood. I am used to it.

But I resent getting a left wing propaganda radio show, instead of real movies for my pay cable selection. And a boring, failed left wing radio show, at that.

Perhaps all the pressure is getting to Franken. Our friends over at Powerline highlighted a rather shocking public appearance by Franken during the Boston convention, as reported by the Heard on the Hill Column, in The Hill newspaper. It seems that Al had the appearance of being under the influence, according to observers.

Posted by Thomas  8 3 04