January 19, 2008
This week on A Prairie Home Companion, we're back from vacation and broadcasting live from The Fitzgerald Theater. With this week's special guests, award winning English trumpet soloist Alison Balsom, dangerously sweet country singer Suzy Bogguss, and sitting in with The Guy's All-Star
Shoe Band, steel guitar wiz Joe Savage, guitarist Dan Neale, and the multi-talented John Niemann. Also with
us, The Royal Academy of Radio
Acting: Tim Russell, Sue Scott, and Tom Keith, The News From Lake Wobegon, and much more this week on A Prairie Home Companion.
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Lots of chances to get in on Prairie Home fun in 2008. On February 1 and 2, and February 8 and 9, we're at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. After that, we hit the road — on February 16 to Bloomington, Indiana, for a show at the Indiana University Auditorium, and on February 23 to Winona, Minnesota, for a
show at McCown Gymnasium on the campus of Winona State University. Then it's back to the Fitzgerald on February 29 and March 1; March 7 and 8; and March 14 and 15. After that, we're back to New York!
Tickets for the Spring run at Town Hall go on sale January 15 at 1 p.m. EST. Go to the schedule page for more details.
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Dear Mr. Keillor,
I have a serious dilemma facing me. I am a middle-aged, middle-management guy who has always dreamed of being an author. I have had a few articles published in trade magazines and people have told me I write well. I was just passed over for a promotion and am feeling fed-up and unappreciated at
work. A growing part of me wants to quit my job, lock myself in a room and write the book I began three years ago. I can't seem to do both and I'm afraid life is passing me by. What advice would you offer a friend in my situation?
Bob
Cleveland
My advice would be to gather confidence to make the leap and the way to gather confidence is to start writing the book in the evening and on weekends and see if you can organize it and write a first chapter or two that are good enough to make you very enthusiastic about what comes next. What you're
looking at is a long-shot gamble on yourself — hundreds of first books are written by middle-aged guys for every one that gets published — but it's not a bad bet, assuming you have gone down the road a little ways and feel confident about finishing the book and having something that people
will want to read. Plenty of people have bet on themselves and come up winners, and it's a very satisfying bet to make. But be wise. And go at it like a military operation. Be disciplined, be secretive — don't talk about your work, and remember, when you're engaged in serious work, alcohol is
not your friend.
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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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Ole rushes into the psychiatrist's office and hollers: "Doc! I'm shrinking, I'm shrinking!"
The doctor says: "Now slow down Ole, you'll just have to be a little patient."
This joke was sent in by Robert H. of White Bear Lake, MN. Thanks Robert!
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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 14, 2008
Listened to the show Saturday and it was not bad. The kids and I were all worn out and for good reason. Since it's been snowing on and off but hasn't gotten ass-burn cold yet, we've got a fine sledding hill going right over near the edge of the woods. Must have been a gravel pit or something
similar there at one time because, as you'll see in the summertime, you go from trees to a steep grassy slope that ends up a vast, near-perfectly flat surface that stretches on until you start upward again. Like sledding down into a big ol' popcorn bowl...
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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.
Order now! >> |
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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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