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Host Garrison Keillor answers your questions about life, love, writing, authors, and of course, A Prairie Home Companion.

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Dear Garrison, Do yourself a

March 29, 2006 |

Dear Garrison,
Do yourself a favor and don't print Posts to the Host that are obviously written by listeners who have other issues in their lives, an axe to grind, whatever. You have been very tolerant of the negative Posts, but it's clear that many of the Posts aren't about "Prairie Home Companion" at all. Put on your psychologist's hat and filter out some of these unhappy Posts -- unless, of course, you wish to put on your crown of thorns and save everyone!

Joan K.
Wisconsin Rapids, WI

You are awfully kind, Joan, but I don't mind negative Posts. People who listen to public radio are an independent lot and have high standards and aren't afraid to speak their minds. And I'm from Minnesota. We are brought up to ignore flattery and to heed our critics. And when you have the power of the microphone, it's only right that people should be able to talk back. Every joke is a knife in the back of somebody. Comedy is inevitably hurtful. Sixty people enjoy the joke and one person bursts into tears. That one person should be able to sass me back. It's only right. "A Prairie Home Companion" is not some big corporate entity in an airtight castle: we're a rather small operation of a handful of people scrabbling to make the show every week. We make mistakes and don't mind them being pointed out.

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