by Frank Angones

The Senate Judiciary Confirmation Hearings of Sonia Sotomayor have also served as a bit of a coming out party for newly-minted Senator Al Franken (D, Laughsylvania). And seven long, jokeless days into his term, the senator finally gave us Franken acolytes (aka Frankolytes) exactly what we were waiting for: his opinion on a constitutional right to privacy! OH, and also he told his first joke on the floor of the Senate!

After a lengthy questioning period, Franken asked fellow Perry Mason enthusiast Sotomayor to name the episode where everyone’s favorite fictional lawyer actually lost a case to longtime rival Hamilton Burger. Like a good Supreme Court nominee, Sotomayor tried to squirm her way out of answering the question, and Franken totally nailed her, in a strictly Senatorial fashion…

First off, I was under the impression that everything said in Congress is a joke. ZING! You like that one, Franken? You can have it.

Secondly, I'm more terrified than tickled. I expect every member of the highest court in the land to have a Wikipedic knowledge of not only Perry Mason, but every single piece of fiction related to the law. You should see Scalia's one-man performance of My Cousin Vinny.

For the record, the episode Franken is asking about is The Case the Deadly Verdict, Season 7, Episode 4. President Obama, I await your appointment.