# Happy 90th, Tom Lehrer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2018, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074 "2018-04-09T12:42:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/1 "2018-04-09T12:42:26Z")
[Tom Lehrer at 90: a life of scientific satire](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-03922-x) _That Was The Year That Was_ was one of my favorite childhood records(age 6), just about wore that thing out. I didn’t discover his other albums until much later. Reported for forum change. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/2 "2018-04-09T13:17:41Z")
My sister sent me that link, with the comment “I had no idea he was still alive.” Love his quote: > [@](#): > > “Things I once thought were funny are scary now. I often feel like a resident of Pompeii who has been asked for some humorous comments on lava.” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/3 "2018-04-09T15:44:18Z")
In base-8, he was born on April 11, 3610, and is celebrating his 132 birthday. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/4 "2018-04-09T16:04:38Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > In base-8, he was born on April 11, 3610, and is celebrating his 132 birthday. Are you missing two fingers? ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/5 "2018-04-09T17:17:34Z")
Happy 90th! and thanks for the link, Coach ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/6 "2018-04-09T17:55:17Z")
Ready, aim, _SING!_ ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/7 "2018-04-09T18:13:36Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Are you missing two fingers? **Czarcasm** was probably thinking about childhood and the New Math; how soon we forget. As everyone knows, children are born with only 8 fingers and don’t get the full complement of 10 until puberty. This makes base-8 math easier for the young, but harder for the mature. As Tom reminded us, > [@](#): > > It’s so simple, so very simple, that only a child can do it. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/8 "2018-04-09T18:20:29Z")
Moved ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/9 "2018-04-09T18:22:15Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > **Czarcasm** was probably thinking about childhood and the New Math; how soon we forget. As everyone knows, children are born with only 8 fingers and don’t get the full complement of 10 until puberty. This makes base-8 math easier for the young, but harder for the mature. As Tom reminded us, I’m pretty sure he got the reference. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/10 "2018-04-09T18:26:32Z")
In honor of Mr. Lehrer, whom I have adored since early adolescence, today I shall hold a rose in my teeth, with the thorns underneath, sticking into my gums. Happiest of 90ths, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/11 "2018-04-09T18:27:32Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Reported for forum change. :smack: > [@Loach](#): > > Moved Given how many threads with a link the OP reports, I’m kinda surprised it got moved to CS & **not** the cornfield, which is, I assume, a reflex for our mods. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/12 "2018-04-09T18:34:59Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Are you missing two fingers? Everybody thinks that their number system is base-10. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/13 "2018-04-09T19:11:03Z")
Anybody up for a nice stroll in the park today? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/14 "2018-04-09T19:24:09Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Anybody up for a nice stroll in the park today? 🆒 Irish Stew at my place after. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/15 "2018-04-09T19:35:01Z")
[Who can turn a Tom, into a tome?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91BQqdNOUxs) Happy birthday, Mr. Lehrer! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/16 "2018-04-09T20:15:36Z")
Not a word about it in [The Vatican Rag.](https://www.vaticannews.va/en.html) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/17 "2018-04-09T20:20:04Z")
Who wants to join me for a banana split? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/18 "2018-04-09T21:46:40Z")
I have a copy of his original 10" LP that I found in a secondhand store and snapped up immediately. I think I first heard him on TW3. This was pre-Monty Python, pre-Firesign Theatre, pre-hippie movement. There was nothing like him. I’ve been a fan for 50+ years. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/19 "2018-04-09T22:52:10Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Anybody up for a nice stroll in the park today? 🆒 With the peanuts coated with cyanide? That is still, for some reason, my annual spring anthem to be sung when walking to work on the first really nice day of the year. Which here in upstate NY we’re still waiting for, and it’s mid-April. Geez. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074/20 "2018-04-09T23:45:47Z")
I hope he is not too old and grey. And I hope he acted with agility when he still had facility. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/happy-90th-tom-lehrer/812074.md?page=2)