Nora McInerny, a popular Minnesota-based author and host of the “Terrible, Thanks for Asking Podcast,” recently resigned from Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine because of its new Garrison Keillor cover story.
“Up until this week I was a columnist for Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine—their January 2020 cover story is why I am no longer working with them,” McInerny announced on Twitter last week along with a photo of Keillor’s face on the front page of the forthcoming issue.
https://twitter.com/noraborealis/status/1209162842555002880?
Keillor, the former host of “A Prairie Home Companion,” was fired by Minnesota Public Radio in November 2017 after he was accused of “inappropriate behavior” towards a female co-worker. An investigation published by his former employer uncovered a “years-long pattern of behavior that left several women who worked for Keillor feeling mistreated, sexualized or belittled.”
In one case, Keillor told one of his University of Minnesota students via email about his “intense attraction” to her. The disgraced radio host also paid off a former subordinate with whom he was romantically involved and asked her to sign a confidentiality agreement that prevented her from disclosing “personal or confidential details” about Keillor.
Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine states in a summary of its January 2020 issue that the Keillor profile discusses how he “explains the past” and “imagines his future.”
“This coverage is a privilege afforded to a certain kind of man. By men and complicit women,” McInerny said when announcing her departure. “And when we prioritize the documentation of a powerful man because of his art or his culture impact—we tell women and survivors everywhere a powerful message.”
“We confirm that he is more interesting, more worth documenting and analyzing, than the impact of his actions,” she continued.
McInerny said she raised her concerns with the magazine’s editorial staff and was given 24 hours to write a response “without being given access to this story.”
“I encouraged them to think of the impact of all survivors who will see this cover,” said McInerny, who later criticized the author of the Keillor piece for not mentioning any of the details surrounding the allegations against Keillor.
Keillor sold his St. Paul bookstore earlier this year and moved to an apartment in Minneapolis after selling his home. He said he was “working on a memoir and a musical” and was performing sold-out shows at various venues across Minnesota.
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Nora McInerny” by Nora McInerny.
