Goodbye ‘Lake Wobegon!’ Garrison Keillor Admits That He Has Been Fired Over Improper Conduct Allegations
Garrison Keillor, creator of A Prairie Home Companion, acknowledged today that he has been fired by Minnesota Public Radio after allegations were made of “inappropriate behavior” by someone who worked with him. Keillor, 75, teased that he was fired over “a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version M.P.R. heard,” according to the NYT. Minnesota Public Radio, which has had a longterm relationship with Keillor, said it is cutting all ties with Keillor and his media companies.
The day started with a firing bombshell delivered on Today by Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotbe about Matt Lauer. This came as a shock because there was no suspension of Lauer or a public investigation, just a termination. Guthrie and Kotbe explained that it was a shock even to them, as they were told right before they went on air.
Savannah Guthrie read a statement from Andrew Lack of NBC News explaining that Matt Lauer had been terminated after one formal complaint, yet the network was anticipating more reports of inappropriate behavior.
“On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Matt Lauer.”
They continued by saying that Matt Lauer’s behavior in Sochi might not have been an isolated incident.
But while the Matt Lauer accusation didn’t necessarily come out of left field, the termination of Garrison Keillor is a shock to most people.
Minnesota Public Radio Fires Garrison Keillor After Allegations Of ‘Inappropriate Behavior’ Surfaces https://t.co/dywM4bjLYE
— Felicia Ciaudelli (@felicia1963) November 29, 2017
Minnesota Public Radio is now saying that due to Garrison Keillor’s termination, they are dropping the name A Prairie Home Companion, which Keillor created, even though the show is no longer hosted by Garrison Keillor, as Chris Thile took over in 2016. Jon McTaggart of Minnesota Public Radio said that the station was sorry about the circumstance of Garrison Keillor’s firing and while he was saddened to see Keillor go, it was necessary.
“Garrison Keillor has been an important part of the growth and success of M.P.R., and all of us in the M.P.R. community are saddened by these circumstances. 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.”
Oddly enough, Garrison Keillor had published an op-ed yesterday for the Washington Post defending Minnesota Senator Al Franken. Franken was recently accused of improper behavior by a woman who participated in a USO tour with Franken and several others overseas. Keillor stressed that Al Franken should not resign his elected position and that the accusations against Franken were “pure absurdity.”
Keillor went on in his op-ed to do some light victim-shaming while adding that Al Franken resigning for such a minor offense would be an “atrocity.” After Minnesota Public Radio fired Garrison Keillor, the Washington Post added a note to Keillor’s op-ed explaining that the writer was also being accused of inappropriate behavior.
Garrison Keillor semi-retired last year, saying that he wanted to do more baking.
