I've mentioned in the past that I was a big Keillor fan since the eighties. My parents were big fans too. For their fiftieth anniversary eight years ago, we kids got our parents a weekend at a New York hotel and tickets to a live performance of "A Prairie Home Companion."
A few weeks ago I drove Dad up to see a show in NYC. On the drive home, Dad told me that on the morning after the show eight years ago, they were eating breakfast in the hotel restaurant and got into a conversation with a woman at the next table, who was visiting from Texas (San Antonio, if memory serves). When they told her they were in town to see Keillor's show, she told them that she had once been such a big fan of Keillor's that she volunteered to be his driver when he appeared in her town... but that he showed his appreciation by groping her and sticking his tongue down her throat. Ever since the first complaints came to light a few months ago, I'd assumed they were just the tip of the iceberg, and everything I've learned since then confirms that. I think the fact that GK seems to think convenient explanations will give him back his career is one of the saddest things about all of this. GK's detractors over the years often accused him of living in the past, and using phrases like "romantic writing" as a substitute for "sexual harassment" won't change anyone's mind. On Sunday, February 25, 2018 at 3:32:26 AM UTC-5, PGage wrote: > > Kind of - except there is a space between legal and illegal behavior - it > is socially unacceptable behavior (also, just being a dick). Some of the > behavior being revealed now is clearly illegal (and was at the time). > Statue of Limitations may prevent arrest, or perhaps lack of evidence will > prevent convictions. But that does not require a change in law. Other > behavior is not really criminal, but is enough of a violation of decency > that it justifies losing employment and respect. GK behavior (at least the > specific behavior described earlier in this thread) seems to be like that. > I don’t think we need to criminalize that behavior - it is enough that, > going forward, it be seen as socially unacceptable. > > Forgiving people for past wrongdoing is different than never recognizing > the doing as wrong in the first place. I am not against forgiveness, or > believing that people can change - I just realize I can not forgive someone > for a wrong they committed against someone else. Mike Tyson was convicted > of rape (though likely he was guilty of other assults he was not charged or > convicted of), and while he has made what I would call a minor comeback, he > clearly is not anywhere near as popular now as he was in his heyday as the > Heavywieght Champion of the World (I am sure his back account reflects > that). I agree that it is an odd world that seems to hold Al Franken in > more disdain than Mike Tyson, but again, not sure there is a need to change > any criminal laws to address that. > > On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 10:15 PM Kevin M. <[email protected] > <javascript:>> wrote: > >> We are now reaching a point where the laws have not caught up with what >> is perceived to be the social climate. A lot of the accusations are clouded >> by statutes of limitation and non-disclosure agreements and mandatory >> confidential arbitrations. So although the men in question can be publicly >> shamed on social media and even fired for whatever morals clause they may >> have in their contract, criminal charges and even civil litigation doesn’t >> seem likely in these cases. >> >> If we have reached a point when the women naming names are being taken >> more seriously, or if the burden of proof required to prove guilt in sexual >> harassment cases has changed, then don’t the applicable laws need to >> change? If not, eventually we will reach a glut of accused men who do not >> seem to suffer from being named by those they harassed. >> >> Not too long ago Mel Gibson’s career came to an aprubt end... only it >> didn’t. Chris Brown’s music career seemed to be over... only it wasn’t. >> Mike Tyson appeared to be a memory... only he’s back now bigger than when >> he was winning prize fights. A decade from now, Louis CK will be doing >> stand up in large arenas, and Scott Baio will be a US Senator. It is some >> small conciliation that Keillor is likely too old to be able to emerge from >> the cultural penalty box. >> >> The public loves to crucify people, then it loves for forgive or at least >> ignore their respective trespasses. Until laws reflect the current cultural >> norm, that won’t change. And neither will the climate in Hollywood. >> >> >> On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 6:24 PM PGage <[email protected] <javascript:>> >> wrote: >> >>> GK is basically learning what millions of men across the country are >>> going to have to learn: Behavior which would have been considered >>> acceptable at the time (even relatively recently) by the norms of their >>> workplace was not, in fact, acceptable, and they (er, we) can and will be >>> held accountable for it now. There is nothing to complain about here. If >>> you were able to get away with being a Dick for many years and then >>> suddenly near the end of your life have to settle up, you have unfairly >>> benefited, not been unfairly penalized. >>> >>> On Sat, Feb 24, 2018 at 3:11 PM Steve Timko <[email protected] >>> <javascript:>> wrote: >>> >>>> Keillor: Relationship with accuser simply 'romantic writing' >>>> MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Garrison Keillor says several sexually suggestive >>>> emails exchanged with a former researcher on his "A Prairie Home >>>> Companion" >>>> radio show were "romantic writing" that never led to a physical >>>> relationship. >>>> Keillor rejects the idea that his status as the woman's boss means he >>>> could have committed sexual harassment. >>>> Keillor spoke to The Associated Press in one of his first extended >>>> interviews since Minnesota Public Radio cut ties with him over the woman's >>>> sexual harassment claim. >>>> Keillor says he wasn't really the boss around the radio show and had no >>>> control over the woman, who was a freelancer. >>>> The woman said in an emailed response via her attorney that Keillor had >>>> power over her job assignments and opportunities, and she feared saying no >>>> to him would hurt her future. AP is not naming the woman. >>>> MPR says it stands by its handling of Keillor's case "based on facts >>>> confirming unacceptable behavior in the workplace." >>>> >>>> >>>> On Thu, Jan 25, 2018 at 6:16 AM, Diner <[email protected] <javascript:> >>>> > wrote: >>>> >>>>> And this piece of reporting by MPR has lots of details that are >>>>> really, really damaging: >>>>> >>>>> https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/01/23/keillor-workplace >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 8:07:44 PM UTC-5, Bob Jersey wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Brad Beam, 11/29/17: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Garrison Keillor fired for alleged improper behavior by Minnesota >>>>>>> Public Radio >>>>>>> >>>>>>> https://usat.ly/2nc20tQ >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> And this week MPR's head 'splained the details in an open letter to >>>>>> contributors, and refuted Keillor's contention in a Star-Tribune >>>>>> interview >>>>>> that another ex-employee attempting extortion from the pubcaster was to >>>>>> blame... >>>>>> >>>>>> MPR >>>>>> <https://www.mprnews.org/story/2018/01/23/mpr-letter-keillor-split> >>>>>> (link) >>>>>> >>>>>> B >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>> Groups "TVorNotTV" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>> an email to [email protected] <javascript:>. >>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>> Groups "TVorNotTV" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>> an email to [email protected] <javascript:>. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>> >>> -- >>> Sent from Gmail Mobile >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "TVorNotTV" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected] <javascript:>. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >> -- >> Kevin M. (RPCV) >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "TVorNotTV" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected] <javascript:>. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > -- > Sent from Gmail Mobile > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
