This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/29/business/media/garrison-keillor-fired.html

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Minnesota Public Radio Fires Garrison Keillor Over Allegations of Improper Conduct Minnesota Public Radio Fires Garrison Keillor Over Allegations of Improper Conduct
(35 minutes later)
Garrison Keillor, the creator and host of “A Prairie Home Companion” on Minnesota Public Radio, was fired Wednesday over “allegations of his inappropriate behavior with an individual who worked with him,” according to a statement from the radio network. Minnesota Public Radio said Wednesday it was severing all business ties with Garrison Keillor, the creator and retired host of “A Prairie Home Companion” after allegations of “inappropriate behavior with an individual who worked with him.”
The network said it was cutting off all business relationships with Mr. Keillor, who over four decades had created a financial juggernaut for M.P.R. with “A Prairie Home Companion” and related books, recordings and other products. Over four decades, Mr. Keillor, 75, had created a financial juggernaut for the radio network with his weekly broadcast of songs, skits and tales of his fictional hometown Lake Wobegon, along with related books, recordings and other products.
In a statement he provided to The New York Times, Mr. Keillor, 75, said, “I’ve been fired over a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version M.P.R. heard. Most stories are.” In a statement he provided to The New York Times, Mr. Keillor said, “I’ve been fired over a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version M.P.R. heard. Most stories are.”
Effective immediately, M.P.R. said, it will no longer distribute and broadcast Mr. Keillor’s remaining programs, “The Writer’s Almanac” and “The Best of A Prairie Home Companion Hosted by Garrison Keillor.”Effective immediately, M.P.R. said, it will no longer distribute and broadcast Mr. Keillor’s remaining programs, “The Writer’s Almanac” and “The Best of A Prairie Home Companion Hosted by Garrison Keillor.”
It will also change the name of American Public Media’s current incarnation of “A Prairie Home Companion,” which Chris Thile, a songwriter and mandolinist, took over in October 2016, after Mr. Keillor stepped down. It will also change the name of American Public Media’s current incarnation of the show, which Chris Thile, a songwriter and mandolinist, took over in October 2016, after Mr. Keillor stepped down.
Jon McTaggart, the president of Minnesota Public Radio, said in a statement that “all of us in the M.P.R. community are saddened by these circumstances.”Jon McTaggart, the president of Minnesota Public Radio, said in a statement that “all of us in the M.P.R. community are saddened by these circumstances.”
He added: “While we appreciate the contributions Garrison has made to M.P.R., and all of public radio, we believe this decision is the right thing to do and is necessary to continue to earn the trust of our audiences, employees and supporters of our public service.”He added: “While we appreciate the contributions Garrison has made to M.P.R., and all of public radio, we believe this decision is the right thing to do and is necessary to continue to earn the trust of our audiences, employees and supporters of our public service.”
Mr. Keillor is but one of the latest public figures to face sudden consequences after allegations of sexual misconduct, and not even the first in Minnesota. This week, he had come to the defense of his friend, Senator Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, in an op-ed for The Washington Post published on Tuesday evening. Mr. Keillor is but one of the public figures to face sudden consequences after allegations of sexual misconduct, and not even the first in Minnesota. This week, the humorist had come to the defense of his friend, Senator Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, who has been fighting for his political life in the face of accusations of improprieties from four women.
In an op-ed for The Washington Post published on Tuesday evening, Mr. Keillor said calls for the senator’s resignation were “pure absurdity” and dismissed a photograph of Mr. Franken with his hands on a woman’s chest as something “in a spirit of low comedy.”
In his statement on Wednesday, Mr. Keillor said he was “deeply grateful” for the saga of Lake Wobegon and for all his years doing his radio programs and his tours, as well as the friendships of musicians and actors.”In his statement on Wednesday, Mr. Keillor said he was “deeply grateful” for the saga of Lake Wobegon and for all his years doing his radio programs and his tours, as well as the friendships of musicians and actors.”
“I’m 75,” he said, “and don’t have any interest in arguing about this.”“I’m 75,” he said, “and don’t have any interest in arguing about this.”
“I cannot in conscience bring danger to a great organization I’ve worked hard for since 1969,” he said.“I cannot in conscience bring danger to a great organization I’ve worked hard for since 1969,” he said.
He also apologized to “all the poets whose work I won’t be reading on the radio and sorry for the people who will lose work on account of this.”He also apologized to “all the poets whose work I won’t be reading on the radio and sorry for the people who will lose work on account of this.”
Mr. Keillor, who was a host with Minnesota Public Radio, came up with the idea for his own Americana variety program in 1974 after he traveled to Nashville to write about the Grand Ole Opry for The New Yorker. Mr. Keillor came up with the idea for his own Americana variety program in 1974 after he traveled to Nashville to write about the Grand Ole Opry for The New Yorker.
He parlayed its success into a radio institution, peaking at 4.1 million weekly listeners a decade before he retired. The show grew to include lucrative live performances and national tours, and merchandise included recordings, books and clothes. Mr. Keillor sang, performed in skits and ended each show with a monologue about his fictional hometown, Lake Wobegon, “where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking and all the children are above-average.” He parlayed its success into a radio institution, peaking at 4.1 million weekly listeners a decade before he retired. The show grew to feature lucrative live performances and national tours, and merchandise included recordings, books and clothes.
Mr. Keillor sang, performed in skits and ended each show with a monologue about Lake Wobegon, “where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking and all the children are above-average.”
Famous artists who appeared on his stage included Emmylou Harris, Chet Atkins, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Keb’ Mo’ and Wilco.Famous artists who appeared on his stage included Emmylou Harris, Chet Atkins, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Keb’ Mo’ and Wilco.
He also helped to shape the early profile of public radio.He also helped to shape the early profile of public radio.
“‘Prairie Home Companion’ came on the scene just as public radio was trying to figure out what its identity was,” Ira Glass, the host of “This American Life,” told The New York Times last year. “The fact that here was such a visibly weird, funny, idiosyncratic show opened up the space of other weird, idiosyncratic shows, like ‘Car Talk,’ and our show.”“‘Prairie Home Companion’ came on the scene just as public radio was trying to figure out what its identity was,” Ira Glass, the host of “This American Life,” told The New York Times last year. “The fact that here was such a visibly weird, funny, idiosyncratic show opened up the space of other weird, idiosyncratic shows, like ‘Car Talk,’ and our show.”