23 Comments

Dear Mr. Keillor-

I just upgraded to “Paid”. You are worth every penny and then some!

Take good care out there,

Kay

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To all my shows

I will wear red shoes

Like a veil

to hide the stress

From those years

in the pews

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Hahahahah! I loved this! Keep on truckin, Gar :)

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You set a good example in your reaction to Mr. Trump's mugshot. I was taking it way too seriously and upsetting myself, but right after I read "flatulence," I was able to take another look and realized that he actually looks a bit constipated. Thank you for showing the way to amusement!

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I loved Biden's response when he was asked whether he had seen the mug shot – "Handsome guy!"

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I hadn't seen that, thank you! I love when presidents are tactful and grown-up (even if it might be tongue and cheek 😅).

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I looked at the mugshot and thought " ah,so that's what it looks like when somebody grabs your p*ssy!!"

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Jerome: Your wit is greatly appreciated. Got my laugh for today at Trump's expense. Not often enough, however. Patience is a virtue to be exercised until that creep is out of all our lives permanently. The 14th amendment may yet do the trick if all else fails.

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Nice one! Is this where the striking comedy writers are hanging out now?

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I'm certainly glad I wasn't drinking anything when I read that or I'd be cleaning my screen right now. Touché, Mr. Trump may live to regret saying that. I think you just came up with a hilarious million dollar T-shirt idea! 😅

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Good morning, Garrison

Since you brought up Emily Dickinson in your discussion of a writer’s need for readers --or, perhaps better, the need to sometimes get along without readers-- perhaps it can be helpful to remember what she herself said on the topic:

(#788)

Publication – is the Auction

Of the Mind of Man –

Poverty – be justifying

For so foul a thing

Possibly – but We – would rather

From Our Garret go

White – unto the White Creator –

Than invest – Our Snow –

Thought belong to Him who gave it –

Then – to Him Who bear

It's Corporeal illustration – sell

The Royal Air –

In the Parcel – Be the Merchant

Of the Heavenly Grace –

But reduce no Human Spirit

To Disgrace of Price –

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Dear Mr Keillor,

I laughed at your response to Mr Trump’s mug shot and wrote a limerick that references your words:

An old phony possessed with little sense,

Had a mug shot taken that was quite intense.

He tried to look cruel,

And ready to duel,

But instead of ferocity, flatulence.

Cheers and good health, Rob Hoisington

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Bill Testerman asked about your red shoes. I’d add that at least some of the time, you don’t change your shoes after the performance. I live in Upstate New York, and once I went to a performance in Montreal, Canada. I took an AMTRAK train to get there on a track running from New York City to the Canadian National Railway Station in Montreal. The next morning, the conductors shooed all of us on a south-bound journey into the same car. When I took an aisle seat and looked forward, through a forest of legs, I saw a distinctive pair of RED SHOES! They were on the feet of a tall fellow who had managed to get that first row aisle seat, so that he had some space to stretch his legs!

I felt all aglow, being so close to my Radio Hero! Don’t ask me what the scenery was like, on our ride down to Albany! All I looked at was a pair of RED SHOES! I’d try to imagine what Our Felicitous Radio Host was thinking about, once his performance was over!

Actually, right now, considering it, I’m curious. When you’ve got some “down time” between venues and wherever you’ll be sleeping, where do your thoughts drift to? Do you rehash the current performance and think “I could have…” - “I should have… sorts of thoughts? Or do you review the audience reactions: “They Really, Really Liked my story about being down by the Mississippi River…” and “ Choosing “Oh, Canada!” instead of “God Bless America” was a good idea!” Or, do you turn to some completely unrelated subject?

In a way, you could be considered to be a bit similar to “The Music Man” – a “travelling salesman of good humor and cheer!” The difference, though, would be that Professor Harold Hill couldn’t go around and change the phrasing or notes on the music he “conducted” as the band leader. You’ve got more flexibility than that, since it’s your own “Text” and Delivery!”

I think it's GREAT that you do as many LIVE performances as you do! Actually being in an audience, participating in the laughter and moments of acute, silent listening, is an experience that many of us rarely if ever have these days! The expectations as we stand around in the lobby before the performance, the enthusiasm and busy chatter about which parts were our favorites - and just the FEEL of so many people gathered together, all with something very much in common - that they really LOVE GARRISON KEILLOR! Way to Go, Our Favorite Host!

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Reader Nancy Fischer of Tallahassee, Florida writes, "Maybe you could hold your nose and come anyway," regarding a possible visit to her hometown. Sometimes I wonder how bad things have gotten, and if they can get worse, when an 83 year old declares such a hatred for her home, to total strangers, in pursuit of still lower standards of political incivility. Are we zombies now? Must even the elderly act like college trolls on a site hosted by Garrison Keillor? I just shake my head and go, "huh." Enough, people!

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Oh, don't be so hard on Nancy. I don't know her, but I doubt she's consumed with "hatred" for her home town. I bet she likes or even loves Tallahassee. She just acknowledges that the political odor, just one and only one, aspect of Florida is objectionable to some.

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Hi Ken, since you don't know Nancy, not certain you were speaking for her in using "odor" as in stench, but I was hopingn you meant to use "ardor" and simply mis-keyed your intent. Good for you if that was the case. This world can use a little more of the uplift. Don't you think?

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I wonder whether students would be more likely to read literature assignments if they were encouraged to read them on Kindle or some other digital format. The Kindle app is available on every type of computer and handheld device. You can also share you purchases with others in your household via Amazon. I prefer physical books, but I get credits on Amazon for choosing delayed delivery dates and I use them to buy Kindle books. (I got Garrison's "Cheefulness" for free.) It is more convenient for reading away from home on my phone since I don't have to carry a physical book around (or remember to take it with me when I leave home).

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My husband reads everything on Kindle. I prefer paper books, too, but I've also taken to reading Kindle books while awaiting appointments - one less thing to schlep around.

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Exactly - great benefit for us old people who have lots of appointments.

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They sing "God Bless America" during the 7th inning stretch of many baseball games. I think that might be where a lot of young people have learned it. I learned it in my childhood from my alcoholic Italian immigrant great aunt who used to sing it when she was drunk.

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There is a man from the Midwest who entertains and plays with the best.

He dwells in the sublime and

made a great climb.

For the heck of it, he can make it all rhyme.

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Well, I did type “odor “ on purpose, but I have no objection to softening the comment with “ardor“ as you suggest. Uplifting ok ok

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The only bathroom graffito that wasn’t witless:

No matter how much you jiggle and dance

There’s always some left to go down your pants.

--Richard Jarrell

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