• Franni Bryson is a political activist and the wife of politician Al Franken.
• Her net worth is not disclosed, but is likely to benefit from her husband's estimated $7 million net worth.
• She grew up in poverty and attended Deering High School and Simmons University.
• She's been actively supportive of her husband's TV and political career.
• She is a recovering alcoholic and has used her experience to help promote her husband's status.
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Who is Franni Bryson?
Franni Bryson was born on 8 October 1951, in Portland, Maine, USA, and is a political activist, but familiar to the public as the wife of politician Al Franken. Her husband served as the US senator from Minnesota for nearly a decade, ending his run in 2018. During this time, she was active working alongside her husband in numerous TV and political endeavors.
The Net Worth of Franni Bryson
Franni Bryson’s net worth has not been disclosed, though she probably benefits from the wealth of her husband, who has a net worth estimated to be over $8 million as of mid-2024, earned through his work in politics and comedy.
Early Life and Education
Franni was raised primarily by her mother, as she didn’t come to know her father personally as he passed away following a car accident. He was an army veteran who served during World War II, and after his return worked at a paper mill. She grew up alongside three sisters and a brother, with the family subsisting thanks to survivor benefits taken from Social Security. With all of that they lived in relative poverty, though completed their education thanks to loans.
She attended Deering High School in her hometown, gaining accolades for educational and civic excellence. After matriculating, she enrolled at Simmons College, later renamed to Simmons University. The private university was established in 1899 by clothing manufacturer John Simmons, and focuses on women. She graduated in 1973, and afterwards mainly worked alongside her husband, supporting him during his TV and political career. She later became active in the community, helping out Minnesota through participating in programs.
Husband – Al Franken
Al was born on 21 May 1951, the son of a printing salesman and a real estate agent. He’s of Jewish descent, and was raised in that tradition. The family moved around during his youth, before settling in St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, where he attended The Blake School, and competed in wrestling as a member of the school team. After matriculating, he enrolled at Harvard University, taking up a course in political science, and graduating as cum laude in 1973.
During this time, he was active in comedy alongside his friend Tom Davis – the two performed on stage in Minnesota, and their efforts paid off as they were invited to write for “Saturday Night Live,” and in which the duo performed occasionally. Al’s work there led to seven Emmy nominations, as he was responsible for creating many popular characters. He also had minor roles in films “Trading Places” and “All You Need is Cash”. He left the show in 1980 following complaints with management, though returned after a few years. He finally left the show in 1995, after he was replaced in the “Weekend Update” segment.
Following his career in “Saturday Night Live”, he started authoring books, before setting his actions towards more politically oriented activities.
Al Franken’s Political Career
Franken previously worked as a part of Air America Radio, but a year after leaving his position, announced his candidacy for the US Senate representing Minnesota in 2008. His opponents tried to put him down by using his satirical writing against, to which he promptly responded. Following a recount of the votes for the position, it was revealed that he stood out on top with a lead of over 200 votes.
His first legislation in the position was the Service Dogs for Veterans Act, which was passed unanimously by the Senate. He was a strong supporter of the single-payer system for health care reform, and also proposed financial reform to be able to select the credit rating agency to evaluate securities. He also supported data mining efforts by the National Security Agency, despite the threat it posed to people with private information being potentially taken from them; he believed that it saved more lives than it hurt.
This weekend, I joined thousands of Minnesotans to vote early in the upcoming November election. https://t.co/I3DpVr5zjb pic.twitter.com/Mr6ui4IZMV
— Al Franken (@alfranken) October 29, 2017
He won his re-election in 2014 – he didn’t seek media attention during his tenure. He’s also a supporter of the Anti-Boycott Act, and voted in favor of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Following a string of sexual misconduct allegations from 2017 to 2018, he was left with no choice but to resign from his position.
Personal Life
Franni Bryson met Franken during their freshman year in college, while he was still a student at Harvard University. They married in 1975, and have two children together.
Despite all the accusations surrounding her husband, she has been supportive of him, promoting his good character which she has seen for most of her life. During his political career, she was an active voice advocating sexual health, affordable education, and decreasing domestic violence.
She admitted that she suffered from alcoholism for over two decades, and that she was a recovering alcoholic. She credited her husband for getting her through the problem, and that she is a member of a recovery group for alcoholics. The issue was brought up during Franken’s initial senatorial campaign, though she used that issue to help elevate her husband’s status further, promoting the way he supported her all those years.