Ugh. This show ruins NPR for me every weekend.
Me too. 
This is what I know about A Prairie Home Companion:
It’s Welcome to Night Vale, except with all the [redacted] taken out.
Ah yes, this is where the enlightened folks on the coast rip on fly-over country bumpkins in the Midwest.
You have to read that just as Garrison would, for maximum effect.
(With a sponsorship message for powdered milk biscuits in between paragraphs)
Fish > Barrel > BANG! {lazy hipsterism}
I thought they were speaking truth to power /s
I’m picturing the word “fun” right there.
This is really, really hilarious.
I actually like Prairie Home Companion, the way I like advent calendars or canned mushroom soup. It’s not like I’d seek them out. But they’re comforting and awesome in their own special ways. And I did pay money to watch the bizarre PHC movie a couple years (?) back.
the best breakdown yet of long-running, insufferably white syndicated public radio variety show “A Prairie Home Companion.”
Unlike, say, BoingBoing? :-/
Zing!!
Same thing can be said of NPR.
i adore garrison and part of his charm is his ‘Colbert-esque’ way that he acknowledges he is insufferable.
To each their own, I am glad I can still listen to new episodes.
My mother grew up on the shores of Lake Wobegon, so it’s no mystery to me what’s behind the humor. It’s just twenty times drier than what this critic is used to.
So someone fails completely to get what is charming and engaging about the show then?
It’s broadcast on Radio 4 extra (or was) and occasionally I’d listen. It’s too long but it really is rather quite charming and enjoyable.
Why do you want to make me feel bad about enjoying something calm, sweet, and comfortable? Is it hurting you somehow?
Also, the show has musical guests! Every episode has like five different bluegrass bands come out at different times and play four songs each. Every song is like eight minutes long, and between each song Garrison Keillor chats with the members of the band for at least fifteen minutes.
Then at the end of the show, another band comes out. This band is probably like three sisters who sing jazz standards together and sometimes gospel.
I honestly snorted at that one 
