NEW YORK (CMJ Network announcement/ Artemis Records) - Famed writer, comedian and radio personality Al Franken will appear at the CMJ
Music Marathon 2004 to deliver the Keynote Speech on
Thursday October 14, 2004. Franken will discuss a variety of topics including politics, music, radio and activism. Less than three weeks before the presidential election, Franken will address thousands of college students and entertainment industry professionals.
"We are excited and honored to have such a dynamic figure kick-off CMJ
Music Marathon 2004," says Robert Haber, CEO and Founder of The CMJ Network. "Al Franken has been a constant voice of humor, reason and compassion in our world. His perspective and insight into a variety of subjects will be of interest to all CMJ attendees."
Al Franken is an award-winning comedian, author and political satirist. Franken has authored four New York Times best-sellers, including his most recent Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right. The hardcover edition of the book spent 38 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list including seven weeks at No 1; the paperback, released this summer is on the bestsellers list now.
Franken won 5 Emmy Awards for writing and producing for Saturday Night Live. In 1997, he added a Grammy Award to his stockpile, winning Best Spoken Comedy Album for the audio version of his second book, Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot. This year, Franken received his second Grammy for the audiobook of Lies. He is now the host of "The Al Franken Show" (formerly "The O'Franken Factor"), which airs from noon to three weekdays on Air America Radio. "The Al Franken Show" can be heard online at www.airamericaradio.com.
On September 7th, the Sundance Channel will launch an hour-long television show based on the radio program. It will air nightly at 11:30PM.
On September 21st, Artemis Records will release "The O'Franken Factor Factor: The Very Best Of The O'Franken Factor," an album featuring 80 minutes of hysterical skits, parody songs, and social and political commentary drawn from the show's first few months on the air.
CMJ Music Marathon 2004 will be held from Wednesday, October 13th to Saturday October 16th at the Jacob Javits Center and the Westin New York. CMJ Music Marathon 2004 plays host to an extraordinary array of bands, fans and music business professionals, offering hundreds of shows at more than 50 venues. Recognized as one of the world's largest and longest-running music events, CMJ continues to serve as a springboard for the best new music talent from a variety of genres.
This year, performers include Sonic Youth... And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, Sparta, Camper Van Beethoven, Clinic, The Faint, The Concretes, Hope of the States, TV on the Radio, RJD2, The Decemberists, Mike Watt, Cut Copy and many more. CMJ Music Marathon also features more than 50 panels exploring some of the most critical issues facing today's volatile music business.
Additionally, CMJ Music Marathon 2004 will celebrate the collaboration between the film and music communities with its annual FilmFest, featuring screenings of cutting-edge films from emerging and established filmmakers.