Matt Lauer's not the only man getting fired for sexual misconduct today.
Garrison Keillor, creator and former host of A Prairie Home Companion, announced this morning that he has been fired by Minnesota Public Radio after the network learned of allegations of Keillor's sexual misconduct.
Here's what we know so far:
The news broke this morning:
BREAKING: Garrison Keillor says he's been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of inappropriate behavior.— The Associated Press (@The Associated Press)1511976129.0
Keillor himself stated that he'd been fired.
via: Getty
This is a surprising departure from what has become the norm in cases of allegations like these. In the past, we've seen men facing these accusations either vehemently deny the claims (which doesn't typically go well for them), or, in the case of comedian Louis C.K., directly address and apologize for them. Keillor didn't do either of those things. In fact, it seemed like he was the one breaking the news.After confirming the news in an email sent to the Associated Press, Keillor followed up with a somewhat inscrutable follow-up statement about the reasons for his firing.
via: Getty
According to Keillor, he was fired because of “a story that I think is more interesting and more complicated than the version MPR heard." He did not elaborate in the follow-up statement.Minnesota Public Radio issued the following statement addressing Keillor's firing:
The full statement from @MPR on Garrison Keillor: "MPR takes these allegations seriously and we are committed to ma… https://t.co/uId9aCt0Kp— MPR News (@MPR News)1511978333.0
Apparently, Keillor had been the focus of an investigation for several weeks leading up to his firing.
Sources tell 5 Eyewitness News Keillor had been the focus of an internal investigation about his conduct for severa… https://t.co/oSaExhoC7y— Tom Hauser (@Tom Hauser)1511977173.0
Keillor claims that he accidentally patted a woman's bare back when trying to comfort her.
Garrison Keillor addresses firing and adds if he had a dollar for every woman 'who asked to take a selfie with me a… https://t.co/9YdRIUkjea— Richard Horgan (@Richard Horgan)1511979988.0
Speaking of poetic irony, Keillor's firing occurred literally one day after he wrote an essay in defense of Al Franken.
THIS WAS LITERALLY *LAST NIGHT* https://t.co/RJfFIZFdfd— taber טבור (@taber טבור)1511976352.0
Misguided defense of Al Franken aside, people are quite shaken by Keillor's abrupt departure from the world of radio.
Prefaced by SCARY HOME COMPANION: KEILLOR THE FEELER: RADIO NO HE DI'INT:— Bess Kalb (@Bess Kalb)1511977626.0
Pretty much everyone is making this joke:
Whoa! Be gone! https://t.co/IWYEsyZJVR— Los Feliz Daycare (@Los Feliz Daycare)1511977111.0
The news of Keillor's firing comes hot on the heels of this morning's news about Matt Lauer.
What at day. Matt Lauer and Garrison Keillor? Soon we will have only females left!— Nacho Mendez Ⓜ️ (@Nacho Mendez Ⓜ️)1511979977.0