Happy Birthday, Garrison Keillor!

Here's a guy I've always liked: American humorist and Public Radio personality, Garrison Keillor, host of A Prairie Home Companion.

Back in the early 90s when I was living down in Florida, listening to Garrison's radio show every Saturday evening was a real treat. Interestingly, my introduction to Garrison Keillor was after he'd retired the original A Prairie Home Companion and had replaced it with The American Radio Company of the Air, having relocated from Minnesota for several years to broadcast from New York City. Still, the format remained much the same, though there were several new cast members in addition to his regulars like sound effects guy, Tom Keith. One of the new cast was the incredibly talented Ivy Austin, who could do all manner of comic characters as well as being a brilliant singer. Garrison took his show back to Minnesota in 1993 and rechristened it A Prairie Home Companion, and has made it a Public Radio institution in the many years it's been running.

I used to love to sit out in my back enclosed porch during my years in Florida, a cup of coffee in hand, and listen to Garrison and crew create their always witty and entertaining theatre of the mind, as the sky turned pink and gold with the Florida setting sun. In the years I've been back living in Canada, however, I don't get to hear the show too often, as I can't usually pick up the local PBS radio station from Buffalo NY very clearly at home. Oddly enough, though, it comes through nice and clear on my car stereo, so there have been times where I just keep on driving around aimlessly so as to not miss any of Garrison's closing 20 minute monologue on the residents of Lake Wobegon. His soft midwestern voice can be absolutely mesmerizing as he spins his latest tales.

I've discovered that there is a wealth of excerpts from the radio shows captured on video, made available by Public Radio on YouTube. Here's the link to check them out.

Here's a short, but close-up view of Garrison Keillor, as he responds to a question concerning writing humour:



Here's a sound only clip of Garrison as he sensibly endorses the then future President of the United States. Although Garrison extolls the virtues of the simple country life of the American midwest, largely the domain of Republicans, make no doubt about it that he's a liberal Democrat. Good on ya', Garrison! :)