 Alan Stuart " Al " Franken ( born May 21 , 1951 ) is an American comedian , actor , politician , and writer . He is currently the junior United States Senator from Minnesota . He became well known in the 1970s and 1980s as a writer and performer on the television comedy show Saturday Night Live . After several decades as a comedic actor and writer , he became a prominent liberal political activist . Franken was elected to the United States Senate in 2008 , narrowly defeating incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman . Franken is a member of the Minnesota Democratic – Farmer – Labor Party ( DFL ) , an affiliate of the Democratic Party . 
