Fans of the show know that Carl has been out with an illness for a while now (is it two months?) and even before that his voice was sounding a bit attenuated. “Legendary broadcaster” Bill Kurtis is doing a fine job filling in, but Carl is inimitable, and I hope he’ll be back very soon. Get well quick, Carl!
Any idea what’s been wrong with him? Peter has said he’s expected to be back with the show soon.
He tweeted that he’s under doctor’s orders to rest.
The Wait Wait people invited the audience to send cards to Carl at: Carl Kasell, NPR, 1111 N Capitol St NE, Washington, DC 20002
The first week that he was gone, I thought Peter Sagal said that Carl was off accepting an award somewhere. But as weeks stretched into months I started to wonder just how far he’d had to travel to accept that award. 
Before Carl retired, I figured he must have had a hell of a travel schedule, reading the news from NPR HQ in Washington every day and then having to fly to Chicago and back every week to do WWDTM.
Get well Carl!
I miss Carl, too. Best wishes to him for a good recovery.
Meanwhile: Bill Kurtis has worn out the “legendary” line. STOP!
Did Carl copyright the deep voiced here’s johnny esque “peeeeeeeeter”, because I notice that no one tries to do that when they sub for him. Perhaps he can give permission this time, or are they just afraid of following in his footsteps?
I’m at a minikeyboard at the moment or I’d look, but have you actually heard the messages he makes for the winners? Some of them are absolutely hysterical.
Yeah, Bill is alright but Carl is better. The show isn’t the same without him. From what Petr has been saying, I keep expecting him to back the next week, but no. Hope he’s OK.
Carl is great and hope he gets well and back on.
I’m not a fan of Bill’s. He tries to be funny, and it doesn’t work for me. I like Carl as more of the straight man/understated announcer, letting Peter make the jokes. They play off each other well.
I’ve always wondered what the voice mail messages Carl makes sound like, but never thought to check online. A-googling I go…
I miss Cark Kasell but am REALLY going to miss Neal Conan.
I do miss Carl, but I like Bill Kurtis.
I miss Carl too …and his clacking dentures. What? Too gauche? 
I do like Bill (even the “legendary newscaster” bit), but yes, I’m hoping Carl’s better soon.
Once when Roger Ebert ran a limerick contest, I submitted this little ditty:
Of limericks I see a passel
Reading 'em shouldn’t be a hassle
But there’s a bug in my ear
For all the rhymes I can hear
Only in the voice of Carl Kasell
I didn’t win. But this is the only limerick I have ever written that I like. And this is the only opportunity I’ve ever had to pull it out.
I miss Carl too. And I really do hear limericks only in his voice now.
This weekend’s WWDTM was a “best of” moments featuring scientists playing ‘Not My Job’ from the past year, but it did include introductions to the segments by Peter and Carl. Does anybody know if this means Carl is back or if they just recorded the composite introductions months ago?
Kurtis is the soul of self-parody. He’s great for WW. Still want Kasell back. They don’t make voices like his anymore.
I thought they used the original introductions.
There was an intro at the beginning telling what this episode was going to be (i.e. a radio version of a flashback episode) and then a few seconds blip intro in front of replaying the segments (e.g. “Neil DeGrasse Tyson was our guest and talked about Pluto” [cue segment]). I think Peter did all the blip intros, but Carl had some banter with him at the very beginning.
Per a recent statement, his illness is “inflammation of the arteries” and requires diet, exercise, and bed rest. He said that he’s doing well and hopes to be back soon and that his main complaint is he’s bored out of his mind.