SING IT!

Al Franken May Have Found a Loophole in ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill

“The Daily Show” guest host is playing a game Republicans love: semantics.

One year ago, Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill was signed into law. To commemorate the occasion, Sunshine State governor/Thai food connoisseur Ron DeSantis is looking to expand the mandate—which prohibits discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation until fourth grade—to all grades through the end of high school. But Al Franken thinks he may have discovered a loophole.

“This ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law is terrible,” The Daily Show guest host said on Thursday night. “Luckily, although, it doesn’t say you can’t sing about being gay.” Franken then demonstrated what this might look like in the classroom with a little song and dance routine that went something like:

Being gay

Being gay

Is an equally valid way

To be a person today

OK, so maybe it’s semantics—but aren’t semantics the cornerstone of any political argument?

“Anyway, good luck in English class,” Franken told any Floridians watching. “I think you’ll really enjoy reading classics like Moby Large Whale With No Subtext Whatsoever.

In April, Florida’s State Board of Education is set to vote on the law’s proposed expansion. There will only be a couple exceptions to the rule—which, like so many of Meatball Ron’s other policies, is aimed at fighting “wokeness”—including health class, which parents can opt their kids out of taking. Educators who violate the law could lose their teaching license.

For more, listen and subscribe to The Last Laugh podcast.

See more of our coverage in your search results.

ADD THE DAILY BEAST ON GOOGLE

Jennifer M. Wood

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.