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Radiolab

Happy Birthday Bobby K

Radiolab

WNYC Studios

Natural Sciences, History, Documentary, Science, Society & Culture

4.644.5K Ratings

🗓️ 7 August 2014

⏱️ 30 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It’s Robert’s birthday! (Or it was, anyway, a couple days back.) So today we celebrate with some classic Krulwich radio and a backwards peek into the spirit and sensibility that, in many ways, drives our show. For his birthday surprise we all listened to some old NPR pieces that Robert did in the 70s, 80s and early 90s — a news piece on the dawn of the ATM, a fake opera on interest rates, and the story of a family business splintered into relatives fighting to be first in the phone book. Along the way, we hear some incredible stories from Robert’s life …  And, just to celebrate the man whose infectious curiosity draws so many people (including us) to his side … we share with you the kind of gonzo, full-throated Krulwich story we usually can’t include in the show … an epic of secret zoos, sewing machines, an alligator farm, a marching band, and a bus full of French tourists that save the day.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Wait, you're listening?

0:03.1

Okay.

0:04.4

All right.

0:05.6

Okay.

0:07.0

All right.

0:08.5

You're listening to Radio Lab.

0:11.4

Radio Lab.

0:12.0

Shorts!

0:13.5

From W. N. W.N. Y's.

0:15.9

C?

0:16.7

See?

0:17.0

Yes.

0:18.5

And NPR.

0:23.6

If any sense, I know what's says I don't know what's happening? We can do it a little.

0:25.6

Yeah, we can do a little.

0:28.6

We got Robert into the studio.

0:31.6

When I noticed it, there's not wearing his headphones on.

0:34.6

And we ambushed him.

0:35.6

It would be birthday.

0:38.7

The whole staff rushed in singing cake, the whole deal.

0:45.4

Now Robert famously hates his birthday.

0:47.5

I have spent such a long time trying to hide my birthday for everybody.

...

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