Some authors may end up on the bestseller lists because they are excellent writers and have produced books which really interest the readers.

Other authors have their somewhat questionable creations ending up on the bestseller lists because of an overwhelming amount of publicity.

Then there’s one author who has made it to the top of the heap of bestseller lists with his latest creation because of a really stupid legal action.

That lucky author is Al Franken, a writer and star of television and films who once lived in Albert Lea.

His luck and the stupidity part was summarized very nicely on page 95 of the Sept. 8, 2003, issue of People Magazine with the following report:

&uot;On Aug. 25 in Manhattan, Fox News Channel dropped a lawsuit that it had filed against humorist Al Franken, 52, for using the phrase ‘fair and balanced’ &045; which the channel claimed it had trademarked &045; in the title of his new book ‘Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right.’ Three days earlier, a federal judge had refused to block the book’s publication and called the suit ‘wholly without merit.’ Said a Fox rep: ‘It’s time to return Al Franken to the obscurity that he’s normally accustomed to.’&uot;

That last sentence somehow reflects the opinion of a mighty unfair and unbalanced loser.

Franken has now written five books during the past decade or so. His second book, &uot;Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations,&uot; was a very successful nonfiction bestseller back in 1996.

Franken has confirmed in several interviews that he once lived in Albert Lea. A check with city directories show that his parents, Joseph P. and Phoebe K. Franken, lived at 1211 Dunham Ave. in 1957, and telephone directories have listings for this family for 1956 and 1957.

However, on pages 33 and 34 of the book about Limbaugh can be found the real confirmation that the Franken family once lived in Albert Lea.

Al’s grandfather had a quilting business and decided to open a plant in the Midwest. His son-in-law, Al’s father, was sent to Albert Lea to become the manager of Mid-continent Quilting Co., which was located in the south part of the city. Quilting, incidentally, in this regard refers to the linings used in winter coats.

Al and his parents and older brother, Owen, moved to Albert Lea from New York in 1955. Because of transportation problems, the Mid-continent firm went out of business, and the Franken family moved to St. Louis Park in 1957 when Al was 6.

Al Franken graduated from the Blake School in the Twin Cites, and from Harvard University. He became a writer with &uot;Saturday Night Live (SNL)&uot; on NBC-TV in 1975. During his association with this program, he won an Emmy and teamed with another writer, Tom Davis, to perform satirical routines as the comedy team of Franken and Davis.

Franken has played the character of Stuart Smalley on television and in several films. He is also the co-author of the film, &uot;When a Man Loves a Woman.&uot;

Franken’s first book, published in 1992 by Dell, was based on his SNL connection and had the rather long title of

&uot;I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough, and Doggone it, People Like Me! : Daily Affirmations of Stuart Smalley.&uot;

Franken’s third book was a satirical commentary based on political campaigning. It was issued in 1999 with the challenging title of &uot;Why Not Me?&uot;

Just over a year ago, his fourth book was published by the Dutton firm. Its title is, &uot;Oh, the Things I Know,&uot; with the subtitle of, &uot;A Guide to Success, or Failing That, Happiness.&uot;

Copies of the five Franken books are available at the Albert Lea Public Library or through interlibrary loan.

Franken’s latest literary creation is also available at Albert Lea’s Constant Reader.

(Tribune feature writer Ed Shannon’s column appears Fridays in the Tribune.)