Sarah Silverman to Sanders die-hards: "You're being ridiculous"
PHILADELPHIA -- Comedian Sarah Silverman, a longtime Bernie Sanders supporter, is finally #WithHer -- and she has a few words for the Sanders die-hards that are still holding out against the presumptive Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton.
"To the 'Bernie or Bust' people: You're being ridiculous," Silverman snapped Monday evening at the first night of the Democratic National Convention, telling off delegates on the floor who booed her speech.
"Hillary is our Democratic nominee, and I will proudly vote for her," she said, defending her decision to back the former secretary of state. "She's like the only person ever to be overqualified for the job of president."
Of the policy differences between the two candidates, Silverman applauded Clinton's gradual move towards the left on certain issues.
"Hillary heard the passion of the people -- the people behind Bernie -- and brought those passions into the party's platform," she said. "And that -- that is the process of democracy at its very best."
The stand-up comedian stood beside Minnesota Sen. Al Franken at the DNC's kickoff night, shortly after Franken ripped into the Republican nominee Donald Trump with blistering mockery.
Franken -- who introduced himself as a "Minnesotan, senator, and world-renowned expert on right-wing megalomaniacs" -- first tore into Trump's real estate education initiative.
"I got my doctorate in megalomania studies from Trump University," said Franken, a comedian in a former life. "Sure, I had to empty out my 401(k) and take out a reverse mortgage on my house to pay the tuition. But Mr. Trump or, rather, some people who said they'd once met him, convinced me it was worth it."
But of course, Franken added, "Trump University is about more than just bilking people."
"It's also about learning directly from success experts like Scott Baio, Mike Tyson, and, of course, a life-size cardboard cutout of Mr. Trump himself," he said, referencing some of the complaints of fraud filed in court by former Trump University students.
The ex-"Saturday Night Live" star went on: "The pride of Trump University, of course, is its library, located on a shelf in a closet on the third floor of Trump Tower. All of Mr. Trump's bestsellers are available for sale at a special student rate, which is 10 percent higher than the retail price."
Franken closed with an earnest endorsement for Clinton, who he's known for nearly 25 years.
"In all seriousness, I think rather than voting for someone who's never done anything for anyone other than himself, maybe we should go with the candidate who's spent her entire life working to get important things done for the American people," he said.