Al Franken is the guest host on The Daily Show the week of March 20-23. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) sits with Franken on Monday, March 20. 

The Daily Show airs on Comedy Central. 

Franken was on Saturday Night Live from 1977 to 1980, and again from 1988 to 1995, in both writer and performer roles. 

He was elected to the U.S. Senate, representing Minnesota, in 2008. He served until he resigned late in 2017 while facing sexual misconduct allegations. 

Franken speaks with Alan Ruck about the new season of Succession on HBO March 21. Author Heather McGhee is on March 22 and BenDeLaCreme from RuPaul’s Drag Race is on March 23. 

Trevor Noah was the Daily Show host from 2015 through December 2022. 

Guest hosts have been Kal Penn, who hosted last week, and Marlon Wayans, who hosted the week before, as well as Hasan Minhaj, Chelsea Handler, Wanda Sykes, Sarah Silverman and D.L. Hughley. 

John Leguizamo, who stars in The Menu, is also lined up to guest host. ■

With the FCC's vote on "unlocking the apps" set-top proposal a day away, Hill fans of the plan are doing some last-minute pushing.

Following Tuesday's press conference with plan backers Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-calif.), Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Ron Wyden (R-Ore.) issued statements in support.

"It is long past time to break the stranglehold Big Cable has over their customers through forced set-top box rental fees," said Wyden. "Cable providers should not double dip on customers who are already paying monthly subscription fees for their content. The FCC should act, as directed by Congress, on its authority to create a competitive marketplace that will save consumers money and promote innovation in the industry. Oregonians and Americans should not be held captive by Big Cable’s price gouging. At this Thursday’s FCC Commission meeting I urge the Commissioners to pass Chairman Wheeler’s proposal and unlock the box.”

Franken took to Facebook to try to convince his followers to support FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's proposal.

"The Federal Communications Commission—or FCC—has said that it’s time to 'unlock the box' and give consumers a meaningful choice in how they access the content they pay for," Franken said. "Instead of renting one of those dust gatherers, consumers would be able to access the full content of their cable subscription via an app—just like Netflix, Hulu, or HBO GO—at no additional charge. That means you’d use the app with your smartphone, tablet, smart TV, or on a device like the Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, or Amazon Fire Stick. Can you imagine how much easier that would be than the outdated way we’re doing things now? The FCC is voting on the proposal tomorrow, and I really hope they’ll side with consumers and vote to unlock the box."

Wheeler is proposing an app-based approach to unlocking that box, with MVPDs supplying an app to make their content available and searchable alongside over-the-top content.

While ISPs suggested an app-based approach, the FCC's creation of an app standards body and its assertion of authority to modify agreements that are not reasonable or competitive has prompted concerns not only from ISPs and the programmers with which they have contracts, but legislators on both sides of the aisle, as well as app developers and unions and diversity groups.

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has fired off a letter to “Pokémon Go” game developer Niantic raising alarm bells over the smartphone app's collection, use and sharing of user data in what the lawmaker calls potentially concerning ways.

Since the augmented reality app launched last week (July 6), it has been downloaded more than 7 million times and has kids and adults wandering highways, byways, parks and strip malls in search of Pokémon characters to capture or battle. It was even the subject of some pre-hearing chatter at an Federal Communications Commission oversight hearing Tuesday (July 12), and was then mentioned in passing by FCC chairman Tom Wheeler.

“Recent reports, as well as Pokémon Go’s own privacy policy, suggest that Niantic can collect a broad swath of personal information from its players,” Franken said in his letter to Niantic CEO John Hanke. “From a user’s general profile information to their precise location data and device identifiers, Niantic has access to a significant amount of information, unless users — many of whom are children — opt out of this collection.

“Pokémon Go’s privacy policy states that all of this information can then be shared with The Pokémon Company and ‘third party service providers,’ details for which are not provided, and further indicates that Pokémon Go may share de-identified or aggregated data with other third parties for a non-exhaustive list of purposes,” the senator continued. “Finally, Pokémon Go’s privacy policy specifically states that any information collected — including a child’s — ‘is considered to be a business asset’ and will thus be disclosed or transferred to a third party in the event that Niantic is party to a merger, acquisition, or other business transaction.

“I am concerned about the extent to which Niantic may be unnecessarily collecting, using, and sharing a wide range of users’ personal information without their appropriate consent,” Franken said in his letter. “I believe Americans have a fundamental right to privacy, and that right includes an individual’s access to information, as well as the ability to make meaningful choices, about what data are being collected about them and how the data are being used. As the augmented reality market evolves, I ask that you provide greater clarity on how Niantic is addressing issues of user privacy and security, particularly that of its younger players.”

The full text of the letter is reprinted below:

Mr. John Hanke, CEO                                                                       

Niantic, Inc.                           

Dear Mr. Hanke:

I am writing to request information about Niantic’s recently released augmented reality app, Pokémon GO, which – in less than a week’s time – has been downloaded approximately 7.5 million times in the United States alone. While this release is undoubtedly impressive, I am concerned about the extent to which Niantic may be unnecessarily collecting, using, and sharing a wide range of users’ personal information without their appropriate consent. I believe Americans have a fundamental right to privacy, and that right includes an individual’s access to information, as well as the ability to make meaningful choices, about what data are being collected about them and how the data are being used. As the augmented reality market evolves, I ask that you provide greater clarity on how Niantic is addressing issues of user privacy and security, particularly that of its younger players.

Recent reports, as well as Pokémon GO’s own privacy policy, suggest that Niantic can collect a broad swath of personal information from its players. From a user’s general profile information to their precise location data and device identifiers, Niantic has access to a significant amount of information, unless users – many of whom are children – opt-out of this collection. Pokémon GO’s privacy policy states that all of this information can then be shared with The Pokémon Company and “third party service providers”, details for which are not provided, and further indicates that Pokémon GO may share de-identified or aggregated data with other third parties for a non-exhaustive list of purposes. Finally, Pokémon GO’s privacy policy specifically states that any information collected – including a child’s – “is considered to be a business asset” and will thus be disclosed or transferred to a third party in the event that Niantic is party to a merger, acquisition, or other business transaction.

Media reports have also highlighted that Pokémon GO has full access to some users’ Google accounts, which includes their Gmail services. We recognize and commend Niantic for quickly responding to these specific concerns, and ask for continued assurance that a fix will be implemented swiftly. When done appropriately, the collection and use of personal information may enhance consumers’ augmented reality experience, but we must ensure that Americans’ – especially children’s – very sensitive information is protected.

In light of these uncertainties, I respectfully request that you respond to the following questions by August 12, 2016:

1.   Pokémon GO has stated that it collects a broad array of users’ personal information, including but not limited to a user’s profile and account information, their precise location data, and information obtained through Cookies and Web Beacons. Can you explain exactly which information collected by Pokémon GO is necessary for the provision or improvement of services? Are there any other purposes for which Pokémon GO collects all of this information?

2.  According to reports, Pokémon GO also requests permission to access a number of mobile capabilities, including but not limited to the ability to control vibration on a phone, prevent the phone from sleeping, and find contact accounts on the device. Can you explain exactly which features and capabilities are necessary for Pokémon GO to access for the provision or improvement of services? Are there any other purposes for which Pokémon GO has access to all of these features and capabilities?

3. If, in fact, some of the information collected and/or permissions requested by Pokémon GO are unnecessary for the provision of services, would Niantic consider making this collection/access opt-in, as opposed to requiring a user to opt-out of the collection/access?

4. Pokémon GO has stated that users’ information can be shared with The Pokémon Company and “third party service providers”. Can you provide a list of current service providers? Does Pokémon GO also share users’ information with investors in Pokémon GO?

5. Pokémon GO has further indicated that it shares de-identified and aggregate data with other third parties for a multitude of purposes. Can you more exhaustively describe the purposes for which Pokémon GO would share or sell such data? 

6. Can you describe how Niantic ensures parents provide meaningful consent for their child’s use of Pokémon GO and thus the collection of their child’s personal information? Apart from publicly available privacy policies, how does Niantic inform parents about how their child’s information is collected and used? 

7. According to reports, signing into Pokémon GO on iOS through a user’s Google account gives Niantic full access to an individual’s Google account without the user’s knowledge. Niantic has since recognized that it erroneously asked for more permissions than it intended. Can you provide an update on any fix Niantic is seeking to correct this mistake? Also, please confirm that Niantic never collected or stored any information it gained access to as a result of this mistake.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter, and please do not hesitate to contact me.

In responses to letters from Capitol Hill Dems--and one high-profile independent--raising concerns about unauthorized charges on cable and broadband bills, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler put in a plug for his set-top box proposal.

The FCC has released Wheeler's response to independent and Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and a trio of Senate Democrats on the issue in which he talks about Open Internet enhanced transparency rules and said the FCC does not have a way of determining how many folks have been charged unauthorized fees.

But he also notes his proposal to unbundle the programming streams of cable set-top boxes. That is because the proposal includes associated "robust billing transparency" requirements that would extend to cable modems.

The FCC is proposing to require MVPDs to separate out the charge for leasing equipment currently bundled into the price of service.

The FCC cited that proposal in not putting a modem fee-line item condition on the Charter/TWC deal and similar requests in other proceedings, saying it was more appropriately dealt with in the broader set-top proposal.

He said that will not solve all the legislators' concerns about cable and broadband bill transparency, but he says will give consumers a tool to ferret out error or unauthorized charges.

Wheeler could use some more selling points for his set-top (or navigation device) proposal given the pushback he has gotten from a number of Hill Democrats, as well as Republicans and ISPs and some minority groups and others.

The senators seeking the info included Al Franken of Minnesota, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Jeff Merkley of Oregon.

Democratic senators who don't like the proposed Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger reminded the FCC of that fact in advance of a planned meeting on Wednesday between Justice Department officials and the companies.

The senators were buoyed by reports that Justice was leaning against approving the deal.

Sens. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent letters to FCC chairman Tom Wheeler and the Justice Department saying the deal would give the combined companies too much market power and the public fewer choices.

Read more at Broadcastingcable.com.