Thread.
Shitty people can make good and even great art. Likewise, dropping a favorite artist after you realize you can no longer support them can feel like a divorce or a friend breakup because they and their work were just that important to you. That shit hurts, even when it's necessary for you.
A tough one to sit with--but we must--is that some people's ability to make good art in part derived from, or was protected by, the fact that they were enabling or doing terrible things. See also: We Need to Talk about Cosby doc. Even more troubling on this score: Read deep reporting on Alice Munro
The one that got me was Garrison Keillor. Rowling, meh, Eddings, meh, Gaiman, ouch, but I literally grew up on Prairie Home Companion. I have been known to sing the Powdermilk Biscuit song in the shower.
That one still hurts.
Feb 3, 2026 19:26Yeah, that one was painful. I grew up with PHC too - listening with the whole family over Sunday brunch - and Writer’s Almanac also held a special place in my heart.
