Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Lateline

It's clear Minnesota Senator Al Franken has made some big mistakes, and he's paying the price.

Most people remember Franken from Saturday Night Live, but there's another project on the agenda today.  Franken starred in a 1998 NBC sitcom called "Lateline."  Franken played a reporter for a "Nightline" type broadcast.

I thought it was funny, and I might have been the only one.  It lasted all of 23 episodes.  Yes, they're on DVD, and yes, I have it.

On a similar note, I was always a big Charlie Rose fan, and the news last night hit me like a punch in the gut.  CBS suspended rose, pending the outcome of an investigation.  PBS stopped distributing his show.  Bloomberg will stop airing it.  Eight women came forward to say Rose sexually harassed them.  Rose issued a statement, admitting to much of it and apologizing.  The initial story was in the Washington Post.  The New York Times followed up.  It's devastating stuff.

Franken and Rose are cases where we are forced to say we like their work, even though they made some horrible choices

We're being forced to separate the personal and the professional.  It's easier said than done.  Most experts I heard last night and early this morning say comebacks after things like this are a major uphill battle.

Liking the work doesn't excuse the actions.

I'm not sure it's possible.    You can't ignore the behavior, or lessen its severity,  but if you believe in forgiveness and rehabilitation...