Sponsor
A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor

Post to the Host
GK responds to queries on topics from childbearing to potato salad, with a little bookstore fetish in between.

Send your own post to the host.
Here's your chance to ask GK your most pressing questions—about the writing life, the radio life, Lake Wobegon, Guy Noir, whatever you like. Also, feel free to send feedback about the show. Honest comments and criticism are always welcome!



Dear Garrison,

Each week I look forward to your show. This past week I realized many of your skits are "orifice oriented." Being a pre-school teacher working with three year olds, I sure know lots about every human orifice — more than I want oftentimes. What is it about bodily functions that is so hilarious?

Best,
Sandy G.
San Clemente, CA

Excellent question, Sandy. I guess you're referring to the song "Sound of Sickness" which was about the flu and which was accompanied by vivid sound effects and which pretty much convulsed the audience at The Town Hall. I don't pretend to understand why. I suppose it has to do with our inability to control certain aspects of our bodies, such as sneezing for example, and the affront to dignity that this presents. I don't think that PHC relies heavily on orifice humor — the Guy Noir sketch did not, nor did the News from Lake Wobegon, nor Crispy the Rescue Dog, nor the Ketchup Advisory Board commercial — but darn it, whenever we go there, people seem to laugh. I guess there's a three-year-old inside each one of us. And maybe we should be grateful for that.

Comments (6)

Regarding the "Sounds of Sickness," though the sound effects are always welcome accompaniment to songs & skits, in this case, what made me laugh so hard were the hilarious words to the song.


Dear Garrison,
Will we ever get to meet Mrs Sundberg in person on PHC? Have we already met her?
rick possee
bryant pond maine


gk
a note of thanks for your contribution to the
Soberg family , at the passing of my friend John
Soberg...Though my expression of gratitude is
a bit tardy -it is still deeply felt.
Your presence and words , both at the service,
and your remarks PHC were moving .
You may remember Sherri ( my wife) and me from
our bumping into you aboard a Continental flight enroute to the tundra -to Take in the morris, mn
broadcast in feb of 2006. Also, John hosted us
at Nashville new years eve... where we visited
briefly at the Ryman. God best to you always.
in His grip,
Mark Grisham
I was to speak at Johns memorial but
my wifes illness prevented me from being
there.


Actually, you did go there in Woebegone-- the stomach virus that struck its victims unawares...


I, too,have grown more than weary of the flatulence, etc. jokes that appear in many programs. I now just turn off the program.
I have a potty mouth without equal, but, I don't like to hear it from a program like PHC when presented as entertainment.

Melvira


To Melvira,

You may have misunderstood --
I'm not weary of "potty" talk --
as a matter of fact, I think
it's hilarious! As GK stated,
I guess it's the "3 year old"
in me.
Sandy



Post a comment

(Comments are moderated and may take a little while to appear on the site. Thanks for your patience.)



Post to the Host Archives

2008
June
May
April
March
February

2007
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2006
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2005
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2004
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2003
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
March
February
January

2002
December
November
October
August
July
June
May
April
February
January

2001
December
November
October
August
July
June
May
April
February
January

2000
December
October
September
August
July
June
May
January

1999
November
September
August
May
April
February

1998
November
July
May
April
March
February
January

1997
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

1996
December



  • News/Talk
  • Music
  • Entertainment