Garrison Keillor to Retire in 2013

[no_hypocrisy]

The Prairie Home Companion host, who has been bringing his show to radio listeners on and off for 40 years, will leave the program in 2013, he said. Speaking to AARP magazine (natch), the 68-year-old storyteller assured his fans that he'll find a replacement before he goes. "I sure don't want to make a fool of myself and be singing romantic duets with 25-year-old women when I'm 75," he said. "But on the other hand, it's so much fun. And in radio, the lighting is right." Even if he does find a replacement, it just won't be the same hearing another voice say, "Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/03/garrison_keillor_to_retire_in.html

[MadHound]

1. Yeah, I thought that he was thinking of retiring soon

He's getting up there, and a few weeks back he had a guest host on, forgot her name though. She was actually pretty good in the fill in role.

But it simply won't be the same.

[Greybnk48]

2. I've been listening for 30 of those years (off and on, but

mostly on) He left for a while in the past (I think he married and moved out of the country), but we got him back. This will be a loss for many, many fans.

[JaneQPublic]

8. Yes, it was in the late 80s

He married a woman from Denmark, if I remember correctly, and moved there. Then Noah Adams did the show for a year or two. I think they even gave the show a different name.

But then Garrison moved to NYC and did PHC from there for a while, which was weird, because the whole point of the show was supposed to be from small town Minnesota.

It was great when he finally came back to MN to do the show, although especially since he had his stroke, it seems his script writing hasn't been quite as witty and clever as before.

I'll certainly miss him when he retires, but it's probably time.

[snappyturtle]

3. Sorry to hear this. I wonder if Mr. Keillor won't find another way

to entertain us? I hope so. Like he's quoted here, "...it's so much fun"... I would think he'll find difficulty in going cold turkey.

[KittyWampus]

4. NOOOOOOOOOOO! Damn, damn, damn. Knew it would happen some day.

can't begrudge the man some down time. He did have a heart attack a little while ago.

But damn.

[Brickbat]

5. Thank goodness.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

6. I saw "PHC" live a few years ago.

It was a great show.

[raccoon]

7. Sorry to hear that. Maybe he can run for political office. nt

[FraDon]

9. Thank you Garrison Keillor: the Mark Twain of our era.

A multi-talented author, entertainer & ringmaster with a fierce conscience and the heart of a whale. My nomination for the next Living National Treasure … wait, we don't do that here.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

10. He is truly an American treasure.

He, and some others, are the best proof that American can show to the world that we can produce talented, intelligent, rational, reasonable, witty and eloquent people, that we are all not teabaggers or reality show junkies.

I grew up listening to PHC as a child when my parents would listen on our Sunday road trips to visit our grandparents. I still enjoy listening today.

[hifiguy]

11. One of those things you knew was coming

but denied to yourself anyway.

PHC got me through a horrible stretch of homesickness in '85 when I moved to Boston to go to grad school. It was the first time I'd ever lived outside the Twin Cities. For two hours a week I went "home to Minnesota" thanks to Keillor and PHC. I still listen in more often than not even though I have been back home since 1988.

There is no one who can replace him. He is a singular American treasure. He will be much missed, and I hope he keeps writing as long as he lives.

[slampoet]

12. I have been a 30 year fan and i CAN'T STAND to listen to the show lately.

It has been just as awful as it was in the late 90's just before they advertised for new writers.

I figured they were going to ask for new writers and have been predicting it for two years.
so this retirement is not that much of a surprise.