Garrison Keillor admitted to the Star Tribune that he intentionally put his hand up a woman’s shirt as he was going to pat her on the back. She apparently didn’t like it:
STAR TRIBUNE – Citing “inappropriate behavior with an individual who worked with him,” Minnesota Public Radio said Wednesday it has terminated its relationship with Garrison Keillor, the former host of “A Prairie Home Companion” who helped build MPR into a national powerhouse.
In an email to the Star Tribune Wednesday, Keillor said, “I put my hand on a woman’s bare back. I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about six inches. She recoiled. I apologized. I sent her an email of apology later and she replied that she had forgiven me and not to think about it. We were friends. We continued to be friendly right up until her lawyer called.”
Keillor even managed a joke of sorts: “Getting fired is a real distinction in broadcasting and I’ve waited fifty years for the honor. All of my heroes got fired. I only wish it could’ve been for something more heroic.”
Then he turned more serious: “Anyone who ever was around my show can tell you that I was the least physically affectionate person in the building. Actors hug, musicians hug, people were embracing every Saturday night left and right, and I stood off in the corner like a stone statue.
“If I had a dollar for every woman who asked to take a selfie with me and who slipped an arm around me and let it drift down below the beltline, I’d have at least a hundred dollars. So this is poetic irony of a high order. But I’m just fine. I had a good long run and am grateful for it and for everything else.”
It wonder if Keillor is telling us the whole truth because, based on the actions of MPR, it sounds more serious:
Officials at MPR said they would not speak beyond a statement that said officials were notified last month of the allegations, “which relate to Mr. Keillor’s conduct while he was responsible for the production of ‘A Prairie Home Companion.’ ”
MPR said it will:
• Change the name of “Prairie Home,” now hosted by Chris Thile.
• End distribution and broadcast of “Writer’s Almanac” and rebroadcasts of old Keillor-hosted “Prairie Home” shows.
• Separate itself from the Pretty Good Goods online catalog, which sells Keillor merchandise, and the PrairieHome.org website.
That sounds pretty drastic to me. I’m not saying what Keillor did wasn’t bad, but there has to be more to this story to get this kind of reaction from MPR.
I guess we’ll find out soon enough.