NPR: A Toast to the Bryant Park Project

A Toast to the Bryant Park Project

As the BPP posse wraps up its final show, I just wanted to hijack their blog for a moment and ask all of you to raise a glass and join me in a toast.

From start to finish, through thick and thin, the Bryant Park Project team has been innovative, entertaining, informative and a class act. You've created more than a show, more than a community - you've created a family, and for that I thank each and every one of you.

Cheers, BPP, and thank you again - it won't be the same here without you.

Andy Carvin

8:42 AM ET | 07-25-2008 | permalink

Comments

You will be missed, bpp. You did good work. You made people smarter. You made people happy. We thank you.

Sent by Meredith | 8:47 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Here, here!! Raising my cup of coffee.

It's been wonderful, weird and fun and I love all you guys.

Good luck to you. See you at the Diner.

Sent by Susie @rangersusie | 8:47 AM ET | 07-25-2008

You guys are amazing and will be missed tremendously. I'm so sad today...

Sent by Janie Pashman | 8:48 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Great job guys. Way to show how its done, learning on the way and bringing a lot of people with you. Your hard work will not be in vain.

Sent by Kevin Anderson | 8:48 AM ET | 07-25-2008

You will be missed, But, could you replay the Smile Smile Smile song AND please state the writers name? It's a great song to send off with....

Sent by JoAnne Elkins | 8:52 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Yay! Congrats on bringing your incredible gifts and production to us via BPP. Ongoing cheers to the team!

Sent by Jill Foster | 8:52 AM ET | 07-25-2008

I echo the sentimenets. I have listened to you for about the length of the time you have been on the air, here from my little room in Sakado, Saitama.

LEt me know where you go.

Sent by Edo River | 8:52 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Hi BPP,

I just discovered you guys this week and I'm sad that today is the last day..

Sent by Cubicle Employee | 8:53 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Great last show. Thanks so much for making me care.

Sarah

Sent by Sarah Lee | 8:54 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Mornings won't be the same...

Sent by Carlo | 8:56 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Bon voyage guys. Great show!

Sent by andrew kornylak | 8:59 AM ET | 07-25-2008

So here I am, logging onto sirius online at my desk. We had canceled sirius in our old vehicle in a billing dispute, but had recently bought a new vehicle with a year's subscription and I was ABOUT to re-up it in our old vehicle, since that's the one I'm driving and you weren't carried on WDET. And what do I get to hear at my desk, but a farewell party? NOOOOOOO!

Good luck with all your future endeavors. Sirius can wait. Perhaps indefinitely.

Sent by Mark Wade | 8:59 AM ET | 07-25-2008

This is almost the beginning of my vacation. If everything is planned and has meaning...what is the meaning of the end, the enjoyment I have had listening to you guys on BPP

Sent by Edo River | 9:00 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Good luck guys.
It was an emotional ending.
You all will be missed.

Take care and good luck

Sent by Hicham | 9:00 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Attempt to disbelieve: still on stage 1. I loved you guys, good luck wherever you go!

Sent by Chuck Frnaklin | 9:01 AM ET | 07-25-2008

And now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing. Thanks for a memorable year of fun, innovative, clever, and educational radio (and beyond). The world is a poorer place without The Bryant Park Project and I will miss it immensely.

Sent by Dan M | 9:01 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Clink, clink.

Sent by Steve Petersen | 9:09 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Hear, Hear... I will miss listening to you everyday here in Boston. What a smart bunch of folks you are. I will be raising a glass to you tonight as my Sox play your NY Yanks tonight at Fenway. Good Luck to you all. See you on the flip side.

Sent by stephanie | 9:10 AM ET | 07-25-2008

We'll meet again...Don't know where, Don't when...but I know we'll meet again some sunny day. Farewell, Good and true friends.

Sent by Dr. D | 9:16 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Extraordinary send off, Gang! I'm listening to the replay now...not willing to let you go just yet.

Sent by Sharon Bowker | 9:16 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Cheers! Seriously, I love you guys.

Sent by Matthew Trisler, Radio-Sweethearts.com | 9:23 AM ET | 07-25-2008

NPR is dead to me. I love the BPP! I'll miss you guys!

Sent by Jeremy | 9:25 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Like mentioned on the show, the BPP got to befriend many people by means of radio.

I definitely consider everyone on the BPP a good friend, after becoming so familiar with the voices on the show everyday.

So sorry to see you go, good luck in the future, and thanks for being awesome, BPP.

Sent by Wes Allen | 9:25 AM ET | 07-25-2008

I remember the first time I listened the the BPP and thought...WOW, NPR finally gets it, an intelligent show that is as fun to listen to as it is informative. Still don't understand why the show was axed. I felt the same way about the Beatles breaking up. Brilliant stuff guys, very best wishes to you all.

Sent by steven | 9:28 AM ET | 07-25-2008

It's a sad day for me. More than I even expected. Good luck to you all.
Thank you.

Sent by Knohio | 9:37 AM ET | 07-25-2008

I've waited until the last day to chime in, but I want to add my two cents in with everyone else's. Raising my coffee mug here ... the BPP podcast has been my companion during the drive home and while fixing dinner, and I'll sorely miss it. But I've got the BPP Diner bookmarked!

Sent by Laura | 9:37 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Okay everyone :) get out your email lists and email tale of Pavarotti Skywalker:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18939045

Sent by Sarah Lee | 9:46 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Amazing! That Ben Harper interview/performance gave me goosebumps. So fitting. Thanks for making it a great last week. All the very best in your future endeavors.

Sent by Silas Crews | 9:49 AM ET | 07-25-2008

To the BBP, thanks for always brining it and keeping it real. That is what seperated you from everyone else and you will be missed.

Sent by Jalrattan Kamra | 9:53 AM ET | 07-25-2008

The first time I hear BPP on KXOT (Seattle/Tacoma), I couldn't believe it was NPR (long-time listener). My clock radio has been on set on BPP @ 5am ever since. Don't know what I'll get on Monday morning. Well done. Best wishes.

Sent by eConsultant | 9:58 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Why, why, why?

Sent by dp | 9:59 AM ET | 07-25-2008

You'll be missed, I hope that all of you go on to great things. I'd love to hear you guys coming over my airwaves and internet(s) again.

Sent by Daniel Scarnecchia | 10:07 AM ET | 07-25-2008

"I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up DOES rejoice. Still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my friends." later BBP

Sent by jay | 10:07 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Good luck to you all. I was laid off, and today's my last day too. So I know the pain you're feeling.
I'm so disappointed that this will be the end of the BPP. Good luck to you all!

Sent by Abby | 10:14 AM ET | 07-25-2008

This morning as I'm driving and listening to the last show, I promised myself I wouldn't get emotional...after all, these people don't know me from Adam's house cat, and I've certainly never met any of them....and then Tricia started crying...I'm just glad I was alone in the car. How silly of me, it's just a radio show.....but wait, no it isn't...wasn't....y'all were my morning buddies; my points of reference in many conversations; you made me think about things I hadn't, in new ways; you share with me new music & movies & media outlets; you introduced me to Twitter and lots of other really cool things that people down here in the most podunk of spots in the Bible belt and oddly enough the higher ups at NPR, just wouldn't understand....in the end you made me smile.

BRAVO BPP!!

Sent by Julie in North Carolina | 10:18 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Cheers, you guys! Much love and support to you in your future endeavors. You will be missed!!! I'm still holding out some hope, so maybe I'll land on Stage 5 by September. :D

Sent by Kathy Fisher | 10:22 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Wow, am I going to miss the show and everyone connected with it. Thanks so much for enriching my life. I wish you all the best, always, and will keep in touch over at the BPP Diner.

Sent by Cinder Conlon | 10:37 AM ET | 07-25-2008

You guys are the greatest. You are loved and you will be missed. NPR has torn a hole in our hearts!!! Ah, well... The rest of the world is going down the drain, too. This is a horseman of the apocalypse. I'm just not sure which one....

Sent by MMG | 10:46 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Cheers BPP! My mornings won't be the same without you! Thanks for all your hard work on the show and good luck to the entire staff you are exceptional at what you do.

Sent by Bobby Boy | 11:03 AM ET | 07-25-2008

Sometimes things have to die so they can be reborn.

Here's to your phoenix-like transformation. And maybe you can get good exfoliation from the ashes.

Sent by Naomi | 11:58 AM ET | 07-25-2008

We know we don't speak objectively,
But honest and truly...We loved the BPP

SMART, CREATIVE
You all did so well

If we weren't so depressed
We'd scream and yell

So cheers to all
From two steadfast fans

Who just hapen to be the parents of Dan.

Wishing you all the very best...
Linda and Louis Pashman

Sent by Linda and Louis Pashman | 12:54 PM ET | 07-25-2008

I'm going to be a hopeless optimist!! On to bigger, greener, more supportive pastures!! And we will always be there to support you!!

Sent by nina | 1:19 PM ET | 07-25-2008

I enjoyed your fresh approach to news. Amazingly enough when I listened to you online I took the time out of my day to laugh! This alone (IMHO) makes you a show that I'll miss on NPR.

Sent by Jerry | 1:30 PM ET | 07-25-2008

To the BPP Staff:

I'm not the type of person to feel such attachment to things like radio shows. Media programs come and go and while I may miss something, I don't usually grieve for their loss. My experience with the BPP has been quite different. Perhaps it's because of the blog- of
seeing everyone's faces and being able to post comments. I remember Rachel reading, on air, a comment I posted to the blog and I felt like I was part of something unique. Making the show interactive in that way made me feel like part of a larger community, not just someone who listens to a radio program. I just can't get that from "All Things Considered".

I'm having a hard time accepting the loss of unique programming like "The Most" and "The Ramble". I enjoyed hearing contributions from the hosts and the producers... the guests were great, the interviews were great, I loved the music... there was just something special about the show. So, what I'm trying to say is that I will simply miss you- the
people who made me ponder deep things, then laugh at them. I travel long distances a lot for my job and it made a tedious task (i.e. driving to Trinidad, CO) enjoyable. I wanted you to know that I appreciate everything you did for me. You are wonderful and talented people and I wish you the best of luck in the future.

Sent by April | 2:52 PM ET | 07-25-2008

Cheers!

You guys went out with class. Thanks for caring so much about your job.

Sent by Dee | 7:16 PM ET | 07-25-2008

Thanks for brightening up my mornings. Y'all will be missed. Later BPP!!

Sent by Charlie @mergecross | 8:06 PM ET | 07-25-2008

Your whole crew routinely brightened up my days. I've been listening since the pilot days, and my mornings won't be the same without you. Good luck as you move on!

Sent by Will Kistler | 8:12 PM ET | 07-25-2008

I was just going to write something dopey, and then I saw that Dan Pashman's parents posted a comment. Dan's parents are hanging out on the BPP blog.

And doggone it, now I'm misty-eyed all over again.

A toast to the BPP family and crew. You will be missed. Don't be strangers, y'all. See you at the Diner.

Sent by Sky Bluesky | 12:48 AM ET | 07-26-2008

*raises his cup*

A day late, but I stayed up [extra] late last night/morning (West coast) to hear at least the beginning of the last show.

Damn I love the BPP (the past tense just won't do -- the feeling's the same, despite the show's status).

Sent by David Newberry | 7:27 AM ET | 07-26-2008

I'm currently serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco, and this was the one podcast that I would lug my laptop once a week into town in a crowded 15-passenger van filled with 20+ people in 115 degree weather for. There's nothing like cooking or cleaning a mud house to your show (albeit a week late most times) and making myself ration only one episode a day for. You will be missed over here. :( I'm not part of the "community" per se, but you certainly made my life over here a bit more enjoyable and I was able to feel more connected with "home." Thanks. I'm quite sad.

Sent by katy | 9:09 AM ET | 07-27-2008

I am sad too. I learned about BPP in an article in the Wall Street Journal. I logged into npr.org and started listening to the podcasts. I admire you guys for working very hard to creatively make a very unique, styled show. I was especially impressed with the skillful utilization of the blog to augment and broaden the radio show. I have not seen this done so well. It is a shame that it did not catch on. See you guys in the future. -Steve L. in Austin, Texas

Sent by Steve Labinski | 12:48 PM ET | 07-28-2008

I'm still teary from the send-off show.

You folks look like gold in all of this, while the suits look like idiots. (Call that acceptance with a bitter aftertaste.)

Sent by Steve Thompson | 6:24 PM ET | 07-29-2008

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
Please send me updates from NPR.	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

Host

Alison Stewart

Welcome to 'The Bryant Park Project'

The Bryant Park Project started as a blog in the summer of 2007 and ended as a radio show and online community in July 2008. Read our frequently asked questions and discussion rules.