January 12, 2008
Coming up this week on A Prairie Home Companion, the January thaw on the frozen tundra continues (for now) and to keep the heat turned up we'll revisit the live music capital of the world: Austin, Texas. From the show we did at the Bass Concert Hall in 2006, Joe Ely,
Joel Guzman
and The High Flyers all plug in and belt out some fine Texas honky-tonk. Plus, we remember our dear friend Molly Ivins who was on the show with us. From our
1998 show, songstress Tish Hinojosa sings "Estrellita," The Derailers rock the house and Roy Blount Jr. spins a little southern humor. The cowboys, Dusty and Lefty, ride into town along with The Guy's-All Star Shoe Band and The Royal Academy of Radio Acting. So sharpen your spurs and get
ready for a little Texas heat this week.
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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 always thought you were exaggerating about the character traits of Lake Wobegonians...until I read the book Schultz, about the creator of Peanuts. This Minnesota native was straight out of Lake Wobegon; a tortured soul who never felt himself worthy. And for years we read the
comic strip unaware of the details of his life, all his insecurities and perceived failures. You weren't exaggerating after all.
Judy S.
Independence, MO
It was a good book, wasn't it? I thought so, too. Schultz by David Michaelis (Harper)— extensively researched, elegantly written. Here in St. Paul we take a wan proprietary interest in
Charles Schulz since he grew up here and we think of him when we drive by Snelling & Marshall where he lived as a boy and where his dad, who loved the comic strips, had a barber shop. Minnesota can claim some credit for creating the misery that inspired Schulz to create his alter ego Charlie Brown
and endure the torments of Lucy and the taunts of Linus and his unrequited love of the little red-haired girl. I read the Michaelis biography and I didn't feel there was anything so unusual about Mr. Schultz's life at all, other than his extraordinary work ethic and his fabulous success — so
what you refer to as a "tortured soul" seemed to me to be a perfectly nice guy who did his best and enjoyed his life. Which I guess shows you what a Minnesotan I am.
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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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Two cannibals are enjoying a meal. One of the cannibals keeps laughing and laughing between bites. Finally, one of the other cannibals looks up from his meal and asks why his companion is so happy?
The other cannibal smiles and says "Oh, I'm just having a ball!"
This joke was sent in by Thomas L. of Grand Rapids, MI. Thanks Thomas!
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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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January 7, 2008
Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. I was on my way home from long day of doing things that women do. You just do them, and once you do them, they're done. It all started with the kids whispering, "Get up! We need to get ready!" moments before the 6 a.m. alarm. It was their day
with their Aunt Suzanne, and I was to have them in Minneapolis by noon with swimsuits and sleeping bags for a day at a water park and a night at a hotel. We made it with an hour to spare so I drove around awhile pretending to be lost...
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January 8, 2008
I went to see "Sweeney Todd" last week and the high point was after the movie when I headed for the men's room, passing a long line of women waiting to get into the women's, and when I got inside the men's, a tall woman in a long black coat emerged from a stall and walked out...
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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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