Minnesota Public Radio fires Garrison Keillor over misconduct allegations

[kyc0705]

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(Source)

For whatever it's worth, he did write an op-ed the other day about why Al Franken shouldn't resign.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I predicted this jokingly to my Aunt on Saturday. I kid you not.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Sorry Snowguy.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Keillor will be fine.  Those who love him still will.  Those who hate him still will.  And all the rest will either let this continue to enrage them further or numb them to such allegations until they no longer care about even severe misconduct.

[publicunofficial]

He has ALWAYS sucked.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

but I love listening to Writer's Almanac in the morning

They are terminating the contracts before they have even finished the investigation? 

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

More details. Source.

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Jeez, who would have guessed that Keillor of all people had such strong feelings about conduct around women. I guess we should have expected this after his pretty aggressive defense of Al Franken. I think a lot of this goes to show how differently men and women (or, I'd say, pursuers and pursuants) view conduct around each other. I believe Keillor when he says that he's been touched inappropriately by fans before (although I don't know if I believe that it's happened a hundred times) but he doesn't seem bothered by it. The same honestly goes for most men who are touched by women.

[Devout Centrist]

How disgraceful. I used to love this guy.

[Ban my account ffs!]

How disgraceful. I used to love this guy.

Stop trying so f**king hard.

[Devout Centrist]

How disgraceful. I used to love this guy.

Stop trying so f**king hard.

What do you mean? I listened to A Prarie Home Companion for years and I really liked his work. This is really disappointing.

[Ban my account ffs!]

How disgraceful. I used to love this guy.

Stop trying so f**king hard.

What do you mean? I listened to A Prarie Home Companion for years and I really liked his work. This is really disappointing.

I don't care if you listened to him for centuries.

What do you think should happen to him now?

Hanging?  Permanent shame?  Buttrape?  Buttrape but with a side of Marge Bunsen's famous double dipped peanut butter upside down cream cookies?

Let me know!  His punishment cannot be served swiftly enough!  He's getting old and stroked out ffs!

[Devout Centrist]

How disgraceful. I used to love this guy.

Stop trying so f**king hard.

What do you mean? I listened to A Prarie Home Companion for years and I really liked his work. This is really disappointing.

I don't care if you listened to him for centuries.

What do you think should happen to him now?

Hanging?  Permanent shame?  Buttrape?  Buttrape but with a side of Marge Bunsen's famous double dipped peanut butter upside down cream cookies?

Let me know!  His punishment cannot be served swiftly enough!

I don't think he should have been fired immediately, unless there are more serious allegations we haven't heard about yet. But an investigation would suffice.

[Ban my account ffs!]

How disgraceful. I used to love this guy.

Stop trying so f**king hard.

What do you mean? I listened to A Prarie Home Companion for years and I really liked his work. This is really disappointing.

I don't care if you listened to him for centuries.

What do you think should happen to him now?

Hanging?  Permanent shame?  Buttrape?  Buttrape but with a side of Marge Bunsen's famous double dipped peanut butter upside down cream cookies?

Let me know!  His punishment cannot be served swiftly enough!

I don't think he should have been fired immediately, unless there are more serious allegations we haven't heard about yet. But an investigation would suffice.

I think an investigation would've suffiiced before his firing.

Either way, judging by the reactions from most Minnesotans, whom I trust... MPR will lose a lot of support over this rash decision.

[Devout Centrist]

How disgraceful. I used to love this guy.

Stop trying so f**king hard.

What do you mean? I listened to A Prarie Home Companion for years and I really liked his work. This is really disappointing.

I don't care if you listened to him for centuries.

What do you think should happen to him now?

Hanging?  Permanent shame?  Buttrape?  Buttrape but with a side of Marge Bunsen's famous double dipped peanut butter upside down cream cookies?

Let me know!  His punishment cannot be served swiftly enough!

I don't think he should have been fired immediately, unless there are more serious allegations we haven't heard about yet. But an investigation would suffice.

I think an investigation would've suffiiced before his firing.

Yeah, I'm not sure what MPR's Human Resources has seen, but I don't think he should've been fired at this time.

I'll be honest, this is the first real allegation that's been tough for me to swallow. I definitely feel a little hurt by this.

[Ban my account ffs!]

There may have been.  I'll be honest.  There are plenty of times that people are accused and know of /one/ incident where they acted badly... but in fact, there were more.

In that case I would reconsider.  But as of yet, I trust Keillor's confidence in this matter considering he had had correspondence regarding the matter after the fact in which she suggested she forgave him followed by a call from her lawyer some time later (which is her right, I totally acknowledge, even if I disagree with).

I think in the end everyone will be worse off and the precedent will be bad for our culture.

As I've said before... these accusations/conversations should bring more conversation.  More understanding.  More apology (genuine apology).

I will not say Keillor did not do anything wrong.  But as of /yet/, I believe it was a one-off incident where was too "handsy" and should have apologized (as he did.. to which she said 'no big deal').  Even if she said it because she felt internal pressure not to throw more serious actions at him... we should encourage resolution.  Not more fighting.  In the end, I want everyone to make some actual sacrifices to GET THE F**K along.  It's really not that hard.  But it does take some sacrifice.

When Keillor says this country is experiencing a mania, I don't see it as some excuse for his predatory behavior... but the truth.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Wait wait wait all he did was that? I've barely followed up on this story, but one cringeworthy social interaction does not equate to sexual harassment. Any allegation of course should be examined, but how they reached this conclusion is a mystery to me.

Unless there are more allegations of which we are unaware of?

[Ban my account ffs!]

At this point a lot of people are wondering if there are more accusations, because this incident alone causing MPR to sever ties with Keillor is seen as a major overreaction.

From reading comments on the matter (not necessarily accurate, but it gives an indication to the reaction and it has generated an unusually massive amount of comments on the Star Tribune)... the ones who already disliked him and conservatives seem giddy about him being fired.  Among the rest, they see it as an overreaction or wonder if there is some major detail missing that we are not yet privy to.

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

I honestly wonder if part of this is because of his vocal defense of Franken and his history of speaking out (in a rather un-PC) way on sexual harassment.

Also, MPR has to be one of the most socially progressive mainstream media outlets in the country. Probably right up there with Slate and Vermont Public Broadcasting or whatever. I was in Minnesota for the Philandro Castille shootings and they covered it every hour of every day for a month after the shooting. It makes total sense to me that this would be their reaction.

[NewYorkExpress]

I would imagine it has everything to do with his vocal defense of Franken. That's not politically correct at all, and no one should be defending him.

It's not a firing offense to defend Franken, but I wouldn't have minded if they suspended him without pay for a few weeks.

[Sestak]

Defending Franken = fireable

Being Franken = not fireable?

[NewYorkExpress]

Defending Franken = fireable

Being Franken = not fireable?

Yeah, that makes no sense at all. Franken really should just resign.