Every heart in public radio is heavy this week after the loss one its most beloved figures. Carl Kasell, veteran newscaster and scorekeeper emeritus for Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, died at the age of 84, due to complications of Alzheimer's Disease.
The North Carolina native practiced to be a newscaster when he was just a boy and got his first on-air radio job at age 16. His career in news spanned five decades before he began a second career in his mid 60's as the judge and scorekeeper for a then fledgling news quiz show, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! where the coveted prize was Carl's voice on your home answering machine.
Carl was a rock star in public radio, but he was also a consummate gentleman and one of the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. During the two times Wait Wait came to Asheville, Carl took time to talk with everyone who wanted to meet him. Click on the slideshow above to see a few pictures, and note the looks on everyone's face. There are rock starts and then there's Carl Kasell.
Please join us in remembering Carl. If you have pictures from meeting Carl or just a sentiment you'd like to share, please send them to feedback@bpr.org with "Carl Kasell" in the subject line. We'll be sending a collection of remembrances from Carl's fans in Western North Carolina to our friends at NPR.
- NPR's Neta Ulaby remembered Carl Kasellwhen the news broke earlier this week.
- Carl Kasell worked for nearly 40 years at NPR. His colleagues shared their memories.
- Wait Wait host Peter Sagal remembered his friend this week and recalled how much Carl enjoyed his role with the news quiz show.
