Stuart Smalley

Stuart Smalley is a fictional character invented and performed by comedian and satirist (and later United States Senator from Minnesota) Al Franken. The character originated on the television show Saturday Night Live, in a mock self-help show called "Daily Affirmation With Stuart Smalley." It first aired on SNL's February 9, 1991 episode hosted by Kevin Bacon. Stuart is Franken's middle name. Franken has stated that his "going to Al-Anon meetings inspired [the character] Stuart [Smalley]". (He attended the meetings in support of his wife, who was battling alcoholism at the time.)

Stuart participates in many (sometimes fictional) programs, not limited to Overeaters Anonymous, Children of Alcoholic Parents Anonymous, and Children of Rageaholic Parents Anonymous. He is an effeminate man with a perfectly coiffed bleached-blond hairdo, who regularly wears a yellow button down shirt with a powder blue cardigan.

It is frequently hinted that Stuart may be gay, but his sexual orientation is never clearly stated. All his romantic partners have names which could be male or female, like Dale, Chris, or Merle. His father gripes, "You'd drink too if you had Liberace for a son."

Within the context of the show, Stuart is quick to point out that he is not a licensed therapist but relies instead upon the credibility of his own experiences as a non professional. His guests are very often celebrities; however, Smalley is seemingly unaware of his guests' fame as he never uses their full names so as to "protect (their) anonymity."

Other guests who appeared were his family members, such as Macaulay Culkin playing his nephew or Roseanne Barr playing his sister, who suffers from battered wife syndrome. One Canadian relative named Leon Smalley and played by Kiefer Sutherland also had a show called "Today's Meditation", which became a big hit in Canada. Although he is clearly a copycat of Stuart, Leon does seem more self-confident on his show, which could be a reason for his greater success.

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