Garrison Keillor is leaving A Prairie Home Companion, the hit public radio show he created.
"You can't go on like this. You don't want to make a fool of yourself in front of other people paying money to see it. Even if it may be what some of them would like to see," Keillor says. "So I thought this was a good time."
First though, he's visiting Iowa one last time. His "America the Beautiful" tour stops by Cedar Rapids Aug. 20.
Keillor is handing over the reins to Chris Thile, a mandolinist who has hosted Prairie Home a few times in Keillor's absence. Keillor says Thile will help return the show to its musical roots.
"Comedy is never perfect; storytelling is never even close to perfect," Keillor says. "So to start again as a music show gives it a chance to be absolutely a killer from the very beginning. And then they can add other things. Other things can be added to it, but music is really where it begins."
In this Talk of Iowa interview, Charity Nebbe talks with Keillor about his post-Prairie Home plans.
