Radio’s Keillor booted

GARRISON KEILLOR, the force behind the popular “A Prairie Home Companion” show, was fired by Minnesota Public Radio on Wednesday over accusations of inappropriate behavior.

The radio station received a complaint about improper actions between Keillor and a subordinate on the popular Saturday afternoon radio show, it said in a statement.

Keillor continued producing a literary show called “The Writer’s Almanac” after retiring from “A Prairie Home Companion” last year.

Keillor called the firing “a real distinction in broadcasting,” and said it was just a misunderstanding with a female employee.

“I put my hand on a woman’s bare back,” Keillor told the Star Tribune. “I meant to pat her back after she told me about her unhappiness and her shirt was open and my hand went up it about 6 inches. She recoiled. I apologized.”

Keillor said he emailed the woman to express remorse, and she responded “not to think about it.”

“We were friends,” Keillor told the paper. “We continued to be friendly right up until her lawyer called.”