Radio Sweethearts

The Bryant Park Project has me confused.

On their Twitter, Laura C. occasionally posts about the “emergency Krulwich” phenomenon. It’s like this: sometimes, in live radio, people make timing mistakes. For those occasions, they keep a few stories featuring NPR science dude Robert Krulwich.

This has led me to believe that somewhere, in the NPR building, enclosed in glass with “Break in case of emergency” etched on it, sits Mr. Krulwich, waiting for any opportunity to spring into action.

Whenever dead air is imminent, I picture frantic producers rushing through WNYC yelling “Where’s Krulwich? Only Krulwich can save us!” Heaven forbid the man ever step out for coffee or a smoke.

Krulwich is one of the hosts of way-better-than-Science-Friday science show “Radio Lab“, and he’s done stories for other NPR shows. When I heard him yesterday on “All Things Considered”, I couldn’t help but think that they were having some kind of radio emergency.

Though, if there were an emergency, Krulwich looks like the guy to call. He looks unflappable, kind of like he could be the Anderson Cooper or James Bond of public radio. He’s the guy who carries gum, pre-threaded needles, Tide-to-Go pens and a portable roll of toilet paper in his briefcase, which means that Krulwich is not unlike my mom.

Krulwich even saved this post. I was at a total loss for what to write about today, and he came to the rescue without even realizing it.
So here’s to Robert “Emergency” Krulwich, patron saint of content emergencies. We raise our shattered glass to you.