Mr. Krulwich,
You are a sweet kiss the gods have given my life.
Your thoughtful joyful sojourn on this shore gives me hope and encourages my over-curious heart.
Your work always inspires and challenges me.
You make me smile and I deeply thank you.

I wish you all the healthy birthdays you want for as long as it is wise to want them.

Stay crazy.

I really enjoyed this episode. It gave me a whole new appreciation for Robert's contributions. Thanks for sharing this retrospective with us!

Here's another vote for wanting Backfire! Great stuff!

I was introduced to Robert by my father, who to this day will not eat a lobster to show respect for these incredible creatures. Thank you, Robert.

I LOVE RadioLab. I wish there were more episodes. Thank you Robert and Jad. You are the best!!!

This is absolutely the most marvelous "look back" on the career of a uniquely creatively funny mind.
Thank you!

Happy birthday, Robert! I'm so happy I live at a time when I can appreciate the great work you do.

Do you keep these digressions that you cut out in the studio? Because they would make a most excellent podcast all on their own - it would be a hit!

First of all Robert, happy birthday.
Secondly, when he talks really fast, esp. In some of the earlier pieces, he ALMOST sounds like and reaches the frantic announcer pitch of William Conrad of Bullwinkle fame.

Happy Belated Birthday Robert!!! Thank you for sharing the Alligator story.

I was jogging when listening to this and was laughing so hard I had to stop and bend over at the side of the bike path. . . . fabulous gator story!

This is art, plain and simple. Art in audio. Wow.

Happy Birthday, Robert! Hee, I can't remember the last time I laughed this hard. I'm with Poppy. The pundit show was freaking hilarious. And Gators! LOL *wipes tears*

That was such a phenomenal story. I loved every piece - especially the early nasal days and the alligator bit. Crazy!

I listened to this (on my iPod) during my commute to work. By the time I got to the 'gators singing high school marching band french tourists, I was laughing so hard, I'm sure my fellow commuters thought I was insane.

This is the most marvelous of all Robert's storytelling.

Thank God there is someone on this Earth as curious as I am about nearly everything!

Happy Birthday sir! I remember getting out of school for the whole day to be your horn and tuba player. FYI...I am now a band teacher...still telling the story to my kids hoping they choose one of those 2 instruments. :-)

Happy Birthday! Thanks for the unique stories and the many ones to come.

I have been a great fan of Robert Krulwich since his days as a business reporter for NPR in het 80s. I still remember the report he did that claimed to test an economic theory on mice, with little squeaky mouse voices to represent the managers of the mouse business responding to the test. I also remember hearing one of the backfire episodes that had me rolling on the floor with laughter.
WE NEED A REPOSITORY FOR ALL HIS PIECES ON NPR! Or maybe a CD (set of CDs?) of his greatest hits? *I* would send in a contribution to get one. Just now I tried searching for "Backfire" on NPR and there was nothing on the show. I knew he was the best business reporter ever, but I didn't realize he did other reports for NPR before Radiolab. Where can one find this stuff now?

Belated happy birthday Robert. And congrats to you and the whole team. Best audio on the Internet imho.

Can you guys post the video of Robert doing the crocodile thing? PLEASE

Loved this, particularly the absurdist science final piece (and Robert's killer French accent!)

Oh my goodness, Robert Krulwich, you are a genius! Thank you so much for very frequently making my afternoons a little bit brighter! and Happy Birthday to you, sir!

Listened to this piece while running. Ended it with a wide smile on my face. Happy birthday, Robert. The work you and Jad do brightens people's lives. Thank you.

That was fantastic! Thank you!

I was in college, studying Math and Computer Science, when the Morris Worm hit the, then, small and slightly-known, Internet. News outlets went wild saying silly and sometimes downright stupid things about what had happened.

Robert's short piece, for NPR, on the worm was nothing short of genius. It was completely accurate, from a technical perspective while still being enjoyable and easy to understand.

To this day, that piece remains an ideal for me. As a technical author, I strive for the insight, clarity and simplicity brought to it.

Happy birthday to us!

Happy Birthday Robert! Gator story made me burst out laughing in my office!! Please post!!

Happy Belated Birthday, Robert! Thank you so much for the great show and the wonderful stories!

Big fan here. LOVED the gator story - went and retold the whole thing to my husband. Roahhhhrrrr and Happy Birthday!

That was lovely and heartwarming and hysterical. I was giggling in my cubical.

I would love to share the ABC story. For a while it was on their server, but it's not there any more, and we don't own it, so I don't think we can just put it up. I will check around, though.

Happy Birthday Robert? Any chance of us getting to see the footage of that ABC alligator story?

So, the golf retrieval story at the and (it's not a spoiler, just listen to it)... how can you not fall in love with this story? It's insanely brilliant...

Happy Birthday Robert.

You just went on my ideal dinner party guestlist, love your work don't stop doing what you do.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your show!!!!!

In honor of Robert's birthday, I used an ATM while listening to Radiolab listening to Robert reporting about ATMs.

Happy Birthday Mr. Krulwich - double pundit,

I would love to hear the full broadcast of Backfire from 1992 =)

Happy Belated Birthday Robert!!!

Aww, that was lovely!! :) One of my favorites of Radiolab, definitely.

Happy, happy birthday, Robert! Thank you both for fueling my own insatiable curiosity - it's a double edge sword, but so lovely to have fellow "wonderers" driving radio content. I laughed out loud about the beginning of the story regarding the golf balls. We have our own family golf ball story which involved my brother, leeches, a trip to England, and an "impressive" case of epididymitis.

I teach 5th grade and my very favorite resource to use in the classroom is Robert's animated piece on the weight of a hurricane. It's impact is hard to relate, but suffice to say it is not only an informative piece, but "I don't know and I don't care" (with a big grin) is a favorite catch phrase at our team meetings. :)

Here's to many more birthdays and lots more Radiolab!

I was hoping to hear one of the earliest "never heard that on radio before" moments.
It illustrated an economics concept by featuring a chorus of mice chanting "we want mon-ey!".
Happy Birthday, and miss the early NPR before it lost it's whimsy.

Happy Birthday! Wishing you as much joy as Radio Lab brings me!

I loved this episode, and throughout it I kept thinking about Mr. Peabody from the original cartoon. Robert is a dead wringer (voicewise) for Mr. Peabody and has the same intelligent sense of humor (I mean this all as a compliment, I swear!). The recent move was good, but it would have been great with Robert as Mr. Peabody! Just saying . . .

Happy B-Day !!!!!!!!!!

That clip of 1992s Backfire was amazing. I nearly crashed my car laughing. Where can I find the archives?

Happy Birthday Robert!!!

I had just recently realized how much of a fan I was your work. I've been reading your NPR articles for quite a while now and just realized it was you who wrote it! Thank you for existing, you've made my mundane life, our lives, brighter!!!

Happy birthday Robert!

I had the worst day today, but by the time I finished hearing that aligator story I was laughing so hard tears were rolling down my face.

Cheers!

LOVED this cast. Thank you for sharing. Listening to people who have found an outlet for their passion (and getting paid to do it!) are inspiring to me. P.S. Any chance you could post the Gator TV spot? would love to SEE it.

A Very Happy Birthday to you.

A great idea and wonderful show. Thanks for sharing, and happy birthday Robert!

Listening to the gator story, the unfolding of events, being close to failure but happening to get it at the last try by being curious and chasing after the rabbit down its hole wherever it may lead you, that's part of what makes Radiolab my favorite show. Happy birthday Robert!

I "discovered" Robert for myself back in the early 90's and was just mesmerized by his storytelling. I remember searching for any programs where he was involved because they were always so good. And with all due respect to Jad, I came across RL because I was doing another Krulwich Krawl. Happy Birthday!

You're a gem, Robert! I was laughing out loud while listening to this at work. Happy Birthday.

You're the best, Robert! I also like your blog and drawings. It was so great to hear this podcast made especially for you. What a funny guy!

Just awesome. Happy birthday, Robert!

Thank you for your work, and happy birthday. So much good!

fantastic.

Happy Birthday Robert!!!!!
Wishing many, many happy years doing what you love the most.

This episode is historically funny. Thank you for sharing it with us. French ascent and Robert’s laugh are hilarious.