Minnesota’s #MeToo Casualties Al Franken and Garrison Keillor Plot Comebacks

Former Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) and iconic Minnesota Public Radio host Garrison Keillor were among the biggest names brought down by the #MeToo Movement, but both are plotting comebacks as the dust begins to settle.

Franken, a one-time SNL cast member, is trying his hand at podcasts, and has so far produced three episodes of his yet untitled show. Franken recently sat down with comedian Dana Carvey to discuss the passing of President George H.W. Bush, whom Carvey famously impersonated.

His other shows have been with former Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Andy Slavitt, and author David Frum, who recently published a book titled “Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic.”

Franken, who resigned in early 2018 after facing multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, has also been doing some writing. He published an article on Medium called “He’s Doing the Best He Can” in which he claims that it’s “time for Republicans who knew they put a dangerously unqualified buffoon in the White House to either help contain the damage or get the hell out of the way.”

Keillor, meanwhile, has been performing sold-out shows at Crooners Lounge and Supper Club in Fridley, Minnesota, and performed a December 2 show at New York City’s Merkin Hall. He told The Star Tribune last week that he’s “working on a memoir and a musical,” but sold his Common Good bookstore on Cathedral Hill.

“I opened Common Good Books because I loved the bookstores I knew around the U, Perrine’s and McCosh’s and Heddan’s and Savran’s. And now I’m leaving town and am busy writing a book of my own so it’s time to turn over the business to someone else,” he told The Pioneer Press.

In 2017, Keillor was fired by MPR after he was accused of “inappropriate behavior” toward a co-worker. After his departure, Keillor initially said he felt like he needed “to leave the country in order to walk around in public.” While he did sell his St. Paul home and move to an apartment in Minneapolis, he told The Star Tribune that he has no plans of permanently residing at his second home in Manhattan.

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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Garrison Keillor” by Ryan Soma CC2.0 and “Al Franken” by Lorie Shaull CC2.0.