{"id":1811492,"date":"2026-07-03T12:17:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T12:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/?p=1811492"},"modified":"2026-07-03T12:17:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T12:17:00","slug":"wprs-larry-meiller-signs-off-after-nearly-60-years-entertainment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wprs-larry-meiller-signs-off-after-nearly-60-years-entertainment\/","title":{"rendered":"WPR\u2019s Larry Meiller signs off after nearly 60 years | Entertainment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/figure>\n<\/p>\n
\n

The Cap Times is an independent newsroom serving Madison and Wisconsin. Sign up for the Food & Culture newsletter<\/a> for exclusive weekly insight.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Even after the better part of a century on the airwaves,<\/span> Larry Meiller<\/span><\/a> still has stress dreams about work.<\/span><\/p>\n

The night before the last episode of \u201cThe Larry Meiller Show,\u201d the longtime radio host had a dream. \u201cMy watch was broken, and I said, \u2018What time is it?\u2019\u201d he recalled. In the dream, he was walking around his office in the Life Sciences Communication department.<\/p>\n

\u201cI finally find somebody, and it\u2019s 10 minutes to 11. Holy cow, I\u2019m supposed to be on the air,\u201d he said. Meiller recounted the dream in a studio in Vilas Hall in Madison, the home of Wisconsin Public Radio, a few minutes before starting his final call-in show.<\/p>\n

Meiller, host of \u201cThe Larry Meiller Show\u201d since 1978, celebrated his final show on June 30. He announced his\u00a0<\/span>retirement last December<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The call-in show, the longest-running of its kind on WPR and one of the first on public radio, focuses on all things Wisconsin and dives into the natural curiosities a person might have.<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n

<\/p>\n

Larry Meiller\u2019s shirt listed his radio accomplishments. He\u2019s hosted over 13,000 episodes, conducted 30,000 interviews and received half a million calls and interviews.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Recent topics include\u00a0<\/span>how to prepare your vehicle for a road trip,<\/span><\/a> predictions for the\u00a0<\/span>2026 mosquito season<\/span><\/a> and\u00a0<\/span>tips for training a dog<\/span><\/a>. Meiller interviews local authors and estimates he reads about 50 books a year for the show. (He reads every single book cover to cover.)<\/span><\/p>\n

On his last day, Meiller was joined on the air by longtime friends and collaborators Jill Nadeau, executive producer of \u201cThe Larry Meiller Show,\u201d and Lee Rayburn, the show\u2019s technical director.<\/p>\n

Starting July 6, from Monday to Thursday, the timeslot formerly occupied by Meiller will become the \u201cThe Lee Rayburn Show,\u201d hosted by Rayburn. On Fridays, Nadeau will host \u201cGarden Talk,\u201d a weekly show in Meiller\u2019s rotation.<\/p>\n

Meiller is known for his inquisitive and welcoming nature on the air and his dedication to helping his listeners live better lives. Many have called him the epitome of the Wisconsin Idea: a person who is always learning and believes their work should benefit others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meiller was a longtime professor in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He said on air he taught \u201c104 semesters\u201d (the equivalent of more than 50 years) and mentored hundreds of students.<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
\n

\"Larry\n <\/div>\n<\/div>

\n

<\/p>\n

Larry Meiller sits in his office on his last day live on the air with \u201cThe Larry Meiller Show.\u201d He started the call-in program, then a novel idea, in 1978.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

As the trio sat in the studio and watched the clock creep closer to 11 a.m. (the show runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), conversation oscillated between emotional moments (Nadeau made sure there was a box of tissues close by), familiar wisecracks and downright silliness \u2014 like Meiller recounting his dream, which ended with a guy telling him to take a shortcut to the studio by swimming across a lake.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s unlikely these kinds of dreams will ever go away, even in retirement. Meiller reflected on a story Maury White told him \u2014 Meiller began his radio career in 1967 after subbing in for a summer for White, a UW-Madison professor who hosted a farm show:<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me \u2014 and he was like 90 at the time \u2014 he said, \u2018I still have that dream every once in a while,\u2019 and it had been 50 years since he\u2019d been on the air.\u201d<\/p>\n

The phone lines lit up<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On his final day as a radio host, Meiller\u2019s day started early. He arrived at the WPR offices on the seventh floor of Vilas around 7:30 a.m., stopping by a nearby coffeeshop beforehand. The folks behind the bar gave him a scone and a coffee on the house for his final day.<\/p>\n

His office, which he shares with Nadeau, is balmy. That day, UW-Madison closed over a dozen buildings after a water line broke, impacting the school\u2019s air-conditioning capacity amid a nationwide heat wave.<\/span><\/p>\n

There were going to be treats and a celebration for Meiller\u2019s last show, but many employees were out of the office due to the heat. Parts of the WPR building were still being chilled, such as the recording studio.<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n

<\/p>\n

Larry Meiller\u2019s last day hosting \u201cThe Larry Meiller Show\u201d was filled with some tears, but mostly laughs, as people recounted old memories and swapped stories about Meiller\u2019s nearly 60 years on air.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

At his desk, Meiller went over the schedule for the day\u2019s show. Over the last few weeks, guests have been asked to turn the tables on Meiller, asking him questions about his career and tenure as host. This show aired snippets from those past conversations, which Meiller relistened to ahead of going live.<\/span><\/p>\n

One question, from frequent guest Jim Ward, asked Meiller, \u201cAfter talking with Wisconsinites every day for nearly 60 years, I wonder, what is something you learned about people that surprised you when you started, and that you still believe today?\u201d Ward comes on the show to talk about car maintenance.<\/p>\n

Meiller expressed surprise that the concept of a call-in show took off.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo many people were actually willing to call in and ask questions,\u201d he said. \u201cI was amazed when the first show that I ever did, the call-in talk show, that the phone lines \u2014 we had eight lines at that time \u2014 and they all lit up almost immediately, and they stayed that way, and that\u2019s still the case today.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

As he prepped, people stopped by the office to say goodbye. Ruthanne Bessman, host of \u201cClassics by Request\u201d on WPR, gave Meiller an origami pair of lips. Jason Butler, executive assistant to WPR\u2019s executive director, used to screen calls for Meiller and stopped to congratulate him. They reminisced about how they\u2019d queue questions from callers so that hot-button topics \u2014 like the cleanliness of rest stop bathrooms \u2014 didn\u2019t derail a show.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n

<\/p>\n

Throughout the day, guests popped into Larry Meiller\u2019s office to say goodbye and congratuate him on his last day. Ruthanne Bessman, host of \u201cClassics by Request\u201d on WPR, gave Meiller an origami pair of lips she made.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Meiller had the editor of \u201cWisconsin Trails,\u201d a now-defunct magazine about Wisconsin, on an episode. About 15 minutes in, one caller shared a story and then ended with an anecdote about a specific rest stop, saying the bathrooms weren\u2019t clean.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen right away, boom, boom, boom. The phone lines lit up, and everybody wanted to talk about the restrooms,\u201d Meiller said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The lesson on queuing calls? Put the ones likely to evoke reactions at the end of the show.<\/p>\n

Butler couldn\u2019t leave without asking a practical \u2014 and very Wisconsin \u2014 question.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOK, my kids and I think that there are an enormous amount of rabbits, like bunny rabbits, in Madison. Are there more rabbits now than there were 5-10 years ago?\u201d<\/p>\n

Meiller, whose office is filled with reference books on nature and outdoor life (he said he hangs on to books on topics or by guests he knows will come on the show again), said likely not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no natural predators, so they live a pretty good life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n

<\/p>\n

Lee Rayburn wore the unofficial uniform of the day \u2014\u00a0a shirt with Meiller\u2019s face on it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Sharing his life with Wisconsin<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Around 10 a.m., Meiller walked out of his office and into the studio. His setup is minimal. He has his computer in front of him and a few printouts: a rough schedule of the show and a script for the billboards (pre-recorded segments where Meiller previews the show\u2019s themes).<\/p>\n

He had a vintage pair of Sennheiser HD 414 headphones with bright yellow pads over the ears. \u201cI\u2019ve been using headsets like this one for at least 50 years,\u201d Meiller said. \u201cYou can have them on and still hear what\u2019s going on. They\u2019re not sound-deadening.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why we don\u2019t like them,\u201d\u00a0Nadeau said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meiller laughed. \u201cThat\u2019s why I like them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n

<\/p>\n

Larry Meiller goes over show notes ahead of his last live eipsode of WPR\u2019s \u201cThe Larry Meiller Show.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

As he recorded the billboards, Meiller demonstrated how inflection and vocal pace can help listeners follow along with what he\u2019s saying.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes there are two thoughts in a (sentence), and when you\u2019re entering the first thought, usually I end that maybe a little on, \u2018And so there\u2019s that part of the show,\u2019\u201d he said, ending this clause with an upward inflection. He took a beat before he began the second half of the sentence, mimicking the pacing of the first clause but slowing down the last few words to make both distinct: \u201c\u2018And now there\u2019s this other part of the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was clear Meiller wanted to keep the mood for the day light and fun. He said he\u2019s prone to getting emotional if he\u2019s watching a house-hunting show and a couple gets the home they dreamed of.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s a guest scheduled to appear, he\u2019ll spend some of this time chatting with them, usually about nothing related to what they\u2019re going to talk about on the air. \u201cYou get a shorter answer,\u201d he said, if he talked previously about topics he hopes to cover live.<\/p>\n

But since it\u2019s just him, Nadeau and Rayburn, they just \u201cgossip.\u201d By gossip, he means telling old stories. \u201cI talk about my hole-in-one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nadeau jumped in with the familiarity of someone who has heard this one before: \u201cNov. 7, 2025\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c…on the seventh hole at Odana, 170 yards…\u201d Meiller responded. They both started giggling.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n

<\/p>\n

Before they go live on the air, Larry Meiller and his team \u2014\u00a0on his last day, he co-hosted with executive producer Jill Nadeau and technical director Lee Rayburn \u2014\u00a0tell jokes and just \u201cgossip,\u201d Meiller said.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

I<\/span>n the sound booth \u2014 wearing the unofficial uniform of the day, a shirt with a cartoon version of Meiller\u2019s face (many folks, including Meiller, have it on), the back listing his on-air accomplishments \u2014 was Meiller\u2019s daughter Emily.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s pretty emotional (watching his last show) because he\u2019s been doing this my whole life,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen I was little, I used to come into work a lot with him.\u201d As a kid, Meiller would have her sign off on shows during the holiday season. \u201cLittle me would go, \u2018Happy Thanksgiving!\u2019 into the mic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Emily said the version of her father that listeners get is the version she sees at home. \u201cHe shares his life with everybody in Wisconsin. And it\u2019s so special.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Thanks for the memory\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before the show started, Nadeau went over the episode\u2019s schedule. Meiller mentioned he listened to all the clips they plan to air, but wished that he had \u201cedited out a few of my \u2018ahs,\u2019 especially from the early ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWow, 59 years and you\u2019re still self-conscious,\u201d Rayburn teased.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then it was time to go live. Meiller kicked off the show, reminding listeners that this was his last live show and inviting them to call in. \u201cIf you have a story about how this show has affected you in one way or another, large or small, in your life, I\u2019d love to hear that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The trio talked about Meiller\u2019s statewide tour, where he did live shows and held community conversations about his career. At most stops, Meiller said, people lined up for up to an hour to take a photo with him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n

<\/p>\n

Larry Meiller, Jill Nadeau and Lee Rayburn record the last episode of \u201cThe Larry Meiller Show.\u201d Starting June 6, Rayburn will host \u201cThe Lee Rayburn Show\u201d and Nadeau will take over hosting \u201cGarden Talk,\u201d a weekly recurring segment.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cEvery single time we\u2019d have somebody take a photo with me, they had a comment about something that happened to them \u2026 a good thing as a result of the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

The show remained joyous and wistful, toggling between pre-recorded segments and long-running bits, like talking about Limey, a lime tree Meiller had that listeners frequently checked in on. (The tree has long since passed, but frequent \u201cGarden Talk\u201d guest Patty Nagai got him another tree, called Limey II.)<\/span><\/p>\n

They fielded calls from longtime listeners of all ages, like John in Watertown, a letter carrier, and Danny in Madison, who started listening to Meiller because of their grandparents. \u201cI\u2019m only 24 and everyone my age I know is probably not listening to your show, but I really enjoyed it,\u201d Danny said.<\/p>\n

They even got a call from frequent call-in guest Santa Claus.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just got a note from Mrs. Claus saying that this is your last show. I can\u2019t believe it! How did this happen?\u201d Santa asked. Meiller revealed that Santa has been played for nearly two decades by Buzz Kemper, a local voice-over actor.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we started before Legos were invented,\u201d Kemper said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Things started getting emotional toward the end. Nadeau surprised Meiller with a song inspired by a tradition started by Bob Hope.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember (at) the end of his shows he used to do, \u2018Thanks For the Memory?\u2019 … (He would) rewrite the lyrics depending on what was going on at the time,\u201d she said. Nadeau rewrote the song and had S\u00edle Shigley, host of WPR\u2019s \u201cSimply Folk,\u201d sing the modified version.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThanks for the memory\/\u00a0<\/em>Of 60 years as host\/\u00a0<\/em>And not a single boast<\/em><\/p>\n

Helpful tips and funny quips\/\u00a0<\/em>And how to cook a roast<\/em><\/p>\n

How lovely it was.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Meiller grabbed the tissue box. As the show wrapped, Nadeau handed him a sheet with the lyrics for reference. That\u2019s good, Meiller said. \u201cI was too busy sobbing to myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

\n
\n <\/span><\/p>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>
\n

<\/p>\n

People gathered outside the studio to give Larry Meiller applause at the end of his last live show.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n


\n ASHLEY RODRIGUEZ<\/span>
\n <\/span><\/p>\n


\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Smile because it happened<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Toward the end of the show, more and more people began packing into the sound booth to watch the final moments.<\/p>\n

Meiller\u2019s sign-off was sincere and direct. \u201cThank you very much for listening today and for all of the times that you have listened to this show. It\u2019s been a treat.\u201d He also encouraged people to keep listening. \u201cAnd stay with us!. Lots more in store here on WPR News.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the music faded in, listeners could hear a sniffle or two.<\/p>\n

On the WPR website, Meiller\u2019s last episode is called \u201cDon\u2019t cry because it\u2019s over. Smile because it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the studio, folks clapped as Meiller took off his headphones and walked out of the studio. Rob Ferrett, co-host of \u201cWisconsin Today,\u201d asked Meiller if he could fill in for him tomorrow, which caused the group to erupt in laughter.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meiller addressed the group through tears. \u201cWell, hard to talk now. It\u2019s been a real pleasure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meiller packed many of his items in large tote bags to carry out of the office \u2014 Meiller, his daughter Emily, Nadeau, Rayburn and the rest of the team, including producers Clara Neupert and Joel Patenaude and technical director Jeff Robbins, were all going to escape the heat at Vilas and celebrate with lunch at the Nitty Gritty.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The bags were filled with letters he\u2019s received from listeners.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are listeners, and there are also guests, who will often send a note and say, \u2018Wow, you are such a good interviewer. \u2026 You really made me feel comfortable, and that really helped the conversation,\u2019\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Listeners might not hear Meiller on the air every day anymore, but he\u2019ll still be around. And he might be at the WPR offices sooner rather than later. \u201cI have to come back for cookies.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source captimes.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018 O artigo anterior foi obtido e traduzido do site internacional da celebrity.land \u2019 Source Link <\/em><\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Cap Times is an independent newsroom serving Madison and Wisconsin. Sign up for the Food & Culture newsletter for exclusive weekly insight. Even after the better part of a century on the airwaves, Larry Meiller still has stress dreams about work. The night before the last episode of \u201cThe Larry Meiller Show,\u201d the longtime […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1811493,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1811492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entretenimento"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1811492"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811492\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1811494,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811492\/revisions\/1811494"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1811493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1811492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1811492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1811492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}