December 29, 2007
Coming up this week on A Prairie Home Companion, we'll revisit the bits of 2007 that we remember fondly, and possibly one or two we'd like to forget. There were plenty of memorable firsts this past year, including: public radio host Terry Gross in an episode of Guy Noir, Martin Sheen singing a Quaker folk hymn, and James Taylor with "Something In The Way She Moves". Also
on the highlight reel, windy city rockers Wilco, piano man Randy Newman, and legendary
singer-songwriter Carole King. So sit back, check the freshness date on your egg nog, and get ready for a visit from the ghosts of broadcasts past. Also with us, The Royal Academy of Radio Acting: Tim Russell, Sue Scott, Fred Newman, and Tom Keith, The Guy's All-Star Shoe Band, and The News from
Lake Wobegon.
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If you would like to see A Prairie Home Companion live, here is your chance! Tickets are on sale for the early 2008 run at the Fitzgerald Theater, and there's information on our spring run at Town Hall.
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Post to the Host:
I miss Larry in the basement. Also I miss your misinterpretations of the French chef.
Warren
Larry was a recluse who lived under the Fitzgerald stage at the bottom of a dimly lit staircase and the sketches always started with me flicking the light switch and saying, "Darn, the bulb is burned out." He lived in the dark and liked to go online where he found a whole community of basement
recluses. He had a cat and he had a big heap of resentments of me. It's hard to figure out how to develop a reclusive misanthrope but perhaps the light bulb will come on. As for Maurice at the Cafe Boeuf, the joke was about me trying to speak French and my simple phrasebook French being mistaken
for English words. It was a small joke, not worth sustaining, but I suppose one could go back and repeat it someday.
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Are you in your 20s and talented? A Prairie Home Companion is looking for you! We had so many great submissions last year, we decided to pull from the same demographic— people in their 20s. So, like last year, performers aged between 20 and 29 years are invited to submit a sample of their skills, and we'll pick the top contestants to appear on APHC's March 15th live broadcast from the Fitzgerald Theater.
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A small town was having a problem. Squirrels had invaded four churches in the town. Each church tried different ways to get rid of them.
The Baptists decided to wait until the squirrels wandered into the baptistry and then they would close the lid and trap them. But the squirrels were too fast for them and they ran away only to return the next day.
The Methodists decided that they could not do anything to harm God's creatures and so they did nothing. Squirrels overran them.
The Presbyterians decided they would catch the squirrels and take them out into the country and release them, whicn they did. However, a few days later the squirrels found their way back.
The Catholics took a different approach. They baptised the squirrels and made them members of the congregation. Now they only see them on Christmas and Easter.
This joke was sent in by Eric E. of Tucson, BC. Thanks Eric!
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Listen to The News from Lake Wobegon wherever and whenever you want. We're pleased to announce GK's signature monologue is now available as a free podcast, updated every Monday.
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Treat yourself to an evening with Garrison Keillor as we bring you encore presentation of New Year's Eve at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee; recorded live December 31, 2006. The show begins with a
best-of from 2007, and then goes full-swing into last year's show with Garrison flanked by an all-star cast of musicians. Check your local public radio station for air times, or simply join us here on the homepage at 9:00 pm CST to listen online. The program will also air on PBS stations as a part
of Great Performances.
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December 26, 2007
Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. After a few days of baking up a storm I took Saturday off from the kitchen and listened from the tub. It was peaceful and lovely and the window above me was open and every now and then a dusting of snow would flutter down to the water.
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December 18, 2007
It was Christmas in the New York subways last week, musicians heading off to play Christmas gigs, and in the Times Square station a wild-haired old man out of a George Price cartoon pounded out "Winter Wonderland" on an electric organ, a rhythm attachment going whompeta-whompeta-whompeta, and two
crazed battery-powered Santas dancing the boogaloo...
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Listener-submitted short stories or poems about their homes or lives or whatever they fancy. Here are the latest:
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Program Sponsors
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Pontoon: A Novel of Lake Wobegon |
 In Lake Wobegon lives a good Lutheran lady who is quite prepared
to die and wishes to be cremated and her ashes placed inside a bowling ball and dropped into the lake, no prayers, no hymns, thank you very much. Meanwhile, the Detmer girl returns from California where she has made a killing in veterinary aromatherapy to marry her boyfriend Brent aboard Wally's
pontoon boat, presided over by her minister, Misty Naylor of the Sisterhood of the Sacred Spirit. Brent arrives on Thursday. On Saturday, a delegation of renegade Lutheran pastors from Denmark come to town on their tour of America, their punishment for having denied the divinity of Jesus. And
Barbara Peterson, whose mother, Evelyn, left the startling note about cremation and the bowling ball, is in love with a lovely fat man who slips around town in the dim light and reconnoiters with her at the Romeo Motel.
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Never Better: Stories from Lake Wobegon |
 Fans of A Prairie Home Companion eagerly await each new
collection of Garrison Keillor's "News from Lake Wobegon" monologues. Recorded during live radio broadcasts, Never Better features characters we know and love, a meditation on Christmas, migrating turtles, flying Elvises, and more warm, witty, poignant, often hilarious tales from America's favorite
storyteller. As they say in Lake Wobegon, "It could be worse." But what they think is: It's never been better. About 2 hours.
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A Prairie Home Companion: the DVD |
 Legendary director Robert Altman's take on Garrison Keillor's show
boasts a dream cast, terrific music, and a story that tugs at the heartstrings. Keillor, Meryl Streep, Lindsay Lohan, Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson, John C. Reilly, Kevin Kline, Virginia Madsen, and Tommy Lee Jones star in a film about the final broadcast of America's most celebrated radio show.
(Don't worry; it's only a movie.)
"What a lovely film this is, so gentle and whimsical, so simple and profound" —Roger Ebert.
"A great gang of stars having a great time, brilliantly directed by Robert Altman" —Larry King.
1 hour 45 min.
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When I Get Home: Songs |
Prairie Home Companion listeners are frequently treated to a song. Sometimes to a familiar tune, sometimes to original music—with words by Garrison Keillor. In them, he sings of home, love, friendship, family, faith, or just plain fun. These sixteen songs, specially recorded for this
collection, are some of his best.
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A Prairie Home DVD Collection |
 This 3 DVD set features classic A Prairie Home Companion broadcasts includes
special guests Emmylou Harris, Vince Gill, Leo Kottke, Doc Watson, Bobby McFerrin, The Everly Brothers, Taj Mahal, and Robin and Linda Williams. Music abounds, as do jokes, skits, and "The News from Lake Wobegon."
Order now! >> |
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