Thomas Paine said, "The sublime and the ridiculous are often so nearly related, that it is difficult to class them separately." The Colin McEnroe Show endeavors to prove Paine correct, every weekday.
The year in horror, 2024
It’s our annual Halloween special, a look at the year in horror! We dive into the economic- and artistic wherewithal of the genre surrounded by a larger Hollywood in flux, with particular looks at breakouts like Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs, Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow, Damien Leone’s Terrifier 3, and maybe the most divisive movie of the year, Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance. Plus, for its 25th anniversary, an appreciation of The Sixth Sense and the long shadow its twist ending still seems to cast over the career of filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan. GUESTS: Miriam Balanescu: A culture writer and editor Tim Grierson: Senior U.S. critic for Screen Daily, the author of This Is How You Make a Movie, and co-host of the Grierson & Leitch podcast Lindsay Lee Wallace: Writes about culture, health care and health equity, and other stuff, too Christian Zilko: Staff editor at IndieWire The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/24/2024 • 49 minutes
Some people are considering whether it’s time to leave the United States
Some Americans are considering whether this country is a place where they want to live in the future. This hour is all about leaving the United States. We talk to someone who made the move about what inspired her and her new life in Portugal. Plus, we learn more about the process of actually moving out of the country. And we talk to someone who has considered leaving, but ultimately decided to stay here, for now at least. GUESTS: Wajahat Ali: The Daily Beast columnist, public speaker, and author of Go Back To Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on Becoming American; he wrote “Is It Time for Me to Leave America?” DeNeen Brown: Local enterprise reporter at The Washington Post and an associate professor at the University of Maryland; she wrote “The Case for Leaving America to Escape Racism” Caryl Hallberg: Moved from the United States to Portugal in 2020 Jennifer Stevens: Executive editor of International Living Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Colin McEnroe, Jacob Gannon, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on November 7, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/23/2024 • 49 minutes
Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat on global authoritarianism and the future of democracy
Going into November, we’ll be doing some shows where we talk with one guest, for the hour, who knows a lot about the election. This hour, we talk with Ruth Ben-Ghiat about authoritarianism and democracy. GUEST: Ruth Ben-Ghiat: Professor of History and Italian Studies at New York University. Her latest book is Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present. She also writes the Substack newsletter “Lucid.” Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/22/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
All calls: Retirement, early voting, dragonflies, and more
This hour we took your calls about anything you wanted to talk about. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/21/2024 • 49 minutes
‘Live from New York!’: A look at ‘Saturday Night’ and ‘SNL’
Saturday Night Live started its 50th season in September. This hour, a look at the institution SNL has become over five decades on television. Plus: Jason Reitman’s new movie, Saturday Night, which tells (a version of) the story of SNL’s inception in 1975. GUESTS: Dave Itzkoff: A journalist and writer and the author of four books; his most recent is Robin Maureen Lee Lenker: A senior writer at Entertainment Weekly and the author of the novel It Happened One Fight Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2024 • 49 minutes
George Washington is having a moment
From Saturday Night Live to the cover of The Atlantic, George Washington is having a bit of a moment. This hour is about our first president and his legacy. Plus, is he funny? GUESTS: Joanne Freeman: The Class of 1954 Professor of History & American Studies at Yale University. Her most recent book is The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War Tom Nichols: Staff writer at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic daily newsletter. He is also a professor emeritus of national-security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, and a five-time undefeated Jeopardy champion Sara Ruberg: A member of the 2024-25 class of Times Fellows at The New York Times Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/17/2024 • 49 minutes
Is print dead or is it making a comeback?
Is print dead? Or will it make a comeback? This hour, we talk about the benefits and drawbacks of getting your news in print form. We learn about the print age, or the “Gutenberg Parenthesis,” and we talk about the business of printing. GUESTS: Kelsey Russell: A media literacy influencer and co-host of “First Stop News” Jeff Jarvis: Author of The Gutenberg Parenthesis: The Age of Print and Its Lessons for the Age of the Internet. His new book is The Web We Weave. He co-hosts the “This Week in Google” and “AI Inside” podcasts John Garrett: Founder and CEO of “Community Impact,” a privately owned chain of 40 community newspapers in Texas, which also includes its own printing facilities Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on May 16, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/16/2024 • 49 minutes
Christian nationalism, religiosity, and the 2024 election with Brad Onishi
Going into November, we’ll be doing some shows where we talk with one guest, for the hour, who knows a lot about the election. This hour, we talk with Brad Onishi about Christian nationalism and its impact on U.S. politics. GUEST: Brad Onishi: Co-host of the “Straight White American Jesus” podcast and author of Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism -- And What Comes Next Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/15/2024 • 49 minutes
All calls: Columbus Day, textures, textiles, Tolkien, and more
This hour, the conversation winds around to Columbus Day, Colin’s favorite joke, textures, J.R.R. Tolkien, the movie The Apprentice, food allergies, our fundraising drives … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/14/2024 • 49 minutes
Playwright Jeffrey Lieber on truth, lies, memory and ‘Fever Dreams’
Jeffrey Lieber was one of the Emmy-nominated creators of the TV series Lost. He has been a showrunner on series like NCIS: New Orleans and Charmed and the new reboot of Matlock starring Kathy Bates. And his play Fever Dreams (of animals on the verge of extinction) is currently running at TheaterWorks Hartford. This hour, screenwriter, television producer, and playwright Jeffrey Lieber joins us in studio. GUEST: Jeffrey Lieber: A screenwriter, showrunner, and playwright Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/11/2024 • 43 minutes, 12 seconds
Today: Did episode on notebooks & diaries, bought kiwi fruit, had teeth cleaning
This hour is all about notebooks. We'll talk about the history and evolution of notebooks, favorite examples, and celebrate the joy of writing things down. Plus, a look at the Notes App. GUESTS: Roland Allen: Book publisher and author of The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper Charley Locke: Journalist, and contributing writer to The New York Times Magazine, who recently wrote “Keep Your Notes App Under Lock and Key” for The Atlantic Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/10/2024 • 42 minutes, 55 seconds
All calls: How to find an artsy community, towns governed by oral tradition, toothpaste, and more
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/10/2024 • 42 minutes, 39 seconds
Words, words, words: A look at style guides and Britishisms in American English
This hour, a look at words and usage and grammar and language and all that fun stuff. Have you noticed how we Americans have become “so bloody keen on Britishisms?” Ben Yagoda joins us to talk about his new book, Gobsmacked! The British Invasion of American English. Plus, there’s been an update to The Chicago Manual of Style, its first in seven years. We take a look at the CMOS, in particular, and bang on (there it is again!) about dreaded style guides, in general. GUESTS: Scott Huler: The author of seven non-fiction books; his most recent is A Delicious Country: Rediscovering the Carolinas along the Route of John Lawson’s 1700 Expedition Ben Yagoda: The author, coauthor, or editor of 14 books and the host of the podcast The Lives They’re Living Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/8/2024 • 43 minutes, 41 seconds
An hour with Rupert Holmes
Rupert Holmes won two Tony Awards for his musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood. His single “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. His dramedy Remember WENN was AMC’s first original scripted series. And his newest novel, Murder Your Employer, was a New York Timesbestseller. This hour: Rupert Holmes. GUEST: Rupert Holmes: Playwright, composer, singer-songwriter, and author The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired April 20, 2024, in a different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2024 • 42 minutes
Monologuist Josh Kornbluth wonders if our society is suffering from political dementia
As a fellow at the Global Brain Health Institute, monologuist Josh Kornbluth started to see parallels between brain disease and, well, everything that’s going on in our politics today. With his new solo show, Citizen Brain, he hopes to “spark an empathy revolution.” Josh Kornbluth joins us in studio for the hour. GUEST: Josh Kornbluth: A monologuist, author, and actor, and he writes the But Not Enough About Me Substack The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2024 • 43 minutes, 53 seconds
From boredom to handwriting: Christine Rosen on the embodied experiences we lose to technology
This hour we talk with Christine Rosen about her new book, The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World. We talk about how technology has impacted face-to-face interactions, boredom, loneliness, handwriting, and more. GUEST: Christine Rosen: Author of The Extinction of Experience: Being Human in a Disembodied World. She is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a columnist for Commentary magazine, senior editor at The New Atlantis and fellow at the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/3/2024 • 41 minutes
The political importance of Gen Z with journalist Rachel Janfaza
Going into November, we’ll be doing some shows where we talk with one guest, for the hour, who knows a lot about the election. This hour, we talk with journalist Rachel Janfaza about Gen Z voters. GUEST: Rachel Janfaza: Journalist who covers Gen Z political culture and young voters in U.S. politics. Her newsletter is “The Up and Up” Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/2/2024 • 44 minutes, 37 seconds
Author A.J. Jacobs says he “will never take elastic or democracy for granted again”
In A.J. Jacobs’ new book, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning, he details his experience living by the Constitution for a year. Jacobs joins us for the hour to tell us about the experiment and what he learned. GUESTS: A.J. Jacobs: The author, most recently, of The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning and the host of The Puzzler podcast The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired May 7, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/1/2024 • 50 minutes
All calls: Fat Bear Week, sports, call-in shows, Mars, and more
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing. This hour, the conversation winds around to our old friends evolving (or not), sports losing its magic (or not), spending billions of dollars trying to get rockets to Mars (or not), Fat Bear Week, radio call-in shows, sane washing … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/30/2024 • 49 minutes
An hour with Percival Everett
Percival Everett is the author of 24 novels, four short story collections, and six collections of poetry. His 2001 novel Erasure was adapted as the feature film American Fiction, which was nominated this year for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Everett has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. His newest novel, James, reimagines Adventures of Huckleberry Finn “from the enslaved Jim’s point of view.” This hour, Percival Everett joins us in studio. GUEST: Percival Everett: Novelist and poet The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired June 5, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/27/2024 • 50 minutes
The role of journalism in the 2024 election with writer Mark Jacob
Going into November, we’ll be doing some shows where we talk with one guest, for the hour, who knows a lot about the election. This hour, we talk with veteran journalist Mark Jacob about the state of American journalism and its impact on the upcoming election. GUEST: Mark Jacob: Writes the weekly newsletter “Stop the Presses.” He is the former Metro Editor of The Chicago Tribune and former Sunday Editor of The Chicago Sun-Times. He is also the co-author of ten books on history and photography Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2024 • 49 minutes
The art and politics of political speechmaking
Policy speeches, convention speeches, concession speeches, victory speeches, stump speeches. Inaugural addresses, State of the Union addresses, prime-time addresses. There sure are a lot of speeches that we expect presidents and presidential candidates to give. But how much do those speeches really matter anymore? How much do they work as, say, TikTok fodder? This hour, the art and politics of political speechmaking. GUESTS: Bill Curry: Playing the part of Bill Curry Jeff Nussbaum: A special assistant and senior speechwriter to President Joe Biden from 2021 to 2022; he is a partner at Bully Pulpit Interactive Media and the author of Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History Linda Qiu: A New York Times reporter specializing in fact-checking statements made by politicians and public figures The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/25/2024 • 50 minutes
Let us pray — A salute to our favorite mantis
This year, local students lobbied Connecticut lawmakers to change our state insect, which is currently the praying mantis. This hour, we are focused on the praying mantis. We learn about the insect, why students think it should not represent the state, and what praying mantises of the future could look like. GUESTS: Liz Alter: Professor of evolutionary biology at California State University Monterey Bay Katherine Dugas: Entomologist and research technician at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired April 8, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/24/2024 • 50 minutes
All calls: Colin says you don't want to meet him, hummus, robins, and more
We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls, calls about anything, everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/23/2024 • 49 minutes
A look at the bullying impact of the canon and the zeitgeist
Is there some thing that EVERYBODY seems to like that you’re just not that into? Star Wars? Game of Thrones? Seinfeld? The Beach Boys? Christopher Nolan? … Taylor Swift? Or what about some very current thing that seemingly everybody thinks is so interesting and cutting edge and exciting, but you just don’t like it? (For Colin, that very current thing is The Bear on TV.) What do you do when that happens? How do you feel about it? Embarrassed? Wrong? Defiant? This hour, a look at not liking all the things you’re “supposed” to like. GUESTS: John Dankosky: Director of news and audio for Science Friday, event and podcast host for The Connecticut Mirror, and co-owner of Lam Yoga in New Hartford, Connecticut David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write Gene Seymour: A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek” Lindsay Lee Wallace: Writes about culture, health care and health equity, and other stuff, too Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2024 • 50 minutes
I'm having writer's block writing this headline about writer's block
Everyone has likely experienced some form of writer's block in their lives — when you sit down to write and the words just won't come. This hour we dive into the phenomenon and talk with writers about their experiences with it. What is writer's block, where does it come from, and how can you get past it? Plus, we take a look at the long history of writer's block, and the muses, goddesses, and saints we call on when we have it. GUESTS: Jami Attenberg: Author whose new book, out next week, is A Reason to See You Again. She is also the creator of “#1000wordsofsummer,” and writes the newsletter “Craft Talk” Dennis Palumbo: Writer and licensed psychotherapist who specializes in working with creative patients. He is a former Hollywood screenwriter, and the author of numerous books Joyce Kinkead: Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English at Utah State University. She is author of A Writing Studies Primer, among other books Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/19/2024 • 50 minutes
A conversation with Don Winslow about love, money, murder, and why free food tastes better
Bestselling author Don Winslow joins us to discuss his new novel, City in Ruins, which he says is the last of his career. GUEST: Don Winslow: Bestselling author whose new book is City in Ruins Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on April 3, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/18/2024 • 48 minutes, 52 seconds
Are we thinking about travel the wrong way?
It feels like tourism hit a breaking point this summer, with residents around Europe protesting visitors, new entrance and tourist fees popping up at famous spots, and even a net going up to block a popular view of Mt. Fuji. This hour, a philosopher makes the case against travel. Plus, we talk about how tourism is impacting destinations, like Bologna, Italy, and ways to travel differently. GUESTS: Agnes Callard: Associate Professor of Philosophy at The University of Chicago. Her forthcoming book is Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life Ilaria Maria Sala: Italian journalist Lisa Abend: Journalist for The New York Times, TIME, Vanity Fair and AFAR. Her Substack is “The Unplugged Traveler” Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/17/2024 • 49 minutes
All calls: Shrews, praying mantises, the power of Taylor Swift, and more
Listen live Monday at 1 p.m. We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing — calls about grammar, gardening, long-distance dialing, autotune. Anything. Everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we’re doing another one.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/16/2024 • 49 minutes
‘Riding the line between art and pulp’: A look at cult classic cinema
If I say “cult classic,” what do you think of? Probably an underground movie that built up an intense following over time, like The Rocky Horror Picture Show or The Room, right? Or maybe even something a bit more mainstream like The Big Lebowski? But where’s the limit here, if there is one? Is Blade Runner a cult movie? Or Pulp Fiction? Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Office Space? Slap Shot? (I mean: Slap Shot?!?) This hour, a look at a genre, a cross section of cinema history that seems to include everything from all-time classics like A Clockwork Orange to all-time terribles like Plan 9 from Outer Space and many, many weird and not-even-so-weird things in between: the cult classic. GUESTS: Millie De Chirico: Co-author of TCM Underground: 50 Must-See Films from the World of Classic Cult and Late-Night Cinema and co-host of the I Saw What You Did podcast David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic Sam Hatch: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUH Kevin O’Toole: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUH This show was produced with Sajina Shrestha. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired April 11, 2024, in a different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/13/2024 • 50 minutes
Inside the confusing, time-sucking, unequal world of taxes
How did taxes, this quintessentially frustrating thing, come to be so frustrating? And must it be so? This hour, we’re learning about why taxes are so complicated to file in the U.S. Then, we’ll talk about how some of the richest people in America end up paying next to no taxes on the wealth they grow every year. Finally: a conversation with someone who doesn’t pay a chunk of his taxes — on purpose — as a form of protest. GUESTS: Monica Prasad: Professor of Economic and Political Sociology at Johns Hopkins University Paul Kiel: Reporter for ProPublica who covers taxes Lawrence Rosenwald: Professor of English Emeritus at Wellesley College and a longtime war tax resister Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on March 28, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2024 • 49 minutes
‘Never be the same’: 23 years in the shadow of 9/11
It has been 23 years since the sunny late summer Tuesday morning that changed basically everything. This hour, a look back at September 11, 2001, and its long shadow, still darkening our days a bit now. We talk to a historian about the generation that has lived its life in a post-9/11 world and a critic about the influence of 9/11 on and in our popular culture. GUESTS: Lindsay Ellis: An author, video essayist, and film critic; her new novel is Apostles of Mercy Matthew Warshauer: Professor of history at Central Connecticut State University and the author of Creating and Failing the 9/11 Generation: The Real Story of September 11 The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/11/2024 • 49 minutes
A look at our ‘toxic love story’ with plastic
Plastic is everywhere in our world, and scientists are increasingly discovering the negative health and environmental impacts of the material. This hour, we take a look at our relationship to plastic. We talk about the material, its evolution, and its symbolism in our culture. Plus, we look at the use of single use plastic in television and why it matters. GUESTS: Susan Freinkel: Author of Plastic: A Toxic Love Story; her Substack is 1,017 Acres: Life in the Park Erica Cirino: Communications manager of the Plastic Pollution Coalition and the author of Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis Dana Weinstein: Project specialist for the Media Impact Project at the University of Southern California Annenberg Norman Lear Center The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on March 25, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/10/2024 • 49 minutes
How to be wrong
We all strive to be right about things — we do our research, we listen to people who seem smarter than us, we make compelling arguments over dinner tables. But is there an underappreciated art to being wrong? This hour, lessons on changing your mind and admitting mistakes, from newspaper corrections to public intellectual pivots. GUESTS: Eranda Jayawickreme: Professor of psychology at Wake Forest University Ty Seidule: Visiting professor of history at Hamilton College and the author of Robert E. Lee and Me; he’s a retired brigadier general in the U.S. Army and the former vice chair of the Department of Defense’s Naming Commission Isaac Saul: Founder of the newsletter Tangle The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Lily Tyson, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on March 20, 2024. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/9/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Chimp Crazy’ and the right way to load your dishwasher
Chimp Crazy is a four-part HBO docuseries that “explores the captivating, often unfathomable, and secretive world of raising chimpanzees.” It is documentarian Eric Goode’s follow-up to the 2020 sensation Tiger King. Plus: There is absolutely, definitely, 100% a right way to load your dishwasher. And you’re the only one in your house who knows what it is. Right? The Nose gets into it. And finally, the new phenomenon known as fridgescaping. Which is a thing. Apparently. GUESTS: Betsy Kaplan: Senior producer emeritus of The Colin McEnroe Show Jacques Lamarre: A playwright, and chief communications officer at Buzz Engine Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/6/2024 • 49 minutes
From the cereal aisle to the ballot box, how groceries shape our lives
Grocery prices are becoming a regular talking point in this election cycle. This hour is all about the grocery store. We talk about how items get on the shelves, the unique business model of Trader Joe's, and the factors that impact grocery prices. Plus, a look at the appeal of Costco. GUESTS: Benjamin Lorr: Author of The Secret Life of Groceries: The Dark Miracle of the American Supermarket. His first book was Hell-Bent: Obsession, Pain, and the Search for Something Like Transcendence in Competitive Yoga Abha Bhattarai: Economics correspondent for The Washington Post Ben Ryder Howe: Contributor to The New York Times and author of My Korean Deli: Risking It All for a Convenience Store Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/5/2024 • 49 minutes
A look at one of our most forgotten presidents: Chester A. Arthur
This hour is all about America’s 21st president, Chester A. Arthur, who took office after President James Garfield was assassinated. We look at Arthur’s life and legacy and at what happens when someone unexpectedly takes over the highest office in the land. GUESTS: David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic Scott S. Greenberger: Executive editor of Stateline and the author of The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur Victoria Sample: Historic sites section chief for the state of Vermont The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 6, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/4/2024 • 50 minutes
All calls: Bird identification, The World's Fair, third places, and more
This hour we took your calls about bird identification, the DNC, the World's Fair, third places, synchronicity, and more. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/3/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
25 years later, a look at the movies and TV of 1999
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Being John Malkovich, The Blair Witch Project, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Eyes Wide Shut, Family Guy, Fight Club, Freaks and Geeks, Futurama, The Iron Giant, The Matrix, Office Space, Princess Mononoke, Run Lola Run, The Sixth Sense, The Sopranos, SpongeBob SquarePants, South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, Toy Story 2, The West Wing. That’s just a partial list of the stuff that came out in 1999, kind of famously a crazy good year for movies and television. This hour, a 25th anniversary look at some of the pop culture of 1999, with a special focus on The Blair Witch Project, The Matrix … and SpongeBob SquarePants. GUESTS: Noah Berlatsky: A freelance writer who mostly covers politics or culture or both; he writes the Everything Is Horrible Substack Allegra Frank: A senior culture editor at The Atlantic Alissa Wilkinson: A movie critic at The New York Times Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/30/2024 • 49 minutes
From a jar to a box — How we misunderstand Pandora and her legacy
Trump’s trial. AI. Online learning. Everything’s a “Pandora's Box." This hour, we discuss the myth and the metaphor of Pandora's Box. Plus, a look at human curiosity. GUESTS: Natalie Haynes: Author of six books, including the nonfiction work Pandora’s Jar, and the novels A Thousand Ships and Stone Blind. Her novel The Children of Jocasta will be re-released in October Maria Tatar: Professor of folklore and mythology at Harvard University. Her latest book is The Heroine with 1001 Faces Federico Rossano: Associate Professor of Cognitive Science at the University of California San Diego Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/29/2024 • 49 minutes
We’re having crisis fatigue
Everything’s felt like, and been called, a “crisis” lately. This hour, a look at all the overuse of the term “crisis” and our collective crisis fatigue. Plus: a crisis communicator on how to manage a crisis. And finally, a look at the midlife crisis. GUESTS: Eliah Bures: Historian of modern Europe and a senior fellow at the University of California, Berkeley’s Center for Right-Wing Studies Barbara Bradley Hagerty: Contributing writer at The Atlantic and the author of Life Reimagined: The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife Molly McPherson: An expert in crisis communications and emergency management and the author of the book Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis Christian Paz: Senior politics reporter for Vox The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 29, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/28/2024 • 50 minutes
It’s a vibe! A look at what makes a vibe a vibe
You must have heard the term “vibe” by now, right? We’ve heard about the vibe of the economy, the vibe of a music playlist, the vibe of a season, the vibe of a party … Plus there are vibe shifts and vibe checks. This hour: vibes. We learn what the word really means, where it comes from, and how the internet has given it new life. GUESTS: Kyle Chayka: Contributing writer for The New Yorker covering technology and culture on the Internet Robin James: Editor for philosophy and music at Palgrave Macmillan Eda Uzunlar: Freelance journalist and student at Yale University Ben Zimmer: Linguist, lexicographer, and the Word on the Street columnist for The Wall Street Journal The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Taylor Doyle, Jacob Gannon, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, which originally aired November 15, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/27/2024 • 49 minutes
All calls: Celebrity endorsements, car registration, a sandwich, and more
This hour, we took your calls. Topics this hour included election certification, car registration, celebrity endorsements, news radio, technology, travelling to Italy, sandwiches, and more. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/26/2024 • 49 minutes
‘If the wind is right’: A deep dive into the smooth sounds of yacht rock
The Doobie Brothers. Christopher Cross. Steely Dan. Kenny Loggins. Toto. Michael McDonald. Ambrosia. Supertramp. (The Eagles? Uh, Michael Jackson?) Something was happening in the music world out there on the West Coast in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Something with electric pianos and slower tempos and jazz and R&B influences and hi-fi, almost crystalline production. This hour, we take a deep dive into the smooth, soft sounds of … yacht rock. GUESTS: Hollywood Steve Huey: A music critic and a cohost of the Beyond Yacht Rock and Yacht or Nyacht? podcasts Charly Kay: Lead and backing vocalist in the Yacht Lobsters David Mendelsohn: Vocalist and guitarist in the Yacht Lobsters Scout Raimondo: Production intern at Connecticut Public Gaston Raimondo: Scout’s dad Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio This show was produced with Scout Raimondo. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 7, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/23/2024 • 50 minutes
From jingles to Beyoncé: How music shapes political campaigns
This hour, we look at how political campaigns use music, from the history of political jingles, to how Harris and Trump are using music in this 2024 election. GUESTS: Dana Gorzelany-Mostak: Associate Professor of Music at Georgia College. She is the founder of Trax on the Trail, a website and research project that tracks and catalogs the soundscapes of US presidential elections. Her new book is Tracks on the Trail: Popular Music, Race, and the US Presidency Eric Kasper: Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He's the author of Don’t Stop Thinking About the Music: The Politics of Songs and Musicians in Presidential Campaigns Charlie Harding: Music journalist, songwriter, and producer. He is the co-creator and co-host of the podcast “Switched on Pop.” He's also an adjunct professor of music at NYU. Justin Patch: Associate Professor and Chair of Music at Vassar College. His new book is The Art of Populism in US Politics: Pro-Trump DIY Popular Culture Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/22/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Invisible and essential, scanning through the history and impact of barcodes
Barcodes are everywhere, and they helped to shape the world we live in. This hour, a look at the history and impact of barcodes. Plus, the rise of QR code menus and tickets and what we might gain and lose as we move away from physical objects to digital ones. GUESTS: Jordan Frith: Pearce Professor of Professional Communications at Clemson University and the author of Barcode Bailey Sincox: Perkins-Cotsen Postdoctoral Fellow in the Princeton Society of Fellows, where she teaches and writes about early modern English literature Sean Willard: Menu engineer with Menu Engineers The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 22, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/21/2024 • 50 minutes
You know that political memoir you pretend to have read? Carlos Lozada read it
Going into November, we’ll be doing some shows where we talk with one guest, for the hour, who knows a lot about the election. This hour, The New York Times’ Carlos Lozada joins us to discuss what we can learn about politics by reading. We’ll discuss Lozada’s unique lens as a reader and the state of the 2024 election. GUEST: Carlos Lozada: Opinion columnist and co-host of the weekly “Matter of Opinion” podcast for The New York Times. His new book is The Washington Book: How to Read Politics and Politicians Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/20/2024 • 49 minutes, 2 seconds
All calls: Billy Ocean, the Israel-Hamas war, and what happened to the bus Colin promised us?
We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing. This hour, the conversation winds around to J.R.R. Tolkien, the new Lady Gaga/Bruno Mars single and bridges in pop songs, a new approach to the Israel-Hamas war, Yale and New Haven public schools, electric vehicles … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/19/2024 • 49 minutes
‘SNL,’ Kamala’s laugh, Hannibal Lecter: Culture and the 2024 election
This hour, a look at some of the ways culture and politics seem to be overlapping at the moment. First, we wonder who might play all these new candidates on the upcoming season of Saturday Night Live. And then, we try to understand all the focus — from both sides — on Kamala Harris’ laugh. And finally, just why in the world is Donald Trump so obsessed with Hannibal Lecter? GUESTS: Margaret Hartmann: A senior editor for New York magazine’s Intelligencer Dave Itzkoff: A journalist and writer and the author of four books; his most recent is Robin Maura Judkis: A reporter covering culture, fashion, politics, food, and the arts for The Washington Post The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/16/2024 • 49 minutes
2024 takes a look back at 1968: Movies, music, media, and the DNC
Going into the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, many are comparing this year to 1968. After all, there are a number of similarities: both were Olympic years that featured student protest movements, an incumbent president deciding not to run for re-election, a Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and even a new Planet of the Apes movie. But there were important differences as well. This hour, we look back on 1968, and the events of that DNC, as well as the media’s coverage of it. Plus, a look at the music and movies of that year. GUESTS: Mark Kurlansky: Author of 1968: The Year That Rocked the World, among many other books Heather Hendershot: Cardiss Collins Professor of Communication Studies and Journalism at Northwestern University. She is author of When the News Broke: Chicago 1968 and the Polarizing of America Dan Balz: Chief correspondent at The Washington Post Tammy Kernodle: University Distinguished Professor and Park Creative Arts Endowed Professor in the Department of Music at Miami University, and author of Soul on Soul: The Life and Music of Mary Lou Williams Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/15/2024 • 49 minutes, 2 seconds
‘To The Hobbits’: Celebrating ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ and its enduring appeal
Adam Wren recently reported for Politico that Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance, is a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epic, The Lord of the Rings. This hour we talk to Wren about Vance's interest in the work, and the politics of the series. Plus, we'll discuss Tolkien's fantasy world building, and look back on the books, their film adaptations, and their enduring appeal. GUESTS: Adam Wren: National political correspondent for Politico John Garth: Author of The Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien: The Places that Inspired Middle-earth and Tolkien and the Great War, among other books Susana Polo: Senior entertainment writer for Polygon The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show, portions of which originally aired August 12, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/14/2024 • 49 minutes
From privacy to paper jams, a look at printer problems
This hour is all about printers. We talk about printer problems and why, despite our struggles, we can’t seem to quit our printers. Plus: a rage room owner on the appeal of smashing printers. GUESTS: Cory Doctorow: Science fiction author, activist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and journalist Cody Nicholas: Co-owner of the Lose It Rage Room in Woodbridge, Virginia Allen St. John: Multimedia content producer for Consumer Reports The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Katie Pellico contributed to this show, which originally aired February 15, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/13/2024 • 50 minutes
All calls: Sandwiches, credit card interest, Olympic basketball, and more
We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing. This hour, the conversation winds around to the sandwichiness (or not) of hot dogs and the cube rule of food, crazy interest rates on credit cards, loud music in movies, Olympic basketball, winking … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/12/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘America’s Sweethearts’ and ‘Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes’
America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is a seven-part Netflix docuseries. It is directed and executive produced by Greg Whiteley. It follows the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ 2023–2024 season. And: Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes is a documentary from HBO Documentary Films. It is directed by Nanette Burstein and produced by J. J. Abrams. Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes was nominated for the L’Œil d’or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. GUESTS: Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write Lindsay Lee Wallace: Writes about culture, health care and health equity, and other stuff, too The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/9/2024 • 49 minutes
The New York Times' Astead Herndon on the run-up to the 2024 election
Going into November, we’ll be doing some shows where we talk with one guest, for the hour, who knows a lot about the election. This hour, The New York Times’ Astead Herndon joins us to talk about the run-up to 2024. We’ll talk about his unique approach to political reporting, and the state of the race. GUEST: Astead Herndon: National politics reporter for The New York Times and the host of the politics podcast “The Run-Up” Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/8/2024 • 49 minutes
What's in a pseudonym?
From pen names to online aliases, pseudonyms are all around us. This hour, we’re talking about what compels people to adopt an alternate identity when they write. Do pseudonyms liberate us? Do they make us treat each other better? Or do they stop credit from going where it’s due? GUESTS: Carmela Ciuraru: Author of “Nom de Plume: A (Secret) History of Pseudonyms” and, most recently, “Lives of the Wives: Five Literary Marriages” Daniel A. Gross: Editor at the New Yorker and author of the Atlantic article, “The Mystery of the Hardy Boys and the Invisible Authors” Alfred Moore: Senior lecturer in Politics at the University of York Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe, Lily Tyson and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on February 14, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/7/2024 • 48 minutes, 51 seconds
‘These are weird people’: A look at weirdness in politics and beyond
It’s kind of weird how much the word “weird” has been coming up all of a sudden in the election, isn’t it? This hour, a look at weirdness and the Democrats’ new wall-to-wall, paint-Trump-and-Vance-as-weird strategy. Plus, the history of the word “weird,” what it’s like being weird, and a few minutes on quantum weirdness. GUESTS: Olga Khazan: A staff writer for The Atlantic covering health, gender, and policy and the author of Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World Douglas Natelson: Associate dean for research at the Wiess School of Natural Sciences at Rice University, where he studies the emergent properties of materials Kase Wickman: A freelance journalist and frequent contributor to Vanity Fair Ben Zimmer: A linguist and lexicographer and the language columnist for The Wall Street Journal The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/6/2024 • 49 minutes
All calls: Vice presidential picks, debates, a book recommendation, and more
This hour we took your calls about anything you wanted to talk about. This hour, the conversation winds around to the election, debates, vice presidential picks, the Olympics opening ceremony, Kevin Spacey, a book recommendation, and more. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Gene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/5/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
The joy of bad movies
There’s something kind of special about the experience of a really great, really bad movie. Think Red Dawn or Under Siege. Snakes on a Plane or Batman & Robin. Independence Day is nearly perfect and so rewatchable — and also terrible. This hour, a Nose-ish look at the joy of bad movies. GUESTS: Theresa Cramer: A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications Alicia di Leo: A para-educator in the integrated preschool program in the Manchester school system David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic Severn Sandt: Associate director of strategic partnerships and outreach at Trinity College in Hartford Howard Sherman: A theater administrator, writer, and advocate; he is the U.S. columnist for The Stage newspaper of London and the author of Another Day’s Begun: Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in the 21st Century The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/2/2024 • 50 minutes
Where is this election taking place?
This hour, we talk about where this election is taking place in this media environment. We'll discuss how Americans are getting their election news, investigate how misinformation spreads, take stock of the role of social media in this, and look at the state of political podcasts. GUESTS: Dannagal Young: Director of the Center for Political Communication and a Professor of Communication and Political Science at the University of Delaware. Her newest book is Wrong: How Media, Politics, and Identity Drive our Appetite for Misinformation Christian Paz: Senior Politics Reporter for Vox Derek Robertson: Writer, reporter, and producer at Politico, where he writes the “Digital Future Daily” newsletter Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/1/2024 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
From ‘Iowa nice’ to New England blunt, how do we define ‘nice’ in America?
Have you ever heard someone say that East Coasters are kind but not nice, and West Coasters are nice but not kind? This hour, a look at what “niceness” is, why it’s so important to us, and how it can sometimes mask not-so-nice things. GUESTS: Carrie Tirado Bramen: Professor at the University at Buffalo and the author of American Niceness: A Cultural History Jordan Green: Self-proclaimed “kind West Coaster” Amit Kumar: Assistant professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Texas at Austin Mia Mercado: Humor writer and author from the Midwest who wrote She’s Nice Though: Essays on Being Bad at Being Good The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired January 25, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/31/2024 • 50 minutes
The legends of King Arthur and why they still matter today
This hour, we take a look at the legends of King Arthur. We discuss their evolution and why they endure. Plus, we talk with author Lev Grossman about his new retelling of the King Arthur legend, The Bright Sword. And, a conversation with an archeologist about excavating the history of Arthurian legends. GUESTS: Lev Grossman: Bestselling author of The Magicians Trilogy. His new book is The Bright Sword Leah Tether: Professor of Medieval Literature and Publishing at Bristol University, and Vice President of the International Courtly Literature Society Win Scutt: Archeologist and Senior Properties Curator for the West of England at English Heritage, a nonprofit that cares for over 400 historic monuments Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/30/2024 • 49 minutes
All calls: The election, the Olympics, Elon Musk, and more
We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing. This hour, the conversation winds around to the election, the Olympics opening ceremony, Project 2025, the stain (maybe) of Elon Musk on Teslas. Plus some wonderings: What would aliens make of the Olympics? What’s the most impactful way to get involved with the election? … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/29/2024 • 49 minutes
The art of political satire with Samantha Bee and Sophia McClennen
Political satire is alive and well in America today. And it turns out it might have an important role in educating the public and the health of our democracy. This hour, a look at the state and the art of political satire with comedian Samantha Bee and Sophia McClennen, a political scientist who studies satire. GUESTS: Samantha Bee: Comedian, the host of Choice Words with Samantha Bee, and the former host of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Sophia McClennen: Professor of international affairs and comparative literature at Penn State University and the author of numerous books, including Trump Was a Joke: How Satire Made Sense of a President Who Didn’t and Is Satire Saving Our Nation? The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 15, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/26/2024 • 50 minutes, 1 second
The music, medicine, and mystery of humming
From Thurston Harris and the Crash Test Dummies to that noise your refrigerator makes, humming sounds are all around us (especially if you’ve been to Windsor, Ontario). This hour — musical humming, mysterious humming, and how humming could be good for your health. GUESTS: Susan Rogers: Multi-platinum record producer, cognitive neuroscientist, professor at Berklee College of Music and co-author of “This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You” Gunjan Trivedi: Co-founder of Wellness Space based in India and author of several studies exploring the benefits of humming on stress and health Colin Novak: Associate Professor at the University of Windsor Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/25/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
What makes a book a classic? A read of the Western canon and how it’s changing
This hour, we look at the idea of the Western canon, and those books that are considered "classics." We'll talk about what's in the canon, what isn't and what should be, and how it evolves. Plus, we’ll talk about The Atlantic’s recent list of “The Great American Novels.” And, we’ll learn about a publishing company that is experimenting with artificial intelligence to bring classic books alive for a new audience. GUESTS: Roosevelt Montás: Senior Lecturer in American Studies and English at Columbia University. He is author of Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed My Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation James Mustich: Author of 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die Gal Beckerman: Senior editor for books at The Atlantic Laura Kipnis: Cultural critic, essayist, and the author of Love in the Time of Contagion: A Diagnosis, among other books Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/24/2024 • 49 minutes, 2 seconds
We take your calls
Well, we’ve had another weekend, haven’t we? So we figured you might want to talk again. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/23/2024 • 49 minutes
Another ho-hum week in the 2024 election
This hour on The Colin McEnroe Show, we discuss President Biden's decision not to run for reelection. We'll look at the historical precedent for this decision, talk about Vice President Kamala Harris, and hear about the role of the press in all of this. GUESTS: Bill Curry: Former White House advisor to the Clinton administration, Connecticut State Senator, and two-time Democratic nominee for the Governor of Connecticut Hunter Schwarz: Journalist and the founder and curator of the visual politics newsletter “Yello” Leah Wright Rigueur: Associate Professor of History at Johns Hopkins, author of The Loneliness of the Black Republican: Pragmatic Politics and the Pursuit of Power Manisha Sinha: James L. and Shirley A. Draper Chair in American History at the University of Connecticut and the President of the Society for Historians of the Early American Republic. She is author of The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic: Reconstruction, 1860-1920, among other books David Folkenflik: NPR’s media correspondent Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/22/2024 • 49 minutes
Finding hope in dark times
I saw someone on TikTok ask (rather vulgarly) that we just have, for once, a week that is … precedented. And I mean, yes. Could we? Well, not this week. The shooting. The convention. The running mate. The president with COVID. The ominous election. And then Bob Newhart died, too. So we decided we need — and that you might need, too — an hour to figure out where to find hope even in the face of all this. GUESTS: Noah Baerman: A pianist, composer, and educator; his new album, from the Noah Baerman Trio, is Live at the Side Door Susan Clinard: The owner of Clinard Sculpture Studio in Hamden, Connecticut Azar Nafisi: The author of six books, including Reading Lolita in Tehran; her newest is Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times Benjamin Perry: Minister of outreach and media strategy at Middle Church and the author of Cry, Baby: Why Our Tears Matter Gene Seymour: A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/19/2024 • 49 minutes
How should we treat the dead?
This hour, we look at our cultural fascination with dead bodies. What do we owe the dead? What can the dead teach us? What does a body represent to you? We talk to a death investigator who observes what the dead can teach us about living, a poet / mortician, who laments our growing estrangement from our dead, and a reporter who has investigated the large — and legal — market for body parts. GUESTS: Barbara Butcher: A retired New York City death investigator and the author of What the Dead Know: Learning About Life as a New York City Death Investigator; she is featured in Dick Wolf’s Netflix docuseries Homicide: New York Thomas Lynch: The author of six collections of poems, six books of essays and a book of stories; a novel, No Prisoners, is forthcoming; he worked as a funeral director for over 50 years with Lynch & Sons Ally Jarmanning: A senior reporter for WBUR; she’s the host and reporter for Season 4 of the podcast Last Seen: Postmortem — The Stolen Bodies of Harvard The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/18/2024 • 49 minutes
How political violence hurts democracy
This hour, we're taking stock of what the events of July 13 mean for our election and our polity. First, a conversation about the effects political violence can have on democracy. Then, a look at the rise of conspiracy thinking across the political spectrum in response to the attempted assassination of former President Trump and an analysis of the iconic photo of Trump with his fist raised. GUESTS: Arie Periliger: Professor at UMass Lowell studying political extremism and political violence for more than 20 years David Gilbert: A reporter at WIRED covering covering disinformation and online extremism Philip Kennicott: Senior art and architecture critic at The Washington Post Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/17/2024 • 48 minutes, 45 seconds
Eternal flame: The continued relevance of the myth of Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods to give it to humans, and suffered an eternity of punishment for it. This hour, we revisit that myth, and talk about why it resonates so much today. Plus, a look at the Alien prequel Prometheus. GUESTS: Annie Dorsen: Theater director; her most recent production was Prometheus Firebringer Adrienne Mayor: Research scholar in the Classics Department and the History of Science Program at Stanford University and the author of Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines and Ancient Dreams of Technology, among other books Dom Nero: Writer, video editor, and co-host of the Eye of the Duck podcast A.O. Scott: Critic at large for The New York Times Book Review and the author of Better Living Through Criticism The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 17, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/16/2024 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
After this weekend, we thought you might want to talk. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/15/2024 • 49 minutes
3 things to think about that aren’t the election: Wimbledon, (not) hugging sloths, and mapping apps
We got to the end of this week and decided it’d be nice to have some stuff to think about besides the election. This hour, we present to you three such things. First, in advance of this weekend’s finals, we check in with arguably the grandest of the Grand Slams, the most major of the four tennis majors, The Championships, Wimbledon 2024. And then: The New York Times wondered, “Should you hug a sloth?” (Spoiler: Probably not.) And finally, a look at all the ways our mapping apps — Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, etc. — are (maybe) letting us down. GUESTS: Julia Angwin: A contributing opinion writer at The New York Times and the founder of Proof News Matthew Futterman: A senior writer covering tennis at The Athletic Melena Ryzik: A roving culture reporter at The New York Times The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/12/2024 • 49 minutes
Want to really know someone? Look in their fridge
This hour, a look at refrigeration and how it’s shaped what we eat and how we live with Nicola Twilley, author of Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves. Plus, we’ll take a look at what we can learn about someone from the inside and outside of their refrigerator. GUESTS: Nicola Twilley: Co-host of the podcast “Gastropod,” and author of the new book, Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves Peyton Dix: Social media strategist, content creator, writer, and co-host of the podcast “Lemme Say This” Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/11/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
The latest from the Supreme Court: Presidential immunity, gratuities and the Chevron doctrine
Legal gratuities for government officials, an overturning of the Chevron doctrine, and (perhaps most importantly) presidential immunity from prosecution for official acts — the Supreme Court just issued a batch of rulings that you may have noticed in the headlines, and we’re here to debrief them! Plus: a discussion on the state and future of the court. GUESTS: Akhil Reed Amar: Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University. He hosts the podcast “Amarica’s Constitution” and wrote the book “The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840” Cristina Rodríguez: Professor of Law at Yale Law School. Ian MacDougall: Writer and lawyer by training who’s clerked for federal judges in Brooklyn and Washington D.C. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2024 • 49 minutes
The cars have eyes: Data privacy (or lack thereof) and your vehicle
Somewhere along the way, cars stopped being just a means of transportation — now, they’re also a dining room, an entertainment center, even an extension of our selves. And apparently, they’re sharing and selling data about you that you might not know they collected in the first place. This hour: everything you didn’t know about that thing you sit in for an hour every day. GUESTS: Jen Caltrider: Program director of Mozilla’s *Privacy Not Included project Stefan Gössling: Professor at Linnaeus University Kashmir Hill: Technology reporter at The New York Times, specializing in privacy Ian Walker: Professor of environmental psychology at Swansea University The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired January 11, 2024.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/9/2024 • 50 minutes
Kafka and his legacy, 100 years after his death
Franz Kafka died 100 years ago last month, but his work is still very much alive today in literature classes and, surprisingly, on social media. This hour, we look at Kafka’s life and legacy, discuss the “Kafkaesque,” and investigate why the author resonates so much today. Plus, we revisit his most famous work, “The Metamorphosis,” and talk with a zoologist about the idea of turning into an insect. GUESTS: Margarita Mouka: Content creator and creative executive. Her TikTok Handle is @aquariuscat444 Karolina Watroba: Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Modern Languages at Oxford’s All Souls College, and the author of Metamorphoses: In Search of Franz Kafka Benjamin Balint: Author of Kafka’s Last Trial. His new book is Bruno Schulz: An Artist, A Murder, and the Hijacking of History Tim Coulson: Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford. His new book is The Science of Why We Exist: A History of the Universe from the Big Bang to Consciousness Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/8/2024 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ and ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’
A Quiet Place: Day One is the third movie in the A Quiet Place film series. It is a prequel to the first film, A Quiet Place. It’s written and directed by Michael Sarnoski (who wrote and directed Pig), and it stars Lupita Nyong’o. Djimon Hounsou reprises his role from A Quiet Place Part II, which hasn’t happened yet, as of Day One. And: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is the fifth movie in the Mad Max film series. It is a prequel to and spinoff from Mad Max: Fury Road, and it is written by George Miller and Nico Lathouris and directed by Miller. Furiosa is an origin story for Charlize Theron’s Fury Road character, Furiosa, here played by Alyla Browne and Anya Taylor-Joy. GUESTS: Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Bradley O’Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/5/2024 • 49 minutes
Veepstakes aside, do running mates matter?
This hour: we look at running mates. We'll talk about whether or not a presidential candidate's running mate matters, and their role on the campaign trail. Plus, we'll take a look at our favorite running mates from popular culture. GUESTS: Christopher Devine: Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Dayton. He is co-author of the books Do Running Mates Matter? The Influence of Vice Presidential Candidates in Presidential Elections, and author of News Media Coverage of the Vice-Presidential Selection Process: What's Wrong with the ‘Veepstakes’? Karrin Vasby Anderson: Professor of Communications Studies at Colorado State University, and author of Women, Feminism, and Pop Politics, among other books Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Bradley O'Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/3/2024 • 48 minutes, 54 seconds
Go with your gut: All about the gut-brain connection
This show's all about guts! How are our guts and our brains connected? How much of our emotional lives come from our stomachs? And how, across history, did our digestive systems become such pivotal parts of our identity? GUESTS: Diego Bohórquez: Gut-brain neuroscientist Elsa Richardson: Historian of health and medicine and the author of the book, “Rumbles: A Curious History of the Gut” Julie Balsamo: Gut health dietician Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe, Lateshia Peters, Lily Tyson, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on December 7, 2023. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/2/2024 • 49 minutes
We take your calls
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook andTwitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Bradley O'Connor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/1/2024 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
From Barbra to Beyoncé: A look at the appeal of divas
The Nose is off this week. In its place: What is a diva? And how has the term evolved? This hour, divas — from Tay-Tay to Beyoncé to Barbra to Dolly, from opera to the top of the pop charts. GUESTS: Spencer Kornhaber: Staff writer at The Atlantic and author of On Divas: Persona, Pleasure, Power Myrna Reynolds: Retired singer Zachary Woolfe: Classical music critic for The New York Times The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired December 6, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/28/2024 • 50 minutes
It’s a whole song and dance: The joy of marching bands
Marching bands are now a staple at halftimes. But why? This hour, we discuss the art of the marching band. We’ll talk about all of the work that goes into coordinating them, and the evolution of marching band music and competitions. Plus, a look at the history of halftime. GUESTS: Justin McManus: Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Connecticut Dylan Reyes: Occasional board operator for The Colin McEnroe Show who marched competitively through high school Mark Dyreson: Professor of Kinesiology and Affiliate Professor of History at Penn State, where he is also Co-Director of Research and Educational Programs for the Penn State Center for the Study of Sports in Society. He is the author of numerous books and articles about the history of sport Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on November 13, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/27/2024 • 49 minutes
The (abridged) Colin McEnroe Show midnight spectacular
Back before radio stations (ours included) started re-airing daytime programs during the night as a default, nighttime airwaves were a place for experimentation, confessions, and wondering that wouldn't be welcome in the light of day. “Why don’t we try that?” said we! On June 20th, Colin McEnroe, a team of intrepid radio producers and engineers, and one very generous security guard stayed in the office from 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. The resulting radio program, which featured live music, poetry, and phone calls about UFOs, Boy Scout horror stories, and siphonophores, is available here (in an abridged format) for your listening pleasure. Click here to listen to the unabridged episode. GUESTS: Hugh Blumenfeld Folk musician and singer-songwriter from Connecticut Mike Penicello: State Director of the Connecticut Mutual UFO Network Keith Trosell: Truck driver and owner/operator of Boba Freight, which is based in Columbia, CT Zulynette: Performer, artist, author, and creator of the annual storytelling event, “A Little Bit of Death.” Her most recent book of poetry is “Seeing in the Dark” Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Jonathan McNicol, Lily Tyson, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/26/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Cash is no longer king: How does that impact us personally and culturally?
It's becoming easier every day to pay for things without cash. You can pay with your credit card, your phone, an app, or even your palm. So how does the move away from cash change how we think about our money? This hour, we look at our changing attitudes towards money, and what we gain and lose as we use less cash. Plus, we'll look at the history and future of ATMs.
GUESTS:
Jay Zagorsky: Clinical Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy, and Law at the Boston University Questrom School of Business
Ursula Dalinghaus: Cultural anthropologist who specializes in economic anthropology and the anthropology of money. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Ripon College
Bernardo Batiz-Lazo: Professor in the Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on November 8, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/25/2024 • 49 minutes
A look at buttons, couch potatoes, and the rise of the remote control
Remote controls date all the way back to the 1800s, but they only entered most households in the 1950s or later. What impact did this have on how we watch television, and how we use other devices in our homes? This hour we look at the history and the impact of the remote control, and discuss what the remote control of the future will look like. And we'll take a look at buttons, and how they shape our interactions with the technology in our lives.
GUESTS:
Caetlin Benson-Allott: Professor of English, Director of Film and Media Studies at Georgetown University, and a member of the Program in American Studies. She is the author of Remote Control, among other books
Rachel Plotnick: Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies in The Media School at Indiana University Bloomington, and author of Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic and the Politics of Pushing
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on November 7, 2023. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/24/2024 • 49 minutes
The Colin McEnroe Show midnight spectacular
Back before radio stations (ours included) started re-airing daytime programs during the night as a default, nighttime airwaves were a place for experimentation, confessions, and wondering that wouldn't be welcome in the light of day.
“Why don’t we try that?” said we!
On June 20, Colin McEnroe, a team of intrepid radio producers and engineers, and one very generous security guard stayed in the office from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. The resulting radio program, which features live music, poetry, and phone calls about UFOs, Boy Scout horror stories, and siphonophores, is available here for your listening pleasure.
GUESTS:
Hugh Blumenfeld: Folk musician and singer-songwriter from Connecticut
Major Jackson: Professor of English at Vanderbilt University and host of the podcast The Slowdown from American Public Media; his most recent book is Razzle Dazzle: New and Selected Poems
Mike Penicello: State director of the Connecticut Mutual UFO Network
Keith Trosell: Truck driver and owner/operator of Boba Freight, which is based in Columbia, Connecticut
Zulynette: Performer, artist, author, and creator of the annual storytelling event A Little Bit of Death; her most recent book of poetry is Seeing in the Dark
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/21/2024 • 1 hour, 53 minutes, 56 seconds
From ‘Star Trek’ to ‘Arrival’: How pop culture helps us imagine extraterrestrial life
The Nose is off this week. In its place, a look at how we imagine extraterrestrial life.
What do you picture when you picture aliens? Is it like E.T.? Or little green men? Or an alien from Star Trek?
This hour: how we imagine extraterrestrial life and how those visions are shaped by our TV and movies and more.
GUESTS:
Jaime Green: Freelance writer, editor, writing teacher, and the author of The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos
Doug Jones: Actor known for his roles in Hellboy, The Shape of Water, Pan’s Labyrinth, and more; he plays Saru in Star Trek: Discovery
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired December 1, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/21/2024 • 50 minutes
The (so-called) dying art of dinner parties
News outlets and opinion writers have called it: The traditional dinner party is dead. But are dinner parties really so bad? Or are we just bad at hosting them?
This hour, the history of dinner parties and some advice from people who turn party-hosting into an art form.
GUESTS:
Rand Richards Cooper: Fiction writer, contributing editor at Commonweal, and the restaurant critic for the Hartford Courant
Nandita Godbole: Author of several cookbooks including Masaleydaar: Classic Indian Spice Blends; she also writes the blog Curry Cravings
Julia Skinner: Culinary historian and food writer whose work includes the book Our Fermented Lives
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 26, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/20/2024 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to favorite TV theme songs; the Ham Primus House in Guilford, Connecticut; the upcoming Poor People’s March; the upcoming presidential debates; the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/18/2024 • 41 minutes, 34 seconds
Yascha Mounk discusses ‘The Identity Trap’ and the future of democracy
In Yascha Mounk’s new book, he “traces the origin of a set of ideas about identity and social justice that is rapidly transforming America — and explains why it will fail to accomplish its noble goals.”
This hour, Mounk joins us to talk about the future of democracy and The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time.
GUEST:
Yascha Mounk: Professor of the practice of international affairs at Johns Hopkins University; founder of Persuasion; host of The Good Fight; and the author, most recently, of The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 4, 2023.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/17/2024 • 42 minutes
The Bard’s the thing: A show about Shakespeare
Shakespeare, it turns out, is not immune to the culture wars, the book banning, the cancel culture (despite his being dead for more than four centuries). So, fine. Cancel Shakespeare, then, one argument goes. Because here’s the thing: Shakespeare’s plays and poems ARE dirty and smutty and gory — and that’s a big part of what makes them so great.
And: Earlier this year, the romantic comedy Anyone But You became the highest-grossing live-action Shakespeare adaptation ever made. So we look at Shakespeare as fertile rom-com IP, from 10 Things I Hate About You and beyond.
And finally, Bardcore is a thing. The one and only Hildegard von Blingin’ joins us.
GUESTS:
Maureen Lee Lenker: A senior writer at Entertainment Weekly and the author of the novel It Happened One Fight
Drew Lichtenberg: Associate director at Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC
Hildegard von Blingin’: A singer and illustrator
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Meg Dalton, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/14/2024 • 41 minutes, 34 seconds
Sun, sand, and a book — a look at the beach read
Just in time for your summer vacation, an hour about beach reads. We look at how the term came to be, get some beach read recommendations, and even hear a case against reading on the beach.
GUESTS:
Meghan Hayden: Owner of River Bend Bookshop, which has locations in Glastonbury and West Hartford, Connecticut
Andrew Limbong: Reporter for NPR’s Culture Desk and Host of NPR's Book of the Day podcast
Donna Harrington-Lueker: Professor in the Department of English, Communications, and Media at Salve Regina University. She is author of Books for Idle Hours: Nineteenth-Century Publishing and the Rise of Summer Reading
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/13/2024 • 41 minutes, 1 second
Our (maybe) 14th (almost) annual song of the summer show
We’ve done a version of this show every year since 2013. And we did it in 2011. We probably even did one in 2010. (We just can’t prove it.)
So it’s a bit of a tradition. It’s a tradition that … makes some people angry, we realize.
And that has a lot to do with how we define the term “song of the summer.” We use the Amanda Dobbins definition:
Let’s be clear about how this works: There is no such thing as a “personal” song of summer. We do not anoint multiple songs of summer. There can only be one; the Song of Summer, by its very definition, is a consensus choice. It is the song that wrecks wedding dance floors. It is the song that you and your mother begrudgingly agree on (even though your mom has no idea what rhymes with “hug me” and won’t stop yelling it in public). It does not necessarily have to hit No. 1 on the charts, but it should probably be on the charts because it must be widely played. It must bring people together. It must be a shared enthusiasm.
So it’s our job here to figure out what song from 2024 will get added to the long list of song of the summer classics like “Party Rock Anthem,” “Call Me Maybe,” “Despacito,” and “Blurred Lines.”
And if we’re wrong, well, it really just won’t matter at all.
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Brendan Jay Sullivan: A writer, producer, and DJ
Cassie Willson: A comedian, musician, and content creator
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/12/2024 • 42 minutes
The first presidential debate is June 27. But will it matter?
With the first presidential debate just two weeks away, an hour on the art and science of the presidential debate. We look at the evolution of debates through history, question whether or not they matter to the election, and even learn about the art of the political putdown.
GUESTS:
Kathryn Cramer Brownell: Associate Professor of History at Purdue University. She is author of Showbiz Politics: Hollywood in American Political Life and 24/7 Politics: Cable Television and the Fragmenting of America from Watergate to Fox News
Aaron Kall: Director of Debate and a Lecturer in the Department of Communication at the University of Michigan. He is also author of Debating The Donald
Chris Lamb: Professor of Journalism at Indiana University Indianapolis, and author of The Art of the Political Putdown: The Greatest Comebacks, Ripostes, and Retorts in History
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/11/2024 • 49 minutes
Every step you take: How walking and walkability shape our lives
"These boots are made for walking…" but instead, they sit by the door while you watch TV. This hour: Why is it often so hard to get walking? And what can our footsteps tell us about ourselves and the world?
GUESTS:
Jeff Speck: City planner and author of the book “Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time”
Liam Satchell: Senior lecturer in Psychology at the University of Winchester
Dr. I-Min Lee: Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Join the conversation onFacebook andTwitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on November 2, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/10/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Godzilla Minus One’ and the current crisis at the box office
Godzilla Minus One (Gojira -1.0) is the 37th movie in the Godzilla franchise, the 33rd Godzilla movie from Toho Studios, and the fifth movie in the franchise’s Reiwa era. It has grossed more than $150 million at the worldwide box office, making it the highest-grossing Japanese Godzilla movie. It is the first Godzilla movie ever nominated for an Academy Award, which it won, for Best Visual Effects. Godzilla Minus One is a prequel to the original movie, Godzilla (1954).
And: Following the worst Memorial Day weekend at the domestic box office in nearly 30 years and the disappointing openings of the big-budget summer action movies The Fall Guy and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, industry watchers are, let’s say … in a bit of a panic. The Nose has thoughts and concerns.
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction, and she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/7/2024 • 49 minutes, 8 seconds
The latest culture war is a beef over meatless meat
Last month, Florida and Alabama became the first U.S. states to ban the sale and manufacture of lab-grown meat. The plant-based meat company Impossible Foods announced a shift from green to red packaging, in an apparent rejection of the company’s “woke” reputation that angered some Cracker Barrel customers. This hour: how did meatless meat join the culture wars?
GUESTS:
Matt Reynolds: Senior writer at Wired magazine
S. Marek Muller: Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Texas State University
Yasmin Tayag: Staff writer at The Atlantic covering food and health
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/6/2024 • 49 minutes
An hour with Percival Everett
Percival Everett is the author of 24 novels, four short story collections, and six collections of poetry.
His 2001 novel Erasure was adapted as the feature film American Fiction, which was nominated this year for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Everett has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
His newest novel, James, reimagines Adventures of Huckleberry Finn “from the enslaved Jim’s point of view.”
This hour, Percival Everett joins us in studio.
GUEST:
Percival Everett: Novelist and poet
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/5/2024 • 49 minutes
Why the Roman Empire is worth thinking about
We've recently discovered, thanks to TikTok, that many more people are thinking about the Roman Empire than you might expect... including the host of this radio show. This hour, we talk about why people think about the Roman Empire, and we talk with the preeminent scholar of the Roman Empire, Mary Beard, about all the things you could think about if you wanted to think about the Roman Empire.
GUESTS:
Doug Boin: Professor of History at St. Louis University, and author of Alaric the Goth: An Outsider’s History of the Fall of Rome, among other books
Mary Beard: Historian of Ancient Rome. She is the author of bestselling books, including SPQR, and her newest book is Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on October 25, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/4/2024 • 49 minutes
We take your calls
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/3/2024 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
‘It always means something’: Connecticut in the movies
Illeana Douglas’ new book is Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia. It isn’t just an encyclopedia of appearances by and references to Connecticut in movies. But rather, it’s a history and theory of “Connecticut movies,” something close to a genre unto itself with its own set of signs and meanings.
This hour, Illeana Douglas and David Edelstein join us to take a Not Necessarily The Nose-style look at the Nutmeg State on the silver screen.
GUESTS:
Illeana Douglas: The Official Movie Star of The Colin McEnroe Show and the author, most recently, of Connecticut in the Movies
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 13, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/31/2024 • 50 minutes
URGENT: Please immediately listen to this show about scam emails
A wealthy prince needs your help (via a wire transfer) to unfreeze his fortunes. He’ll reward you handsomely. While you’re sending him the money, listen to this show about scam emails.
We'll talk about the surprising history and future of scam emails and what you can do to protect yourself. Plus: a conversation with an author who got caught up in an infamous email scam.
GUESTS:
Arun Vishwanath: Cybersecurity expert and author of the book, “The Weakest Link: How to Diagnose, Detect, and Defend Users from Phishing”
Peter C. Baker: Author of the novel “Planes”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on October 19, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/30/2024 • 49 minutes
Take a seat and listen to our hour on chairs
What can we learn about ourselves from what we sit on?
This hour, the history of chairs, their impact on our lifestyle and health, and what’s in store for their future.
Plus, we celebrate the joy of a well-designed chair, talk with a chair maker, and discuss some of our favorite examples.
GUESTS:
Galen Cranz: Professor emerita of architecture at the University of California at Berkeley, a founding member of the Association for Body Conscious Design, and the author of The Chair: Rethinking Culture, Body and Design, among other books
Aspen Golann: Artist and furniture maker; she teaches in the furniture department at The Rhode Island School of Design and founded The Chairmaker’s Toolbox
Witold Rybczynski: Architect, emeritus professor of urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of Now I Sit Me Down: From Klismos to Plastic Chair — A Natural History, among other books
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 18, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/29/2024 • 50 minutes
Emily Wilson brings 'The Iliad' alive for a modern audience
In 2018, Emily Wilson became internationally known for her translation of Homer’s The Odyssey, which was called “a revelation” and “a cultural landmark.” This hour, Wilson joins us to talk about her translation of Homer’s other great surviving work, The Iliad.
GUEST:
Emily Wilson: Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her new translation of Homer’s The Iliad is out now. She previously translated The Odyssey, in addition to works by Euripides, Seneca, and Sophocles
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on October 16, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/28/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Challengers’ and ‘Spacey Unmasked’
Challengers is the eighth feature film directed by Luca Guadagnino. It’s a romantic sports drama tennis movie thriller kind of thing that stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist as the three points of a love triangle. It opened at No. 1 at the domestic box office, making it Zendaya’s second No. 1 movie of 2024 (after Dune: Part Two).
And: Spacey Unmasked is a two-part Investigation Discovery docuseries that looks at actor Kevin Spacey’s “rise and fall from grace amid allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior.”
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/24/2024 • 49 minutes
Roommates wanted: How the people you live with impact your life
Roommates: can't live with them, can't (afford to) live without them. They're the people who use your dishes and don't wash them. They're the people who apparently have a huge influence on your career choice and drinking habits. This hour, we're getting to know them better!
GUESTS:
Ken Jennings: Colin’s college roommate
Kelli María Korducki: Journalist who writes about work and the family
Bruce Sacerdote: Professor of Economics at Dartmouth College
Francesca Fontánez: Social Media Editor at CT Public and a former college RA
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/23/2024 • 49 minutes
How algorithms shape our world, for better and for worse
We hear about algorithms all the time, but what is an algorithm exactly? This hour, we learn about how algorithms work, a bit about their history, and how they're impacting our culture.
GUESTS:
Ed Finn: Author of What Algorithms Want: Imagination in the Age of Computing, and founding director of the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University
Bruce Gil: Reporter for Quartz
Liz Pelly: Writer and editor, whose forthcoming book is Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/22/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
‘Books can be mirrors or books can be windows’: How to decide what kids should read
From book bans to comics and the strange origins of fairy tales, this hour we look at children’s literature and who decides what’s appropriate for kids to read.
GUESTS:
Adam Gidwitz: Author of A Tale Dark and Grimm and its companions and the creator of the podcast Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest
Carol St. George: Professor of teaching and curriculum and director of reading and literacy at the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester
Maria Tatar: Research professor of folklore and mythology at Harvard University; her latest book is The Heroine with 1001 Faces
Carol Tilley: Comics historian, librarian, educator, and youth advocate; she is a professor in the faculty of the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois
This show was produced with Stacey Addo.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 20, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/21/2024 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to the stock market, inflation and the real estate market, incidental music in theater, commercials and trailers and such at the movie theater, Woody Harrelson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., rocketing all of our plastic into the Sun … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/20/2024 • 49 minutes
Those were the days: Nostalgia in our popular culture
We’ve been noticing a sort of backwards-looking bent lately in TV shows like Ripley, with its 1960s setting and its black-and-white aesthetic and its lush 1950s Italian pop soundtrack. Or Fallout, with its particular brand of retro-futurism and its Jazz Age-to-Space Age music. Or Sugar, with it classic movie-obsessed protagonist and its neo-noir tone.
There’s a theory that there’s more of an emphasis on nostalgia right now than normal because no one wants to live in 2024. There’s even a whole new Taylor Swift song about it.
This hour, a Nose-ish look at the heightened role of nostalgia in our popular culture right now. Plus: the dark side of nostalgia culture.
GUESTS:
Jessica Andrews: A novelist and a contributing editor at Elle UK; her most recent novel is Milk Teeth
Spencer Kornhaber: A staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of On Divas: Persona, Pleasure, Power
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/17/2024 • 49 minutes
Is print dead or is it making a comeback?
Is print dead? Or will it make a comeback? This hour, we talk about the benefits and drawbacks of getting your news in print form. We learn about the print age, or the “Gutenberg Parenthesis,” and we talk about the business of printing.
GUESTS:
Kelsey Russell: A media literacy influencer and co-host of “First Stop News”
Jeff Jarvis: Author of The Gutenberg Parenthesis: The Age of Print and Its Lessons for the Age of the Internet. His new book, The Web We Weave will be out this fall. He co-hosts the “This Week in Google” and “AI Inside” podcasts
John Garrett: Founder and CEO of “Community Impact,” a privately owned chain of 40 community newspapers in Texas, which also includes its own printing facilities
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/16/2024 • 49 minutes
Osculate me, you fool! A brief history of romantic kissing
This hour, Colin and his guests look at why humans touch others with their lips (and often their tongues!). Join us as we overthink the simple act of kissing.
GUESTS:
Marcel Danesi: Professor Emeritus of Linguistic Anthropology at The University of Toronto and author of The History of the Kiss! The Birth of Popular Culture
Matthew Longcore: Director of Membership and Outreach for the Human Relations Area Files at Yale University and an Adjunct Faculty Member in Anthropology at the University of Connecticut Stamford
Andréa Demirjian: Runs The Kissing Expert website, Instagram feed, and Facebook page. She’s the author of the book Kissing: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About One of Life’s Sweetest Pleasures
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Lily Tyson, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on October 10, 2023. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/15/2024 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
Everyday Carry: Unpacking what we carry with us and why
What’s in your pockets right now? Phone, wallet, keys … maybe some discarded receipts or old gum?
This hour: what we carry with us every day, from flashlights the size of a lip balm to a life-saving medicine.
GUESTS:
Bernard Capulong: Founder and editor-in-chief of everydaycarry.com
Peter Canning: A Hartford paramedic, an emergency medical services coordinator at John Dempsey Hospital, and the author of Killing Season: A Paramedic’s Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Opioid Epidemic
Hannah Carlson: Senior lecturer in the Apparel Department at the Rhode Island School of Design and the author of Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close
Mona Gohara: Private practice dermatologist, associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine, and an advocate around increasing inclusivity in dermatology
Drew John Ladd: A writer
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 19, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/14/2024 • 50 minutes
How ’bout them apples?
This hour, a look at the cultural significance of the apple, from Adam and Eve to keeping the doctor away.
Plus: growing apples and the future of apples, and we compare apples and oranges.
GUESTS:
Martha Bayless: Director of folklore and public culture and a professor of English and folklore at the University of Oregon; she is also the founder of the Early English Bread Project, which studies the role of bread in early medieval English culture
David Bedford: Senior research fellow in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota; his team is responsible for creating the Honeycrisp, SweeTango, Zestar, and Rave apple varieties, among others
Dan Pashman: Creator and host of the The Sporkful podcast
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 7, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/13/2024 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Baby Reindeer’ and our (maybe) era of mid TV
Baby Reindeer is a seven-episode half-hour limited series written and created by Richard Gadd and based on his autobiographical one-man play. According to Netflix, it “follows struggling comedian Donny Dunn’s warped relationship with his female stalker and the impact it has on him as he is ultimately forced to face a deeply buried trauma.” With its unique mix of black comedy, drama, and thriller, Baby Reindeer went to No. 1 on Netflix’s Top 10 TV Shows in the U.S. Today list in its second week of release.
And: The New York Times’ chief TV critic, James Poniewozik, says we’ve entered an era of mid television. He cites shows like The Diplomat, Hijack, House of the Dragon, Manhunt, Ozark (Ozark?!), and Poker Face as prime examples of mid TV. The Nose has thoughts.
GUESTS:
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write
Lindsay Lee Wallace: Writes about culture, health care and health equity, and other stuff, too
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/10/2024 • 49 minutes
The collective heartbreak in a dog’s death, from Kristi Noem to ‘Old Yeller’
The internet is up in arms over the revelation that South Dakota governor Kristi Noem once shot and killed her dog. This hour, we’ll get into it. From vice presidential contenders to “Old Yeller” and “Marley and Me” — what is it about dogs that brings us all together, and unites us in grief and uproar when they die?
GUESTS:
Li Zhou: Senior politics and society reporter at Vox.
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Tommy Tomlinson: Author of the book “Dogland: Passion, Glory, and Lots of Slobber at the Westminster Dog Show.”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/9/2024 • 48 minutes, 54 seconds
Fumble! The state’s failed bid to bring the Patriots to Hartford, 25 years later
It has been 25 years since the deal between the state of Connecticut and Robert Kraft’s New England Patriots — the deal that would’ve brought the Patriots to a brand new publicly funded stadium in Hartford — fell through.
Over the two-and-a-half decades since, the Patriots hired coach Bill Belichick and drafted quarterback Tom Brady, and they won 17 division titles, nine conference championships, and six Super Bowls.
Hartford, on the other hand, eventually built a 6,000-seat Double A ballpark as part of a much larger development plan that has since mostly been scrapped. And people continue to pine for the return of the Whalers.
This hour, a look back at what might have been, what could have been — what never was.
GUESTS:
Jeff Benedict: The author of 16 books, including The Dynasty
Michael Leeds: Professor of economics at Temple University and co-author of The Economics of Sports, now in its seventh edition
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/8/2024 • 49 minutes
Author A.J. Jacobs says he "will never take elastic or democracy for granted again"
In A.J. Jacobs' new book, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning, he details his experience living by the Constitution for a year. Jacobs joins us for the hour to tell us about the experiment and what he learned.
GUESTS:
A.J. Jacobs: Author of The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man’s Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution’s Original Meaning. His previous books include Drop Dead Healthy and The Year of Living Biblically. He is also host of “The Puzzler” podcast
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/7/2024 • 49 minutes
How charisma shapes our world
What exactly is charisma? You know it when you see it, but is it possible to measure? Is it something you can learn, or just something you’re born with?
This hour we look at the impact of charisma, especially in politics.
Plus, in the world of wildlife conservation there’s a term for those animals everyone cares about: “charismatic megafauna.”
What are the impacts of decisions about conservation or leadership coming down to a nebulous trait like charisma?
GUESTS:
John Antonakis: Professor of organizational behavior at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Sophie Monsarrat: Rewilding manager with Rewilding Europe, who used to be a researcher who studied charismatic megafauna, among other topics
Russ Schriefer: Founding partner of Strategic Partners & Media, a public affairs political consulting firm; he is senior strategist for the Tell It Like It Is super PAC that supported Chris Christie for President
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 6, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/6/2024 • 50 minutes
An hour with mystery writer Adrian McKinty
Adrian McKinty is a Northern Irish writer of thrillers and mysteries probably best known for The Chain and the Sean Duffy series.
On a dark and stormy night in September, McKinty talked to Colin on stage at The Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford. It’s the first show we’ve done in front of a live audience since the before times.
This hour, a lightly edited version of that conversation.
GUEST:
Adrian McKinty: The author of 20 novels, including The Chain, the Michael Forsythe trilogy, and the Sean Duffy series; The Detective Up Late, the seventh Duffy novel, is out in paperback May 14
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 14, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/3/2024 • 50 minutes
From abortion to homelessness: A dive into the Supreme Court cases you may have missed
It's hard to stay on top of everything happening in the Supreme Court lately — a case about whether governments can criminalize sleeping outside when you're homeless, a different decision that headlines tell us "effectively abolishes the right to mass protest in three US states." Today, we're getting caught up with three of the most important cases you might have missed!
GUESTS:
Mark Joseph Stern: Senior writer at Slate covering courts and the law
Vera Eidelman: Staff attorney with the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project
Nisha Kashyap: Attorney at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/2/2024 • 41 minutes, 51 seconds
The storied history of people sleeping through things
It’s been reported that Donald Trump has been sleeping during his Manhattan trial. This hour, a look at the storied history of people sleeping through things. We talk with a sleep doctor. Plus: an actor on what it’s like when an audience member nods off during your stage performance.
GUESTS:
Maura Judkis: Features Reporter for The Washington Post
Michael Greaney: Professor of English Literature at Lancaster University
Dr. Rafael Pelayo: Clinical professor at Stanford University’s Sleep Medicine division and the author of How to Sleep
Derek Garza: Actor, director, voice-over actor and creative artist, who works in theater, television and film
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/1/2024 • 41 minutes, 55 seconds
How the weight of family ‘truths’ can get heavier with each generation
Journalist Lisa Belkin spent 10 years retracing the ancestry of three families, over four generations, to understand how a series of random encounters between three men led to the 1960 murder of a Stamford, Connecticut, police officer.
Genealogy of a Murder looks at how family “truths” passed down through the generations can influence the choices of the descendants that follow.
How do family stories, happenstance, and the cultural ethos of the moment shape the people we become?
GUESTS:
Lisa Belkin: A journalist and the author of Genealogy of a Murder: Four Generations, Three Families, One Fateful Night
Doreen Troy Dolan: Daughter of David Troy
Kelsey Rose Dolan: Granddaughter of David Troy
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 24, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/30/2024 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to people backing into parking spaces, incorrect (maybe) pronunciations, spoon theory, the movie Civil War, Gov. Kristi Noem’s puppy … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/29/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Fallout’ and ‘Conan O’Brien Must Go’
Fallout is a post-apocalyptic TV series developed for Amazon MGM Studios by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, who co-created Westworld for HBO. It is the first screen adaptation of the game franchise, which comprises four main series video games, seven spinoff video games, and six tabletop games. It stars Ella Purnell (from Yellowjackets), Aaron Morten, Kyle MacLachlan, and Walton Goggins.
And: Conan O’Brien Must Go is a Max Original travel series. It is a spinoff from the podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend and a successor to the Conan Without Borders travel specials that aired as part of the TBS late night show Conan. Four episodes are out so far, in which O’Brien travels to Norway, Argentina, Thailand, and Ireland.
GUESTS:
Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/26/2024 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
'Our President is not a King': Examining the January 6 and presidential immunity cases in the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court recently started hearing oral arguments about whether the January 6 attacks constitute obstruction of an official proceeding. Tomorrow, they'll hear arguments on Trump's claim of presidential immunity. This hour, a status update on the confusing, monumental, and democracy-defining goings-on in the Supreme Court.
GUESTS:
Melissa Murray: Professor of Law at NYU, a host of the podcast “Strict Scrutiny,” and co-author of the book, “The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents with Commentary.”
Holly Brewer: Burke Chair of American Cultural and Intellectual History and Associate Professor of History at the University of Maryland.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/24/2024 • 49 minutes
The late Daniel Dennett on consciousness, faith, and more
Daniel Dennett was one of the most famous philosophers in the world, one of the so-called “Four Horsemen of the New Atheism.”
Dennett died April 19 at age 82.
This hour, our 2015 conversation with Daniel Dennett, as recorded onstage at the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford.
GUEST:
Daniel Dennett: Was a philosopher, writer and and the co-director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Dylan Reyes, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired January 21, 2016, in a different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/23/2024 • 50 minutes
A look at juries, from '12 Angry Men' to the Trump trial
It took almost a week to select the jurors and alternates for the Manhattan trial of former President Donald Trump. This hour is all about juries. We'll talk about jury selection, how to root out potential bias, and the process of choosing an impartial jury in this day and age. Plus, we'll look at depictions of juries in popular culture. And, some of the jury selection questions have to do with what media a person consumes, so we'll look at what the media we consume can say about us, and discuss media bias.
GUESTS:
Renato Mariotti: Trial attorney and partner at the law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP. He is a former federal prosecutor, and host of the “It’s Complicated” podcast
Nancy Marder: Professor of Law, Director of the Justice John Paul Stevens Jury Center and Co-Director of the Institute for Law and the Humanities at the Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Tech. She is author of The Power of the Jury: Transforming Citizens Into Jurors
Vanessa Otero: Creator of the Media Bias Chart and the Founder and CEO of Ad Fontes Media
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/22/2024 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
An hour with Rupert Holmes
Rupert Holmes won two Tony Awards for his musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood. His single “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. His dramedy Remember WENN was AMC’s first original scripted series. And his newest novel, Murder Your Employer, was a New York Times bestseller.
This hour: Rupert Holmes.
GUEST:
Rupert Holmes: Playwright, composer, singer-songwriter, and author
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/20/2024 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Civil War’ and ‘Manhunt’
In January, we did a show that wondered both how much the American Civil War speaks to the present American moment and how likely a new American Civil War might be. Well, movies and television have now, finally caught up with us.
Civil War is the fourth film written and directed by Alex Garland. It tells the story of the end of a future second American Civil War as four journalists — played by Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson — move through it. Civil War is currently the No. 1 movie in the country.
And: Manhunt is a seven-episode limited series on Apple TV+. It is based on the book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson. It’s a conspiracy thriller that focuses on War Secretary Edwin Stanton (as played by Tobias Menzies) leading the chase and on John Wilkes Booth (Anthony Boyle) as he’s being chased.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
Xandra Ellin: A producer at Pineapple Street Studios
Frankie Graziano: Host of The Wheelhouse on Connecticut Public
Matthew Warshauer: Professor of history at Central Connecticut State University, and he’s the author of the forthcoming book Creating and Failing the 9/11 Generation: The Real Story of September 11
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/19/2024 • 43 minutes, 30 seconds
A look at Trump’s hush money trial, the Golden Divorce, and slouching
This hour, we've got one show with three topics. First, the Trump 'hush money' trial; next, the history of slouch-shaming; and finally, the Golden Bachelor's divorce news.
GUESTS:
Mark Joseph Stern: Senior writer at Slate covering courts and the law
Beth Linker: Professor and Chair of History and Sociology of Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Her recently-released book is called “Slouch: Posture Panic in Modern America.”
Kay Brown: Host of the Bachelor recap podcast, “The Betchelor”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/18/2024 • 41 minutes, 20 seconds
Where does the idea of the tortured poet come from?
Taylor Swift’s newest album, The Tortured Poets Department, comes out Friday. So this hour, we are taking a look at the idea of the actual tortured poet. We talk about where the idea of tortured poets came from, learn about the nature of creativity, and hear from a poet about where their inspiration comes from.
GUESTS:
Roland Greene: Professor of English and Comparative Literature and Director of the Humanities Center at Stanford University. He is editor in chief of the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. His newest book is Five Words: Critical Semantics in the Age of Shakespeare and Cervantes
James C. Kaufman: Professor of Educational Psychology at the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. He is the author or editor of more than 50 books, including The Creativity Advantage and The Cambridge Handbook of Creativity
Sandra Simonds: Writer, professor, and author of eight collections of poetry, the most recent of which is Triptychs. She is also the author of the novel Assia
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/17/2024 • 41 minutes, 41 seconds
Unburying the truth about pirates with Rebecca Simon
We imagine pirates to be the quintessential rule-breakers — but really, they had their own strictly-followed codes.
How did 18th-century pirates dictate their own community standards? How did they create social mobility in an age when changing one's social status was nearly impossible?
This hour, we join pirate historian Rebecca Simon to find out!
GUEST:
Rebecca Simon: Pirate historian with a doctorate in history from King’s College London; she’s the author of several books about piracy, including The Pirates’ Code: Laws and Life Aboard Ship
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on October 11, 2023.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/16/2024 • 41 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to an essay about NPR in The Free Press, NPR’s response to the essay, (our friend) David Folkenflik’s reporting on the essay and NPR’s response and such … Oh, and Scrabble … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/15/2024 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘Ripley’ and a new version of Scrabble
Ripley is an eight-episode limited series adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley novels. It is the first serialized screen version of those stories following five feature film adaptations, including the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jude Law. The Netflix series stars Adam Scott, Dakota Fanning, and Johnny Flynn. It is created, written, and directed by Oscar-winning screenwriter Steven Zaillian (who also created The Night Of) and shot — in black and white — by Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Elswit.
And: Scrabble Together is a new, forthcoming version of the classic board game that’s coming to Europe from Mattel. It’s a faster-paced, collaborative version of Scrabble that’s being billed as less “intimidating.” It will not be available in the U.S.
GUESTS:
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write
Lindsay Lee Wallace: Writes about culture, health care and health equity, and other stuff, too
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/12/2024 • 41 minutes, 21 seconds
‘Riding the line between art and pulp’: A look at cult classic cinema
If I say “cult classic,” what do you think of? Probably an underground movie that built up an intense following over time, like The Rocky Horror Picture Show or The Room, right? Or maybe even something a bit more mainstream like The Big Lebowski?
But where’s the limit here, if there is one? Is Blade Runner a cult movie? Or Pulp Fiction? Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Office Space? Slap Shot? (I mean: Slap Shot?!?)
This hour, a look at a genre, a cross section of cinema history that seems to include everything from all-time classics like A Clockwork Orange to all-time terribles like Plan 9 from Outer Space and many, many weird and not-even-so-weird things in between: the cult classic.
GUESTS:
Millie De Chirico: Co-author of TCM Underground: 50 Must-See Films from the World of Classic Cult and Late-Night Cinema and co-host of the I Saw What You Did podcast
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Sam Hatch: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUH
Kevin O’Toole: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUH
This show was produced with Sajina Shrestha.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/11/2024 • 43 minutes
From alief to phronesis, Tamar Gendler makes the case for why we should care about ancient philosophy
This hour, Yale Dean Tamar Gendler joins us to discuss her course “Public Plato: Ancient Wisdom in the Digital Age.” We'll talk about how to make ancient philosophy relevant for a modern audience, questions of framing and form, and what we can all learn from concepts like alief, phronesis, and eudaimonia.
GUEST:
Tamar Gendler: Professor of Philosophy, Psychology and Cognitive Science, and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, at Yale University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on October 5, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/10/2024 • 41 minutes
The luck of the draw: A deeper look at lotteries
This hour, we’re talking about lotteries. How did this massive money redistribution game come to be? And we know that lotteries can randomly allocate cash prizes to ticket buyers – but could they also pick our political officials? Or the victims of our human sacrifice rituals to ensure that “corn be heavy soon”?
GUESTS:
Jonathan D. Cohen: Historian and author of For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America
Alex Guerrero: Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University and author of the forthcoming book, “Lottocracy: The Case for Democracy without Elections”
Ruth Franklin: Book critic and author of the award-winning biography Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Stacey Addo, Lily Tyson, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on August 23, 2023. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/9/2024 • 49 minutes
Let us pray — A salute to our favorite mantis
This legislative session, local students lobbied Connecticut lawmakers to change our state insect, which is currently the praying mantis. This hour we are focused on the praying mantis. We'll learn about the insect, why students think it should not represent the state, and what praying mantises of the future could look like.
GUESTS:
Katherine Dugas: Entomologist and research technician at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Liz Alter: Professor of Evolutionary Biology at California State University Monterey Bay
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/8/2024 • 49 minutes
Cringe comedy, awkward moments and the legacy of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'
Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm has been on HBO for going on 24 years. As the show comes to a close, we take a Nose-ish look at it and its impact on cringe comedy and the role of cringiness and awkwardness in our lives.
GUESTS:
Katie Baker: Senior Staff Writer at The Ringer
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Carolyn Paine: Actress, comedian, and dancer. She is founder, director, and choreographer of Connetic Dance
Ty Tashiro: Psychologist by training and author of the book Awkward: The Science of Why We’re Socially Awkward and Why That’s Awesome
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/5/2024 • 49 minutes
From logistical nightmares to ancient omens, a look at the dark side of the eclipse
On Monday, the contiguous U.S. will see a total solar eclipse for the last time until 2044. Online, the excitement is also giving way to fears — will communities in the eclipse’s path have enough food and gas to support all the travelers? Will it interrupt our power grid? This hour, we’re talking about the dark side of the eclipse — from doomsday predictions to ancient omens.
GUESTS:
Vahé Peroomian: Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southern California’s Dornsife College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences
Rebecca Boyle : Science journalist and author of the book, “Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are”
Leah Hudson Leva: Writer who researched conspiracy theories about this year's total eclipse
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/4/2024 • 49 minutes
A conversation with Don Winslow about love, money, murder, and why free food tastes better
Bestselling author Don Winslow joins us to discuss his new novel, City in Ruins, which he says is the last of his career.
GUEST:
Don Winslow: Bestselling author, whose new book, City in Ruins, is out this week
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/3/2024 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
Radical or relevant? How the Luddites can help us relate to today’s technology
Today “Luddite” is used as a derogatory term for someone who doesn’t understand technology. But the original Luddites weren’t behind. They were technical workers who were concerned about the impact that technology would have on people.
This hour, we look at the history of Luddites, how their philosophy applies today, and ask what our present would look like if they had won. Could we all gain something from thinking more like a Luddite?
GUESTS:
Miriam A. Cherry: Professor of law at St. John’s University and the author of Work in the Digital Age: A Coursebook on Labor, Technology, and Regulation
Brian Merchant: Technology columnist at the Los Angeles Times and the author of Blood in the Machine: the Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech
Gavin Mueller: Assistant professor of new media and digital culture at the University of Amsterdam and the author of Breaking Things at Work: The Luddites Are Right About Why You Hate Your Job
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired August 21, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/2/2024 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing — calls about grammar, gardening, long-distance dialing, autotune. Anything. Everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we’re doing another one.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about whatever you want to talk about. 888-720-9677. Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/1/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘3 Body Problem’ and ‘Ramy Youssef: More Feelings’
This week’s Nose has crazy substitute teacher energy.
3 Body Problem is a Netflix series created by David Benioff, D. B. Weiss, and Alexander Woo and loosely based on the 2008 novel The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin, the first novel in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy. 3 Body Problem is the first television series created by Benioff and Weiss since Game of Thrones.
And: More Feelings is the second HBO comedy special from Ramy Youssef.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/29/2024 • 49 minutes
Inside the confusing, time-sucking, unequal world of taxes
It's tax season. How did this quintessentially frustrating thing come to be so frustrating? And must it be so?
This hour, we’re learning about why taxes are so complicated to file in the U.S. Then, we’ll talk about how some of the richest people in America end up paying next to no taxes on the wealth they grow every year. Finally: a conversation with someone who doesn’t pay a chunk of his taxes — on purpose — as a form of protest.
GUESTS:
Monica Prasad: Professor of Economic and Political Sociology at Johns Hopkins University
Paul Kiel: Reporter for ProPublica who covers taxes
Lawrence Rosenwald: Professor of English Emeritus at Wellesley College and a longtime war tax resister
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/28/2024 • 48 minutes, 53 seconds
From ‘The Lord of the Rings’ to ‘Dune,’ a look at the world of constructed languages
Constructed languages have existed in popular culture for a long time, but they've reached a new level of ubiquity today. This hour, we talk with professional conlangers who have created languages for Game of Thrones, Dune, and many other worlds. We'll learn about the art of constructing languages, and the appeal of learning one of them.
GUESTS:
David and Jessie Peterson: Professional conlangers whose work appears in Dune: Part Two, Elemental, Shadow and Bone, and more. They co-host the weekly livestream “LangTime Studio” on YouTube. David also created languages for Game of Thrones
Gregory Danielson III: Experienced Toki Pona speaker and teacher
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/27/2024 • 49 minutes
Reverence? Rejection? Reckoning with the actions of our ancestors
This hour, we grapple with the impact our ancestors have on our lives and what our responsibility is if they did something we disagree with.
GUESTS:
Maud Newton: Author of Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation
Jenny Strauss: Great-granddaughter of Lewis Strauss
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 17, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/26/2024 • 50 minutes
A look at our ‘toxic love story’ with plastic
Plastic is everywhere in our world, and scientists are increasingly discovering the negative health and environmental impacts of the material.
This hour, we take a look at our relationship to plastic. We talk about the material, its evolution, and its symbolism in our culture. Plus, we look at the use of single use plastic in television and why it matters.
GUESTS:
Susan Freinkel: Author of Plastic: A Toxic Love Story; her Substack is 1,017 Acres: Life in the Park
Erica Cirino: Communications manager of the Plastic Pollution Coalition and the author of Thicker Than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis
Dana Weinstein: Project specialist for the Media Impact Project at the University of Southern California Annenberg Norman Lear Center
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/25/2024 • 49 minutes
A triptych of celebrity scandals: Kate Middleton, Dan Schneider, and Jonathan Glazer
The Nose is off. In its place this hour, a look at the current controversies swirling around certain celebrities:
Catherine, Princess of Wales hasn’t made a scheduled public appearance since last year. Kensington Palace announced in January that she was having “planned abdominal surgery.” The internet was dissatisfied with that explanation. And then some photos this month, including one that the Princess admitted to doctoring, have left the internet, let’s say, even less satisfied.
And: Dan Schneider has been described as “the Norman Lear of children’s television.” His Nickelodeon shows launched the careers of people like Amanda Bynes, Ariana Grande, Keenan Thompson, and others. But a new docuseries, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, brings together a number of previously known stories and allegations with some new information that, altogether, paints an ugly picture of what was going on behind the scenes — and often even on the screen — on Dan Schneider’s sets.
And finally: Director Jonathan Glazer’s acceptance speech at this year’s Academy Awards included this passage: “Right now we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people. Whether the victims of October the 7th in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims of this dehumanization, how do we resist?” At the ceremony, people applauded. Since the ceremony, (some) people have responded, uh, less kindly. In any case, the Oscars have a long history of political controversy.
GUESTS:
Alison Foreman: A features writer at IndieWire covering and critiquing TV, film, and trends in Hollywood
Tiffany Hsu: A technology reporter for The New York Times covering misinformation and disinformation and its origins, movement, and consequences
Pete Hammond: Awards columnist and chief film critic at Deadline
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/22/2024 • 49 minutes
Our 14th* (almost) annual March Madness show
March Madness is here!
And so the only logical thing to do is to get improv comedian Julia Pistell and the actual Bill Curry together to talk basketball for an hour on the radio.
That may not be the only logical thing to do. It may be that that’s not actually a logical thing to do at all.
But we’re doing it anyway.
*It’s our 14th one of these unless it isn’t. We’re pretty sure we’ve done this show every year from 2010 on, but for 2020. There’s circumstantial evidence, at least, that we did this show that first March that our show was on the air, in 2010. But no proof that that’s a thing we did survives. But we’re still fairly confident we did it.
GUESTS:
Eugene J. Cornacchia: President of Saint Peter’s University
Bill Curry: Playing the part of Bill Curry
Frankie Graziano: Host of The Wheelhouse on Connecticut Public
Julia Pistell: A founding member of Sea Tea Improv, among a number of other things
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/21/2024 • 49 minutes, 55 seconds
How to be wrong
We all strive to be right about things — we do our research, we listen to people who seem smarter than us, we make compelling arguments over dinner tables. But is there an underappreciated art to being wrong? This hour, lessons on changing your mind and admitting mistakes: from newspaper corrections to public intellectual pivots.
GUESTS:
Eranda Jayawickreme: Professor of Psychology at Wake Forest University
Ty Seidule: Visiting Professor of History at Hamilton College and the author of “Robert E. Lee and Me.” He’s a retired brigadier general in the U.S. army and the former Vice Chair of the Department of Defense’s Naming Commission.
Isaac Saul is the founder of the newsletter Tangle
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/20/2024 • 49 minutes
The hidden joys of searching
You’re probably familiar with the panicked rush that comes when you’re running around your house, looking for keys or a wallet you’ve misplaced. It’s an awful feeling. But maybe there’s some value in the process of searching for lost things — beyond the prize you may (or may not) find at the end. This hour, we’re talking to some professional “lookers” to find out: Is there joy, or hidden value, to be found in the search process? Can we learn to be better lookers?
GUESTS:
Chris Turner: CEO of The Ring Finders, a global directory of metal detecting specialists
James Renner: Journalist and author
Walter Wick: Photo-illustrator and picture puzzle designer known for the “I Spy” and “Can You See What I See?” series
Join the conversation on Facebook andTwitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired on August 16, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/19/2024 • 49 minutes
We take your calls
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/18/2024 • 49 minutes
What’s happening to the Great American Songbook?
Irving Berlin, Dorothy Fields, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein. These, along with many others, are the sorts of songwriters we associate with the Great American Songbook, the amorphous canon of important 20th-century pop songs, jazz standards, and show tunes from Broadway, Tin Pan Alley, and movie musicals.
But there’s another important detail here. The songs we think of as the Songbook are from, more specifically, the 1920s through the 1950s. With some simple arithmetic, you can see that they’re, uh, getting on in years — which might (must?) mean that their devotees are, too.
The Nose is off this week. In its place this hour, a look at and a listen to — and some concern for the future of — the Great American Songbook.
GUESTS:
Joelle Lurie: Vocalist, songwriter, voiceover artist, and bandleader
Steve Metcalf: Founder and director of the Garmany concert series at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show, which originally aired September 1, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/15/2024 • 50 minutes
Shiver me timbers! A show about sea chanteys
Today, the sea chantey is something people listen to while having a good time in bars or at festivals, but its roots are more complex, stretching into the hard labor performed by sailors on 19th century merchant vessels and having ties to Black work songs. During the first year of the pandemic, there was a sea chantey craze on TikTok as people found joy and connection in the songs.
This hour, we treat you to the joy of the chantey form and some of the pain that lies behind it.
Connecticut Public’s talk shows have teamed up to bring you a full week of stories exploring the state’s shoreline and beyond. You can find all of our NautiWeek coverage at ctpublic.org/nautiweek.
GUESTS:
The Jovial Crew: A group of musicians and historians that’s been performing chanteys, forebitters, and other traditional old songs in Essex, Connecticut, since its founding in 1986; on the show today are Joseph Morneault, Rick Spencer, Michael Hotkowski, and the group’s founder, Cliff Haslam
Maya Angela Smith: Associate professor of French at University of Washington who wrote the essay “A People’s Song Upon the Waters”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on August 2, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/13/2024 • 49 minutes
From ‘Memento’ to ‘Oppenheimer,’ the movies, mysteries, and marvels of Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan’s movies have grossed more than $6 billion, earned 49 Academy Award nominations, and won 18 Oscars — including seven wins this year for Oppenheimer.
His Dark Knight films helped spark the comic book movie renaissance we’re still experiencing, and his seventh feature, Inception, is the highest-grossing totally original, totally standalone movie ever made.
This hour — and in the wake of Oppenheimer’s Best Picture-winning Oscar weekend — a look at the filmmaker behind Batman Begins, Dunkirk, Interstellar, Memento, and more: Christopher Nolan.
GUESTS:
Kayleigh Donaldson: A pop culture writer and critic
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Tom Shone: The author of The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe, Rebecca Castellani, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired September 2, 2021, and July 28, 2023, in a different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/12/2024 • 50 minutes
Spilling the beans about secrets
Our lives are entrenched in secrets — the average person, apparently, keeps as many as 13 of them at any given time. They’re largely regarded as bad for us.
But maybe secrets, like us, are more complex? Is there a time when a secret can be harmless, or even good? Can a secret save lives? And how many people can be involved in one before it all topples down?
GUESTS:
David Robert Grimes: Scientist and science writer
Raneta Lawson Mack: Professor of law emerita at Creighton University School of Law
Michael Slepian: Researcher who studies the psychology of secrecy, as well as an associate professor at Columbia Business School; he’s the author of The Secret Life of Secrets
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe toThe Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on August 9, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/11/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Dune: Part Two’ and ‘The Greatest Night in Pop’
Dune: Part Two is the third film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel. It is the second part of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation and the first of his Dune films released exclusively in theaters. It has grossed $204 million in its first week at the worldwide box office, making it the highest grossing American movie of 2024 so far. Dune: Part Two stars an ensemble cast that includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, and … Christopher Walken?
And: The Greatest Night in Pop is a Netflix documentary about the recording of “We Are the World.” It features new interviews with Sheila E., Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis, Kenny Loggins, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Bruce Springsteen, and Dionne Warwick.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
John Dankosky: Director of news and audio for Science Friday, event and podcast host for The Connecticut Mirror, and co-owner of Lam Yoga in New Hartford, Connecticut
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/8/2024 • 49 minutes
‘If the wind is right’: A deep dive into the smooth sounds of yacht rock
The Doobie Brothers. Christopher Cross. Steely Dan. Kenny Loggins. Toto. Michael McDonald. Ambrosia. Supertramp. (The Eagles? Uh, Michael Jackson?)
Something was happening in the music world out there on the West Coast in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Something with electric pianos and slower tempos and jazz and R&B influences and hi-fi, almost crystalline production.
This hour, we take a deep dive into the smooth, soft sounds of … yacht rock.
GUESTS:
Hollywood Steve Huey: A music critic and a cohost of the Beyond Yacht Rock and Yacht or Nyacht? podcasts
Charly Kay: Lead and backing vocalist in the Yacht Lobsters
David Mendelsohn: Vocalist and guitarist in the Yacht Lobsters
Scout Raimondo: Production intern at Connecticut Public
Gaston Raimondo: Scout’s dad
Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
This show was produced with Scout Raimondo.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2024 • 49 minutes
A look at one of our most forgotten presidents: Chester A. Arthur
This hour is all about America’s 21st president, Chester A. Arthur, who took office after President James Garfield was assassinated. We look at Arthur’s life and legacy and at what happens when someone unexpectedly takes over the highest office in the land.
GUESTS:
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic.
Scott S. Greenberger: Executive editor of Stateline, and author of The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur
Victoria Sample: Historic Sites Section Chief for the State of Vermont
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/6/2024 • 49 minutes
Keeping it brief: A celebration of short stories
When was the last time you read a short story? This hour, we talk about why short stories are so popular in the classroom, but why adults don’t seem to read them much once they’re done with school. And we make the case for why you should. Plus, a look at the art of the short story with some masters of the craft.
You can read Rebecca Makkai’s Substack post that inspired this show here.
Here is the story that is discussed in the final segment, “How I Became a Vet” by Rivka Galchen.
As part of this show we asked each of our guests to recommend a short story, a collection, or an author. Here are those recommendations:
Rebecca Makkai: “The Dinner Party” by Joshua Ferris
George Saunders: “The Stone Boy” by Gina Berriault, “The Conventional Wisdom” by Stanley Elkin
Deborah Treisman: Liberation Day by George Saunders, After the Funeral by Tessa Hadley, “The Haunting of Hajji Hotak” by Jamil Jan Kochai
Amy Bloom: “The Dead” by James Joyce, stories by Edward P. Jones, essays by Samantha Irby
Irene Papoulis: “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere” by ZZ Packer
Brian Slattery: “Hell is the Absence of God” by Ted Chiang
Colin McEnroe: “The Hole on the Corner” and “What’s the Name of That Town?” by R.A. Lafferty
GUESTS:
Rebecca Makkai: Author of the Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-finalist The Great Believers, among other books; her newest book is I Have Some Questions For You, and she is artistic director of StoryStudio Chicago
George Saunders: Author of twelve books; his most recent is Liberation Day, a collection of short stories
Deborah Triesman: Fiction editor for The New Yorker and the host of their Fiction Podcast
Amy Bloom: Author of four novels and three collections of short stories; her most recent book is the memoir In Love
Irene Papouli: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on August 7, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/5/2024 • 49 minutes
Lunch: It's so much more than what we eat
This hour: lunch — from the hungry judge effect to the sad desk lunch. We’ll look at the history of our mid-day meal, talk about school lunches, and get tips for packing lunch.
And we want to hear from you. Do you love lunch? Hate it? Eat the same lunch every day? Never eat lunch? Call us: 888-720-9677.
GUESTS:
Megan Elias: Historian, Director of the Food Studies Program, Associate Professor at Boston University, and author of Lunch: A History
Aviva Wittenberg: Author of Lunchbox: 75+ Easy and Delicious Recipes for Lunches on the Go
Erin Feinauer Whiting: Professor of Multicultural Education at Brigham Young University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/4/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Poor Things’ and Jon Stewart’s return to ‘The Daily Show’
Poor Things is the eighth feature film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. It is written by Tony McNamara and based on the 1992 novel Poor Things: Episodes from the Early Life of Archibald McCandless M.D., Scottish Public Health Officer by Alasdair Gray. Poor Things is a fantastical comedy that deals with some pretty dark ideas, and it’s nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Lanthimos), Best Actress (Emma Stone), Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), and Best Adapted Screenplay.
And: After a year without a permanent host, The Daily Show has finally filled its vacancy! Or one-quarter of its vacancy, at least. But anyway: Jon Stewart is back! But just on Mondays. But Jon Stewart has returned! At least through the election. And then Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Thursdays are hosted by a rotating group of correspondents. For now, anyway, it sounds like.
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: The most dangerous woman in speculative fiction … and she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/1/2024 • 49 minutes
We’re having crisis fatigue
Everything's felt like, and been called, a "crisis" lately. This hour, we talk about the overuse of the term "crisis," and crisis fatigue. Plus, we'll talk with a crisis communicator about how to manage a crisis. And, finally, a look at the midlife crisis.
GUESTS:
Eliah Bures: Historian of modern Europe and a Senior Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley’s Center for Right-Wing Studies
Christian Paz: Senior Politics Reporter for Vox
Molly McPherson: An expert in crisis communications and emergency management. She is the author of the book Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis
Barbara Bradley Hagerty: Contributing writer to The Atlantic, and author of Life Reimagined: The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/29/2024 • 49 minutes
Voting for the lesser of two evils
"The lesser of two evils" is a phrase we hear a lot during election cycles. Why is that? This hour, we look to philosophy, the polls, and forensic psychiatry to explore the meaning of this idiom.
GUESTS:
Lakshya Jain: Partner at the election analysis website splitticket.org
Julia Maskivker: Professor of Political Theory and Political Science at Rollins College in Florida. She wrote the book “The Duty to Vote.”
Dr. Michael Welner: Forensic psychiatrist and chairman of The Forensic Panel
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/28/2024 • 49 minutes
Are you an ENFP? An ISTJ? A look at the history, validity, and potential of Myers-Briggs
Who am I? We’ve all wondered at some point. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a personality test based on Carl Jung’s psychological types, has offered many an answer.
This hour, we delve into the history of the MBTI and contemporary applications of this test and explore its scientific validity.
Plus, a look at a dating app that uses the 16 personality types to help people find love.
GUESTS:
Jessica Alderson: Founder of So Syncd, a 16 personalities-based dating app
Alexander Swan: Associate professor of psychology at Eureka College and host of the CinemaPsych podcast
Paul Tieger: A prolific author on the MBTI; his books include Do What You Are and Just Your Type
This show was produced by Carol Chen.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, which originally aired August 3, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/27/2024 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to the cold, Cheese & Stuff, fast crocodiles, how we choose music, when Colin eats lunch … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/26/2024 • 49 minutes
‘Always getting it wrong’: A look at the state of awards shows
With the Academy Awards just two weekends away, this year’s awards season is coming to a close.
With that in mind, this hour we take a Nose-ish look at awards shows — awards shows as live events, as television, and as the actual doling out of artistic accolades.
Plus: a brief history of the Academy Awards with Michael Schulman, the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sweat, and Tears.
GUESTS:
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Alison Herman: TV critic at Variety
Michael Schulman: A staff writer at The New Yorker and the author, most recently, of Oscar Wars
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/23/2024 • 49 minutes
Invisible and essential, scanning through the history and impact of barcodes
Barcodes are everywhere, and they helped to shape the world we live in. This hour, we'll look at the history and impact of barcodes. Plus, we'll look at the rise of QR code menus and tickets, and talk about what we might gain and lose as we move away from physical objects to digital ones.
GUESTS:
Jordan Frith: Pearce Professor of Professional Communications at Clemson University, and author of the book Barcode
Sean Willard: Menu Engineer with Menu Engineers
Bailey Sincox: Perkins-Cotsen Postdoctoral Fellow in the Princeton Society of Fellows, where she teaches and writes about early modern English literature
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/22/2024 • 49 minutes, 8 seconds
Stop making sense: A salute to incoherence
This hour, partly cloudy spies with a 50% chance of certain rain. Have you ever wondered if you really exist? Consider that you might not exist at all. In other news, get ready to gyre and gimble in the wabe — our show today is about incoherence.
GUESTS:
Alex Worsnip: Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He’s the author of “Fitting Things Together: Coherence and the Demands of Structural Rationality”
Tom Nichols: Staff writer at The Atlantic and an author of the Atlantic Daily newsletter.
Major Jackson: Professor of English at Vanderbilt University and host of the podcast the Slowdown from American Public Media. His most recent book is “Razzle Dazzle: New and Selected Poems”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/21/2024 • 49 minutes
Unpacking the impact of J. Edgar Hoover on the FBI and 20th century America
J. Edgar Hoover served as the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation under eight presidents and made the FBI into the organization it is today.
This hour, Beverly Gage, Yale historian and author of a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of Hoover, joins us to talk about his life and legacy.
Plus, a look at the status of the FBI today and the lessons we can learn from Hoover’s example.
GUESTS:
Beverly Gage: Professor of 20th-century U.S. history at Yale University; her newest book, G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century, received the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Biography
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 27, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/20/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘American Fiction’ and ‘Criminal Record’
American Fiction, the feature film directorial debut of Cord Jefferson, is a comedy based on the 2001 novel Erasure by Percival Everett. It is nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay for Jefferson, Best Actor for Jeffrey Wright, and Best Supporting Actor for Sterling K. Brown.
And: Criminal Record is a British crime thriller series on Apple TV+. Here’s their synopsis: “In the heart of London, an anonymous phone call draws two brilliant detectives — a young woman in the early stages of her career and a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy — into a fight to correct an old miscarriage of justice.” Criminal Record stars Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo.
GUESTS:
Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/17/2024 • 50 minutes
From privacy to paper jams, a look at printer problems
This hour is all about printers. We’ll talk about printer problems and why, despite our struggles, we can’t seem to quit them. And, we’ll talk with a rage room owner about the appeal of smashing printers.
GUESTS:
Cory Doctorow: Science fiction author, activist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and journalist. His new book, The Bezzle, is out next week
Allen St. John: Multimedia Content Producer for Consumer Reports
Cody Nicholas: Co-owner of the Lose It Rage Room in Woodbridge, VA
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Katie Pellico, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/15/2024 • 48 minutes, 54 seconds
What's in a pseudonym?
From pen names to online aliases, pseudonyms are all around us. This hour, we’re talking about what compels people to adopt an alternate identity when they write.
Do pseudonyms liberate us? Do they make us treat each other better? Or do they stop credit from going where it’s due?
GUESTS:
Carmela Ciuraru: Author of “Nom de Plume: A (Secret) History of Pseudonyms” and, most recently, “Lives of the Wives: Five Literary Marriages”
Daniel A. Gross: Editor at the New Yorker and author of the Atlantic article, “The Mystery of the Hardy Boys and the Invisible Authors”
Alfred Moore: Senior lecturer in Politics at the University of York
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/14/2024 • 49 minutes
Our second hour with Joyce Maynard
This hour, novelist Joyce Maynard joins us for a second time to talk about her latest novel, the blurring of life and fiction, and her new career running a hotel in Guatemala.
GUEST:
Joyce Maynard: Novelist; her latest is The Bird Hotel
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 25, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/13/2024 • 49 minutes, 59 seconds
From the Super Bowl to streaming, commercials are back
This hour is all about commercials. We'll look at the Super Bowl ads, and how commercials have infiltrated streaming. Plus, a look at what’s going on with those "He Gets Us" ads for Jesus.
GUESTS:
Patrick Dugan: Executive creative director at Adams and Knight in Avon
Suzanne Vranica: Advertising Editor for The Wall Street Journal
Bob Smietana: National reporter for Religion News Service, and author of Reorganized Religion: The Reshaping of the American Church and Why it Matters
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/12/2024 • 49 minutes
The art of the ending
The Nose is off this week. In its place, and with the week coming to an end, it’s time for an hour on endings.
We look at the art of the ending, wonder what makes a satisfying ending in literature and TV and music, and ponder how we know it’s time to let a thing come to an end.
GUESTS:
Jen Chaney: TV critic at Vulture and New York magazine and the author of As If! The Oral History of Clueless
Geoff Dyer: Author of The Last Days of Roger Federer: And Other Endings, among other books
Rebecca Makkai: Artistic director of StoryStudio Chicago and the author, most recently, of I Have Some Questions for You
Susan Rogers: Multi-platinum record producer, cognitive neuroscientist, professor at Berklee College of Music and co-author of This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired May 17, 2019, and May 17, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/9/2024 • 50 minutes
Finding humanity in humanism
This hour we look at the philosophy of humanism. We survey the history and evolution of the humanist tradition, and discuss what it means to practice humanism. Plus, how humanism can help us relate to technology.
GUESTS:
Sarah Bakewell: Author of Humanly Possible: Seven Hundred Years of Humanist Freethinking, Inquiry and Hope, among other books
Greg Epstein: Author and Humanist Chaplain at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he is also Convener for Ethical Life at the MIT Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on July 13, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/8/2024 • 49 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to coyote behavior, the asphalt on the highway, where bare feet are and are not acceptable (and, relatedly, “Barefootin’”), crosswalk signals … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
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The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/7/2024 • 49 minutes
From therapy-speak to armchair psychology, conversations around mental health are changing
Terms that started out in the therapist’s office have moved into the public discourse. This hour we talk about therapy-speak, armchair psychology, and how greater awareness of mental health terminology and diagnoses impacts the broader conversation around mental health, for better and worse. Plus, a look at how therapists are depicted on TV and how that’s impacted their work outside the screen.
GUESTS:
Lucy Foulkes: An academic psychologist at the University of Oxford and author of the book Losing Our Minds: The Challenge of Defining Mental Illness
Jessica Gold: Assistant Professor and the Director of Wellness, Engagement, and Outreach in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine. She works clinically as an outpatient psychiatrist, and writes about mental health for a variety of general audience publications
Inkoo Kang: The television critic at The New Yorker
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Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on July 24, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/6/2024 • 49 minutes
Did we even have a choice to do this episode about free will?
This hour, we revisit the classic debate about whether or not we have free will.
Plus: Is there anything that makes you feel like you have free will more than a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book? We revisit the series … if you choose to listen, that is.
GUESTS:
Kevin J. Mitchell: Associate Professor of Genetics and Neuroscience at Trinity College Dublin. His new book is Free Agents: How Evolution Gave Us Free Will
Shannon Gilligan: CEO and Publisher of the “Choose Your Own Adventure” series, which has been in print for more than 40 years
SONGS:
“Can’t Help Myself” by Four Tops
“You’re Made That Way” by Mavis Staples
“Metacognition” by High School for the Recording Arts Los Angeles
“Make Your Own Kind of Music” by Cass Elliot
“Choose your own adventure (Kyle Watson Remix)” by GoldFish
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Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/5/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘In the Know’ and ‘Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative’
In the Know is a stop-motion, claymation, half-hour comedy series created by Zach Woods, Brandon Gardner, and Mike Judge. It follows a third-rate NPR host, Lauren Caspian (voiced by Woods), a “well-meaning, hypocritical nimrod puppet” and his third-rate NPR interview show, In the Know.
And: Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative is a limited-series podcast from Radiotopia Presents. It is created and hosted by Jess Shane, and it attempts to expose and question “the nuts and bolts of documentary storytelling.”
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer: A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/2/2024 • 42 minutes, 3 seconds
Songs getting shorter, fish-poop beach sand, and Scramble the Duck
This hour: popular songs are getting shorter, tropical sand is made of fish poop, and Scramble the weather-predicting duck puts Punxsutawney Phil to shame.
GUESTS:
Joe Bennett: Forensic musicologist and a professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston
Joe Roman: Conservation biologist at the University of Vermont and author of book, “Eat, Poop, Die: How Animals Make Our World”
Isaac Torcellini: One of Scramble the Duck’s handlers
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/1/2024 • 41 minutes, 16 seconds
An ode to yodeling
What is yodeling, anyway? Some consider it singing, some say it’s an ululation, and still others consider it merely a means to herd animals. Whatever yodeling is, one thing’s clear: Yodeling has been around for thousands of years and shows no signs of disappearing.
This hour, we speak with a musicologist, a DJ, and a professional singer about this age-old vocal practice. We trace yodeling’s history from its humble, utilitarian roots to its place in modern day pop music and beyond.
GUESTS:
Bart Plantenga: The author of several books including Yodel in Hi-Fi: From Kitsch Folk to Contemporary Electronica
Roger Tincknell: A cowboy yodeler, musician, and traveling performer
Timothy Wise: Author of Yodeling and Meaning in American Music
Chion Wolf: Host of Audacious on Connecticut Public
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired October 10, 2017.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/31/2024 • 42 minutes
A look at the state of philanthropy
This hour, we take a look at the state of philanthropy with Amy Schiller, author of the new book, The Price of Humanity: How Philanthropy Went Wrong and How to Fix It. We’ll look at the evolution of philanthropy through history, and potential reforms for its future. Plus, we’ll discuss the rise of effective altruism, the philanthropic philosophy of LeBron James, and what we can learn from the example of Notre Dame.
GUEST:
Amy Schiller: Writer, political philosopher, and visiting scholar at Dartmouth College. She is author of The Price of Humanity: How Philanthropy Went Wrong and How to Fix it
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/29/2024 • 41 minutes
Our hour with the late Hal Holbrook
Samuel and Olivia Clemens and their children moved into the house they’d had built at Nook Farm in Hartford — the house that we now call the Mark Twain House — in 1874, 150 years ago this year.
Partly to celebrate that anniversary, we present this hour a new version of our 2015 interview with the late Hal Holbrook.
Holbrook was probably best known for his one-man show, Mark Twain Tonight!, which he performed for 63 years — longer than Samuel Clemens used the Mark Twain moniker.
Beyond Mark Twain Tonight!, you probably know Hal Holbrook as Deep Throat in All the President’s Men. He’s in a Dirty Harry movie. He’s in a Steven Spielberg movie. He’s in Wall Street and The Firm and John Carpenter’s The Fog. He appeared on Designing Women and The West Wing and The Sopranos and Sons of Anarchy and Grey’s Anatomy.
Hal Holbrook won a Tony Award. He was nominated for 12 Emmys, and he won five. And he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Into the Wild.
We talked to Holbrook on the evening of February 3, 2015. He was two weeks shy of his 90th birthday — which birthday he celebrated by performing Mark Twain Tonight! at The Bushnell in Hartford.
Hal Holbrook died in 2021. He was 95.
GUEST:
Hal Holbrook: Was a film, television, and stage actor
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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This interview was originally produced by Betsy Kaplan.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired February 4, 2015, in a different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/27/2024 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at the current "hard-boiled women in cold climates" phenomenon
Jodie Foster and Kali Reis in Alaska in True Detective: Night Country. Juno Temple, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Richa Moorjani in Minnesota in the recent fifth season of Fargo. Emma Corrin and Brit Marling in Iceland in A Murder at the End of the World.
There’s something going on with all these TV mysteries set in the frozen, frigid North with all these neo noiry North Country female leads.
This hour, a Nose-ish look at what Colin’s taken to calling the current "hard-boiled women in cold climates" phenomenon.
GUESTS:
Melanie McFarland: Senior culture critic at Salon
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Kat Rosenfield: A novelist, a columnist for UnHerd, and the co-host of the Feminine Chaos podcast; her most recent novel is You Must Remember This
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/26/2024 • 49 minutes, 55 seconds
From "Iowa nice" to New England blunt, how do we define "nice" in America?
Have you ever heard someone say that East Coasters are kind but not nice, and West Coasters are nice but not kind? This hour, we’re figuring out what “niceness” is, why it's so important to us, and how can it sometimes mask not-so-nice things.
GUESTS:
Carrie Tirado Bramen: Professor at the University at Buffalo and author of the book “American Niceness: A Cultural History”
Amit Kumar: Assistant Professor of Marketing and Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin
Jordan Green: Self-proclaimed “kind West Coaster”
Mia Mercado: Humor writer and author from the Midwest who wrote “She's Nice Though: Essays on Being Bad at Being Good”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Lily Tyson, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/25/2024 • 49 minutes
From plagues to climate change, a look at how 2024 was imagined
This hour we take a look at the science fiction books and movies set in 2024 to see how close to reality they turned out to be. We'll discuss the 1960 film Beyond the Time Barrier, the 1975 film A Boy and His Dog, and Octavia E. Butler's 1993 novel Parable of the Sower. Plus, we'll hear from a speculative fiction writer about the challenge, and value, of imagining the future. And, we'll talk with someone behind The Washington Post's annual "List" about predicting trends for the next year.
GUESTS:
Charles Bramesco: A film and television critic, and author of the article “The beginning of the end? What we can learn from films set in 2024”
Annalee Newitz: A writer of science fiction and nonfiction whose books include The Terraformers and Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age. Their forthcoming book is Stories are Weapons: Psychological Warfare and the American Mind. They are also the co-host of the podcast Our Opinions Are Correct
Cassandra L. Jones: Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Her forthcoming book is Black Speculative Feminisms: Memory and Liberated Futures in Black Women's Speculative Fiction
Maura Judkis: Features Reporter for The Washington Post who wrote “The List: What’s In and What’s Out for 2024”
SONGS:
“The Future” by Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
“2024” by Tyson James
“Don’t Leave Me” by The Winans
“You Want it Darker” by Leonard Cohen
“Not My Fault” by Reneé Rapp and Megan Thee Stallion
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/24/2024 • 49 minutes
What’s going on with loneliness?
Loneliness: It’s often cited as an “epidemic” and can have a health impact comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
This hour, we talk about what loneliness looks like in the brain and how public policy could affect our loneliness epidemic.
Plus: a conversation with an expert on making friends as an adult!
GUESTS:
Elisa Baek: Assistant professor of psychology at USC Dornsife
Chris Murphy: U.S. Senator from Connecticut
Kat Vellos: A speaker, connection coach, and the author of We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 12, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/23/2024 • 50 minutes
we take your calls
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.
SONGS:
“Now You Know” by the Original Cast of Merrily We Roll Along
“Winston Churchill’s Boy” by Benjamin Clementine
“Give Him a Great Big Kiss” by The Shangri-Las
"Bombay Bicycle Club" by Fantasneeze (feat. Matilda Mann)
"The Telephone Call" by Kraftwerk
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/22/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Saltburn’ and ‘The Holdovers’
Saltburn is the second movie written and directed by Emerald Fennell, following Promising Young Woman. It is a comedy-drama-thriller set mostly on the titular sprawling estate during summer break from Oxford University. Barry Keoghan and Rosamund Pike were both nominated for Golden Globes for their performances.
And: The Holdovers is the eighth feature film directed by Alexander Payne and the first feature written by David Hemingson. It is the second time Payne and Paul Giamatti have worked together, following Sideways. The Holdovers is a comedy-drama set mostly during Christmas break from a fictional New England boarding school. Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph both won Golden Globes for their performances.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
‘Honeymooners’ Star Joyce Randolph Dead at 99 Played Ed Norton’s Wife, Trixie
‘Rap Sh!t’ Canceled at Max The comedy from creator Issa Rae starring Aida Osman ran for two seasons on the streamer.
‘Schmigadoon’ Canceled After Two Seasons at Apple TV+
Elton John Just Got EGOT
The 150 Greatest Science Fiction Movies of All Time From space odysseys to star wars, alien invaders to guardians of the galaxy — the best sci-fi films from the beginning of the movies until now
Reboot Star Wars!
Toward a definition of “Egg Cinema” How movies made by seeming cis people sometimes end up super trans.
Lorne Michaels Says Tina Fey ‘Could Easily’ Take Over ‘Saturday Night Live’: She’s ‘Brilliant and Great at Everything’
GUESTS:
Xandra Ellin: A producer at Pineapple Street Studios
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/19/2024 • 49 minutes
“A safety valve”: The impact of ballot measures on democracy
From abortion rights to partisan school board elections, ballot measures are a big deal in 2024. But what are they? A drop of direct democracy to defend against corrupt politicians? A pawning-off of governance to voters who don’t know what they’re voting on? This hour: the good, the bad, and the weird of ballot measures.
GUESTS:
Dane Waters: Founder of the Initiative and Referendum Institute at the University of Southern California
Desmond Meade: Executive Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition and author of "Let My People Vote: My Battle to Restore the Civil Rights of Returning Citizens"
Ryan Byrne: Managing Editor of the Ballot Measures Project at Ballotpedia
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/18/2024 • 49 minutes
Eternal flame: The continued relevance of the myth of Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods to give it to humans, and suffered an eternity of punishment for doing so. This hour, we revisit that myth, and talk about why it resonates so much today. Plus, we’ll take a look at the 2012 film Prometheus.
GUESTS:
Adrienne Mayor: Research scholar in the Classics Department and the History of Science Program at Stanford University. She is the author of Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines and Ancient Dreams of Technology, among other books
Annie Dorsen: Theater director who works at the intersection of algorithmic art and live performance. Her most recent production was Prometheus Firebringer. She is the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship
A.O. Scott: Critic at large for The New York Times Book Review, where he was formerly film critic. He is the author of Better Living Through Criticism
Dom Nero: Writer, video editor, and co-host of “Eye of The Duck,” a podcast about movies and the scenes that make them special
SONGS:
“Road to Hell (Live)” by the Original Cast of Hadestown
“We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel
“Oppenheimer” by Old 97s
“Prometheus” by SickTanicK
“A Planet” by Marc Streitenfeld
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/17/2024 • 49 minutes
What our tears can tell us
Why do humans cry? This hour, we look at the science of crying and discuss what it does for us, emotionally and culturally.
Plus: musician Dar Williams on why some songs make us cry. And: We investigate “crocodile tears” with a crocodile biologist.
GUESTS:
Benjamin Perry: Minister at Middle Church and the author of Cry, Baby: Why Our Tears Matter
Kent Vliet: An expert in crocodilian biology
Dar Williams: Singer-songwriter
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Stacey Addo, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 6, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/16/2024 • 50 minutes
A look at the state of stand-up comedy
In lieu of a standard Nose, we decided to take a show-length look at some of the best stand-up comedy from 2023 and some of the most-anticipated stand-up comedy of 2024.
There are the new controversial specials from Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais. But there are also good, recent specials from folks like Kenny DeForest, Gary Gulman, Dina Hashem, Pete Holmes, and Beth Stelling.
And there’s Taylor Tomlinson’s new late night gig starting January 16.
Plus: Pete Davidson has a brand-new special. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are on tour. John Mulaney and Rory Scovel have new specials coming. And more!
GUESTS:
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Jason Zinoman: Critic at large for The New York Times, where he writes the On Comedy column
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/12/2024 • 49 minutes
The cars have eyes: Data privacy (or lack thereof) and your vehicle
The cars have eyes: Data privacy (or lack thereof) and your vehicle
Somewhere along the way, cars stopped being just a means of transportation — now, they’re also a dining room, an entertainment center, even an extension of our selves. And apparently, they’re sharing and selling data about you that you might not know they collected in the first place. This hour: everything you didn’t know about that thing you sit in for an hour every day.
GUESTS:
Jen Caltrider: Program Director of Mozilla’s *Privacy Not Included project
Kashmir Hill: Technology reporter at the New York Times, specializing in privacy
Stefan Gössling: Professor at Linnaeus University
Ian Walker: Professor of Environmental Psychology at Swansea University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Lily Tyson, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/11/2024 • 49 minutes
It’s kind of Civil War days right now
It’s kind of Civil War days right now. Presidential candidate Nikki Haley choked on the cause. Former President Trump is being disqualified from state ballots based on an amendment intended to keep Confederate leaders from holding federal offices and charged with another offense derived from the Civil War.
This hour: Are we in the Civil War era? And what would it mean if we were? Plus, what another civil war could look like.
GUESTS:
Caroline Janney: Professor of history of American Civil War and the director of the Nau Center for Civil War History at the University of Virginia
Gerard Magliocca: Samuel R. Rosen Professor at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
Stephen Marche: Novelist and essayist; his most recent book is The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future
Clint Smith: Staff writer at The Atlantic and author of How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/10/2024 • 49 minutes
What’s spoken flies away: The history and art of reading aloud
There’s an old Latin saying from the early Middle Ages: Verba volant, scripta manent — What is written remains, what is spoken flies away. Essentially, it means you should write down your contracts.
But according to Alberto Manguel, author of A History of Reading, the phrase can be interpreted in a different way: What is written is stuck to the page. It’s only when you give it a voice that it acquires wings and can fly.
This hour: reading out loud. We look at the history of the practice and talk to people who make reading expressive, communal, and loud.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan: Director, producer, arts consultant, and an artist working at the crossroads of performance and creative leadership
Dennis Duncan: Lecturer in English at University College London
Drew John Ladd: Blogger, activist, and the author of Wolfsong Beloved
Alberto Manguel: Director of Lisbon’s Center for Research into the History of Reading
Robin Miles: An audiobook narrator and a producer, director, teacher, and actor for theater, television, films, and museums
Brooke Steinhauser: Programs director at the Emily Dickinson Museum
Chion Wolf: Host of Audacious on Connecticut Public
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 5, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/9/2024 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/8/2024 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Anatomy of a Fall’ and the state of sex in movies
Anatomy of a Fall (Anatomie d’une chute) is a French courtroom drama thriller directed by Justine Triet and written by Triet and Arthur Harari. It won the Palme d’Or (and the Palm Dog Award — which is a real thing, it turns out) at Cannes last year. It is currently nominated for four awards at Sunday’s Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture — Drama.
And: Provocative sex has returned to the movies, according to Alexandra Gleeman in The New York Times Magazine, citing things like May December and Saltburn and even Oppenheimer. The Nose wonders how we feel about that.
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction, and she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast
Xandra Ellin: A producer at Pineapple Street Studios
Lindsay Lee Wallace: Writes about culture, health care and health equity, and other stuff, too
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/5/2024 • 49 minutes
When authenticity’s in crisis, we value it more
In honor of Merriam-Webster’s 2023 Word of the Year, we're doing a show on authenticity! What is it? Why do we care about it? And whether we're talking about historical paintings or people — how do you figure out what's authentic?
GUESTS:
Peter Sokolowski: Editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster
George Newman: Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of Toronto
Ethan Bueno de Mesquita: Interim Dean and Sydney Stein Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago
Jeffrey Taylor: Partner at New York Art Forensics and a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Lithuania. He wrote the book, “The Art Business: Art World, Art Market.”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/4/2024 • 49 minutes
Political merchandise can tell us a lot about an election
This hour we look at the world of political merchandise. We explore the history of political merchandise, what it can tell us about an election, and the latest trends going into 2024. Plus, we’ll talk with a t-shirt maker to learn about the current landscape of political merchandise, and what sales can tell us about the priorities of voters.
GUESTS:
Claire Jerry: Curator of Political History for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Hunter Schwarz: Journalist and the founder and curator of the visual politics newsletter “Yello”
Mike Draper: Founder and owner of the t-shirt maker Raygun
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/3/2024 • 49 minutes
Humanity’s ongoing quest to end epidemics and escape contagion
Before Covid, Most Americans couldn’t imagine the staggering loss of life that earlier generations experienced during epidemics of smallpox, diphtheria, polio and other fatal infectious diseases. We’ve been living in a golden age since WWII, when widespread use of vaccines and antibiotics eradicated the biggest killers and doubled life expectancy. But the catch-22 of medical discovery is that over time, we collectively forget the horror of the diseases from which we were saved.
Today, a look at our never-ending quest to escape contagion. We also talk about the myth of ‘Patient Zero’ and a lunar pandemic that never happened.
GUESTS:
Richard Conniff: National Magazine Award-winning writer for Smithsonian magazine, National Geographic, and other publications. He’s also a former Guggenheim Fellow. His most recent book is Ending Epidemics: A History of Escape From Contagion.
Leyla Mei: New York City-based writer and medical historian. She has a PhD in American history and writes about disease, risk and race.
Dagomar DeGroot: Associate professor of environmental history at Georgetown University. His work has appeared in Aeon magazine, The Conversation, and The Washington Post, among other outlets. His most recent book, Ripples in the Cosmic Ocean: An Environmental History of Humanity's Place in the Solar System, will be published in 2024.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired on June 22, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/2/2024 • 49 minutes
The year-end Nose looks back at 2023
Continuing a streak of long, strange years, it’s been a long, strange year. And so, The Nose wonders how our popular culture is dealing with it all.
We look back at a whole bunch of movies and TV shows: American Symphony, Barbie, Black Mirror, The Curse, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Headliners Only, Killers of the Flower Moon, Leave the World Behind, Maestro, Oppenheimer, Reservation Dogs, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and more.
We wonder about the future of superhero movies. We look at the over- and under-appreciated figures in our pop culture.
And don’t worry: Taylor Swift gets discussed.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Tom Smothers, Comic Half of the Smothers Brothers, Dies at 86 Though he played a naïve buffoon onstage, he was the driving force behind the folk-singing duo’s groundbreaking TV show.
Lee Sun-kyun, ‘Parasite’ Actor, Found Dead at 48 Mr. Lee, a familiar face on Korean television and movie screens, rose to international fame after starring in the Oscar-winning film.
Jo Koy to Host 2024 Golden Globes The comedian will make his awards show debut on the CBS broadcast.
‘Zone of Interest,’ ‘Perfect Days,’ & ‘Godland’ Make 2024 International Film Oscars Shortlist
The Year Millennials Aged Out of the Internet
The Internet Isn’t Dead. It’s Saturday Night Live In 2023, a new idea took hold: The internet isn’t fun anymore. Except it’s not a new idea.
We Aren’t Posting on Social Media as Much Anymore. Will We Ever? Excessive ads, bots and misinformation have sucked the fun out of sharing publicly, users say
The Triumph of Zelda In a year of huge games, Tears of the Kingdom still stands out
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and director of marketing at Washington Montessori
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/29/2023 • 50 minutes
Our favorite jazz of 2023
As we have every year for at least the last 10 years, to round out the year, we round up the best jazz of the year.
GUESTS:
Jen Allen: A pianist, composer, arranger, and educator; her most recent album is Sifting Grace
Noah Baerman: A pianist, composer, and educator; his most recent album, with Henry Lugo, is Alter Ego
Gene Seymour: A film, television, and music critic
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/28/2023 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 55 seconds
Invisibility fascinates and frightens us. But will it ever become reality?
This hour: invisibility. We learn about the science of invisibility and whether we’re getting close to having the technology to turn invisible. We also talk about invisibility in pop culture and science fiction and debate questions we all have about what would happen if someone could turn invisible.
GUESTS:
Gregory Gbur: Author of Invisibility: The History and Science of How Not To Be Seen, and a Professor of Physics and Optical Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Lisa Yaszek: Regents Professor of Science Fiction Studies in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech
Sophia Brueckner: Futurist artist, designer and engineer, Associate Professor at the School of Art and Design, and Co-Director of the Center for Ethics, Society, and Computing at the University of Michigan
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on May 31, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/27/2023 • 49 minutes
We ❤️ romance novels
Romance novels have long had a reputation for being flimsy, sexist, trashy bodice-rippers. But there’s lots more to the genre than meets the eye. This hour, we look at what makes romance novels work – and why so many of us are devouring them.
GUESTS:
Olivia Waite: The New York Times Book Review’s romance fiction columnist who writes queer and historical romance, fantasy, and critical essays on the genre’s history and future
Jason Rogers: Olympic medalist, journalist covering masculinity, and the founder of a now-defunct romance book club for men
Tony Horvath: Creative director for the long-time romance-novel publisher Harlequin, where he oversees production of about 80 book covers a month
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Lily Tyson, Jonathan McNicol, Carolyn McCusker, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on June 1, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/26/2023 • 49 minutes
Our 10th annual holiday spectacular with ‘Big Al’ Anderson and Jim Chapdelaine
Every year since 2014, we’ve done some version of this show. We get “Big Al” Anderson and Jim Chapdelaine and Colin together, we sing some songs, tell some stories, have some surprise guests … and somehow we wind up with a holiday special.
We couldn’t, strictly speaking, do the together part of that this year. But that’s no reason not to sing songs — eight of them, no less — and tell stories and have some surprise guests. And this year, we’ve included a brand-new version of an unheard, age-old Big Al song that Al and Jim sent along special.
It’s an hour of joyous nonsense for Christmas Eve Eve, an audio “Happy holidays” from us to you.
🎄
GUESTS:
“Big Al” Anderson: Vocals, guitar, songwriter
Jim Chapdelaine: Guitar, vocals, songwriter, mixer, engineer, producer, etc.
Lorne Entress: Drums and vocals
Paul Kochanski: Bass guitar and vocals
Nekita Waller: Connecticut’s 17th State Troubadour
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, Natalie Frascarelli, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired in a different form December 24, 2019, and December 22, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/23/2023 • 51 minutes
The Nose looks at Bradley Cooper’s ‘Maestro’
Maestro is the second film produced, written, and directed by Bradley Cooper. Netflix calls it a “love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein.” It stars Carey Mulligan as Felicia and Cooper as Leonard Bernstein. Maestro is nominated for four Golden Globes, including Best Picture, Drama and Best Director, Motion Picture.
Plus: A brief look at the year in classical music.
GUESTS:
Steve Metcalf: Founder and director of the Garmany concert series at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/22/2023 • 49 minutes
Back from the dead: Exploring the cutting edge of de-extinction
At the beginning of the year, the company behind the public effort to de-extinct the wooly mammoth announced it will also be de-extincting the dodo. The announcement stirred up a lot of excitement and questions about whether we can – or should – bring back species once they’re gone.
So this hour we're talking about de-extinction! We’ll hear about what it takes to bring back extinct animals, efforts to build a safety net for plants that might go extinct in the future, and walk through some fun de-extinction thought experiments.
GUESTS:
Helen Pilcher: Science and comedy writer with a PhD in cell biology who wrote Bring Back the King: The New Science of De-extinction
Ben Lamm: CEO of the de-extinction company Colossal, which he co-founded with George Church.
Carlos de la Rosa: President and CEO of the Center for Plant Conservation
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on May 18, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/21/2023 • 49 minutes
Checking in on self-checkout
As some stores announce they are getting rid of self-checkout machines, we take an hour to explore that technology and its impacts. We'll debate its pros and cons, look at the history of self-service at grocery stores, and talk about the future of technology in stores.
Plus, we'll learn about the psychology of "weak ties," and the value of talking to strangers in places like the checkout aisle.
GUESTS:
Christopher Andrews: Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology at Drew University, and author of The Overworked Consumer: Self-Checkouts, Supermarkets, and the Do-It-Yourself Economy
Stew Leonard Jr.: President and CEO of Stew Leonard’s, a regional supermarket chain headquartered in Connecticut
Gillian Sandstrom: Senior Lecturer in the Psychology of Kindness at the University of Sussex
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/20/2023 • 49 minutes
What does it mean to treat something as sacred?
This hour, we look at the idea of sacredness — in both religious and secular spaces — and ask how we can identify and make places for the sacred in our everyday lives, through reading, music, and even baseball.
GUESTS:
Mark Miller: Lecturer in sacred music at Yale’s Institute of Sacred Music and Divinity School, composer in residence at Drew University, and the minister of music of Christ Church
Mary-Jane Rubenstein: Professor of religion and science in society at Wesleyan University and the author of Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race, among other books
Vanessa Zoltan: An atheist chaplain; co-host of the podcasts Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, Hot & Bothered, and Should I Quit; and the author of Praying with Jane Eyre: Reflections on Reading as a Sacred Practice
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 15, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/19/2023 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to YouTube’s algorithm, The Misfits song “Hybrid Moments,” Costco, John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial, the perpetual state of existential dread that millennials experience, birdwatching … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/18/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at the glut of cult docuseries
Cult documentaries and docuseries sure seem to be having a moment right now. (On the other hand.) This isn’t the sort of material The Nose usually gets into. But, and partly inspired by Cat’s Corner in the current edition of The Noseletter, we decided to give three popular new shows a look:
Escaping Twin Flames is a three-part Netflix docuseries that looks at the controversial online community Twin Flames Universe.
The Garden: Commune or Cult is a six-part Discovery Channel docuseries about the off-the-grid community The Garden.
And Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God is a three-part HBO docuseries that looks at the life and death of Amy Carlson, also known as Mother God.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
André Braugher Dies: Star Of ‘Homicide: Life On The Street’, ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ & Other Series And Films Was 61
Golden Globe Nominations: ‘Barbie’, ‘Oppenheimer’ Top Movie List; ‘Succession’ Leads Way In TV
The Year Twitter Died
Nicolas Cage Says He’s Almost Finished: “Three or Four More Movies Left” The famously prolific 59-year-old actor says he’s eyeing a Hollywood endgame: “I’ve said what I’ve had to say with cinema.”
‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ Officially Ending With Season 12 at HBO “I will now have the opportunity to finally shed this ‘Larry David’ persona and become the person God intended me to be,” David says of ending his HBO comedy.
The New Yorker Drops Andy Borowitz’s Satire Column Amid Cutbacks
How ‘Mr. Brightside’ Became a Generation’s Anthem Overlooked at its release, the Killers’ signature hit has become one of the most inescapable rock songs of its time.
A 25-Year-Old X-Files Mystery Was Solved on Twitter in Less Than 24 Hours
24 Things That Stuck With Us in 2023 Films, TV shows, albums, books, art and A.I.-generated SpongeBob performances that reporters, editors and visual journalists in Culture couldn’t stop thinking about this year.
The Most Egregious Example of “We Didn’t Use CGI” Mythology (So Far)
Strapped, stressed, axed: is it curtains for theatre’s artistic directors? Indhu Rubasingham has been named as the National’s new head. But elsewhere, theatres are ditching this once coveted role altogether. Can a theatre really manage without one?
GUESTS:
Sam Hatch: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on Sunday nights on WWUH
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and chief communications officer at Buzz Engine
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Cat Pastor: Assistant radio operations manager at Connecticut Public
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/15/2023 • 44 minutes, 58 seconds
Let’s hear your endorsements!
A listener told us we should do a call-in show dedicated to endorsements from listeners. What a great recommendation! So we’re doing just that.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Lily Tyson, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show. Thanks to Carmen Baskauf, David Borsvold, Mayor Luke Bronin, John Dankosky, Meg Fitzgerald, Francesca Fontánez, Sabrina Herrera, Iman James, Betsy Kaplan, Carlos Mejia, Jessica Severin de Martinez, Cat Shen, and Chion Wolf.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/14/2023 • 41 minutes, 19 seconds
Drowning in packages, junk, and other consumerism woes with 'Atlantic' writer Amanda Mull
Amanda Mull writes The Atlantic’s “Material World” column about American consumerism. This hour, we talk with Mull about the state of online shopping and returns, the changing quality of what we buy, and the experience of shopping in person.
GUEST:
Amanda Mull: Staff writer at The Atlantic who writes the column “Material World” about American consumerism
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/13/2023 • 49 minutes
Meet Connie Converse, the haunting songwriter whose work stayed hidden for decades
Have you heard the music of Connie Converse? She was a singer-songwriter in New York City in the middle of the 20th century, who, in her lifetime, never received widespread recognition. Then, at 50, she drove off, and was never heard from again.
This hour, a look at the life, music, and legacy of Connie Converse and what her example teaches us about how we think about the role of art and artists in our society.
GUEST:
Howard Fishman: Musician, frequent contributor to The New Yorker, and author of To Anyone Who Ever Asks: The Life, Music, and Mystery of Connie Converse
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show, which originally aired May 2, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/12/2023 • 42 minutes
From can openers to ricers, a look at what’s in our kitchens
What’s in your kitchen? With a plethora of kitchen tools available to us today, the contents of our kitchen drawers varies. But a recent survey has shed light on some trends in kitchen tool ownership. This hour, we look at that data, and we talk about the history and evolution of kitchen tools and gadgets. Finally, we talk about examples of creative kitchen tools throughout history.
GUESTS:
Megan Elias: Historian, Director of the Food Studies Program, and Associate Professor at Boston University
David Montgomery: Senior Data Journalist at YouGov, and a history podcaster
Corinne Mynatt: Writer, editor, consultant, and producer. She is the author of Tools for Food: The Objects that Influence How and What We Eat
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/11/2023 • 41 minutes, 5 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘May December’ and ‘John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial’
May December is the 10th film directed by Todd Haynes and his fifth collaboration with Julianne Moore. It stars Natalie Portman, Moore, and Charles Melton, and it’s loosely based on Mary Kay Letourneau.
And: John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial is a three-part docuseries. It is directed by Rob Coldstream and Nick Holt and narrated by Kiefer Sutherland. John Lennon was murdered 43 years ago, on December 8, 1980.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
Lindsay Lee Wallace: Writes about culture, health care and health equity, and other stuff, too
Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/8/2023 • 49 minutes
Go with your gut: All about the gut-brain connection
This show's all about guts! How are our guts and our brains connected? How much of our emotional lives come from our stomachs? And how, across history, did our digestive systems become such pivotal parts of our identity?
GUESTS:
Diego Bohórquez: Gut-brain neuroscientistElsa Richardson: Historian of health and medicine and the author of the forthcoming book, “Rumbles: A Curious History of the Gut”Julie Balsamo: Gut health dieticianJoin the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Lateshia Peters, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/7/2023 • 49 minutes
From Barbra to Beyoncé: A look at the appeal of divas
What is a diva? And how has the term evolved? This hour is all about divas. We’ll talk about how the term emerged in the opera and moved into the popular music landscape. And we’ll take stock of the current moment for divas.
GUESTS:
Myrna Reynolds: Retired singer who sang at the New York City Opera among many other places
Zachary Woolfe: The New York Times’ Classical Music Critic
Spencer Kornhaber: Staff writer at The Atlantic, and author of the new book, On Divas: Persona, Pleasure, Power
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/6/2023 • 49 minutes
The art of the dial: Why we like hotlines and phone calls with strangers
Hotlines: whether you realize it or not, you’ve likely used one before. From emergency services to customer service and crisis lines, they often fly under the radar in our daily lives.
This hour, we’ll look at the history of hotlines and then meet some people who have created innovative ways to talk to strangers on the phone: from a hotline for advice from elementary schoolers to an app that calls you to talk.
GUESTS:
Dr. Lee Humphreys: Professor of Communication at Cornell University
Jessica Martin: An artist who leads an art program for West Side Elementary in Healdsburg, California. She’s also the co-creator of the kids-advice hotline, Peptoc
Danielle Baskin: An artist who co-created Dialup, a voice-chat app that connects you to strangers
Michelle Rorong: An architect in Indonesia who wrote about her experience using Dialup during a COVID-19 quarantine period
HOTLINES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW:
Peptoc — 707-8PEPTOC
Butterball Turkey Talk-Line — 1-800-BUTTERBALL
Callin' Oates — 719-26-OATES
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The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Frankie Graziano, Sabrina Herrera, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Lily Tyson, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired on May 10, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/5/2023 • 49 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to The Hold Steady, Leonard Bernstein and Maestro, the (always) impending government shutdown, the late John Lennon’s voice, the late Shane MacGowan’s voice … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/4/2023 • 49 minutes
From ‘Star Trek’ to ‘Arrival’: How pop culture helps us imagine extraterrestrial life
We come to the end of our week of special coverage with a show about how we imagine extraterrestrial life.
What do you picture when you picture extraterrestrial life? Is it like E.T.? Or little green men? Or an alien from Star Trek?
This hour is all about how we imagine extraterrestrial life and how those visions are shaped by pop culture.
GUESTS:
Jaime Green: Freelance writer, editor, writing teacher, and the author of The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos
Doug Jones: Actor known for his roles in Hellboy, The Shape of Water, Pan’s Labyrinth, and more; he plays Saru in Star Trek: Discovery
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.
You can find all of our Astronaughty Week shows here.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/1/2023 • 52 minutes, 33 seconds
An hour with astronauts!
If you follow the show, then you probably know that we’ve had a bogus ban on astronauts for quite some time now. In case you don’t follow the show, let me just explain at the top here that it’s been 2,220 days — more than six years — since an astronaut last appeared on The Colin McEnroe Show.
But. The ban is over! We are astronautless no more!
And so, this hour — and to celebrate Astronaughty Week — we bring you no fewer than THREE astronauts.
We listen back to our (in)famous interviews with legends Buzz Aldrin and Scott Kelly. And then: a brand new interview with a real, live astronaut, former International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield.
The bogus ban is over! Don’t let Colin tell you any different!
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. It’s free, confidential, and always available — in English and Spanish.
GUESTS:
Buzz Aldrin: A retired astronaut, engineer, and fighter pilot in the United States Air Force; he was the Lunar Module Pilot on Apollo 11, and he was one of the first two humans to walk on the Moon; his 2016 book is No Dream Is Too High: Life Lessons from a Man Who Walked on the Moon
Chris Hadfield: An engineer, musician, and a retired astronaut and fighter pilot in the Canadian Air Command; his new book, The Defector, is his second novel
Scott Kelly: An engineer and a retired astronaut and aviator in the United States Navy; his 2017 book is Endurance: A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Josh Nilaya, Cat Pastor, Esther Shittu, Audrianna Smith, Evan Sobel, Ashley Taylor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired in a different form May 24, 2016, and November 1, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/30/2023 • 50 minutes
From flying saucers to flying saints: Belief and how we react to the “impossible”
Today, we continue our week of special coverage with a show focused on belief, and how we react when we experience things that we think should be impossible.
A few years ago, Diana Walsh Pasulka published American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology, which looked at the mechanism of belief in extraterrestrial life, finding that this is becoming a new American religion. Now, she has a new book out, Encounters: Experiences with Nonhuman Intelligences, which looks at our experiences with non-human life forms, including UFOs, dreams, angels, and AI, and how these encounters challenge our assumptions about life. This hour, we talk with Diana Walsh Pasulka about her work.
Plus, Yale Professor Carlos Eire joins us to talk about the history of the impossible, including discussions of levitation and bilocation, and how beliefs form.
GUESTS:
Diana Walsh Pasulka: Professor of Religion at University of North Carolina, Wilmington, and author of American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology. Her new book is Encounters: Experiences with Nonhuman Intelligences.
Carlos Eire: Professor of History and Religious Studies at Yale University. His new book is They Flew: A History of The Impossible.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/29/2023 • 49 minutes
Astrophysicists Adam Frank and Neil deGrasse Tyson discuss the search for extraterrestrial life
Today, our week of discussions about life in the universe continues as we talk with two prominent astrophysicists about the possibility of life outside of earth. Astrophysicist Adam Frank is part of the team of scientists that is currently using the most advanced technology to search for life on other planets. This hour, we talk with Frank about that work, and what would happen if they find something. Plus, we'll talk with Neil deGrasse Tyson about the likelihood of life on other planets, and the variety of life here on earth.
Neil deGrasse Tyson is presenting “Delusions of Space Enthusiasts” on December 1, 2023 at 8 p.m. at Foxwoods Resort and Casino.
GUESTS:
Adam Frank: Helen F. and Fred H. Gowen Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Rochester. He is the author of the new book The Little Book of Aliens
Neil deGrasse Tyson: Astrophysicist, author, and science communicator. His newest book is To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/28/2023 • 42 minutes, 58 seconds
Garrett Graff on the history of UFOs and our government’s attempts to make sense of them
The United States has a long history of UFO sightings and reports, dating all the way back to the 1940s. This hour we talk about that history, and, specifically, how the U.S. government has related to these objects over time with Garrett Graff, author of the new book UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government’s Search for Alien Life Here — and Out There.
GUEST:
Garrett Graff: Journalist and historian. His latest book is UFO: The Inside Story of the US Government’s Search for Alien Life Here — and Out There. His previous book, Watergate: A New History was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/27/2023 • 49 minutes
‘Though the heavens fall’: The JFK assassination in our media and culture
President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed on November 22, 1963.
It would be hard to argue that the modern American era, the era that we’re still living in 60 years later, didn’t begin on that Friday afternoon in Dallas. It would be hard to overstate the effect and influence of that event, that act on the American psyche.
This hour, a look at the shadow that the JFK assassination still casts over our news and politics, our movies and music, our media and culture.
GUESTS:
Stephen Battaglio: Writes about television and the media business for the Los Angeles Times
Timothy Hampton: The author of several books, including Bob Dylan: How the Songs Work
Sean O’Neal: A writer, a contributor to Texas Monthly, and the former editor-in-chief of The A.V. Club
Steve Rose: Assistant features editor at The Guardian
Philip Shenon: The author of A Cruel and Shocking Act: The Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Joey Morgan, Cat Pastor, Lateshia Peters, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, part of which originally aired in a different form November 22, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/22/2023 • 51 minutes, 21 seconds
Who gets the part? There are no small actors or roles
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we all recognize the big names or fall in love with a brand-new star — but what about that lady who killed it with her one line about the coffee? She's a professional actor, too! On this hour of The Colin McEnroe Show, we learn about the art of the smaller role: how they're cast, how to nail it, and what it's like to have a long resume of one-liners. And don't forget the extras and body-doubles, too! They'll be with us, for just a minute.
GUESTS:
Jenny Ravitz: Casting director based in New York. She has worked on over 500 episodes of television in addition to theater, film, and commercials
Ezra Buzzington: Actor whose over 70 film credits and dozens of TV appearances range from "Weird Al the Waiter" in Ghost World to a mutant in The Hills Have Eyes and, most recently, as one of the leads in the South By Southwest hit film Brooklyn 45. He has appeared in Academy Award-winning films alongside some of your favorite actors
Vlad Perez: LA-based actor who has co-starred in television shows including Brooklyn 99, Murderville, Friendsgiving, and many more. He’s also one of the founders of the Sea Tea Comedy Theater right here in Hartford
Harriet Dobin: Former Hartford media maven now actor in Philadelphia
Allie Rivera: Performer and teacher at the Sea Tea Comedy Theater in downtown Hartford, and is the creator and producer of the theater’s Improvised Hallmark & Lifetime show
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Lily Tyson, Jonathan McNicol, Carolyn McCusker, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired May 4, 2023.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/21/2023 • 49 minutes
We take your calls
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about. You can reach us at 888-720-9677.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/20/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘The Killer’ and ‘Albert Brooks: Defending My Life’
This week’s Nose has had to work through the occasional civilian who’s stood between eyes and the prize.
The Killer is the 12th movie directed by David Fincher and his first credited feature film collaboration with screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker since 1995’s Se7en. It’s Fincher’s second movie for Netflix, who describe it this way: “After a fateful near-miss an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.” The Killer stars Michael Fassbender as the titular assassin.
And: Albert Brooks: Defending My Life is an HBO documentary directed by Rob Reiner. It chronicles Brooks’s career in comedy, and it’s the first documentary Reiner has ever made (other than This Is Spinal Tap, of course).
Some other stuff that happened this week give or take:
UCLA Study: Gen Z Wants Less Sex Onscreen, Prefers Platonic Relationships Depicted to Romantic Rollercoasters A 2023 study by UCLA’s Center for Scholars and Storytellers found that viewers ages 10 to 24 want content more relatable to them.
What Comes After Marvel? Better Hope It’s Not Something Worse With the MCU in its early endgame, many may think that movies can return to “normal.” Think again.
Why the Dying DVD Business Could Be Headed for a Resurrection Netflix and Best Buy said adieu to discs — but with streamers deleting titles to cut costs, could DVDs and Blu-rays mimic the revival of vinyl and CDs?
Hungry (but Not for Human Contact), Americans Head for the Drive-Through A national fixture is enjoying a fresh surge as post-pandemic customers crave speed and solitude. And restaurants are responding with a raft of innovations.
Jared Leto Climbed the Empire State Building to Promote a 30 Seconds to Mars Tour or Something Actor-singer becomes first person to legally scale the Manhattan landmark in excessive promotional stunt
Warner Bros shelves completed $70m Coyote vs Acme movie Studio decides to take $30m tax write-down by not releasing live-action/animation comedy starring John Cena
Talking Heads Concert Film ‘Stop Making Sense’ Re-Release Surpasses Initial Box Office Run
The War on Charlie Chaplin He was one of the world’s most celebrated and beloved stars. Then his adopted country turned against him.
GUESTS:
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian and writer and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write
Gene Seymour: A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek”
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/17/2023 • 49 minutes
A COVID update: New vaccines, new variants, and new data on Paxlovid rebound
COVID, by the way, is … still a thing.
The new vaccines are here, and people mostly aren’t getting them. The new variants are here, and the people who’re getting COVID are mostly getting them.
Just this week, some new data seems to show that getting your COVID and flu shots together isn’t just safe — it might actually be the better thing to do.
And it turns out that Paxlovid rebound probably is real and more prevalent than we knew.
Oh. And: Picking your nose maybe makes you more susceptible to a COVID infection. The more you know, and all that.
GUESTS:
Scott Roberts: Associate medical director for infection prevention at Yale Medicine and an assistant professor in infectious diseases at Yale School of Medicine
Mark Siedner: Associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an infectious disease clinician and researcher in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/16/2023 • 49 minutes
Heather Cox Richardson helps us make sense of this moment in American history
You likely know historian Heather Cox Richardson from her Substack, “Letters from an American,” where she puts the news of the day into historical context. Now Cox Richardson has a new book out, Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America, where she looks at the crossroads we’re at as a country, how we got here, and where we could go from here. Today we spend the hour with Heather Cox Richardson as she helps us make sense of the latest news and the state of our democracy.
GUESTS:
Heather Cox Richardson: Historian, Professor of History at Boston College, and author of the “Letters from an American” Substack. Her new book is "Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America"
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/15/2023 • 49 minutes
Don’t sleep on bedtime stories: What we can all learn from these nighttime tales
This hour: bedtime stories. What can we learn from people who write and tell them? How can we all be more intentional and magical about the last things we think about before sleeping?
GUESTS:
Faith Adiele: Travel writer, speaker, teacher, and Thailand’s first Black Buddhist nun; she writes sleep stories for adults on the Calm app
Adam Mansbach: Author, screenwriter, and cultural critic who wrote the famous not-for-children children’s book, Go the F**k to Sleep
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Dylan Reyes, Catie Talarski, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 3, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/14/2023 • 50 minutes
It’s a whole song and dance: The joy of marching bands
Marching bands are now a staple at halftimes. But why? This hour, we discuss the art of the marching band. We’ll talk about all of the work that goes into coordinating them, and the evolution of marching band music and competitions. Plus, a look at the history of halftime.
GUESTS:
Justin McManus: Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Connecticut
Dylan Reyes: Student at the University of Hartford who marched competitively through high school. He is a former Colin McEnroe Show intern, and he occasionally fills in on the board
Mark Dyreson: Professor of Kinesiology and Affiliate Professor of History at Penn State, where he is also Co-Director of Research and Educational Programs for the Penn State Center for the Study of Sports in Society. He is the author of numerous books and articles about the history of sport
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/13/2023 • 49 minutes
'The Golden Bachelor' and reality TV's real-life draw
Don't turn your nose up at it! This hour, we'll hear a defense of reality TV from some of its most fiery fans. Plus: an exploration into the show taking TV screens by storm, The Golden Bachelor.
GUESTS:
Danielle Lindemann: Sociologist and author of the book "True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us"
Kay Brown is the host of The Betchelor podcast
Mireille Silcoff: Regular essayist with the New York Times Magazine
Andy Dehnart: Founder and editor of realityblurred.com
Cat Pastor: Assistant radio operations manager at Connecticut Public
Join the conversation onFacebook andTwitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/10/2023 • 49 minutes
First impressions are everything. Especially when you’re a headline
Let’s be honest, sometimes we all just read the headline of a story, and nothing more. After all, who has time to read every article? Headlines help us decide what to click on, and give us a sense of what’s going on in the world. But often the headline tells only a very small part of the story, or even the wrong story. This hour we talk about the art of the headline. We'll look at why headlines matter, and celebrate some of the best examples.
GUESTS:
Tom Jones: Poynter’s senior media writer
Zizi Papacharissi: Professor and Head of the Communication Department and Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois-Chicago. She is the editor of Trump and The Media, and her newest book is After Democracy: Imagining Our Political Future
Scott Dikkers: Founding Editor of The Onion and author of How to Write Funny, and other books about humor writing
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/9/2023 • 49 minutes
Cash is no longer king: How does that impact us personally and culturally?
It's becoming easier every day to pay for things without cash. You can pay with your credit card, your phone, an app, or even your palm. So how does the move away from cash change how we think about our money? This hour, we look at our changing attitudes towards money, and what we gain and lose as we use less cash. Plus, we'll look at the history and future of ATMs.
GUESTS:
Jay Zagorsky: Clinical Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy, and Law at the Boston University Questrom School of Business
Ursula Dalinghaus: Cultural anthropologist who specializes in economic anthropology and the anthropology of money. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Anthropology in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Ripon College
Bernardo Batiz-Lazo: Professor in the Newcastle Business School at Northumbria University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/8/2023 • 49 minutes
A look at buttons, couch potatoes, and the rise of the remote control
Remote controls date all the way back to the 1800s, but they only entered most households in the 1950s or later. What impact did this have on how we watch television, and how we use other devices in our homes? This hour we look at the history and the impact of the remote control, and discuss what the remote control of the future will look like. And we'll take a look at buttons, and how they shape our interactions with the technology in our lives.
GUESTS:
Caetlin Benson-Allott: Professor of English, Director of Film and Media Studies at Georgetown University, and a member of the Program in American Studies. She is the author of Remote Control, among other books
Rachel Plotnick: Associate Professor of Cinema and Media Studies in The Media School at Indiana University Bloomington, and author of Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic and the Politics of Pushing
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/7/2023 • 48 minutes, 56 seconds
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to Facebook scams, running, Multivac, local elections … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/6/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose on the ‘last’ Beatles song and the new Scorsese picture, ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
“Now and Then” is the first Beatles single of any kind in more than 27 years, and it may well be their last. It was released Thursday. “Now and Then” was originally written and recorded by John Lennon circa 1977. Using machine learning technology developed for the Get Back documentary, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were able to isolate Lennon’s vocals, record new instrumentation and vocals, and combine all of that with vocals and guitar parts recorded by George Harrison in 1995. “Now and Then” is the lead single off new editions of the so-called Red and Blue Albums, which come out November 10.
And: Killers of the Flower Moon is the 26th scripted feature film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is written by Eric Roth and Scorsese and based on the book by David Grann. It is Scorsese’s 10th feature film collaboration with Robert De Niro and his sixth with Leonardo DiCaprio. Killers of the Flower Moon is also the second-longest Scorsese movie at 206 minutes. He has now made two 200-minute pictures in a row.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Hall of Fame basketball coach Bobby Knight has died at 83
‘Sarcasm’: The Sort of Wit That Defined Matthew Perry’s Career Has Ancient Roots The actor’s trademark form of humor takes its name from Latin words for cutting into flesh
Taylor Tomlinson Named Host of CBS’ ‘After Midnight,’ From Stephen Colbert
Disney Says It Will Take Full Control of Hulu The company will pay at least $8.61 billion to Comcast, which owned a 33 percent stake of the popular streaming service.
HBO Bosses Used ‘Secret’ Fake Accounts to Troll TV Critics Casey Bloys ordered staffers to create fake accounts to fire back at critics, according to text conversations reviewed by Rolling Stone as part of a new lawsuit
Get shorty! Why everyone needs to stop complaining about long films It’s become voguish to sing the praises of 90-minute movies and bite-sized books and plays, writes Louis Chilton. With a run-time of almost four hours, Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ isn’t ‘too long’ — it’s part of an art form, from George Eliot to Bruce Springsteen, that demands patience and persistence
It’s Time To Bring Back the Movie Intermission
Bros Are Coming for BookTok. These TikTokers Aren’t Having It “If you’ve ever had a pea coat-wearing liberal arts student talk at you about the genius that is David Foster Wallace then you’d call Infinite Jest bro-lit too”
Marvel Needs to Make ‘Less Films’ and Bad VFX Has ‘F—ed Up Everything,’ Says Matthew Vaughn: ‘Maybe We Need a Little Bit of Time Off’ From Superhero Films
‘The Right Stuff’ at 40: Director Philip Kaufman on chasing demons in the sky to make a true American classic The esteemed filmmaker recalls casting and shooting ‘The Right Stuff’ to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
The Many Lives of Tomato Pie It may look a little different across cities in the Northeast, but this Italian American staple is always an exercise in restraint.
Crisis at Marvel: Jonathan Majors Back-Up Plans, ‘The Marvels’ Reshoots, Reviving Original Avengers and More Issues Revealed
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/3/2023 • 49 minutes
Every step you take: How walking and walkability shape our lives
"These boots are made for walking…" but instead, they sit by the door while you watch TV. This hour: Why is it often so hard to get walking? And what can our footsteps tell us about ourselves and the world?
GUESTS:
Jeff Speck: City planner and author of the book “Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time”
Liam Satchell: Senior lecturer in Psychology at the University of Winchester
Dr. I-Min Lee: Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Join the conversation onFacebook andTwitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/2/2023 • 49 minutes
The perks of being a wallflower: Unpacking House Speaker Mike Johnson
This hour, we talk about the election of the new House Speaker: Representative Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana. We'll talk about Speaker Johnson, including the role of his faith in his politics, and what we can learn from how he dresses. Plus, we'll look at why we even have a House Speaker to begin with.
GUESTS:
Vanessa Friedman: Fashion Director and Chief Fashion Critic of The New York Times
Katherine Stewart: Investigative Reporter and author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism
Lee Drutman: Senior Fellow in the Political Reform program at New America, and the author of Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America. He is also co-host of the “Politics In Question” podcast, the co-founder of “Fix Our House,” a campaign for proportional representation, and author of the Substack “Undercurrent Events”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2023 • 49 minutes
Shell we talk about eggs?
What else besides an egg can give us human life, culinary delight, life-saving vaccines, jarping, the Clowns International Egg Registry, and a satisfying bit of schadenfreude, all wrapped in one small package? Making a great omelet is the tip of the eggshell for the versatility of the egg.
This hour, a hard-boiled look at the ubiquitous, yet overlooked egg.
GUESTS:
John Portmann: Taught moral philosophy and ethics at the University of Virginia for several decades; he’s the author of When Bad Things Happen To Other People
Chris Prosperi: Chef and co-owner of Metro Bis in Simsbury, Connecticut, and a former recipe columnist for the Hartford Courant
Lizzie Stark: The author of Egg: A Dozen Ovatures
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired April 27, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/30/2023 • 50 minutes
The year in horror, 2023
We’ve done a Halloween special each year for the past five years. And each year, and for no particular reason, we’ve spent a chunk of the show covering a classic horror movie celebrating, specifically, its 40th anniversary.
I’m a little sad to say that this year we’re breaking the tradition, partly because 1983 was a strikingly barren year for horror movies (notwithstanding, uh, Cujo, I guess? Psycho II?). And partly because, well, one of the greatest horror movies ever made happens to be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
So. This hour, our take on William Friedkin’s 1973 masterpiece, The Exorcist. And a look at filmmaker David Gordon Green’s turn away from indie dramas and Hollywood comedies and toward horror legacy requels. His latest is The Exorcist: Believer.
Plus: There sure are a lot of those crazy 12-foot skeleton things showing up on people’s lawns, aren’t there? We investigate the Skelly sensation.
GUESTS:
Aislinn Clarke: A screenwriter and director and a lecturer in film studies at Queen’s University Belfast
Bill Curry: Playing the part of Bill Curry playing the part of Standing Concerned Man
Jesse Hassenger: Associate editor of Paste Movies and co-host of the New Flesh horror movie podcast
Rachel Kurzius: A reporter for The Home You Own at The Washington Post
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/28/2023 • 50 minutes
FOMO? Rage? Pleasure? How and why we hate-watch
Sometimes, we just love to hate. From reality TV shows like The Bachelor and The Real Housewives franchise to movies like The Room and Twilight, sometimes it’s so bad it’s good. The phenomenon of hate-watching has reached new audiences on social media platforms such as Twitter and YouTube. Haters are more vocal than ever.
In this episode we ask why we want to watch and suffer through movies and TV shows we extremely dislike. Do we get enjoyment from objectively bad content? Or from hating on things? Join us on this episode as we discuss the psychology and impacts of hate-watching.
GUESTS:
Jonathan Gray: Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of Dislike-Minded: Media, Audiences, and the Dynamics of Taste
Brian Moylan: Writer, reality tv show recapper, and author of The New York Times bestseller The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives
Alex Meyers: A YouTuber who makes cartoons and video essays about movies and TV shows
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Lizzie Van Arnam, Colin McEnroe, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on April 11, 2023. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/27/2023 • 48 minutes, 53 seconds
The (so-called) dying art of dinner parties
News outlets and opinion writers have called it: the traditional dinner party is dead. But are dinner parties really so bad? Or are we just bad at hosting them? This hour, the history of dinner parties and some advice from people who turn party-hosting into an art form.
GUESTS:
Rand Richards Cooper: Fiction writer, contributing editor at Commonweal, and the restaurant critic for the Hartford Courant
Julia Skinner: Culinary historian and food writer whose work includes the book “Our Fermented Lives”
Nandita Godbole: Author of several cookbooks including “Masaleydaar: Classic Indian Spice Blends”. She also writes the blog Curry Cravings.
Join the conversation onFacebook andTwitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/26/2023 • 49 minutes
Why the Roman Empire is worth thinking about
We've recently discovered, thanks to TikTok, that many more people are thinking about the Roman Empire than you might expect... including the host of this radio show. This hour, we talk about why people think about the Roman Empire, and we talk with the preeminent scholar of the Roman Empire, Mary Beard, about all the things you could think about if you wanted to think about the Roman Empire.
GUESTS:
Doug Boin: Professor of History at St. Louis University, and author of Alaric the Goth: An Outsider’s History of the Fall of Rome, among other books
Mary Beard: Historian of Ancient Rome. She is the author of bestselling books, including SPQR, and her newest book is Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient Roman World
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/25/2023 • 49 minutes
The psychology of fandom: Why we care so much about fictional characters
This hour is about the psychology of fandom. We look at how the mind of a fan operates. We talk with experts about the mental attachments and connections fans have with their favorite shows and fictional characters.
Plus, there are many reasons why one becomes a fan. We’ll talk about that, and how fandoms have evolved over time. Finally, a look at the types of emotions fans feel and how they express them in fanfiction and other forms of transformative fandom.
GUESTS:
Lynn Zubernis: Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Professor at West Chester University, who has written 7 books based on her research on the psychology of fandom
Maya Phillips: Author of Nerd: Adventures in Fandom from This Universe to the Multiverse, and a critic at The New York Times
Jessica Hautsch: Teaching Assistant Professor of Humanities at the New York Institute of Technology, and author of Mind, Body, and Emotion in the Reception and Creation Practices of Fan Communities
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Melody Rivera, Colin McEnroe, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on April 3, 2023. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/24/2023 • 49 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to uptalk, mortality, the zipper merge, the health of the baby boom generation, regionalizing cities, proving that you’re not a witch … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/23/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at Taylor Swift and ‘The Eras Tour’
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is the highest-grossing concert film ever made, and it’s only been in theaters for five days. It took in more than $100 million in global presales alone. The 169-minute, 41-song-long movie is nothing short of a phenomenon.
Speaking of a phenomenon, you may have heard that Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce are a couple. Swift and Kelce haven’t publicly commented on or even confirmed their romantic relationship (though they have been photographed holding hands), but the NFL and its broadcast partners have certainly capitalized on it anyway. Oh, and TSwift and TKelce were both on SNL last weekend, too.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Piper Laurie, Actress in ‘The Hustler,’ ‘Carrie’ and ‘Twin Peaks,’ Dies at 91 The three-time Oscar nominee and Emmy winner also starred in the original ‘Days of Wine and Roses’ and in ‘Children of a Lesser God.’
Suzanne Somers, Star of ‘Three’s Company,’ Is Dead at 76 She became famous for playing, as she put it, “one of the best dumb blondes that’s ever been done,” then became a sex-positive health and diet mogul.
Louise Glück, 80, Nobel-Winning Poet Who Explored Trauma and Loss, Dies Acclaimed as one of America’s greatest living writers, she blended deeply personal material with themes of mythology and nature.
Burt Young, Decorated Character Actor Of Rocky Fame, Has Died At 83
Michael Caine Officially Announces Retirement From Acting: ‘You Don’t Have Leading Men at 90’
Michael Jordan Is the First Pro Athlete to Rank Among the 400 Wealthiest Americans The former NBA star has an estimated net worth of $3 billion.
Best Buy Is Ending DVD and Blu-Ray Sales
Netflix plans to open brick and mortar locations
Will Smith Has Broken His Silence On Jada Pinkett Smith’s Memoir Revelations After a week of bombshell details regarding Jada’s new memoir, Will has responded directly to his estranged wife.
The Actors Are on Strike, But the Awards Shows Go On Here is our (extremely early) forecast for the biggest Oscar races this (very uncertain) year.
Why is movie candy sold in boxes?
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and chief communications officer at Buzz Engine
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/20/2023 • 49 minutes
URGENT: Please immediately listen to this show about scam emails
A wealthy prince needs your help (via a wire transfer) to unfreeze his fortunes. He’ll reward you handsomely. While you’re sending him the money, listen to this show about scam emails.
We'll talk about the surprising history and future of scam emails and what you can do to protect yourself. Plus: a conversation with an author who got caught up in an infamous email scam.
GUESTS:
Arun Vishwanath: Cybersecurity expert and author of the book, “The Weakest Link: How to Diagnose, Detect, and Defend Users from Phishing”
Peter C. Baker: Author of the novel “Planes”
Join the conversation on Facebook andTwitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/19/2023 • 49 minutes
Take a seat and listen to our hour on chairs
What can we learn about ourselves from what we sit on? This hour, we talk about the history of chairs, their impact on our lifestyle and health, and what's in store for their future. Plus, we'll celebrate the joy of a well-designed chair, talk with a chair maker, and discuss some of our favorite examples.
GUESTS:
Witold Rybczynski: Architect, Emeritus Professor of Urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of Now I Sit Me Down: From Klismos to Plastic Chair: A Natural History, among other books. His latest book is The Story of Architecture
Galen Cranz: Professor Emerita of Architecture at the University of California at Berkeley, and a founding member of the Association for Body Conscious Design. She is the author of The Chair: Rethinking Culture, Body and Design, among other books. She is a certified Teacher of the Alexander Technique
Aspen Golann: Artist and furniture maker. She teaches in the furniture department at The Rhode Island School of Design, and founded “The Chairmaker Toolbox,” a project that provides free tools, education, and mentorship to increase equity and access in the field of chairmaking
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2023 • 49 minutes
Emily St. John Mandel talks with us about how we treat one another, the simulation hypothesis, autofiction, and more
This hour: a conversation with novelist Emily St. John Mandel, about time travel, the simulation hypothesis, adapting her work to television, art and culture during times of crisis, autofiction, Wikipedia, and much more.
GUEST:
Emily St. John Mandel: Novelist, whose books include Sea of Tranquility, The Glass Hotel, and Station Eleven
Join the conversation onFacebook andTwitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 30, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/17/2023 • 49 minutes
Emily Wilson brings 'The Iliad' alive for a modern audience
In 2018, Emily Wilson became internationally known for her translation of Homer’s The Odyssey, which was called “a revelation” and “a cultural landmark.” This hour, Wilson joins us to talk about her new translation of Homer’s other great surviving work, The Iliad.
GUEST:
Emily Wilson: Professor in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her new translation of Homer’s The Iliad is out now. She previously translated The Odyssey, in addition to works by Euripides, Seneca, and Sophocles
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/16/2023 • 48 minutes, 55 seconds
‘It always means something’: Connecticut in the movies
Illeana Douglas’ new book is Connecticut in the Movies: From Dream Houses to Dark Suburbia. It isn’t just an encyclopedia of appearances by and references to Connecticut in movies. But rather, it’s a history and theory of ‘Connecticut movies,’ something close to a genre unto itself with its own set of signs and meanings.
This hour, Illeana Douglas and David Edelstein join us to take a Not Necessarily The Nose-style look at the Nutmeg State on the silver screen.
GUESTS:
Illeana Douglas: The Official Movie Star of The Colin McEnroe Show and the author, most recently, of Connecticut in the Movies
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/13/2023 • 50 minutes
Life is hard. This philosopher wants to help us deal with that
This hour, a conversation about handling life’s hardships with philosopher Kieran Setiya, the author of Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way.
GUESTS:
Kieran Setiya: Professor of philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author of Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired April 17, 2023.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/12/2023 • 42 minutes
Unburying the truth about pirates with Rebecca Simon
We imagine pirates to be the quintessential rule-breakers — but really, they had their own strictly-followed codes. How did 18th-century pirates dictate their own community standards? How did they create social mobility in an age when changing one's social status was nearly impossible? This hour, we join pirate historian Rebecca Simon to find out!
GUEST:
Rebecca Simon: Pirate historian with a PhD in History from King’s College London. She’s the author of several books about piracy, including “The Pirates' Code: Laws and Life Aboard Ship”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/11/2023 • 41 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to Israel, fat bear week, former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, the Roman Empire, dark coffee mugs, pirates … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/9/2023 • 41 minutes, 16 seconds
The Nose looks at the Hasan Minhaj controversy and Wes Anderson’s Roald Dahl shorts
This week’s Nose has gotta be more like a rat than anything else in the world. Cleverer, even, than a rat, and that is not an easy thing to be, let me tell ya.
The Nose returns!
On September 15, The New Yorker ran a story that reported out a number of embellishments / untruths / lies in Hasan Minhaj’s standup specials. Minhaj had reportedly been the frontrunner to become the new permanent host of The Daily Show. On September 27, Variety reported that Comedy Central was going back to square one with their search for a host.
And: In September, 2021, Netflix acquired the Roald Dahl Story Company for $686 million. Wes Anderson has written and directed adaptations of four Dahl short stories: “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” “Poison,” “The Rat Catcher,” and “The Swan.” They’re the first projects released by Netflix as part of their ownership of Dahl’s work, and they star a repertory company of actors that includes Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ben Kingsley, Dev Patel, and Rupert Friend.
GUESTS:
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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10/6/2023 • 42 minutes, 25 seconds
From alief to phronesis, Tamar Gendler makes the case for why we should care about ancient philosophy
This hour, Yale Dean Tamar Gendler joins us to discuss her new course “Public Plato: Ancient Wisdom in the Digital Age.” We'll talk about how to make ancient philosophy relevant for a modern audience, questions of framing and form, and what we can all learn from concepts like alief, phronesis, and eudaimonia.
GUEST:
Tamar Gendler: Professor of Philosophy, Psychology and Cognitive Science, and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, at Yale University
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Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/5/2023 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
Yascha Mounk discusses ‘The Identity Trap’ and the future of democracy
In Yascha Mounk’s new book, he “traces the origin of a set of ideas about identity and social justice that is rapidly transforming America — and explains why it will fail to accomplish its noble goals.” This hour, Mounk joins us to talk about the future of democracy and The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time.
GUEST:
Yascha Mounk: Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University, the founder of the digital magazine Persuasion, and host of the podcast The Good Fight. His new book is The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2023 • 41 minutes
I’ve Got Two Chickens to Paralyze: A celebration of mondegreens, malapropisms, and more
This hour we look at mis-speaks, mis-hearings, and mis-understandings, like malapropisms, mondegreens, eggcorns, and spoonerisms. We share our favorite examples and learn about what they can tell us about the English language and how our brains process language. And we celebrate the joy of playing with language.
GUESTS:
Emily Brewster: Senior Editor and lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, and host of the Word Matters podcast
Melissa Baese-Berk: Professor of language teaching studies and linguistics at the University of Oregon, where she is also director of the Speech Perception and Production Lab
Ben Zimmer: Linguist, lexicographer, and the Word on the Street columnist for The Wall Street Journal
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Carolyn McCusker, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 29, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/3/2023 • 49 minutes
Osculate me, you fool! A brief history of romantic kissing
This hour, Colin and his guests look at why humans touch others with their lips (and often their tongues!). Join us as we overthink the simple act of kissing.
GUESTS:
Marcel Danesi: Professor Emeritus of Linguistic Anthropology at The University of Toronto and author of The History of the Kiss! The Birth of Popular Culture
Matthew Longcore: Director of Membership and Outreach for the Human Relations Area Files at Yale University and an Adjunct Faculty Member in Anthropology at University of Connecticut Stamford
Andréa Demirjian: Runs The Kissing Expert website, Instagram feed, and Facebook page. She’s the author of the book Kissing: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About One of Life’s Sweetest Pleasures
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Lily Tyson, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/2/2023 • 49 minutes
‘It’s OK with me’: The Nose rewatches ‘The Long Goodbye’ at 50
This week’s Nose got a couple other cans, ya know, and came back and switched the labels and the cans around.
The Long Goodbye is a satirical neo-noir mystery feature film adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s 1953 novel. It is the eighth feature directed by Robert Altman and the second-to-last screenplay by the science fiction writer Leigh Brackett (who also wrote The Empire Strikes Back and the 1946 version of The Big Sleep, among others). It stars Elliott Gould as Philip Marlowe in 1970s Los Angeles. This year is The Long Goodbye’s 50th anniversary.
Plus: A look at the value and the art of rewatching and rewatchability.
Raquel Benedict’s endorsements:
Helpmeet by Naben Ruthnum
Nocebo on Shudder
Helder Mira’s endorsements:
Hawkeye: L.A. Woman by Matt Fraction, Annie Wu, and Javier Pulido
Jury Duty on Freevee
Documentary Now! Season 4 on Netflix
Gene Seymour’s endorsements:
Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse by Ahmad Jamal
Ain’t But a Few of Us: Black Music Writers Tell Their Story edited by Willard Jenkins
Colin’s endorsement:
The Battered Bastards of Baseball on Netflix
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Michael Gambon, Dumbledore in the ‘Harry Potter’ Films, Dies at 82 After he made his mark in London in the 1970s, he went on to play a wide range of roles, including Edward VII, Oscar Wilde and Winston Churchill.
Golden Globes Adds Two New Categories: Blockbuster Movies and Stand-Up Comics Enter the Race
The Definitive Guide to All Things Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Whether you’re a football fan, a Swiftie, or both, this helpful glossary will tell you everything you need to know about the budding relationship between the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and the world’s biggest pop star
Kelce-Swift Is a Dream Pairing for the N.F.L. The romance between the Chiefs tight end and the world’s biggest pop star represents an alliance with the only cultural force in America bigger than the league itself.
MAGA Goes to War Against the Swifties! Now they’ve picked a fight with the wrong people.
Lying in Comedy Isn’t Always Wrong, but Hasan Minhaj Crossed a Line The stand-up’s penchant for making up stories goes beyond embellishment. When real people and real stakes are involved, a different standard applies.
Comedy Central Widens Search for ‘Daily Show’ Host Beyond Hasan Minhaj
The Death of Netflix DVD Marks the Loss of Something Even Bigger It’s the end of an era—and not just for plastic discs.
‘Stop Making Sense’ Talks Up $800k Weekend, $1.4M Cume As 1984 Concert Film Draws Young Crowd
The Office Reboot In The Works, Original US Showrunner Returning After years of speculation, a reboot of The Office is reportedly finally going to happen and the original US showrunner is attached to return.
Inside Apple’s Plan to Change the Way We Watch Sports Longtime Apple executive Eddy Cue happens to be an enormous sports fan. And with Apple entering the wild west of broadcasting live sports, he’s ready to shake up the way we watch games on TV—with a little help from none other than Leo M
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: The most dangerous woman in speculative fiction and the host of the Rite Gud podcast
Helder Mira: Multimedia producer at Trinity College and co-host of the So Pretentious podcast
Gene Seymour: A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek”
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired May 19, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/29/2023 • 50 minutes
Lost in my mind: What happens when we daydream
Do you daydream? What do you daydream about? This hour: the art of daydreaming.
We reflect on the value of daydreaming and why it can be so difficult to talk about our daydreams. Plus, a look at what daydreaming does to our brains and at maladaptive daydreaming.
GUESTS:
Leslie Jamison: Novelist, essayist and professor at Columbia University’s MFA Program
Jayne Rachel: An advocate for maladaptive daydreaming, who used to experience it
Jonathan Schooler: Distinguished professor of psychological and brain sciences and director of The Center for Mindfulness and Human Potential at the University of California, Santa Barbara
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 15, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/28/2023 • 50 minutes
Listen! Now!! Don’t miss!!! our show about the exclamation point.
I’m so excited!!!
The exclamation point is the only punctuation mark that can express (and evoke) strong emotion. You either love them or you hate them.
Writers use the exclamation mark to express emotion that words can’t fully capture, politicians and advertisers can use it to manipulate and alarm, and authors and their editors often clash over its appropriate use. Our brains physically respond to the sight of it.
This hour, a look at the history and culture of this most controversial mark.
GUESTS:
John Breunig: An editorial page editor with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Lan Samantha Chang: Director of the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop
Florence Hazrat: Author of An Admirable Point: A Brief History of the Exclamation Mark
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired March 9, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/27/2023 • 50 minutes
Why do AI voice assistants default to female voices?
Have you noticed that voice assistants like Alexa and Siri default to female voices?
This hour, we talk about how artificial intelligence is reinforcing gender biases.
Plus, a look at how representations of artificial intelligence in pop culture have contributed to this model.
GUESTS:
Kerry McInerney: Research fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence and co-host of The Good Robot Podcast
Deborah Tannen: Distinguished university professor of linguistics at Georgetown University and author of You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, among other books
Lisa Yaszek: Regents professor of science fiction studies in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lizzie Van Arnam contributed to this show, which originally aired March 6, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2023 • 50 minutes
Raising consciousness about lowering height
This hour, the full measure of short stature, from personal health, professional discrimination, and environmental impact to Humphrey Bogart’s strap-on inch-adders.
GUESTS:
Arne Hendriks: Artist, researcher, and exhibition-maker based in Amsterdam who writes about height at The Incredible Shrinking Man
William Mann: The author of Bogie & Bacall: The Surprising True Story of Hollywood’s Greatest Love Affair
Tanya Osensky: A lawyer and the author of Shortchanged: Height Discrimination and Strategies for Social Change
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired March 2, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/25/2023 • 50 minutes
Rocking the charts and reckoning with inequity: The dichotomy of country music
The Nose is off.
In its stead: Country music dominated the charts for most of the summer. But the genre has also been the subject of controversy. This hour, we take stock of the state of country music.
GUESTS:
Jason Lipshutz: Executive director of music at Billboard
Amanda Marie Martinez: Postdoctoral fellow in the Department of American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who is currently working on a book project titled The Industry Is Playing the People Cheap: Race and the Country Music Business from Nixon to 9/11
Chris Molanphy: Chart analyst and pop critic who writes about the intersection of culture and commerce in popular music; he is host of Slate’s Hit Parade podcast, writes Slate’s “Why Is This Song No. 1?” series, and he is author of the new book Old Town Road
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/22/2023 • 50 minutes
“I once had a dentist named Dr. Fillmore”: Stories of nominative determinism
There’s a theory that people are drawn to work that fits their name. This hour, an exploration of nominative determinism. Plus, a look at the different ways your name impacts your life.
GUESTS:
David Bird: Emeritus professor of wildlife biology and director of the Avian Science and Conservation Centre of McGill University
Brett Pelham: Professor of psychology at Montgomery College
Tess Terrible: Senior producer of Where We Live on Connecticut Public
Laura Wattenberg: Naming expert, author of The Baby Name Wizard, and the creator of Namerology
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 16, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/21/2023 • 50 minutes
‘Books can be mirrors or books can be windows’: How to decide what kids should read
From book bans to comics and the strange origins of fairy tales, this hour we look at children's literature and talk about who decides what is appropriate for children to read.
GUESTS:
Carol St. George: Professor of Teaching and Curriculum and Director of Reading and Literacy at the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester
Adam Gidwitz: Author of A Tale Dark and Grimm, and its companions, as well as The Inquisitor’s Tale, and The Unicorn Rescue Society. He is also the creator of the podcast, Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest, and he produced the adaptation of A Tale Dark and Grimm for Netflix
Maria Tatar: Research Professor of Folklore and Mythology at Harvard University. Her latest book is The Heroine with 1001 Faces
Carol Tilley: Comics historian, librarian, educator, and youth advocate. She is a Professor in the Faculty of the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2023 • 49 minutes
Everyday Carry: Unpacking what we carry with us and why
What’s in your pockets right now? Phone, wallet, keys… maybe some discarded receipts or old gum? This show’s all about what we carry with us every day: from flashlights the size of a lip balm to a life-saving medicine.
GUESTS:
Bernard Capulong: Founder and Editor-in-Chief of everydaycarry.com
Hannah Carlson: Senior Lecturer in the Apparel Department at the Rhode Island School of Design. She’s also the author of “Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close”
Dr. Mona Gohara: Private practice dermatologist and Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine. She’s also an advocate around increasing inclusivity in dermatology.
Peter Canning: Hartford paramedic and an EMS coordinator at John Dempsey hospital. He’s also the author of “Killing Season: A Paramedic’s Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Opioid Epidemic”
Drew John Ladd: Writer
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/19/2023 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
In politics, is age really just a number?
This hour we talk about age in politics, from why our politicians skew older to the impacts of that. And, we’ll learn about how animals pick leaders, and the role age plays in those decisions.
GUESTS:
Eugene Scott: Senior Politics Reporter for Axios
Lucy Schiller: Writer and professor of creative writing based in Texas
Kevin Munger: Assistant Professor of Political Science and Social Data Analytics at Penn State University, and author of Generation Gap: Why the Baby Boomers Still Dominate American Politics and Culture
Jennifer Smith: Studies the evolutionary ecology of social mammals at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/18/2023 • 49 minutes
The art of political satire with Samantha Bee and Sophia McClennen
Political satire is alive and well in America today. And it turns out it might have an important role in educating the public and the health of our democracy. This hour, we look at the state and the art of political satire with comedian Samantha Bee and Sophia McClennen, a political scientist who studies satire.
GUESTS:
Samantha Bee: Comedian, host of the podcast Choice Words with Samantha Bee, and the former host of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. She is performing at The Bushnell on Thursday, September 21
Sophia McClennen: Professor of International Affairs and Comparative Literature at Penn State University and author of numerous books, including Trump Was a Joke: How Satire Made Sense of a President Who Didn’t and Is Satire Saving Our Nation?
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/15/2023 • 49 minutes
An hour with mystery writer Adrian McKinty
Adrian McKinty is a Northern Irish writer of thrillers and mysteries probably best known for The Chainand the Sean Duffy series.
On the dark and stormy night of September 9, McKinty talked to Colin on stage at The Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford. It’s the first show we’ve done in front of a live audience since the before times.
This hour, a lightly edited version of that conversation.
GUEST:
Adrian McKinty: The author of 20 novels, including The Chain, the Michael Forsythe trilogy, and the Sean Duffy series; The Detective Up Late, the seventh Duffy novel, is his latest
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/14/2023 • 50 minutes
From Consumer Reports to Wirecutter, recommendation sites are ruling our shopping habits
Gone are the days when we’d browse a local store if we needed a new air purifier or oven mitt. Now, many people don’t dare make a purchase without first Googling “best kitchen mixer” and browsing lists of top-tens on recommendation sites.
How did these sites come to dominate our shopping carts? And if you’re not a fan of that humidifier you got off a top-ten list, are there other ways to shop?
GUESTS:
Inger Stole is a professor emerita at the University of Illinois
Michael Zhao was the first employee and a former deputy editor at Wirecutter
Mark Frauenfelder is a co-editor of Recomendo
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/13/2023 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
What our monsters say about us
This hour, a look at misunderstood monsters, why humans create monsters in the first place, and the benefits of hearing a monster’s perspective.
Plus, we learn more about Medusa and talk to a researcher who studied purported yeti samples to find the animal behind the myth.
GUESTS:
Natalie Haynes: A writer and broadcaster; her newest book is Stone Blind
Charlotte Lindqvist: Associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo
Asa Simon Mittman: Professor of art and art history at California State University, Chico
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 8, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2023 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to the speed limit, the Great American Songbook, trucks on the Merritt Parkway, the state parks, police car chases. Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/11/2023 • 49 minutes
A look at ‘Strike Force Five’ and the value of physical media, plus endorsements
The Nose is off. In its place, a look at the No. 1 podcast in America, Strike Force Five, hosted by Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver as a way to pay the late night writing staffs during the strikes.
Plus: New Yorker film critic Richard Brody joins us to extol the virtues of owning movies on physical media.
And finally: endorsements, Nose or no.
During this little period of Noselessness, we’ve decided at least to entertain ideas around doing the show differently. And we want your input! If you’re familiar with The Nose, and you have a couple minutes, please take our survey. You might even win a life-alteringly great prize! (It’s a coffee mug. You might win a coffee mug.)
GUESTS:
Richard Brody: The movies editor for Goings On About Town at The New Yorker
Megan Fitzgerald: Senior project manager at Connecticut Public
Sabrina Herrera: Community engagement and social media editor at Connecticut Public
Jennifer LaRue: A writer, editor, and publicist and a contributing producer for The Colin McEnroe Show
Cat Pastor: Assistant radio operations manager at Connecticut Public
Julia Pistell: A writer and comedian, a founding member of Sea Tea Improv, and a contributing producer for The Colin McEnroe Show
Nicholas Quah: The podcast critic for New York Magazine and Vulture, where he writes the weekly newsletter 1.5× Speed
Catie Talarski: Senior director of storytelling and radio programming at Connecticut Public
Chion Wolf: The host of Audacious on Connecticut Public
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/8/2023 • 49 minutes
How 'bout them apples?
This hour, a look at the cultural significance of the apple, from Adam and Eve to keeping the doctor away. Plus: growing apples, the future of apples, and we compare apples and oranges.
GUESTS:
Martha Bayless: Director of Folklore and Public Culture and a Professor of English and Folklore at the University of Oregon. She is also the founder of the Early English Bread Project, which studies the role of bread in early medieval English culture
David Bedford: Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota. His team is responsible for creating the Honeycrisp, SweeTango, Zestar, and Rave apple varieties, among others
Dan Pashman: Creator and Host of The Sporkful podcast
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/7/2023 • 49 minutes
How charisma shapes our world
What exactly is charisma? You know it when you see it, but is it possible to measure? Is it something you can learn, or just something you’re born with? This hour we look at the impact of charisma in our world, especially in politics. Plus, in the world of wildlife conservation there’s a term for those animals everyone cares about: “charismatic megafauna.” What are the impacts of decisions about conservation or leadership coming down to a nebulous trait like charisma?
GUESTS:
John Antonakis: Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Russ Schriefer: Founding Partner of Strategic Partners & Media, a public affairs political consulting firm. He is Senior Strategist for the Tell It Like It Is SuperPac that supports Chris Christie for President
Sophie Monsarrat: Rewilding Manager with Rewilding Europe, who used to be a researcher who studied charismatic megafauna, among other topics
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/6/2023 • 49 minutes
The fungus among us
Since we just spent a number of years thinking about viruses, here’s a question: Should we be pretty worried about funguses, too?
This hour, a look at the real-life fungal infection of ants that inspired the video game and TV series The Last of Us. Plus we talk with a local mushroom farmer and an author who writes fungal fiction and look at the role of fungi in our world.
GUESTS:
William Beckerson: Post-doctoral research Fellow with the National Science Foundation
Patricia Kaishian: Mycologist and visiting assistant professor of biology at Bard College
Chris Pacheco: Owner of Seacoast Mushrooms in Mystic, Connecticut
Jeff VanderMeer: Author of a number of books, including the Southern Reach Trilogy, which includes Annihilation; he co-founded The Sunshine State Biodiversity Group
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 6, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/5/2023 • 50 minutes
Not Necessarily The Nose: What’s happening to the Great American Songbook?
Irving Berlin, Dorothy Fields, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein. These, along with many others, are the sorts of songwriters we associate with the Great American Songbook, the amorphous canon of important 20th century pop songs, jazz standards, and show tunes from Broadway, Tin Pan Alley, and movie musicals.
But there’s another important detail here. The songs we think of as the Songbook are from, more specifically, the 1920s through the 1950s. With some simple arithmetic, you can see that they’re, uh, getting on in years — which might (must?) mean that their devotees are, too.
The Nose is off. In its place this hour, a look at and a listen to — and some concern for the future of — the Great American Songbook.
GUESTS:
Joelle Lurie: Vocalist, songwriter, voiceover artist, and bandleader
Steve Metcalf: Founder and director of the Garmany concert series at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/1/2023 • 49 minutes, 53 seconds
Why ticks are on the rise and how humans are fighting back
You may have heard that tick borne diseases are on the rise. But don’t worry — we’ve got you covered. This hour, we’re taking you through three ways to defeat ticks. From tick-immune blood, to a tick-destroying robot and tried-and-true tweezers, this show is not for arachnids who are faint of heart.
GUESTS:
Rick Ostfeld: Distinguished senior scientist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Holly Gaff: Professor of Biological Sciences at Old Dominion University
Jen Wegner: Associate curator of the Egyptian section at the Penn Museum
Birnur Aral: Executive Director of the Beauty, Health and Sustainability Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.Stacey Addo, Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/31/2023 • 49 minutes
What is public health?
When we think of public health, we tend to think of things along the lines of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines, or even seatbelts and tobacco. But public health expands well beyond that, to realms like housing, climate change, access to the outdoors, and gun violence. This hour, we look broadly at the world of public health. And we ask what’s next for the field.
GUESTS:
Katelyn Jetelina: Epidemiologist and author of the “Your Local Epidemiologist” newsletter
Megan Ranney: Emergency physician and Dean of the Yale School of Public Health
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/30/2023 • 49 minutes
Narcissists, we bet you think this show is about you. You’re right, it is
There’s more to narcissism than meets the eye.
This hour, we reflect on narcissism — our misunderstandings about it, its pervasiveness in our culture, and the personal, public, and political damage it wreaks.
GUESTS:
Mark Ettensohn: Clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of narcissists
Lee Hammock: “Self-aware” narcissist who shares his experience and insights on social media
Pete Hatemi: Distinguished professor of political science at Penn State University
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired January 26, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/29/2023 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
We’ve been doing these shows a couple times a month where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing.
This hour, the conversation winds around to wild fires, riding bikes, Jay Silverheels, the Bronze Age Pervert, and … explaining the concept of Earth time to aliens. Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/28/2023 • 49 minutes
Out of tune: The challenges of keeping a band together
The Nose is off this week. In its place:
Everyone loves a good band breakup story.
But it’s far more unusual to find bands that manage to stay together for the long haul.
This hour we explore the challenges musicians face as they seek band harmony and discuss what makes them succeed — or fail — together.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: Guitarist, producer, Emmy Award-winning composer, recording engineer, and an adjunct professor at the University of Hartford School of Music
Heather Ferguson: Psychotherapist and psychoanalyst and a member of the Music Industry Therapist Collective
Steven Hyden: Cultural critic at UPROXX and the author of Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation
Nerissa Nields: Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and founding member of The Nields
Jay Russell: Singer, songwriter, and guitarist in The Split Coils; former member of Hot Rod Circuit
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired February 9, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/25/2023 • 50 minutes
How the weight of family 'truths' can get heavier with each generation.
Journalist and author Lisa Belkin, spent ten years retracing the ancestry of three families, over four generations, to understand how a series of random encounters between three men led to the 1960 murder of a Stamford, Connecticut, police officer.
Genealogy of a Murder: Four Generations, Three Families, One Fateful Night, looks at how family ‘truths’ passed down through the generations can influence the choices of the descendants that follow. How do family stories, happenstance, and the cultural ethos of the moment shape the people we become?
GUESTS:
Lisa Belkin is a journalist and the author of narrative non fiction, including Show Me a Hero, which became an HBO miniseries, and most recently, Genealogy of a Murder: Four Generations, Three Families, One Fateful Night. She has been a reporter at the New York Times for more than 25 years.
Doreen Troy Dolan is the daughter of David Troy.
Kelsey Rose Dolan is the granddaughter of David Troy.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/24/2023 • 49 minutes
The luck of the draw: A deeper look at lotteries
Earlier this month, somebody in Florida won a $1.58 billion lottery jackpot. It was the largest Mega Millions jackpot to date, although four other Mega Millions prizes over $1 billion have been won in the past five years. This hour, we’re talking about lotteries. How did this massive money redistribution game come to be? And we know that lotteries can randomly allocate cash prizes to ticket buyers – but could they also pick our political officials? Or the victims of our human sacrifice rituals to ensure that “corn be heavy soon”?
GUESTS:
Jonathan D. Cohen: Historian and author of “For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America”
Alex Guerrero: Professor of Philosophy at Rutgers University and author of the forthcoming book, “Lottocracy: The Case for Democracy without Elections”
Ruth Franklin: Book critic and biography of Shirley Jackson
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/23/2023 • 49 minutes
Exploring the myth and metaphor of Cassandra and the price of foresight
You’ve likely heard the Greek myth of Cassandra, a woman given the gift of prophecy who was cursed never to be believed.
This hour, a look at the Cassandra story and its relevance today, including some real-life Cassandras, like the diplomat who tried to stop World War II and the public health official who tried to warn us about the COVID-19 pandemic.
GUESTS:
Joel Christensen: Professor of classical studies at Brandeis University; his newest book is The Many-Minded Man: The Odyssey, Psychology, and the Therapy of Epic
Charity Dean: CEO, founder, and chairman of the Public Health Company
Steve Kemper: Author of Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor
Amanda Rees: Historian of science at the University of York and the author of Human
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 25, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/22/2023 • 50 minutes
Radical or relevant? How the Luddites can help us relate to today’s technology
Today "Luddite" is used as a derogatory term for someone who doesn't understand technology. But the original Luddites weren’t behind, they were technical workers who were concerned about the impact that technology would have on people. This hour, we look at the history of Luddites, how their philosophy applies today, and ask what our present would look like if they had won. Could we all gain something from thinking more like a Luddite?
GUESTS:
Brian Merchant: Technology Columnist at the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of the forthcoming book Blood in the Machine: the Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech, which comes out next month
Gavin Mueller: Assistant Professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam, and author of Breaking Things at Work: The Luddites Are Right About Why You Hate Your Job
Miriam A. Cherry: Professor of Law at St. John’s University in New York City, and the Faculty Director of the Labor and Employment Law Center. She is the author of Work in the Digital Age: A Coursebook on Labor, Technology, and Regulation
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/21/2023 • 49 minutes, 1 second
Reverence? Rejection? Reckoning with the actions of our ancestors
This hour, we grapple with the impact our ancestors have on our lives, and what our responsibility is if they did something we disagree with.
GUESTS:
Jenny Strauss: Great-granddaughter of Lewis Strauss
Maud Newton: Author of Ancestor Trouble: A Reckoning and a Reconciliation
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/17/2023 • 49 minutes
The hidden joys of searching
You’re probably familiar with the panicked rush that comes when you’re running around your house, looking for keys or a wallet you’ve misplaced. It’s an awful feeling. But maybe there’s some value in the process of searching for lost things — beyond the prize you may (or may not) find at the end. This hour, we’re talking to some professional “lookers” to find out: Is there joy, or hidden value, to be found in the search process? Can we learn to be better lookers?
GUESTS:
Chris Turner: CEO of Ring Finders, a global directory of metal detecting specialists
James Renner: Journalist and author
Walter Wick: Photo-illustrator and picture puzzle designer known for the “I Spy” and “Can You See What I See?” series
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.
Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/16/2023 • 49 minutes
There are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth. How do we make sense of a number like that?
Scientists estimate that there are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth. But. How do we make sense of a number like that, like 20,000,000,000,000,000?
This hour, how we relate to unimaginable numbers, both large and small.
Plus: why ou