Who is Al Franken, and why should I care?

What has he done? Really. A stint on Saturday Night Live? A brief part in Cone Heads? He has a semi-long list of credits but little of it, besides SNL, is actual face-time. He has a few contributing credits, like writing, and producing, but in regard to quality, I highly doubt he'll ever rank up there with the likes of Oscar B. Demille.

The one thing he does have is friends in the entertainment business, and an opinion. Is he even funny?

So... Who is Al Franken? And why should I care?