Al Franken on Playing a Senator in ‘The Residence’ 7 Years After Real-World Political Scandal: ‘I Haven’t Done This in Awhile’
Al Franken is wading back into political waters, but this time it’s on Netflix’s whodunnit “The Residence.”
In a conversation with People on Thursday, the former politician described his time playing a fictional senator on the streamer’s new show. Franken – who was a real senator for Minnesota from 2009-2018 when he stepped down amid sexual assault allegations – was surprised when the offer to appear in the murder mystery show came through.
“They asked me to do it and I went, ‘I haven’t done this in a while. I hope I can do it,'” he said. “I wasn’t sure that I would be great in it, but I wanted to do it.”
Franken – who also wrote and appeared on “Saturday Night Live” from 1975 to 1995 – leaned on his real senatorial experience during the show and found himself imparting wisdom on the rest of the cast.
“There’s a big difference. I had to tell everyone around me how to act,” he said. “You’re thinking of a different kind of performance art when you’re in the Senate than when you’re actually acting.”
Franken stepped down from his senate position in 2018 after a number of women came forward with sexual assault allegations followed by an investigation from the Senate Ethics Committee.
One Democratic congressional aide alleged Franken forcibly tried to kiss her back in 2006. Leeann Tweeden – a news anchor for KABC in LA – said the former senator also forcibly kissed her in 2006. Tweeden also released a photo of Franken reaching for her chest while she was asleep.
“This decision is not about me. It’s about the people of Minnesota,” Franken said in his resignation speech. “It’s become clear that I can’t both pursue the Ethics Committee process and at the same time remain an effective senator for them. Let me be clear: I may be resigning my seat but I am not giving up my voice.”
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