We're Wobegon: Garrison Keillor Says He's Retiring In 2013

A Prairie Home Companion host Garrison Keillor has told the AARP Bulletin that he's planning to retire from the show in the spring of 2013.

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Now 68, Keillor tells AARP that:

-- "I am planning to retire in the spring of 2013, but first I have to find my replacement. I'm pushing forward, and also I'm in denial. It's an interesting time of life."

-- On the issue of retirement in general, "when I was younger, I was all in favor of it, and now that I'm at that age, I'm not sure. I sure don't want to make a fool of myself and be singing romantic duets with 25-year-old women when I'm 75. But on the other hand, it's so much fun."

Keep in mind, fans: Keillor left the show once before (in 1987), only to return to the airwaves two years later.

A Prairie Home Companion is "produced by Prairie Home Productions, and distributed nationwide by American Public Media. The program is underwritten by General Mills and Ford."

Update at 4:35 p.m. ET. And Another Reason For Fans To Doubt He's Leaving?

"Just chatted with MPR President and CEO, Bill Kling, who takes a rather blasé attitude toward Keillor's announcement that he plans to retire from A Prairie Home Companion in the spring of 2013," writes Marianne Combs at Minnesota Public Radio's State of the Arts blog.

"I don't consider it news because Garrison has been talking about things like this for the last couple of years and when Garrison says it, it doesn't necessarily mean anything more than that morning's musings," Kling told Combs.