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.
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
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.
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.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
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.
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.
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.
12/8/2023 • 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
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, 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
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, 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!
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.
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
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.
10/5/2023 • 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.
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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.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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 our inability to conceptualize large numbers might have a real-world impact during times like a pandemic.
GUESTS:
Shabnam Mousavi: A scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and a senior scientist at the Center for Artificial Intelligence
Sabine Nooten: An insect ecologist and a temporary principal investigator at the University of Würzburg
Elizabeth Toomarian: Director of the Brainwave Learning Center at Synapse School and an educational neuroscience Researcher at Stanford University
Edward Tufte: The author of five books on information design and data visualization
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 12, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/15/2023 • 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 our Jesse Thorn take off promo, the Roberts Sinners and Heinlein (and Heinlein’s short story “ ‘—All You Zombies—’ ” and the movie adaptation of it), pronoun case agreement, rabbits and their feelings about carrots, mounted police, Jacques Cousteau … 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.
8/14/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Full Circle’ and ‘Justified: City Primeval’
Timothy Olyphant has been a regular presence on various TV shows every single year dating back to Damages in 2009, before the original Justified. And yet, it feels significant that he’s in no less than three new series this year. The Nose already covered the first, Daisy Jones & the Six. This week, we catch up with the other two:
Full Circle is a Max Original limited series written and created by Ed Solomon and photographed, edited, and directed by Steven Soderbergh. Here’s Warner Bros.’s logline: “An investigation into a botched kidnapping uncovers long-held secrets connecting multiple characters and cultures in present day New York City.” It stars an ensemble cast that includes Zazie Beetz, Claire Danes, Jim Gaffigan, Timothy Olyphant, CCH Pounder, and Dennis Quaid.
And: Justified: City Primeval is an FX limited series continuation of Justified, which ended in 2015 after six seasons and 78 episodes. It is based on the Elmore Leonard novel City Primeval: High Noon in Detroitand short story “Fire in the Hole.” Olyphant reprises his role as U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
William Friedkin, Acclaimed Director of ‘The French Connection’ and ‘The Exorcist,’ Dies at 87 The Oscar winner “never played by the rules, often to my own detriment,” he said.
Robbie Robertson, Leader of The Band, Dies at 80
Arthur Schmidt, Oscar-Winning ‘Forrest Gump’ and ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ Film Editor, Dies at 86
DJ Casper, artist behind ‘Cha Cha Slide,’ has died
McDonald’s New Meal Celebrates Its Pop Culture Cameos—Including ‘Loki,’ ‘Seinfeld’ and MoreThe As Featured In Meal is tied to the upcoming season of Loki and celebrates the chain’s past pop culture cameos
The Forgotten Former Meaning of “Jerk” The curious pop culture etymology of “jerk,” from 1979’s ‘The Jerk’ through today. (Or, “When did jerk stop meaning ‘stupid’?”)
A Va. woman’s burp was louder than some motorcycles. It set a record.
What to Stream: A Lost Seventies Classic About a (Rather Sympathetic) Stalker Alan Rudolph’s “Remember My Name” is an understated film noir—a drama of stark motives and delicate surfaces.
GUESTS:
Elizabeth Keifer: Professor emerita of English at Tunxis Community College
Helder Mira: Multimedia producer at Trinity College and co-host of the So Pretentious podcast
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.
8/11/2023 • 50 minutes
Examining the narrative takeover and its impacts
It seems like everything’s been turned into a story.
You can see a company’s story on the packaging of juice, cereal, alternative milks. Politicians tell stories to rally support for policies. And social media helps us all tell the story that we want to tell about our lives.
This hour, Peter Brooks on his book, Seduced by Story: The Use and Abuse of Narrative, and a look at why storytelling isn’t always a good thing.
GUESTS:
Peter Brooks: Author of Seduced by Story: The Use and Abuse of Narrative
Chris Knopf: A novelist and the retired CEO of Mintz & Hoke
Elise Wang: Assistant professor in the Department of English, Comparative Literature, and Linguistics at California State University, Fullerton
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 December 27, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/10/2023 • 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 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.
8/9/2023 • 49 minutes
‘Rules rule’: How rules, both written and unwritten, shape our world
Rules are everywhere around us.
This hour we talk about the history of rules and the power of unwritten rules.
We wonder why some rules succeed while others fail. Plus: a game designer on how rules can facilitate play.
GUESTS:
Lorraine Daston: Author of Rules: A Short History of What We Live By
Jason Turbow: Author of The Baseball Codes: Beanballs, Sign Stealing, and Bench-Clearing Brawls: The Unwritten Rules of America’s Pastime
Eric Zimmerman: Award-winning designer of board games and video games and the author of The Rules We Break: Lessons in Play, Thinking, and Design
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 December 21, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/8/2023 • 50 minutes
Keeping it brief: A celebration of short stories
When’s 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/7/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at movie monsters, ‘Hijack,’ and more
This week’s Nose has been traveling 22 years to get here, and now it’s here, and it’s either heads or tails, and you have to say.
Hollywood continues its seeming slow-speed suicide. It’s hard to imagine it even really capitalizing on the huge and ongoing Barbenheimer phenomenon. The Nose continues to be concerned.
But. The Meg 2 is finally here! Actually, that exclamation point notwithstanding, The Nose doesn’t really care about The Meg 2. But it does care about — and have various beefs with — this Meg 2-pegged ranking of movie monsters.
And finally: Hijack is a seven-part, real-time thriller limited series starring Idris Elba. The seventh part, the finale, hit Apple TV+ this week.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Paul Reubens, Pee-wee Herman Actor, Dies at 70 After Private Bout of Cancer
Final Stephen Sondheim Musical ‘Here We Are’ Sets Cast; Joe Mantello-Directed Show Bows Off Broadway In September
Lin-Manuel Miranda to Adapt ‘The Warriors’ as Stage Musical
Meeting friends online is normal. Here’s how to do it. Move over, online dating. Online friend-making is having its day.
Streaming has surpassed cable as America’s most-watched viewing platform Amid the first combined work stoppage involving writers and actors represented by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, some streaming platforms still scored some wins.
‘Suits’ Sets Record for Library Shows on Streaming Charts ‘The Bear’ has another strong week, becoming the second Hulu show to top a billion minutes of viewing.
Shake it off: Taylor Swift concert triggers actual seismic activity
X’s Subscription Service, Formerly Twitter Blue, Now Lets You Hide Your Blue Check Mark
So Many Women Have Dumped Their Boyfriends After “Barbie”, But This Woman’s Story HAS To Be The Wildest One Yet I am so much more horrified than you can imagine!
Max Is Bleeding Subscribers Following Its Boneheaded Rebrand The service lost 1.8 million subscribers as Warner Bros. Discovery announced a $10.3 million loss in total revenue for its second quarter.
Apple TV+ Is on a Scripted-Series Hot Streak. Are People Paying Attention? Apple TV+ has amassed a rich library of original content in less than four years—with the awards season nominations to prove it. Can its dedication to curation help it overtake the top streamers, or will Apple lose its appetite for spending on prestige?
GUESTS:
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/4/2023 • 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:
Paul Tieger: A prolific author on MBTI; his books include Do What You Are, Nurture by Nature, and Just Your Type
Alexander Swan: Associate professor of psychology at Eureka College and host of the CinemaPsychpodcast
Jessica Alderson: Founder of So Syncd, a 16 Personalities-based dating app
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, Carol Chen, Jonathan McNicol, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/3/2023 • 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. In this hour, we’ll 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, CT since its founding in 1986. On the show today is Joseph Morneault, Rick Spencer, Michael Hotkowski and the group’s founder, Cliff Haslam.
Dr. 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/2/2023 • 49 minutes
Beneath the surface: A deep dive into Connecticut shipwrecks
Searching for sunken treasure? Long Island Sound is hardly the place to look.
But what can be found in its murky waters are ample remains of Connecticut’s once prominent shipping industry, and perhaps evidence of early Native American villages from around 20,000 years ago when the Sound was a glacial lake.
This hour, we survey shipwrecks and other bits of history resting off Connecticut’s coast, as well as at the bottom of some lakes and rivers.
From dugout canoes and mastodon molars to the more than two dozen ships set ablaze in Essex harborduring the War of 1812, it’s an underwater adventure not to be missed.
GUESTS:
Nicholas Bellantoni: Emeritus Connecticut state archaeologist who has investigated shipwrecks in Long Island Sound and the Connecticut River
Christopher Goodwin: President and CEO of R. Christopher Goodwin & Associates, which was contracted by the State Historic Preservation Office to survey shipwrecks along the Connecticut coast
Kevin McBride: University of Connecticut archaeology professor specializing in the Native American history of Connecticut and former director of research at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum
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, Scott Brede, Betsy Kaplan, Carolyn McCusker, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Larry Roeming, Jesse Steinmetz, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 9, 2019.
Connecticut Public’s talk shows have teamed up to bring you stories exploring Connecticut’s shoreline and beyond. You can find all of our NautiWeek show coverage at ctpublic.org/nautiweek.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/1/2023 • 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 ticks, sea shanties, classical music on our show, ice cream, artificial intelligence in sports … 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/31/2023 • 49 minutes
‘You can be anything’: A look at Barbie and ‘Barbie’
According to Mattel, more than a billion Barbie dolls have been sold since they launched the toy in 1959. Barbie and Ken are said to be the two most popular dolls in the world. It would be hard to overstate the influence — for better and worse — that the Barbie toy line has had on our culture.
And now, you may have heard, there’s a movie. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie is the No. 1 movie in the country. Its opening last weekend was the largest ever for a movie based on a toy, and it’s expected to hold onto the No. 1 spot this weekend, too.
So it’s not like Barbie’s influence is waning.
This hour, a look at our relationship with Barbie (and Ken), the history of Barbie and the woman who invented her, and, yes, the new movie Barbie.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Rand Richards Cooper: A fiction writer, contributing editor at Commonweal, and the restaurant critic for the Hartford Courant
Theresa Cramer: A freelance writer and editor and co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Robin Gerber: The author of several books, including Barbie and Ruth: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Michal Lev-Ram: Editor-at-large covering the technology and entertainment sectors for Fortune
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, Betsy Kaplan, Josh Nilaya, Cat Pastor, Lily Tyson, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired June 30, 2017; May 21, 2019; and July 28, 2023, in a different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/29/2023 • 50 minutes
The Barbenheimer Nose looks at ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’
It looks like this beach was a little too much beach for this week’s Nose.
The Barbenheimer Apocalypse is upon us.
Barbie is the fourth film written and directed by Greta Gerwig and the second Gerwig has cowritten with Noah Baumbach. It is the first film released by Mattel Films and the first live-action film based on the dolls. Oh, and it’s the No. 1 movie in the country, having grossed $495 million worldwide so far. Its opening last weekend was the highest-grossing opening ever for a movie directed by a woman and the highest-grossing opening ever for a movie based on a toy. Barbie is the sixth-highest grossing movie of 2023 so far.
And: Oppenheimer is the 12th film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. It is based on the biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, and it stars Cillian Murphy in the title role. It’s the No. 2 movie in the country. Its opening last weekend was the largest of Christopher Nolan’s career outside of his Batman films. Oppenheimer is three hours long, and IMAX prints of the film are reportedly 11 miles long and weigh 600 pounds.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
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
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/28/2023 • 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 Investigations 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 Hoover’s life and legacy. Plus, we’ll talk about 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
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.
7/27/2023 • 48 minutes, 50 seconds
‘There is no substitute’: Tom Cruise’s impossible missions
It’s been more than a decade since Tom Cruise made a movie that did NOT make $100 million. The newest Mission: Impossible just opened at $235 million.
And yet. Didn’t we all decide not to like Tom Cruise anymore a long time ago?
This hour — in the fifth decade of his career, in the seventh (!) decade of his life, nearly two decades after Oprah’s couch — a look at the continued phenomenon that is Tom Cruise.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Sam Hatch: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on Sunday nights on WWUH
Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and chief communications officer at Buzz Engine
Ben Lindbergh: Senior editor at The Ringer
Stephanie Merry: Book World editor for The Washington Post
Bob Mondello: NPR’s senior arts critic
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Julia Rosenblatt: A playwright, director, actor, theater educator, and co-founder of HartBeat Ensemble
Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent
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, Eugene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, Catie Talarski, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired April 27, 2017; August 3, 2018; March 6, 2019; January 15, 2021; August 26, 2022; and September 30, 2022, in a different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/26/2023 • 50 minutes
Our second hour with Joyce Maynard
This hour, novelist Joyce Maynard joins us again 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 whose latest book is The Bird Hotel
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/25/2023 • 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
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/24/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Showing Up’ and ‘The Whale’
This week’s Nose wants its own water working.
Showing Up is the eighth feature film directed by Kelly Reichardt, and it’s Reichardt’s fourth collaboration with Michelle Williams. Williams plays a sculptor preparing to open a new show. Showing Up is a quintessential example of so-called “slow cinema.”
And: The Whale is the eighth feature film directed by Darren Aronofsky. Brendan Fraser won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance as “a reclusive English teacher who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.”
GUESTS:
Susan Clinard: Owner of Clinard Sculpture Studio in Hamden, Connecticut
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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/21/2023 • 49 minutes
Don’t hit snooze on this show: Breaking down the history and norms of sleep
What if our ideas about how sleep should look are getting in the way of a good night's rest? This hour we talk about how we came to develop ideas of how, and how much, we should sleep. Plus, we'll compare how humans and animals sleep. And it turns out that some animals aren’t hibernating as well as they used to.
GUESTS:
Matthew Wolf-Meyer: Professor of Science and Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. He is author of The Slumbering Masses: Sleep, Medicine, and Modern American Life, among other books
Gandhi Yetish: Human evolutionary ecologist and anthropologist who studies sleep patterns among small-scale subsistence societies
Cory Williams: Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Colorado State University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/20/2023 • 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 spongy moths, white baseball caps, Hiram Bingham, Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 … 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.
7/19/2023 • 49 minutes
The art of the recipe: Gravestones, fictional worlds, and cookbooks (of course)
This hour: recipes.
We talk with someone who makes recipes found on gravestones, and we consider what makes an effective recipe, the history of the modern recipe, and the art of the recipe introduction.
Plus, a look at the phenomenon of pop culture cookbooks.
GUESTS:
Dinah Bucholz: Author of The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook and The Unofficial Narnia Cookbook
Rosie Grant: Posts gravestone recipes and cemetery stories on her TikTok and Instagram
Francis Lam: Host of The Splendid Table and vice president and editor-in-chief at Clarkson Potter
Chandra Ram: Cookbook author, food writer, and associate editorial director of food for Food & Wine
Helen Zoe Veit: Associate professor of history at Michigan 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, Eugene Amatruda, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired November 22, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/18/2023 • 50 minutes
The new normal of UFOs, UAPs, and the search for extraterrestrial life
This hour we get an update on the latest in the American conversation about the search for extraterrestrial life. This includes a conversation with journalist Leslie Kean, a check-in with the director of MUFON CT, and a discussion with astrophysicist Adam Frank about what we miss in space when we're focused on the objects we find here on earth.GUESTS:
Leslie Kean: Investigative journalist and author of UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go on the Record
Michael Panicello: State Director of Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) Connecticut Chapter
Adam Frank: The 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 forthcoming book The Little Book of Aliens
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/17/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at the SAG strike, the Emmy noms, and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has joined the Writers Guild of America on strike. It’s the first SAG strike since 1980 (which strike was largely about the oncoming home video boom). And it’s the first dual actors-writers strike since 1960 (when Ronald Reagan was president of SAG and the strike was mostly about residuals for movies licensed to television).
Also: The Emmy nominations are out.
And: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the 32nd movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the second movie (of an expected seven) in the MCU’s Phase Five. It is written and directed by James Gunn, who has written and directed all three Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and who was fired and rehired during preproduction of Vol. 3 in 2018. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is the second-highest grossing movie of 2023 so far.
Taneisha Duggan’s endorsement:
Liturgy|Order|Bridge at Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford
Helder Mira’s endorsements:
Secret Invasion on Disney+
Connecticut’s state parks
Bill Yousman’s endorsements:
The Twittering Machine by Richard Seymour
Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy by Siva Vaidhyanathan
Colin’s endorsements:
The Town with Matthew Belloni
The Watch
the audiobook of Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane, as narrated by Robin Miles
the audiobook of Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, as narrated by Charlie Thurston
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
We Had Relationship Therapists React To The Alleged Jonah Hill Texts To His Ex-Girlfriend, Sarah Brady “[It’s] not simply like, ‘This is a thing that I feel,’ but ‘This is the thing that I feel plus therapy has condoned this way of feeling.’”
The Twitter Watch Party Is Over Ten years after “Sharknado” spun Twitter and TV together, the online water cooler is running dry.
Kristen Bell Shared A Photo Of Her Friends Eating Dinner, And It’s The Most Intense Guest List Ever Thanks for the invite.
Ryan Murphy Muse David Corenswet Is Superman
Wait, Was Napoleon Hot? Ridley Scott’s new biopic certainly makes it seem like he was.
How to Write Music for Rolling Boulders
Harrison Ford and the Ravages of Time
Go Inside Stephen Sondheim’s $7M Manhattan Townhouse The East Midtown home features a music studio on the second floor with a “music library, wood-burning fireplace and baby grand piano.”
How Steven Soderbergh and Ed Solomon Straightened Out ‘Full Circle’ Their new crime thriller for Max is loaded with twists and layers. But it is actually much simpler than what they originally conceived.
Federal Reserve credits Taylor Swift with boosting hotel revenues through her blockbuster Eras Tour “Taylor Swift is a force to be reckoned with,” one local tourism official said, as the pop superstar draws legions of fans nationwide.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
Helder Mira: Multimedia producer at Trinity College and co-host of the So Pretentious podcast
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.
7/14/2023 • 49 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. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/13/2023 • 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’ll 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:
Chris Murphy: Democratic U.S. Senator for Connecticut
Elisa Baek: Assistant Professor of Psychology at USC Dornsife
Kat Vellos: Speaker, connection coach, and author of We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/12/2023 • 49 minutes
Beauty and the Butt: A look ‘back’ at our complicated relationship with butts
Whether we love or loathe our butt is deeply influenced by race, gender, and whether the shape and size of our butt is in or out of style.
This hour, a look “back” at the science, history, and culture of butts, including how they took on so much meaning beyond their basic function and why it’s so hard to find pants that fit.
GUESTS:
Alex Bartlett: Co-owner of Planet Pepper and a costume supervisor for television and theater
Vincent Cuccia: Co-owner of Planet Pepper; he teaches public relations at the City University of New York
Shomara Garcia: CEO and founder of Muneca Private Care Recovery Services and a licensed massage therapist
Heather Radke: Contributing editor and reporter at Radiolab and the author of Butts: A Backstory
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 December 20, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/11/2023 • 50 minutes
Is Twitter toppling? Can Threads sew salvation?
This hour, a look at what’s going on with Twitter, and why it matters, even if you don’t use the platform. Plus, we discuss what this all means for the future of social media and the human archive.
GUESTS:
Shannon McGregor: Associate professor at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, and a senior researcher with the Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Ethan Zuckerman: Associate professor of public policy, communication and information at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, author, and founder of the Initiative for Digital Public Infrastructure
William Kilbride: Executive Director of the Digital Preservation Coalition
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Asteroid City’ and continued OceanGate Titan fascination
Asteroid City is Wes Anderson’s 11th feature film. It’s written and directed by Anderson from a story by Anderson and Roman Coppola. It’s a comedy-drama, sort of sci-fi thing with a play-within-a-TV-show-within-a-movie structure. The ensemble cast is predictably ridiculous and includes the likes of Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, and Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, and Hope Davis. There are more. I didn’t even mention Willem Dafoe or Steve Carell or Margot Robbie. Or others.
And: The OceanGate Titan disaster isn’t the sort of thing The Nose usually covers. But collective internet obsession is, and so The Nose is interested in the internet’s collective, dark, ongoing obsession with the OceanGate Titan disaster.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
America Is… What one piece of culture captures the true spirit of our country? We asked 17 columnists to find out.
The Case Against Travel It turns us into the worst version of ourselves while convincing us that we’re at our best.
How Review-Bombing Can Tank a Book Before It’s Published The website Goodreads has become an essential avenue for building readership, but the same features that help generate excitement can also backfire.
If you love film, you should be worried about what’s going on at Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies Is a National Treasure The channel has an astounding degree of control over a crucial part of American cinema. It should become a public resource available to all.
Want to suffer Hollywood’s wrath? Mess with TCM, you dirty rats! Few things are sacrosanct in streaming TV’s chaotic revolution. But as Warner Bros. Discovery’s top exec recently learned, Turner Classic Movies is still zealously protected.
This Broadcast TV Genre Continues to Thrive. (What Are Game Shows?) “Wheel of Fortune,” “Jeopardy!” and “Family Feud” continue to attract big audiences even as streaming upends viewing habits.
Fifty Years of Hip-Hop in a World That Could Not Exist Without It The musical genre of sociopolitical change, cultural transformation, excess, and fabulousness enters its next half century.
Virginia Woolf classic joins growing list with ‘ludicrous’ trigger warnings To the Lighthouse from 1927 now carries warning that the book ‘reflects the attitudes of its time’
It’s Getting Hard to Stage a School Play Without Political Drama At a time when lawmakers and parents are seeking to restrict what can and cannot be taught in classrooms, many teachers are seeing efforts to limit what can be staged in their auditoriums.
A ‘Cage Match’ Between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg May Be No Joke Talks over a matchup between the two tech billionaires have progressed and the parameters of an event are taking shape.
GQ Editor Who Pulled Critical David Zaslav Story Is Producing Movie for Warner Bros.
GUESTS:
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/7/2023 • 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. We'll also talk with musician Dar Williams about why some songs make us cry. And we investigate "crocodile tears" with a crocodile biologist.
GUESTS:
Benjamin Perry: Minister at Middle Church, and author of Cry, Baby: Why Our Tears Matter
Dar Williams: Singer-songwriter
Kent Vliet: Recently retired from his position as Coordinator of Laboratories at the University of Florida. He is an expert in crocodilian biology
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, Stacey Addo, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/6/2023 • 49 minutes
What’s spoken flies away: The history and art of reading aloud
What does reading sound like? Is it silent? Or does it make noise? This hour is all about reading out loud — we’ll hear about the history of the practice and talk to people who make reading expressive, communal, and loud.
GUESTS:
Alberto Manguel: Director of Lisbon’s Center for Research into the History of Reading
Robin Miles: Hall of Fame audiobook narrator who’s garnered the industry’s top honors, as well as a producer, director, teacher, and actor for theater, television, films, and museums
Brooke Steinhauser: Programs Director at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, MA.
Drew John Ladd: Blogger, activist, and the author of Wolfsong, Beloved
Dennis Dunan: Lecturer in English at University College London
Taneisha Duggan: Director, producer, arts consultant, and an artist working at the crossroads of performance and creative leadership
Chion Wolf: Host of Audacious on CT Public
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/5/2023 • 48 minutes, 54 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 — 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, 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.
7/3/2023 • 49 minutes
Read after watching: How episode recaps became part of our TV experience
The Nose is off this week. In its place: Why do we have so much trouble remembering all the TV we watch?
This hour, a look at why episode recaps are so popular, what makes them so useful, and what their prevalence can tell us about the current TV landscape.
Plus: the evolution of the “previously on” television recap sequence.
GUESTS:
Wilma Bainbridge: Assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Chicago
Alison Herman: Television critic for The Ringer
Genevieve Koski: Senior TV editor for New York magazine
Jason Mittell: Professor of film and media culture at Middlebury 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.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 5, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/30/2023 • 50 minutes
This show is so bad, it's good
This hour, we’re celebrating things that are so bad, they’re good — the underdog ideas that fail so hard, they become successes. We’ll talk about contests that give awards for bad writing, perfumes that smell like animal butts, and a happy marriage that started with a comically awful first date.
Plus: a chance to vote on what "bad" show idea we should produce next!
To enter our contest or vote on the upcoming episode, email colinshow@ctpublic.org.
GUESTS:
Adam Cadre: Writer in a wide variety of media who created the Lyttle Lytton Contest in 2001
Haldane King: Science writer and air quality researcher
Katy Kelleher: Author of The Ugly History of Beautiful Things
Betsy Kaplan: Senior producer emeritus for The Colin McEnroe Show
Jennifer LaRue: Freelance producer for The Colin McEnroe Show
Carolyn McCusker: Producer of this very episode of The Colin McEnroe Show
Jonathan McNicol: Producer for The Colin McEnroe Show
Lily Tyson: Senior producer for The Colin McEnroe Show
Colin McEnroe, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show. Thanks to scent consultant Tracy Wan.
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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2023 • 49 minutes
Has everything original been done?
Has everything original been done?
It’s a question that’s been asked about storytelling, music, fine art, movies, and so much more.
This hour, we attempt to answer that question and discover if everything has already been done.
Along the way, we explore the idea of originality and our tolerance for novelty and talk to artists who are reckoning with these questions.
GUESTS:
Martha Buskirk: Professor of art history and criticism at Montserrat College of Art and author of Is It Ours? Art, Copyright, and Public Interest, among other books
Jill Magid: Artist, writer, and filmmaker
Kirby Ferguson: Filmmaker and a creator of the Everything Is a Remix series
Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent
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.
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired December 8, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/28/2023 • 50 minutes
Cross-examining the history and the future of the Supreme Court
Ethics and the Supreme Court are back (still?) in the news and in question. This hour, we are revisiting a show we did just over a year ago around the leaked draft of the Dobbs decision. In it we look at how the Supreme Court got so much power, why we have nine justices, how journalists cover the court, and the viability of proposed potential reforms.
GUESTS:
Akhil Reed Amar: Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, and author of The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840, among other books.
Emily Bazelon: Lecturer in Law, Senior Research Scholar in Law, and a Truman Capote Fellow at Yale Law School, a staff writer at the New York Times Magazine, and a co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest.
David Folkenflik: NPR’s media correspondent.
Tara Leigh Grove: Professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, who was a member of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States.
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 Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/27/2023 • 50 minutes
From The New York Times’ ‘Spelling Bee’ to orthography, a look at all things spelling
This hour: spelling — what it is, why it matters, and why some of us actually find it fun.
There will be a test.
GUESTS:
Deb Amlen: Crossword columnist and senior staff editor of the crossword column Wordplay for The New York Times
Richard Gentry: Education consultant and the author, most recently, of the Spelling Connectionsseries
Peter Sokolowski: Editor at large at Merriam-Webster and a member of the Word Panel for the Scripps National Spelling Bee
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 Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired December 6, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/26/2023 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at Marvel’s takeover of Hollywood, ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,’ and more
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is the second movie in the Spider-Verse film series and the 14th (not a typo) Spider-Man feature film. It has made more than half a billion dollars worldwide, and it is the fourth-highest grossing movie of 2023 so far. A third Spider-Verse movie, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, is expected to come out next year, and a Spider-Woman spinoff film is in development.
And: “Whether you have spent the past decade and a half avoiding Marvel movies like scabies or are in so deep that you can expound on the Sokovia Accords, it is impossible to escape the films’ intergalactic reach,” according to Michael Schulman in The New Yorker. And it’s hard to argue that he’s wrong. The Nose looks at “How the Marvel Cinematic Universe Swallowed Hollywood.”
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Sheldon Harnick, ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Lyricist, Dies at 99 His collaborations with the composer Jerry Bock also included “Fiorello!” — which, like “Fiddler,” was a Tony winner — and “She Loves Me.”
Young People Have No Idea What We Used to Do After Work. Let Me Regale You. “I never knew what time it was, so I was constantly buying watches and losing them.”
Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ Falls Flat, Adding to Worries About the Brand The original animated film took in $29.5 million at the box office, by far the worst opening in Pixar’s three-decade history. “The Flash,” from Warner Bros., also struggled.
The Troubling Pixar Paradox Recent misses and low expectations for ‘Elemental’ beg the question: Has Pixar lost its magic touch? Perhaps the answer is that original animation is now a smaller business—one that can’t necessarily support the unique culture and $200 million budgets that made Pixar great in the first place.
Pixar Boss Pete Docter Says the Studio ‘Trained’ Families to Expect Disney+ Debuts, ‘Elemental’ Buzz at Cannes Was ‘Confusing’
Richard Kind Just Doesn’t Want to Be Left Out Maybe that’s why everyone in Hollywood has this master of comedy and tragedy on speed dial.
Apple Is Taking On Apples in a Truly Weird Trademark Battle Apple, the company, wants rights to the image of apples, the fruit, in Switzerland—one of dozens of countries where it’s flexing its legal muscles.
The 100 Most Significant Political Films of All Time Not “best.” Not “favorite.” Not “most likable.” Most significant. Some are obvious. Some obscure. A few will be controversial. Let the debate begin.
Come for the Broadcast, Stay for the Mets Game SNY already had some of the best announcers in baseball. John DeMarsico, the network’s director, has made every game feel like a trip to the movies.
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, 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/23/2023 • 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 is a 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 is a New York City-based writer and medical historian. She has a PhD in American history and writes about disease, risk and race.
Dagomar DeGroot is an 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, Stitcher, 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.
6/22/2023 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
We take your calls
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about. You can reach us by calling 888-720-9677.
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, Jonathan McNicol, 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.
6/21/2023 • 40 minutes, 48 seconds
‘Everyone is involved’: Watergate in our popular culture
The botched Watergate break-in happened 51 years ago today, on June 17, 1972.
Over the decades since, the whole Watergate story has been processed through our popular culture over and over again, from Alan J. Pakula’s classic movie of All the President’s Men through HBO’s recent limited series White House Plumbers.
This hour, a look at both of those versions, plus we talk to writer Thomas Mallon about adapting the story as a novel and the late actor Hal Holbrook about playing Deep Throat.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Ann Hornaday: Chief film critic for The Washington Post and the author of Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies
Hal Holbrook: Was a film, television, and stage actor
Thomas Mallon: A critic and the author of many novels, including Watergate: A Novel
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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, Anya Grondalski, Betsy Kaplan, Cat Pastor, Catie Talarski, Lily Tyson, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired August 6, 2014; February 4, 2015; June 15, 2022; and June 2, 2023, in a different form.
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.
6/17/2023 • 42 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘The Binge Purge’ and ‘Turn Every Page’
This week’s Nose thinks that a semicolon is worth fighting a civil war about.
Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb is a 2022 documentary directed by Lizzie Gottlieb. We decided late Monday or early Tuesday — kind of randomly, to be honest — that we wanted to talk about this movie this week. And then Robert Gottlieb died on Wednesday. The Nose feels vaguely, cosmically responsible. On the other hand, we’re glad we get to talk about Gottlieb at length this hour.
And: “The Binge Purge” is a nearly 6,000-word New York magazine feature on TV’s broken streaming model and what the hell Hollywood can possibly do about it. The Nose has thoughts.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Cormac McCarthy, Novelist of a Darker America, Is Dead at 89 “All the Pretty Horses,” “The Road” and “No Country for Old Men” were among his acclaimed books that explore a bleak world of violence and outsiders.
Glenda Jackson, Oscar-Winning Actress Turned Politician, Dies at 87 She walked away from a successful acting career to enter the British Parliament, before returning to the stage as the title character in an acclaimed “King Lear.”
Treat Williams, Actor Known for ‘Hair’ and ‘Everwood,’ Dies at 71 His many other roles included a detective turned informant in “Prince of the City.” He was killed in a motorcycle accident in Vermont.
Pat Sajak, host of ‘Wheel of Fortune,’ says 41st season will be his last
10 of the Most Valuable Cassette Tapes From the ‘80s and ‘90s
The Startling Intimacy of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Even addressing a stadium of seventy thousand people, the singer seems to be speaking directly to you, confessing something urgent.
Paul McCartney Used AI to Purify John Lennon’s Voice on Upcoming ‘Last Beatles Record’: AI ‘Is Kind of Scary, but Exciting Because It’s the Future’
This alien ocean is the first known to have all elements crucial for life The subsurface waters on an icy moon of Saturn appear to contain the ingredients needed for ‘habitability’
GUESTS:
Illeana Douglas: The Official Movie Star of The Colin McEnroe Show
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.
6/16/2023 • 42 minutes, 57 seconds
Hippo ranching, a poop vault, and orcas sinking boats
We have so much on our minds that we couldn’t pick one topic for today — we’re going with three! Strap in.
First: a failed bill from the 1900s that proposed hippopotamus ranching in the U.S.
Then: an initiative to save humanity by storing poop in a vault
And finally: orcas teaching each other to sink boats.
GUESTS:
Dr. Shoshi Parks: freelance writer
Dr. Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello: Professor at Rutgers University and President of The Microbiota Vault
Monika Wieland Shields: Co-founder and Director of the Orca Behavior Institute and author of Endangered Orcas: The Story of the Southern Residents
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/15/2023 • 42 minutes, 29 seconds
Our (maybe) 13th (almost) annual song of the summer show
We’ve done this show every year (except 2012) since 2011. (We maybe even did it in 2010. We probably did. I 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 2023 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 and musician
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 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.
6/15/2023 • 49 minutes
A look at the philosophy, ethics, science, and emotion of time travel
Countless books, movies, and TV shows explore time travel. This hour, a look at the hold that time travel has on pop culture and the philosophy, ethics, and science of time travel.
Plus, we hear from an author about how to create and utilize rules of time travel in fiction and the idea of memory as time travel.
GUESTS:
Sara Bernstein: The R.L. Canala College Professor of Philosophy at The University of Notre Dame
Amanda Gefter: MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellow and the author of Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn
Emma Straub: The author of This Time Tomorrow, now out in paperback
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 Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired November 17, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/13/2023 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.
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 Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/12/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ and ‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’
Colin is off this week, so we decided to do a Nose without him — and a Nose all about stuff Colin doesn’t care about: video games and things video games-adjacent. Comedian Shawn Murray guest hosts.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the highest-grossing movie of 2023, the highest-grossing video game adaptation ever made, and the third-highest-grossing animated movie of all-time. None of that, of course, means it’s particularly good.
And: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Wild is the 20th entry in the main Legend of Zelda series of video games dating back to 1986. It is the second Zelda game for the Nintendo Switch, and a direct sequel to 2017’s Breath of the Wild. Tears of the Kingdom came out last month and reportedly sold 10 million copies in its first three days of release. It’s the fastest-selling Nintendo game in the Americas — ever. Oh, and it’s already showing up in discussions of the greatest video games ever made.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Taylor Swift And Matty Healy Have Reportedly Broken Up Best believe she’s still bejeweled.
How the Marvel Cinematic Universe Swallowed Hollywood Robert Redford, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Rudd, and Angela Bassett now disappear into movies whose plots can come down to “Keep glowy thing away from bad guy.”
The Binge Purge TV’s streaming model is broken. It’s also not going away. For Hollywood, figuring that out will be a horror show.
Why Is Everyone Watching TV With the Subtitles On? It’s not just you.
‘Perry Mason’ Canceled By HBO After 2 Seasons
A ‘Crown Jewel of Comedy’: The Joan Rivers Card Catalog of Jokes Finds a Home Take a look at some of the artifacts from her archive, which includes 65,000 cross-referenced gags and is headed to the National Comedy Center.
Kylie Jenner Casually Pulled Out A $40,000 Rolex During A “What’s In My Bag” Video, And People Have Thoughts The post just called me broke.
How to Talk to Your Child About Minesweeper
This Sandwich Is Due to Go Viral Any Second The absurd moo yong sandwich is just what the internet craves. Why haven’t we heard more about it?
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
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, 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.
Shawn Murray contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/9/2023 • 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.
6/8/2023 • 50 minutes
Why a show about fog? We haven’t the foggiest
From San Francisco’s iconic fog and COVID-related brain fog to a location-tracking program called Fog Reveal, this hour, we lift the fog on all kinds of fog.
GUESTS:
Travis O’Brien: Professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Indiana University
Javeed Sukhera: Chair of psychiatry at the Institute of Living and chief of psychiatry at Hartford Hospital
Anne Toomey McKenna: Visiting professor of law at the University of Richmond School of Law
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, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired November 1, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/7/2023 • 50 minutes
It’s no mystery why we’re drawn to crime fiction
Mysteries have been popular for centuries. This hour we ask: Why are we drawn to this genre?
Plus, a look at television detectives and true crime podcasts.
GUESTS:
Martin Edwards: Author of The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators
Alexandra Petri: Columnist for The Washington Post and the author of Alexandra Petri’s US History: Important American Documents (I Made Up)
Nick Quah: Podcast critic for Vulture and New York Magazine
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, 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, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired October 18, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/6/2023 • 50 minutes
‘Our national pageant of stupidity’: Andy Borowitz on American politicians today
This hour, humorist and The New Yorker columnist Andy Borowitz on his book Profiles in Ignorance, which explains how our nation’s elected leaders have grown dumb — and dumber.
GUEST:
Andy Borowitz: Writes The Borowitz Report; his latest book is Profiles in Ignorance: How America’s Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber
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, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired September 13, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/5/2023 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at all the prestige TV shows ending at once, plus ‘White House Plumbers’
There’s been a changing of the guard, a succession, if you will, in prestige TV (or whatever). In the span of five days, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ended after five seasons, Succession ended after four seasons, Barry ended after four seasons, and Ted Lasso (maybe? probably? seemingly?) ended after three seasons. Those four shows have been nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy or Drama Series a total of 12 times, and they’ve won those top awards five times. So far. TV is different now, we think, is the point.
And: White House Plumbers is a five-part HBO miniseries based on Egil “Bud” Krogh’s Watergate memoir. It tells the bumbling story of the bumbling lead up to the bumbled burglary and stars Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Lena Headey, Domhnall Gleeson and an ensemble cast.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
The Matty Healy, Ice Spice (and Taylor Swift) drama, explained Healy, who is rumored to be dating Swift, faced backlash over comments he made about the rapper Ice Spice
Max streaming service says it will restore writer and director credits after outcry
Broadway Musicians Object to David Byrne’s ‘Here Lies Love’ The show plans to use recorded music instead of a live band, but a labor union says its contract for the theater requires musicians for musicals.
‘Oppenheimer’ Earns R Rating, Imax Film Prints Are 11 Miles Long and Weigh 600 Pounds
How to Hire a Pop Star for Your Private Party For the very rich, even the world’s biggest performers—Beyoncé, Drake, Jennifer Lopez, Andrea Bocelli—are available, at a price.
We’re All Bored of Culture Anglo-Calvinist moralism has turned the American arts into something strenuously polite and deadly dull
Soft Pants: The Postpandemic Benefit That’s Here to Stay
Should we know where our friends are at all times? “I love you, now let me watch your location 24/7.”
Die-Hards Still Mailing Newspaper Clips to Family and Friends Some people still deliver news, tips and the occasional obituary to their grown children using scissors, stamps and envelopes; ‘Sometimes they chuckle at me, which is fine’
Searching for Meg White It’s been over a decade since we’ve heard from the elusive White Stripes drummer. Could renewed attention over a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination coax her back into the spotlight?
Letterboxd Unboxed: How a Grassroots Social Network Is Revolutionizing Film Fandom
‘The Larry Sanders Show’ was a sitcom that changed sitcoms Actors, writers and directors remember the highs and lows of making the seminal ’90s series, which aired for the last time 25 years ago this week
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
James Poniewozik: The chief television critic for The New York Times
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!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/2/2023 • 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2023 • 49 minutes
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!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/31/2023 • 49 minutes
How two Connecticut outsiders transformed treatment for traumatic blood loss and fought Army insiders
This hour, an invention that transformed care for traumatic injuries. Charles Barber’s new book, In The Blood: How Two Outsiders Solved a Centuries-Old Medical Mystery and Took on the US Army, details how Frank Hursey discovered that a mineral called zeolite could help stop excessive bleeding, and the challenge he and his partner, Bart Gullong, faced in getting the invention to take hold in trauma care.
GUESTS:
Charles Barber: Nonfiction author, Writer in Residence at Wesleyan University, and Lecturer in Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. His new book is In The Blood: How Two Outsiders Solved a Centuries-Old Medical Mystery and Took on the US Army
Bart Gullong: Co-founder and former CEO of Z-Medica, who worked to get QuickClot widely adopted
Frank Hursey: Founder of On-Site Gas, Co-Founder of Z-Medica, and the inventor of QuickClot
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.
5/30/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at the Supreme Court, Andy Warhol, Prince, and ‘Jury Duty’
For this week’s Nose, the straightness is the difficulty of the lack of a bend.
Last week, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled against the Andy Warhol Foundation, saying that Warhol could not use a photographer’s portrait of Prince as the basis of his own image of Prince. In her dissent, Justice Elena Kagan writes that the ruling, “will impede new art and music and literature. It will thwart the expression of new ideas and the attainment of new knowledge. It will make our world poorer.”
And: Jury Duty is “a documentary-style comedy series that chronicles the inner workings of an American jury trial through the eyes of one particular juror.” The catch is that that one particular juror doesn’t know that everyone else involved is an actor, and the whole trial is fake. Eight half-hour (!) episodes of Jury Dutyare available to stream on Amazon FreeVee.
Carolyn Paine’s endorsement:
The Comeback on Max
Mercy Quaye’s endorsement:
When the Heavens Went on Sale: Misfits and Geniuses Racing to Put Space Within Reach by Ashlee Vance
Bill Yousman’s endorsements:
The Guest by Emma Cline
Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane
Colin’s endorsement:
Tina Turner
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Tina Turner, Queen of Rock & Roll, Dead at 83 Legendary singer “died peacefully” Wednesday after a long illness
Helmut Berger, Actor Known for His Work With Visconti, Dies at 78 He first made his mark in “The Damned” as a character one critic said personified “the outright perversion” of Nazism. He and the director became lovers.
I swear, our profane society is a disgrace
‘Caligula’ Director Tinto Brass Slams ‘Caligula – The Ultimate Cut’ Screening in Cannes, Says He Is Taking Legal Action Against Penthouse Films
The looming existential crisis for cable news The number of cable subscribers, dropping for years, just took a record-breaking plunge. Sooner or later, it will hurt news channels’ bottom line.
Is E.T. Eavesdropping on Our Phone Calls? Cell phone towers leak radio waves into space, but they’ll be tough for aliens to detect
The First Social-Media Babies Are Growing Up—And They’re Horrified How would you feel if millions of people watched your childhood tantrums?
Natalie Portman Called Out The Double Standards Women Face At Cannes A Day Before Jennifer Lawrence Was Critiqued For Wearing Flip Flops On The Red Carpet Instead Of Heels “The expectations are different on you all the time, and it affects how you behave — whether you’re buying into it, whether you’re rejecting it, or whether you’re doing something in between.”
How Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer Recreated A Nuclear Explosion Without Using CGI
How to Quit Cars They crowd streets, belch carbon, bifurcate communities, and destroy the urban fabric. Will we ever overcome our addiction?
Surgeon General Warns That Social Media May Harm Children and Adolescents The report by Dr. Vivek Murthy cited a “profound risk of harm” to adolescent mental health and urged families to set limits and governments to set tougher standards for use.
Max Announces an Expanded Roster of 4K Programming Available To Stream on Its Ultimate Ad-Free Tier on May 23
Netflix begins its password sharing crackdown in the US and global markets
BuzzFeed cooks up new AI-powered recipe generator, Botatouille Artificial ‘culinary companion’ will suggest meals based on what you have in your refrigerator and has a chatbot feature
Against the Cult of “Sticking the Landing” The ‘Succession’ finale may be great—or it may be deflating. But it likely doesn’t matter either way. A TV show is mostly remembered for what happens before the finale, not during it.
Barbiemania! Margot Robbie Opens Up About the Movie Everyone’s Waiting For
Puritanism took over online fandom — and then came for the rest of the internet Puriteens, anti-fans, and the culture war’s most bonkers battleground.
Where have all the Disney villains gone? The live-action Little Mermaid is a reminder of what movies like Encanto and Frozen II don’t have: a bad guy.
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Mercy Quaye: Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project
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, 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 and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/26/2023 • 49 minutes, 48 seconds
An irreverent reimagining of US history’s most revered (and reviled) idols
There’s currently a debate in America about what students should be learning about U.S. history. Some say we don’t revere American exceptionalism enough. Others say we're giving ourselves an A+ by excluding the tests we failed.
Humorist Alexandra Petri says both sides are wrong. We just don’t know enough about the things we need to know, such as how inventor Nikola Tesla fell in love with his pigeon or about the secret tapes of Nixon yelling at his dog Checkers.
This hour, an irreverent look at how we teach, learn and remember U.S. history.
GUESTS:
Alexandra Petri is a humorist, a columnist for the Washington Post and the author of Nothing Is Wrong and Here is Why, which was a Thurber Prize finalist. Her new book is Alexandra Petri’s US History: Important American Documents
Mike Pesca is host of the podcast The Gist, author of the Substack column Pesca Profundities, and the editor of Upon Further Review: The Greatest What-Ifs In Sports History
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, Lily Tyson, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.
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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/25/2023 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Remembering Martin Amis
The writer and public intellectual Martin Amis died May 19. He was 73.
Amis broke into the literary scene in the 1970s, and by the time his London trilogy — Money, London Fields, and The Information — came out in the 1980s and 1990s, people had started to think of him as “the author” and “the standard for authorhood.”
This hour, an appreciation of Martin Amis and a look back at his 2018 appearance on this show.
GUESTS:
Martin Amis: The author of 15 novels, two short story collections, a memoir, and seven books of nonfiction
Dan Kois: An editor and writer at Slate and cohost of the podcast The Martin Chronicles; his most recent book is the novel Vintage Contemporaries
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, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired in a different form March 8, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/24/2023 • 50 minutes
Why you like the music you like
In record producer and neuroscientist Susan Rogers’s This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You, she writes, “The music that delivers the maximum gratification to you is determined by seven influential dimensions of musical listening.” Those seven dimensions are authenticity, realism, novelty, melody, lyrics, rhythm, and timbre.
This hour, we talk with Rogers about some of those seven dimensions, the role of the listener in music, and why we are drawn to some songs and not others.
GUEST:
Susan Rogers: Multi-platinum record producer, cognitive neuroscientist, 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, 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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 15, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/23/2023 • 50 minutes, 1 second
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 a bit of trivia about the John Wayne version of True Grit, paupers and banking in the 1840s, the draft, job descriptions for politicians, prejudices against classic rock … 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/22/2023 • 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 by Fraction and Aja
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:
Doyle Brunson, the ‘Godfather of Poker,’ has died at 89
End of a love affair: AM radio is being removed from many cars Ford, BMW, Volkswagen, Tesla and other automakers are eliminating AM radio from some new vehicles, stirring protests against the loss of a medium that has shaped American life for a century
Tony Awards Broadcast Can Proceed After Striking Writers’ Union Agrees The Tony Awards, a key marketing opportunity for Broadway, can go ahead in an altered form after the striking screenwriters’ union said it would not picket this year’s broadcast.
TV Isn’t About to Get Worse. It Already Is. The problems that Hollywood’s writers are protesting can be seen on our screens.
YouTube Bringing Unskippable 30-Second Ads To The Living Room
Supreme Court Rules Against Andy Warhol in Copyright Case The question for the justices was whether the artist was free to use elements of a rock photographer’s portrait of the musician Prince.
ESPN Plans to Stream Flagship Channel, Eyeing Cable TV’s Demise Internal project code-named ‘Flagship’ lays out shift in coming years, as talks with leagues and cable partners have begun
At 81, Martha Stewart lands ‘historic’ Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover “The whole aging thing is so boring," Stewart proclaimed.
Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Released A Statement After Escaping A “Near Catastrophic Car Chase” With Paparazzi “This relentless pursuit, lasting over two hours, resulted in multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians, and two NYPD officers."
Montana becomes first US state to ban TikTok Greg Gianforte, the governor, signed legislation prohibiting mobile app stores from offering the video-sharing platform by next year
Disney’s Expensive ‘Star Wars’ Galactic Starcruiser Hotel to Close After Less Than Two Years The immersive and pricy hotel in Florida is being sent to a galaxy far, far away.
Limiting what novelists can write about won’t help readers
An influencer’s AI clone will be your girlfriend for $1 a minute CarynAI is the first AI companion product from a new startup called Forever Voices, allowing users to chat with a digital version of the fastest growing Snapchat star
Arnold Schwarzenegger Gets Candid on Career, Failures, Aging: “My Plan Is to Live Forever” The action icon — set to make his series TV debut in Netflix’s ‘FUBAR’ — sounds off on his ‘Terminator’ and ‘Conan’ futures, identity politics and why emotions are overrated: “We have to work our ass off and stop worrying about feelings.”
The Dave Matthews Guide to Living and Dying The troubadour of mellow vibes has been one of the biggest acts in music for three decades. Now 56, Matthews has been singing about mortality for a long time, and he’s confronting its specter in new and surprising ways.
A Few Thoughts on Quentin Tarantino’s Plan to Retire The director has said that his tenth film will be his last. What does this mean for his cinematic legacy?
The 23 Best ’90s Movies
Once is enough: 18 movies you’ll never want to rewatch They may be beautifully shot, brilliantly acted, thought-provoking films, but you’re not going to reach for them again on movie night
How to Spin Bad News, Featuring Jonathan Majors and Johnny Depp
This Viral Debate Over Young Al Pacino And Robert De Niro’s Hotness Has Caused Me To Rethink Everything If you’re on Twitter, you may have seen it; if you’re not, prepare for the most important debate of your life.
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, 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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/19/2023 • 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: a 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2023 • 49 minutes
The art of the ending
With Succession, Ted Lasso, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Barry all coming to a close within the span of a week, 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 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: 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. She is Artistic Director of StoryStudio Chicago
Susan Rogers: Multi-platinum record producer, cognitive neuroscientist, professor at Berklee College of Music and co-author of the book This is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/17/2023 • 49 minutes
Incarcerated content producers challenge the myth of prison reform
The purpose of incarceration in America is supposed to be a balance between punishment and reform, with the scales tipping toward reforms that can lead to redemption and a second chance after release. But that’s not been the experience of many currently and formerly incarcerated people.
Incarcerated influencers are sharing a view of prison life through TikTok videos, podcasts, and journalism that shows a more nuanced look at prison life, including the network of support, friendships, and mentors the incarcerated share with one another in the absence of significant reform.
The content challenges misperceptions about incarceration that are often depicted in popular culture, and it exposes the lack of formal opportunities available to help the incarcerated prepare for life after release.
GUESTS:
Emily Bazelon: Staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and the co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest; she recently started The Prison Letters Project
Robin Kaiser-Schatzlein: A freelance writer who writes about American life for numerous publications including The New York Times, The New Republic, and The Baffler
John J. Lennon: An incarcerated journalist writing from Sullivan Correctional Facility; he is a contributing editor at Esquire magazine and a frequent contributor to The New York Times
Justin Paperny: A prison consultant, the co-founder of White Collar Advice and Prison Professors, and the author of Lessons from Prison
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, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired September 26, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/16/2023 • 50 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:
Mary-Jane Rubenstein: Professor of Religion and Science in Society at Wesleyan University. She is 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 author of Praying with Jane Eyre: Reflections on Reading as a Sacred Practice
Mark Miller: Lecturer in Sacred Music at Yale’s Institute of Sacred Music and Divinity School. He is also Professor of Church Music, Director of Chapel, and Composer in Residence at Drew University, and the Minister of Music of Christ Church
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/15/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Liz’ Holmes and ‘Bupkis’
You don’t have to worry about this week’s Nose taking your phone and putting it in the bottom of a root beer float.
On Sunday, The New York Times published an Amy Chozik profile of Elizabeth Holmes, who wants to go by Liz now, it turns out. The piece has been, let’s say, controversial.
And: Bupkis is a somewhat autobiographical comedy series created by Pete Davidson with Judah Miller and Dave Sirus and executive produced by Lorne Michaels. Eight half-hour (!) episodes are available to stream on Peacock.
Rebecca Castellani’s endorsement:
Jury Duty on Freevee
Irene Papoulis’s endorsements:
David O. Russell’s Spanking the Money on DVD
Unmasking Narcissism: A Guide to Understanding the Narcissist in Your Life by Mark Ettensohn
Pedro Soto’s endorsement:
Westville Artwalk 26 in New Haven
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Heather Armstrong, who made it okay to say motherhood was hard, dead at 47 The pioneering blogger behind Dooce.com upended women’s media and laid the ground for the influencer industry
The Sad Dads of The National For two decades, the band has written music about the kind of sadness that feels quotidian and incremental—the slow accumulation of ordinary losses.
‘It’s Going to Be a While’: No End in Sight for Hollywood Strike The writers and entertainment companies remain far apart on several key issues, including money, and the standoff could last for months.
There’s a ‘volume war’ happening in music
Drag business flourishes in state’s arts and entertainment scene
Why are these groups so much more likely to wear glasses than any others?
“After Breakfast Mom Would Kick Me Outside And Tell Me Not To Come Home Until The Street Lights Came On”: Gen X’ers Are Sharing The Laughably Bad Parenting Boomers Did To ThemApparently, Gen X grew up in cigarette smoke-filled rooms and never wore seatbelts.
Pickleball is the worst
Paramount Can’t Say No to the Man Behind ‘Yellowstone’: $50,000 a Week for His Ranch, $25 Per Cow Taylor Sheridan writes most of the company’s hits, giving him clout to dominate the big-budget productions through his network of commercial projects, pushing costs to among the highest in Hollywood
I Really Didn’t Want to Go On the Goop cruise
On David Foster Wallace Reconsidering the man, the meme, and the writing
Notes from Prince Harry’s Ghostwriter Collaborating on his memoir, “Spare,” meant spending hours together on Zoom, meeting his inner circle, and gaining a new perspective on the tabloids.
Bill Hader Just Wants to Make Weird Things The co-creator and star of the HBO comedy “Barry” on the end of the series, his film-nerd past, and why he has no desire to be part of “the conversation.”
Shakira And Tom Cruise Were Spotted Together Amid Dating Rumors — Here’s How People Reacted Randomest couple.
People Are Calling Ben Affleck The Unhappiest Husband In Hollywood After A Video Of Him Slamming A Car Door On Jennifer Lopez Sparked A Debate About Their Marriage Sad Ben Affleck strikes again.
Please stop using AI to make Wes Anderson parodies A recent online trend has seen users mock up Harry Potter, Star Wars and Lord of the Rings in the director’s distinctive style but is he beyond parody?
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/12/2023 • 49 minutes
Let’s go down a rabbit hole about rabbit holes
If you've spent time on the internet, you've probably experienced the feeling of going down a rabbit hole. This hour, we talk about that feeling, how Lewis Carroll invented such a powerful metaphor for the digital world, and, of course, real rabbit holes.
GUESTS:
Franziska Kohlt: Researcher in Science Communication and the History of Science and Literature. She is currently the Leverhulme Research Fellow at the University of Leeds and Inaugural Carrollian Fellow at the University of Southern California
Annie Rauwerda: Writer, comedian, and Wikipedia influencer, who created “Depths of Wikipedia.” She was named “Wikimedian of The Year” in the media category for 2022, and she is currently working on a book about Wikipedia
Dominic Couzens: Award-winning nature writer, who’s just finished his 45th book on wildlife
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/11/2023 • 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
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/10/2023 • 48 minutes, 44 seconds
First come, first served: There is an art, and an etiquette, of queues
Well designed queues give you hope and feel fair, while poorly designed ones can ruin your day.
Queues are everywhere around us, and not all are designed well.
This hour, the art of the queue, the challenge of waiting in line, and when, if ever, cutting in line is appropriate.
GUESTS:
Jennifer Goff: Owner and founder of Skip the Line
Marie Helweg-Larsen: Professor of psychology at Dickinson College
Richard Larson: Professor of data, systems, and society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Steven Soifer: President of the American Restroom Association
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 22, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/9/2023 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
This hour, we take your calls about whatever you want to talk about.
Call us: 888-720-9677.
Join 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, Jonathan McNicol, 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.
5/8/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at the writers’ strike and ‘Mrs. Davis’
This week’s Nose force feeds hero’s journey to its network.
The Writers Guild of America is on strike for the first time in 15 years. The film and television industry, you may have noticed, is very different from the way it was 15 years ago. And that’s a big part of why the WGA is striking and why it matters.
And: Mrs. Davis is an eight-episode Peacock miniseries created by Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof. It has been described as a “religious odyssey/thriller/comedy/drama/sci-fi epic,” which isn’t really much of a description at all. Here’s Peacock’s synopsis, which isn’t really much of a synopsis at all: “Mrs. Davis is the world’s most powerful artificial intelligence. Simone is the nun devoted to destroying Her. Who ya got?”
Taneisha Duggan’s endorsements:
Garden Answer on YouTube
Gentle Bull Shop in Hartford
Rich Hollant’s endorsements:
Blessed Not Bitter: The Barbara McClane Journey by Barbara McClane
The Rembrandt at TheaterWorks in Hartford
Lindsay Lee Wallace’s endorsements:
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
An Ordinary Age: Finding Your Way in a World That Expects Exceptional by Rainesford Stauffer
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Gordon Lightfoot, Hitmaking Singer-Songwriter, Is Dead at 84 His rich baritone voice and songs like “Sundown,” “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” and “If You Could Read My Mind” made him a top artist of the 1970s.
Graphic designer Peter Good, creator of the Hartford Whalers logo, dies at 80
Ask Amy: Is it offensive to refer to people as ‘ladies’ or ‘gentlemen’?
Ed Sheeran Won His Copyright Trial. Here’s What to Know. The heirs of Ed Townsend, who co-wrote “Let’s Get It On” with Marvin Gaye, had accused the pop star of copying it in “Thinking Out Loud.”
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to induct Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson
‘Yellowstone’ to End With Season 5, New Sequel Series to Debut in December
The Stupefying Success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” Recycling old intellectual property is a default formula in today’s Hollywood. But few franchises have managed to yield so much by doing so little.
The Best Songs of 2023 (So Far)
A terrible decision on AI-made images hurts creators
The guy who ate a $120,000 banana in an art museum says he was just hungry
The Speed Bump Those chipmunk-pitched songs you hear on TikTok are more than just a viral craze. They’re the latest big thing in the music biz. Here’s what their success says about remix culture, artists’ control over their own work, and why we want everything so fast these days.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
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, 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.
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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.
5/5/2023 • 50 minutes
Who gets the part? There are no small actors or roles
Note: This episode contains strong language.
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, 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.
5/4/2023 • 49 minutes
Don’t sleep on bedtime stories: What we can all learn from these nighttime tales
Today on The Colin McEnroe Show, we're talking about 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:
Adam Mansbach: Author, screenwriter, and cultural critic who wrote the famous not-for-children children’s book, Go the F***k to Sleep
Faith Adiele: Travel writer, speaker, teacher and formerly Thailand’s first Black Buddhist nun. She writes sleep stories for adults on the Calm app
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, Catie Talarski, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/3/2023 • 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, we talk about the life, music, and legacy of Connie Converse, and what her example can teach 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
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 contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/2/2023 • 41 minutes
The Artist Formerly Known as The Colin McEnroe Show: Conversations about rebranding
According to a cursory search of my email archive, we started working on rebranding The Colin McEnroe Show in the fall of 2021. It was probably actually longer ago than that.
In any case, today, more than 18 months later, our new look and new logo and new tagline and new whatever elses are all ready for the world to see.
And so, this hour, a look at rebranding, from Philip Morris and Facebook and Tronc and Prince and Madonna and the Washington Football Team to, yes, The Colin McEnroe Show.
GUESTS:
Patrick Dugan: Executive creative director at Adams and Knight
Christopher King: Co-founder and creative director of LVCK Design, a Beyer Blinder Belle studio
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Mike Pesca: Hosts the independent daily podcast The Gist
Brendan Jay Sullivan: A writer, producer, and DJ and a food history TikTok personality
Laura Varacchi: Co-founder and creative strategist of LVCK Design
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, Eugene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired in a different form November 9, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/1/2023 • 43 minutes, 6 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘The Diplomat’ and ‘John Mulaney: Baby J’
This week’s Nose traded one fatted goose for ten radishes.
The Diplomat is an eight-episode political thriller romantic-comedy (sort of?) Netflix limited series created by Debora Cahn. It stars Keri Russell as the title character and Rufus Sewell as her husband, who is also a diplomat, though a somewhat less diplomatic diplomat. Here’s Netflix’s logline: “In the midst of an international crisis, a career diplomat lands in a high-profile job she’s unsuited for, with tectonic implications for her marriage and her political future.” The Diplomat is currently No. 2 in TV Shows Today on Netflix.
And: Baby J is John Mulaney’s fifth comedy special, his fourth for Netflix, and his fourth standup special. It’s also his first special since his divorce, his time in rehab, and the birth of his son. As Mulaney says early on in Baby J, he has “kind of a different vibe now.” Baby J is currently No. 10 in TV Shows Today on Netflix.
Sam Hadelman’s endorsement:
Hung Up by Hunter Harris
Shawn Murray’s endorsements:
John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch on Netflix
Selected Poems by Gwendolyn Brooks
Carolyn Paine’s endorsements:
Celeste Barber: Fine, Thanks on Netflix
Wellmania on Netflix
Colin’s endorsement:
financial literacy
Scott Galloway’s podcasts The Pivot and The Prof G Pod
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Harry Belafonte, 96, Dies; Barrier-Breaking Singer, Actor and Activist In the 1950s, when segregation was still widespread, his ascent to the upper echelon of show business was historic. But his primary focus was civil rights.
Jerry Springer, Host of a Raucous TV Talk Show, Is Dead at 79 The confrontational “Jerry Springer Show” ran for nearly three decades and became a cultural phenomenon. Mr. Springer also had a career in politics.
The Future of Social Media Is a Lot Less Social Facebook, TikTok and Twitter seem to be increasingly connecting users with brands and influencers. To restore a sense of community, some users are trying smaller social networks.
It’s Okay to Like Good Art by Bad People Art transcends the artist.
The best television of 2023 so far ‘Mrs. Davis,’ ‘Barry,’ ‘Yellowjackets,’ ‘Succession,’ ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘Poker Face’ all make our evolving critics’ list of 2023’s best TV shows
This Babysitter Sparked A Huge Debate After Asking Parents To Pay Half Of Their $840 Bill After They Canceled Last Minute “When I told Claudia, she definitely had sticker shock. But when I broke down the price and she shopped around, she realized I was the cheaper option.”
Sylvester Stallone’s Best Sci-Fi Movie Is Smart Enough to Know Just How Stupid It Is Grab some Taco Bell and settle in.
The Succession Timeline Kind of Makes Sense Now
Where to rent DVDs and Blu-rays as Netflix ends disc rentals
‘Convicting A Murderer’ Series Acquired By DailyWire+ With Candace Owens Set To Front Response To Netflix True-Crime Hit
19 Movie Moments From The ’90s That Aged Like Cow’s Milk Why was every ’90s movie transphobic as heck?
In Praise of the Long Movie In the right hands, a three-hour-plus film expands the boundaries of cinematic possibilities.
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
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, 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 and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/28/2023 • 49 minutes
Shell we talk about eggs?
What besides an egg can give us life, culinary delight, life-saving vaccines, egg jarping, an international clown 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.
Today, we take a hard-boiled look at the ubiquitous, yet overlooked egg.
GUESTS:
Lizzie Stark is the author of two non-fiction books, including Pandora’s DNA and Leaving Mundania. Her new book is Egg: A Dozen Ovatures.
Chris Prosperi is the chef and co-owner of Metro Bis restaurant in Simsbury and a former recipe columnist for the Hartford Courant.
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
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/27/2023 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Wisdom can save us from bad thinking
We all do some bad thinking sometimes, whether in relatively minor ways or relatively major ones.
This hour, we look at why bad thinking happens, how reasoning errors are embedded in the way we think, and how we can all learn how to think better, through lessons from philosophy and psychology.
GUESTS:
Woo-kyoung Ahn: Director of The Thinking Lab at Yale University and the author of Thinking 101: How to Reason Better to Live Better
Steven Nadler: Co-author of When Bad Thinking Happens to Good People: How Philosophy Can Save Us from Ourselves and a philosophy professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Larry Shapiro: Co-author of When Bad Thinking Happens to Good People: How Philosophy Can Save Us from Ourselves and a philosophy professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 21, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/26/2023 • 50 minutes
You tried, you did not conquer: When a book becomes unreadable
Most of us have books that we just can’t finish, no matter how many times we try.
This hour, a look at those books that we find unreadable, whether they’re too long, too difficult, too confusing, or too dated. What makes a book unreadable?
Plus: The Voynich Manuscript, an unreadable and undeciphered book housed at Yale University’s Beinecke Library.
We asked our listeners for their list of unreadable books. Here are those responses:
The Bible
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Rim by Alexander Besher
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Collapse by Jared Diamond
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
S. by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
anything by William Faulkner
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James
The Dubliners by James Joyce
Ulysses by James Joyce
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Faithful by Stewart O’Nan and Stephen King
Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
How to Write by Gertrude Stein
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
GUESTS:
Ray Clemens: Curator of early books and manuscripts at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Rand Richards Cooper: Fiction writer, contributing editor at Commonweal, and restaurant critic for The Hartford Courant
Dennis Duncan: Lecturer in English at University College London and the author of Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age
Juliet Lapidos: Ideas editor for The Atlantic and the author of Talent
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 14, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/25/2023 • 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 inflation in our language, the Mario Pavone track “Colin Mac,” Tucker Carlson … 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.
4/24/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose says goodbye to its blue check mark and looks at ‘Beef’
This week’s Nose is gonna make three 10X trades: 1K to 10K, 10K to a hundred, hundred to a million. Boom.
On April 20, Twitter stripped its blue check marks from the accounts of public figures and others who weren’t paying for them. Including many celebrities, who then went on to drag Twitter about how much they don’t care. At the same time, there seems to be a growing feeling (again) that Twitter might be dying.
And: Beef is a Netflix comedy-drama limited series created by Lee Sung Jin and starring Steven Yeun and Ali Wong. It “follows the aftermath of a road rage incident between two strangers.” Beef is currently the most popular TV series on Rotten Tomatoes and #2 in TV Shows Today on Netflix.
Jacques Lamarre’s endorsement:
Shy: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers by Mary Rodgers and Jesse Green
Tracy Wu Fastenberg’s endorsements:
The Charles in Wethersfield, Connecticut
Comstock, Ferre & Co. in Wethersfield, Connecticut
Bill Yousman’s endorsements
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Services in Bloomfield, Connecticut
Keep Your Courage by Natalie Merchant
the music of Prince
Colin’s endorsements:
apple blossoms
poetry
sleep
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Ahmad Jamal, Whose Spare Style Redefined Jazz Piano, Dies at 92 He was known for his laid-back style and for his influence on, among others, Miles Davis, who once said, “All my inspiration comes from Ahmad Jamal.”
Netflix Will End Its DVD Service, 5.2 Billion Discs Later Sending movies through the mail, in recognizable red-and-white envelopes, helped the company become a behemoth in Hollywood.
Yes, People Will Pay $27,500 for an Old ‘Rocky’ Tape. Here’s Why. Collectors are finding that their childhood has a price — and it’s going up. When the future is frightening, it’s boom times at the nostalgia factory.
Netflix’s Love Is Blind Live Failure Had Big ‘Game Servers Are Down’ Energy The streaming service tried its second-ever live broadcast for the highly anticipated Love Is Blind reunion
Hollywood Writers Approve of Strike as Shutdown Looms The writers have not gone on strike in 15 years, and the vote gives their unions the right to call for a walkout when their contract expires on May 1.
What the death of a literary magazine says about our cultural decay
BuzzFeed Shuts Down Its News Division BuzzFeed News, which won a Pulitzer Prize but never made money, is “beginning the process of closing,” the company’s founder, Jonah Peretti, said in a memo to employees.
‘Air’ and the Argument for Letting the Talent Share in the Profits The movie’s focus (how Michael Jordan got a cut from Nike) reflects what its filmmakers, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, are trying to do in their new venture.
Fringe’s Finest Hour Is Sci-Fi’s Most Profound Exploration of Faith and Science “I’ve asked God for a sign of forgiveness. A specific one, a white tulip.”
Scientists discovered a new ‘quasi-moon’ orbiting Earth
McDonald’s is upgrading its burgers
The Myth of the Broke Millennial After a rough start, the generation is thriving. Why doesn’t it feel that way?
After he sold his company for over $1 billion, Ryan Reynolds’ investing spree continues with a fintech company that has ties to Binance and DraftKings
Hot 100 First-Timers: Jack Black Scores First Solo Hit With ‘Super Mario Bros.’ Ballad ‘Peaches’ The song debuts at No. 83.
An A.I. Hit of Fake ‘Drake’ and ‘The Weeknd’ Rattles the Music World A track like “Heart on My Sleeve,” which went viral before being taken down by streaming services this week, may be a novelty for now. But the legal and creative questions it raises are here to stay.
GUESTS:
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and chief communications officer at Buzz Engine
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, 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 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.
4/21/2023 • 43 minutes, 15 seconds
Everything you know has an expiration date
In April, 2010 — 13 years ago this month — we did a segment on the concept of the “mesofact,” a certain kind of data point that feels fixed even though it’s actually always slowly changing. (I’d add a link to that show, but our archive doesn’t actually go back that far.) And we’ve gone back to the idea every now and again ever since.
Think about things like the world population or the Periodic Table of the Elements. Or think about our understanding of the health and nutritional value of red wine. Or coffee. Or how Brussels sprouts are supposed to taste. Or what dinosaurs are supposed to look like.
This hour, an update on a bunch of mesofacts that we’d probably all lost track of, including the myth of the alpha wolf and the misconceptions around white gloves and antique books.
GUESTS:
Samuel Arbesman: A scientist and writer; he is the author of Overcomplicated: Technology at the Limits of Comprehension and The Half-Life of Facts: Why Everything We Know Has an Expiration Date
Jennifer Schuessler: A culture reporter covering intellectual life and the world of ideas for The New York Times
Maddy Witt: An educator at the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/20/2023 • 49 minutes
Digging into the roots of our food with Mark Bittman
We have a complicated relationship with our food. We need food to live, yet we’ve become removed from the food we eat and how it’s grown and processed. Even with the best intentions, today’s ultra-processed foods make it hard for us to know exactly what we’re eating or how the methods used to mass produce our food affect our environment and health. And I haven’t even touched on how food has led to war, famine, poverty, and enslavement.
This hour, we talk about the history of agriculture, where it went wrong, and how we might begin to cultivate food that is kinder to our bodies, our earth, and our fellow humans.
GUEST:
Mark Bittman: Author of Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food From Sustainable To Suicidal, among many other books
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 3, 2021.
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.
4/19/2023 • 42 minutes
How emoji have changed how we communicate and why we ❤️ them
This hour, our new favorite way to communicate: emoji.
We look at how emoji are created and how they change meaning and talk to the creator of Emojiland: The Musical.
GUESTS:
Keith Broni: Editor-in-chief of Emojipedia
Keith Harrison Dworkin: Composer and creator of Emojiland: The Musical
Alex King: Associate professor of philosophy at Simon Fraser University and editor-in-chief of Aesthetics for Birds
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired June 9, 2022.
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.
4/18/2023 • 42 minutes
Life is hard. This philosopher wants to help us deal with that
This hour: a conversation about handling life’s hardships with Kieran Setiya, philosophy professor and 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 Midlife: A Philosophical Guide. His new book is Life is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way
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.
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.
4/17/2023 • 41 minutes, 18 seconds
The Nose looks at the COVID pop culture canon and ‘The Power’
This week’s Nose could be some genetic switch that flipped. Something that was there, dormant, and it just…
On April 8, The New York Times Opinion published an interactive, “17 Pop Culture Moments That Define the COVID Era.” The Nose didn’t really have a choice but to start figuring out its own COVID canon.
And: The Power is a TV series adaptation of Naomi Alderman’s 2016 science fiction novel (which The Nose covered in 2018). It tells the story of a world where teenage girls suddenly develop the ability to produce electricity. It stars an ensemble cast that includes John Leguizamo, Halle Bush, Toheeb Jimoh, Eddie Marsan, and Toni Collette. Five of The Power’s expected nine episodes are available to stream on Prime Video.
Rebecca Castellani’s endorsements:
Dark on Netflix
the books of Margaret Atwood
Rand Richards Cooper’s endorsement:
the books of W.G. Sebald
Lindsay Lee Wallace’s endorsements:
Crush on Hulu
Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin
Colin’s endorsement:
the music of Connie Converse
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Al Jaffee, Mad magazine’s cartoon maestro, dies at 102 He was Mad magazine’s longest-serving contributor and proudly helped corrupt the minds of generations of young Americans
Mary Quant, British Fashion Revolutionary, Dies at 93 Known as the mother of the miniskirt, clad in her signature play clothes and boots, with huge painted eyes, fake freckles and a bob, she epitomized London’s Swinging Sixties.
Food storage synonym Tupperware has ‘substantial doubt’ it can survive
Taylor Swift’s breakups defined her early stardom. Not anymore. The tone and reaction to Swift’s split with actor Joe Alwyn after six years is remarkably different from a decade ago
Some People’s ‘Funny’ Is Other People’s ‘Offensive’
A Resurfaced Clip Of Aubrey Plaza Recalling The Time A Director Instructed Her To Masturbate On Camera Has Left People Seriously Disturbed “The camera was mounted on the ceiling, I was in my underwear and a Clinton t-shirt, and there were a bunch of old men smoking — the crew guys. And then I went and touched myself.”
Actor Jesse Metcalfe talks about dating in CT on podcast
Inside Donald Glover’s New Creative Playground He changed the course of television with Atlanta and laid out a blueprint for a whole era of dark comedy. And now, out in Ojai, California, the multihyphenate star is preparing for the next phase of his career, building something even bigger and more ambitious that only he could have imagined.
‘Succession’ and ‘Dr. Pimple Popper’ Together in New Warner Streaming App The service, expected to be called Max, is meant to help the company compete more directly with Netflix and Disney.
“The Body You’ve Been Comparing My Current Body To Was The Unhealthiest Version Of My Body”: Ariana Grande Addressed Speculation Around Her Body “I was on a lot of antidepressants and drinking on them and eating poorly and at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my ‘healthy.’”
How ‘Hud’ Began Texas’s Love Affair With the Bastard Paul Newman plays a brutish, morally repugnant monster in the classic anti-western. So why do Texans admire him anyway?
The Case of the Fake Sherlock Richard Walter was hailed as a genius criminal profiler. How did he get away with his fraud for so long?
NASA’s Webb Telescope Reveals Supernova in Unprecedented Detail A stunning new picture of an exploded star includes a “green monster” and other never-before-seen features.
Brad Pitt and the Bizarre Charity Mess That’s Left Katrina Victims Stranded Again Owners of faulty homes built by the star’s Make It Right Foundation in New Orleans were relieved when charity Global Green promised $20.5 million for repairs. The only problem: It never had the money.
A Journey Inside the Updated James Bond Novels Book Bond has long been obscured by his cinematic doppelgänger. Now, thanks to savvy edits, readers can finally have a serious discussion about the complicated man on the page.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Rand Richards Cooper: A fiction writer, contributing editor at Commonweal, and the restaurant critic for the Hartford Courant
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, Stitcher, 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.
4/14/2023 • 44 minutes, 10 seconds
Exploring astrology: Do stars really impact us?
Humans have always been interested in the sky, and astrology has been used as a tool for people in power for a long time.
During times of stress, interest in astrology increases.
But why are we so interested in something that is not considered a science?
This hour, a look at the history of astrology, its relationship with astronomy, and the reasons why people love it so much.
GUESTS:
Julie Beck: Senior editor at The Atlantic, where she wrote “The New Age of Astrology”
Darin Hayton: Associate professor of the history of science at Haverford College and the author of The Crown and the Cosmos: Astrology and the Politics of Maximilian I
Emily Levesque: Professor in the University of Washington’s Astronomy Department and the author of The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy’s Vanishing Explorers
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.
This episode was produced by Sara Gasparatto.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired April 21, 2022.
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.
4/13/2023 • 42 minutes
Exploring the divide between ‘brokenists’ and ‘status-quoists’
Alana Newhouse, editor-in-chief of Tablet Magazine, recently wrote an article where she argued that the real divide currently is between those who think we can fix our institutions, and those who think they are broken beyond repair. Alana joins us for the hour to explore the divide between the “brokenists” and the “status-quoists,” and to explain what this framework means for the future.
GUESTS:
Alana Newhouse: Editor-in-Chief of Tablet Magazine, which she founded in 2009
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.
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.
4/12/2023 • 41 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 of The Colin McEnroe Show 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, 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.
Lizzie Van Arnam, Colin McEnroe, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/11/2023 • 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 end of civilization and why we aren’t doing anything about it, roller derby, the music we use, litter, very fast cars … 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.
4/10/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘The Night Agent’ and ‘Rabbit Hole’
This week’s Nose is a redundancy in case the FBI needs to contact the president and other methods are compromised.
The Night Agent is an espionage conspiracy thriller TV series created by Shawn Ryan and based on the 2019 novel by Matthew Quirk. It stars Gabriel Basso. All 10 first season episodes are available on Netflix. The Night Agent was renewed for a second season.
And: Rabbit Hole is an espionage conspiracy thriller TV series created by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. It stars Kiefer Sutherland. The first three episodes are available on Paramount+.
Sam Hadelman’s endorsements:
The New York Times crossword puzzle
Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. by Lana Del Rey
Irene Papoulis’s endorsements:
Bordertown (Sorjonen) from Finland on Netflix
The Bureau (Le Bureau des Légendes) from France on AMC+ and Sundance Now
Deutschland 83, Deutschland 86, and Deutschland 89 from Germany on Hulu
Occupied (Okkupert) from Norway on Netflix
Tracy Wu Fastenberg’s endorsement:
The spring flower arrangement sale this weekend at the Garmany Visitor center at Elizabeth Park in West Hartford
Colin’s endorsements:
“The Astronaught” by Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks
Mythologies by Thomas Bangalter
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Klaus Teuber, Creator of the Board Game Catan, Dies at 70 He created the strategy game about settling a new land in 1995. Millions of copies have been sold since then, and it’s played all over the world.
A Viral Video Of Tom Holland And Zendaya Being Hounded By Paparazzi Has Left People Super Uncomfortable “The look on her face…Can we just, idk, leave people alone?? Following their car is kinda creepy, no??”
Bidens clarify national champ LSU’s White House invitation
James Gunn Explains Why ‘Superhero Fatigue’ Isn’t Really Superhero Fatigue
What Is Jeremy Renner’s Deal? The Marvel actor’s inexplicable new series might be the key to finally making sense of this avowedly strange man.
Every Oscar Best Picture Winner Ranked: From Argo to The Life of Emile Zola Featuring some of film’s greatest achievements (and a few stinkers)
Meghan Trainor Is Still Peeing With Her Husband On Their Side-By-Side Toilets, And Their Routine Is Really Something Meghan Trainor toilet talk is back, baby.
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/7/2023 • 49 minutes
‘Megafauna mania’: Our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators
Bears, bobcats, coyotes, and deer are repopulating Connecticut, despite being hunted to near extinction by early settlers. Is the mountain lion among those returning?
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection thinks it’s unlikely. They investigate hundreds of mountain lion sightings every year without finding physical evidence of their presence. The sightings increased in 2011, after a driver hit and killed a mountain lion who was trying to cross the Merritt Parkway in Milford. But the mountain lion’s DNA was traced to South Dakota.
Mountain lions in Connecticut are a lot like Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster: elusive and spectacular creatures that are widely spotted but leave no trace.
This hour, we talk about wildlife in Connecticut, including the Greenwich mountain lion and Buddy the Beefalo.
GUESTS:
Ed Benecchi: Retired police officer
Jason Hawley: A wildlife biologist for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
William Stolzenburg: A screenwriter and journalist and the author of Heart of a Lion: A Lone Cat’s Walk Across America
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, Megan Fitzgerald, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired August 23, 2022. Special thanks to Jennifer Ahrens, Julia Gill, Peter Herrmann, and Anna Huether for contributing stories.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2023 • 50 minutes
What does it mean to be a good citizen today?
This hour, we investigate what it means to be a good citizen today.
What are our responsibilities? What do we owe each other?
GUESTS:
Tamar Gendler: Professor of philosophy, psychology, and cognitive science and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Yale University
Azar Nafisi: Author of six books, including Reading Lolita in Tehran; her newest is Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times
John Shattuck: Co-author of Holding Together: The Hijacking of Rights in America and How to Reclaim Them for Everyone and the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, which originally aired June 14, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/5/2023 • 50 minutes
Our Trump pre-arraignment show
Ahead of NPR’s special coverage of the arraignment of former President Donald Trump, we look at the possible legal case and its broader implications.
And we take your calls.
GUEST:
Ross Garber: A lawyer specializing in political investigations and impeachment and a legal analyst for CNN
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, Carolyn McCusker, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/4/2023 • 50 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: Lecturer in the Program of Writing and Rhetoric at Stony Brook University. Her forthcoming book is Mind, Body, and Emotion in the Reception and Creation Practices of Fan Communities
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/3/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ and ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’
We believe this week’s Nose will be perceived as indigenous and will not trigger the immune response.
Avatar: The Way of Water is the first of four planned sequels to 2009’s Avatar. It is the highest-grossing film of 2022, the highest-grossing film of the COVID era, and the third-highest grossing film ever made. The Way of Water is now available to purchase on iTunes/Amazon/etc., and it’s still in theaters.
And: Daisy Jones & the Six is a musical drama docuseries limited series that tells the story of the fictional titular 1970s rock band. It is based on the 2019 novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and its 10 episodes are now available to stream on Prime Video.
Jim Chapdelaine’s endorsements:
Luther on Hulu and Luther: The Fallen Sun on Netflix
Taneisha Duggan’s endorsements:
Heirloom Market in Wethersfield
seeds from Botanical Interests
Shawn Murray’s endorsements:
The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L’Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution by C.L.R. James
Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) by Yves Tumor
Scaring the Hoes by JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown
Colin’s endorsements:
Pivot podcast
The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Why Jonathan Majors’s assault arrest is so disturbing — and so complicated The Marvel star faces domestic assault charges, and now other allegations spanning years.
Jury Finds Gwyneth Paltrow Not at Fault in Ski Crash Trial Jurors found that a retired optometrist who sued the actress was “100 percent” at fault. The trial has combined celebrity culture and questions of skiing etiquette into a courtroom spectacle.
Adnan Syed’s conviction reinstated by Maryland Appellate Court panel
Afroman put home footage of a police raid in music videos. Now the cops are suing him
Pepsi’s new logo is a subliminal war on sugar Pepsi launched a new logo and brand system that uses high contrast visuals to sell Zero Sugar products.
For $18,500 (and Up), You, Too, Can Travel Like James Bond When the (real) world is not enough, new luxury tours offer fans a chance to engage with their favorite film and TV worlds.
The best musicals are the equal of great plays, so why the snobbery? The song ’n’ dance genre is everywhere, David Hare has bemoaned. He needs to watch more of these joyous shows
Ireland Asks: What if Artists Could Ditch Their Day Jobs? A government pilot program is giving 2,000 artists $350 a week with no strings attached, allowing them to concentrate on creative pursuits.
Tyrannosaurus rex had lips over its teeth, research suggests Contrary to depiction in movies like Jurassic Park, scientists now believe T rexes were not ‘toothy lipless things’
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Bill Curry: Playing the part of Bill Curry
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
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, 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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/31/2023 • 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.
GUESTS:
Emily St. John Mandel: Novelist, whose books include Sea of Tranquility, The Glass Hotel, and Station Eleven
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 Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/30/2023 • 49 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'll share our favorite examples and learn about what they can tell us about the English language, and how our brains process language. And we'll 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
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/29/2023 • 49 minutes
Historical reenactments can deepen our relationship to history
This hour: historical reenactments. We look at the role reenactments play in helping us understand or experience history. We talk with reenactors about what draws them to this and what their experiences are like.
Plus, reenactments aren’t just about the acting but the costumes and the props. We hear from a tailor who creates custom clothing using traditional materials and methods to create true-to-history costuming.
And: a look at experimental archeology and the stone-aged tools used by our predecessors. How were those tools made? And by recreating them, what can we learn about history, evolution, and psychology?
GUESTS:
Michelle Bebber: Co-director of The Kent State University Experimental Archaeology Laboratory
Metin Erin: Co-director of The Kent State University Experimental Archaeology Laboratory
Ian Graves: Tailor and owner of Royal Blue Traders, specializing in American Revolutionary War clothing
J.R. Hardman: Associate producer at PBS Utah and a Civil War reenactor who is directing and producing the documentary Reenactress
Brad Keefer: Professor of history at Kent State University and an active Civil War and colonial period living historian
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 8, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/28/2023 • 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 John Donne and William Shakespeare, the age-old dilemma: to pay someone to plow your driveway or not to pay someone to plow your driveway, layoffs at NPR, a long-ago tabloid takedown of Burt Reynolds … 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.
3/27/2023 • 49 minutes
From ‘Ninotchka’ to ‘Love Actually’: A celebration of the romantic comedy
In his book From Hollywood with Love: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of the Romantic Comedy, Scott Meslow lays out two ways to tell if a given movie is a rom-com. First, his own definition: “A romantic comedy is a movie where (1) the central plot is focused on at least one romantic love story; and (2) the goal is to make you laugh at least as much as the goal is to make you cry.”
And then, The Donald Petrie Test, named for the director of some rom-coms, like Mystic Pizza and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but also some edge cases, like Miss Congeniality and Grumpy Old Men: “If you removed the love story from this [comedy], would you still have a movie? If the answer is no, it’s a romantic comedy. […] If the answer is yes, it’s a comedy with a romantic subplot.”
So those are the litmus tests. Now, does that make Broadcast News a rom-com, or no? What about Annie Hall? Or something like Grosse Pointe Blank? How about His Girl Friday? Or even, actually, Love Actually?
The Nose is off this week. In its stead, a Not Necessarily The Nose-style deconstruction — and celebration — of the romantic comedy.
Some favorite rom-coms from some of the people on this show:
Illeana DouglasTheodora Goes Wild (1936)Bringing Up Baby (1938)Ninotchka (1939)Too Many Husbands (1940)The More the Merrier (1943)Christmas in Connecticut (1945)Cluny Brown (1946)Pillow Talk (1959)The Apartment (1960)What’s Up, Doc? (1972)Foul Play (1978)Arthur (1981)
David EdelsteinTrouble in Paradise (1932)The Awful Truth (1937)Ninotchka (1939)Midnight (1939)The Lady Eve (1941)His Girl Friday (1940)The Philadelphia Story (1940)The Shop Around the Corner (1940)Cluny Brown (1946)
Scott Meslow’s five recommended under-seen rom-coms from the past decade
Populaire (2012)A zippy, ultra-stylish French rom-com about the romance between a dapper boss and his secretary, set amid the long-forgotten craze for competitive speed typing.
Sleeping with Other People (2015)Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis are at the peak of their charms in this witty rom-com about two friends who reunite years after losing their virginities to each other — the rare rom-com to get the balance of raunchy and sweet just right.
Man Up (2015)Ignore the lame title — this rom-com, in which Lake Bell plays an unlucky-in-love woman who pretends to be a man’s blind date, is pure, fizzy fun (and is also the only rom-com I’ve seen to borrow a plot point from The Silence of the Lambs).
Destination Wedding (2018)Other critics weren’t as high on this extremely stripped down rom-com, in which Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves snark their way through a wedding they’d both prefer not to be attending — but in a genre in which so many characters have “negative” qualities that are actually just adorable, I appreciated this movie’s deliberately sour tone.
Plus One (2019)A delightfully unapologetic throwback to the genre’s ’90s heyday, but with a modern touch, as two platonic friends (Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine) agree to be each other’s plus-ones for a packed wedding season before realizing they may actually have a spark after all.
Colin’s 5 (or 6) favorite rom-coms
Heaven Can Wait (1978)I realize this is assailable on the basis of Julie Christie not being an especially memorable character and getting less screen time than, say, Jack Warden. Warren Beatty is so vain, he probably thinks this movie is about him, and he’s sort of right. But it is very nearly perfect and enriched by an amazing ensemble of supporting players.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)I surprised myself by ranking SLP this high, but I love the frank and funny handling of mental illness and its indistinguishability from being an Eagles fan. I’ve seen it quite a few times, and I invariably cry at the end. I love what J-Law does with her part, and Chris Tucker and John Ortiz are standouts among the fine supporting cast. Shout out to Kevin Lowry for his work as dolly grip on the “A” camera.
The Lady Eve (1941) / Intolerable Cruelty (2003)These are both “rom-cons” involving grifts by a femme fatale who is usually a few steps ahead of the male lead. Barbara Stanwyck actually generates more sexual heat than the smoldering Catherine Zeta-Jones. She was still doing that 42 years later, hitting on a rain-streaked, bare-chested priest played by Richard Chamberlain in The Thorn Birds. But I do love Intolerable Cruelty. I think it’s the only Coen brothers rom-com and definitely an homage to the ’30s and ’40s.
Say Anything (1989)I loved John Cusack during this period. A few years later, I was seeing a psychotherapist who looked exactly like him. It was distracting. I’ve learned that Cusack didn’t really see himself as a rom-com person and even pushed back against the iconic boombox scene. That has something to do with why this movie works so well.
Bringing Up Baby (1938)Grant. Hepburn. Two leopards. Thirty pounds of sirloin. What’s not to love?
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
And Now Let’s Review … A.O. Scott conducts his own exit interview as he moves to a new post after more than two decades of reviewing films.
What if ‘The Daily Show’ Used Guest Hosts Permanently? Fill-ins for Trevor Noah have shown how exciting the lack of a permanent replacement could be. It’s an option with an illustrious history in television.
David Letterman’s Retirement Beard Just Keeps Getting Better And more from the week in celebrity grooming.
The Oscars Aren’t Where Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans And West Side Story Needed To Win
Apple to Spend $1 Billion a Year on Films to Break Into Cinemas
Paramount Sets Remake Of Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo’ As Potential Robert Downey Jr-Starrer; Steven Knight To Write Script & Davis Entertainment To Produce With Team Downey
The Movies Of The DCEU, Ranked
The Rise of Gender-Neutral Names Isn’t What It Seems The desire of parents to be truly original has had a perhaps unintended effect.
GUESTS:
Illeana Douglas: The Official Movie Star of The Colin McEnroe Show
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Scott Meslow: Author of From Hollywood with Love: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of the Romantic Comedy
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 24, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/24/2023 • 50 minutes
Put your hands together for a show about clapping
This hour, we wrap our heads around clapping — its history, its varied permutations, and the kinds of occasions on which people applaud.
GUESTS:
Erin Elstner: Percussionist and professor of percussion at Webster University
Frank Rizzo: Theater critic for Variety and other publications
Gavin Witt: Professor of theater history at Towson University
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, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired August 30, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/23/2023 • 50 minutes
Please don’t give this show on the art of the online review one star
It could be that you’ve used online reviews to try new restaurants, dry cleaners, hotels or even movies.
But what makes us trust the opinions of strangers on the internet?
This hour, a look at the art and the etiquette of the online review.
GUESTS:
Tyler Anderson: Owner of Tanda Hospitality
Lauren Dragan: Senior staff writer at Wirecutter
Xandy Schiefer: Co-host of the podcast Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet
Camilla Vásquez: Author of The Discourse of Online Consumer Reviews
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, Eugene Amatruda, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired August 25, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/22/2023 • 50 minutes
Tuberculosis has shaped history, art, and architecture — and it’s still here today
Tuberculosis has been around for thousands of years, and it still infects millions per year.
This hour, we look back at how tuberculosis has shaped history and how it is still impacting health today.
Plus, a look at the history of tuberculosis treatment, how tuberculosis has shaped modern architecture, and the impact of tuberculosis on art and artists.
GUESTS:
Heran Darwin: Professor in the Department of Microbiology at New York University
Beatriz Colomina: Author of X-Ray Architecture
Carolyn Day: Author of Consumptive Chic: A History of Beauty, Fashion and Disease
Kyle Harper: Author of Plagues Upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History
Tara Knapp: Vice president of external affairs at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare
Elizabeth Lee: Author of The Medicine of Art: Disease and the Aesthetic Object in Gilded Age America
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 1, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/21/2023 • 50 minutes
Stop, drop, and stay there: A look at leisure
How do you like to relax? Do you read a book? Go for a hike, maybe? How about grabbing dinner with friends? The list goes on, and we consider these activities leisure.
This hour, we learn what leisure is and how to master it. We take a look at the importance of leisure for health, how the concept differs around the world, and what it means to value your free time. Finally, we examine what the future holds for leisure.
In case you find some inspiration in this hour, here’s a list of leisure activities from our guests and The Colin McEnroe Show staff:
Gardening.
Finishing that old show you’ve been meaning to finish.
Drawing yourself.
Counting clouds.
Staring at the wall.
Laying down.
Playing the closest instrument.
Going bug collecting.
Trying your hand at claymation.
Trying to get the hiccups.
Buying clay pigeons (biodegradable) and smashing them.
Exploring the forest behind your home.
Throwing rocks into the mysterious well you find in the forest.
Summoning (accidentally) an eons-old forest spirit.
Visiting a national park.
GUESTS:
Tom Hodgkinson: Founder of Idler magazine and the author How to Be Idle: A Loafer’s Manifestoand An Idler’s Manual, among other books
Selin Malkoc: Behavioral scientist at the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University
Ken Roberts: Professor of sociology, social policy, and criminology at The University of Liverpool
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, Eugene Amatruda, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired August 11, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/20/2023 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at Adam Sandler’s Mark Twain Prize, ‘Star Trek: Picard,’ and more
This week’s Nose is being institutionally told that its personal expression is bad.
This weekend, Adam Sandler receives the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. Colin says it’s the end of Western civilization, or something like that. But is it?
And: Seth Rogen has gone on the record about how “devastating” critiques of his work can be. It’s a topic this week’s Nose, which includes America’s Greatest Living Film Critic, couldn’t resist.
And finally: Star Trek: Picard is the eighth Star Trek television series and the second series in the expanded Star Trek universe (I don’t really know what that is). It’s a sequel to the third Star Trek television series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and it starts 20 years after the last Next Generation movie, Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). Its third and final season is streaming now.
David Edelstein’s endorsements:
the 26th season of South Park on Comedy Central
Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams
Mercy Quaye’s endorsements:
Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe
Houston, We Have a Podcast’s Mars miniseries
StarTalk
Carolyn Paine’s endorsement:
You Season 4 on Netflix
Colin’s endorsements:
the music of Declan O’Rourke and Solas
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Bobby Caldwell, ‘Blue-Eyed Soul’ Singer, Dead at 71
Al Jaffee, Now 102, Is Ready to Be Added to Mount Rushmore MAD’s longest-serving contributor on comedy, art, and the origins of the “Fold-in.”
Marvel Is Looking For The Person Behind The Alleged Quantumania Script Leaks
Warner Bros. Discovery Worried That ‘HBO’ Name Turns Off New Subscribers CEO David Zaslav is considering ”Max“ as the name for the service which combines the company’s flagship streamer and Discovery+
Sesame Street to Launch First NFTs With VeVe, Starting With Cookie Monster Digital Collectibles at $60 Each
Netflix Pulls Plug On Nancy Meyers’ New Project Over Budget Issue
The Fabulist in the Woods In Northampton with Kelly Link and her community of like-minded writers.
The Cure tried to circumvent Ticketmaster’s price gouging. It didn’t work. While tickets went for as low as $20, Ticketmaster’s fees easily doubled the price
Bad Projection Is Ruining the Movie Theater Experience Multiplexes are failing at their most basic function: delivering a bright, sharp image.
Peak TV Is Over. Welcome to Trough TV. Streaming’s golden age has been ending for a while, but it’s only now become clear what’s replacing it.
34 Things That Happened Almost Exactly 3 Years Ago Before The Pandemic That Will Make You Question Reality The world really was such a different place, and I just hope Charlotte Awbery is slaying a subway platform somewhere again.
20 Cringey And 9 Funny Things Celebrities Did At The Beginning Of The Pandemic That Are Wild To Look Back On Now It’s weird looking back three years later, but I think all celebrities learned it’s just sometimes better not to post.
It’s Time to Kill the Multiverse (at Least in This Timeline) Don’t let ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and its Oscar front-runner status fool you: The supposedly limitless storytelling device has been pushed to its narrative limits. Just look to ‘Quantumania’ for proof.
How Please Stopped Being Polite The phrase if it please you has been shortened and shortened over time—until it’s become more brusque than courteous.
If You’re Reading This, Your Favorite Show Is Canceled
Ben Affleck on ‘Air,’ New CEO Gig and Those Memes: “I Am Who I Am” The actor, filmmaker and budding mogul on the disruptive production company he launched with Matt Damon, why he’s done with D.C., getting Michael Jordan’s blessing for his new film and the advice wife Jennifer Lopez gave him for this interview.
We Spoke To The NYU Student Who Did Not Have Fun Studying Abroad In Florence And She Doesn’t Care That You’re Mad Emily in Paris has nothing on Stacia in Florence.
Why Are So Many People Rewatching ‘Girls’? Viewership of Lena Dunham’s HBO dramedy is surging as many millennials reassess their 20s and a show that defined them.
Meg White’s Drumming Chops Are the Hot Topic of the Day, and Yes, It’s 2023
GUESTS:
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Mercy Quaye: Founder and president of The Narrative Project and a columnist and editor at The Connecticut Mirror
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/17/2023 • 49 minutes
Our 13th* (almost) annual March Madness show
March Madness is upon us!
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 13th one of these unless it isn’t. Our thinking is that we’ve done this show every year from 2010 on, but for 2020. There’s a mention, in our 2013 edition of this show, of our having done a 2010 edition of this show. But no evidence of the 2010 edition of the show survives on the internet. And yet we’re still fairly confident it’s a thing that we did.
GUESTS:
Bill Curry: Playing the part of Bill Curry
Frankie Graziano: Host of The Wheelhouse on Connecticut Public
Andrew Hsu: President of the College of Charleston in South Carolina
Julia Pistell: A founding member of Sea Tea Improv, a contributing producer on this show, and a number of other things
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2023 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Lost in my mind: What happens when we daydream
Do you daydream? What do you daydream about? This hour is all about the art of daydreaming. We'll reflect on the value of daydreaming, and why it can be so difficult to talk about our daydreams. Plus, we’ll look at what daydreaming does to our brains, and we’ll learn about maladaptive daydreaming.
GUESTS:
Leslie Jamison: Novelist, essayist and professor at Columbia University’s MFA Program
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
Jayne Rachel: An advocate for maladaptive daydreaming, who used to experience it
Join 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/15/2023 • 49 minutes
Why our food looks different from grandma’s
Food isn’t just a way to cure hunger. In food, we find identity, history, politics, and more.
This hour, a look at the evolution of food and how our perception of different diets and lifestyles is changing.
GUESTS:
Anthony Jung: Executive chef of retail dining at UMass Amherst
Cathy Kaufman: Lecturer of food studies at The New School and chairwoman of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery
Uma Naidoo: Director of nutritional and lifestyle psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and the author of This Is Your Brain on Food
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 9, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/14/2023 • 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 statute of limitations on break room food, Ron DeSantis, (the lack of) motorcycle helmet laws in Connecticut, an ad running on our air about junking vehicles, state police cars … 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.
3/13/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose’s guide to the 95th Academy Awards
Over the last year, The Nose has covered 14 of this year’s Academy Award-nominated movies, encompassing 64 nominations.
So on this special edition of The Nose, we look back at our discussions of nominated movies, and we look ahead to Sunday’s Oscars ceremony with film and television star (and Oscars voter) Illeana Douglas.
Some of the movies covered include: The Banshees of Inisherin, Elvis, Everything Everywhere All at Once, The Fabelmans, Tár, Top Gun: Maverick, Triangle of Sadness, Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb, The Whale, Women Talking, and more.
Note: This special two-part Oscars season finale edition of The Nose, airing over two days on the radio, is presented here as one double-length (or so) episode.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Tom Sizemore, Intense Actor With a Troubled Life, Dies at 61 He earned praise for his work in films like “Saving Private Ryan” and “Black Hawk Down.” He also served prison time for drug possession and domestic abuse.
Robert Blake, ‘Baretta’ Star Acquitted in Wife’s Murder, Dies at 89 His film and TV career began with “Our Gang” comedies and was highlighted by his performance as a killer in “In Cold Blood.” But he led a tempestuous life.
Topol, Star of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Onscreen and Onstage, Dies at 87 Wide acclaim for his portrayal of Tevye helped make him, according to one newspaper, “Israel’s most famous export since the Jaffa orange.”
Ricou Browning, Who Made the Black Lagoon Scary, Dies at 93 He helped bring “Flipper” to the movies and TV but was best known for his plunge in a monster suit in “Creature From the Black Lagoon.”
This is the most populist Oscars in a long time So why doesn’t it feel like it?
The Stunt Awards Vulture’s inaugural celebration of stunt professionals is here. Because if the Oscars won’t recognize them, we will.
Who Are You Rooting Against at the Oscars This Year?
And the Oscar Goes to…The Guy Who Inspired Big League Chew? Todd Field is the Oscar-nominated director of ‘Tár.’ Major League Baseball players are more familiar with his shredded bubble gum.
The Year the Movies Died (Over and Over and Over Again)
Joseph Kosinski Doesn’t See Top Gun: Maverick As an Action Movie
Bad Projection Is Ruining the Movie Theater Experience Multiplexes are failing at their most basic function: delivering a bright, sharp image.
Peak TV Is Over. Welcome to Trough TV. Streaming’s golden age has been ending for a while, but it’s only now become clear what’s replacing it.
Seth Rogen Gets Brutally Honest About Negative Reviews: Film Critics Should Know ‘How Much It Hurts….It F—ing Sucks’
Twenty Years Later, ‘Irreversible’ Still Shocks A look back at Gaspar Noé’s brutal told-in-reverse drama, which has been rereleased in a “Straight Cut” version.
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: The most dangerous woman in speculative fiction and the host of the Rite Gudpodcast
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Illeana Douglas: The Official Movie Star of The Colin McEnroe Show and a real, live Oscars voter
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
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, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Mercy Quaye: Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project
Gene Seymour: A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek”
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
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, 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, Eugene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, parts of which have aired previously in different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/10/2023 • 1 hour, 36 minutes, 19 seconds
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 hate them.
Writers use it 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, we look at the history and culture of this most controversial mark.
GUESTS:
Florence Hazrat: Author of An Admirable Point: A Brief History of the Exclamation Mark
Lan Samantha Chang: Director of the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop
John Breunig: An editorial page editor with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
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, Cat Pastor, Lily Tyson, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2023 • 49 minutes
‘Betcha can’t eat just one’: The science and art of snacking
Snacking on snacks, savory or sweet, has become a way of life.
This hour, we sink our teeth into our snack-food obsessions.
GUESTS:
Andrea Hernández: Founder of SnaxShot
Julia Pistell: Freelance writer and co-founder of SeaTea Improv
Chris Prosperi: Chef and owner of Metro Bis
Mark Schatzker: Writer in residence at the Modern Diet and Physiology Research Center and the author of The Dorito Effect
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, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired July 25, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/8/2023 • 50 minutes
Why Jane Austen’s work endures, on the page and screen
Jane Austen completed six full-length novels. And today, more than two centuries later, those novels are all still present in our culture.
This hour, a look at Austen’s life and work, the world of Janeites, and the many film and television adaptations of her work.
GUESTS:
Devoney Looser: Author of The Making of Jane Austen and Sister Novelists: The Trailblazing Porter Sisters, Who Paved the Way for Austen and the Brontës
Deborah Yaffe: Author of Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom
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, Anya Grondalski, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 28, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2023 • 50 minutes
Why do AI voice assistants default to female voices?
Have you noticed that voice assistants, like Alexa and Siri, default to having female voices? This hour we talk about how artificial intelligence is reinforcing gender biases. Plus, we’ll 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
Lisa Yaszek: Regents Professor of Science Fiction Studies in the School of Literature, Media, and Communication at Georgia Tech
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
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, Lizzie Van Arnam, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/6/2023 • 48 minutes, 50 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘Women Talking’ and ‘The Consultant’
This week’s Nose has never asked the men for anything. Not a single thing.
Women Talking is an adaptation of Miriam Toews’s 2018 novel written and directed by Sarah Polley. It’s Polley’s fourth feature film as writer and director. Polley is nominated for the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, and the film is nominated for Best Picture. It’s the story of the women of an isolated religious community choosing their path forward: do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. Women Talking stars Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Sheila McCarthy, and more.
And: The Consultant is, so far, an eight-episode comedy-thriller series from Prime Video. It is created for television by Tony Bagsallop based on the 2016 novel by Bentley Little. Christoph Waltz stars as Regus Patoff, who may be more than just the titular corporate consultant.
Mercy Quaye’s endorsements:
Edge of Tomorrow on demand on HBO Max and available to rent on iTunes/Amazon/etc.
The Tomorrow War on Prime Video
Lindsay Lee Wallace’s endorsements:
The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar by Robin R. Means Coleman and Mark H. Harris
Force Majeure on demand on HBO Max and available to rent on iTunes/Amazon/etc.
Bill Yousman’s endorsement:
the music of Wayne Shorter
Colin’s endorsements:
The Last of Us on HBO
the podcast The Watch
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Wayne Shorter, Innovator During an Era of Change in Jazz, Dies at 89 His career as an influential tenor saxophonist and composer reached across more than half a century, tracking jazz’s complex evolution during that span.
‘The Idol’: How HBO’s Next ‘Euphoria’ Became Twisted ‘Torture Porn’ Thirteen sources tell Rolling Stone that The Idol — Sam Levinson’s new show with The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp — has gone wildly, disgustingly off the rails
This is the most populist Oscars in a long time So why doesn’t it feel like it?
The Great MLB Jersey Caper When players’ jerseys mysteriously started to disappear three years ago, teams weren’t just worried about the laundry—they were spooked by what seemed like a startling security breach. What came next: an all-out search for the thief.
The End of the English Major Enrollment in the humanities is in free fall at colleges around the country. What happened?
Chris Rock Is Finally Ready to Talk About Will Smith’s Oscar Slap The stand-up comedian, going live with a new Netflix special a week before the Oscars, spent the past year on tour and working out material on the infamous Oscar slap
Stop Groping Celebrities, You Creeps
The New Black Film Canon From Touki Bouki to Friday, the 75 greatest movies by Black directors, as chosen by our special panel of filmmakers and critics.
Why I Watch the Closing Credits of Every Movie I See One look is enough to challenge the myth of the genius auteur calling all the shots.
Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward Collection Will Be Auctioned in June by Sotheby’s A ‘Cool Hand Luke’ prop, Woodward’s wedding dress, one of Newman’s racing suits and a trove of 19th century American folk art are among the items offering “further insight into who they were beyond their glamorous Hollywood personas.”
The Bidens ordered the same dish at a restaurant. Who does that?
The Cult of Daniels How the directors of the universe-hopping kung fu drama Everything Everywhere All at Once became unlikely Oscar front-runners.
Two Sides of the HBO Apocalypse ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘Station Eleven’ are a natural point of comparison, but what separates the series is ultimately more instructive than what lumps them together
Artificial Digging: How Google’s AI Now Reveals What Producers Sampled
Are We Having Fun Yet?!: The Oral History of ‘Party Down’ As the Starz comedy makes an unlikely return to air, its creators look back on creating a unique inside-Hollywood workplace sitcom, scrapping through a difficult development period, and getting gold from Adam Scott, Ken Marino, and Jane Lynch
Netflix Announces ‘Stranger Things’ Prequel — As a Stage Show
Lord, We Are Doing the Double Down Again KFC is bringing back its breadless fried chicken sandwich, and it’s 2010 all over again
GUESTS:
Mercy Quaye: Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project
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, 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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/3/2023 • 50 minutes
Raising consciousness about lowering height
Join Colin and his guests this hour as they take the measure of shortness, 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
Tanya Osensky: Lawyer and author of the book Shortchanged: Height Discrimination and Strategies for Social Change
William Mann: Author and historian whose new book, Bogey and Bacall, comes out in June
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.
3/2/2023 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
The state of COVID, three years into the pandemic
We’re now three years into the COVID-19 pandemic. This hour we look back at the past few years, and how we attempt to make sense of them. We’ll talk with the co-director of a COVID-19 oral history project, and an author who’s included the pandemic in her latest novel. Plus, we’ll get an update on the state of the virus.
GUESTS:
Dr. Saskia Popescu: Infectious Disease Epidemiologist, and an Assistant Professor in the Biodefense Program within the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University
Ryan Hagen: Lecturer in the Department of Sociology at Columbia University, and Co-Director of the New York City COVID-19 Oral History Memory and Narrative Archive
Weike Wang: An author whose latest novel is Joan Is Okay
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/1/2023 • 49 minutes
From mall music to dead malls: The past, present, and future of American malls
Malls are an important gathering place for people of all ages to shop, eat, be entertained, walk, and enjoy the controlled temperature.
This hour, the history of malls in America, their unique design, and a look ahead to the future of those spaces, now that there are dead malls all over the country.
Plus: the art of curating mall music.
GUESTS:
Michael Bise: A former Gap employee who runs the Gap In-Store Playlists blog
Alexandra Lange: Author of Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall
Erik Pierson: Videographer of the YouTube channel Retail Archeology
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Ray Hardman, Greg Hill, Tucker Ives, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Patrick Skahill, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 21, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/28/2023 • 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 tailgating in the snow, modern monetary theory, the left hemisphere of the human brain, cycling, raising guide dogs for the blind, UFOs … 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!
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/27/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at Best Animated Feature Oscar nominees
This week’s Nose has every right to be consulted about your schemes and machinations regarding its property.
To this point, The Nose has covered exactly one significantly animated movie that came out in 2022. (We did also tackle I Am Groot, thank you very much.) So we decided to devote this show to three of the Best Animated Feature nominees at this year’s Academy Awards.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is a stop-motion animated adaptation of the 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature, and it is nominated for nine awards at Saturday night’s Annie Awards for excellence in animation. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is available to stream on Netflix.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is a stop-motion animated and live action adaptation of the series of shorts. It is nominated for four Annie Awards. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On is available to rent on Amazon/iTunes/etc.
And: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a computer-animated sequel to Puss in Boots, itself a spinoff from Shrek 2. The Last Wish is the sixth film in the Shrek franchise, and the second-highest grossing animated movie of 2022. It is nominated for six Annie Awards. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will be available to rent on Amazon/iTunes/etc. on February 28.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Richard Belzer, Extraordinarily Smart-Ass as a Comic and a TV Cop, Dies at 78 The stand-up legend and ‘Groove Tube’ actor played Det. John Munch on ‘Homicide: Life on the Street,’ ‘Law and Order: SVU’ and eight other shows.
Every US president as a Pixar character: Baseball writer uses AI to generate America’s 46 leaders as cartoon characters
Pete Docter Opens Up About the Past, Present and Future of Pixar The Annies honoree and Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer tells TheWrap about bringing more diverse voices to the studio, “Toy Story 5” and where “Lightyear” went wrong
Film Forum’s longtime director on why New York still needs movie theaters
Carey Mulligan Was Mistakenly Announced As The Winner For Best Supporting Actress At The BAFTAs “This is a bad moment.”
Titanic Is Still the Purest Expression of Who James Cameron Is
Could Mediocre Movies Save Movie Theaters? ‘Ticket to Paradise,’ ‘A Man Called Otto’ and ‘80 for Brady’ Say Yes
Miami Vice’s Journey From Misfire to Masterpiece
Mindhunter Is Officially Dead; Long Live Mindhunter David Fincher is closing the door on his perfect true-crime series, one of Netflix’s best offerings.
The End Of TCM Underground Is A Huge Loss
The End of “Succession” Is Near The show’s creator, Jesse Armstrong, explains why he has chosen to conclude the drama of the Roy family in its fourth season.
New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movies Set at Warner Bros.
Roald Dahl’s publisher responds to backlash by keeping ‘classic’ texts in print
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
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!
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.
2/24/2023 • 49 minutes, 2 seconds
There’s always a reason to celebrate: A look at the world of unusual holidays
Today is Curling is Cool Day, Digital Learning Day, Single-Tasking Day, National Chili Day, and Introduce a Girl To Engineering Day. And these are just a few of hundreds of examples of unusual holidays observed throughout the year. This hour we learn all about these unusual holidays and how they’re created. We discover why some people find joy in celebrating these days, and we talk with the creators of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, National Grammar Day, and Find Your Inner Nerd Day.
GUESTS:
Marlo Anderson: Founder of the National Day Calendar
John Baur: Co-founder of International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Martha Brockenbrough: Author, teacher, and creator of National Grammar Day
Holly McGuire: Editor-in-chief of Chase’s Calendar of Events
Beth Ziesenis: Author, speaker, and founder of Find Your Inner Nerd Day
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/23/2023 • 49 minutes
Our relationship to UFOs is changing
UFOs are in the news again. This hour we look at how a once fringe interest in UFOs became mainstream. We discuss why so many Americans believe in extraterrestrial life, how our relationship to UFOs have changed over time, and how the government and pop culture contribute to these beliefs. Finally, we learn about the frequency illusion, and what that can teach us about the prevalence of unidentified objects in the sky.
GUESTS:
Greg Eghigian: Professor of History and Bioethics at Penn State
Carly Leonard: Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Colorado Denver
Diana Walsh Pasulka: Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religion. She is the author of American Cosmic: UFOs, Religion, Technology
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/22/2023 • 49 minutes
Anger, politics, death: Revisiting ‘The Iliad’ through a modern lens
Homer’s The Iliad is a literary classic.
This hour, we look at some of the many ways the epic applies to life today, in our understanding of plague, death, politics, and anger.
We look at the value of returning to the story over and over again and how it can be used as a framework for other stories.
GUESTS:
Emily Katz Anhalt: Professor of classical languages and literature at Sarah Lawrence College and the author of Embattled: How Ancient Greek Myths Empower Us To Resist Tyranny and Enraged: Why Violent Times Need Ancient Greek Myths
Joel Christensen: Professor of classical studies and senior associate dean for faculty affairs at Brandeis University and the author of The Many-Minded Man: The Odyssey, Psychology, and the Therapy of Epic
Maya Deane: Author of Wrath Goddess Sing
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 13, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/21/2023 • 50 minutes
‘A very particular set of skills’: A look at late-career Liam Neeson movies
If I say “Liam Neeson movie,” you picture, at this point, a pretty specific thing, right? It’s kind of an action-thriller. Neeson is avenging some wrong. It’s usually some wrong against his family. And it’s usually avenged with Neeson’s “particular set of skills.”
Basically, the movie is some version of Taken, right?
Well, Taken came out in 2008. Liam Neeson has been making these movies for 15 years now. He turned 70 last year, and he says he just made his 100th movie. (I’ve put a certain amount of effort into trying to figure out just what he’s counting to get to exactly 100, and I can’t quite do it. But I’ve decided we should just accept the guy’s count. Right?)
The Nose is off this week. In its place, and with the release Wednesday of Marlowe, a Not Necessarily theNose-style look at late-career Liam Neeson, post-Taken Liam Neeson, doing-action-movies-into-his-70s Liam Neeson.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Raquel Welch, ‘One Million Years B.C.’ and ‘Three Musketeers’ Icon, Dies at 82
Trugoy the Dove, founding member of De La Soul, dead at 54
Cody Longo, ‘Days of Our Lives’ actor, dead at 34
Penn Badgley Says He Wants to Put His Sex Scenes to Bed
How Rihanna Pioneered a New Kind of Super Bowl Performance The singer gave much of her halftime show performance atop seven suspended platforms. It was all in the name of protecting the grass.
How the Oscars and Grammys Thrive on the Lie of Meritocracy Despite all the markers of excellence, contenders like Danielle Deadwyler, Viola Davis and Beyoncé weren’t recognized for the highest honors. Niche awards don’t suffice.
Aliens And UFOs May Have Just Made Contact With Us, And Now Everyone’s Meme-ing About ItThey better pick me…
John Wick 4’s Long Runtime Sets New Franchise Record
An Ode to Swearing A well-turned curse can remind you of the power of language.
The Wit and Wisdom of Regé-Jean Page The former Bridgerton star (and possibly the next James Bond?) is awfully humble for someone named the most handsome man in the world.
A new, old rhythm: How the pitch clock could be profoundly positive
The Case for Hanging Out There’s a growing crisis in our social lives. Could the cure be this simple?
GUESTS:
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Nate Fisher: A writer and comedian and cohost of the podcast A Closer Look
Ben Lindbergh: Senior editor at The Ringer
Stephen Marche: A novelist and essayist; his newest book, out this week, is On Writing and Failure: Or, On the Peculiar Perseverance Required to Endure the Life of a Writer
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 30, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/17/2023 • 50 minutes
“I once had a dentist named Dr. Fillmore”: Stories of nominative determinism
There's a theory called 'nominative determinism' that people are drawn to work that fits their name. This hour we explore that theory. And we 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. He’s now retired, but in his career as an ornithologist he was president of the Raptor Research Foundation and the Society of Canadian Ornithologists
Brett Pelham: Professor of Psychology at Montgomery College
Tess Terrible: Senior Producer of Where We Live
Laura Wattenberg: Naming expert, author of The Baby Name Wizard, and the creator of namerology.com
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/16/2023 • 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 surprising and compelling.
This hour, the conversation focuses largely on right to die laws and mental health, while also winding around to a private high school closing in Uncasville, stuff that’s wrong with the human body, public disclosure of lottery winners (or not), and more.
If you are or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, text or call 9-8-8, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/15/2023 • 49 minutes
First dates and lockdown love stories: a look at romance during COVID
This hour, a look at how the pandemic shaped dating, long-term relationships, and love over its first two years.
GUESTS:
Philippa Found: An artist and writer and the creator of Lockdownlovestories
Hiwote Getaneh: A producer on the This Is Dating podcast
Laura Kipnis: Author of Love in the Time of Contagion: A Diagnosis
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 14, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/14/2023 • 50 minutes
Hey, Burt, these folks are in love with you
Burt Bacharach was, simply put, one of the most important figures in popular music in the 20th century.
He wrote 73 Top 40 hits, including songs like “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “That’s What Friends Are For,” and “Arthur’s Theme.”
He was nominated for six Academy Awards, 21 Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award, of which he won three Oscars, six Grammys, and an Emmy.
His songs have been recorded by more than a thousand different artists.
Bacharach died last week at age 94. This hour, a look back at his seven-decade-long songwriting career.
GUESTS:
Noah Baerman: A pianist, composer, and educator; his most recent album, with Henry Lugo, is Alter Ego
Illeana Douglas: Official Movie Star of The Colin McEnroe Show
Steve Metcalf: Founder and director of the Garmany concert series at the university of Hartford’s Hartt School
Gene Seymour: A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek”
Paula West: A jazz and cabaret singer
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!
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.
2/13/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘Triangle of Sadness’
This week’s Nose needs food to live, so it begins to devour its host from within.
The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic TV series adapted for HBO from the classic PlayStation game. It stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.
And: Triangle of Sadness is a black comedy written and directed by Ruben Östlund. It’s his English-language feature film debut, and it won the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. It’s nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Östlund and Best Motion Picture of the Year.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Burt Bacharach, Composer Who Added a High Gloss to the ’60s, Dies at 94 His sophisticated collaborations with the lyricist Hal David — “The Look of Love,” “Walk On By,” “Alfie” and many more hits — evoked a sleek era of airy romance.
Melinda Dillon, Actress in ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and ‘A Christmas Story,’ Dies at 83 A two-time Oscar nominee, she also appeared in ‘Bound for Glory,’ ‘Slap Shot’ and on Broadway in ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’
Charles Kimbrough, Actor Best Known for ‘Murphy Brown,’ Dies at 86 In a career that included a Tony nomination for “Company,” he specialized in playing uptight characters, notably Candice Bergen’s stuffy straight man.
In Memoriam: Austin Butler’s Elvis Voice (2019–2023) After three years of Method acting as the King, the “Elvis” actor has announced he’s “getting rid of” the accent that got him mocked at the Golden Globes.
18 “Normal” Things In Our Society That Are Actually, Pretty Weird, Cruel, Damaging, Etc. “Only doing nice things for clout. I’m looking at all the influencers who film themselves giving food, blankets, money, etc., to homeless people. Tell me they’d do that if there wasn’t a camera filming them.”
Jimmy Fallon Explains to Paul Shaffer Why All Comedians Laugh Like Him “Ahhhh!” (He’s got a point.)
Armie Hammer Breaks His Silence Two years after some of the most shocking allegations of the #MeToo era lit up the Internet and destroyed his career, the actor has finally decided to tell his side of the story
“2001: A Space Odyssey” directed by George Lucas?
Avatar: The Way Of Water And Titanic Are About To Enter A Tight Race At The Box Office
What’s the deal with this AI Seinfeld stream?
White Men Can’t Jump Teaser Trailer: Sinqua Walls And Jack Harlow Are Ready To Play Ball
Dave Chappelle Wins Grammy for Netflix Special Condemned for Being Transphobic Following its release in October 2021, ‘The Closer’ was criticized for the comedian’s material focused on the transgender community.
18 Jokes Elon Musk Stole From His Fans On Twitter
AMC Theatres to Change Movie Ticket Prices Based on Seat Location
Duluth 14-year-old has slept outside for 1,021 straight nights, and still counting
‘Yellowstone’ Shocker: Kevin Costner Cowboy Drama Series Plots End As Taylor Sheridan Eyes Franchise Extension With Matthew McConaughey
‘Get something that’s fun to play, then think about the story’: how Nintendo keeps levelling up
Ben Affleck’s Misery at the 2023 Grammys Became Twitter’s Favorite New Meme
Mike Schur Comedy Series Starring Ted Danson Based On ‘The Mole Agent’ Documentary Sparks Bidding War
‘The Late Late Show With James Corden’ To Be Replaced With ‘@midnight’ Reboot Exec Produced By Stephen Colbert On CBS
The Mystery of the Dune Font Putting a name to the typeface that defined the visual identity of the science fiction series and its author, Frank Herbert
Gustavo Dudamel Will Take Over the New York Philharmonic And the internet wants to replace him in Los Angeles with … Lydia Tár.
Harrison Ford: “I Know Who the F*** I Am” The actor is busier than ever with ‘Shrinking,’ ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ and ‘1923.’ We tried to get the delightfully testy 80-year-old icon to open up about his life and latest projects. Here’s how that went.
Steven Spielberg’s Oscar Curse Inside nearly 50 years of frustration at the Academy Awards for the most popular director of all time.
The unacceptable look on Madonna’s face We seem so horrified when women age, no matter how they try to do it.
The Films Steven Soderbergh Watches on a Loop A conversation with the director about his inspirations for Magic Mike’s Last Dance
‘It was a witch-burning’: Roseanne may forgive Hollywood, but she’ll never forget
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: The most dangerous woman in speculative fiction and the host of the Rite Gudpodcast
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
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!
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.
2/10/2023 • 50 minutes
Out of tune: The challenges of keeping a band together
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:
Steven Hyden: Cultural critic at UPROXX and the author of several books on rock music, most recently Long Road: Pearl Jam and the Soundtrack of a Generation
Nerissa Nields: Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and founding member of The Nields
Jim Chapdelaine: Guitarist, producer, Emmy Award-winning composer, recording engineer, and an adjunct professor at the University of Hartford School of Music
Jay Russell: Singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Connecticut whose current band is The Split Coils; former member of Hot Rod Circuit
Heather Ferguson: Psychotherapist, psychoanalyst, and clinical supervisor in New York City, and a member of the Music Industry Therapist Collective
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, Lily Tyson, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/9/2023 • 49 minutes, 5 seconds
What our monsters say about us
This hour, we talk about what we can learn when we hear a story from a monster’s perspective. We discuss misunderstood monsters and why humans create monsters in the first place.
Plus, we learn more about Medusa and talk to a researcher who studied purported yeti samples to find the animal behind the myth.
GUESTS:
Asa Simon Mittman: Professor of Art and Art History at California State University, Chico
Natalie Haynes: Writer, broadcaster, and author whose newest book is Stone Blind
Charlotte Lindqvist: Associate Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/8/2023 • 49 minutes
How robots, and our attitudes toward them, have evolved
What counts as a robot? This hour, a look at what robots are and the latest in robot technology.
Plus, how robots were used and thought about in medieval times and Ancient Greece and the role of robots in science fiction.
GUESTS:
Chris Atkeson: Professor at the Robotics Institute and the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University
Adrienne Mayor: Author of Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines and Ancient Dreams of Technology, among other books
Elly Truitt: Author of Medieval Robots: Mechanism, Magic, Nature, and Art
Daniel H. Wilson: Author of Robopocalypse and How To Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion, among other books
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 12, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/7/2023 • 50 minutes
The fungus among us
The HBO television adaptation of the video game The Last of Us takes place after a global pandemic caused by a fungal infection. Which sparked the question: how much should we be afraid of fungal infections in our world today?
This hour, we learn about the real-life fungal infection of ants that inspired the video game, and we discuss the role of fungi in our world. Plus, we talk with a local mushroom farmer and an author who writes fungal fiction.
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 recently co-founded The Sunshine State Biodiversity Group
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
2/6/2023 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ and ‘Poker Face’
This week’s Nose thanks you for your underwear concern.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a sequel to 2018’s Black Panther. It is the seventh and final movie in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the first phase of The Multiverse Saga. It is the 30th film overall in the MCU. I don’t really know what most of that stuff means, but here’s some stuff I do understand: Wakanda Forever is the fourth movie written and directed by Ryan Coogler. It’s the second-highest grossing movie of 2022 at the domestic box office. And it’s currently nominated for five Academy Awards.
And: Poker Face is a howcatchem, case-of-the-week murder mystery series created by Rian Johnson. It follows Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, a woman who can always — always — tell when someone is lying. Five episodes are currently available on Peacock.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Cindy Williams, Co-Star of ‘Laverne & Shirley,’ Dies at 75 From 1976 to 1983, she (Shirley) and Penny Marshall (Laverne) drew millions of viewers to a sitcom playing roommates who worked in a Milwaukee brewery.
George P. Wilbur, Actor And Stunt Man Known For Halloween Movies, Has Died At 81
‘Father of Peeps’ Bob Born, whose tech made popular candy chicks, dies at 98
A Eulogy for Gawker, the Best and Worst Thing I Ever Made.
Ozzy Osbourne cancels all shows, says his touring career is over
2023 Grammy Awards: The full list of nominees
Netflix Unveils First Details of New Anti-Password Sharing Measures
Do You Know How to Behave? Are You Sure? How to text, tip, ghost, host, and generally exist in polite society today.
Showtime and Paramount+ Merging, With Rebrand Planned Both the linear Showtime channel and the premium version of Paramount+ will be rebranded as CEO Bob Bakish acknowledges “uncertainty” for staff, and company seeks to focus on shows with “franchise” potential.
The Last Of Us Is Giving Linda Ronstadt A Stranger Things-Style Soundtrack Boost
What Became of the Oscar Streaker? After Robert Opel dashed naked across the stage in 1974, he ran for President and settled into the gay leather scene, in the orbit of Robert Mapplethorpe and Harvey Milk.
Academy Won’t Revoke Andrea Riseborough’s ‘To Leslie’ Oscar Nom Despite Backlash, But “Tactics Are Being Addressed”
GUESTS:
Helder Mira: Multimedia producer at Trinity College and co-host of the So Pretentious podcast
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
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
2/3/2023 • 49 minutes
Pizza boxes, expiration dates, and donkeys
This hour we discuss the problem with pizza boxes and food expiration dates. Plus we look at the history of the donkey and what it can tell us about human history.
GUESTS:
Samantha Brooks: Associate Professor of Equine Physiology and a Member of the Genetics Institute at the University of Florida
Brian Roe: The Van Buren Professor in the Department of Agriculture, Environmental, and Development Economics at Ohio State University who leads the Ohio State Food Waste Collaborative
Scott Wiener: New York Pizza-Tour Guide, Author of Viva la Pizza!: The Art of the Pizza Box, who maintains a Guinness World Record-winning collection of pizza boxes
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/2/2023 • 40 minutes, 43 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 — 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. EST 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, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, 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.
2/1/2023 • 40 minutes, 37 seconds
Redheads: From stereotypes to superpowers
Redheads. They smell better. They’re better at sensing temperature changes. They can handle more pain. (Those things are apparently all true.)
But. From being associated with witchcraft in the Middle Ages to being portrayed as hot-tempered or even soulless in our present popular culture, the red-haired continue to be seen as another kind of other.
This hour, in the era of Prince Harry and Ed Sheeran and Jessica Chastain and Amy Adams, a look at the myths and reality surrounding red hair.
GUESTS:
Jacky Colliss Harvey: Author of Red: A History of the Redhead
Erin La Rosa: Creator of the blog Side of Ginger and author of The Big Redhead Book: Inside the Secret Society of Red Hair
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired in a different form January 16, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/31/2023 • 42 minutes
Classified documents, font controversies, and the connection between exercise and spirituality
This hour: are too many documents classified in the U.S.? Plus, why the State Department is changing its default font. And, we'll look at the connection between exercise and spirituality.
GUESTS:
Matthew Connelly: Professor of International and Global History at Columbia University, author of the forthcoming book The Declassification Engine: What History Reveals About America’s Top Secrets, and principal investigator of History Lab
Juan Villanueva: Senior Type Designer at the Monotype Studio, and co-founder of Type Electives, an online school for type design education
Cody Musselman: Postdoctoral Research Associate at the John C. Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, who is working on a book called Spiritual Exercises: Fitness and Religion in Modern America
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/30/2023 • 41 minutes, 39 seconds
The Nose looks at the Oscar noms and ‘The Menu’
This week’s Nose never burns anything unless by design — to make delicious.
This year’s Academy Award nominations were announced Tuesday morning. Everything Everywhere All at Once leads the pack with 11. Steven Spielberg, nominated three times for The Fabelmans, earned his first-ever screenwriting nod in 45 years of nominations. Tom Cruise is nominated for the first time in 23 years (and for the first time as a producer). The Best Actor field is all first-time nominees (something that hadn’t happened since 1934), and the Best Actress category is among the hardest to predict in recent memory.
Lots of good stories. And yet there’s plenty for the internet to get all riled up about, too. There are no women among the Best Director nominees. Jordan Peele and his Nope were completely ignored. Ryan Coogler didn’t get a Best Director nom for his blockbuster Black Panther sequel (though Coogler is actually nominated this year — for Best Original Song). In fact, there are zero movies by Black filmmakers nominated anywhere among the Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, or International Feature categories. The Oscars seem to have taken some steps backwards in certain ways.
And: The Menu is a haute cuisine horror/thriller/comedy directed by Mark Mylod and produced by, among others, Adam McKay and Will Ferrell. It stars Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy, who both earned leading actor nominations at the Golden Globes … but not at the Academy Awards.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Paul La Farge, Inventive Novelist, Is Dead at 52 He played with history and narrative techniques whether writing about 19th-century France or H.P. Lovecraft.
Panic! at the Disco Is Over, Brendon Urie Says The group’s last remaining original member is turning his attention toward family life
M&M’s Ditches ‘Spokescandies’ After Tucker Carlson Complained About Their Sexiness ‘SHOES CAN BE POLARIZING’
Reading is precious – which is why I’ve been giving away my books I’m donating my books to people who can most benefit from them. Why keep a novel that could delight someone else?
Twitter Is Obsessed With A Rumor That Shakira Discovered Her Husband Cheated Because Of Strawberry Jam, And The Memes Are Very, Very, Very Good Apparently no one messes with Shakira and her strawberry jam.
Ticketmaster Hearing Takeaways: After Taylor Swift Debacle, Some Senators Call Live Nation a ‘Monopoly’ The Senate Judiciary Committee explored whether the merger of Live Nation, the giant concert company, and Ticketmaster, the leading ticket seller, has harmed consumers by stifling competition.
Why we all need subtitles now It’s not you — TV dialogue has gotten harder to hear.
How Many Peaches Can Justin Bieber Buy With $200 Million?
Columbo and Chill How the internet turned a boomer TV cop into a sex symbol and queer icon.
We Think Rian Johnson’s Poker Face Is a Superhero Show, and He’s OK With That We asked the Glass Onion director about the mysterious power at the center of his new Peacock detective series.
Rian Johnson Mastered the Whodunit. Now He’s on to the “Howcatchem.” In an interview with The Ringer, the ‘Glass Onion’ director discussed his new crime mystery series ‘Poker Face,’ his TV experience with ‘Breaking Bad,’ and why Natasha Lyonne is the perfect collaborator
A font feud brews after State Dept. picks Calibri over Times New Roman The Times (New Roman) are a-Changin,’ read the subject line of a cable from Secretary of State Antony Blinken to U.S. embassies as part of an accessibility push
NCIS: Los Angeles Is Coming To An End After 14 Seasons And 322 Episodes
My Husband Was Right About DVDs All Along
Avatar: The Way Of Water Becomes James Cameron’s Third $2 Billion Movie At The Worldwide Box Office
25 Years Of Spice World And The Peak Of ’90s Girl Power
There’s Snow on Mars And it would be strangely beautiful to behold.
Beyoncé Was Paid Millions To Perform At A Hotel Grand Opening In Dubai, And Fans Aren’t Happy About It Beyoncé was reportedly paid $24 million for her performance.
Go Ahead And Cross The Streams With A Ghostbusters Rewatch
A Children’s Classic with a Refreshing Lack of Lessons “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” refuses explicit conclusions. That’s the source of its appeal.
Syndicated Late-Night Talk Show With Craig Ferguson Shopped By Sony Pictures TV For Fall 2023
A Radiohead fan has recreated the whole In Rainbows album using sounds from Mario 64 On4word delivers his super Mario odyssey with a little help from the SoundFont format
New owner of Astoria Goonies house wants to keep it open for movie fans
Asteroid Measurements Make No Sense Is this space rock the size of a train car or 22 penguins?
Jimmy Kimmel celebrates 20 years as a (reluctant) late night TV institution
Future Cringe One day we’ll look back on this moment and wonder: What were we thinking?
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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.
1/27/2023 • 50 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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/26/2023 • 48 minutes, 55 seconds
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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.
1/25/2023 • 50 minutes, 19 seconds
‘Monuments aren’t history lessons’: A look at the present and future of monuments
This hour we look at the landscape of monuments across the United States and explore how new monuments are created and how old ones are decommissioned.
Plus, what could a COVID-19 memorial look like and represent?
GUESTS:
Sue Mobley: Director of research at Monument Lab
Erin Thompson: Professor of art crime at John Jay College and the author of Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America’s Public Monuments
Kristin Urquiza: Co-founder and chief activist of Marked by COVID
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 7, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/24/2023 • 50 minutes
Now we’re cooking with gas! But should we be?
Talk of regulating gas stoves in the United States recently ignited a firestorm. This hour we talk about what sparked the debate, the health impacts of gas stoves, and why many have grown attached to them. Plus, we look at what this debate can teach us about climate communications and actions, and the history and culture of cooking.
GUESTS:
Daniel Cohan: Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Rice University, and author of Confronting Climate Gridlock
Megan Elias: Historian, Director of the Gastronomy Program, and Associate Professor at Boston University
Rebecca Leber: Senior Climate Reporter for Vox
Join 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!
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/23/2023 • 49 minutes
The artful todger: The Nose looks at ‘Spare’ and the present Prince Harry moment
This week’s Nose has no prince autopilot button that you can press and it just takes you away.
The English-language edition of Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex’s Spare reportedly sold 1.43 million copies on the day it was published and 3.2 million copies in its first week. It is now the fastest-selling non-fiction book ever published.
And then there’s Harry & Meghan, the six-part docuseries about Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. Its December debut was the biggest ever for a Netflix documentary, with a total of 81.6 million hours watched, amounting to more than 28 million households, over its first four days, according to Netflix.
And there’s the 60 Minutes interview and the Late Show interview and the ITV interview and all their attendant outsized audience numbers.
This week’s Nose looks at the present Prince Harry moment.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
David Crosby, Byrds and Crosby, Stills & Nash Co-Founder, Dies at 81
Gina Lollobrigida, Italian Bombshell Movie Star, Dies at 95
Brian Tufano, British Cinematographer Known For Trainspotting And Billy Elliot, Has Died At 83
Alec Baldwin Will Be Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter in ‘Rust’ Killing A gun that Mr. Baldwin was rehearsing with went off, killing the film’s cinematographer. The armorer responsible for weapons on set also faces manslaughter charges.
Wikipedia’s Redesign Is Barely Noticeable. That’s the Point.
A decade on, the ‘This is fine’ creator wants to put the famous dog to rest
This Film Does Not Exist
Paramount+ Pivots ‘Mayor of Kingstown’ Marketing to Remove Wounds From Jeremy Renner’s Face “It’s good of the network,” co-creator Hugh Dillon says, adding: “Everybody is sensitive to Jeremy" following his snowplow accident.
Channing Tatum Is Back for Magic Mike’s Last Dance And ready to talk about life, love, and learning to be a feminist.
‘The SNL of Sabermetrics’: How a group of message-board misfits changed baseball
“Hater” doesn’t have to be a dirty word Meet the influencers who won’t “let people enjoy things.”
Sunrise Is The Only Best Picture Oscar Winner The Academy Doesn’t Recognize
The Mindy Kaling Backlash Has Lost All Nuance Recent criticism of the comedian’s artistic laziness has fans reexamining her whole career.
‘Night Court’ Is NBC’s Best Comedy Debut in Five Years The update of the 1980s sitcom also has the best 18–49 rating this season for any network entertainment show without an NFL lead-in.
In the fight against slowing growth, Netflix and its rivals are all in this together
Sexbots Are Liking People’s Instagram Stories And It’s Getting Weird Now “them IG sex bots was there when you weren’t”
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer: A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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.
1/20/2023 • 49 minutes
It’s a flu! From COVID to pregnancy, a look at home testing
Thanks to rapid COVID-19 tests, most of us have gotten comfortable taking medical tests at home. But why aren't there home tests for more diseases? This hour, we look at the phenomenon of home medical tests, explore what's in store for their future, and discuss their impact on the medical world. Plus, we'll dig into the history and the cultural impact of home pregnancy tests.
GUESTS:
Dr. Michael Mina: The Chief Science Officer of eMed
Dr. Catherine Klapperich: Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Boston University, and Scientific Director of the Design, Automation, Manufacturing, and Processes Laboratory at Boston University
Karen Weingarten: Associate Professor of English at Queens College of the City University of New York, and author of the forthcoming book Pregnancy Test
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.T
he 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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/19/2023 • 48 minutes, 57 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 aging and independent living, printers and their upkeep, leaving the TV on for your pets, the dangers of deflated balloons to cattle and otherwise … 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!
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/18/2023 • 49 minutes
From Achilles to Harry Potter: How the hero’s journey helps, and limits, our storytelling
The concept of the hero’s journey was popularized by Joseph Campbell and outlined in his 1949 book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Campbell based the hero’s journey framework off of myths from around the world. Since then, the idea of the hero’s journey has been used in popular books and movies from Star Wars through Harry Potter to The Hunger Games and beyond.
But, despite its popularity, Campbell’s hero’s journey framework has faced a number of criticisms, including that he left women out of the story. Maria Tatar’s new book, The Heroine with 1,001 Faces, changes that.
This hour, a look at the impact of the hero’s journey — and at its limitations.
GUESTS:
Jeff Garvin: Co-host of the The Hero’s Journey podcast
Lev Grossman: Author of the Magicians trilogy; his newest book is The Golden Swift
Maria Tatar: Author of The Heroine with 1,001 Faces
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired June 30, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/17/2023 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Decision to Leave,’ bids adieu to Stoned Wheat Thins, and more
Decision to Leave (헤어질 결심) is the eleventh feature film directed by Park Chan-wook. It deftly threads the police procedural, neo-noir, mystery, and, maybe, romance genres together. Decision to Leave was nominated for Best Non-English Language Film at the Golden Globe Awards, and it’s shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
Some other possible topics include:
Jeff Beck, Guitarist With a Chapter in Rock History, Dies at 78 His playing with the Yardbirds and as leader of his own bands brought a sense of adventure to their groundbreaking recordings.
Lisa Marie Presley dies at 54 after hospitalization
The World of Crackers Has Lost a Giant Rest in power.
The Winners and Losers of the 2023 Golden Globes Hollywood’s most tumultuous award show returned to television and offered a surprising number of pleasing moments—even if the play-off music almost stopped them from happening
I’m the Prince from ‘Two Princes,’ and I have also written a tell-all
In the age of anti-police sentiment, why do we still love detective stories so much? Despite increased distrust in policing, films about detective work have only become more popular, achieving both financial and critical acclaim.
This Device Will Not Let You LOL Unless You Mean It When you type “LOL” in a message to your friends, do you really laugh out loud? This device will hold you accountable.
Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ in Peril Amid Ballooning Budget, Crew Exodus The filmmaker is halfway through the movie in Atlanta, with one source describing the set as “absolute madness.”
Spielberg, ‘Top Gun’ feted by National Board of Review
People Are Calling Out Gwen Stefani After She Repeatedly Said She’s Japanese In An Interview“Gwen Stefani telling an Asian American interviewer that she identifies as Japanese is the kind of oblivion i’m trying to channel in this dark, cruel world.”
Women Were Better Represented in Hollywood During the Silent Film Era, AFI Study Reports
Games Rule: Sports events account for all but six of the top 100 telecasts of 2022
People Are Revealing The Beloved Celebrities They Actually Can’t Stand, And While Some Hurt My Heart, Others Are Spot-On
Why Top Gun: Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski Should Be Nominated For Best Director
I Ranked 133 Celeb’s Bathrooms From Best To Worst, And I’m Honestly SHOCKED By How Many Are Ugly And Dysfunctional Money can’t buy you class, but it CAN help celebrities buy some truly horrific looking bathrooms 🤑🚽
Matilda’s Trunchbull Is Still Evolving How Roald Dahl’s last great character went from misogynistic caricature to drag showstopper to Emma Thompson.
GUESTS:
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Helder Mira: Multimedia producer at Trinity College and co-host of the So Pretentious 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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/13/2023 • 50 minutes
There are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth. How do we make sense of a number like that?
We recently heard that scientists are estimating that there are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth. Which made us wonder: how do we make sense of a number like that?
This hour is all about how we relate to unimaginable numbers, both large and small. And, why our inability to conceptualize large numbers can have a real-world impact during times like a pandemic.
GUESTS:
Shabnam Mousavi: A scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and a senior scientist at the Center for Artificial Intelligence
Sabine Nooten: An insect ecologist and a temporary principal investigator at the University of Würzburg
Elizabeth Toomarian: Director of the Brainwave Learning Center at Synapse School and an educational neuroscience Researcher at Stanford University
Edward Tufte: The author of five books on information design and data visualization
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/12/2023 • 49 minutes
Late night TV’s idea of diversity is a white guy not named Jimmy
In just the last year, at least six different late night comedy shows have ended. Conan O’Brien left Conanon TBS, who also canceled Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. Desus & Mero split up, ending their Showtime program. NBC canceled the very late A Little Late with Lilly Singh. Trevor Noah just left The Daily Show a few weeks ago, and James Corden has announced that he’ll leave The Late Late Show later this year. (And let’s not forget HBO Max’s currently disappeared The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo.)
And then there’s Saturday Night Live. Eight cast members left the show before Season 48 premiered in October — including the likes of Kate McKinnon and Kyle Mooney and Pete Davidson. And then Cecily Strong left last month, too. SNL’s current cast includes four new featured players.
So there’s a lot of churn and change in late night right now. Oh, and here’s one other new thing: The most-watched show in late night comedy at the moment is on, uh … Fox News? (This idea requires a liberal — you see what I did there — definition of “late night.” And maybe “comedy,” too. But still.)
This hour, a look at the current state and possible future of late night.
GUESTS:
Eric Deggans: NPR’s television critic
Constance Grady: Senior correspondent on the culture team for Vox
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/11/2023 • 50 minutes
Hey, ho, let’s go! 50 years of punk rock
Punk rock’s been around for a good half a century now.
This hour, a deep dive into punk’s past and present.
GUESTS:
Legs McNeil: Co-founder of PUNK Magazine and co-author of Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
Kelefa Sanneh: Author of Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres and a staff writer at The New Yorker
Ben Social and Amy Wappel: Formed the Connecticut-based punk band Sadplant in 2007
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired June 29, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/10/2023 • 50 minutes
Never bring a cane to a knife fight and other lessons of Congress's chaotic week
After 15 votes, Representative Kevin McCarthy is now speaker of the House of Representatives. This hour we talk about that election, its historical significance, and C-SPAN’s coverage of it.
GUESTS:
Joanne Freeman: The Class of 1954 Professor of History and American Studies at Yale University and the co-host of the American History and politics podcast “Now & Then.” Her most recent book is The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War
Ben O’Connell: C-SPAN’s Director of Editorial Operations
Aaron Rupar: Independent journalist and publisher of the “Public Notice” newsletter, covering U.S. Politics and Media
Join 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!
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/9/2023 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘White Noise’ and ‘The Recruit’
This week’s Nose is like a shapeless, growing thing, a dark, black, breathing thing of smoke.
White Noise is a movie adaptation of the landmark 1985 Don DeLillo novel written and directed by Noah Baumbach. It stars Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, and Don Cheadle, and Driver is nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy. Netflix calls the movie, “At once hilarious and horrifying, lyrical and absurd, ordinary and apocalyptic.”
And: The Recruit is an eight-episode espionage adventure/comedy/drama/thriller thing series on Netflix. It is created by Alexi Hawley, and Doug Liman directs its first two episodes. Noah Centineo stars as a new CIA lawyer who finds himself caught up in more actual international intrigue than he’s prepared for.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Henry Grossman, Photographer of Celebrities and Beatles, Dies at 86 He was best known for his formal portraits of prominent politicians and entertainers. Less famously, he took thousands of candid shots of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
Novelist Appears to Announce She’s Alive 2 Years After Faking Suicide: ‘Let the Fun Begin’ “I debated on how to do this a million times,” Susan Meachen recently wrote on her Facebook page.
The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time From Sinatra to SZA, from R&B to salsa to alt-rock
‘Glass Onion’ and ‘Babylon’ Have Broken People’s Brains It’s time to log off, folks
Sleazeballs are hot again Matty Healy, for when you’re ready to graduate from Harry Styles.
More Networks Are Pulling Shows From Streaming — And This Trend Couldn’t Be More Dangerous
‘Office Space’ Inspired Engineer’s Theft Scheme, Police Say The authorities said a software engineer in Washington State stole more than $300,000 from his employer and named the scheme after the 1999 workplace comedy.
Secret Meetings, Tequila and Black Adam vs. Superman: How Dwayne Johnson’s Bid for DC Power Flamed Out
Martin Scorsese: The ‘Clouds Lifted’ for Cinema’s Future When I Saw ‘TÁR’ Scorsese praised Todd Field’s “high-wire act” before bestowing upon him the Best Picture prize at Wednesday night’s New York Film Critics Circle awards.
The Best Movie Posters of 2022
GUESTS:
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and the chief communications officer at Buzz Engine
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
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!
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.
1/6/2023 • 50 minutes
Read after watching: How episode recaps became part of our TV experience
This hour we discuss episode recaps and why we need them. We talk about why they're so popular, what makes them useful, and what their prevalence can tell us about the current TV landscape. Plus, we learn about why we have trouble remembering all the TV we watch, and we take a look at the evolution of the “previously on” television recap sequence.
GUESTS:
Dr. Wilma Bainbridge: Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Chicago.
Alison Herman: Television critic for The Ringer
Genevieve Koski: Senior TV Editor for New York Magazine
Jason Mittell: Professor of Film and Media Culture at Middlebury College, who has written numerous books about American television
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/5/2023 • 49 minutes
Lost in translation: Our ode to the art of translating
Translators help open up our worlds by bringing us stories from around the globe. But often they’re not given very much credit for their work.
This hour, the art of translation. Plus, a look at the challenges of translating movies and TV shows through subtitles and dubbing for international audiences.
GUESTS:
Jennifer Croft: Writer and translator and the winner of the 2018 Booker International Prize for her translation of Olga Tokarczuk’s Flights
Denise Kripper: Translation editor for Latin American Literature Today and an associate professor of Spanish at Lake Forest College
Emily Wilson: Chair of the program in comparative literature and literary theory at the University of Pennsylvania and translator of works such as The Odyssey
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired June 23, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/4/2023 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
Welcome to 2023. For our first show of the new year, we figured we’d see what’s on your minds.
This hour, it’s book editors and learning foreign languages and The Cars tribute bands and the Oscar contenders and Damar Hamlin and the music streaming services on your minds. … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/3/2023 • 49 minutes
Our favorite jazz of 2022
To round out the year, we round up the best jazz of the year. We’ve done this every year for at least the last nine years.
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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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.
12/29/2022 • 50 minutes
The nighttime Nose looks back at 2022
It’s been a long, strange year. Again. So how is our popular culture dealing with it all?
The Nose is thinking about a few things.
Our shared monoculture. Is there such a thing anymore?
All the -verses. The MCU-verse. The DCEU-verse. The Star Wars-verse. The Sheridan-verse. The Waititi-verse.
And all the -assances. The Jennifer Coolidge-assance. The Will Smith-assance? The Top Gun-assance. The Avatar-assance. The Brendan Fraser-assance. The Bennifer-assance. Beyoncé’s Renaissance. The renaissance-assance.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
The biggest pop culture moments of 2022 The face-offs (both fictional and real), celebrity deaths, interviews, and other entertainment stories that dominated headlines this year.
The 41 Most Defining Memes Of 2022 Lea Michele, if you can read this, you’re #8.
What Did Being Online Look Like for You in 2022?
It’s High Noon in America In our popular culture and in our politics, we’re returning to the Old West.
This Was the Year of the Prequel Once in short supply, the indispensable prequel dominated screens both big and small in 2022, transcending the genre’s spotty track record and giving sequels a run for their money as conversation drivers
Are Cracks Beginning to Emerge in the Superhero Era? After 20 years and billions in box office earnings, early signs suggest that the tides are turning against superheroes as the most dominant force in pop culture
It’s Time to Accept That Millennials and Gen Z Are the Same Generation Though discourse in 2021 tried to deepen the distinctions, it’s clear that young people today are forged from the same digital monoculture
Waking Up From the American Dream How the TV of 2022 depicted the weird, warping pressures of work and ambition in a boom-and-bust economy.
What Did We Get Stuck In Our Rectums Last Year?
Bill Cosby Considering Return to Touring in 2023 Getting back on the comedy stage would follow Cosby’s sexual assault conviction being overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
The 10 most bizarre celebrity apologies of 2022
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: The most dangerous woman in speculative fiction, and she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
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
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
12/29/2022 • 50 minutes
List making, listicles, lists of lists: An hour devoted to list culture
Lists feel especially suited to the digital age, but humans have been creating lists for a long time.
So why are we drawn to lists?
This hour, the art and the utility of the list.
GUESTS:
Matthew Dicks: A West Hartford elementary school teacher and the author of Twenty-One Truths About Love
Dan Kois: Editor and writer at Slate, where he recently wrote the list “The 50 Greatest Fictional Deaths of All Time”
Ann Powers: NPR Music’s critic and correspondent
Liam Young: Author of List Cultures: Knowledge and Poetics from Mesopotamia to BuzzFeed
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 4, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/28/2022 • 50 minutes
Examining the narrative takeover and its impacts
It seems like everything’s been turned into a story lately.
You can see a company’s story on the packaging of juice, cereal, and alternative milks. Politicians tell stories to rally support for policies. And social media helps us all tell the story that we want to tell about our lives.
This hour, Peter Brooks on his new book, Seduced by Story: The Use and Abuse of Narrative, and a look at why storytelling isn’t always positive.
GUESTS:
Peter Brooks: Author of Seduced by Story: The Use and Abuse of Narrative
Chris Knopf: A novelist and the retired CEO of Mintz & Hoke
Elise Wang: Assistant professor in the Department of English, Comparative Literature, and Linguistics at California State University, Fullerton
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!
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.
12/27/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at the state of prestige TV and movies, plus ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’
This week’s Nose wants you to stop runnin’ away like some fool of a moody school child.
Could it be that the market for highbrow movies is drying up? Some of the numbers ain’t great. Could it be that the golden age of streaming is coming to an end? Well, maybe. But it’s not like we’ll be starved for prestige TV next year.
And: The Banshees of Inisherin is the fourth feature film written and directed by Martin McDonagh. It’s nominated for eight Golden Globe Awards, including Best Picture — Comedy or Musical, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. It’s the most nominations for any movie (or TV show, for that matter). The Banshees of Inisherin stars Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon, and Barry Keoghan.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Terry Hall, Lead Singer of the Specials, Dies at 63 The ska vocalist and two-tone icon died following a “brief illness”
Mike Hodges, British Director of ‘Get Carter,’ ‘Croupier,’ Dies at 90
Cecily Strong says farewell to Saturday Night Live
An All But Definitive Guide to the Hollywood Nepo-Verse Actors, singers, directors who just happen to be the children of actors, singers, directors.
Here Are the Nepo Babies We Love The term gets thrown around like it’s a bad thing, but the world runs on nepo babies
Netflix’s Film Chief on Glass Onion and the Future of Theaters Netflix’s film chief Scott Stuber says the company expects the sequel to Knives Out will reach more than 80 million accounts.
The Seeds Of Avatar: The Way Of Water Were Planted In James Cameron’s First Film
James Cameron aims to finally put that ‘Titanic’ door debate to rest, 25 years later
Everything Is ‘30 Rock’ Now From politics to TV, we are living in Liz Lemon’s world
Toward a unified theory of “millennial cringe” Remember when “epic bacon” was the height of comedy?
An Unpublished Poem by Paul Newman Previously uncovered words from the eminent late actor, director, and philanthropist.
Ana de Armas Fans’ Lawsuit Puts Studios at Risk Over Deceptive Trailers
Television Academy Reveals Emmy Rule Changes for 2023, Including New Replacements for Variety Talk and Sketch Categories
The Christmas Movie That Became a Classic Because of a Mistake The role of accidents, chance and serendipity can be crucial to success. It’s the reason people still watch a black-and-white film every year.
Empire’s 50 Greatest Actors Of All Time List, Revealed [Ed. note: Just at first glance, this list, voted on by readers, omits the likes of James Cagney and Charlie Chaplin and Henry Fonda and Jane Fonda and Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn and Jack Lemmon and Steven McQueen and Spencer Tracy and Orson Welles. To name a few. I mean. Cary Grant! Charlie Chaplin!]
The Best LGBTQ TV Shows and Movies of 2022 And what a queer year it was!
The 20 Best Home Video Releases of 2022 You should buy a ticket at your local rep house for each title you buy, lest we run out of titles to laud here in the future.
Best of Late Night 2022: A Rebuilding Year After a year of significant change, as hosts like Trevor Noah and Samantha Bee signed off, the future of late-night TV has never seemed more uncertain.
The Best TV Title Sequences of 2022, Ranked
The best movies and TV of 2022, picked for you by NPR critics
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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.
12/23/2022 • 49 minutes
Our 2022 holiday spectacular with ‘Big Al’ Anderson, Jim Chapdelaine, and friends
Toward the end of every year since 2014, we’ve done a holiday special with “Big Al” Anderson and Jim Chapdelaine.
In the beforetimes, we’d get them and a rhythm section and Colin in a room together with some special guests like Nekita Waller or the Dankosky Tabernacle Choir and sing some songs and tell some stories … But for three years running now, the “in a room together” part of that just isn’t happening.
So we’ve gone through all eight of those past shows, added some previously unheard material, and put together an hour of joyous best-of nonsense for Christmas Eve Eve Eve.
It’s an audio Happy Holidays from us to you.
🎄
GUESTS:
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
Chion Wolf: Host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Gene Amatruda, Natalie Frascarelli, Betsy Kaplan, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/22/2022 • 50 minutes
“Rules rule”: How rules, both written and unwritten, shape our world
Rules are everywhere around us.
This hour we talk about the history of rules and the power of unwritten rules.
We wonder why some rules succeed while others fail. Plus: a game designer on how rules can facilitate play.
GUESTS:
Lorraine Daston: Author of Rules: A Short History of What We Live By
Jason Turbow: Author of The Baseball Codes: Beanballs, Sign Stealing, and Bench-Clearing Brawls: The Unwritten Rules of America’s Pastime
Eric Zimmerman: Award-winning designer of board games and video games and the author of The Rules We Break: Lessons in Play, Thinking, and Design
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!
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.
12/21/2022 • 49 minutes
Beauty and the Butt: A look ‘back’ at our complicated relationship with butts
Whether we love or loathe our butt is deeply influenced by race, gender, and whether the shape and size of our butt is in or out of style.
This hour, a look ‘back’ at the science, history, and culture of butts, including how it took on so much meaning beyond its basic function and why it’s so hard to find pants that fit.
GUESTS:
Heather Radke: Contributing editor and reporter at Radiolab and the author of Butts: A Backstory
Alex Bartlett: Co-owner of Planet Pepper and a costume supervisor for television and theater
Vincent Cuccia: Co-owner of Planet Pepper; he teaches public relations at the City University of New York
Shomara Garcia: CEO and founder of Muneca Private Care Recovery Services and a licensed massage therapist
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, Lily Tyson, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/20/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘The Fabelmans’ and ‘The White Lotus’
The second season of Mike White’s The White Lotus concluded on HBO this week. Its first season won the most awards at the Emmys this year: 10, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. The second season is now nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, including Best Limited or Anthology Series or Television Film. The White Lotus has been renewed for a third season.
And: The Fabelmans is the 34th feature film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is written by Spielberg and Tony Kushner, and it’s Spielberg’s sixth feature film writing credit — his first in 21 years. The Fabelmanswas nominated, this week, for five Golden Globe Awards, including Best Picture — Drama, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Stephen Boss, Dancer and Reality TV Star Known as tWitch, Dies at 40 Mr. Boss spent nine years with “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” as D.J., guest host and, eventually, an executive producer.
Angelo Badalamenti, David Lynch’s Composer on ‘Blue Velvet,’ ‘Twin Peaks’ and More, Dies at 85He also wrote songs recorded by Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson, Shirley Bassey and Mel Tillis and themes for ‘Inside the Actors Studio’ and the Barcelona Summer Olympics.
Lee Lorenz, 90, Cartoonist and Gatekeeper at The New Yorker, Dies Over 40 years at the magazine he drew hundreds of cartoons and covers and served as art and cartoon editor, recruiting new talent and deciding who got published.
Gabrielle Beaumont, Pioneering TV Director, Dies at 80 The prolific Emmy nominee helmed episodes of ‘Dynasty’ (and helped get Joan Collins on the show) and also worked on ‘Hill Street Blues,’ ‘MAS*H’ and three ‘Star Trek’ series.
Richard Miller Dies: Sculptor Behind Princess Leia’s Gold Bikini Was 80
Golden Globes 2023: Complete Nominations List
Highbrow Films Aimed at Winning Oscars Are Losing Audiences The kind of critically praised dramas that often dominate the awards season are falling flat at the box office, failing to justify the money it takes to make them.
Steven Spielberg’s Movie Magic Has a Dark Side And no one knows it better than he does.
Judd Hirsch Can Tell You a Story or Three. ‘The Fabelmans’ Is Just the Latest. The veteran actor has been singled out for his rousing performance in Steven Spielberg’s drama. It’s the latest chapter in a long career full of anecdotes.
When Jewish Artists Wrestle With Antisemitism In this unsettling moment, comedians, filmmakers, playwrights and others have been struggling against a long-ingrained American response to look away.
‘Westworld’ & ‘The Nevers‘ Pulled Off HBO Max, Marking Victorian Drama’s Formal End
Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ Returns to No. 1 The singer’s holiday anthem, first released in 1994, ends Taylor Swift’s six-week run atop the Hot 100 singles chart.
Christopher Nolan Recreated a Nuclear Weapon Explosion Without CGI, Developed New IMAX Film for ‘Oppenheimer’: ‘A Huge Challenge’
Elon Musk’s new Twitter Blue logo is perfectly awful The ’80s throwback logo is shiny, poorly kerned, and barely legible. But it’s also an accurate representation of what Twitter has become.
Olivia Wilde Is Getting Backlash After People Actually Watched “Don’t Worry Darling” And Learned The Truth About Those “Female Pleasure” Sex Scenes It appears that Miss Flo was right all along.
The Intertwining History of the ‘Avatar’ Papyrus Font and the ‘SNL’ Sketch That Spoofed It It surely is odd that James Cameron chose to use such a ridiculed typeface for his 2009 mega-blockbuster, but he wasn’t exactly acting like a thoughtless child wandering by a garden, yanking leaves along the way
CNN Cancels ‘Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy’ as Part of Originals Pullback The actor is still exec producing the spinoff ‘Searching for Mexico,’ and could be involved if the show is shopped elsewhere.
‘Luddite’ Teens Don’t Want Your Likes When the only thing better than a flip phone is no phone at all.
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
12/16/2022 • 43 minutes, 57 seconds
The Nose’s holiday gift guide
Almost every week, at the end of the show, The Nose spends a segment on endorsements, on recommendations of things from the world of pop culture.
This hour — for the first time ever — a gift-idea themed, all-endorsements show: The Nose’s holiday gift guide.
GUESTS:
John Dankosky: Director of news and radio for Science Friday and cohost of the Connecticut Mirror’s Untold podcast
Illeana Douglas: Official Movie Star of The Colin McEnroe Show
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Xandra Ellin: A producer at Pineapple Street Media
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Sabrina Herrera: Community engagement and social media editor at Connecticut Public
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and chief communications officer at Buzz Engine
Jennifer LaRue: A freelance producer for The Colin McEnroe Show
Carlos Mejia: Manager of media insights and analytics for WWE
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
Jessica Severin de Martinez: Produces Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio
Chion Wolf: Hosts Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
12/15/2022 • 42 minutes
"I have learned so much in the last ten years": The lasting impact of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
Wednesday, December 14, 2022, marks 10 years since 20 children and six educators were killed at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. This hour, a look at the emotional impact of the day and post-traumatic growth in its aftermath.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For suicide prevention resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, click here.
GUESTS:
Dannel Malloy: Former governor of Connecticut; he is currently chancellor of the University of Maine system
Scarlett Lewis: Founded the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement after her son, 6-year-old Jesse Lewis, was murdered during the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting
John Woodall: Psychiatrist, medical director of Newtown TMS, and the representative for the Baha’i community to the Newtown Interfaith Council
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/14/2022 • 53 minutes
Saying goodbye to the leap second, misinterpreting animism, and a look at verdicts
This hour: why timekeepers are getting rid of the leap second, how animism is misinterpreted, and whether we should have a spectrum of verdicts beyond “guilty” and “not guilty.”
GUESTS:
Judah Levine: Professor of Physics at the University of Colorado and a Physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Justine Buck Quijada: Associate Professor in the Department of Religion at Wesleyan University
Barry Lam: Philosophy Professor at the University of California, Riverside, and Executive Producer of Hi-Phi Nation, a philosophy podcast
Join the conversation onFacebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/13/2022 • 41 minutes, 24 seconds
Brainwashing: From the Korean War to cults to today
The term “brainwashing” has been used throughout history by scientists, politicians, and journalists, as well as in movies and literature.
This hour: a look at the history and science of brainwashing.
GUESTS:
Joel Dimsdale: Distinguished professor emeritus in the department of psychiatry at University of California San Diego and the author of Dark Persuasion: A History of Brainwashing from Pavlov to Social Media
Timothy Melley: Professor of English at Miami University
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired April 20, 2022.
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.
12/12/2022 • 42 minutes
The Nose investigates ‘She Said’ and ‘Bone Valley’
She Said is a feature film adaptation of the book by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, and it follows their New York Times investigation of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct. It is directed by Maria Schrader and written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz. Its $2.2 million domestic opening is among the worst ever for a movie showing in more than 2,000 theaters.
And: Bone Valley is a true crime podcast that covers the 1987 murder of 18-year-old Michelle Schofield. Her husband, Leo, who has always proclaimed his innocence, was convicted for the murder and sentenced to life in prison. Recently, another man has given a detailed confession to the murder, but Leo remains incarcerated. Bone Valley is hosted by investigative journalist Gilbert King, the author of Devil in the Grove, which won the Pulitzer Prize.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Bob McGrath, Original, Longtime Resident of ‘Sesame Street,’ Dies at 90 He performed on ‘Sing Along With Mitch’ and was a teenage idol in Japan before spending 46 years on the iconic kids TV program.
Kirstie Alley, ‘Cheers’ and ‘Look Who’s Talking’ Star, Dies at 71
Keke Palmer: I Have Sex, and Now I’m Pregnant!!! Big Reveal On ‘SNL’
‘Goblin mode’: new Oxford word of the year speaks to the times
We’re Out of Movie Stars. Whose Fault Is That? There are fewer films now that allow an actor to grow a persona and a Tom Cruise level of stardom. It’s a crisis, and the movies know it.
Best Comedy of 2022 Stand-up specials like “Rothaniel” pushed boundaries this year, and Netflix’s financial setbacks could mean that its dominance in comedy is slowing.
BuzzFeed to Cut 12 Percent of Workforce Amid “Audience Shift to Vertical Video,” CEO Says The layoffs are expected to cost $8 million to $12 million in restructuring charges, the company said in an SEC filing.
The College Essay Is Dead Nobody is prepared for how AI will transform academia.
The Grinchiest Cities in the U.S. (2022)
The Goonies House Is on the Market
‘Stomp’ to Close After Nearly Three Decades Off-Broadway The award-winning show’s North American and European tours will continue to run after the January closure.
Box Office Bust: ‘Black Adam’ Faces Theatrical Losses
Every “chronically online” conversation is the same At what point does discourse become punishment?
Why A Hard Reboot Is Probably The Best Choice For The New DC Movie Universe
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer: A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
12/9/2022 • 42 minutes, 20 seconds
Has everything original been done?
Has everything original been done?
It’s a question that’s been asked about storytelling, music, fine art, movies, and so much more.
This hour, we attempt to answer that question and discover if everything has already been done.
Along the way, we explore the idea of originality and our tolerance for novelty and talk to artists who are reckoning with these questions.
GUESTS:
Martha Buskirk: Professor of art history and criticism at Montserrat College of Art and author of Is It Ours? Art, Copyright, and Public Interest, among other books
Jill Magid: Artist, writer, and filmmaker
Kirby Ferguson: Filmmaker and a creator of the Everything Is a Remix series
Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent
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!
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.
12/8/2022 • 49 minutes
The triple-demic is here
COVID is on the rise again. The flu is setting all-time records, and is especially bad in Connecticut. Oh, and there’s still a respiratory syncytial virus situation going on.
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that people “wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.” But it’s hard to imagine that very many people are about to actually do that.
This hour, an update on the pandemic or the triple-demic or whatever we want to call this ongoing mess at this point.
GUESTS:
Gregg Gonsalves: Associate professor of epidemiology (microbial diseases) at the Yale School of Public Health and the public health correspondent for The Nation
Eric Topol: A physician and scientist; he writes the Ground Truths Substack, and he’s founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute
Katherine J. Wu: A staff writer at The Atlantic
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!
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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.
12/7/2022 • 49 minutes
From The NY Times’ ‘Spelling Bee’ to orthography, a look at all things spelling
This hour: spelling — what it is, why it matters, and why some of us actually find it fun.
There will be a test.
GUESTS:
Deb Amlen: Crossword columnist and senior staff editor of the crossword column Wordplay for The New York Times; she also writes the weekly Diary of a Spelling Bee Fanatic column
Richard Gentry: Education consultant and the author, most recently, of the Spelling Connectionsseries
Peter Sokolowski: Editor at large at Merriam-Webster and a member of the Word Panel for the Scripps National Spelling Bee
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Taylor Doyle, Jacob Gannon, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/6/2022 • 53 minutes, 15 seconds
What our search for extraterrestrial life can tell us about ourselves
Humans have long been interested in the possibility of extraterrestrial life. This hour, a look at why that interest has persisted.
Plus, we talk to a scientist who is looking for extraterrestrial life and a linguist who is preparing in case we ever receive communications from extraterrestrials.
GUESTS:
Kate Dorsch: Historian, philosopher of science, and the associate director of the philosophy, politics, and economics program at the University of Pennsylvania
Amanda Rees: Historian of science based at the University of York
Seth Shostak: Senior astronomer at the SETI Institute and host of the radio show and podcast Big Picture Science
Sheri Wells-Jensen: Associate professor of English and linguistics at Bowling Green State University and a member of the board of directors of METI International
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired June 2, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/5/2022 • 50 minutes
Long live the movie musical
The Nose is off this week. In its place: The movie musical died a long, slow death a long time ago. Right?
Well, except that there’s Spielberg’s West Side Story. And Hamilton and In the Heights and Tick, Tick… Boom! And A Star Is Born and The Greatest Showman. And Annette and Cyrano. Oh, and Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman and Elvis. And Encanto.
And those are just from the last five years. And I could keep going.
This hour, a long look at the long-dead movie musical. Long live the movie musical.
Some stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Irene Cara, ‘Fame’ and ‘Flashdance’ Singer, Dies at 63 Ms. Cara was a child star from the Bronx who gained fame in the 1980s as a singer of pop anthems and as the star of the movie “Fame.”
Christine McVie, Fleetwood Mac Singer-Songwriter, Dies at 79
The greatest film of all time: Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles For the first time in 70 years the Sight and Sound poll has been topped by a film directed by a woman — and one that takes a consciously, radically feminist approach to cinema. Things will never be the same.
Glass Onion Is Expected To Gross $15 Million In Its One-Week Theatrical Preview
This Was the Worst Thanksgiving Weekend in Box-Office History. Yes, Disney’s animated “Strange World” is a bomb — but without Netflix’s “Glass Onion,” the weekend would have been even worse.
Was ‘Glass Onion’ a Success? Peeling Back the Layers on Netflix’s Box Office Gambit
Top Gun: Maverick Is Being Re-Released In Theaters Before Avatar Comes For The Box Office Crown
Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny Trailer Breakdown: Where There’s A Whip, There’s A Way
‘Nasty, vile, want to unsee’: Mum sparks debate over multi-use of ‘family sick bowl’ Social media is split
Brian Robinson’s BIG HAT deserves all caps because it’s a BIG HAT It’s BIG HAT world, and we’re living in it.
Cocaine Bear: the trailer for 2023’s wildest film is everything and more The Elizabeth Banks-directed caper, based on a true story, looks to be exactly what the internet wants it to be
The 2023 Oscars Will Televise The Presentation Of All 23 Awards Categories
A teary Will Smith opens up to Trevor Noah about the ‘rage’ behind his Oscar slap
Nicole Kidman Receives Standing Ovation at Broadway’s ‘The Music Man’ After Bidding $100,000 for Hugh Jackman’s Signed Hat
Why has the internet invented a fake Martin Scorsese film? Thousands of Tumblr users have been making posters, soundtracks, drawings and fan fiction for a 1973 Scorsese film starring Robert De Niro — but it never existed
A man won the legal right to not be ‘fun’ at work after refusing to embrace ‘excessive alcoholism’ and ‘promiscuity’
Video games for dogs aim to help aging canine brains
Aubrey Plaza Is Leveling Up—and Still Pranking Her Costars The famously deadpan Aubrey Plaza is reaching new heights with a star turn in the new season of The White Lotus and a mega Francis Ford Coppola project on the horizon.
Helena Bonham Carter: Good on young men for finding middle-aged beauty sexy The London Library’s first female president on why she thinks Johnny Depp has been ‘vindicated’ and the ‘horrendous’ treatment of JK Rowling
‘Avatar’ and the Mystery of the Vanishing Blockbuster It was the highest-grossing film in history, but for years it was remembered mainly for having been forgotten. Why?
Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest TV Theme Songs of All Time From Seventies sitcoms with expository jams to modern prestige classics with experimental scores, from ‘Sanford and Son’ to ‘Succession,’ from ‘Match Game’ to ‘Game of Thrones’
Poynter: We asked, you answered: Here are your favorite journalism movies We’ve published our own list before, but we wanted to hear from you.
Legendary Entertainment Formalizes Sony Deal After Cutting Ties With Warner Bros.
Adults Are Spending Big on Toys and Stuffed Animals—for Themselves
The Last Real American Dictionary Scrabble’s new edition is full of delightful new words. But are there enough of them?
Kylie Jenner’s Humongous Christmas Tree Has Pissed Off A Lot Of People, But I’m Just Trying To Figure Out What That Potato Sack Thing Is Another day, another drama. This time about a Christmas tree.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles at 35: An Oral History of One of the Most Beloved Road Movies Ever Made Starring Steve Martin and John Candy, the John Hughes road trip comedy had a nearly four-hour runtime at one point. Hear from cast, crew, and Hughes’ family about the classic.
‘Wednesday’ Summons Record-Breaking Debut Week On Netflix With 341.23M Hours Viewed
NYC is hiring a rat czar. ‘General aura of badassery’ required.
GUESTS:
Jeanine Basinger: Founder of the Department of Film Studies at Wesleyan University and the author of many books on film; her latest is Hollywood: The Oral History
Steve Metcalf: Director of the University of Hartford’s Presidents’ College
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!
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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 5, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/2/2022 • 50 minutes
Two thumbs up: A show all about fingers
Touch, grip, read, dance, gesture — what can’t they do? Our fingers are so vital to our everyday life, sometimes it seems they have minds of their own.
This hour, a look at the hidden language of finger gestures, the future of Braille, and the joys and challenges of animating fingers for the movies.
GUESTS:
Kensy Cooperrider: Cognitive scientist, writer, and host of the Many Minds podcast
Jonathan McNicol: Producer of The Colin McEnroe Show
Sile O’Modhrain: Professor at the University of Michigan studying sound and touch and the ways in which they interact
Carlos Fernandez Puertolas: Animator with DreamWorks
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 31, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/1/2022 • 50 minutes
What our attitude toward the Middle Ages can teach us about ourselves today
On the one hand, calling something “medieval” carries with it negative connotations of outdated times. But lately there has almost been a nostalgia for life in the Middle Ages.
This hour, we look at what life was really like in that time period and why we remember it the way we do.
Plus, a look at the medieval origin of environmental anxiety and student debt.
GUESTS:
Jenny Adams: Associate professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
Courtney Barajas: Author of Old English Ecotheology: The Exeter Book
Martha Bayless: Director of folklore and public culture at the University of Oregon; her books include Sin and Filth in Medieval Culture: The Devil in the Latrine and A Cultural History of Comedy in the Middle Ages
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 23, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/30/2022 • 50 minutes
The zipper: An invention overlooked yet essential
We use zippers all the time, whether on clothes, shoes, bags, tents … the list goes on.
Zippers keep our belongings secure, they keep us warm, they help keep out the elements, and they make it easier to get dressed.
This hour: the zipper — its history and significance, its role in fashion … and why so many zippers say “YKK.”
GUESTS:
Robert Friedel: Professor emeritus of history at the University of Maryland and the author of Zipper: An Exploration in Novelty
Emma McClendon: Fashion historian, curator, and author
Jim Reed: President of YKK Corporation of America
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired April 14, 2022.
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.
11/29/2022 • 41 minutes
Shaking assumptions about the humble tambourine
The humble tambourine is the underrated, understated, unsung hero of contemporary music.
This hour we shake our assumptions about this surprisingly enduring and ubiquitous instrument.
GUESTS:
Ira Elliot: Percussionist best known as the drummer for the band Nada Surf
Erin Elstner: Percussionist and professor of percussion at Webster University
Tim Kubart: Musician, songwriter, and performer known world-wide as The Tambourine Guy
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Michayla Savitt, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 17, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/28/2022 • 50 minutes
The Pre-Thanksgiving Nose considers Bono and ‘Tár’
This week’s Nose has enrolled itself as an ultrasonic epistemic dissident.
Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story is a new memoir by Bono. It’s largely illustrated essays telling the stories of particular songs (40 of them, one imagines). It’s currently No. 2 on The New York Times Hardcover Best Sellers List. As such, Bono has been everywhere lately. As such, The Nose got to thinking about the tension between Bono, the actual big-deal important figure, and Bono, the guy who seems to mostly annoy everybody all the time.
And: Tár is Todd Field’s third feature film as writer and director, his first in 16 years. It stars Cate Blanchett as the iconic fictional musician and conductor Lydia Tár, and it won Blanchett the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at this year’s Venice International Film Festival.
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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, Stitcher, 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/23/2022 • 50 minutes
The art of the recipe: Gravestones, fictional worlds, and cookbooks (of course)
This hour: recipes.
We talk with someone who makes recipes found on gravestones, and we consider what makes an effective recipe, the history of the modern recipe, and the art of the recipe introduction.
Plus, a look at the phenomenon of pop culture cookbooks.
GUESTS:
Dinah Bucholz: Author of The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook and The Unofficial Narnia Cookbook
Rosie Grant: Posts gravestone recipes and cemetery stories on her TikTok and Instagram
Francis Lam: Host of The Splendid Table and vice president and editor-in-chief at Clarkson Potter
Chandra Ram: Cookbook author, food writer, and associate editorial director of food for Food & Wine
Helen Zoe Veit: Associate professor of history at Michigan State University
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!
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.
11/22/2022 • 48 minutes, 45 seconds
The fax machine is dead. Long live the fax machine
On the long timeline of long-distance communication technology that starts with the telegraph and leads all the way to the iPhone and beyond, there’s a particular, once-ubiquitous device that seems to have left an indelible mark on the culture while also disappearing nearly completely from it.
This hour, the history and present? (and future??) of the fax machine.
GUESTS:
Jonathan Coopersmith: Professor of history at Texas A & M University and the author of Faxed: The Rise and Fall of the Fax Machine
Troy Kreiner: Design director at Use All Five, the firm that organized Artifax
Kay Savetz: A tech historian; they co-host Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast and run a number of websites, including Fax Toy and FaxZero
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 19, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/21/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose worries about Twitter and looks at ‘Amsterdam’
This week’s Nose has been attending various dinners and functions and telling what it’s learned about banks and troop movements, so on and so forth.
Last night, Elon Musk’s “hardcore” Twitter “long hours at high intensity” ultimatum deadline passed, and hundreds of Twitter employees seemingly decided to leave. And then Twitter closed all of its offices until next week. And now people ON Twitter are pretty sure it’s going to start failing at any moment. The Nose is worried.
And: Amsterdam is the ninth film written and directed by David O. Russell, his first in seven years. It is based on the Business Plot, an alleged interwar political conspiracy in the U.S. And despite its writer/director pedigree and ridiculously stacked ensemble cast — which includes Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Chris Rock, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Taylor Swift, Rami Malek, Robert De Niro, and many others — Amsterdam is a box office bomb.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
David Davis, a Force Behind Game-Changing ’70s Sitcoms, Dies at 86 A writer and producer, he worked with James Brooks and others on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and was a creator of “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Taxi.”
Robert Clary, Corporal LeBeau on ‘Hogan’s Heroes,’ Dies at 96 The French actor and singer spent 31 months in a concentration camp but said he had no reservations about starring in a TV comedy about the Nazis.
Jay Leno Has Been Hospitalized With Serious Burn Injuries After A Car At His Garage Reportedly Exploded The comedian was scheduled to perform at an event at Las Vegas on Sunday evening but canceled due to “a very serious medical emergency.”
Dave Chappelle Apparently Tricked “Saturday Night Live” Staff By Performing A “Fake” Monologue In The Dress Rehearsal Before Revealing New Antisemitic Material Live On Air Chappelle’s 15-minute monologue included a number of jokes about the Jewish community and prompted accusations of him normalizing and popularizing antisemitism.
Ticketmaster To Swifties: “It’s Me. Hi, I’m The Problem. It’s Me.” 🎶 I THINK THERE’S BEEN A GLITCH 🎶
Ticketmaster Cancels Sale of Taylor Swift Tickets After Snags After a presale for the pop star’s Eras Tour ended in chaos earlier this week, the ticket broker canceled its plans to sell tickets to the general public on Friday.
Here Are The Grammy Nominees For 2023 Beyoncé led the way with nine nominations — and is now tied with husband Jay-Z as the most nominated artist of all time — but Kendrick Lamar, Adele, and Brandi Carlile were close behind.
‘Grey’s Anatomy‘ Sets Date For Ellen Pompeo’s Farewell Episode As Full-Time Cast Member – What’s Next For Meredith & ABC Series?
You’re one in 8 billion The world population just hit a milestone. Here’s where you fit in.
Here’s Every Person Pete Davidson Has Dated Ever Since He Became Famous — Like, I Was Not Expecting Some Of These It’s kind of wild that Pete only dated Ariana for five months, because I felt that relationship ruled our lives for years.
We Need to Talk About Your Nirvana Shirt
You can’t out-shoot a teenager: how to play first-person shooters if you’re over 30 Reflexes start to decline in your 20s, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be competitive at first-person shooters any more. Keith Stuart shares some hard-won knowledge
Finally, a video game that lets you play as Jesus Christ Try not to develop a God complex.
NASA’s Overshadowed Moon Launch After a successful takeoff, a crewless capsule is on its way to the moon. Where’s the fanfare?
Watch Michael Jackson’s THRILLER in 4K The seminal music video has been restored, and the results are astonishing.
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: The most dangerous woman in speculative fiction … and she hosts the Rite Gud podcast
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, a 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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/18/2022 • 50 minutes
A look at the philosophy, ethics, science, and emotion of time travel
Countless books, movies, and TV shows explore time travel. This hour, we talk about the hold that time travel has on pop culture and the philosophy, ethics and science of time travel.
And, we hear from an author about how to create and utilize rules of time travel in fiction and the idea of memory as time travel.
GUESTS:
Sara Bernstein: The R.L. Canala College Professor of Philosophy at The University of Notre Dame
Amanda Gefter: Science writer, MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellow, and author of Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn
Emma Straub: Novelist and bookstore owner, whose newest book is This Time Tomorrow
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, Taylor Doyle, Jacob Gannon, Dylan Reyes, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/17/2022 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
What’s in a word? A look at the ways words change
This hour we investigate the ways words change when they enter our discourse and how they acquire new meanings, or sometimes even lose their meanings.
We look at specific examples, discuss how the internet is influencing language, and learn about how dictionaries interact with the evolving nature of words.
GUESTS:
Sylvia Sierra: A linguist and the author of Millennials Talking Media: Creating Intertextual Identities in Everyday Conversation
Peter Sokolowski: Editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster and co-host of the Word Matters podcast
Kory Stamper: A lexicographer and the author of Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 16, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/16/2022 • 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 election, 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
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, Taylor Doyle, Jacob Gannon, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/15/2022 • 49 minutes
The art of the ringtone
Ringtones went from uniform to a million dollar industry to the unconscious soundtrack of our lives. They’re pieces of music that are designed to get you to react. They’re sounds that often carry emotions and memories with them. But we tend not to give them much thought.
This hour, the art of the ringtone. We look back at their history, investigate their rise and fall, discuss the appeal of a well-composed one, and talk to someone who designed his own.
Warning: This show contains the default iPhone alarm tone.
GUESTS:
Sumanth Gopinath: Associate professor of music theory at the University of Minnesota and the author of The Ringtone Dialectic: Economy and Cultural Form
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Paula Matthusen: Composer and a professor of music at Wesleyan University
Steve Metcalf: Founder and director of the Garmany Concert Series at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School
Ernie Smith: Editor of Tedium and a contributor to Vice’s Motherboard
Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Gene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired May 12, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/14/2022 • 52 minutes, 36 seconds
The Nose looks at the Taylor Sheridaniverse: ‘Yellowstone,’ ‘1883,’ and ‘Mayor of Kingstown’
There’s no gentlemen where we are and none where we’re going. This week’s Nose is worried it’s not fair.
Taylor Sheridan is an actor and film- and television-maker. You might recognize him from Sons of Anarchy or Veronica Mars. You might have seen some of his movies, like Sicario or Wind River or Hell or High Water.
But it’s more likely you’ve seen some of the five TV series he’s created. This week’s Nose looks at three of them: Yellowstone, the most-watched scripted show on television; the Yellowstone prequel, 1883; and the standalone Mayor of Kingstown, starring Jeremy Renner.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Aaron Carter Has Died At 34 Police were called to his home in Lancaster, California, Saturday.
Gallagher, Watermelon-Smashing Comedian, Is Dead at 76 He called himself “The Wizard of Odd” for his outrageous stage act, making him one of the most recognizable comedians of the 1980s.
Douglas McGrath, Playwright, Filmmaker and Actor, Is Dead at 64 His one-man Off Broadway show, “Everything’s Fine,” directed by John Lithgow, had opened just weeks ago.
Mimi Parker, vocalist and drummer of the minimalist rock band Low, has died
HBO cancels the sci-fi series ‘Westworld’
Stressed Out? Grab a Shovel and Dig a Hole Scientists spend a lot of time unearthing what it all means, but park rangers say fill them in when you’re done, please
When Was HBO’s Best Sunday Night? HBO has owned Sunday for almost 25 years. But when did its Sunday lineup peak? The Ringer investigates.
The Polymath Film Composer Known as “the Third Coen Brother” Carter Burwell’s spare, haunting scores make audiences uncomfortable.
Judd Hirsch, in Medias Res The eighty-seven-year-old actor, who plays Steven Spielberg’s great-uncle Boris in “The Fabelmans,” traipses around his old Bronx stomping grounds and recounts stories (Colin Powell! Robert Moses!) without beginnings or endings.
A Mets Fan Grows in Italy My young son loves the Mets from afar, but does he understand baseball heartbreak?
Rainn Wilson Changes Name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson to Highlight Melting Arctic Ahead of the COP27 summit, the star of ‘The Office’ has changed his name to bring attention to the climate crisis, “which amplifies global risks, including extreme weather events around the globe.”
‘Airplane!’ Director Says Hollywood Is ‘Destroying Comedy’: My James Bond Parody Got Dinged for ‘Mild’ Breast Reduction Joke
Netflix Takes Bold Bet on Theatrical With ‘Knives Out’ Sequel — But Don’t Expect ‘Glass Onion’ Box Office Numbers
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
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!
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.
11/11/2022 • 49 minutes
Why we’re still mesmerized by the myth of Rasputin
In the century since Russia’s “Mad Monk” was poisoned, we’ve come to believe a lot of things: he was mystical, he was evil, he was the world’s greatest lover.
This hour: Rasputin — the all-too-human peasant who found his way to friendship with the Romanovs and the comical, absurd version of him that just won’t die.
GUESTS:
Chris Roberson: Co-writer of the Hellboy comic Rasputin: Voice of the Dragon
Douglas Smith: Historian and author of Rasputin: Faith, Power, and the Twilight of the Romanovs
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!
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 May 3, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/10/2022 • 50 minutes
At long last, Election Day is behind us
The one thing we knew for sure was that by the time we got to today, Election Day would be over.
And it is.
This hour, we regroup after a long night and try to figure out what we’ve figured out by today.
And we do our best not to start immediately talking about 2024. Hopefully.
Listen live Wednesday, November 9, at 1 p.m.
GUESTS:
Dan Barry: Longtime reporter and columnist for The New York Times; his most recent book is This Land: America, Lost and Found
Matt Grossmann: Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research and professor of political science at Michigan State University and he hosts The Science of Politics podcast
Bethany Teachman: Professor of psychology and director of clinical training at the University of Virginia
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/9/2022 • 49 minutes
‘Citizen Observers’ share their voting stories from around the state
On Election Day we do a show where we ask people across Connecticut to do a simple thing: Go vote in your town before 1 p.m. Then call us between 1 and 2 p.m. and tell us how it felt, what you saw, whom you spoke to. Say whatever you want to say about the experience of voting.
This hour we hear from Citizen Observers about their experiences at the polls.
GUESTS:
Charlie Barber: Nonfiction author and Writer in Residence at Wesleyan University
Barry Blitt: Cartoonist and illustrator for The New Yorker and other publications
Susan Clinard: Owner of Clinard Sculpture Studio
Jack French: Research Associate in the Yale Program for Financial Stability at the Yale School of Management
Lara Herscovitch: Singer-songwriter, poet, performer, advocate, former CT State Troubadour, and children’s book author
Iman James: Competitive boxer and a New Haven Public School Teacher
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/8/2022 • 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 recently 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 recently 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/7/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at Taylor Swift, ‘Don’t Worry Darling,’ and more
This week’s Nose is energy unfocused, innovation hindered, hope strangled, greatness disguised.
Taylor Swift currently occupies the entire top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That’s the, uh, new record. She’s also got 10 other songs in other spots on the Hot 100. Fully one-fifth of the entire Hot 100 is Taylor Swift songs right now. Federal law requires that we cover this phenomenon. (No it doesn’t.)
And: Don’t Worry Darling is the second movie directed by Olivia Wilde. It’s kind of a feature-length Black Mirror episode starring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, and Wilde. Its reportedly troubled production and promotion have been the focus of much scrutiny and spawned the word, uh, “spitgate.”
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Remembering Takeoff, The Best Rapper in Migos He was “the quiet” member of the Atlanta rap group, but his demeanor belied a commanding presence
The Decline of Etiquette and the Rise of ‘Boundaries’ For centuries, strict social norms dictated what people could politely talk about. Now we have to figure it out for ourselves.
Grading Taylor Swift’s ‘Karma’ With a Buddhist-Studies Professor
A Mom Who Tweeted About Throwing Out Her Kids’ Halloween Candy Said She Was Accused Of Abuse After It “Escaped The Orbit” Of Her Followers Meet this week’s Bean Dad.
What do users want from their TV streaming? A new NPR/Ipsos poll has some answers
‘Non-binary’ Romeo and Juliet set in Nazi Germany apologises for omitting Jews from casting callThe Icarus Theatre production shows the hero as being a member of the Hitler Youth
Pack Your Bags, We’re Moving to ‘Roku City’ Instead of streaming a new TV show or movie, some Roku users are in it for the screen saver.
The Eerie Comfort of Liminal Spaces Why we’re compelled by images of abandoned shopping malls, waiting rooms, and corridors
The Original E.T. Model From The Movie Is Going Up For Auction, And You’ll Just Need A Couple Million Bucks
Martin Luther King Jr. paid the bill for Julia Roberts’ birth. Here’s the backstory
Professional Cornhole Has a Cheating Scandal Called BagGate Officials talk of new regulations to root out illegally sized bags. Fans are reeling: ‘The dirty underbelly is being exposed.’
Netflix’s ‘Blockbuster’ and Hollywood’s Greatest Spite Projects The new workplace sitcom is the ultimate flex by Netflix after Blockbuster refused to buy the streamer in the early 2000s. But this isn’t the first time egos in Hollywood decided to be petty…
Who Is Jennifer Lawrence Now? The Oscar-winning “Hunger Games” actress is free from her franchise commitments. But after a brief hiatus from acting, what will she do next?
Aubrey Plaza and Joe Locke Are Conjuring a WandaVision Spinoff
The Best Movies of 2022 (So Far)
Comedy’s Crowd-Work Clip Civil War
The Best Comedy Specials of 2022 (So Far)
Netflix has (probably) ordered a second season of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman A since-deleted tweet from the official DC Comics account seemed to confirm that the Tom Sturridge-starring show would be coming back for a second season
WWE Closes Book On Vince McMahon Investigation; Says Probe Complete, Special Committee Disbanded
Jeff Knows Bo …and Magic, and Sweetness, and the ‘86 Mets and pretty much every other legendary athlete and outrageous sports story you’ve ever heard of but were afraid to ask more about.
NBC revives Golden Globes telecast after HFPA racial exclusion scandal The network did not air a Golden Globes ceremony in 2022 as the HFPA attempted to rehabilitate its image and overhaul its membership.
Academy promises ‘great legacy surprises’ in 2023 Oscars preview CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang previewed the 95th Oscars ceremony at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.
Adele, Florence Pugh, And 23 Other Celebs Whose Names You’ve Unknowingly Been ButcheringLittle did I know “Adele” could be pronounced any other way…
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer: A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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!
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.
11/4/2022 • 49 minutes
What’s next for the Republican Party?
This hour: Mark Leibovich on the past, present, and future of the Republican Party, and his new book, Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump’s Washington and the Price of Submission.
GUEST:
Mark Leibovich: Author of Thank You For Your Servitude: Donald Trump’s Washington and the Price of Submission and a staff writer at The Atlantic
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!
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.
11/3/2022 • 49 minutes
Three poets celebrate the freedom of poetry
This hour, we celebrate poetry with three contemporary poets.
GUESTS:
Margaret Gibson: The seventh poet laureate of Connecticut; her most recent collection is The Glass Globe
Yanyi: Writes the advice column The Reading for creative writers; his most recent poetry collection is Dream of the Divided Field
Matthew Zapruder: A poet, professor, and the author of Why Poetry; his most recent poetry collection is Father’s Day
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired April 28, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/2/2022 • 50 minutes
Why a show about fog? We haven’t the foggiest
From San Francisco’s iconic fog and COVID-related brain fog to a location-tracking program called Fog Reveal, this hour, we lift the fog on all kinds of fog.
GUESTS:
Travis O’Brien: Professor of Earth and atmospheric sciences at Indiana University
Javeed Sukhera: Chair of psychiatry at the Institute of Living and chief of psychiatry at Hartford Hospital
Anne Toomey McKenna: Visiting professor of law at the University of Richmond School of Law
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, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2022 • 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 Halloween as the most educational holiday (or not), having Election Day on the weekend (or not), giving poll workers your license (or not), the oncoming civil war (or not) … 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!
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/31/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Bros’ and ‘The Watcher’
This week’s Nose is, I don’t know, worrying about a volcano.
The Watcher is a thriller/mystery miniseries on Netflix created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan and (very loosely) based on the New York magazine story “The Haunting of a Dream House.” It stars Naomi Watts, Bobby Cannavale, Mia Farrow, and others, and it’s currently the No. 2 TV show on Netflix in the U.S.
And: Bros is a romantic comedy written by Billy Eichner and Nicholas Stoller and directed by Stoller. It stars Eichner and Luke Macfarlane, and it was a bit of a flop at the box office. It’s now available for rental on premium video on demand platforms.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Leslie Jordan, ‘Will & Grace’ and ‘American Horror Story’ Star, Dies at 67 in Car Accident
Lenny Lipton, ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ Lyricist and 3-D Film Pioneer, 82, Dies He used the royalties earned from the hit folk song, based on a poem he wrote in college, to fund decades of research into stereoscopic projection.
Salman Rushdie has lost sight in one eye and use of one hand, says agent Full extent of injuries from ‘brutal attack’ on Satanic Verses author in New York state in August revealed
Adidas cuts ties with Ye over antisemitic remarks that caused an uproar
James Corden Finally Responded To Being Banned From A NYC Restaurant, And It Only Made Things Waaay Worse I just need someone to pull the surveillance footage.
James Corden and the Dangers of Likability No one knows what an egg yolk omelet is, but we all know that TV hosts should be relatable. Or should they? That didn’t do Ellen DeGeneres any favors.
This Woman Tweeted About Having Coffee Every Day With Her Husband — The Internet Tore Her Apart “I never thought someone could take what I said and turn it into something negative.”
The Tale of the Racist Lesbian Emu Farmer is Shaking the Internet
The Pet-Name Trend Humans Can’t Resist Why would anyone name their dog Kyle?
A Secret Writers Room, a Rising Scribe and a Post-‘Skywalker’ Timeline: A Look Inside Damon Lindelof’s ’Star Wars’ Movie Justin Britt-Gibson is penning the script with Lindelof, with the film potentially bringing back some characters from the 2010s films.
Kentucky man posed as a dead body on TikTok for 321 days. Now he’s going to be on ‘CSI’
Relentless Angst and Uniformly Excellent Sex: How Colleen Hoover Became the Queen of BookTok
New Seasons Of Doctor Who To Premiere Globally On Disney+ In 2023
Warner Bros. Discovery To Axe $2 Billion Worth Of Movies And Shows As Part Of Brutal Cost-Saving Efforts
The Fake Spirit Halloween meme shows the most frightening costume this year is a millennial cliché We should all fear the upper-class influencer or east London sommelier, because nothing is darker than facing your own unoriginality
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and chief communications officer at Buzz Engine
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
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!
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.
10/28/2022 • 49 minutes
A bigger table: A look at third parties and our political system
Why is the two-party system so entrenched here in the United States?
This hour, we talk about third parties. We learn about a new third party, discuss the history and political viability of third parties, and talk with a third party candidate.
GUESTS:
Dr. Amy Chai: Independent Party candidate for Connecticut’s 3rd U.S. Congressional District
Seth Masket: Professor of political science and director of the Center on American Politics at the University of Denver; he is the author of The Inevitable Party: Why Attempts to Kill the Party System Fail and How they Weaken Democracy, among other books
Andrew Yang: Co-founder and co-chair of the new Forward Party; he previously ran as a Democratic candidate for president and for mayor of New York City
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 Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/27/2022 • 49 minutes
The year in horror, 2022
Note: This episode contains strong language.
We realized four years ago now that The Nose doesn’t cover very much horror stuff. So we started doing an annual Halloween special that tackles horror head-on. This hour: the fifth one of those.
We look at the indie studio that’s mostly taken over the elevated horror genre (and the not-so-elevated horror genre some, too): A24.
Plus: the evolving relationship between queer and/or women-identified audiences and horror movies.
And finally: We have a largely arbitrary tradition of spending a chunk of this show on a horror classic that’s celebrating, specifically, its 40th anniversary. Previously, it’s been Halloween, Alien, The Shining, An American Werewolf in London. This year: Tobe Hooper and Steven Spielberg’s Poltergeist.
GUESTS:
Nate Jones: Staff writer for Vulture
Jacob Trussell: Author of the forthcoming Poltergeist from DieDieBooks
Lindsay Lee Wallace: Writes about culture, digital spaces, health care inequity, and other stuff too
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Gene Amatruda, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/26/2022 • 50 minutes, 1 second
How U.S. policy makers do and don’t factor in public opinion
This hour, we investigate the relationship between public opinion and policy.
We explore to what extent public opinion impacts policy in the United States and discuss public opinion and Supreme Court decisions.
Plus, a look at polling and how we understand public opinion.
GUESTS:
Jennifer Dineen: Associate professor in residence in the School of Public Policy and associate director of the Center for Advancing Research, Methods, and Scholarship in Gun Injury Prevention at the University of Connecticut
Scott Keeter: Senior survey advisor at Pew Research Center
Maya Sen: Professor of public policy at Harvard University and the author of The Judicial Tug of War: How Lawyers, Politicians, and Ideological Incentives Shape the American Judiciary
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, Taylor Doyle, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/25/2022 • 49 minutes
Demystifying Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau is a bit of a polarizing figure. He has been both celebrated and criticized for his writing. He’s considered an inspirational figure for retreating to the woods but mocked for his reliance on his mother during that same period.
This hour, we look at the life and legacy of Henry David Thoreau and ask what his example can teach us about who is remembered and celebrated.
GUESTS:
Alex Beam: Author, journalist, and contributor to The Boston Globe
Tracy Fullerton: Director of the Game Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California and the designer and director of Walden, A Game
Laura Dassow Walls: Professor emeritus of English at the University of Notre Dame and the author of Henry David Thoreau: A Life
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired April 27, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/24/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Confess, Fletch’ and ‘Athena’
This week’s Nose wants to feel like it’s in the middle of a conversation … between inanimate objects.
Confess, Fletch is the third movie in the Fletch series, the first in 33 years, and the first to star Jon Hamm, rather than Chevy Chase, in the title role. It premieres on Showtime on October 28.
And: Athena is a French-language epic action tragedy directed by Romain Gavras, the son of the two-time Academy Award-winning Greek-French filmmaker Costa-Govras. Athena's opening shot, which runs more than 10 minutes without a (detectable, at least) cut, has been much discussed. It premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Premio Arca Cinema Giovani — the Young Cinema Award — and it hit Netflix in September.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Taylor Swift Has Clocked In and Finally Released Midnights
Kanye West to buy the conservative-friendly social site Parler
1776’s Sara Porkalob Has Some Notes
Bakery Creates ‘Pan Solo,’ a 6-Foot Replica of ‘Star Wars’ Hero Made of Bread A California bakery made Han Solo frozen in carbonite out of bread. Passers-by “kind of don’t believe you that it’s made out of dough,” a baker said.
New details emerge about Bill Murray’s alleged misconduct Production on Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut stalled months ago due to Murray’s behavior
How Colleen Hoover Rose to Rule the Best-Seller List With legions of devoted fans and a knack for high-voltage emotional drama, Hoover has sold more than 20 million books. And she’s done it her way.
‘Twisters’ Forecast For Spring Start As Universal, Amblin Finalize Director For Sequel
‘It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’ won’t be on TV this year. Here’s how to watch
A raft of cancellations show a broken touring industry that’s linked to deeper #BrokenRecord crisis and why it needs to change!
‘Family Means No One Gets Left Behind’ An oral history of Lilo & Stitch, the Disney movie that almost brought hand-drawn animation back.
Why My Favorite Character in The Breakfast Club Is the Janitor I used to idolize the teens in John Hughes movies — but I was so, so wrong.
Everything You Need to Achieve the Twin Peaks Aesthetic Let the fog roll in, pour us a damn fine cup of coffee, and find us in the Black Lodge—it’s Twin Peaks season.
Patti LuPone Isn‘t Retiring but Broadway Has ‘Dumbed Down the Audience’ by Turning Into ‘Disneyland, a Circus and Las Vegas’
The Infinite Possibilities in a Tiny Smudge From Outer Space Astronomers have captured a poignant view of another planetary system in the making.
Netflix Boards Untitled Adam Sandler-Safdie Brothers Project
Criterion Lays Off 20 Percent of Staff in ‘Reorganization’ Move Criterion Collection president Peter Becker told IndieWire the layoffs were “meant to prepare the company for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
‘Don’t Worry Darling,’ ‘Blonde,’ and the Faux Feminism of 2022’s Most Debated Films“Brainwashed” documentarian Nina Menkes unpacks the botched messages behind this year’s “feminist” films with IndieWire.
GUESTS:
Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Mercy Quaye: Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project
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!
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.
10/21/2022 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
State politics are changing as we focus more on national politics
State politics are becoming increasingly nationalized as voters, and candidates, focus more on national issues, instead of local ones.
This hour, we look at the impact of this nationalization, and we discuss how the loss of local news has impacted our awareness of state politics.
Finally, how Americans have become increasingly politically segregated.
GUESTS:
Paul Bass: Editor of the New Haven Independent
Ryan Enos: Director for the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University
Daniel Hopkins: Author of The Increasingly United States: How and Why American Political Behavior Nationalized
Meghan Rubado: Associate professor in the Levin School of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University
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!
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.
10/20/2022 • 48 minutes, 57 seconds
It’s no mystery why we’re drawn to crime fiction
Mysteries have been popular for centuries. This hour we ask: why are we drawn to this genre? Plus, we look at the television detective and discuss true crime podcasts.
GUESTS:
Martin Edwards: Crime novelist and author of the new book The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and Their Creators
Gene Seymour: A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek”
Alexandra Petri: Columnist for The Washington Post and the author of Nothing Is Wrong And Here Is Why
Nick Quah: Podcast critic for Vulture and New York Magazine
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2022 • 48 minutes, 58 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 driving culture in Connecticut, pet culture everywhere, the state cutting down trees on route 164, probate, direct registration of stocks … 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!
Colin McEnroe and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/17/2022 • 50 minutes, 17 seconds
Why you like the music you like
Record producer and neuroscientist Susan Rogers has a new book out, This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You. In it, she writes that “the music that delivers the maximum gratification to you is determined by seven influential dimensions of musical listening.” Those seven dimensions are authenticity, realism, novelty, melody, lyrics, rhythm, and timbre.
This hour, we talk with Rogers about some of those seven dimensions, the role of the listener in music, and why we are drawn to some songs and not others.
GUEST:
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
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/15/2022 • 50 minutes, 1 second
The Nose looks at ‘Andor’ and ‘I Love You, You Hate Me’
This week’s Nose clearly harassed a human with dark features and chose the wrong person to annoy.
Andor is the fourth live-action Star Wars series from Disney+. It is a prequel to Rogue One, which is a prequel to Star Wars. Andor follows thief-turned-spy Cassian Andor during the five years leading up to Rogue One. It is created by Tony Gilroy, who wrote Rogue One, and written in part by Tony and his brother Dan Gilroy and edited in part by Dan’s twin brother John Gilroy.
And: I Love You, You Hate Me is a two-part Peacock docuseries about Barney the Purple Dinosaur.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Angela Lansbury, Broadway luminary and ‘Murder, She Wrote’ star, dies at 96 She also excelled as the world’s most evil mother in the film ‘The Manchurian Candidate’
Kanye West’s Posts Land Him in Trouble on Social Media The rapper, who now goes by Ye, made antisemitic remarks on Instagram and Twitter that were widely criticized. They came after he wore a “White Lives Matter” shirt at Paris Fashion Week.
Is There a Future for Late-Night Talk Shows? Big changes are coming to the longtime staple of television programming, as the genre struggles to make the leap to the streaming world.
How the Glengarry Glen Ross “Coffee Is for Closers” Scene Got Made Alec Baldwin, James Foley, and more reveal an oral history of one of the most quotable movie scenes ever.
The Best TV Shows of 2022…So Far Severance, The Rehearsal, Borgen, Tokyo Vice, and more series to catch up on before the next wave of television hits.
Guillermo del Toro Defends Scorsese After ‘Cruel’ Essay Calls Him ‘Uneven Talent’: ‘This Article Baited Them Traffic, but At What Cost?’
‘Amsterdam’ Stands To Lose Nearly $100 Million: What This Means For Upscale Movies
Dunkin' Donuts Devalues Rewards Points, Enraging Customers: ‘I No Longer Run on Dunkin’ “Don’t try to piss on me and tell me it’s raining,” said one longtime Dunkin' customer.
Sorry, Gen X, the thumbs up emoji is actually hostile
I’m too uncool to know which thumbs-up emoji is uncool so someone help me.
New ‘Naked Gun’ Movie A Go At Paramount With Liam Neeson In Talks To Star And ‘Lonely Island’s Akiva Schaffer Directing
Austin Powers References Are Comedy’s Hottest Mini-Trend
GUESTS:
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
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
10/14/2022 • 43 minutes, 54 seconds
Digging into the roots of our food with Mark Bittman
We have a complicated relationship with our food. We need food to live, yet we’ve become removed from the food we eat and how it’s grown and processed. Even with the best of intentions, today’s ultra-processed foods make it hard for us to know exactly what we’re eating or how the methods used to mass produce our food are affecting our environment and our health. And I haven’t even touched on how food has led to war, famine, poverty, and enslavement.
This hour, we talk about the history of agriculture, where it went wrong, and how we might begin to cultivate food that is kinder to our bodies, our earth, and our fellow humans.
GUEST:
Mark Bittman: Author of Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food From Sustainable To Suicidal, among many other books
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 3, 2021.
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.
10/12/2022 • 42 minutes
Is centrism critical to maintaining democracy? A look at the middle
This hour, we investigate what centrism means, and what the role of centrism is in U.S. politics and discourse today.
GUESTS:
Lee Drutman: Author of Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop: The Case for Multiparty Democracy in America and co-host of the Politics in Question podcast
Yascha Mounk: Author of The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure and the founder of Persuasion
Christine Todd Whitman: Co-chair of the new Forward Party and former governor of New Jersey and administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
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!
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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.
10/11/2022 • 41 minutes, 8 seconds
The toll of perfectionism
Perfectionism is on the rise among young people.
This hour, we look at the impact of perfectionism on mental health and how to deal with perfectionist tendencies.
Plus: what the self-help industry can tell us about our interest in perfection.
GUESTS:
Thomas Curran: Assistant professor of psychological and behavioral science at the London School of Economics and Political Science
Tamar Gendler: Professor of philosophy, psychology and cognitive science at Yale University
Kristen Meinzer: Host of the By the Book podcast
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired April 13, 2022.
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.
10/10/2022 • 42 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Blonde’ and ‘Elvis’
This week’s Nose is like the trick you do with the wiggling, getting all the girls hipped up.
Blonde is Andrew Dominik’s fourth feature film as writer and director, his first since Killing Them Softly in 2012. It’s an adaptation of the Joyce Carol Oates novel, and it stars Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe. Blonde is a Netflix release, and it’s said to be the first movie distributed by a streaming service to receive the NC-17 rating.
And: Elvis is Baz Luhrmann’s sixth feature film as writer and director, his first since The Great Gatsby in 2013. It stars Austin Butler in the title role and Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker. Its theatrical run this summer made it the second-highest grossing biopic (after Bohemian Rhapsody) ever made. Elvispremiered on HBO in September.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Loretta Lynn, ever a ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter,’ dies at 90 After a hardscrabble start, Ms. Lynn rose from poverty in Kentucky to the top of Billboard’s Nashville charts and brought a strong woman’s voice to country music
Billy Eichner says straight people ‘just didn’t show up for Bros’ at the box office
YouTuber Dream Revealed His Face And People Have Been Really Cruel About It Dream is faceless no more.
‘House of the Dragon’ Viewers Outraged Over Scenes Too Dark to See, HBO Defends Them as ‘Intentional Creative Decision’
Why Did This Week’s House of the Dragon Look So Bad?
The Try Guys Release First Funny Video The three remaining survivors address the big controversy, and I’m feeling all the feels
You shouldn’t high-five a child [Ed. note: Retweets ≠ endorsements. Or whatever.]
The ’90s Cartoon That Mattered? ‘Beavis and Butt-Head.’ (Fight Me.) It doesn’t make best-of lists, but the series, then and now, was always much smarter than its characters, and it didn’t try too hard. Sorry, Bart Simpson.
Does it get any butter than this? The Butter board is the new viral food trend, and we are here for it.
‘Rust’ Team Announces Settlement With Halyna Hutchins Estate, Will Resume Film Production in January
Fans cheer as Velma is shown crushing on a woman in the new Scooby-Doo movie
Aaron Judge Is Great—but Don’t Erase Barry Bonds Barry Bonds is not regarded as the home run king, but he should be.
A Saturday Night Live Charmin Bears sketch has become bizarrely controversial A skit where Miles Teller plays an artistic young Charmin has drawn criticism for possibly pilfered material and it’s placement directly ahead of a Charmin ad
You Must Respect Candy Corn Even in paradise, death lurks.
Hollywood’s 50 Most Powerful TV Showrunners of 2022 The series they couldn’t stop watching, the peers they most admire and the industry trends that keep them awake at night … THR’s annual survey of the most influential writer-producers in TV reveals these secrets and more.
The Universe Is Not Locally Real, and the Physics Nobel Prize Winners Proved It Elegant experiments with entangled light have laid bare a profound mystery at the heart of reality
Super Mario Bros. Trailer: Chris Pratt Is Mario In Illumination’s Animated Take On The Video Game Character
GUESTS:
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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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.
10/7/2022 • 49 minutes
Why should we care about politics?
And, just like that, we’re in the midst of yet another election season. With news fatigue and election fatigue, it’s easy to feel jaded.
This hour, we explore why we feel that way, talk about how to overcome those feelings, and discuss why we should care about politics.
GUESTS:
Gabe Fleisher: Author of Wake Up to Politics and a student at Georgetown University
Roya Hakakian: Author and poet whose latest book is A Beginner’s Guide to America: For the Immigrant and the Curious
Eitan Hersh: Author of Politics Is for Power: How to Move Beyond Political Hobbyism, Take Action, and Make Real Change
Amanda Ripley: Investigative journalist, author, and co-host of the podcast How To!
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
10/6/2022 • 42 minutes, 2 seconds
A history of men mistaken for gods
Around the world, history is filled with men mistaken for gods.
This hour we talk with Anna Della Subin, the author of Accidental Gods.
She takes us through some notable examples of mortal men mistakenly deified and discusses why people look for their gods here on Earth.
GUEST:
Anna Della Subin - Author of Accidental Gods: On Men Unwittingly Turned Divine
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 2, 2022.
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.
10/5/2022 • 42 minutes
List making, listicles, lists of lists: An hour devoted to list culture
Lists feel especially suited to the digital age, but humans have been creating lists for a long time.
So why are we drawn to lists?
This hour, we look at the art and the utility of the list. And we talk to people who have created some lists we’ve especially enjoyed.
GUESTS:
Matthew Dicks: A West Hartford elementary school teacher and the author of Twenty-One Truths About Love
Dan Kois: Editor and writer at Slate, where he recently wrote the list “The 50 Greatest Fictional Deaths of All Time”
Ann Powers: NPR Music’s critic and correspondent
Liam Young: Author of List Cultures: Knowledge and Poetics from Mesopotamia to BuzzFeed
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!
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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.
10/4/2022 • 49 minutes
We take your calls
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/3/2022 • 49 minutes
‘A very particular set of skills’: A look at late-career Liam Neeson movies
If I say “Liam Neeson movie,” you picture, at this point, a pretty specific thing, right? It’s kind of an action-thriller. Neeson is avenging some wrong. It’s usually some wrong against his family. And it’s usually avenged with Neeson’s “particular set of skills.”
Basically, the movie is some version of Taken, right?
Well, Taken came out in 2008. Liam Neeson has been making these movies for 15 years now. He just turned 70, and he says he just made his 100th movie. (I’ve put a certain amount of effort into trying to figure out just what he’s counting to get to exactly 100, and I can’t quite do it, but I’ve decided we should just accept the guy’s count. Right?)
The Nose is off this week. In its place, a Not Necessarily the Nose-style look at late-career Liam Neeson, post-Taken Liam Neeson, doing-action-movies-into-his-70s Liam Neeson.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Louise Fletcher, 88, Dies; Oscar Winner for ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ She was largely unknown to the public when she was cast as what the American Film Institute called one of cinema’s most memorable villains.
Trevor Noah Leaving ‘Daily Show’ After Seven Years The host, who took over for Jon Stewart in 2015, told the audience Thursday, “My time is up.”
Lizzo Played A 200-Year-Old Crystal Flute In Concert, And Its History Is Fascinating The rare crystal flute was rescued from the White House in 1814, and no one alive had heard its sound before.
An Apology From the Missing Comma in Don’t Worry Darling
Sorry, But Avatar Still Rules
The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time A ranking of the most game-changing, side-splitting, tear-jerking, mind-blowing, world-building, genre-busting programs in television history, from the medium’s inception in the early 20th century through the ever-metastasizing era of Peak TV
Maybe We Won’t End Up Like the Dinosaurs NASA has taken a major step toward protecting Earth from dangerous asteroids.
Hannah Gadsby Has Signed A New Deal With Netflix To Hopefully Change The ‘Notoriously Transphobic Industry’
We’re Witnessing the Birth of a New Artistic Medium Expect AI art to go the way of Warhol.
It’s Official: Wife Guys Are Out Ned Fulmer and Adam Levine are proof that nothing good comes from monetizing your role as a patriarchal monogamy doer — especially when you can’t even do the monogamy part.
Where Does “Saturday Night Live” Go From Here? After its biggest cast shakeup in decades, the long-running sketch show enters a period of uncertainty
In Praise of TK: Why the Handy Shorthand Has a Surprising Emotional Hold on Me
Danny Boyle to Direct Dance Adaptation of ‘The Matrix’
Actor Bruce Willis Becomes First Celebrity to Sell Rights to Deepfake Firm The actor calls the technology “a great opportunity to go back in time.”
GUESTS:
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Nate Fisher: A writer and comedian and cohost of the podcast A Closer Look
Ben Lindbergh: Senior editor at The Ringer
Stephen Marche: A novelist and essayist; his most recent book is The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
9/30/2022 • 50 minutes
‘Literature as resistance’: Azar Nafisi on the subversive power of reading in troubled times
Azar Nafisi is the author of Reading Lolita in Tehran, which spent 117 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Her newest book, Read Dangerously, argues that reading literature, reading challenging, dangerous literature is foundational and fundamental to continued democracy.
Imagination, itself, she says, is a threat to autocracy and totalitarianism. Imagination is inherently, by definition, “free and wayward.”
“It should be clear by now that when I talk about books,” Nafisi writes, “I am not talking about literature of resistance but literature as resistance.”
Azar Nafisi joins us for the hour.
GUEST:
Azar Nafisi: The author of six books; her newest is Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired April 7, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/29/2022 • 50 minutes
An hour with John Waters
Note: This episode contains strong language and a number of things intended to be in bad taste.
This hour, we shoot the, er, breeze with the filmmaker, author, and artist whose œuvre of campy, raunchy films ranges from the cult classics Pink Flamingos and Polyester to the musicals Hairspray and Cry-Baby — John Waters.
On the occasion of Waters’ first novel, the “feel-bad romance” Liarmouth, a talk about everything from testicle tanning and teabagging to Baltimore and becoming a legend.
Be there or be square.
Note also: This show is about as spoilery as we get. We use audio of the very last lines of Waters’ Pink Flamingos. And the ending of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood is just utterly revealed. (Colin will warn you when that one’s coming.) Now, neither of these movies is terribly recent — I mean, one of them is 50 years old — but it seems like we should mention it anyway. Please don’t send us angry emails. About the spoilers, at least.
GUEST:
John Waters: Writer, director, and actor; his first novel is Liarmouth … A Feel-Bad Romance
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 4, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/28/2022 • 50 minutes
An hour with Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Fierstein has won four Tony Awards, for writing and acting in Torch Song Trilogy, for writing La Cage aux Folles, and for acting in Hairspray.
He has appeared in Mrs. Doubtfire, Bullets Over Broadway, Independence Day, Death to Smoochy, and more. He has sung to Muppets, he has voiced Disney characters, and he’s been in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Armistead Maupin has called Fierstein “a true American original who has blazed his own trail through popular culture for half a century.”
Harvey Fierstein joins us for the hour.
GUEST:
Harvey Fierstein: An actor on stage and screen, a playwright, and a screenwriter; he is the author of I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Michael Savitt contributed to this show, which originally aired March 10, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/27/2022 • 50 minutes
Incarcerated content producers challenge the myth of prison reform
The purpose of incarceration in America is supposed to be a balance between punishment and reform, with the scales tipping toward reforms that can lead to redemption and a second chance after release. But that’s not been the experience of many currently and formerly incarcerated people.
Incarcerated influencers are sharing a view of prison life through TikTok videos, podcasts, and journalism that shows a more nuanced look at prison life, including the network of support, friendships, and mentors the incarcerated share with one another in the absence of significant reform.
The content challenges misperceptions about incarceration that are often depicted in popular culture, and it exposes the lack of formal opportunities available to help the incarcerated prepare for life after release.
GUESTS:
Emily Bazelon: Staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and the co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest; she recently started The Prison Letters Project
Robin Kaiser-Schatzlein: A freelance writer who writes about American life for numerous publications including The New York Times, The New Republic, and The Baffler
John J. Lennon: An incarcerated journalist writing from Sullivan Correctional Facility; he is a contributing editor at Esquire magazine and a frequent contributor to The New York Times
Justin Paperny: A prison consultant, the co-founder of White Collar Advice and Prison Professors, and the author of Lessons from Prison
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2022 • 49 minutes, 1 second
The Nose looks at ‘Abbott Elementary,’ Apple’s Will Smith problem, and more
This week’s Nose uses the rug as its plan B.
Abbott Elementary is a mockumentary sitcom that airs on ABC, created by and starring Quinta Brunson. Think The Office, but set in a Philadelphia elementary school. It won two Primetime Emmy Awards last week, and its second season premiered this week.
And: Apple made a movie, Emancipation, that it expects will be worthy Oscar fodder. The only catch: It stars Will Smith, who is, ya know, banned from the Oscars and things. So now what?
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
24 Reactions To The “NyQuil Chicken Challenge” That Give Me A Spoonful Of Hope For HumanityFrom the same internet that brought you greatest hits like the “Tide pod” and “snorting condom” challenges comes a new, dangerously dumb trend that you must not attempt at all costs.
Adam Levine’s (Alleged) Sexts Are Amazingly Bad Famous people have never had to beg for a morsel of attention; it makes sense that their sexts might suck.
The moment you’ve all been waiting for: The Space Force has unveiled its official song
Gen Z Never Learned to Read Cursive How will they interpret the past?
How Student Debt Killed the Plot Fictional characters, too, are saddled with college loans, and struggling to keep the story of their lives moving forward.
The Enduring Wisdom of ‘Goodnight Moon’ It’s the first book many babies receive as a gift, and one of the few that parents will keep when their child is grown. Why does this 75-year-old story have such staying power?
An Ode to Being Read To Bedtime stories aren’t just for children.
Drew Barrymore challenges Andrew Garfield’s six-month celibacy with, “Yeah, so?” The Under The Banner Of Heaven star recently divulged details of his method acting processes
MI6 Is Looking for a New Bond. I’ve Got Some Suggestions.
Warner Bros. Discovery Has Bigger Problems Than Its DC Search The film studio’s hunt for its own Kevin Feige may be complicated by key questions about what’s next for the heavily indebted company — and whether another major deal is on the horizon.
Chess Is Just Poker Now A cheating controversy involving two grandmasters shows how computers have transformed the game.
Every Marilyn Monroe Movie, Ranked
Woody Allen Walks Back Claims, Says He Has ‘No Intention of Retiring’
Mariah Carey says we should finally hear her secret 1995 grunge album
Life on Screen: A Reality Television Reading List
A Gnarly New Theory About Saturn’s Rings The story of a long-lost moon
This Is Neptune? The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a mesmerizing view of the planet.
The ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Leak Is Enormous News That May Not Matter A massive leak of footage from the next big Rockstar Games release recently shook the video game industry. What does it mean for ‘GTA,’ fans of the franchise, and the way games get made?
Separating Sports by Sex Doesn’t Make Sense Though school sports are typically sex-segregated, a new generation of kids isn’t content to compete within traditional structures.
Wait, Is Taylor Swift Just Giving Us Straight Answers?
Preview the Art Show Entirely Inspired by Nicolas Cage and His Cat
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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.
9/23/2022 • 50 minutes
First come, first served: There is an art, and an etiquette, of queues
Well designed queues give you hope and feel fair, while poorly designed ones can ruin your day.
Queues are everywhere around us, and not all are designed well.
This hour, the art of the queue, the challenge of waiting in line, and when, if ever, cutting in line is appropriate.
GUESTS:
Jennifer Goff: Owner and founder of Skip the Line
Marie Helweg-Larsen: Professor of psychology at Dickinson College
Richard Larson: Professor of data, systems, and society at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Steven Soifer: President of the American Restroom Association
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
9/22/2022 • 49 minutes
Wisdom can save us from bad thinking
We all do some bad thinking sometimes, whether in relatively minor ways or relatively major ones.
This hour, we look at why bad thinking happens, how reasoning errors are embedded in the way we think, and how we can all learn how to think better, through lessons from philosophy and psychology.
GUESTS:
Woo-kyoung Ahn: Director of The Thinking Lab at Yale University and the author of Thinking 101: How to Reason Better to Live Better
Steven Nadler: Co-author of When Bad Thinking Happens to Good People: How Philosophy Can Save Us from Ourselves and a philosophy professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Larry Shapiro: Co-author of When Bad Thinking Happens to Good People: How Philosophy Can Save Us from Ourselves and a philosophy professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
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!
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.
9/21/2022 • 49 minutes
The road to sainthood: Who’s on it and how did they get there?
This hour, a look at the path to sainthood and how it’s changed over time.
Plus: the local example of the Rev. Michael McGivney.
GUESTS:
Teresa Berger: Professor of liturgical studies and Catholic theology at Yale Divinity School
Joseph Laycock: Author of The Seer of Bayside: Veronica Lueken and the Struggle to Define Catholicism
Rachel McCleary: Lecturer in the Economics Department at Harvard University and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute
James Sullivan: Rector of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, Connecticut
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Sara Gasparotto, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 31, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2022 • 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 a number of whys: Why do people speed? Why do cigarettes come in packs of 20? Why do we say “beyond the pale?” Why did the Hartford Courant leave the queen’s funeral off of today’s front page? Why do we still make pennies? 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!
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/19/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘She-Hulk: Attorney At Law’ and ‘Paper Girls’
This week’s Nose watches two recent comic book television adaptations: She-Hulk: Attorney At Law, from Disney+, and the recently canceled Paper Girls, from Prime Video.
GUESTS:
Rich Hollant: Principal at Co Lab, founder of Free Center, and Commissioner on Cultural Affairs for the city of Hartford
Jacques Lamarre: Playwright, and Chief Communications Officer at Buzz Engine
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development Officer at Connecticut Children’s
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/16/2022 • 49 minutes
Jill Sobule sings, reflects on the impact of music, and celebrates finding lost things
Jill Sobule is back in town and in our studio.
This hour: songs, seventh grade, fanny packs, the power of sad music, and much more.
These are the songs featured in the show:
“A Good Life”
“Island of Lost Things”
“Jetpack”
“Rainy Day Parade”
“Strawberry Gloss”
Jill Sobule performs at The Mark Twain House on Friday, September 16, 2022.
GUEST:
Jill Sobule: Award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
9/15/2022 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
You tried, you did not conquer: When a book becomes unreadable
Most of us have books that we just can’t finish, no matter how many times we try.
This hour, a look at those books that we find unreadable, whether they’re too long, too difficult, too confusing, or too dated. What makes a book unreadable?
Plus: The Voynich Manuscript, an unreadable and undeciphered book, housed at Yale University’s Beinecke Library.
We asked our listeners for their list of unreadable books. Here are those responses:
The Bible
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Rim by Alexander Besher
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Collapse by Jared Diamond
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
S. by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
anything by William Faulkner
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas Hofstadter
Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James
The Dubliners by James Joyce
Ulysses by James Joyce
Wicked by Gregory Maguire
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Faithful by Stewart O’Nan and Stephen King
Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
How to Write by Gertrude Stein
Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
GUESTS:
Ray Clemens: Curator of early books and manuscripts at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Rand Richards Cooper: Fiction writer, contributing editor at Commonweal, and restaurant critic for The Hartford Courant
Dennis Duncan: Lecturer in English at University College London and the author of Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age
Juliet Lapidos: Ideas editor for The Atlantic and the author of Talent
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!
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.
9/14/2022 • 49 minutes
‘Our national pageant of stupidity’: Andy Borowitz on American politicians today
This hour, comedian and The New Yorker columnist Andy Borowitz on his new book, Profiles in Ignorance, which explains how our nation’s elected leaders have grown dumb — dumber.
GUESTS:
Andy Borowitz: Writes The Borowitz Report; his new book is Profiles in Ignorance: How America’s Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/13/2022 • 49 minutes
Honk if you’re listening to this show about bumper stickers
Bumper stickers are everywhere. They range from funny to informative to political to provocative and beyond.
This hour: bumper stickers — the philosophy of bumper stickers, the evolution of political bumper stickers, and so much more.
GUESTS:
Jack Bowen: Author of If You Can Read This: The Philosophy of Bumper Stickers
Henry Hoke: Author of Sticker
Claire Jerry: Curator of political history for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 16, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘The Rings of Power’
This week’s Nose will not sit here and suffer crows that come to feast on their corpses.
Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon is the second show in the Game of Thrones franchise and a prequel to the original series. It is based on parts of George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, and it starts about 200 years before the events of the original series. Its first episode was the most-watched series premiere in the history of HBO, according to HBO. House of the Dragon has been renewed for a second season.
And: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is the first television series in the Lord of the Ringsfranchise. It is a prequel to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings set thousands of years before them, during the Second Age of Middle-Earth. The Rings of Power is based mostly on the appendices of The Lord of the Rings. Amazon has made a five-season production commitment worth at least $1 billion. This would make it the most expensive television series ever made.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Queen Elizabeth in Pop Culture: A History The long-reigning monarch has been referenced in everything from banned music videos and Beatles songs to Hannah Montana.
21 Unexpected And Surprising Twitter Accounts Paying Tribute To The Queen From Legoland to Crazy Frog.
Explaining Olivia Wilde’s celebrity dumpster fire ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ SFGATE columnist Drew Magary parses the gossip of the day
What on Earth Happened With Barack Obama’s White House Portrait? [Ed. note: I completely disagree with Dan Kois’ take here. Completely.]
Kids Yell “Poop” At Alexa, And These Musicians Profit “Alexa, play ‘Poopy Stupid Butt’ again.”
‘Saturday Night Live’: Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor & Aristotle Athari Not Returning For Season 48
If There’s Still Such a Thing as the ‘Song of Summer,’ This Year’s Would Be …
How Sneakers Aged Better than Almost All Computer Thrillers
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, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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.
9/9/2022 • 49 minutes
Historical reenactments can deepen our relationship to history
This hour is all about historical reenactments. We look at the role reenactments play in helping us understand or experience history. We talk with reenactors about what draws them to this and what their experiences are like.
Plus, reenactments aren’t just about the acting but the costumes and the props. We hear from a tailor who creates custom clothing using traditional materials and methods to create true-to-history costuming. We also talk about experimental archeology and the stone-aged tools used by our predecessors. How were those tools made? And by recreating them, what can we learn about history, evolution, and psychology?
GUESTS:
Brad Keefer: Professor of history at Kent State University, who is also an active Civil War and colonial period living historian
Metin Erin: Associate professor in the department of anthropology at Kent State University and co-director of The Kent State University Experimental Archaeology Laboratory
Michelle Bebber: Associate professor in the department of anthropology at Kent State University and co-director of The Kent State University Experimental Archaeology Laboratory
Ian Graves: Tailor and owner of Royal Blue Traders, who specializes in American Revolutionary War clothing
J.R. Hardman: Associate producer at PBS Utah, and a Civil War reenactor, who is directing and producing the documentary Reenactress
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/8/2022 • 49 minutes
There’s no shame in schadenfreude
Schadenfreude, the German idea for taking pleasure in others’ misfortune, seems like an ugly human emotion. But psychologists and philosophers argue that schadenfreude is baked into the human condition and actually is kind of good for us.
This hour, we explore why it’s okay to laugh when someone slips on a banana peel.
GUESTS:
Scott Dikkers: Founding editor of The Onion and the author of How to Write Funny
Lauren Ober: Hosted the Spectacular Failures podcast
John Portmann: Professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia and the author of When Bad Things Happen to Other People
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired March 7, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/7/2022 • 50 minutes
We take your calls
Welcome back from the long weekend and, in a way, from the summer!
We figured you might have some things to say on a day like today, and 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 commercial creep on public radio, “The Purple People Eater” and Nope, defenders and detractors of our new radio promos, the Cary Grant movie People Will Talk(which we carelessly left out of our rom-coms show), the circular economy (and Amazon taking its damn boxes back), legendary Connecticut broadcaster Bob Steele, and legendary march maker John Philip Sousa. 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!
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/6/2022 • 49 minutes
The ‘Nope’ Nose looks at Jordan Peele’s latest and more
This week’s Nose gets the Oprah shot.
Britney is back. Over the last week, Britney Spears released a 22-minute ‘audio statement’ covering her conservatorship and its long-awaited ending, and she dropped her first new music since 2016, a single with Elton John.
And: Nope is Jordan Peele’s third film as writer/director/producer, his followup to Get Out and Us. It’s a kind of mashup of horror, sci-fi, and neo-Western with some notes of Spielberg thrown in, too. Peele has acknowledged the influence of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Jaws, but there’s clearly some War of the Worlds going on here as well. Domestically, Nope is the highest-grossing horror film of the year so far.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Richard Roat, Character Actor Known for Friends and Seinfeld, Dead at 89
Why ‘She-Hulk’ is getting review bombed Fans and experts see a link between negative online reviews, primarily from male users, and the Marvel show’s exploration of gender.
The Alarming Prospect of NBC Clocking Out at 10 p.m.
Supporters Attempt to Redeem Legacy of Hollywood Legend Fredric March, Canceled Over Racism Allegations: “This Was a Rush to Judgment” As Turner Classic Movies gets ready to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Oscar winner’s birth, host Ben Mankiewicz is among those calling it a “misconception” that the long-time civil rights champion once supported the Ku Klux Klan. “He couldn’t have done what he’s accused of doing,” adds actor Glynn Turman.
America Is Trying to Make the Moon Happen Again NASA is ready to give an ambitious lunar program its first real test.
Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey — First Trailer Reveals the Horrors in 100 Acre Wood Oh, bother.
Anti-Aging Ambassador Leonardo DiCaprio Breaks Up With 25-Year-Old Girlfriend Camila Morrone has hit the glass ceiling of being one-fourth of a century old and must now pack her bags.
This Is How the Hollywood Comeback Cycle Works Johnny Depp’s appearance at MTV’s Video Music Awards was at once bizarre and frustratingly predictable.
The Alleged Celeb Civil War Between Olivia Wilde, Florence Pugh, and Shia LaBeouf, ExplainedThe gossip includes conflicting accounts, a leaked video, and an on-set romance, but how much is just in fans’ imaginations?
Taylor Swift Is The Queen Of Easter Eggs And Hidden Messages. Here’s Everything That Fans Have Theorized About “Midnights” So Far. As soon as Swifties had finished screaming, crying, and throwing up over the Midnights announcement on Sunday, they got to work.
Did My Cat Just Hit On Me? An Adventure in Pet Translation Entrepreneurs are aiming to put A.I.-powered pet translation tools into our pockets.
The Cult of A24 The iconoclastic studio has bred superfans, dropped swag, and perfected a house style. It’s also teetering on the verge of self-parody.
Every A24 Movie, Ranked Neon lights, creepy birds, white people rapping — the studio spawned an aesthetic universe. Here are the good, bad, and vibe-y.
Breaking Down That Infamous E.T./Star Wars Fan Theory
2022 Fall Movie Preview: 34 Films to Watch Out For With the Venice Film Festival kicking off this week, the race is on to rule over the best season of the year for moviegoing.
25 TV Shows We Can’t Wait to See This Fall Television’s signature season offers a bounty of new series and returning favorites.
‘House of the Dragon’ Shake-Up: Co-Showrunner Miguel Sapochnik Leaving Hit Series Emmy-winning ‘Game of Thrones’ veteran Alan Taylor will join the team for season two.
The Guilt-Free Pleasure of Airplane Movies Amid the endless tiny indignities of air travel, only one true retreat remains.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s Quest to Become America’s Favorite Superheroes Unpacking Kimye’s obsession, pre- and post-divorce, with Disney, “The Incredibles,” the nuclear family, and spandex.
Getting Away From It All in Mark Zuckerberg’s Metaverse Reality reality was terrible. Would virtual reality be any better?
You Don’t Really Want a Twitter Edit Button Our chaotic public square will lose a lot more than typos.
Pumpkin spice won. It’s time to accept it and move on.
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: The most dangerous woman in speculative fiction (and she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast)
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian and 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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
9/2/2022 • 49 minutes
Tuberculosis has shaped history, art, and architecture — and it’s still here today
Tuberculosis has been around for thousands of years and still infects millions per year.
This hour, we look back at how tuberculosis has shaped history and how it is still impacting health today.
Plus, a look at the history of tuberculosis treatment, how tuberculosis has shaped modern architecture, and the impact of tuberculosis on art and artists.
GUESTS:
Heran Darwin: Professor in the Department of Microbiology at New York University, whose lab studies Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Kyle Harper: Chair in the History of Liberty, professor of classics and letters at the University of Oklahoma, and the author of Plagues Upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History
Beatriz Colomina: Professor of the history of architecture at Princeton University and the author of X-Ray Architecture
Tara Knapp: Vice president of external affairs at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare
Carolyn Day: Associate professor of history at Furman University and the author of Consumptive Chic: A History of Beauty, Fashion and Disease
Elizabeth Lee: Associate professor of art history at Dickinson College and the author of The Medicine of Art: Disease and the Aesthetic Object in Gilded Age America
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/1/2022 • 48 minutes, 48 seconds
What chess, Scrabble, and Monopoly can teach us about life
In his book, Seven Games, Oliver Roeder says that games are a “slice of life.”
This hour we look at three games: chess, Scrabble, and Monopoly.
We investigate why these games have endured in popularity through history, and we discuss what each one of them can teach us about life.
GUESTS:
Jenny Adams: Author of Power Play: The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages
Mary Pilon: A journalist and screenwriter and the author of The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Board Game
Oliver Roeder: A journalist and the author of Seven Games: A Human History
Lindsay Shin: A competitive Scrabble player; she organizes an annual tournament in New Orleans
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 15, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/31/2022 • 50 minutes
Put your hands together for a show about clapping
This hour, we wrap our heads around clapping — its history, its varied permutations, and the kinds of occasions on which people applaud.
GUESTS:
Gavin Witt: Professor of theater history at Towson University and a long-time dramaturg
Erin Elstner: Percussionist and professor of percussion at Webster University
Frank Rizzo: Theater critic for Variety and other publications
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/30/2022 • 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 old Hartford music venue Lloyd’s; the village of Bentonsport, Iowa, current population 44; the town of Provincetown, Massachusetts, current population 3,644; our impending, delayed, ongoing rebrand; and our world famous, award winning, but currently mothballed, Factoids segments. 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!
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/29/2022 • 50 minutes, 10 seconds
The Nose rides into the danger zone: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ and more
This week’s Nose is one hell of a steep climb outta there.
Top Gun: Maverick is a sequel 36 years in the making. It’s also the No. 1 movie of the year, both worldwide and domestically. It’s the highest-grossing film of Tom Cruise’s long career. And it’s the highest-grossing domestic release in the history of Paramount Pictures. Top Gun: Maverick starts its fourth month in theaters this weekend, and it’s now available for sale on digital platforms.
And: Val is a 2021 documentary written and photographed, from thousands of hours of videotapes and film reels documenting his life and career, by Val Kilmer, who plays Iceman in both Top Gun films. Val is, according to Kilmer in the movie, “A story about my life that is also not my life.”
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Leon Vitali, ‘Barry Lyndon’ Actor and Personal Assistant to Stanley Kubrick, Dies at 74
The 102 Best Movie Sequels of All Time Whether they come after, before, or between their predecessors, these films have their own indelible legacies.
Thrones v. Rings: The Biggest Battle in TV History Is Here House of the Dragon [premiered] on HBO Max [last] weekend, The Rings of Power on Amazon two weeks later. The winner will set the course for fantasy—and streaming.
The HGTV-ification of America You can’t escape gray floors.
Yellowstone’s Brand of White Grievance Is Free-Range and Organic
Live Performance Is Back. But Audiences Have Been Slow to Return. Attendance lagged in the comeback season, as the challenges posed by the coronavirus persisted. Presenters hope it was just a blip.
Vince Gilligan Wants to Write a Good Guy After fourteen years of “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” the showrunner talks about how TV has changed, the sins of auteur theory, and the appeal of an old-fashioned hero.
Why Rick And Morty Creator Justin Roiland Likes Mocking Their Own Jokes Within The Show Itself
Research says that your 40s are your unhappiest age. It’s worse for millennials I was already glum about soon turning 40. Then I learned that happiness is U-shaped — it bottoms out in your 40s, then starts to inch its way up again in your 50s
I realised I would never be an actor — now I’m a big advocate of giving up on dreams To succeed you need self-belief and drive. But life forces us to give up all the time, and being able to let things go is also a skill
You Know Holden Caulfield Isn’t Real, Right?
The Commodore 64 at 40: back to the future of video games The bestselling computer made home gaming accessible for millions as it launched the industry toward the mainstream with classic titles such as Dropzone and The Sentinel
An inside look at how the Girl Scouts chose their next cookie flavor, Raspberry Rally
MoviePass Is Relaunching Next Month After Failing in 2019 The company was driven out of business three years ago after offering customers a too-good-to-be-true subscription model.
GUESTS:
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/26/2022 • 49 minutes
Please don’t give this show on the art of the online review one star
Chances are you have used online reviews to try new restaurants, dry cleaners, hotels or even movies.
But what makes us trust the opinions of strangers on the internet?
This hour, a look at the art and the etiquette of online reviews.
GUESTS:
Camilla Vásquez: Author of The Discourse of Online Consumer Reviews
Chef Tyler Anderson: Owner of Tanda Hospitality
Lauren Dragan: Senior staff writer at Wirecutter
Xandy Schiefer: Co-host of the podcast Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet
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, Eugene Amatruda, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/25/2022 • 49 minutes, 55 seconds
From ‘Ninotchka’ to ‘Love Actually’: A celebration of the romantic comedy
In his new book, From Hollywood with Love, critic Scott Meslow lays out two ways to tell if a given movie is a rom-com. First, his own definition: “A romantic comedy is a movie where (1) the central plot is focused on at least one romantic love story; and (2) the goal is to make you laugh at least as much as the goal is to make you cry.”
And then, The Donald Petrie Test, named for the director of some rom-coms, like Mystic Pizza and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but also some edge cases, like Miss Congeniality and Grumpy Old Men: “If you removed the love story from this [comedy], would you still have a movie? If the answer is no, it’s a romantic comedy. […] If the answer is yes, it’s a comedy with a romantic subplot.”
So those are the litmus tests. Now, does that make Broadcast News a rom-com, or no? What about Annie Hall? Or something like Grosse Pointe Blank? How about His Girl Friday? Or even, actually, Love Actually?
This hour, a deconstruction — and celebration — of the romantic comedy.
Some favorite rom-coms from some of the people on this show:
Illeana DouglasTheodora Goes Wild (1936)Bringing Up Baby (1938)Ninotchka (1939)Too Many Husbands (1940)The More the Merrier (1943)Christmas in Connecticut (1945)Cluny Brown (1946)Pillow Talk (1959)The Apartment (1960)What’s Up, Doc? (1972)Foul Play (1978)Arthur (1981)
David EdelsteinTrouble in Paradise (1932)The Awful Truth (1937)Ninotchka (1939)Midnight (1939)The Lady Eve (1941)His Girl Friday (1940)The Philadelphia Story (1940)The Shop Around the Corner (1940)Cluny Brown (1946)
Scott Meslow’s five recommended under-seen rom-coms from the past decade
Populaire (2012)A zippy, ultra-stylish French rom-com about the romance between a dapper boss and his secretary, set amid the long-forgotten craze for competitive speed typing.
Sleeping with Other People (2015)Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis are at the peak of their charms in this witty rom-com about two friends who reunite years after losing their virginities to each other — the rare rom-com to get the balance of raunchy and sweet just right.
Man Up (2015)Ignore the lame title — this rom-com, in which Lake Bell plays an unlucky-in-love woman who pretends to be a man’s blind date, is pure, fizzy fun (and is also the only rom-com I’ve seen to borrow a plot point from The Silence of the Lambs).
Destination Wedding (2018)Other critics weren’t as high on this extremely stripped down rom-com, in which Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves snark their way through a wedding they’d both prefer not to be attending — but in a genre in which so many characters have “negative” qualities that are actually just adorable, I appreciated this movie’s deliberately sour tone.
Plus One (2019)A delightfully unapologetic throwback to the genre’s ’90s heyday, but with a modern touch, as two platonic friends (Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine) agree to be each other’s plus-ones for a packed wedding season before realizing they may actually have a spark after all.
Colin’s 5 (or 6) favorite rom-coms
Heaven Can Wait (1978)I realize this is assailable on the basis of Julie Christie not being an especially memorable character and getting less screen time than, say, Jack Warden. Warren Beatty is so vain, he probably thinks this movie is about him, and he’s sort of right. But it is very nearly perfect and enriched by an amazing ensemble of supporting players.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)I surprised myself by ranking SLP this high, but I love the frank and funny handling of mental illness and its indistinguishability from being an Eagles fan. I’ve seen it quite a few times, and I invariably cry at the end. I love what J-Law does with her part, and Chris Tucker and John Ortiz are standouts among the fine supporting cast. Shout out to Kevin Lowry for his work as dolly grip on the “A” camera.
The Lady Eve (1941) / Intolerable Cruelty (2003)These are both “rom-cons” involving grifts by a femme fatale who is usually a few steps ahead of the male lead. Barbara Stanwyck actually generates more sexual heat than the smoldering Catherine Zeta-Jones. She was still doing that 42 years later, hitting on a rain-streaked, bare-chested priest played by Richard Chamberlain in The Thorn Birds. But I do love Intolerable Cruelty. I think it’s the only Coen brothers rom-com and definitely an homage to the ’30s and ’40s.
Say Anything (1989)I loved John Cusack during this period. A few years later, I was seeing a psychotherapist who looked exactly like him. It was distracting. I’ve learned that Cusack didn’t really see himself as a romcom person and even pushed back against the iconic boombox scene. That has something to do with why this movie works so well.
Bringing Up Baby (1938)Grant. Hepburn. Two leopards. Thirty pounds of sirloin. What’s not to love?
GUESTS:
Illeana Douglas: A movie and television star
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Scott Meslow: The author of From Hollywood with Love: The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of the Romantic Comedy
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!
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.
8/24/2022 • 50 minutes
‘Megafauna mania’: Our obsession with mountain lions and other large predators
Bears, bobcats, coyotes, and deer are repopulating Connecticut, despite being hunted to near extinction by early settlers. Is the mountain lion among those returning?
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection thinks it’s unlikely. They investigate hundreds of mountain lion sightings every year without finding physical evidence of their presence. The sightings increased in 2011, after a driver hit and killed a mountain lion who was trying to cross the Merritt Parkway in Milford. But the mountain lion’s DNA was traced to South Dakota.
Mountain lions in Connecticut are a lot like Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster: elusive and spectacular creatures that are widely spotted but leave no trace.
This hour, we talk about wildlife in Connecticut, including the Greenwich mountain lion and Buddy the beefalo.
GUESTS:
Jason Hawley: A wildlife biologist for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
William Stolzenburg: A screenwriter and journalist and the author of Heart of Lion: a Lone Cat’s Walk Across America
Ed Benecchi: Retired police officer
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Megan Fitzgerald, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show. Special thanks to Jennifer Ahrens, Julia Gill, Peter Herrmann, and Anna Huether for contributing stories.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/23/2022 • 49 minutes
Warning: If you have a heart, it will likely get broken (in more ways than one)
Nobody ever died of a broken heart, right? Not true. A condition known as broken heart syndrome can be brought on by a sudden shock, such as grief from the death of a loved one or a divorce.
You may not die of a broken heart, but it can alter your biology in ways that can increase your risk for disease. The good news is that it can be reversed if you can begin to mend your heart.
Also this hour: We talk about how our language changes in the months leading up to a breakup — before either partner consciously realizes what’s happening — and why we’re so drawn to sad songs, particularly torch songs, when our hearts are breaking.
GUESTS:
Noah Baerman: A jazz pianist, composer, and educator
Kate Blackburn: A data analyst at TikTok
Sarah Seraj: Chief technology officer at A Better Force
Florence Williams: A science writer and the author of Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 24, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/22/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose settles the top sheet debate and looks at ‘The Sandman’
This week’s Nose is sittin’ here, moping, pigeon feeding.
It’s the generational divide that’s been tearing the nation asunder for as long as we can remember: Should you use a top sheet or not? [Ed. note: You obviously should not. What is this, the 19th century?]
And: The Sandman is a Netflix series adaptation of the DC/Vertigo comic book written by Neil Gaiman. Ten episodes dropped on August 5 and racked up 127.5 million hours of viewing in their first week of release, making The Sandman the most-watched show on Netflix. A surprise 11th episode was released early this morning.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Wolfgang Petersen, ‘Air Force One,’ ‘Das Boot’ Director, Dies at 81
That’s It. You’re Dead to Me. Suddenly everyone is “toxic.”
You Do Not Want to Be on Brad Pitt’s “Shit List” According to his Bullet Train costar Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the Oscar winner has a “shit list” of actors he won’t work with.
The 15 Best Episodes Of NewsRadio, Ranked
The 100 Best Movies of the ’90s ’90s Week: From “Close-Up” to “Clueless,” and from “The Thin Red Line” to “Perfect Blue,” these timeless movies prove that the ’90s never went away.
The most-regretted baby names, and more!
Seth Meyers Finally Got the Top Late-Night Emmy Nomination—Only After Breaking All the Rules of the Format The host of NBC’s Late Night looks back at how the pandemic changed his show, from turning the writing staff into recurring characters to ditching the suit forever.
HBO/HBO Max Laying Off 70 Staffers as It Shuts Down Streamer’s Reality Unit and Restructures Other Departments
Top 50 Ben Affleck Moments Congrats on the big 5–0, Benny!
Academy Awards apologises to Sacheen Littlefeather for Oscars speech moment Nearly 50 years after speech on behalf of Marlon Brando about depiction of Native Americans, Academy apologises for ‘unwarranted’ abuse she endured
An Essay About Watching Brad Pitt Eat That Is Really About My Own Shit
The 15 Best Laura Dern Movies, Ranked
Lee Pace’s Body of Work The Bodies Bodies Bodies star has become the object of the Internet’s affection. He’d rather be working on his house.
Willie Nelson’s Long Encore As he approaches 90, even brushes with death can’t keep him off the road — or dim a late-life creative burst.
Addison Rae’s Dad Wants To Box The 26-Year-Old Rapper Hitting On Her Mom, And Honestly, I Can’t “You’ve got one of the most successful daughters in the world and you decide to act half her age to try to get some attention.”
The Door Opened by “Gangnam Style” The global hit primed Western audiences for films and shows about South Korea as a dystopia.
Why Serena Williams Has the Greatest Career in Sports History The 37-time Grand Slam champion’s accomplishments dwarf those of Tom Brady and LeBron James because of what she had to overcome.
The Psychology of Cringe Comedy: Why We Love to Watch What Hurts Us From ‘Da Ali G Show’ to viral TikTok videos, cringe comedy persists within pop culture. And oftentimes, the genre’s appeal is as much about the way we perceive ourselves as the comics we watch performing it.
The Powerful, Unlikely Force Shaping Modern TV In a Hollywood-worthy plot twist, television writers are embracing fan theorists who try to “solve” their shows.
Desus & Mero Brought the Block to Late-Night TV The show’s cancellation is a loss not only for the duo’s avid fans but for television as a whole.
All 13 Marx Brothers Comedies in the Order You Should Watch Them
N.B.A. Won’t Play on Election Day, in Hopes of Encouraging Voting
Do spiders sleep? Study suggests they may snooze like humans
GUESTS:
Helder Mira: Multimedia producer at Trinity College and co-host of the So Pretentious podcast
Cat Pastor: Assistant radio operations manager at Connecticut Public
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/19/2022 • 49 minutes
There’s still a pandemic going on, by the way
In a recent Quinnipiac poll, people were asked the most urgent issue facing the country. COVID-19 came in dead last among 13 options.
And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just relaxed its guidelines. Again.
But more than 400 Americans are dying each day, and the long Omicron surge continues.
There’s still a pandemic going on. This hour, we look at what’s going on with the pandemic.
GUESTS:
Rachel Gutman-Wei: Senior associate editor at The Atlantic
Jonathan McNicol: The producer of this very episode of this very show
Saad Omer: Professor of medicine and the epidemiology of microbial diseases at Yale and director of the Yale Institute for Global Health
Julia Pistell: A freelance producer on The Colin McEnroe Show, among a number of other things
Catie Talarski: Senior director of storytelling and radio programming at Connecticut Public
Ulysses Wu: System director of infectious diseases and chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/18/2022 • 50 minutes, 27 seconds
How indexes help organize our world
Chances are you’ve used an index at the back of a book. But how much thought have you given to their creation, their function, their history?
This hour: more than you ever thought to wonder about the role of indexes in our world.
Plus, we get mixed up in the world of cookbook indexes.
GUESTS:
Paula Clarke Bain: Professional indexer
Dennis Duncan: Author of Index, A History of The: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age
Elizabeth Parson: Professional indexer
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired March 2, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/17/2022 • 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 mountain lions, punctuation and pronunciation and grammar, the death of David McCullough, the big (“big”) digital vs. analog controversy swirling around Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, and Homo sapiens and their dogs. 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!
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/16/2022 • 49 minutes
‘Tackiness is joyfulness’: A celebration of all things tacky
What makes something tacky?
This hour, a celebration of all things tacky. Plus, a look at why reality TV is sometimes tacky and at the tackiest home décor.
GUESTS:
Rax King: Author of Tacky: Love Letters to the Worst Culture We Have to Offer and co-host of the podcast Low Culture Boil
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and the director of client services at Buzz Engine
Brian Moylan: A writer and reality TV show recapper and the author of The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives
Cat Pastor: Assistant radio operations manager at Connecticut Public
Peter York: A journalist and the author of Dictator Style: Lifestyles of the World’s Most Colorful Despots
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 23, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/15/2022 • 50 minutes
PODCAST EXCLUSIVE: The Nose looks at ‘I Am Groot’
This week’s Nose got the walls wet and on fire.
We present here a podcast-only segment on I Am Groot, Marvel’s new Disney+ series of shorts (each episode is three minutes long plus credits and logos) following the adventures of Baby Groot during the period between Guardians of the Galaxy and a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 mid-credits sequence. (I’m not making this up, I swear.)
I’d explain why we’re doing this special segment, but the reason is very, very dumb. Also, Colin explains it during the segment. Not that it’ll really make sense once he does.
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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!
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.
8/14/2022 • 17 minutes, 17 seconds
The Nose looks at James Franco as Castro, ‘The Rehearsal,’ ‘I Am Groot,’ and more
This week’s Nose got the walls wet and on fire.
The producers of an upcoming biopic about Fidel Castro’s exiled daughter, Alina of Cuba, reportedly did extensive heraldry and skull-shape analysis and somehow came to the conclusion that … James Franco should play Castro. The internet doesn’t think that’s a good idea. (Also: It’s not.)
And: The Rehearsal is Nathan Fielder’s new HBO docu-comedy series. The show “explores the lengths one man will go to reduce the uncertainties of everyday life. With a construction crew, a legion of actors, and seemingly unlimited resources, Fielder allows ordinary people to prepare for life’s biggest moments by ‘rehearsing’ them in carefully crafted simulations of his own design.”
And finally, a podcast-only segment on I Am Groot, Marvel’s new Disney+ series of shorts (each episode is three minutes long plus credits and logos) following the adventures of Baby Groot during the period between Guardians of the Galaxy and a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 mid-credits sequence. (I’m not making this up, I swear.) I’d explain why we’re doing this special segment, but the reason is very, very dumb.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Olivia Newton-John, pop singer and ‘Grease’ star, dies at 73 The sugary-sweet performer with a string of No. 1 hits was also an advocate for cancer research
Olivia Newton-John: That Headband Was a Crown When the singer smudged her classy image, she “unlocked something new that shot her to the top of pop’s Olympus,” our critic writes: “The vestal vamp.”
David McCullough, Best-Selling Explorer of America’s Past, Dies at 89 His research — on Adams, Truman and so much more — was deep, his writing was lively, and his narrator’s voice in documentary films was familiar to millions.
Gene LeBell Dies: Stuntman, Actor And Wrestling Legend Who Fought Bruce Lee & Chuck Norris Onscreen Was 89
Serena Williams Says Farewell to Tennis On Her Own Terms—And In Her Own Words
Bill Russell’s No. 6 to be retired across NBA following legend’s death last month
Why’d That Movie Disappear? Welcome to Streaming’s Memory Hole Era If ‘American Pickle’ doesn’t exist on HBO Max now, did it ever? Or: A new generation realizes that an endless stream of film titles can easily vanish into the online ether.
The Great HBO Freak-out of 2022 Was Unwarranted, but Understandable In light of what happened at Warner Bros. Discovery’s earnings call, some of the rumors that flew ahead of the event look borderline histrionic—but consumers had good reason to fear for the worst
Disney Now Has More Streaming Subscribers Than Netflix, But Makes Less Money From Them
The End of Manual Transmission Stick shifts are dying. When they go, something bigger than driving will be lost.
Taylor Swift files in Shake It Off copyright lawsuit: ‘The lyrics were written entirely by me’ Singer had been sued by writers of 3LW’s 2000 song Playas Gon’ Play for alleged plagiarism, and the case is due to return to court
How Catholicism became a meme One of the world’s most powerful religions is now an alt status symbol.
As Spider-Man turns 60, fans reflect on diverse appeal
Tinder’s Fatphobia Problem
Mike Judge’s Secret Art of Satire Judge has created some of the sharpest, most prophetic comedies of the past few decades. Now his first hit, “Beavis and Butt-Head,” is back on the air.
Cat lovers can try cat-food inspired dishes at Fancy Feast’s Italian pop-up
Reviews, reappraised — Simran Hans on the rise of the critic-influencers
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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!
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.
8/12/2022 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 44 seconds
Stop, drop, and stay there: An episode all about leisure
How do you like to relax? Do you read a book? Go for a hike, maybe? How about grabbing dinner with friends? The list goes on, and we consider these activities leisure.
This hour, we learn what leisure is and how to master it. We take a look at the importance of leisure for health, how the concept differs around the world, and what it means to value your free time. Finally, we examine what the future holds for leisure.
In case you find some inspiration in this hour, here’s a list of leisure activities from our guests and The Colin McEnroe Show staff:
Gardening.
Finishing that old show you’ve been meaning to finish.
Drawing yourself.
Counting clouds.
Staring at the wall.
Laying down.
Playing the closest instrument.
Going bug collecting.
Trying your hand at claymation.
Trying to get the hiccups.
Buying clay pigeons (biodegradable) and smashing them.
Exploring the forest behind your home.
Throwing rocks into the mysterious well you find in the forest.
Summoning (accidentally) an eons-old forest spirit.
Visiting a national park.
GUESTS:
Tom Hodgkinson: Founder of Idler magazine and the author a number of books, including How to Be Idle: A Loafer’s Manifesto and An Idler’s Manual
Selin Malkoc: Behavioral scientist at the Fisher College of Business at The Ohio State University
Ken Roberts: Professor of sociology, social policy, and criminology at The University of Liverpool
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/11/2022 • 49 minutes
The rise of conspiracy theories following Sandy Hook
In her book Sandy Hook, Elizabeth Williamson investigates the conspiracy theories that arose following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in Newtown, Connecticut.
GUEST:
Elizabeth Williamson: Author of Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired April 18, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/10/2022 • 50 minutes
Why our food looks different than grandma’s did
Food isn’t just a way to cure hunger. In food, we find identity, history, politics, and more.
This hour, a look at the evolution of food and how our perception of different diets and lifestyles is changing.
GUESTS:
Anthony Jung: Executive chef of retail dining at UMass Amherst
Cathy Kaufman: Lecturer of food studies at The New School and chairwoman of the Oxford Symposium on Food and Cookery
Dr. Uma Naidoo: Psychiatrist, professional chef, trained nutrition specialist, and the author of This Is Your Brain On Food
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Anya Grondalski, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/9/2022 • 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 R&B trio AKNU, calling everybody “guys” indiscriminately, force-field analysis, the writing of the U.S. Constitution, and the Bloomfield aquifer project.
There’s also a point in this show when Colin says, “No call is recherché,” which may be simultaneously the most and least public radio thing anyone’s ever said on our air.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/8/2022 • 49 minutes
We’re still bananas for The Monkees
The Nose is off this week.
In its place this hour, a look at why, more than half a century after they first came walking down the street, we’re still bananas for The Monkees.
GUESTS:
Mark Rozzo: Contributing editor at Vanity Fair, where he published “The Most Influential Pop-Rock Band Ever? The Monkees!”
Andrew Sandoval: Manager of The Monkees from 2011 to 2021 and host of the podcast Come to the Sunshine
Rosanne Welch: Author of Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture
Brian Williams: Former anchor of the NBC Nightly News
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!
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, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/5/2022 • 50 minutes
From geckos to gum: The science of stickiness
Stickiness. We know it when we see it — or when we feel it under our feet at the movie theater. But what is stickiness, scientifically speaking?
How do geckos climb? Why don’t Post-it Notes ruin our books?
This hour, we talk to scientist Laurie Winkless about her book, Sticky, and figure out what holds it all together.
GUESTS:
Laurie Winkless: A science writer and physicist and the author of Sticky: The Secret Science of the Surfaces
Dr. Alyssa Stark: A professor at Villanova University; she runs a lab that studies biological adhesion
Will Coldwell: A freelance writer; he published “Bursting the Bubble: How Gum Lost Its Cool” in The Economist
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired February 17, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/4/2022 • 50 minutes
Who’s inventing new instruments?
Think about it: When’s the last time you saw a brand-new instrument in a marching band?
New instruments don’t come around too often — but it’s not for lack of trying. Getting a new sound off the ground involves design, production, music expertise, composition, and fans.
It’s no easy task to invent the next best thing, but this hour we talk to inventors, composers, teachers, and the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition to learn about the future of sound.
GUESTS:
Jason Freeman: Professor of music at Georgia Tech and chair of the School of Music who leads the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition
Kyle Grimm: Composer who specializes in both acoustic and electronic mediums and a professor of music at the University of Hartford
Keith Groover: The inventor of The Glide as well as a musician and music educator
Bosko Kante: Grammy-winning producer and the inventor of The ElectroSpit
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Catie Talarski, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired January 26, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/3/2022 • 50 minutes
You couldn’t have predicted we’d do this show about predicting the future
Humans have been trying for, well, forever to predict the future. But how helpful is predicting the future, really? And what factors determine whether someone is successful at doing it, or not?
This hour, we try to predict whether predicting the future is useful, and understand why we’re so interested in doing so.
GUESTS:
Amanda Rees: A historian of science based at the University of York who works on the history of the future and coauthor of the book Human
Warren Hatch: A superforecaster and CEO of Good Judgment Inc.
Allan Lichtman: A distinguished professor of history at American University; he is known for accurately predicting the outcome of presidential elections since 1984, and his most recent book is Thirteen Cracks: Repairing American Democracy After Trump
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 20, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/2/2022 • 50 minutes
Former Senator Joe Lieberman believes the best seat in the House is in the middle
Former Senator Joe Lieberman believes the center of Congress is the best place from which to legislate. It’s the sweet spot for negotiation and compromise and making the deals that move the country forward. He thinks Congress would get more done if members would shift closer to the center and away from the fringe.
But how do you bring legislators in today’s Congress together when they don’t all share one set of facts? And at what point does centrism become opportunism and the bridge-builder an appeaser? Are there compromises not worth making?
Joe Lieberman joins us to talk about his 24 years as a “centrist” legislator and his complicated relationship with Connecticut voters.
GUEST:
Joe Lieberman: Represented Connecticut in the U.S. Senate for 24 years; he is the author of The Centrist Solution: How We Made Government Work and Can Make It Work Again
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired December 7, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/1/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at the art of organizing bookshelves, ‘The Last Movie Stars,’ and more
This week’s Nose poured gasoline on the tapes and lit them on fire.
Armageddon and Deep Impact and Antz and A Bug’s Life in 1998. The Illusionist and The Prestige in 2006. Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down in 2013. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessand Everything Everywhere All at Once this year. What is the deal with Hollywood sometimes putting out multiple movies about the same thing at the same time?
And: How do you organize your bookshelves? By subject? Author? Title? Color? Size? …Not at all?
And finally: The Last Movie Stars is a six-part HBO docuseries directed by Ethan Hawke. It “chronicles Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward’s iconic careers and decades-long partnership” and features the voices of Laura Linney as Joanne Woodward, George Clooney as Paul Newman, Karen Allen as Frances Woodward, Brooks Ashmanskas as Gore Vidal, Bobby Cannavale as Elia Kazan, Vincent D’Onofrio as John Huston and Karl Malden, Oscar Isaac as Sydney Pollack, Tom McCarthy as Sidney Lumet, Sam Rockwell as Stuart Rosenberg, Mark Ruffalo as Meade Roberts, and many more.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
‘Goodfellas,’ ‘Law & Order’ actor Paul Sorvino dies at 83
David Warner, British Actor Known for ‘The Omen’ and ‘Tron,’ Dies at 80
Bob Rafelson, Director of ‘Five Easy Pieces’ and Co-Creator of ‘The Monkees,’ Dies at 89 The maverick filmmaker worked with Jack Nicholson on seven features, and his company produced ‘The Last Picture Show.’
Tony Dow, Big Brother Wally on ‘Leave It to Beaver,’ Dies at 77 He went on to a varied career as an actor, director, producer and sculptor, but he could never shake his association with the sitcom that brought him stardom. His death came a day after it was announced erroneously.
Claes Oldenburg Dies at 93; Pop Artist Made the Everyday Monumental Taking ordinary objects like hamburgers and household items, he sculpted them in unfamiliar, often imposing dimensions — what he called his “Colossal Monuments.”
Shonka Dukureh, Who Played Big Mama Thornton in ‘Elvis,’ Dies at 44
Janeane Garofalo Never Sold Out. What a Relief. That concept might be the reason her trailblazing stand-up career has been overshadowed; it may also be the reason she’s still so sharp, our critic argues.
How fake accounts and a powder-keg fandom helped Zack Snyder restore his Justice League It might be hard to believe, but the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement was even weirder than we thought
Jennifer Lopez Becomes Jennifer Affleck, Now Please Sign Up for Her Newsletter And other reflections on her recent wedding.
Raving for Shrek, the Swamp Comes to Brooklyn A party in East Williamsburg invited fans of the 2001 film to translate into reality their online obsessions with the titular ogre.
Can’t Talk, I’m Busy Being Hot A social media movement inspired by the rapper Megan Thee Stallion strikes back at the gatekeepers of beauty.
The 50 Greatest Fictional Deaths of All Time The most tearjerking, hilarious, satisfying, and shocking death scenes in 2,500 years of culture.
Amazon Is Giving Prime Video Its Biggest Redesign In Years New navigation, a top 10 list, and a very familiar look and feel
How Did Yellowstone, America’s Most Popular Show, Get Totally Ignored by the Emmys? Taylor Sheridan’s universe of shows is a juggernaut, but awards still go to “stuff that appeals to the coastal elite.”
Quidditch rebrands as quadball and further distances itself from Harry Potter author
‘The Bear’ Is Why We Must End The Reign Of TV’s Vibes Cartel
Celebrities Continue to Be Richer Than You
TVs Are Too Good Now Why does Home Alone look better than the latest Marvel fare on the most advanced displays?
America’s Most Misunderstood Marsupial The opossum might be snarly and a little bit scraggly, but she deserves our admiration.
Velveeta Releases Cheese-Infused Martini That’s Garnished with Pasta Shells The brand teamed up with BLT Restaurant Group for the unconventional creation
Five-time world chess champion Magnus Carlsen says he will not defend his title
This goat is all ears. REALLY! They may be the longest in goat history
Tom Cruise Really Could Finally Win an Oscar for Top Gun: Maverick It’s a long shot, sure. But with the legacy sequel the undeniable success story of the summer, it’s likely the best opportunity the Academy will ever have to give Cruise the gold.
YouTube hit Channel 5 News is “reporting for people who don’t watch the news” “People who don’t watch the news watch me. People who watch the news don’t watch me.”
A Minneapolis venue canceled a Dave Chappelle set hours before showtime
Dave Chappelle Opens for Kevin Hart and Chris Rock at Madison Square Garden
People Are Saying The TikTok Pink Sauce Is "Disgusting,” But The Way People Are Treating Its Creator Is Also Leaving A Bad Taste In My Mouth “I feel like Madonna or Beyoncé just tripped onstage and I woke up with their phone in my hand.”
Ken Jennings Makes Circumcision Joke On ‘Jeopardy!’ And Fans Say It’s A Cut Above The host put some skin in the game in his return.
The Choco Taco is gone for good
‘Full Frontal with Samantha Bee’ is canceled by TBS after 7 seasons The series was one of the few late-night shows hosted by a woman
The Case of the $5,000 Springsteen Tickets Triumphant fans showed up in Ticketmaster’s queue with special codes, only to encounter its “dynamic pricing” system. Was the Boss OK with that?
What’s the Deal With Water Bottles?
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Illeana Douglas: Movie and television star
Taneisha Duggan: Director, producer, and arts consultant
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!
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.
7/29/2022 • 49 minutes
Why Jane Austen’s work endures, on the page and on the screen
Jane Austen completed six full-length novels. And, more than two centuries later, those novels are still present in our culture today.
This hour, a look at Austen’s life and work, the world of Janeites, and the many film and television adaptations of her work.
GUESTS:
Devoney Looser: Professor of English at Arizona State University and the author of The Making of Jane Austen
Deborah Yaffe: Author of Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Anya Grondalski, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/28/2022 • 49 minutes
The one about Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell is a singer-songwriter from Alberta, Canada. In 1968, her debut album, Song to a Seagull, was released and since then, Mitchell has become one of the most influential and greatest recording artists. Mitchell has won nine Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, and countless music awards, and her albums are considered among the best ever made.
We're big fans. It turns out we're not alone.
This hour, we talk to a few friends of the show to discuss Mitchell's influence on them while listening to their favorite Joni songs. Plus, we chat David Yaffe, the author of Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell.
GUESTS:
David Yaffe: Assistant professor of Humanities at Syracuse University and the author of Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell
Taneisha Duggan: Director, producer, and arts consultant
Brendan J. Sullivan: Producer and author of Rivington Was Ours: Lady Gaga, the Lower East Side, and the Prime of Our Lives
Lee Newton: Director of program promotion at Connecticut Public
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, Betsy Kaplan, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired April 4, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/27/2022 • 49 minutes, 58 seconds
From the mouths of Boomers, X-ers, Millennials, and Zoomers, why we keep categorizing one another by generation
We’ve all heard the generational stereotypes, and rolled our eyes at them.
This hour: we investigate generational groupings to discover why we’re interested in separating people into generations, when it is useful, and when it is not.
GUESTS:
Ziad Ahmed: CEO and co-founder of JUV Consulting
Justin Charity: Senior staff writer for The Ringer, where he published “It’s Time to Accept That Millennials and Gen Z Are the Same Generation”
Bobby Duffy: Professor of public policy and director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, and the author of The Generation Myth: Why When You’re Born Matters Less Than You Think
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Gene Amatruda, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired January 27, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/26/2022 • 50 minutes
‘Betcha can’t eat just one’: The science and art of snacking
Snacking on snacks, savory or sweet, has become a way of life.
This hour, a look at our snack-food obsessions.
GUESTS:
Andrea Hernández: Founder of SnaxShot
Julia Pistell: Freelance writer and co-founder of SeaTea Improv in Hartford, Connecticut
Chris Prosperi: Chef and owner of Metro Bis restaurant in Simsbury, Connecticut
Mark Schatzker: Writer in residence at the Modern Diet and Physiology Research Center affiliated with Yale University and the author of The End of Craving, The Dorito Effect, and Steak
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, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/25/2022 • 49 minutes
The following show about movie trailers has been approved for appropriate audiences
The Nose is off this week. In its place, a look at movie trailers.
Maybe you wonder what a movie critic thinks of trailers. Actually, critics don’t see as many as you do because they often go to special screenings. Colin asked America’s Greatest Living Film Critic, David Edelstein, about trailers. Here’s what AGLFC said:
“Actually, I avoid them like the plague. I don’t watch them online, and when I see movies in theaters, I often whip out my Kindle and plug my ears. If I’m on the aisle, I leave and get a Diet Coke. Trailers give away everything. They give away jokes. More than that, they orient you to the narrative in a way I don’t like being oriented. (Of course, I have the luxury of going into a movie not knowing what it’s even about because I get paid to do so, but that’s my preferred way to work — to be left in the hands of the storyteller.) As for as awful ones I have seen… I remember Nebraska in particular as being terrible because the pace and tone of that movie are antithetical to the way mainstream trailers work. It said quirky. Offbeat. Lovable. Among the best, I recall Batman Returns as being so great. I thought the movie itself was an overrated shambles — a really terrible piece of storytelling — but even Tim Burton’s worst movies have so many good images and set-pieces that they really read in trailers.”
For the rest of us, trailers are either a pain or a pleasure.
Some stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Claes Oldenburg Dies at 93; Pop Artist Made the Everyday Monumental Taking ordinary objects like hamburgers and household items, he sculpted them in unfamiliar, often imposing dimensions — what he called his “Colossal Monuments.”
Janeane Garofalo Never Sold Out. What a Relief. That concept might be the reason her trailblazing stand-up career has been overshadowed; it may also be the reason she’s still so sharp, our critic argues.
Read this: How fake accounts and a powder-keg fandom helped Zack Snyder restore his Justice League It might be hard to believe, but the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement was even weirder than we thought
Jennifer Lopez Becomes Jennifer Affleck, Now Please Sign Up for Her Newsletter And other reflections on her recent wedding.
Raving for Shrek, the Swamp Comes to Brooklyn A party in East Williamsburg invited fans of the 2001 film to translate into reality their online obsessions with the titular ogre.
Can’t Talk, I’m Busy Being Hot A social media movement inspired by the rapper Megan Thee Stallion strikes back at the gatekeepers of beauty.
The 50 Greatest Fictional Deaths of All Time The most tearjerking, hilarious, satisfying, and shocking death scenes in 2,500 years of culture.
Ethan Hawke: I’m at ‘the Beginning of My Last Act’ as an Actor In an extensive conversation with IndieWire, the actor explained the impulse behind his new docuseries “The Last Movie Stars” and his uneasy relationship to fame.
Amazon Is Giving Prime Video Its Biggest Redesign In Years New navigation, a top 10 list, and a very familiar look and feel
How Did Yellowstone, America’s Most Popular Show, Get Totally Ignored by the Emmys? Taylor Sheridan’s universe of shows is a juggernaut, but awards still go to “stuff that appeals to the coastal elite.”
Quidditch rebrands as quadball and further distances itself from Harry Potter author
‘The Bear’ Is Why We Must End The Reign Of TV’s Vibes Cartel
Celebrities Continue to Be Richer Than You
TVs Are Too Good Now Why does Home Alone look better than the latest Marvel fare on the most advanced displays?
America’s Most Misunderstood Marsupial The opossum might be snarly and a little bit scraggly, but she deserves our admiration.
GUESTS:
Allan Arkush: Contributor to Trailers from Hell; he worked in the trailer department for Roger Corman
Stephen Garrett: Founder of Jump Cut
Sam Hatch: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUH
Kevin O’Toole: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUH
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Lydia Brown, John Dankosky, Greg Hill, Tucker Ives, Harriet Jones, Betsy Kaplan, Patrick Skahill, Catie Talarski, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 2, 2014.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/22/2022 • 50 minutes
From mall music to dead malls: The past, present, and future of malls in America
Malls are an important gathering place for people of all ages to shop, eat, be entertained, walk, and enjoy the controlled temperature.
This hour, the history of malls in America, their unique design, and a look ahead to the future of those spaces, now that there are dead malls all over the country.
Plus: the art of curating mall music.
GUESTS:
Michael Bise: A former Gap employee who runs a blog where he collects Gap music playlists
Alexandra Lange: Author of Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall
Erik Pierson: Videographer of the YouTube channel Retail Archeology
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Ray Hardman, Greg Hill, Tucker Ives, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Patrick Skahill, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/21/2022 • 49 minutes
On the quietest sports day of the year, an hour about sports
Baseball’s All-Star Game was Tuesday night. (The American League won for the ninth year in a row, which doesn’t matter at all.) As such, the sports calendar is basically empty today. So why not spend the hour talking about sports?
And why not start with baseball? It’s how our conversation about this show started sometime last week. Me, a Yankees fan: “I do think the Yankees being historically great should be a topic.” Colin, a Red Sox fan: “In other words, you think I’ll be dead by showtime.”
But: The New York Yankees are on pace for a 113-win season, and their star outfielder Aaron Judge is on pace for a 58-home run season in his free agent year. And, not for nothing, the New York Mets are also good! The Boston Red Sox, on the other hand, lost their last two games before the All-Star break by a combined score of 27-3. I can’t remember to which team. I’ll look that up.
Plus: The New Yorker’s Sarah Larson wonders if pickleball can save America.
And finally: A look at some enterprising Indians and the whole cricket league they fabricated to dupe some Russian gamblers.
GUESTS:
Kyle Barr: Breaking news reporter at Gizmodo
Michael Baumann: Staff writer at The Ringer covering sports, culture, and politics
Sarah Larson: Staff writer at The New Yorker
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/20/2022 • 49 minutes
Conspiracy theories find potting soil in the Christian right and the New Age left
Conspirituality is a convergence of right-wing conspiracy, New Age spirituality, and grift.
The throughline from a left-leaning yoga instructor to a right-wing QAnon conspiracist is skepticism of institutional authority and Western medicine.
Skepticism within both groups accelerated during the pandemic, making wellness communities more vulnerable to the anti-vax, anti-COVID messaging QAnon packaged in softer tones and imagery that appealed to women concerned with health and wellness.
This hour, we explore how conspirituality plays out in our current political climate. We also talk about how conspiracy theories can sometimes cover up real conspiracies.
GUESTS:
Derek Beres: Senior Editor at Eco a co-host of the podcast Conspirituality; he’s currently co-writing Conspirituality: How New Age Conspiracy Theories Became a Public Health Threat with Matthew Remski and Julian Walker
Julian Walker: Co-host of the podcast Conspirituality; he has taught yoga in Los Angeles for 27 years
Sarah Kendzior: author of three books including The View from Flyover Country: Dispatches from the Forgotten America; her new book, They Knew: How a Culture of Conspiracy Keeps America Complacent, will be published in September, and she’s the co-host of the podcast Gaslit Nation
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/19/2022 • 49 minutes
The King: Before there was Lebron, there was Elvis
Elvis left two legacies. Musically, he pulled several American musical traditions out of the shadows, braided them together, and made them mainstream. Personally, he created a far darker template for the way a musical celebrity could be devoured by the very fame he avidly sought.
Recorded live in front of an audience — long before the pandemic — as part of Colin’s Freshly Squeezed series at Watkinson School, an hour about the artist who defined the birth of rock and roll and was the genre’s first superstar.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: Guitar and vocals
Latanya Farrell: Vocals
Steve Metcalf: Piano and vocals
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
This show originally aired February 20, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/18/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at the James Webb Space Telescope images, ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,’ and more
This week’s Nose shows no hails from the surface or sub-space chatter. No interplanetary traffic. Not one orbital dock.
This week, NASA released the first images sent back from the James Webb Space Telescope. They are mind-boggling. They are meme inducing. They are … mouth watering?
Sort of relatedly: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the 11th Star Trek television series and the fifth series in Alex Kurtzman’s expanded Star Trek universe. It tells the story of Christopher Pike’s time as captain of the USS Enterprise in the years before Captain Kirk. Its first season concluded last week on Paramount+. A second season is currently in production.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
‘Sopranos’ actor Tony Sirico dies at 79
Larry Storch of TV’s ‘F Troop’ dies at 99
The Wild Bunch Star L.Q. Jones Has Died At 94
Bond theme composer Monty Norman dies aged 94 Norman was commissioned to create the score for the first Bond movie, Dr. No, and wrote one of the most iconic guitar riffs in the process
The Hottest Streamer (Right Now) The top three spots get a shake-up in our annual power ranking.
Paul Rudd becomes a real-life hero for a bullied Colorado boy
10 per cent chance falling rockets will hit someone in next decade Humans are sending ever more rockets up into space – bits of them falling back to Earth could result in casualties, unless action is taken
Yes, Chef: How The Bear’s Jeremy Allen White Became the Breakout Star of Summer In FX’s surprise hit, the 31-year-old actor plays a tormented culinary genius who returns home to run his family’s Chicago sandwich shop. We caught up with White in his native Brooklyn to learn what it took to get in the kitchen.
A Hookup App for the Emotionally Mature Modern romance can feel cold and alienating. Feeld, by encouraging open-mindedness and respect, suggests a way forward.
Where the Crawdads Sing Author Wanted for Questioning in Murder A televised 1990s killing in Zambia has striking similarities to Delia Owens’s best-selling book turned movie.
The Winners and Losers of the 2022 Emmy Nominations ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Abbott Elementary’ defied the odds while sentimental favorites were snubbed, but in the end, maybe there’s just Too Much TV
Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ Belongs to Everyone What is it about the once virtually unknown song that inspires so many musicians to make it their own?
BMW starts selling heated seat subscriptions for $18 a month The auto industry is racing towards a future full of microtransactions
Elliot Page Brings His Misfit Characters to Life Even before Page—and his character on “Umbrella Academy”—came out as trans, he had a gift for playing people who were restless in their identities.
Hybrid Work Is Doomed Office workers work in offices, for better or for worse.
Bill Burr’s Exhausting, Frustrating, Fascinating Battle With Himself
How to Successfully Smash Your Face Against a Tree A new study refutes the widespread idea that woodpeckers have shock-absorbing heads.
Leonard Bernstein movie ‘Maestro’ starring Bradley Cooper filming in Fairfield this week
‘Bada-Bing’: Improvised Nonsense Turned Mobster Argot The late James Caan slipped a few syllables of gibberish into ‘The Godfather.’ Now they have their own entry in the Oxford English Dictionary.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Mercy Quaye: Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and the cohost of the Untold podcast with John Dankosky
Bill Yousman: Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/15/2022 • 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 — 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/14/2022 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Anger, politics, death: Revisiting Homer’s ‘The Iliad’ through a modern lens
Homer’s The Iliad is a literary classic.
This hour, we look at some of the many ways the epic applies to life today, from our understanding of plague, death, politics, and anger. We discuss the value of returning to the story over and over again and learn about how it can be used as a framework for other stories.
GUESTS:
Emily Katz Anhalt: Professor of classical languages and literature at Sarah Lawrence College and the author of Embattled: How Ancient Greek Myths Empower Us To Resist Tyranny and Enraged: Why Violent Times Need Ancient Greek Myths
Joel Christensen: Professor of classical studies and senior associate dean for faculty affairs at Brandeis University and the author of The Many-Minded Man: ‘The Odyssey,’ Psychology, and the Therapy of Epic
Maya Deane: Author of Wrath Goddess Sing
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/13/2022 • 49 minutes
How robots, and our attitudes towards them, have evolved
What counts as a robot? This hour, a look at what robots are and the latest in robot technology.
Plus, how robots were used and thought about in medieval times and Ancient Greece and the role of robots in science fiction.
GUESTS:
Chris Atkeson: Professor at the Robotics Institute and the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University
Adrienne Mayor: Author of Gods and Robots: Myths, Machines and Ancient Dreams of Technology, among other books
Elly Truitt: Author of Medieval Robots: Mechanism, Magic, Nature, and Art
Daniel H. Wilson: Author of Robopocalypse, Robogenesis, and other novels; his latest is The Andromeda Evolution
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
7/12/2022 • 49 minutes
Neanderthals were more than cavemen
Recent scientific discoveries have shown just how much we’ve previously underestimated Neanderthals. It turns out that their lives were very similar to those of our ancestors.
This hour, a look at Neanderthals and at why humans have dismissed them for decades.
GUESTS:
Ella Al-Shamahi: A National Geographic Explorer, TV presenter, palaeo-anthropologist, evolutionary biologist, and standup comic
Claire Cameron: Author of The Last Neanderthal, among other books
Anna Goldfield: An archeologist and the host of the podcast The Dirt
Bruce Hardy: Professor of anthropology at Kenyon College
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 5, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/11/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose on James Caan, ‘The Old Man,’ and more
This week’s Nose wants Sollozzo. If not, it’s all out war.
James Caan was nominated for an Academy Award for playing Sonny in The Godfather. Early in his career, he worked with Billy Wilder and Howard Hawks and Olivia de Havilland, and he went on to star in movies like Brian’s Song, The Gambler, Freebie and the Bean, Funny Lady, Rollerball, Thief, Misery, and Elf. Caan died on Wednesday. He was 82.
And: The Old Man is a spy thiller series on FX based on the 2017 novel by Thomas Perry. It stars Jeff Bridges, John Lithgow, Alia Shawkat, and Amy Brenneman. Five of its seven first season episodes have aired, and it has been renewed for a second season.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Joe Turkel, the Bartender in ‘The Shining,’ Dies at 94 Stanley Kubrick also employed him for ‘The Killing’ and ‘Paths of Glory,’ and he was unforgettable as the god-like Tyrell in ‘Blade Runner.’
Bette Midler Faces Backlash for Claiming Trans-Inclusive Language “Erases” Women The actor complained about women being “stripped of our name” due to the use of terms like “menstruators” and “people with vaginas.”
Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter defends trans women and says to “focus on the real war on women” “I cannot think of anything that helps women’s rights less than pinning the blame on trans women,” tweeted the actor
Happy Birthday Tom: A Tom Cruise Reading List Tom Cruise is about to turn 60 — time for a look back at the life of a master maverick.
Brad Pitt Opens Up His Dream World We know him as a legendary leading man, a Hollywood power broker, maybe the greatest heartthrob of all time. But Brad Pitt isn’t attached to any of those old conceptions. And, as Ottessa Moshfegh discovers, his ambitions for the rest of his life are more mystical than we ever could have imagined.
James Cameron Tells Off ‘Avatar’ Haters, Defends Three-Hour ‘Avatar 2’ Runtime: ‘Get Up and Go Pee’
What Is #Gentleminions? Why Teens Are Wearing Suits to Minions: The Rise of Gru Credit Tiktok for inspiring young men everywhere to go semi-formal at movie theaters last weekend.
When Spider-Man Teamed Up With Planned Parenthood to Stop a Forced Pregnancy Alien The 1976 special issue, “The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Prodigy,” sought to teach teens about safe sex and contraception in order to curb the country’s teen-pregnancy problem.
People bank blood. Why not faeces? Storing your stools when you are young may help you later in life
Jessica Jones Has A New (Old) Title On Disney+
Nathan Fielder Is Out of His Mind (and Inside Yours) The comedian’s new show, The Rehearsal, is his grandest experiment yet.
Wimbledon’s all-white clothing bothers some, delights others
Rubber ducky watches that don’t tell time clock in TikTok views
Outdoor Tennis Could Be Sports’ First Big Climate Change Casualty
Fields Medals in Mathematics Won by Four Under Age 40 The prize has gone to a woman for the second time in its history. One recipient didn’t start working on complex math problems until he was 23.
NBA 2K23 cover star Diana Taurasi on the legacy of 2K covers
“How Would You Like a Lap Dance?”: The Oral History of ‘Magic Mike’ Ten years ago, Channing Tatum turned his past as a male stripper into movie gold with the help of Steven Soderbergh—and tapped into a thirst in a way Hollywood never had before
No, Armie Hammer Isn’t Working as a Hotel Concierge in the Caymans
Jeff Sagansky Says New Streaming Business Model “Has To Be Relegated To The Dust Bin” Now
How Does a Hulk Smash? A close look at the sex lives of She-Hulks and He-Hulks.
The Octopus Dreams of Crabs What do we know about how animals think, see, and feel? And should that change how we treat them?
‘I Don’t Know How My Show Is Doing’ Streamers run on data, but that doesn’t mean they’re sharing it with showrunners.
We’ve Never Seen Mars Quite Like This The planet is looking extra sharp in photo dispatches from NASA’s newest rover.
Light & Magic Trailer: This Disney+ Series Shows How Industrial Light & Magic Changed Movies Forever
“Atari Was Very, Very Hard” Nolan Bushnell on Atari, 50 Years Later
Goodbye to ‘Joe Pera Talks With You,’ the Sweetest Show on TV The Adult Swim series “Joe Pera Talks With You” was a salve for its devoted fans. Now that it’s been canceled after three seasons, one such fan remembers what made it so special.
GUESTS:
Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
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!
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.
7/8/2022 • 49 minutes
‘Monuments aren’t history lessons’: A look at the present and future of monuments
This hour we look at the landscape of monuments across the United States and explore how new monuments are created and how old ones are decommissioned.
Plus, we discuss what a COVID-19 memorial could look like and represent.
GUESTS:
Sue Mobley: Director of research at Monument Lab
Erin Thompson: Professor of art crime at John Jay College and the author of Smashing Statues: The Rise and Fall of America’s Public Monuments
Kristin Urquiza: Co-founder and chief activist of Marked By COVID
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/7/2022 • 49 minutes
‘Like a prime-time news special’: The Jan. 6 Committee hearings as television
The hearings put on by the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol have been produced and presented less like congressional hearings and more like an episodic HBO docuseries, with committee members — mostly Republican Rep. Liz Cheney — as the narrators, with witness testimony as the expert talking heads, with footage of depositions and speeches and the January 6 riot itself as the documentary actualities.
The hearings have been compared to true-crime podcasts, the true-scandal limited series, and prime-time news specials.
This hour, we look at the hearings as television.
GUESTS:
James Poniewozik: Chief television critic for The New York Times and the author of Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America
Frank Rich: Writer-at-large for New York magazine and executive producer of HBO’s Succession
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!
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.
7/6/2022 • 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 Jorō spider, the now-retired fartrepreneur, the last linotype newspaper, a poetry recitation. Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be 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, Stitcher, 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.
7/5/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘The Bear’ and ‘Kim’s Convenience’
This week’s Nose is more just like a regular, chill-archy.
The Bear is a new half-hour foodie dramedy series from FX and Hulu. Here’s some of FX’s synopsis: “The Bear follows Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto, a young chef from the fine dining world, who comes home to Chicago to run his family sandwich shop — The Original Beef of Chicagoland — after a heartbreaking death in his family. A world away from what he’s used to, Carmy must balance the soul-crushing realities of small business ownership, his strong-willed and recalcitrant kitchen staff and his strained familial relationships, all while grappling with the impact of his brother’s suicide. As Carmy fights to transform both The Original Beef of Chicagoland and himself, he works alongside a rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew that ultimately reveal themselves as his chosen family.”
And: Kim’s Convenience is a half-hour sitcom that aired on the CBC for five seasons, from 2016 until last year. It depicts a Korean-Canadian family, the Kims, who run a convenience store in the Moss Park neighborhood of Toronto. Kim’s Convenience is based on Ins Choi’s 2011 stage play, which runs this month at Westport Country Playhouse.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
When Lil Nas X calls out BET, it means something
The Golden Age of the Aging Actor Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ isn’t the exception—he’s the rule. There’s long been anecdotal evidence that top-line actors and actresses are getting older. Now, The Ringer has the data to back it up.
Taco Bell’s newest food uses an oversized Cheez-It
No, RadioShack’s Twitter wasn’t hacked. It sells cryptocurrency now. Internet marketer Tai Lopez bought RadioShack. This is the (edgelord) result.
‘No Aliens, No Spaceships, No Invasion of Earth’ An oral history of Contact, the sci-fi movie that defied Hollywood norms and made it big anyway.
After DJ Layoffs, a Radio Station Has Been Playing Rage Against the Machine Over and Over and Over Vancouver’s KISS-FM has “Killing in the Name” on repeat after radio hosts were laid off on Tuesday
‘Mystery rocket’ that crashed into the Moon baffles NASA scientists So far, no space exploring nations have claimed responsibility for the rocket.
The Confessions of a Conscious Rap Fan A personal essay that traces the complicated legacy of conscious rap, from the era’s turn-of-the-century heyday to new albums by Kendrick Lamar and Black Star.
Why the new PBS Kids logo got rid of the kid An exciting new logo for PBS Kids expands the network’s take on inclusivity, but the channel mascot Dash disappears from the limelight.
GUESTS:
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
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!
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.
7/1/2022 • 49 minutes
From Achilles to Harry Potter and beyond: How does the hero’s journey help, or limit, our storytelling?
The concept of the hero’s journey was popularized by Joseph Campbell and outlined in his 1949 book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Campbell based the hero’s journey framework off of myths from around the world. Since then, the idea of the hero’s journey has been used in popular books and movies from Star Wars through Harry Potter to The Hunger Games and beyond.
But, despite its popularity, Campbell’s hero’s journey framework has faced a number of criticisms, including that he left women out of the story. Maria Tatar’s new book, The Heroine with 1,001 Faces, changes that.
This hour, a look at the impact of the hero’s journey — and at its limitations.
GUESTS:
Jeff Garvin: Co-host of the The Hero’s Journey podcast
Lev Grossman: Author of the Magicians trilogy; his newest book is The Golden Swift
Maria Tatar: Author of The Heroine with 1,001 Faces
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/30/2022 • 49 minutes, 19 seconds
Hey, ho, let’s go! 50 years of punk rock
Punk rock’s been around for a good half a century, but we’ve never devoted a show to it.
This hour, a deep dive into punk’s past and present.
GUESTS:
Legs McNeil: Co-founder of PUNK Magazine and co-author of Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk
Kelefa Sanneh: Author of Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres and a staff writer at The New Yorker
Amy Wappel and Ben Social: Formed the Connecticut-based punk band Sadplant in 2007
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2022 • 50 minutes
There are rules for punctuation, but we don’t always agree on them
Should people use the Oxford comma? Is there a correct number of exclamation points per email? If someone ends a casual text with a period, does that mean they’re mad at you?
This hour: punctuation and how we use it. We talk about the history of punctuation marks, timeless punctuation debates, and how writing for texts and emails has changed the way we use punctuation.
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction; she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast
Claire Cock-Starkey: Author of Hyphens and Hashtags: The Stories Behind The Symbols On Our Keyboard
Julia Pistell: Founding member of Sea Tea Improv, one of the hosts of the Literary Disco podcast, and a producer freelancing with us
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired November 3, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/27/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose on Beyoncé’s ‘Break My Soul,’ ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,’ and more
This week’s Nose is ’bout to explode, take off this load.
“Break My Soul” is the lead single from Beyoncé’s forthcoming album, Renaissance. The song dropped on Monday, and by the end of the week, its “You won’t break my soul” repeated refrain has taken on a whole new weight.
And: The actor Chris Pratt is taking his 9-year-old son on a 10-day camping trip. During an appearance on the Smartless podcast, he rattled off a list of 10 “coming of age” movies Pratt plans to watch with his son on the trip. The list caused a dumb, mini-controversy as it includes some R-rated movies and things (also just some good old garbage movies).
And finally: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent is a meta action-comedy starring Nicolas Cage as… Nick Cage. Here’s Lionsgate’s synopsis: “Creatively unfulfilled and facing financial ruin, the fictionalized version of Cage must accept a $1 million offer to attend the birthday of a dangerous superfan (Pedro Pascal). Things take a wildly unexpected turn when Cage is recruited by a CIA operative (Tiffany Haddish) and forced to live up to his own legend, channeling his most iconic and beloved on-screen characters in order to save himself and his loved ones. With a career built for this very moment, the seminal award-winning actor must take on the role of a lifetime: Nick Cage.”
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Tony Siragusa, a Defensive Lineman Known as Goose, Dies at 55 Siragusa won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in the 2000 season and worked as a broadcaster after his playing career.
John Williams, 90, steps away from film, but not music
Director Paul Haggis Arrested in Italy for Sexual Assault Haggis had been accused of rape in 2018, with the resulting lawsuit prompting three other women to come forward with their own allegations of misconduct.
Bill Cosby Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing 16-Year-Old Judy Huth in 1975
Rowan Atkinson Says Comedy’s Job Is to Offend and That Can’t Be Stopped: ‘Every Joke Has a Victim’
This Viral Video of Justin Timberlake Dancing in Khakis Is Peak Cringe
21 Hilarious “She’s A 10 But” Tweets That Will Make You Feel Called Out “She’s a 10 but her gay awakening was Marceline from Adventure Time.”
Sacheen Littlefeather Talks About What Really Happened Before, During And After Rejecting Marlon Brando’s Oscar
Kellogg is splitting into 3 companies: Here’s what each one will focus on The cereal giant will become three distinct companies in a deal that is expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
Alan Alda Is Still Awesome The actor and director talks about his podcast, the comedic chops of Volodymyr Zelensky, and being called an “honorary woman.”
How BTS Became One of the Most Popular Bands in History In an age of despair and division, a boy band from South Korea remixed the rules of pop and created a fandom bigger than Beatlemania.
Kevin Costner’s New Movie, Horizon, Is Being Split Into Four 2 Hour And 45 Minute Movies
Stephen Colbert Addresses Arrest of Triumph and Crew at U.S. Capitol: “This Was First-Degree Puppetry” Seven members of the ‘Late Show’ team, including comedian and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog actor Robert Smigel, were charged with unlawful entry last week.
Westminster Dog Show: Trumpet the Bloodhound Wins Best in Show After winning the hound group, Trumpet emerged from a tough group of fellow champions to become the first of his breed to claim the top prize.
John Carpenter’s Masterpiece The Thing Is Back In The Box Office Top 10 After Four Decades
Amazon’s Alexa could soon speak in a dead relative’s voice, making some feel uneasy
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: Claims to be 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
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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.
6/24/2022 • 49 minutes
Lost in translation: Our ode to the art of translating
Translators help open up our worlds by bringing us stories from around the globe. But often they’re not given very much credit for their work.
This hour, the art of translation. Plus, a look at the challenges of translating movies and TV shows through subtitles and dubbing for international audiences.
GUESTS:
Jennifer Croft: Writer and translator and the winner of the 2018 Booker International Prize for her translation of Flights by the Polish writer Olga Tokarczuk
Denise Kripper: Translation editor for Latin American Literature Today and an associate professor of Spanish at Lake Forest College
Emily Wilson: Chair of the program in comparative literature and literary theory at the University of Pennsylvania and translator of works such as The Odyssey
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!
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.
6/23/2022 • 49 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888–720–9677. Or 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!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/22/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers,’ ‘Is It Cake?’ and more
This week’s Nose gave an idiot a machete.
Chip ’n Dale: Rescue Rangers is a hybrid live-action and animated sequel to and reboot of the 1989 Disney Channel series. It’s a metafictional comedy that might really be less for kids and more for their parents. The Lonely Island production stars Andy Samberg, John Mulaney, KiKi Layne, and many others.
Old Enough! is a reality TV show that has aired intermittently on Nippon Television since 1991. Twenty short episodes hit Netflix in March. Here’s their synopsis: “This long-running Japanese reality show follows along as young children leave the house to run errands by themselves for the very first time.” By “young,” they mean very young.
And: Is It Cake? is a game show-style baking competition reality TV Netflix original series thing. Bakers compete for $5,000 by trying to fool judges into thinking that their cake — styled to look like a bowling ball or a hamburger or a chess set, etc. — isn’t actually a cake. The winner of each episode can then win a second $5,000 by correctly identifying which bag of cash is actually a cake.
That may be the dumbest paragraph I’ve ever typed. Is It Cake? was renewed for a second season early this month.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Philip Baker Hall, ‘Boogie Nights’ and ‘Magnolia’ Actor, Dead at 90
Jennifer Hudson becomes an EGOT as a co-producer of the winning musical, ‘A Strange Loop.’
BTS Says It’s Taking a Break, but Promises It’s Not Permanent Members of the K-pop juggernaut said in a video conversation that they wanted time to explore their individual artistic identities.
Internet Explorer, the love-to-hate-it web browser, has died at 26
After Seeing Our First Look Of Ryan Gosling As Ken In “Barbie,” It’s Safe To Say This Was The Role He Was Born To Play It’s now a Ken world and we’re just living in it.
Vince McMahon Steps Down as Head of W.W.E. During Misconduct Investigation Mr. McMahon, the pro wrestling company’s chairman and chief executive, agreed to pay a secret settlement to an employee with whom he was said to have had an affair, The Wall Street Journal reported this week.
Tom Hanks Explains It All
No more Mr. Nice Guy: Tom Hanks drops F-bomb on fans who nearly toppled Rita Wilson
People are using DALL-E mini to make meme abominations — like pug Pikachu ‘Pug-a-choo’ isn’t real, ‘Pug-a-choo’ can’t hurt you
The Google engineer who thinks the company’s AI has come to life AI ethicists warned Google not to impersonate humans. Now one of Google’s own thinks there’s a ghost in the machine.
One Weird Trick To Make Humans Think An AI Is “Sentient” Vulnerability.
I made mistakes over Rebel Wilson, and will learn from them
The Numbing Rise of I.P. TV Whereas golden-age television aspired to bring viewers something unexpected, a new glut of ripped-from-the-headlines content gives them exactly what they’ve had before.
She Wrote a Dystopian Novel. What Happened Next Was Pretty Dystopian.
Sarah Polley: ‘It took me years to see how responsible Terry Gilliam was for my terror’
The Books Swallowed by the Black Hole of the Coronavirus Some spectacular titles had the terrible luck of being released in early 2020. They still deserve our attention.
‘Squid Game’ is being turned into a reality TV show — minus the death
A Frog So Small, It Could Not Frog Most frogs can jump and land with the precision and grace of an Olympic gymnast. And then there’s the pumpkin toadlet.
What the BLEEP? Maine Is Cracking Down on Obscene License Plates. End of vanity-plate free-for-all likely to cause recall of hundreds of vulgar tags, but not in time for summer vacations
Jerrod Carmichael’s 12-Step Truth Program The very private comedian-writer-director made his personal life very public with his recent HBO special, Rothaniel. Now he shares what happens when you have nothing to hide.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Taneisha Duggan: A director, producer, and arts consultant
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
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!
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.
6/17/2022 • 49 minutes
50 years later, why we can’t stop talking about Watergate
Friday marks the 50th anniversary of the Watergate burglary.
This hour, we look back at the events surrounding Watergate, discuss how we remember them, and explore the parallels between that event and the January 6 hearings.
Plus, a look at the making, and the legacy, of the 1976 film All The President’s Men.
GUESTS:
Garrett Graff: Author of Watergate: A New History
Ann Hornaday: The Washington Post’s chief film critic and the author of Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies
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, Anya Grondalski, Jonathan McNicol, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/15/2022 • 49 minutes
What does it mean to be a good citizen today?
This hour, we investigate what it means to be a good citizen today.
What are our responsibilities? What do we owe each other?
GUESTS:
Tamar Gendler: Professor of philosophy, psychology, and cognitive science and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Yale University
Azar Nafisi: Author of six books, including Reading Lolita in Tehran; her newest is Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times
John Shattuck: Co-author of the new book Holding Together: The Hijacking of Rights in America and How to Reclaim Them for Everyone and the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/14/2022 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Connecticut’s cartoon county
For a period of about 50 years, many of America’s top cartoonists and illustrators lived within a stone’s throw of one another in the southwestern corner of Connecticut.
Comic strips and gag cartoons read by hundreds of millions were created in this tight-knit group — Prince Valiant, Superman, Beetle Bailey, Hägar the Horrible, Hi and Lois, Nancy, The Wizard of Id, Family Circus … I could keep going.
This hour, a look at the funny pages, and at Connecticut’s cartoon county.
GUESTS:
Bill Griffith: The creator and author of the daily comic strip Zippy
Henry McNulty: A writer and editor who worked for the Hartford Courant for more than 25 years
Cullen Murphy: Editor-at-large for Vanity Fair and the author of Cartoon County: My Father and His Friends in the Golden Age of Make-Believe
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Kevin MacDermott, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired January 11, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/13/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ rainbow capitalism, and more
This week’s Nose is one bubble floating in the cosmic foam of existence.
Everything Everywhere All at Once is the second feature film written and directed by Daniels (the filmmaking duo Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert). New York Times film critic A.O. Scott called it a “swirl of genre anarchy.” It has recently become indie auteur studio A24’s highest-grossing release to date. Here’s their synopsis: “Everything Everywhere All at Once is a hilarious and big-hearted sci-fi action adventure about an exhausted Chinese American woman who can’t seem to finish her taxes.”
And: It’s Pride Month. Which means, among other things, that corporations and other institutions will hamfistedly shoehorn rainbows and other tokens of “inclusion” into their logos and advertising, a phenomenon known as “rainbow capitalism.”
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Kate Bush, “Running Up That Hill,” and the End of Music Charts As We Knew Them Thanks to ‘Stranger Things,’ one of art pop’s most reclusive figures has almost inadvertently found herself with a top-10 charting hit. Is it a fluke or a sign of the times?
Popeye is getting a makeover at age 93
Paramount Pictures faces copyright lawsuit over ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
‘Die Hard’ On a Pedestal: Why John McTiernan’s Action Classic Is Such an Ode to Joy
‘Creem’ Once Made Journalism a ‘Contact Sport.’ Three Decades Later, the Rock Mag Is Back The legendary rag returns, unveiling a free online archive and brand new content
David Cronenberg’s Dreams and Nightmares “People will say, ‘Oh, he’s back to body horror,’ ” the director of the new film “Crimes of the Future” says. “But it’s never changed for me.”
‘Dear Evan Hansen’ to End Broadway Run
‘White Noise’: Details Surface About Noah Baumbach’s Catastrophic 9-Month, $140 Million Shoot
The Transformations of Pinocchio How Carlo Collodi’s puppet took on a life of his own.
We Don’t Know Neptune at All You know, the planet?
Matthew McConaughey Gives Emotional White House Speech, Accused of ‘Grandstanding’ by Newsmax Reporter His wife Camila Alves held the green Converse sneakers that were the only way to identify a 10-year-old victim.
Madonna Biopic Will (Probably) Star Julia Garner
The Short-Lived Reign of MTV’s Best Kiss Award In a time before gratuitous red-carpet makeouts, one category at the MTV Movie Awards became ground zero for celebrity spontaneity and PDA
What’s Up With Lil Nas X and BET?
Disney fires Peter Rice, its top TV content executive. Some in the entertainment business had seen him as a possible candidate to succeed Bob Chapek as Disney’s chief executive.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Mercy Quaye: Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski 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 by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/10/2022 • 43 minutes
How emoji have changed how we communicate and why we ❤️ them
This hour, our new favorite way to communicate: emoji.
We look at how emoji are created and how they change meaning and talk to the creator of Emojiland: The Musical.
GUESTS:
Keith Broni: Editor-in-chief of Emojipedia
Keith Harrison Dworkin: Composer and creator of Emojiland: The Musical
Alex King: Associate professor of philosophy at Simon Fraser University and editor-in-chief of Aesthetics for Birds
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, 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.
6/9/2022 • 41 minutes
Our (maybe) 12th (almost) annual song of the summer show
We’ve done this show every year (except 2012) since 2011. (We maybe even did it in 2010. We probably did.) 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.
And so, our job here is to try to predict a thing that you and your mom will agree on like three months from now.
Try not to get too annoyed by the whole thing.
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 best known for his work with Lady Gaga
Cassie Willson: A New York-based comedian and musician
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/8/2022 • 40 minutes, 51 seconds
‘The Good Place’ creator Michael Schur explains how to be a good person
You know Michael Schur from the shows he’s created, like The Good Place, Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
This hour we talk with Schur about his latest project, his book, How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question.
Through the conversation we discuss moral philosophy, and big moral questions like “should you return your shopping cart to the cart corral?”
GUEST:
Michael Schur: TV writer and producer and the author of How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 3, 2022.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/7/2022 • 50 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677.‌ Or 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 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 by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/6/2022 • 40 minutes, 55 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ and more
This week’s Nose thinks the less it says, the less it gives away. But, really, it’s the opposite.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a six-part Disney+ limited series. It’s mostly set 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith, with the Empire in power and Kenobi in exile on Tatooine. Three episodes are available so far.
And: A recent Reddit thread on the ways different cultures handle feeding their houseguests has spilled out onto the wider internet and caused a bit of a discussion.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
LARPing Goes to Disney World
Amber Heard Defamed Johnny Depp, Jury Decides The jury decided Amber Heard’s statement in her Washington Post op-ed was false and defamatory, and that Heard intended to defame Depp.
Behind Netflix’s Leaner Movie Mandate: Bigger, Fewer and Better The Scott Stuber-run division is adjusting to a new set of realities as it readies a $200 million-plus ‘The Gray Man’ from the ‘Avengers: Endgame’ helmers and a pricey set of ‘Knives Out’ sequels.
Donald Trump’s Media Company Plans “Non-Woke Alternative” To Netflix And Disney+; Streaming Slate To Feature “Cancelled Shows”
Does a Comedian Really Need an Audience? Filmed during lockdown, a new Netflix special from Norm Macdonald and outtakes from Bo Burnham’s “Inside” suggest that crowd laughter can be limiting.
We Must Defend Thanos’s Constitutional Right To Snap His Fingers and Make Half of the Universe Disappear
The BuzzFeed App Is Now 100% Kardashian-Free (If You Want It To Be) One click to mute them all.
DeLorean is back (to the future) with an electric car, and some caveats
New Haven, Conn.: More Than Just Academics and Mozzarella After decades of crime, the city is ‘coming up’ — with the cuisine and culture of a major metropolis, but the laid-back vibe of a smaller place.
“It Really Wasn’t What They Said It Was”: LeVar Burton Opens Up About ‘Jeopardy!’ and Hosting the National Spelling Bee What really happened with Burton’s ‘Jeopardy!’ host audition? What’s the latest with his Trivial Pursuit show? And is spelling a sport? The ‘Roots,’ ‘Star Trek,’ and ‘Reading Rainbow’ legend has the answers.
With Cameras on Every Phone, Will Broadway’s Nude Scenes Survive? Audiences are increasingly asked to lock their phones in pouches at comedy shows, concerts and some plays. But what happens onstage doesn’t always stay onstage.
The Mona Lisa was attacked again … this time with a slice of cake A man, who’s since been arrested, created an elaborate disguise in order to get close enough to the masterpiece
How Love Island Became a TV Reality of Sex, Fame, and Sometimes Tragedy Starring swimsuit-clad cast members plucked from obscurity, the reboot of Britain’s Love Island promised to be the dating show for our self-made, self-aware era. After a series of high-profile suicides, including that of former host Caroline Flack, a darker reality set in. Ahead of the new season, here’s a look inside the highly produced machine.
Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary team up for The Video Archives Podcast The two friends, filmmakers, and former co-workers will watch and discuss movies from the VHS archives
The Woes of Being Addicted to Streaming After a decade under the influence of music algorithms, a look at what streaming services afford the most engaged fans and what lingers below the surface.
GUESTS:
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and the director of client services at Buzz Engine
Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/3/2022 • 49 minutes
What our search for extraterrestrial life can tell us about ourselves
Humans have long been interested in the possibility of extraterrestrial life. This hour, a look at why that interest has persisted.
Plus, we talk to a scientist who is looking for extraterrestrial life and a linguist who is preparing in case we ever receive communications from extraterrestrials.
GUESTS:
Kate Dorsch: Historian, philosopher of science, and the associate director of the philosophy, politics, and economics program at the University of Pennsylvania
Amanda Rees: Historian of science based at the University of York
Seth Shostak: Senior astronomer at the SETI Institute and host of the radio show and podcast Big Picture Science
Sheri Wells-Jensen: Associate professor of English and linguistics at Bowling Green State University who is on the board of directors of METI International
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/2/2022 • 49 minutes
Fun shouldn’t be a guilty pleasure. Fun is the point
When was the last time you had fun? I mean the kind of fun where you lost track of time, you didn’t care what others were thinking of you, and you felt connected to the people you were having fun with. We all know what fun feels like, so why don’t we make time for it?
We tend to think of fun as a side dish, something to eat if you’re not too full. That’s wrong. Fun should be the main course. Fun nourishes our mind and body as much as healthy food and productive work.
This hour, we talk about fun, including why we’re not having it, why we need more of it, and how to have it.
GUESTS:
Liliana DeLeo: A certified laughter yoga master trainer and the founder of Living Laughter
Julia Pistell: Founding member of Sea Tea Improv
Catherine Price: A science journalist and the author of The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired December 21, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2022 • 50 minutes
Two thumbs up: A show all about fingers
Touch, grip, read, dance, gesture — what can't they do? Our fingers are so vital to our everyday life, sometimes it seems they have minds of their own. In this hour, we talk about the hidden language of finger gestures, the future of Braille, and the joys and challenges of animating fingers for DreamWorks.
GUESTS:
Kensy Cooperrider: Cognitive scientist, writer, and host of the podcast Many Minds
Jonathan McNicol: Producer of The Colin McEnroe Show
Sile O'Modhrain: Professor at the University of Michigan studying sound and touch and the ways in which they interact
Carlos Fernandez Puertolas: Animator with DreamWorks
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, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/31/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘George Carlin’s American Dream’ and ‘Brigsby Bear’
This week’s Nose is the first one to say it’s a great country, but it’s a strange culture.
George Carlin’s American Dream is a new, two-part, nearly-four-hour HBO documentary directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio. At 225 minutes, it actually runs 45 minutes shorter than Apatow’s previous HBO doc, The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling.
And: Brigsby Bear is a 2017 comedy-drama written by Kevin Costello and Kyle Mooney from a story by Mooney and directed by Dave McCary. Mooney is one of four major departures from the cast of Saturday Night Live last weekend. Brigsby Bear stars Mooney, Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Greg Kinnear, Andy Samberg, and Matt Walsh.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
‘Goodfellas’ Star Ray Liotta Dies at 67
Colin Cantwell, The Concept Artist Who Designed The Death Star, Dies At 90
Andy “Fletch” Fletcher Dies: Depeche Mode Keyboard Player, Founding Member Was 60
Ricky Gervais’ Netflix Special Draws Criticism for Graphic Jokes Mocking Trans People
I Watched the New Ricky Gervais Stand-up Special So You Don’t Have To
John Mulaney Draws Criticism for Having Dave Chappelle Open, Tell ‘Transphobic Jokes’ at Ohio Show
The Kids in the Hall Have Gotten Old. Their Comedy Hasn’t. A new documentary explains the undersung Canadian troupe’s brilliance, and a new season of its sketch show confirms it.
The 100 Greatest Stools in Stand-up Special History
A ‘Jaws’ actor is named police chief in the town where the iconic movie was filmed
Broadcast TV’s reduced role made clear in fall presentations
How Wordle brought us back together Spelling Bee, too, and Words With Friends. Who knew online word games would get us talking to each other again?
Why the Depp-Heard trial is so much worse than you realize Amber Heard is just the first target of a new extremist playbook.
As Frank Langella Defies His Firing, More Details About Inappropriate Behavior Claims On Set Of Netflix Series Emerge
Rita Moreno to Play Vin Diesel’s Grandmother in ‘Fast X’
Conan O’Brien’s Podcast Company Sells to SiriusXM in Deal Valued Around $150 Million The sale of Team Coco comes as audio companies make deals with podcasters with large followings
How Reality TV Stars Conquered Your Bookshelves
Has Time Passed ‘Stranger Things’ By? In 2016, the Netflix hit became a zeitgeist-driving sensation. But in a streaming landscape that’s much more competitive, the supersized and long-awaited Season 4 may have a harder time standing out.
‘50% sweet, 50% salty’: Oreo, Ritz team up to make limited edition cookie-cracker snack
A Brief History of the Cheez-It America’s iconic orange cracker turns 100 this year
How Top Gun Became A Gay Classic
Inside the Ambient Music Streaming Boom As more people turn to ambient playlists for sleeping, meditating, and growing houseplants, what does it mean for the artists behind the serene soundscapes?
LARPing Goes to Disney World On a “Star Wars” spaceship, the company has taken live-action role-play to a lavish extreme. Guests spend days eating, scheming, and assembling lightsabres in character.
‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’ Director Teases Slasher Film Plot: ‘Pooh and Piglet Go on a Rampage’
GUEST:
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer, and the founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Bill Yousman: Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/27/2022 • 49 minutes
The human range of emotions stretches beyond our vocabulary
You probably know when you’re feeling happy, sad, or angry. But our range of emotions stretch beyond the language we have for them.
This hour, we learn what emotions are and give names to ones you’ve probably felt without ever having had a word for them.
GUESTS:
Edgar Gerrard Hughes: The editor of How Do You Feel? A Spectacular Compendium of Ideas, Interactive Games, Provocations, Tests, and Tricks that Explore the World of What You Feel and Why and a researcher at the University of London’s Queen Mary Centre for the History of the Emotions
John Koenig: Author of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 10, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/26/2022 • 50 minutes
From zeppelins to dirigibles to the Goodyear Blimp, airships capture our imagination
There’s something almost romantic about airships. The image of a giant, floating aircraft feels both nostalgic and futuristic.
In the early 20th century, airships were on the leading edge of aviation; today, they mostly live on in the domain of steampunk art and speculative fiction.
But a number of companies are betting they can bring airships out of the history books and into modern real-world applications like cargo transport and military uses.
This hour, the past and future of airships, both real and imagined.
GUESTS:
Nick Allman: Chief operating officer of Hybrid Air Vehicles
Jeanne Marie Laskas: A journalist and the author of eight books; in 2016 she published “Helium Dreams” in The New Yorker
Ken Liu: A futurist and author of speculative fiction, including The Dandelion Dynasty, an epic fantasy series featuring airships
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired November 1, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/25/2022 • 50 minutes
Music critic Kelefa Sanneh says music genres are communities
This hour, we’re joined by Kelefa Sanneh, author of Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres. We talk about music genres and look back at the history of music.
GUESTS:
Kelefa Sanneh: Staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 25, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/24/2022 • 50 minutes
What our attitude towards the Middle Ages can teach us about ourselves today
On the one hand, calling something “medieval” carries with it negative connotations of outdated times. But lately there has almost been a nostalgia for life in the Middle Ages.
This hour, we look at what life was really like in that time period and why we remember it the way we do.
Plus, a look at the medieval origin of environmental anxiety and student debt.
GUESTS:
Jenny Adams: Associate professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
Courtney Barajas: Author of Old English Ecotheology: The Exeter Book
Martha Bayless: Director of folklore and public culture at the University of Oregon; her books include Sin and Filth in Medieval Culture: The Devil in the Latrine and A Cultural History of Comedy in the Middle Ages
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/23/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘We Own This City’ and ‘The Northman’
Your strength breaks men’s bones. This week’s Nose has the cunning to break their minds.
We Own This City is a six-part HBO miniseries developed by David Simon and George Pelecanos and based on the book by Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton. It chronicles the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force and corruption within and around it. Simon told NPR’s Eric Deggans that “this is the closest thing you’re going to get to a sequel” to The Wire.
And: The Northman is director Robert Eggers’s third feature and his first big-budget film. It is based on the Viking legend of Amleth, a prince who tries to avenge the murder of his father.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
John Aylward Dies: ‘ER’ & ‘The West Wing’ Actor Was 75
Hannah Gadsby Stays Sunny by Any Means Necessary
George Carlin narrator edits make Thomas The Tank Engine even more blue Genius editor combines Carlin’s Thomas & Friends narration with foul-mouthed clips from his audiobook readings
Hollywood Has No Idea What to Do With the Erotic Thriller Streamers are struggling to reboot a genre that died too young.
The Untold Story of the White House’s Weirdly Hip Record Collection Jimmy Carter’s grandson is unlocking its mysteries
Attack of the Clones is underrated — and it’s crucial to the current state of Star Wars George Lucas’ maligned prequel chapter deserves reconsideration as it sets up the Obi-Wan series [Ed. note: Links ≠ endorsement.]
The Believer, a Beloved Literary Magazine, Goes Home After a Risqué Detour The magazine, bought by a marketing company, briefly hosted clickbait content. Scandal ensued. After a flurry of negotiation, it is now back with its first publisher, McSweeney’s.
Can You Remember the Plot of Avatar? We asked a semi-random assortment of smart and funny people who were alive in 2009—from Broti Gupta to Brandon Wardell to Marianne Williamson—if they could recall the plot of the highest-grossing movie ever.
The Puzzle That Will Outlast the World One move down, 1,298,074,214,633,706,907,132,624,082,305,022 to go.
Star Wars: The Rebellion Will Be Televised An exclusive look at the master plan for Obi-Wan Kenobi with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, Andor with Diego Luna, Ahsoka with Rosario Dawson—and a fleet of new shows.
Squid Game Season 2 Likely Won’t Release Until End Of 2023 Or 2024
Taylor Swift’s NYU Commencement Speech Was About Cats, Cringe, And Getting Canceled The star’s NYU commencement speech was completely apolitical.
Marvel Studios is licensing Stan Lee’s likeness from the company he sued before his death Lee sued POW! Entertainment in 2018
Tom Cruise Is Being Boring at Cannes
‘Doctor Who’ has its first Black lead. Will the show contend with race?
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan: A director, producer, and arts consultant
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Irene Papoulis: teaches writing at Trinity College
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/20/2022 • 49 minutes
The fax machine is dead. Long live the fax machine
On the long timeline of long-distance communication technology that starts with the telegraph and leads all the way to the iPhone and beyond, there’s a particular, once-ubiquitous device that seems to have left an indelible mark on the culture while also disappearing nearly completely from it.
This hour, the history and present? (and future??) of the fax machine.
GUESTS:
Jonathan Coopersmith: Professor of history at Texas A & M University and the author of Faxed: The Rise and Fall of the Fax Machine
Troy Kreiner: Design director at Use All Five, the firm that organized Artifax
Kay Savetz: A tech historian; they co-host Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast and run a number of websites, including Fax Toy and FaxZero
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/19/2022 • 49 minutes
An hour with Francisco Goldman
Francisco Goldman made a big choice as a young man. He chose to spend a year in Guatemala living with his uncle instead of pursuing the master’s degree he could have had from a prestigious school offering him a full scholarship. It turned out to be one of the most consequential decisions of his early life.
This hour, Colin talks with Goldman about his novel Monkey Boy, a story about the legacy of violence on a family and much more, including how his decision to go to Guatemala has shaped his life.
GUEST:
Francisco Goldman: Author of seven books; his most recent, the novel Monkey Boy, is now out in paperback
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 27, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2022 • 50 minutes
Shaking assumptions about the humble tambourine
The humble tambourine is the underrated, understated, unsung hero of contemporary music. This hour we shake our assumptions about this surprisingly enduring and ubiquitous instrument.
GUESTS:
Erin Elstner: Percussionist and Professor of Percussion at Webster University
Ira Elliot: Percussionist best known as the drummer for the band Nada Surf
Tim Kubart: Musician, songwriter, and performer known world-wide as “The Tambourine Guy” for his performances with Postmodern Jukebox
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/17/2022 • 49 minutes
What’s in a word? A look at the ways words change
This hour we investigate the ways in which words change when they enter our discourse and how they acquire new meanings, or sometimes even lose their meanings.
We look at specific examples, discuss how the internet is influencing language, and learn about how dictionaries interact with the evolving nature of words.
GUESTS:
Sylvia Sierra: A linguist and the author of Millennials Talking Media: Creating Intertextual Identities in Everyday Conversation
Peter Sokolowski: Editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster and co-host of the Word Matters podcast
Kory Stamper: A lexicographer and the author of Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries
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!
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.
5/16/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose says goodbye to the iPod and looks at HBO Max’s ‘The Staircase’
It’s the end of an era. Apple announced this week that it has ended production of the last iPod-only device it was still making, the iPod Touch. Apple debuted the original iPod in October, 2001, and has sold an estimated 450 million iPods since. Existing stock of the iPod Touch is available while supplies last.
And: The Staircase is an HBO Max miniseries based on the 2004 French docuseries of the same name and the true story it tells. Colin Firth plays Michael Peterson, a man accused of murdering his wife.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
George Pérez, Who Gave New Life to Wonder Woman, Dies at 67 Working for both Marvel and DC, he created comic book series that brought superheroes together, and was co-creator of The New Teen Titans.
Ric Parnell, Real Drummer in a Famous Fake Band, Dies at 70 The central characters in the mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap” were comic actors, but Mr. Parnell was an actual professional musician.
In Conversation: John C. Reilly The actor thinks audiences just want to be surprised. He’d do (almost) anything to oblige.
Fred Savage is fired from ‘The Wonder Years’ over allegations of misconduct
‘Sex Education’ actor Ncuti Gatwa will be the first Black lead in ‘Doctor Who’
‘A Strange Loop’ earns a leading 11 Tony Award nominations
Warhol’s ‘Marilyn,’ at $195 Million, Shatters Auction Record for an American Artist At Christie’s sale for charity, the glamorous silk-screen beat out Basquiat’s skull painting that had set a record in 2017.
Elizabeth Olsen: ‘Throwing Marvel under the bus takes away from the talented crew’ The reluctant star is returning as the witchy Wanda in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’. She talks to Jacob Stolworthy about superhero film flak, her famous sisters’ advice, and why she rarely watches herself on screen
Marty Friedman on why streaming listeners are skipping guitar solos: “Solos often have an obligatory existence – they must be there for a deeper reason” The former Megadeth man says guitar solos are often included to meet a quota, rather than because the song actually requires one
FIFA and EA Sports End Decades-Long Video Game Partnership The demise of a relationship that produced one of the most popular games of all time will mean risks for soccer’s governing body but few changes for consumers.
“Succession” actor James Cromwell super-glued himself to a Starbucks counter as part of PETA’s vegan milk protest
The PG-13 Rating Has Become Meaningless
Marcelo dropped from Lyon first team for “farting and laughing” in dressing room - sources
I Toot, Therefore I Am A new philosophy paper attempts to answer a crucial question: What makes a fart a fart?
Bad Special Effects Are A Choice
Percy Jackson creator Rick Riordan rips complaints about casting the TV series
The Strange Afterlife of George Carlin Nearly 14 years after his death, his provocative humor has been embraced by people across the political spectrum. What happens when comedy outlasts the era it was made for?
New York Times Changes Today’s Wordle #324 Answer Amid Abortion Controversy
What might reverse late-night TV’s decline? “If someone’s already watching something on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, why would they set their DVRs for 1:30 a.m.?”
Traipsing Through the Vaster Wasteland On Netflix, HBO Max, and thirst in the desert.
Christopher Walken To Play The Emperor In Dune 2
Disney Copyrights Targeted in Bill Proposed by Sen. Josh Hawley The company would lose its copyright to the original design of Mickey Mouse if the law is passed.
This Is Spinal Tap sequel confirmed for 2024 with original cast Double ’Tap! Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls are set to return to cinema screens for one final show
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict: Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction, and she’s the host of the Rite Gud 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, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, 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.
5/13/2022 • 49 minutes
The art of the ringtone
Phone ringtones went from uniform, to a million dollar industry, to the unconscious soundtrack of our lives. They’re pieces of music that are designed to get you to react. They’re sounds that often carry emotions and memories with them. But we don’t often give them much thought.
This hour, the art of the ringtone. We look back at their history, investigate their rise and fall, discuss the appeal of a well-composed one, and talk to someone who designed his own.
Warning: This show contains the default iPhone alarm tone.
GUESTS:
Sumanth Gopinath: Associate professor of music theory at the University of Minnesota and the author of The Ringtone Dialectic: Economy and Cultural Form
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Paula Matthusen: Composer and a professor of music at Wesleyan University
Steve Metcalf: Founder and director of the Garmany Concert Series at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School
Ernie Smith: Editor of Tedium and a contributor to Vice’s Motherboard
Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
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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!
Colin McEnroe, Gene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/12/2022 • 52 minutes, 36 seconds
Occam’s razor makes the case for simplicity in a complex world
Occam’s razor states that “entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity.”
This hour is all about Occam’s razor: where the principle came from, how it impacts science, its role in medicine, and how it shapes our daily lives.
GUESTS:
Kurt Andersen: Co-founder of Spy magazine, the host and co-creator of Studio 360, and the author of Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire — A 500-Year History
Johnjoe McFadden: Author of Life Is Simple: How Occam’s Razor Set Science Free and Shapes the Universe
Lisa Sanders: Clinician educator in the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program at the Yale School of Medicine and the author of the Diagnosis column for The New York Times Magazine
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired November 17, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/11/2022 • 50 minutes
Cross-examining the history and the future of the Supreme Court
This hour we look back at the history of the Supreme Court and the rules surrounding it. Plus, we discuss how the Supreme Court shares information with the public, and we talk about ideas for reforming the Court.
GUESTS:
Akhil Reed Amar: Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, and author of The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840, among other books.
David Folkenflik: NPR’s media correspondent.
Emily Bazelon: Lecturer in Law, Senior Research Scholar in Law, and a Truman Capote Fellow at Yale Law School, a staff writer at the New York Times Magazine, and a co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest.
Tara Leigh Grove: Professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, who was a member of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/10/2022 • 49 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677.‌ Or 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!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/9/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at our state of TV overload and the end of ‘Ozark’
This week’s Nose is short. $6,950. But it is not, it’s not a problem.
Our original plan for this week was to look at the final seasons of Better Call Saul and Ozark. But it turns out that, among our full stable of nostrils — this is a group of more than 20 people who are, by definition, dialed into the mass market popular culture, mind you — there’s not a single person who watches both shows.
In discovering that, we got to thinking about how it just isn’t possible to keep up with all the TV there is anymore. How, in fact, it just isn’t possible to keep up with all of anything anymore. And how, even with the things that you specifically try to keep up with, by the time the new bits come out, you’ve forgotten all the details about the old bits.
So The Nose gets into some or all of that. And then we do look at the final season, the final part of the final season, “Season Four, Part Two” of Ozark. This bit almost certainly, almost necessarily gets spoilery. If you’re worried about that sort of thing, you might want to duck out at the first break.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Neal Adams, Comic Book Artist Who Revitalized Batman and Fought for Creators’ Rights, Dies at 80 He influenced multiple generations with his style and co-created such characters as Ra’s al Ghul, the Man-Bat and one of DC’s first Black superheroes, Green Lantern John Stewart.
Naomi Judd, country music matriarch of The Judds, is dead at 76
Ron Galella, Celebrity-Hounding Photographer, Dies at 91 He personified the paparazzi — brazen and relentless in chasing the famous, particularly Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. But his pictures also came to be admired.
Dave Chappelle was physically attacked in the middle of his performance in LA
Dave Chappelle Issues Statement On Attack, Refuses “To Allow Last Night’s Incident To Overshadow The Magic” Of The Moment
Sneakers, elastic pants: People alter office wear amid COVID
The Office Beckons. Time for Your Sharpest ‘Power Casual.’ Work wear reflects how people feel about their jobs and the economy as a whole. So it makes sense that dressing for the office is all over the place.
A24’s ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Hits Impressive Box Office Milestone
Fast 10 Reportedly Costs Over $300 Million, With The Largest Chunk Spent On Actor Salaries
The Controversy Brewing on Elon Musk’s Wikipedia Page
Amber Heard accuses Johnny Depp of physical abuse on her first day of testimony
The Assassination of Amber Heard
SPACE NUDES: NASA to launch naked pictures of humans to space in hope of ‘attracting aliens’
A New Wave of Shows Cares About a Group of Women the Rest of TV Has Ignored Sure, their characters are privileged, but they’re also dealing with unsteady marriages, ambition, and family.
Golden-Con Threw a Party, Invited Every ‘Golden Girls’ Fan It Knew Thousands gathered in Chicago to celebrate the beloved sitcom, whose fan base has only expanded since its original run and made the Girls into L.G.B.T.Q. icons.
The Pandemic Reminded Us That Most Women Still Don’t Have a Room of Their Own The past two years have shown us that we need to open our eyes to the biases built into our homes.
A former Gap employee embarks on a quest to collect every in-store playlist
It’s time for a non-white host of ‘The Late Late Show’. Here’s our critic’s shortlist
The Biggest Challenge for ‘Jeopardy!’ Super Champions? Talking About Themselves. Mattea Roach is the latest ‘Jeopardy!’ champ to rattle off a long and impressive winning streak. But her success has an unintended side effect: She’s running out of personal fun facts to share after the first commercial break.
Attention Girls, Gays, And Theys: Taylor Swift Is Dropping “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” Tonight!!!!! I guess 1989 is coming?!?!?!??!
‘Quantum Leap’ Reboot Picked Up To Series By NBC
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and the director of client services at Buzz Engine
Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/6/2022 • 49 minutes
From local to global: A critical look at the CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has hired an advisor to review the agency. This comes as the CDC faces scrutiny for its pandemic response and communications. This hour, we ask what the CDC should, and could, look like into the future.
GUESTS:
Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo: The inaugural Director of the Pandemic Center at the Brown School of Public Health, and a Professor of Epidemiology.
Dr. Saad Omer: Professor of Medicine and the Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases at Yale University, where he is also Director of the Yale Institute for Global Health.
Dr. Jennifer Bacani McKenney: A family physician, based in Kansas, who is also the Wilson County and Fredonia City Health Officer.
Lori Freeman: Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of County and City Health Officials.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/5/2022 • 50 minutes, 20 seconds
‘Pink Flamingos’ and political correctness. We must be talking to John Waters
Note: This episode contains strong language and a number of things intended to be in bad taste.
This hour, we shoot the, er, breeze with John Waters, the filmmaker, author, and artist whose œuvre of campy, raunchy films ranges from the cult classics Pink Flamingos and Polyester to the musicals Hairspray and Cry-Baby.
On the occasion of his first novel, the “feel-bad romance” Liarmouth, we talk to Waters about everything from testicle tanning and teabagging to Baltimore and becoming a legend.
Be there or be square.
Note also: This show is about as spoilery as we get. We use audio of the very last lines of Waters’ Pink Flamingos. And the ending of Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is just utterly revealed. (Colin will warn you when that one’s coming.) Now, neither of these movies is terribly recent — I mean, one of them is 50 years old — but it seems like we should mention it anyway. Please don’t send us angry emails. About the spoilers, at least.
GUEST:
John Waters: Writer, director, and actor; his first novel is Liarmouth … A Feel-Bad Romance
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/4/2022 • 50 minutes
Why we’re still mesmerized by the myth of Rasputin
In the century since Russia’s “Mad Monk” was poisoned, we've come to believe a lot of things: he was mystical, he was evil, he was the world’s greatest lover.
This hour: Rasputin — the all-too-human peasant who found his way to friendship with the Romanovs, and the comical, absurd version that just won’t die.
GUESTS:
Douglas Smith: Historian and author of Rasputin: Faith, Power, and the Twilight of the Romanovs
Chris Roberson: Co-writer of the Hellboy comic Rasputin: Voice of the Dragon
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, Lily Tyson, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/3/2022 • 49 minutes
A conversation with Ruth Ozeki
This hour, we’re joined by novelist Ruth Ozeki. Her latest novel is The Book of Form and Emptiness. We talk about animism, hearing voices, and how Zen Buddhism informs her writing.
GUESTS:
Ruth Ozeki: Novelist, filmmaker, and professor of English language and literature at Smith College
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 29, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/2/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard and ‘Slow Horses’
This week’s Nose would come straight to your home and do it on the weekends too.
This week was week three of John C. Depp II v. Amber Laura Heard, Johnny Depp’s $50 million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard (in which she’s countersued for $100 million). It is nothing if not a sordid tale where no one looks particularly innocent. But it certainly seems like the entire internet is Team Johnny Depp.
And: Slow Horses is a darkly funny espionage thriller series based on the novel by Mark Herron and starring Gary Oldman, Jack Lowden, and Kristin Scott Thomas. Its first season finale hit Apple TV+ today.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
‘Cinema Paradiso’ actor Jacques Perrin dies at 80
HBO reminds Jerry West that Winning Time is “not a documentary” Last week, the Lakers legend sent out a letter demanding a legal retraction by the company
Why There’s So Much Unsexy Sex on TV
How to Use (or Not Use) a Hyphen Plus: a brief digression into why The New Yorker hyphenates “teen-ager.”
Jon Stewart says the ‘fragility of leaders’ is the real threat to humor
The Avengers have been with us for 10 years. Have they made movies better or worse?
Production on Bill Murray film ‘Being Mortal’ is halted after a behavior complaint
It Is Still a Bad Idea to Antagonize Mike Tyson Yet people keep on trying
‘The Northman’ Was #4 Over the Weekend, Then #1 on Monday: Why the Uptick? This could be one of the most encouraging grosses of late — and a sign of great word of mouth.
A rattlesnake bit Cary Elwes. Here’s what to do if it happens to you
Megan Fox Appeared To Confirm That She And Machine Gun Kelly Are In A Consensual BDSM Relationship After Facing Intense Backlash Over Her Engagement Ring That He Designed To Cause Pain “I feel sexual power in that way, by experiencing it that way… I was being celebrated as being a feminist until I had the nerve to call my boyfriend, ‘Daddy.’”
“Guardians Of The Galaxy” Director James Gunn Defended Chris Pratt On Twitter And Said He Will “Never” Be Replaced “I know the church he currently goes to. Do you?”
The Return of Coachella and a Glimpse Into Our New Abnormal The most famous music festival in America returned this past weekend, providing a preview of the strange, not-so-distant future
Billboard’s Newest No. 1 Hits Reiterate One Important Rule More pop stars have an oddball, ultimately forgotten big single than you might think.
Disney announces Avatar 2 title, premieres teaser trailer At CinemaCon, Avatar producer Jon Landau discussed the “separate, but cohesive” strategy of the franchise
Gene Kelly’s widow looks back on 70 years of Singin’ In The Rain Kelly’s widow Patricia offers some insights about the classic musical, Gene’s best moments, and the modern filmmaker she thinks he would have worked well with
The Coastal Grandmother Aesthetic Is a Lifestyle, Not Just a TikTok Trend Coastal grandmother heralds a new kind of hot girl summer—with fresh produce, strong cocktails, and light linens.
Mission: Impossible 7 Is Now Called Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One
Humans Can’t Quit a Basic Myth About Dog Breeds Breed doesn’t have that big an effect on a dog’s personality.
How Elisabeth Moss Became the Dark Lady of the Small Screen The actor—who is also a director, a rom-com fan, and a Scientologist—likes to swim in the weird.
Viola Davis says critics ‘serve no purpose’ but we do – and it’s not to sell tickets The actor’s response to criticism of The First Lady is astonishingly thin-skinned and misses our role in building dialogue and serving readers
James Corden Says He’ll Leave His CBS Show Next Year The British-born host, who was a successful actor and comedian before joining the network’s late-night lineup, has been signaling for some time that he was considering leaving.
GUESTS:
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Helder Mira: Multimedia producer at Trinity College and co-host of the So Pretentious podcast
Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer, and the founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
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!
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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.
4/29/2022 • 49 minutes
Three poets celebrate the freedom of poetry
This hour, as National Poetry Month comes to a close, we celebrate the form with three contemporary poets.
GUESTS:
Matthew Zapruder: Professor, poet, whose most recent collection is Father’s Day, and author of the book Why Poetry.
Margaret Gibson: Poet laureate of Connecticut, whose most recent collection is The Glass Globe.
Yanyi: Poet, whose most recent collection is Dream of the Divided Field, and writer of the advice column “The Reading,” for creative writers.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/28/2022 • 49 minutes
Demystifying the life, and legacy, of Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau is a bit of a polarizing figure. He has been both celebrated and criticized for his writing. He’s considered an inspirational figure for retreating to the woods, but mocked for his reliance on his mother during that same period.
This hour, we look at the life and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, and ask what his example can teach us about who is remembered and celebrated.
GUESTS:
Laura Dassow Walls: Professor emeritus of English at the University of Notre Dame and the author of Henry David Thoreau: A Life
Alex Beam: Author, journalist, and contributor to The Boston Globe
Tracy Fullerton: Director of the Game Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California and the designer and director of Walden, A Game
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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/27/2022 • 49 minutes
A radio show about mimes? You bet
Mimes have been gesticulating their way into our hearts (or nightmares) nearly for forever. It may be that the legendary Marcel Marceau popularized the mime, but people have been communicating through movement since the very beginning.
Today, characters in big-budget Hollywood movies and television shows routinely rely on pantomime techniques to create the on-screen characters we love.
This hour, the past, present, and future of mimes.
GUESTS:
Doug Jones: A trained mime, contortionist, and award-winning actor known for his roles in The Shape of Water, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, Hocus Pocus, Star Trek: Discovery, and more
Richard Knight: Author of Mime the Gap: Techniques in Mime and Movement
Shawn Wen: Author of A Twenty Minute Silence Followed by Applause
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!
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Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired August 30, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/26/2022 • 50 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677.‌ Or 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, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/25/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘The Batman’ and trouble at Netflix
When this week’s Nose hits the sky, it’s not just a call. It’s a warning.
Matt Reeves’ The Batman is the highest-grossing film of 2022 so far by a fairly wide margin. It stars Robert Pattinson in the title role, and it’s the first entry in a new Batman shared universe. Two sequels are expected and two HBO Max television series are planned. Pattinson’s Batman exists alongside the DC Extended Universe, in which Ben Affleck plays Batman, and, it turns out, alongside a universe where Michael Keaton is still Batman. It’s a shared multiverse that I’m talking about, I guess. Pattinson is Batman in what is apparently called ‘Earth-2.’ I am not making any of this up. I could not make any of this up.
Anyway, The Batman premieres on HBO on April 23. It is available to stream on HBO Max and for digital rental and purchase now. Oh, and it’s still in theaters, too.
And: Netflix announced this week that it lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of the year and that it expects to lose another 2 million this quarter. And its animation department is kind of falling apart. And it’s now going to crack down on password sharing. And then its market value dropped more than $50 billion over night. Yikes.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Robert Morse, Impish Tony-Winning Comedy Star, Is Dead at 90 He dazzled as a charming corporate schemer in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” His later triumphs included a memorable role on “Mad Men.”
Liz Sheridan, ‘Seinfeld’ actress, dead at 93
Radu Lupu, celebrated Romanian pianist, dies at age 76
In Cleveland, Some Fans Are Guardians Only of the Past Cleveland’s baseball team adopted a new nickname, and their home opener was the first in years without Native American protests. That doesn’t mean everyone was happy.
The Artful, Subdued Translations of Modern Pop Young artists like Latto, Vince Staples, and Doechii are subtly persuading listeners to rethink the way music genres can be interpreted.
Rachel Zegler Is Finding Her Voice Cast in starring roles in West Side Story and Snow White, a high schooler became an overnight celebrity. What comes next?
Johnny Depp in court says he has never struck any woman in his life
Taylor Swift was the inspiration for the name of a new millipede species
Gen X Was Right About Everything. Here’s Proof Album anniversary tours are just our generation’s cultural victory lap
A 4-year-old can run errands alone … and not just on reality TV
What Happened to Jon Stewart? He is comedy royalty. But the world has changed since he was at the height of his powers.
Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid It’s not just a phase.
Elon Musk says he has secured the money to buy Twitter
Florida legislature passes bill repealing Disney special tax status
Martin McDonagh Isn’t Done Talking After a two-year delay that spanned a pandemic and his 50th birthday, McDonagh is back on Broadway with his new play, Hangmen—no longer the enfant terrible of the theater world, but still turning heads.
Crap music isn’t as good as it used to be What is 2022’s equivalent to The Ketchup Song? Where are the tunes that teach us how to “Cha cha real smooth”?
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
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!
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Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, 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 by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/22/2022 • 40 minutes, 35 seconds
Exploring astrology: do stars really impact us?
Humans have always been interested in the sky, and astrology has been used as a tool for people in power for a long time.
During times of stress, interest in astrology increases.
But why are we so interested in something that is not considered a science?
This hour, a look at the history of astrology, its relationship with astronomy, and the reasons why people love it so much.
GUESTS:
Julie Beck: Senior editor at The Atlantic, where she wrote “The New Age of Astrology”
Darin Hayton: Associate professor of the history of science at Haverford College and the author of The Crown and the Cosmos: Astrology and the Politics of Maximilian I
Emily Levesque: Professor in the University of Washington’s Astronomy Department and the author of The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story of Astronomy’s Vanishing Explorers
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!
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This episode was produced by Sara Gasparatto.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, 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.
4/21/2022 • 41 minutes, 3 seconds
Brainwashing: From the Korean War to cults to today
The term “brainwashing” has been used throughout history by scientists, politicians, and journalists, as well as in movies and literature.
This hour: a look at the history and science of brainwashing.
GUESTS:
Joel Dimsdale: Distinguished professor emeritus in the department of psychiatry at University of California San Diego and the author of Dark Persuasion: A History of Brainwashing from Pavlov to Social Media
Timothy Melley: Professor of English at Miami University
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!
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Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.
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.
4/20/2022 • 41 minutes, 1 second
Our lunchtime with André
André Gregory has directed and acted in the theater for more than 50 years. He has appeared in a number of movies, including Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ, Woody Allen’s Celebrity, Brian De Palma’s The Bonfire of the Vanities, Peter Weir’s The Mosquito Coast, and many more. He has starred in three movies about the theater with the playwright, actor, and comedian Wallace Shawn: A Master Builder, Vanya on 42nd Street, and the iconic My Dinner with Andre.
Gregory’s memoir is This Is Not My Memoir. He joins us for the hour.
Note: I apologize for the flagrant hackiness of the “joke” of the headline here. I feel your scorn and must suffer through my shame. There are times when a work is so iconic one doesn’t have a choice but to make reference to it. And so here we are.
GUEST:
André Gregory: An actor, writer, director, teacher, and painter; he is the author, with Todd London, of This Is Not My Memoir
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!
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.
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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 27, 2021.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/19/2022 • 42 minutes
The rise of conspiracy theories following Sandy Hook with author Elizabeth Williamson
In her new book, Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth, Elizabeth Williamson investigates the conspiracy theories that arose following the shooting on December 14, 2012, at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.
GUEST:
Elizabeth Williamson: Author of Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy And The Battle For Truth
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!
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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 by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/18/2022 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘The Dropout’ and ‘Inventing Anna’
This week’s Nose will be able to tell this story at a conference wearing flip-flops.
The Dropout is an eight-part Hulu Original limited series that tells the story of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. It’s based on the ABC News podcast and stars Amanda Seyfried.
And Inventing Anna is a nine-part Netflix Original limited series created by Shonda Rhimes that tells the story of Anna Sorokin. It’s inspired by Jessica Pressler’s New York magazine story “Maybe She Had So Much Money She Just Lost Track of It,” and it stars Anna Chlumsky and Julia Garner.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Gilbert Gottfried Dies: Beloved Comedian and Voice Icon Was 67 The passing of the actor best known for his voice talents and stand-up comic gifts was announced Tuesday by his family.
A secret plan, a bombshell lawsuit, and a soccer match: Inside Tom Brady’s un-retirement
Women are now TAPING their foreheads for a ‘wrinkle-free’ complexion in a bizarre new TikTok trend — so does it actually work?
How swearing became a weapon of resistance for Ukrainians Their enthusiastic use of bad language contrasts with Putin’s linguistic prissiness — and shows that Russia doesn’t own Russian
The “Pity Me!” Personal Essay A recent trend in writing brings us a whole lot of dramatics and zero perspective
The Kids In The Hall Trailer: The Sketch Comedy Revival Arrives In May
Sure Elon Musk Might Buy Twitter Oh why not.
Will Elon Musk Go Full Future-of-Civilization on Twitter? Of all the things Musk says are good for humanity, this one is not like the others.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals
Mercy Quaye: Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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 by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/15/2022 • 42 minutes, 38 seconds
The zipper: An invention overlooked yet essential
We use zippers all the time: whether on clothes, shoes, bags, tents… the list goes on. Zippers keep our belongings secure, they keep us warm, they help keep out the elements, and they make it easier to get dressed. This hour is all about the zipper. We’ll learn about its history and significance, plus the role of zippers in fashion, and why so many zippers say “YKK.”
GUESTS:
Robert Friedel: Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Maryland and author of Zipper: An Exploration in Novelty, among other books.
Emma McClendon: Fashion historian, curator, and author.
Jim Reed: President of YKK Corporation of America.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/14/2022 • 41 minutes, 15 seconds
The toll of perfectionism
Perfectionism is on the rise among young people. This hour, we look at the impact of perfectionism on mental health, and how to deal with perfectionist tendencies. Plus, what the self-help industry can tell us about our interest in perfection.
GUESTS:
Thomas Curran: Assistant professor of psychological and behavioral science at the London School of Economics and Political Science
Tamar Gendler: Professor of philosophy, psychology and cognitive science at Yale University
Kristen Meinzer: Host of the By the Book podcast
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!
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/13/2022 • 40 minutes, 49 seconds
We like to watch. Emily Nussbaum on the TV revolution
For decades, we didn’t take television seriously. We saw it as ephemeral, as “chewing gum for the eyes,” as, literally, furniture.
And then, around the turn of the century, things started to change. There was The Sopranos. The Wire. And, at the same time, shows like Big Brother and The Amazing Race. For Emily Nussbaum, it was Buffy the Vampire Slayer that forever changed her take on television.
This hour: A serious appraisal of television with The New Yorker’s television critic.
GUEST:
Emily Nussbaum: Television critic for The New Yorker and the author of I Like To Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution
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!
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Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 15, 2020.
Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today by visiting ctpublic.org/donate. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/12/2022 • 42 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677.‌ Or 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, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, 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 by visiting ctpublic.org/donate. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/11/2022 • 40 minutes, 50 seconds
The Nose looks at Jerrod Carmichael’s ‘Rothaniel’ and Stephen Merchant’s ‘The Outlaws’
This week’s Nose is all gettin’ flushed.
Rothaniel is Jerrod Carmichael’s third HBO comedy special. The previous two, 2014’s Love at the Storeand 2017’s 8, were directed by Spike Lee and Bo Burnham, respectively. Rothaniel was taped in February at the Blue Note Jazz Club in New York City, and it, too, is directed by Burnham. This is the fourthdirecting project in a row of Burnham’s that The Nose has covered.
And: The Outlaws is a BBC One series created by Stephen Merchant. It’s now available Stateside on Amazon Prime, and Amazon’s synopsis calls it “a comedy thriller about a disparate group of lawbreakers thrown together to complete a community service sentence.” It stars Merchant, Christopher Walken, and an ensemble cast.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Estelle Harris Dies: ‘Seinfeld’s Estelle Costanza, ‘Toy Story’ Franchise’s Mrs. Potato Head Was 93
Los Lobos founding member Francisco González has died at 68
Louis C.K.’s Grammy, After ‘Global Amounts of Trouble,’ Draws Backlash Some comedians are questioning how the Recording Academy saw fit to bestow an award to someone who had admitted to sexual misconduct.
Why We Can’t Quit the Guitar Solo
Elon Musk becomes Twitter’s largest shareholder. The Tesla chief executive, who has been critical of Twitter’s content moderation policies, has bought 9.2 percent of the social media company.
Film Of Prince At Age 11 Discovered In Archival Footage Of 1970 Mpls. Teachers Strike
Mad Magazine’s Most Significant Cultural Moments 2022 marks MAD magazine’s 70th Anniversary. We celebrate a publication that’s been dumbing down America for decades.
How Everyone Got So Lonely The recent decline in rates of sexual activity has been attributed variously to sexism, neoliberalism, and women’s increased economic independence. How fair are those claims—and will we be saved by the advent of the sex robot?
Inside the BBC Staff Exodus: Women of Color Are ‘Exhausted’ From Fighting a Broken System
Japan’s Monkey Queen Made It Through Mating Season With Her Reign Intact Yakei, the 9-year-old macaque who seized power at a preserve, played the field and mated with at least one male, all while managing to maintain her status as her troop’s alpha.
Newly Measured Particle Seems Heavy Enough to Break Known Physics A new analysis of W bosons suggests these particles are significantly heavier than predicted by the Standard Model of particle physics.
If you want original movies to survive, get to a theater this April
It’s Time To Revive the Nuclear Disaster Film With the U.S. and Russia Each Edging Towards Possible Atomkrieg, We’re Overdue for a Cinematic Reminder of the Horrors of Nuclear War
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Rich Hollant: Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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!
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.
4/8/2022 • 49 minutes
‘Literature as resistance.’ Azar Nafisi on the subversive power of reading in troubled times
Azar Nafisi is the author of Reading Lolita in Tehran, which spent 117 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Her new book, Read Dangerously, argues that reading literature, reading challenging, dangerousliterature is foundational and fundamental to continued democracy.
Imagination, itself, she says, is a threat to autocracy and totalitarianism. Imagination is inherently, by definition, “free and wayward.”
“It should be clear by now that when I talk about books,” Nafisi writes, “I am not talking about literature of resistance but literature as resistance.”
Azar Nafisi joins us for the hour.
GUEST:
Azar Nafisi: The author of six books; her newest is Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times
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!
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.
4/7/2022 • 50 minutes
It took a global pandemic to turn us all into preppers
In the past two years, we've all turned into preppers. Whether dealing with a pandemic, supply chain disruptions, or natural disasters, we've learned the value of being prepared to be self-sufficient for a few days, weeks, or even months. This hour, we look at prepping, and talk about how it has become a part of our everyday lives.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2022 • 49 minutes
The art of gossip
Gossiping is considered a bad habit. But, when done well, it can actually have social benefits.
This hour, what gossip is, its benefits and drawbacks, and why we’re interested in celebrity gossip.
GUESTS:
Amanda Kehrberg: Adjunct media studies faculty at Arizona State University
Shayla Love: Senior staff writer of features at Vice
Frank McAndrew: Psychology professor at Knox College
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 16, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/5/2022 • 50 minutes
The humble fly
There are thought to be about 17 million living flies for every human alive on Earth.
They’re predators and parasites and pests, but they’re pollinators too. They help us solve crimes, heal wounds, and understand genetics and evolution. And they literally help at least one artist paint his paintings.
Also this hour: A look at David Cronenberg’s 1986 remake of, you guessed it: The Fly.
GUESTS:
Jonathan Balcombe: Author of Super Fly: The Unexpected Lives of the World’s Most Successful Insects
John Knuth: An artist
Gale Ridge: Associate scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Jacob Trussell: Author of The Binge Watcher’s Guide to The Twilight Zone; he published the piece “Only Jeff Goldblum Could Make Us Fall in Love with ‘The Fly.’” at Film School Rejects
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 19, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/4/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose on Bruce Willis’s retirement, ’The End of the Movies,’ and HBO’s ‘Winning Time’
This week’s Nose is always moving, it’s rhythmic, it’s up close and personal, there’s no pads or helmets for protection.
On Wednesday, Demi Moore announced on Instagram that Bruce Willis is “stepping away” from his career after being diagnosed with aphasia. Willis turned 67 last month.
And: Last Friday, before last weekend’s Academy Awards ceremonies, Ross Douthat published an opinion piece in The New York Times: “We Aren’t Just Watching the Decline of the Oscars. We’re Watching the End of the Movies.”
And finally: Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty is an HBO series chronicling the professional and personal lives of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers and starring John C. Reilly, Quincy Isaiah, and an ensemble cast. It is created by Max Borenstein and executive produced by Adam McKay.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Taylor Hawkins, Foo Fighters’ Drummer, Dies at 50 Hard-hitting and charismatic, he was direct about his hopes for the group’s future, even after two decades. “I want to be the biggest band in the world,” he said.
Paul Herman, The Sopranos Actor, Dies At 76
Nicolas Cage Can Explain It All He is one of our great actors. Also one of our most inscrutable, most eccentric, and most misunderstood. But as Cage makes his case here, every extraordinary thing about his wild work and life actually makes perfect ordinary sense.
The Real Mission Impossible: Saying “No” to Tom Cruise How the franchise superstar lawyered-up and out-gunned Paramount execs over costs, COVID and a last-minute submarine.
Ryan Reynolds Is a Great Brand but an Increasingly Boring Actor
Are You the Most Boring Person Alive? A recent study details the dull jobs, hobbies and personality traits that make someone a boring person
Does Every Geek TV Series Need To Require Hours Of Homework?
Even Before Will Smith, It Was a Strange and Awkward Oscars 2022 V.F.’s chief critic reviews the 94th Academy Awards ceremony.
Both teams assured of a possession in playoff overtime with rules change approved by NFL owners
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 the 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, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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.
4/1/2022 • 49 minutes
The road to sainthood: Who’s on it and how did they get there?
This hour, a look at the path to sainthood and how it’s changed over time.
Plus: the local example of the Rev. Michael McGivney.
GUESTS:
Teresa Berger: Professor of Liturgical Studies and Catholic Theology at Yale Divinity School
Joseph Laycock: Author of The Seer of Bayside: Veronica Lueken and the Struggle to Define Catholicism
Rachel McCleary: Lecturer in the Economics Department at Harvard University and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute
James Sullivan: Rector of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury
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, Sara Gasparotto, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/31/2022 • 48 minutes, 55 seconds
Is arguing good for us? We’re still arguing about it
We tend to associate arguing with destructive actions like quarreling or fighting. Argument is a different animal. It may be fueled by the passion that drives fights and quarrels, but effective arguing requires factual evidence and logic to support why one idea might work better than another idea.
At its finest, argument opens our world to ideas and solutions we hadn’t considered, whereas the passion and clashing egos of a fight often send us sulking to our respective corners.
This hour, we argue that arguing can be good for us, but one could argue that we’re wrong.
GUESTS:
Lee Siegel: A cultural critic and the author of seven books; his latest is Why Argument Matters
Agnes Callard: An associate professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago and the author of Aspiration: The Agency of Becoming
David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
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!
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.
3/30/2022 • 49 minutes
Looking at our world through glass
Glass is all around us: from windows and mirrors, to phone screens and fiber optic cables.
This hour, we learn how glass helped shape our world, efforts to create different types of glasses, and what it's like to make art out of glass.
GUESTS:
John Garrison: Professor at Grinnell College, and author of the book Glass.
Alexis Clare: Professor of Glass Science at Alfred University.
Eric Meek: Senior Manager of Hot Glass Programs at the Corning Museum of Glass.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 22, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/29/2022 • 49 minutes
Emergency First Responder Nose: Oscars smackdown
Note: This episode contains strong language.
You may have seen that Sunday night, on the Academy Awards stage, Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith went up on stage and whacked Rock in the face, and then a few minutes later, Will Smith won the Best Actor award.
A more Noseish confluence of events we may never have seen been before. And so we assembled an emergency, podcast-only, shortish Nose to deal with it.
GUESTS:
Jacques Lamarre: A playwright and the director of client services at Buzz Engine
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast
Vivian Nabeta: Director of marketing and public relations for Capital Community College and the cohost of the So Pretentious podcast
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/28/2022 • 29 minutes, 30 seconds
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888–720–9677.‌ Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/28/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose’s guide to the 94th Academy Awards
Over the last eight months, The Nose has covered 11 of this year’s Academy Award-nominated movies, encompassing 54 nominations.
So on this special edition of The Nose, we look back at our discussions of nominated movies, and we look ahead to Sunday’s Oscars ceremony with film and television star (and Oscars voter) Illeana Douglas.
Some of the movies covered include: Being the Ricardos, Coda, Drive My Car, Dune, House of Gucci, King Richard, Last Night in Soho, Licorice Pizza, Nightmare Alley, No Time To Die, The Power of the Dog,Spencer, West Side Story, The Worst Person in the World, and more.
Note: This special two-part Oscars season finale edition of The Nose, airing over two days on the radio, is presented here as one double-length (or so) episode.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Stephen Wilhite, creator of the GIF, has died It’s pronounced ‘jif’ [Ed. note: It’s really not.]
World No. 1 Ash Barty, 25, announces retirement from tennis: ‘I’m so happy and I’m so ready’
It Looks Like Rachel Zegler Is Going To The Oscars … As A Presenter
Brutally Honest Oscar Ballot #1: ‘Don’t Look Up’ Is a “One-Joke Movie,” ‘CODA’ Is “Excellent in Every Way” A member of the Academy’s producers branch, granted anonymity to speak freely, shares which films earned his precious vote (and why).
What’s going on with Ye — and why does it matter?
Rent-a-stranger: This Japanese man makes a living showing up and doing nothing
A Manifesto Against Sex Positivity
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Theresa Cramer: A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Illeana Douglas: A movie and television star and an Academy Awards voter
Taneisha Duggan: A director, producer, and arts consultant
Bill Griffith: Created the syndicated daily comic strip Zippy, and he’s the author of Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead
Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Steve Metcalf: Founder and director of the Garmany concert series at the university of Hartford’s Hartt School
Helder Mira: Multimedia producer at Trinity College and co-host of the So Pretentious podcast
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, parts of which have aired previously in different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/24/2022 • 1 hour, 35 minutes, 28 seconds
The best laid schemes of mice and men: human and wildlife conflict
“Animals, which were in the service of man, could be arrested, tried, convicted and executed,” according to Edmund P. Evans in his book The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals, published in 1906. They could also be excommunicated from the church.Our relationship to our pets and wildlife has mellowed over the centuries, but we still can’t figure out how to share space and food with the wildlife that lives among us without conflict, especially when resources get tight.We can’t translocate, trap, tase, laser, bomb, and euthanize our way toward a good solution. And aren’t we part of the problem? So, how do we coexist when humans make all the rules?
GUESTS:
Mary Roach: The author, most recently, of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law
Ben Kilham: Founder of the Kilham Bear Center in New Hampshire and the author of two books, Among the Bears: Raising Orphan Cubs in the Wild and In the Company of Bears
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 20, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/21/2022 • 50 minutes
Not Necessarily The Nose: The movies, mysteries, and marvels of Christopher Nolan
In the 21 years since Christopher Nolan’s Memento hit theaters, his movies have grossed more than $5 billion, earned 36 Academy Award nominations, and won 11 Oscars.
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 standalone live action movie ever made.
This hour, a look at the filmmaker behind Batman Begins, Dunkirk, Interstellar, Tenet, and more: Christopher Nolan.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Emilio Delgado, ‘Luis’ for 44 years on ‘Sesame Street,’ dies at 81
Jane Campion apologizes for comments made about Venus and Serena Williams
Pete Davidson headed to space on Blue Origin craft
Senate Unanimously Passes Bill to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent The draft law still needs to pass the House.
Netflix Will Prompt Subscribers to Pay for Users Outside Their Households in New Test to Address Unauthorized Password Sharing
Why bad driving habits from the pandemic might be here to stay
Kanye West Suspended From Instagram For Violating Harassment, Bullying Policy The rapper has targeted his ex Kim Kardashian, her new boyfriend Pete Davidson and comedian Trevor Noah in recent posts.
An Educator Read ‘I Need a New Butt!’ to Children. Then He Was Fired. Toby Price, an assistant principal at an elementary school in Mississippi, read the book to a class of second graders over Zoom. “I am a firm believer that reluctant readers need the silly, funny books to hook them in,” he said.
The Age of Everything Culture Is Here When anything on social media can become A Thing, trends take on an unnerving shape and velocity.
It’s Time To Rebuild the Fourth Wall Characters in film and television must stop speaking directly to us.
‘John Carter’ Changed Hollywood, but Not in the Way Disney Hoped Ten years ago, the property that inspired ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Avatar’ bombed — and now both those franchises are in the Disney family.
The Things I’m Afraid to Write About Fear of professional exile has kept me from taking on certain topics. What gets lost when a writer mutes herself?
GUESTS:
Kayleigh Donaldson: A pop culture writer and critic
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Tom Shone: 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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 2, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/18/2022 • 50 minutes
Our 12th* (almost) annual March Madness show
The NCAA’s March Madness is back!
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 12th one of these unless it isn’t. Our thinking is that we’ve done this show every year from 2010 on, but for 2020. Though, in 2012, we used our brackets to pick a new Connecticut state bird. But we’re counting it.
GUESTS:
Eugene J. Cornacchia: President of Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, New Jersey
Bill Curry: Playing the part of Bill Curry
Frankie Graziano: A reporter for Connecticut Public
Julia Pistell: A founding member of Sea Tea Improv, among a number of other things
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/17/2022 • 49 minutes
Honk if you’re listening to this show about bumper stickers
Bumper stickers are everywhere. And they range from funny to informative to political to provocative. This hour is all about bumper stickers. We talk about the philosophy of bumper stickers, the evolution of political bumper stickers, and so much more.
GUESTS:
Henry Hoke: Writer and the author of the memoir Sticker, among other books
Jack Bowen: A philosophy teacher and author of If You Can Read This: The Philosophy of Bumper Stickers, among other books.
Claire Jerry: Curator of political history for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2022 • 49 minutes
What chess, Scrabble, and Monopoly can teach us about life
Author Oliver Roeder says that games are a “slice of life.” This hour we look at three games: chess, Scrabble, and Monopoly. We investigate why these games have endured in popularity through history, and we discuss what each one of them can teach us about life.
GUESTS:
Oliver Roeder: journalist and author of Seven Games: A Human History
Jenny Adams: Associate Professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the author of Power Play: The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages, among other books
Lindsay Shin: A competitive Scrabble player who’s been playing competitively for around 20 years; she organizes an annual Scrabble tournament in New Orleans
Mary Pilon: A journalist, screenwriter, and the author of The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World's Favorite Board Game, among other books
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/15/2022 • 49 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677.‌ Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/14/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at Best Picture nominees ‘Licorice Pizza’ and ‘Drive My Car’
This week’s Nose doesn’t need you to tell it whether it’s cool or not, old lady.
Licorice Pizza is the ninth feature film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The movie and Anderson are nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. It is a coming-of-age story set in the San Fernando Valley in the 1970s and starring Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman in their film debuts. Its ensemble supporting cast includes Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper, Benny Safdie, Maya Rudolph, and John C. Reilly.
And Drive My Car is an adaptation of the Haruki Murakami short story written by Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe and directed by Hamaguchi. It is the first Japanese film ever nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and just the sixth movie ever to win Best Picture from all three major U.S. critics’ groups after Goodfellas, Schindler’s List, L. A. Confidential, The Hurt Locker, and The Social Network.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Mitchell Ryan, Lethal Weapon And Grosse Pointe Blank Actor, Dies At 88
If the Lockout Makes Baseball Better, It Will Have Been Worth It After tense negotiations, Major League Baseball and the players’ union both made gains in their desired areas. But more important, they avoided losses — of games and, potentially, their standing.
Netflix Suspends Service in Russia Amid Invasion of Ukraine
Moonfall Has Bombed Its Way Into The Record Books, And That’s Concerning
‘Black Panther’ Director Ryan Coogler Mistaken for Bank Robber “We deeply regret that this incident occurred. It never should have happened and we have apologized to Mr. Coogler,” Bank of America told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement about the January incident in Atlanta.
Disney Censors ‘Overtly Gay Affection’ In Movies, According To Pixar Employees
Denzel Washington tackles Shakespeare and life’s fourth quarter with grace
‘We can’t afford to lose them’: the fight to bring missing movies back Films such as The Heartbreak Kid and I Shot Andy Warhol remain unavailable on any platform but a new initiative is aiming to change that
Why Isn’t Brittney Griner the Biggest Sports Story in the Country?
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan: A director, producer, and arts consultant
James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Tracy Wu Fastenberg: Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
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!
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.
3/11/2022 • 50 minutes
An hour with Harvey Fierstein
Harvey Fierstein has won four Tony Awards, for writing and acting in Torch Song Trilogy, for writing La Cage aux Folles, and for acting in Hairspray.
He has appeared in Mrs. Doubtfire, Bullets Over Broadway, Independence Day, Death to Smoochy, and more. He has sung to Muppets, he has voiced Disney characters, and he’s been in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Armistead Maupin has called Fierstein “a true American original who has blazed his own trail through popular culture for half a century.”
Harvey Fierstein joins us for the hour.
GUEST:
Harvey Fierstein: An actor on stage and screen, a playwright, and a screenwriter; he is the author of I Was Better Last Night: A Memoir
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Michayla Savitt contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/10/2022 • 50 minutes
Building utopia
Over 500 years ago, Sir Thomas More wrote about utopia. Since then, countless communities around the world have worked to create their own versions of a perfect world. This hour, we look at examples of utopian communities from around the world.
GUESTS:
Avery Trufelman: Host of the podcast Nice Try!
Akash Kapur: Author of Better to Have Gone: Love, Death, and the Quest for Utopia in Auroville
Samir Patel: Editor-in-chief of Atlas Obscura
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, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 18, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2022 • 50 minutes
Scientists confirm existence of woo-woo. Woo-woo declares results inconclusive
Between all we know to be true and all we know to be false lies a world of woo. “Woo-woo,” to use the full term, refers to ideas considered irrational or based on extremely flimsy evidence or that appeal to mysterious occult forces or powers.
But who decides what’s woo-woo, and what gets accepted into the hallowed halls of scientific truth?
The easy answer is that scientists decide. But the answer becomes harder when we remember that it was scientists who once deemed the world to be flat, light to be transmitted through “aether,” and a mysterious element called “phlogiston” to be responsible for combustion.
On any given day in history, one person’s science is another person’s woo-woo.
This hour, we bring together both skeptics and believers in an attempt to pin down exactly what constitutes “woo-woo.”
GUESTS:
Stuart Hameroff: Anesthesiologist and professor at the University of Arizona known for theories on quantum consciousness
Michael Shermer: Founder of The Skeptics Society and the author of The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies — How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths and The Moral Arc: How Science Makes Us Better People
Jess Tomlinson: Creator of Radiant & Rise
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!
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired September 22, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/8/2022 • 49 minutes
There’s no shame in schadenfreude
“Schadenfreude,” the German word for taking pleasure in others’ misfortune, seems like an ugly human emotion. But psychologists and philosophers argue that schadenfreude is baked into the human condition and actually is kind of good for us.
This hour, we explore why it’s okay to laugh when someone slips on a banana peel.
GUESTS:
Scott Dikkers: Founding editor of The Onion and the author of How to Write Funny
Lauren Ober: Hosted the Spectacular Failures podcast
John Portmann: Professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia and the author of When Bad Things Happen to Other People
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, Eugene Amatruda, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2022 • 49 minutes, 8 seconds
The Nose looks at Kim/Kanye/Pete, Steven Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story,’ and more
This week’s NoseMay come cannonballing down through the sky,Gleam in its eye,Bright as a rose!Who knows?
As of Wednesday, Kim Kardashian is legally single and officially no longer named West. Meanwhile, Kanye West (who is also officially no longer named West, nor Kanye — he legally changed his named to just Ye last year) dropped a new video — also on Wednesday — in which he buries Pete Davidson alive. Davidson and Kardashian have reportedly been dating since November.
On Monday, it took three Wheel of Fortune contestants 10 guesses to solve a phrase in which 19 of the 23 letters had been revealed: ANOTHER FEATHER _N YO_R _AP. It has since been called the “worst two minutes in Wheel of Fortune history.”
And finally: Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story is nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It is the second film adaptation of the 1957 stage musical and one of two movie adaptations of Shakespeare (along with The Tragedy of Macbeth) nominated for Oscars this year.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Alan Ladd Jr., ‘Star Wars’ Savior and Oscar Winner for ‘Braveheart,’ Dies at 84 A longtime studio exec and son of a movie icon, he also had a hand in such films as ‘Blade Runner,’ ‘The Turning Point,’ ‘Alien’ and ‘Thelma & Louise.’
Oscars: Academy Infighting Mounting Over Categories Controversy The Hollywood Reporter’s awards columnist Scott Feinberg provides an update on the firestorm over the decision to present eight awards prior to the live Oscars telecast.
The Lords of Baseball Think You’re Stupid The MLB lockout displays a breathtaking level of cynicism.
AMC Theatres is charging more for The Batman tickets as a little experiment Tickets will be “slightly higher” for the Robert Pattinson-led superhero film says AMC CEO
Designing Gotham Batman and his city are inextricably linked, and in developing their Dark Knight movies, filmmakers from Tim Burton to Matt Reeves have always paid special attention to how that city looks
Warner Bros. Pulls ‘The Batman’ Russia Release Sony quickly followed suit in pausing the release of Jared Leto’s ‘Morbius.’
EA Sports Dumps Russian Squads from FIFA 22
Amazon to shut its bookstores and other shops as its grocery chain expands
People Online Are Saying We’re In The Midst Of The “Lohanaissance,” And Hallelujah, What A Time To Be Alive! I’ve been waiting for years.
Epic Games buys Bandcamp proving, once again, we can’t have nice things Too much is never enough as the multi-billion dollar gaming behemoth buys the only good music streaming and purchasing service
Evan Rachel Wood Cast As Madonna (in Weird Al Biopic)
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani: The 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
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, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
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.
3/4/2022 • 49 minutes
An hour with ‘The Gist’ podcast host Mike Pesca
Mike Pesca’s The Gist — with more than 1,700 episodes dating back to 2014 — is said to be the longest-running daily news podcast.
After a controversial split from Slate, Pesca relaunched The Gist as an independent podcast this January.
Mike Pesca joins Colin for the hour.
GUEST:
Mike Pesca: Host of The Gist
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!
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.
3/3/2022 • 50 minutes
How indexes help organize our world
Chances are you’ve probably used an index at the back of the book at some point in your life. But how much thought have you given to their creation, their function, and their history?
Our guest this hour has written a whole book on the topic. Dennis Duncan, author of Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age, joins us, along with a professional indexer, to tell you more than you ever thought to wonder about the role of indexes in our world.
Plus, we get mixed up in the world of cookbook indexes.
GUESTS:
Dennis Duncan: Author of Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age and a lecturer in English at University College London
Paula Clarke Bain: Professional indexer
Elizabeth Parson: Professional indexer
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, Eugene Amatruda, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/2/2022 • 50 minutes
Hunting for treasure
Treasure hunts are prolific across literature, film, and history.
This hour we talk about treasure hunts, including what happens when you drop one in the present day.
GUESTS:
Dan Barbarisi - Author of Chasing The Thrill: Obsession, Death and Glory In America’s Most Extraordinary Treasure Hunt
Marcellus Cadd - Writes the blog Geocaching While Black
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 4, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/1/2022 • 50 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EST hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677.‌ Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.
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!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/28/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose Looks at ‘Nightmare Alley’ and ‘The Trojan Horse Affair’
This week’s Nose wants to be found out, same as everybody else.
Guillermo del Toro’s sideshow noir, Nightmare Alley, is nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It stars Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, and Richard Jenkins, among others. It’s based on the 1946 novel, of which it’s the second film adaptation, after Edmund Goulding’s 1947 version starring Tyrone Power and Joan Blondell.
And The Trojan Horse Affair is the fifth podcast from Serial Productions. It’s hosted by Brian Reed (host of S·Town) and newcomer Hamza Syed, and it’s billed as “a mystery in eight parts.”
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
A Prominent Regional Theater Will Exit Its Stage to Explore Its City Long Wharf Theater, a regional nonprofit on New Haven’s waterfront, is ending a long, bumpy chapter there, hoping to expand access and reduce costs.
Hiatus brain: When your favorite show returns, but you can’t remember a thing
Famous, but wanting to be forgotten
The Problem With the Pandemic Plot Literary novelists are struggling with whether, and how, to incorporate Covid into their fiction.
Idris Elba on Plumbing the “Dark Side of Human Beings” and Making Room for Music With a far-reaching slate of movies ahead, including a big-screen adaptation of Luther, the actor is riding high—and ready to take risks.
Academy Won’t Air All Categories Live for 94th Oscars Telecast
Jerry Lewis’s Costars Speak Out: “He Grabbed Me. He Began to Fondle Me. I Was Dumbstruck”Women first interviewed by the directors behind Allen v. Farrow say the comedy icon sexually harassed—and in at least one case, sexually assaulted—them with impunity. A special collaboration, including a mini doc, between V.F. and the filmmakers.
Hugh Jackman’s The Music Man Removes the Classic Show’s Racist Subtext. What’s Left? Harold Hill was a Trumpian figure—but not anymore.
Self-loathing Will Kill the Oscars
Have We Forgotten How to Forgive? The internet preserves our worst moments so they can’t be forgotten. Social media’s insatiable appetite for punishment ensures that they can never be forgiven. Is this really what anyone wants?
Colin Farrell’s Penguin Banned From Smoking in ‘The Batman’: ‘I Fought Valiantly for a Cigar’
Still Tickets Left For The Louis CK Show In Kyiv [Tonight] Some may call stand-up comedy the biggest security risk of all…
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer: A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Bill Griffith: Created the syndicated daily comic strip Zippy, and he’s the author of Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead
Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College
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!
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.
2/25/2022 • 49 minutes, 59 seconds
Warning: If you have a heart, it will likely get broken (in more ways than one)
Nobody ever died of a broken heart, right? Not true. A condition known as broken heart syndrome can be brought on by a sudden shock, such as grief from the death of a loved one or a divorce.
You may not die of a broken heart but it can alter your biology in ways that can increase your risk for disease. The good news is that it can be reversed if you can begin to mend your heart.
Also this hour: We talk about how our language changes in the months leading up to a breakup — before either partner consciously realizes what’s happening — and why we’re so drawn to sad songs, particularly torch songs, when our hearts are breaking.
GUESTS:
Florence Williams: A science writer and the author of three books, most recently Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey
Kate Blackburn: A data analyst at TikTok
Sarah Seraj: Chief Technology Officer at A Better Force
Noah Baerman: A jazz pianist, composer, and educator; his most recent album is Love Right
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.
2/24/2022 • 59 minutes, 30 seconds
A celebration of all things tacky and why "tackiness is joyfulness"
What makes something tacky? This hour is a celebration of all things "tacky" with Rax King, author of the new book, "Tacky: Love Letters to the Worst Culture We Have to Offer." Plus, we look at why reality tv is sometimes tacky, and discuss the tackiest home décor.
GUESTS:
Rax King - Author of “Tacky: Love Letters to the Worst Culture We Have to Offer,” and co-host of the podcast “Low Culture Boil.”
Brian Moylan - A writer, reality tv show recapper, and author of “The Housewives: The Real Story Behind the Real Housewives.”
Peter York - A journalist and author of “Dictator Style: Lifestyles of the World’s Most Colorful Despots,” among other books.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/23/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘We Need To Talk About Cosby’ and Woody Allen’s ‘Rifkin’s Festival’
This week’s Nose is concerned with problematic male comedians born in the mid-1930s.
Showtime describes We Need To Talk About Cosby as “writer/director W. Kamau Bell’s exploration of Bill Cosby’s descent from ‘America’s Dad’ to alleged sexual predator. Comedians, journalists and Cosby survivors have a candid, first of its kind conversation about the man, his career and his crimes.” The fourth part of the four-part docuseries airs Sunday.
And Rifkin’s Festival is the 49th feature film written and directed by Woody Allen. It was released internationally in 2020 and domestically in theaters and for rental on January 28. It stars Wallace Shawn in the Allen-proxy role along with Gina Gershon, Elena Anaya, Christoph Waltz, Richard King, Steven Guttenberg, and more.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Ivan Reitman, producer, ‘Ghostbusters’ director, dies at 75
P.J. O’Rourke, Conservative Political Satirist, Dies at 74 In articles, in best sellers and as a talk show regular he was a voice from the right skewering whatever in government or culture he thought needed it.
Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer and Regina Hall will host this year’s Oscars
The Oscars will require tests for all and vaccines for most. Vaccine mandates and P.C.R. tests for the event, set for March 27 in Los Angeles.
A Vibe Shift Is Coming Will any of us survive it?
Is It Funny for the Jews? For a cultural critic, a sense of humor is integral to his Jewish identity. But these dark times raise existential questions about comedy and its uses.
Network sitcoms are actually good again
The Sex Scene Is Dead. Long Live the Sex Scene Four critics discuss erotic thrillers, prosthetic penises, “Euphoria,” and the state of desire onscreen.
Yes, Some Musicals Are Unwoke. That’s Not a Writ to Rewrite Them.
The Semiotics of a 1999 Toyota Corolla The YouTube channel Regular Car Reviews delights in cultural critiques of boring automobiles.
Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, World of Women Partner to Adapt NFTs Into Movies, TV Shows
Francis Ford Coppola’s $100 Million Bet Fifty years after he gave us The Godfather, the iconic director is chasing his grandest project yet—and putting up over $100 million of his own money to prove his best work is still ahead of him.
GUESTS:
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright and the director of client services at Buzz Engine
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
2/18/2022 • 49 minutes
From geckos to gum: we explore the science of stickiness
Stickiness: we know it when we see it-- or when we feel it under our feet at the movie theater. But what is stickiness, scientifically speaking? How do geckos climb? Why don't post-it notes ruin our books? On today's show we'll ask scientist Laurie Winkless about her new book, "Sticky," and figure out what holds it all together.
GUESTS:
Laurie Winkless - A science writer, physicist, and author of the new book, “Sticky: the Secret Science of Stickiness”
Dr. Alyssa Stark - A professor at Villanova University. She runs a lab that studies biological adhesion.
Will Coldwell - A freelance writer and regular contributor to the Guardian, Economist and Financial Times. He is the writer of the Economist article “Bursting the Bubble: How Gum Lost Its Cool.”
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/17/2022 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
Why is our culture so interested in dieting?
Why is dieting such an enduring idea when it has such mixed results? This hour we investigate that question by looking back at diets through history, talking about the latest science, and discussing portrayals of dieting through pop culture.
GUESTS:
Virginia Sole-Smith - Author of “The Eating Instinct” and a journalist who covers diet culture and weight stigma, and who writes the “Burnt Toast” newsletter, and hosts the “Burnt Toast” podcast.
Louise Foxcroft - A historian and author of “Calories and Corsets: A History of Dieting Over 2000 Years,” among other books.
Evan Forman - Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences, and Director of the Center for Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Science at Drexel University.
Constance Grady - A senior reporter for Vox, and author of the recent article “Looking back at the ’90s has meant reexamining the decade’s toxic diet culture.”
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/16/2022 • 49 minutes
Zillow surfing: the surprising appeal of online real estate listings
Scrolling through online real estate listings, a practice known as “Zillow surfing,” has become a popular pastime.
And it’s not just for people who are actually looking to buy houses… It’s also for snooping on the value of other people’s homes, imagining different lives for yourself, or just finding unusual houses to make fun of and share with friends.
This hour, a look at the appeal of Zillow surfing.
GUESTS:
Ariel Norling - Author of the I Know a Spot Newsletter
Dana Bull - Realtor with Sagan Harborside Sotheby’s International Realty, based in Massachusetts
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 1, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/15/2022 • 49 minutes, 5 seconds
First dates and lockdown love stories: a look at romance during COVID
This hour, we look at how the pandemic shaped dating, long-term relationships, and love over the past two years.
GUESTS:
Laura Kipnis: Author of Love in the Time of Contagion: A Diagnosis, among other books
Hiwote Getaneh: A producer on the This Is Dating podcast
Philippa Found: An artist and writer and the creator of Lockdownlovestories
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.
2/14/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose has a good cry, watches Super Bowl ads, and discusses ‘Somebody Somewhere’
This week’s Nose discusses “The Power of a Good Cry,” watches Super Bowl ads, and talks about HBO’s new comedy Somebody Somewhere.
GUESTS:
Sam Hadelman - Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
2/11/2022 • 49 minutes
After high-profile hosts exit NPR, we explore what's going on at the mothership.
Several high-profile NPR hosts recently left the station to work in other media organizations. Why?
Some think NPR has become less innovative and unaware of the competitive opportunities that are now available for talented journalists and producers. Others dislike NPR’s recent hyperfocus on race and gender or blame its “woke ideology” as too inhospitable to its employees of color. But it’s not just people of color who are leaving.
NPR may or may not have a race problem, but it’s just the tip of an iceberg that’s hiding a wider danger beneath the surface.
Today, we take a deep dive into what’s going on at NPR.
GUESTS:
Matt Taibbi investigative reporter, the co-host of the podcast “Useful Idiots” and the publisher of the TK newsletter on Substack. He’s the author of several books, most recently, Hate Inc.
Nikki Usher is an associate professor of journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her third book is News for the Rich, White, and Blue: How Place and Power Distort American Journalism.
Jenna Weiss-Berman is the co-founder of Pineapple Street Studios, which has produced podcasts like “Missing Richard Simmons” and "Still Processing." Before starting Pineapple Street, Jenna worked in public radio for a decade and started the podcast department at BuzzFeed.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/10/2022 • 58 minutes, 4 seconds
More than half a century after they first came walking down the street, we’re still bananas for The Monkees
More than half a century after they first came walking down the street, we’re still bananas for The Monkees. This hour, Colin and his guests help us figure out why.
GUESTS:
Mark Rozzo - Contributing editor at Vanity Fair and author of the August 2021 Vanity Fair story “The Most Influential Pop-Rock Band Ever? The Monkees!”
Brian Williams - Former MSNBC anchor, lifelong Monkees fan
Dr. Rosanne Welch - Executive director of the Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting and author of the book “Why The Monkees Matter: Teenagers, Television and American Pop Culture”
Andrew Sandoval - Manager of The Monkees from 2011 to 2021 and host of the 60s-music podcast “Come to the Sunshine”
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/9/2022 • 49 minutes
Considering Kubrick
This hour, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of A Clockwork Orange — the 50th anniversary of its wide release in the U.S., that is, on February 2, 1972 — our first full, show-length look at the work of filmmaker Stanley Kubrick.
Our original go at this, about six months into the pandemic, was my worst experience producing live radio remotely, with Colin hosting from home and Zoom guests and all the rest. Because of various technical issues, we spent many minutes during that live hour trying to make it so that Colin and the guests could, um, hear each other. That doesn’t usually make for very good radio, and it left us with a much shorter conversation about Kubrick than we’d planned. I’m still scarred by it.
But by some strange miracle, we’d also planned to record an extra, intentionally shorter conversation — also about Kubrick, also with those same guests — after that day’s show for a future day’s show. And somewhere in all that, there was the material for a whole show.
So finally, we present this full-length careful consideration of the filmmaker behind 2001, Dr. Strangelove, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, Spartacus, Eyes Wide Shut, A Clockwork Orange… the filmmaker Steven Spielberg called “the best in history”: Stanley Kubrick.
GUESTS:
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
David Mikics - Author of Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker
Lila Shapiro - Senior reporter at New York magazine and Vulture, where she published “What I Learned After Watching Eyes Wide Shut 100 Times”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired September 2 and October 28, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/8/2022 • 50 minutes
COVID-19 nasal vaccines may be replacing shots, and the Winter Olympics opening days recap
This hour, an assortment of topics.
First up: why future COVID-19 boosters may be administered through the nose.
Next, we learn all about masks.
Finally: we get up to speed on the Winter Olympics.
GUESTS:
Dr. Akiko Iwasaki - The Waldemar Von Zedtwitz Professor of Immunobiology at Yale University, and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Iwasaki is on a team studying nasal COVID-19 boosters.
Aaron Collins - A mechanical engineer with a background in aerosol science, who tests and evaluates masks on his YouTube channel, and publishes all the data in a Google doc.
Ben Waterworth - An Australian journalist, radio host, and host of many podcasts, including “Off The Podium,” a podcast about the Olympics.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/7/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose talks about ‘Bruno’ (and ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ and Build-a-Bear After Dark)
This week’s Nose believes that everything happens for a reason. Call it luck. Call it fate. Call it karma.
On the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated February 5, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s song score for Encanto, becomes the No. 1 song in the country. It’s the second song ever from a Disney animated movie to get to No. 1, after “A Whole New World” from Aladdin, 30 years ago. The Encanto Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is also No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It’s the first Disney animated movie ever to top both charts at once.
On a slightly different note: The Build-a-Bear Workshop, this week, launched a new ‘After Dark’ line of, uh, adult-themed bears. I don’t know what to say about that. I just report the news here, folks.
And finally: Ghostbusters: Afterlife is the first Ghostbusters sequel in more than 30 years and the fourth movie in the franchise. It’s directed by Jason Reitman, whose father, Ivan Reitman, directed the original movies in the 1980s. It stars Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and Paul Rudd, with appearances by many of the old favorites from the Ghostbusters universe.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
The Washington Commanders name is perfectly designed to be instantly forgotten SFGATE columnist Drew Magary on the NFL franchise that’s clumsily begging for anonymity
The New York Times Buys Wordle The word game, released in October, has millions of daily users.
ABC suspends Whoopi Goldberg over Holocaust race remarks
Aziz Ansari’s Nostalgic New Comedy Special In “Nightclub Comedian,” Ansari fixates on how the Internet shapes our lives and longs for the pre-digital past.
Why Do I Always Tweet and Delete? Psychologists and tweet-deleters help explain my favorite pastime (that weirdly makes me feel a little guilty).
The Name of This Interviewee Is David Byrne In advance of a show of his drawings at New York’s Pace Gallery, the polymathic performer answered T’s Artist’s Questionnaire.
The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees include Dolly Parton and A Tribe Called Quest
Our Solar System in True Color Is Really Something Else Venus is white. So is the sun. They’re beautiful anyway.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine - An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Tracy Wu Fastenberg - Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
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.
2/4/2022 • 41 minutes, 10 seconds
‘The Good Place’ creator Michael Schur explains how to be a good person
You know Michael Schur from the shows he’s created, like The Good Place, Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine This hour we talk with Schur about his latest project: his new book How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question. Through the conversation we discuss moral philosophy, and big moral questions like “should you return your shopping cart to the cart corral?”
GUEST:
Michael Schur - TV writer, producer, and creator of Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Good Place; his new book is How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
2/3/2022 • 49 minutes, 4 seconds
A history of men mistaken for gods with ‘Accidental Gods’ author Anna Della Subin
History is filled with men who were mistaken for gods around the world.
This hour, we talk with the author of a new book on that topic: Anna Della Subin, author of Accidental Gods: On Men Unwittingly Turned Divine. She takes us through some notable examples of men mistaken for gods, and discusses why people look for gods on earth.
GUESTS:
Anna Della Subin - Author of Accidental Gods: On Men Unwittingly Turned Divine
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
2/2/2022 • 46 minutes, 47 seconds
The history of Black cowboys on the Western frontier
Nat Love was born a slave but died a free cowboy and a legend of the Old West. After the Civil War freed Love from slavery, he walked to Dodge City, Kansas, and got a job breaking horses — after he could prove that he could rope a bucking horse, climb on its back without a saddle, and ride him without falling off. Thus began Nat’s life as a cowboy.
We don’t typically include Black cowboys as part of the American story of the West, even though 1 in 4 American cowboys is Black. Black cowboys are as American as baseball.
GUESTS:
Zaron Burnett III - Host and creator of the podcast Black Cowboys
Patricia Kelly - An African-American cowgirl and the founder of Ebony Horsewomen; she was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 2015
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired June 7, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/1/2022 • 42 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EST hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677.‌ Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/31/2022 • 40 minutes, 59 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘Un-Becoming Your Parents,’ Neil Young v. Spotify, and ‘The Book of Boba Fett’
This week’s Nose isn’t going to point out our houses, landmarks, or major highways during takeoff.
It’s not every ad campaign that can boast its own group of devoted fans, but Progressive’s Un-Becoming Your Parents television commercials seem to have staked out their own space in the popular culture.
And: Neil Young gave Spotify an ultimatum — you “can have [Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both.” Spotify chose Rogan.
And finally: The Book of Boba Fett is a Disney+ limited series created by Jon Favreau. It is a spinoff from Favreau’s The Mandalorian, a direct sequel to Return of the Jedi, and a direct prequel and sequel to The Mandalorian.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
‘Hannibal’ actor Gaspard Ulliel has died in a ski accident at age 37
Peter Robbins, who voiced Charlie Brown in the 1960s, has died
“Bambi” Is Even Bleaker Than You Thought The original book is far more grisly than the beloved Disney classic—and has an unsettling message about humanity.
The Tao of Wee Man His world was radically altered by “Jackass.” But now, Jason Acuña has harnessed his fame to live the life of his dreams.
Is Old Music Killing New Music? Old songs now represent 70 percent of the U.S. music market. Even worse: The new-music market is actually shrinking.
Cult Classic ‘Fight Club’ Gets a Very Different Ending in China Someone tried very hard to please Chinese movie censors.
The people deciding to ditch their smartphones
The rise of the post-credits scene, explained Marvel turned its post-credits scenes into a pop culture phenomenon.
A ‘The Batman’ Controversy Unsettles a Portion of Fandom A vocal minority of fans took issue with comments from star Robert Pattinson, who confirmed his Dark Knight does not kill, yet such a rule has existed for decades in the comics.
My Bologna Has a Face Mask Oscar Mayer’s latest gimmick is just that
Mcminn County Bans “Maus,” Pulitzer Prize-Winning Holocaust Book
Amy Schneider’s ‘Jeopardy!’ run has come to an end after 40 games
The Internet Is Eating Wordle Alive Nothing should be easier to ignore than the game and its fans. And yet, here we are.
Twitter boots a bot that revealed Wordle’s upcoming words to the game’s players
2022 DGA And WGA Award Nominations For Feature Films Include Dune, Licorice Pizza & More
GUESTS:
Pedro Soto - President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
1/28/2022 • 49 minutes
From the mouths of Boomers, X-ers, Millennials, and Zoomers, why we keep categorizing one another by generation
We’ve all heard the generational stereotypes, and rolled our eyes at them.
This hour: we investigate generational groupings to discover why we’re interested in separating people into generations, when it is useful, and when it is not.
GUESTS:
Bobby Duffy - Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, and author of The Generation Myth: Why When You’re Born Matters Less Than You Think
Justin Charity - Senior Staff Writer for The Ringer, who wrote the recent article “It’s Time to Accept That Millennials and Gen Z Are the Same Generation”
Ziad Ahmed - The CEO/Co-Founder of JUV Consulting
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.
1/27/2022 • 50 minutes
Who’s inventing new instruments?
Think about it. When’s the last time you saw a brand-new instrument in a marching band?
New instruments don’t come around too often — but it’s not for lack of trying. Getting a new sound off the ground involves design, production, music expertise, composition, and fans.
It’s no easy task to invent the next best thing, but this hour we talk to inventors, composers, teachers, and the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition to learn about the future of sound.
GUESTS:
Jason Freeman - Professor of Music at Georgia Tech and Chair of the School of Music who leads the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition
Kyle Grimm - Composer who specializes in both acoustic and electronic mediums and a Professor of Music at the University of Hartford
Keith Groover - The inventor of The Glide as well as a musician and music educator.
Bosko Kante - Grammy-winning producer and inventor of The ElectroSpit
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Catie Talarski, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/26/2022 • 50 minutes
The unicorn show
When we think of unicorns, many of us picture idyllic white horses with a single horn, surrounded by rainbows. But that’s not how unicorns have always been depicted.
This hour, a look at the history of unicorns and their enduring popularity.
GUESTS:
Martha Bayless - The Director of Folklore and Public Culture and a professor of English at the University of Oregon
Adam Gidwitz - Author of The Unicorn Rescue Society series, among other books, and the creator of the podcast Grimm, Grimmer and Grimmest
Sarah Laskow - Author of The Very Short, Entirely True History of Unicorns and senior editor for science at The Atlantic
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, which originally aired July 15, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/25/2022 • 50 minutes
The latest on COVID-19, how literature can be used in therapy, and the controversy surrounding a football coin toss
This hour, we discuss the latest on COVID-19, learn about how books can be used in therapy, and hear about a controversial football rule surrounding a coin toss.
GUESTS:
Vincent Racaniello - Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Columbia University, host of the podcast “This Week in Virology”
Katrya Bolger - A journalist who works for Future of Good, and author of the recent article “Textual Healing: The Novel World of Bibliotherapy” for The Walrus
Josh Levin - Slate’s national editor, co-host of the sports podcast “Hang Up and Listen,” and host of the podcast “One Year: 1995”
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/24/2022 • 49 minutes, 1 second
The Nose looks at Wordle, ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth,’ and more
This week’s Nose is a five-letter word.
Wordle is the newish online word game that, either, you’re already addicted to or you’re already sick of everybody else posting about. It’s browser-based, free and ad-free, deceptively simple, and exceedingly popular.
And: The Tragedy of Macbeth is a new movie adaptation of the Shakespeare play written, directed, produced, and co-edited by Joel Coen. It’s the Coen brother’s (that’s a little apostrophe humor there) solo writing and directing debut after making 18 features and parts of two anthology films with Ethan Coen. It stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Meat Loaf, ‘Bat Out of Hell’ rock superstar, dies at 74
Louie Anderson, Emmy-winning comedian, dies at 68
Fred Parris, co-founder of the Five Satins, dies at 85 after brief illness, band announces Friday
Andre Leon Talley Dead at 73
Howard Alexander Dumble, legendary designer of Dumble Amps, has died Dumble created some of the most iconic amps of all time, and personally built amps for John Mayer, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robben Ford, Carlos Santana, Eric Johnson and Kenny Wayne Shepherd
The Undoing of Joss Whedon The Buffy creator, once an icon of Hollywood feminism, is now an outcast accused of misogyny. How did he get here?
The Dumbledore of Clowning The French master teacher Philippe Gaulier has worked with stars like Sacha Baron Cohen. But at 78, are his methods, which include insults, outdated?
The Best Book Covers of 2021
Microsoft set to acquire the gaming company Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion
A Creative Disagreement Saved A Major Star Wars Planet From Destruction
‘King of the Hill’ to Return in Series From Original Creators’ New Animation Company It’s time to go back to Arlen
Kathy Griffin Is Trying to Get Back on the D-List Ever since her Trump joke went wrong in 2017, Griffin has been seeking a professional rebirth, and wondering who among the canceled gets a second chance.
Now You Can Pay Money to Use Instagram Popular Instagrammers will be able to charge you to subscriptions to exclusive Stories.
M&Ms characters to become more inclusive
‘The Batman’ Runtime Revealed: 2 Hours and 47 Minutes, Without Credits
GUESTS:
Tom Breen - Managing editor of The New Haven Independent
Taneisha Duggan - A director, producer, and arts consultant
Sam Hadelman - Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/21/2022 • 49 minutes
You couldn't have predicted we'd do this show about predicting the future
Humans have been trying for, well, forever to predict the future. But how helpful is predicting the future, really? And what factors determine whether someone is successful at doing it, or not?
This hour, we try to predict whether predicting the future is useful, and understand why we’re so interested in doing so.
GUESTS:
Amanda Rees - A historian of science based at the University of York who works on the history of the future, and author of the book “Human.”
Warren Hatch - A superforecaster, and CEO of the Good Judgment Project.
Allan Lichtman - A distinguished professor of history at American University, his most recent book is “Thirteen Cracks: Repairing American Democracy After Trump.” He is known for accurately predicting the outcome of presidential elections since 1984.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/20/2022 • 49 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows a lot of weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. We don’t even, anymore, start with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. We’ve had fun with these shows, and you seem to like them too.
So we did that again.
From my post screening the calls, it’s kind of hard to know what’s going on on the actual show a lot of the time, but here’s some stuff that I’m fairly confident comes up during this hour:
a new flavor of Girl Scout Cookies
the end of French dressing regulation
the (subliminal) arrow in the FedEx logo
the (not-at-all-subliminal-as-far-as-I-can-tell) eagle in the U.S. Postal Service logo
not just rebranding our show, but renaming it too
Colin interviewing Terry Gross (not a thing that’s happening, as far as we know)
a future show on the Knights of Columbus (not a thing we’re working on, as far as we know)
veterinarians as first responders
UFOs and UAPs
converting our system to a direct democracy
the correct pronunciation of “Tonga”
We also got a call complaining about “a grown man calling them the ‘damn Girl Scouts.’” I’m assuming the grown man in question is Colin, though I didn’t hear him say that, and that caller wouldn’t go on the air.But be forewarned about all the potential profanity, I guess?
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.
1/19/2022 • 49 minutes
Alcohol is bad for us. So why have humans been drinking it for thousands of years?
Drinking alcohol has a number of negative impacts. But humans have been doing it for thousands of years and show no signs of stopping.
This hour, a look at why we drink, why more people are moving towards sobriety through the “sober curious” movement, and the rise of nonalcoholic cocktails.
GUESTS:
Elva Ramirez - A journalist and media consultant and the author of Zero Proof Cocktails: 90 Non-Alcoholic Recipes for Mindful Drinking
Hilary Sheinbaum - A journalist and the author of The Dry Challenge: How to Lose the Booze for Dry January, Sober October, and Any Other Alcohol-Free Month
Edward Slingerland - Author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilizationand a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 18, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/18/2022 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ‘The Lost Daughter’ and HBO Max’s ‘Station Eleven’
This week’s Nose is a crushing responsibility.
The Lost Daughter is Maggie Gyllenhaal’s debut as a writer and director, and it’s made her a Golden Globe-nominated director and a Golden Osella-winning screenwriter so far. It’s an adaptation of the Elena Ferrante’s 2006 novel, and it’s available to stream on Netflix. The Lost Daughter stars Olivia Colman (in a Globe-nominated performance), Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson, Ed Harris, and Peter Sarsgaard.
And: Station Eleven is an HBO Max limited series adaptation of Emily St. John Mandel’s 2014 novel. It tells the story of a world during and after a devastating, flu-like pandemic (sound familiar?). Station Eleven stars Mackenzie Davi, Himesh Patel, Lori Petty, Gael García Bernal, Caitlin FitzGerald, David Cross, and others. Its 10th and final episode hit HBOMax yesterday.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Ronnie Spector, ’60s icon who sang ‘Be My Baby,’ dies at 78
Bob Saget Dead at 65
Marilyn Bergman, Oscar-winning composer, dies at age 93
Ultima Online: The Assassination of Lord British Remains Gaming’s MOST Infamous Event The events of Ultima Online have become legendary in the gaming community, in ways no one could have ever imagined. Time for a history lesson.
Box Office Report: No Flops in This Multiverse
How the Potato Chip Took Over America A fussy magnate, a miffed chef and the curious roots of the comfort food we hate to love
SAG Nominations: ‘House of Gucci’ and ‘Power of the Dog’ Score Big; ‘Succession’ and ‘Ted Lasso’ Lead TV
WNBA Star Sue Bird at Center of New Doc From Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions
Into the Belly of the Whale With Sjón The Icelandic novelist, poet and Bjork collaborator is a surrealist for our time.
FX Reviving ‘Justified’ Starring Timothy Olyphant for New Limited Series The actor is set to return as U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens in ‘Justified: City Primeval’ miniseries.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Taneisha Duggan - A director, producer, and arts consultant
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
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.
1/14/2022 • 49 minutes
We're working ourselves to death. Sometimes literally. But why?
As the pandemic marches on, the “Great Resignation” is a sign that a lot of us are feeling overworked. More than 745,000 people died in 2016 alone from overwork that resulted in stroke and heart disease, a problem so common in Japan they have a word for it: Karoshi.
This hour, our guests unpack the looming threat of overwork. We look at how we got here, why we idolize overwork, why the game development industry has such a troubled relationship with creative individuals, and what we can do to ensure better workplace conditions.
GUESTS:
Anat Lechner - Clinical Associate Professor of Management and Organisations at Stern School of Business NYU, and a specialist in change management
Keith Fuller - Consultant for game development companies on leadership and culture, and the founder of All About EX
Alex Soojung-Kim Pang - Author of the books “Shorter”, “Rest”, and “The Distraction Addiction”, and the founder of Strategy & Rest
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/14/2022 • 49 minutes
The latest on COVID-19, CDC communication, and why some TV shows are putting the pandemic in the past
This hour, we discuss COVID-19: from the latest science, to communication about the virus, and its depiction on television.
GUESTS:
Brianne Barker - Associate Professor of Biology at Drew University and a co-host on the podcast “This Week in Virology.”
Aaron Blake - Senior political reporter writing for The Fix at The Washington Post.
James Poniewozik - Chief television critic for The New York Times, and author of “Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America.”
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/12/2022 • 49 minutes
Plum Island: ‘Sounds charming’
Plum Island sits less than 7 miles off the coast of Connecticut in Long Island Sound. It is completely owned by the federal government and controlled by the Department of Homeland Security. Since 1954, it has been the site of the soon-to-be-decommissioned Plum Island Animal Disease Center.
“All islands carry a certain mystery, but Plum Island has more than its share of stories and secrets,” according to Marian Lindberg.
This hour, a look at the place Dr. Hannibal Lecter calls “Anthrax Island”: Plum Island, New York.
GUESTS:
Ellen Killoran - Staff reporter and editor at Crime Online
Marian Lindberg - Conservation specialist for The Nature Conservancy and the author of Scandal On Plum Island: A Commander Becomes the Accused
Geoff Manaugh - Co-author of Until Proven Safe: The History and Future of Quarantine
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 14, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/11/2022 • 50 minutes
The human range of emotions stretches beyond our vocabulary
You probably know when you’re feeling happy, sad, or angry. But our range of emotions stretch beyond the language we have for them.
This hour, we learn about what emotions are, and give names to ones you’ve probably felt, but never knew what to call.
GUESTS:
Edgar Gerrard Hughes - Researcher at London's Queen Mary Centre for the History of the Emotions and editor of “The Book of Emotions”
John Koenig - Author of “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows”
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/10/2022 • 49 minutes
The Nose on Jon Stewart and J.K. Rowling, the retirement of CT’s own ‘fartrepreneur,’ the Pope and pets, and ‘The French Dispatch’
This week’s Nose is a willow hamper containing umpteen pins, plaques, and official citations of the highest order.
In this week’s newest nonsense news: Jon Stewart says he does not think the Harry Potter movies are antisemitic. The Pope says people who have pets instead of kids are selfish. And Connecticut’s own fart bottling “fartrepreneur” says she has retired.
And: The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun is Wes Anderson’s new anthology film. It tells five different stories in three different aspect ratios and in black and white and color, and it stars many of Anderson’s usual stable of actors: Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston, Owen Wilson, Edward Norton, etc.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Sidney Poitier, Oscar-Winning Icon, Dies at 94 The first black actor to win a best-actor Oscar, and the first to become America’s top box-office draw, Poitier leaves behind a singular legacy.
Peter Bogdanovich, Iconic Director of ‘Last Picture Show’ and ‘Paper Moon,’ Dies at 82
Max Julien, star of Blaxploitation classic ‘The Mack,’ has died at 88
‘Sesame Street’ composer Stephen Lawrence has died at 82
Pabst Blue Ribbon Deletes Tweets About ‘Eating Ass,’ Saying They Were ‘in Poor Judgment’ The brand tried making cracks at Dry January’s expense
Humans would probably start eating each other in space
Don’t Look Up Is Netflix’s 3rd Most-Viewed Film Ever In 11 Days The Netflix feature Don’t Look Up from director Adam McKay starring Leonardo Dicaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, has become a massive success in 11 days.
Late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers test positive for COVID-19
The Grammys are postponed and Sundance is moved online because of omicron surge
Novak Djokovic Is Refused Entry Into Australia Over Vaccine Exemption The No. 1 men’s tennis player was told to leave the country following a 10-hour standoff with government officials at a Melbourne airport, ending his chance to defend his Australian Open title.
What the Success of Spider-Man Means for Hollywood in 2022 Spider-Man: No Way Home bodes well for cinemas. Yet smaller-budget films might get left behind.
Rated “G” for “Globalization” How the Drive for Easily Marketable, Mass-Consumable Children’s Media Stifles Complexity and Creativity
Celebrity-obsessed people are less intelligent, new study boldly claims
Most Of The Biggest Box Office Bombs Of All Time Were Made After 2010
Elmo is right about Rocco and it’s time we acknowledge that Elmo has been beefing with a rock since 1999
The Nonexistent Cancellation of Norman Mailer Junior staffers at Penguin Random House scoff at the idea that one of their own was powerful enough to derail a new collection of the author’s work.
Nicolas Cage says actors need to know how to use a gun Asked if firearms should be banned from film sets after the fatal shooting involving Alec Baldwin last year, Cage said they are ‘part of the job profile’
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer - A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Sam Hadelman - Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Tracy Wu Fastenberg - Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
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.
1/7/2022 • 49 minutes
Ross Douthat’s battle with the invisible illness of Lyme disease
New York Times columnist Ross Douthat knew he was sick, but none of the doctors he visited in the early days of his illness could tell him what he had. He was treated for Lyme disease but he didn’t get better. So he took matters into his own hands.
Ross joins us to share his personal story of what it’s like to feel sick when few believe you and how his pain led him to seek answers in the controversial world of chronic Lyme disease.
His story is about living with chronic illness and his frustration with a medical community that can disregard that which it doesn’t understand. His story is also about the desperate measures one becomes capable of taking to fight an invisible foe while under the influence of pain, a desperation for proof of illness, and an internet filled with conflicting information.
GUEST:
Ross Douthat - New York Times columnist and a film critic for National Review; he’s the author of several books including The Decadent Society: How We Became the Victims of Our Own Success and, most recently, The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery
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.
1/6/2022 • 50 minutes
Neanderthals were more than cavemen
Recent scientific discoveries have shown just how much we’ve previously underestimated Neanderthals. It turns out that their lives were very similar to those of our ancestors.
This hour: we learn about Neanderthals, and discuss why humans have dismissed them for decades.
GUESTS:
Ella Al-Shamahi - National Geographic Explorer, a TV presenter, palaeo-anthropologist, evolutionary biologist, and a stand-up comic. Her latest book is "The Handshake: A Gripping History."
Anna Goldfield - Host of the podcast “The Dirt” and an archeologist.
Bruce Hardy - Professor of Anthropology at Kenyon College.
Claire Cameron - Author of “The Last Neanderthal,” among other books.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/5/2022 • 49 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
It’s a brand new year, baby! The holidays are over, the winter is upon us… 2022 is upon us. So we figured you might want to talk.
In other words: We’ve got no guests today, just Colin and you. Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EST hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677.‌ Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/4/2022 • 49 minutes
The New Year’s Nose looks back at 2021
It’s been a long, strange year. (Aren’t they all at this point?) And so, how is our popular culture dealing with it all?
The Nose has a number of questions.
Will movies and TV ever really deal with COVID? Whatever happened to sympathetic characters? Whatever happened to comedies? Did anybody watch any standup comedy this year that wasn’t Bo Burnham or Dave Chappelle? Why do we cry at everything we watch? Isn’t Don’t Look Up great? Isn’t Don’t Look Up terrible? Why are we so stuck on old music? Do we even share a common popular culture anymore? Why are there so many good music documentaries all of sudden? Why don’t ALL the movies come directly to our houses now? Will we ever go back to movie theaters for real?
And other ones.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
The 50 Wildest Pop Culture Moments of 2021 Literally how did this all happen in one year.
Box Office: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Soars to Record $260M U.S. Opening, $600.8M Globally The superhero pic scored the No. 2 domestic debut of all time as moviegoing returned to pre-pandemic levels for the first time despite omicron. But not all are celebrating: ‘Nightmare Alley’ found coal in its Christmas stocking.
The Oscars Shortlist Contenders Have Been Announced, And Palme d’Or Winner Titane Was Left Out
Hollywood Tests the Limit of Marquee Names a Single Film Can Hold Boldface names have always mattered at the movies, but a number of recent casts have been full of them. That hasn’t always helped at the box office.
The Best Music of 2021: Lil Nas X is the boundary-smashing pop revolutionary of 2021
Winnie-the-Pooh and more works will enter the public domain tomorrow
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict - Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction; she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast
Rebecca Castellani - Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Sam Hadelman - Hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/31/2021 • 49 minutes, 1 second
The best jazz of 2021
To round out the year, we round up the best jazz of the year. We’ve done this every year for at least the last eightyears.
Here are our 2021 picks:
“Dark Blue Residue” from Afrika Loveby Alchemy Sound Project
“Homeward Bound (for Ana Grace)” from Homeward Bound by Johnathan Blake
“Movement 6” from Promises by Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders, and The London Symphony Orchestra
“It Come ’Round ’Gin” from The Democracy! Suite by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Septet with Wynton Marsalis
“Relentless Mind” by Jihye Lee Orchestra featuring Sean Jones and Alan Ferber from Daring Mind by Jihye Lee Orchestra
“Leone” from Migration of Silence Into and Out of the Tone World, Volumes 1–10 by The Music of William Parker
“Shortie’s Portion” from Raise Up Off Me by Ralph Peterson
“Gotham” by Andrew Renfroe featuring Marquis Hill, Braxton Cook, Taber Gable, Rick Rosato, and Curtis Nowosad from Run in the Storm by Andrew Renfroe
“Wings” by Scott Robinson and Elan Mehler from Kimbrough by various artists
“White Out” from Two Takes, Vol. 1: Quintet by Jared Schonig
“The Sports Page” from This Bitter Earth by Veronica Swift
“Up North” from Reverso: Live by Frank Woeste, Ryan Keberle, and Vincent Courtois
GUESTS:
Jen Allen - A pianist, composer, arranger, and educator
Noah Baerman - A pianist, composer, and educator
Gene Seymour - A film, television, and music critic
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
12/30/2021 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 14 seconds
Unearthing truth about the urge to steal and the sting of loss
Have you ever considered lifting lipstick from Sephora, only to wonder why? Did you feel the rush of valor when Indiana Jones breached Russian defenses to nab an enchanted skull for the sake of humanity? This hour on the Colin McEnroe Show, our guests invite our inner thieves to reveal themselves and shine light on why we steal.
We look at thefts through history and culture, discuss how a common villain gets made in times of uncertainty, and talk about the push for museums to restore ties between Native communities and their sacred belongings through artifact repatriation.
GUESTS:
Robert Tyminski - Psychologist and psychoanalyst in the Jungian tradition, author of “The Psychology of Theft” and “Loss: Stolen and Fleeced”
Lisa Feldman Barrett - Neuroscientist and psychologist at Northeastern’s College of Science, and author of “Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain”
Chip Colwell - Founder of Sapiens magazine and podcast, anthropologist, former senior curator at the Denver Museum of Earth and Science, and author of “Plundered Skulls and Stolen Spirits”
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/29/2021 • 49 minutes
‘To the hobbits.’ A celebration of ‘The Lord of the Rings’
Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring hit theaters 20 years ago this month, on December 19, 2001.
This hour, a look back at the Lord of the Rings books and movies and their impact.
GUESTS:
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
Molly Ostertag - Graphic novelist, TV writer, and author of the article “Queer Readings of The Lord of the Rings are Not Accidents”
Susana Polo - Entertainment editor for Polygon
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 12, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/28/2021 • 50 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’re back from the holiday weekend. We’re looking forward to the holiday weekend. As we start this holiday interregnum week, we figured you might want to talk.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EST hour… about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or 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.
12/27/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at ‘And Just Like That…’ and ‘Yellowjackets’
On this special Christmas Eve Eve edition, The Nose is not pretending to be any age.
And Just Like That… is an HBO Max original limited series revival of Sex and the City. Set 11 years after the events of the 2010 movie Sex and the City 2, the series is said to have had the most-watched debut on HBO Max to date.
And: Yellowjackets is an hour-long Showtime drama created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. Here’s how Showtime describes it: “Wildly talented high school girls’ soccer players descend into savage clans after their plane crashes in the remote northern wilderness. Twenty-five years later, they discover that what began in the wild is far from over.” This month, Yellowjackets was renewed for a second season.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - A director, producer, and arts consultant
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
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.
12/23/2021 • 49 minutes
Our 2021 holiday spectacular with ‘Big Al’ Anderson, Jim Chapdelaine, Illeana Douglas, and friends
Every year since 2014, we’ve done some version of this show. Ideally, we’d do it in person, but these aren’t ideal times.
But our holiday spirit remains, dauntless. “Big Al” Anderson and Jim Chapdelaine and the band are back together over at Jim’s studio. Colin’s hermetically sealed up in our studio. We sing some songs, tell some stories, have some surprise celebrity cameos, and somehow we wind up with a holiday special.
It’s an hour of joyous nonsense for Christmas Eve 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.
Illeana Douglas - Movie and TV star
Lorne Entress - Drums and vocals
Paul Kochanski - Bass guitar and vocals
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Gene Amatruda, Natalie Frascarelli, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/22/2021 • 52 minutes
Fun shouldn’t be a guilty pleasure. Fun is the point
When was the last time you had fun? I mean the kind of fun where you lost track of time, you didn’t care what others were thinking of you, and you felt connected to the people you were having fun with. We all know what fun feels like, so why don't we make time for it?
We tend to think of fun as a side dish, something to eat if you’re not too full. That’s wrong. Fun should be the main course. Fun nourishes our mind and body as much as healthy food and productive work.
This hour, we talk about fun, including why we’re not having it, why we need more of it, and how to have it.
GUESTS:
Catherine Price - Science journalist and the author of several books including The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again
Julia Pistell - Founding member of Sea Tea Improv, host of the Literary Disco podcast, a freelance producer at Connecticut Public, and a freelance writer
Liliana DeLeo - A certified laughter yoga master trainer and the founder of Living Laughter
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.
12/21/2021 • 49 minutes
A personal and literary exploration of blindness and sight
At 10 years old, M. Leona Godin began losing her vision. Her experience with sight and blindness is detailed in her new book, There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural History of Blindness. In it she also explores blindness throughout literature, and through key figures and inventions throughout history.
This hour, we’re joined by Godin to discuss “the vast, dappled regions between seeing and not-seeing, blindness and sight, darkness and light.”
GUEST:
M. Leona Godin - Author of There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural History of Blindness
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 8, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/20/2021 • 49 minutes
An hour with America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
The Nose is off this week. In its place, America’s Greatest Living Film Critic, David Edelstein, joins Colin to talk about the year in movies and television and, well, everything.
GUEST:
David Edelstein - America’s Greatest Living Film Critic
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
12/17/2021 • 46 minutes, 53 seconds
The art is the idea. A look at Sol LeWitt
With the New Britain Museum of American Art staging two concurrent exhibitions of Sol LeWitt’s prints, we listen back to our 2019 hour on the Hartford native, one of the giants of conceptualist and minimalist art.
As an artist, LeWitt abandoned the long histories of painting and drawing and sculpture in favor of his Wall Drawings and Structures.
And as an art figure, he abandoned the conventions of celebrity and resisted ever even having his picture taken.
This hour, a look at Connecticut’s own Sol LeWitt.
GUESTS:
David Areford - Associate professor of art history at the University of Massachusetts Boston and curator of Strict Beauty: Sol LeWitt Prints for the New Britain Museum of American Art
Lary Bloom - The author of Sol LeWitt: A Life of Ideas
Andrea Miller-Keller - Was the Emily Hall Tremaine Curator of Contemporary Art at the Wadsworth Atheneum from 1968 to 1998
Cary Smith - An artist who makes abstract paintings
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired May 9, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/16/2021 • 42 minutes
From productivity culture to workplace technology, we’re rethinking how we work
In their new book, Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home, Anne Helen Petersen and Charlie Warzel argue that “whatever you were doing during the pandemic and its stilted aftermath, it was not working from home,” but instead “doing your job from home.”
This hour: Charlie Warzel joins us for a conversation about remote work, our relationship to work in general, and how to make work better for everyone.
GUESTS:
Charlie Warzel - Author of the newsletter Galaxy Brain and contributing writer at The Atlantic; his new book with Anne Helen Petersen is Out of Office: The Big Problem and Bigger Promise of Working from Home
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
12/15/2021 • 50 minutes, 4 seconds
Your mind makes it real. A look back at ‘The Matrix’
The 18-year wait is nearly over, and the fourth Matrix movie, The Matrix Resurrections, is almost here.
This hour, we look back at the original film and its continued influence across the culture with bullet time and red pills and the “woah” meme and so much more.
We take the question of whether we’re living in a simulation much more seriously than we did when The Matrix came out. We’re much more attuned to the allegory for the trans experience that The Matrix might well have been.
And The Matrix Resurrections is just the latest iteration of the ongoing #Keanussance, from Duke Caboom to Bill & Ted Face the Music to John Wick: Chapter 4 next year.
GUESTS:
River Donaghey - An associate editor at Vice, where he published the piece “Give Keanu Reeves Some Space, Everybody”
David Sims - A staff writer at The Atlantic and the cohost of Blank Check with Griffin and David
Emily VanDerWerff - The critic at large for Vox, where she published “How The Matrix universalized a trans experience — and helped me accept my own”
Rizwan Virk - Executive director of Play Labs at M.I.T. and the author of The Simulation Hypothesis: An MIT Computer Scientist Shows Why AI, Quantum Physics, and Eastern Mystics All Agree We Are in a Video Game
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired June 19, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/14/2021 • 43 minutes, 7 seconds
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows most weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
The last few times, we haven’t even started with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. And those shows have been fun. So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EST hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or 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.
12/13/2021 • 40 minutes, 23 seconds
The Nose on Jane Campion’s ‘The Power of the Dog’ and intermissions at movies
This week, The Nose might mind if you come to the table without a washup.
The 1970s are back. Again. For the nth time. But maybe it’s different this time? That said, the ’70s weren’t all that bad.
And, the age-old question: Should movies have intermissions?
And finally: The Power of the Dog is a Western written and directed by Jane Campion and based on the 1967 novel. It’s Campion’s first movie in 12 years, and it won the Silver Lion for Best Direction at the Venice Film Festival. The movie is an early Oscar favorite, with special notice going to performances by Kodi Smit-McPhee and Benedict Cumberbatch. The Power of the Dog is available to stream worldwide on Netflix.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Michael Nesmith, Monkees Singer-Songwriter, Dead at 78 “With Infinite Love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes,” his family said in a statement
Greg Tate, Groundbreaking Cultural Critic and Black Rock Coalition Co-Founder, Has Died Tate was a challenging and authoritative voice on everything from hip-hop to hardcore, and also made his own significant musical impact with projects like Burnt Sugar
Robbie Shakespeare, ‘Wickedest Bass’ in Reggae, Dead at 68 Alongside his Riddim Twins counterpart Sly Dunbar, the bassist played with everyone from Black Uhuru to Bob Dylan across more than four decades
Making of ‘Dune’: How Denis Villeneuve’s Sci-Fi Epic Is the Culmination of a Childhood Dream The filmmaker mined his boyhood obsession with Frank Herbert’s classic novel to create the big-screen adaptation he always wanted to see: “I said to myself, ‘I would love if I could make a movie for the teenager I was back then.’”
Inside Wheel of Time, Amazon’s Huge Gamble on the Next Game of Thrones As legend has it, a few years back, Jeff Bezos demanded that his team at Amazon Studios create a fantasy epic that would put Game of Thrones to shame. Turns out, that kind of thing is even harder to do than it sounds. And more expensive than you can imagine. Inside the epic quest to bring Wheel of Time to life—and maybe change the face of global television forever.
On “Succession,” Jeremy Strong Doesn’t Get the Joke “I take him as seriously as I take my own life,” he says of his character, Kendall Roy.
2021 Is the Year of Adam Driver
It’s a Great Time To Start a Show That Aired 10 Years Ago The key to happiness is embracing something at the absolute nadir of its cultural relevance
We Still Love 30 Rock, but Its Foundation Is Shaky The author of a new book about Tina Fey’s magnum opus on celebrating 30 Rock’s triumphs without skirting over the troubling way it handled race.
Longreads Best of 2021 Our year-end collection includes staff and community picks for the best essays, features, profiles, and investigations published in 2021.
The 20 Best TV Shows of 2021 From dark social satires to quirky comedies, twisty superhero tales, uplifting sci-fi, and more, this year’s small-screen gems were bold, surprising, and 100 percent satisfying
The Best Books of 2021 The 10 I most enjoyed this year.
The Best Movies of 2021 It was a year of octogenarian high jinks, long yet revealing documentaries, and masters reasserting themselves
The best movie trailers of 2021 Our list of the year’s best movie advertising campaigns includes Licorice Pizza, Last Night In Soho, and Titane
Debt collectors can now text, email and DM you on social media
Why Biopics Are Bad For Acting
Why the Year’s Most Popular Song Never Went to No. 1 Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” is Billboard’s top song of 2021, even though it never topped the Hot 100.
Stephen Sondheim Didn’t Just Change Musicals. He Changed Crosswords. The musical genius also helped introduce the U.S. to a tricky new kind of puzzle.
A Charlie Brown Christmas’ soundtrack captures the holiday spirit by not defining it The classic special is one of the last perennial strongholds for two very American art forms: the comic strip and jazz
An Exhaustive List of Directors Who Swear They Won’t Make a Superhero Movie There’s no more reliable way to elicit clicks and outrage in Hollywood.
The Joy Of Hating Stuff For No Good Reason It’s okay, you don’t always need one
The Rebrand Trend of 2021? Acting Your Age This year, heritage brands looked to their pasts to create visual identities for the multi-platform era
Bros., Lecce: We Eat at The Worst Michelin Starred Restaurant, Ever
Saudi camel beauty pageant cracks down on cosmetic enhancements
Oscar’s Penis Problem: Why Does the Academy Ignore Actors Doing Full Frontal?
GUESTS:
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Tracy Wu Fastenberg - Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
12/10/2021 • 49 minutes
This is the age of peak newsletter
Newsletters have become a great way for journalists and others to dive deep into less-covered topics and engage directly with their readers in ways not always possible in the mainstream media ecosystem.
The platform Substack is making it easy for them. The subscription-based model offers writers more editorial control and the ability to offer free content and earn a sustainable salary at a time when public trust in media is low, local news is thinning and media content is often driven by social-media algorithms.
We talk about email newsletters with people who write them and critique them.
GUESTS:
Heather Cox Richardson - Professor of history at Boston College; she writes the Letters from an American newsletter
Gabe Fleisher - Student at Georgetown University and the author of the Wake Up To Politics newsletter
Isaac Saul - A journalist and the author of the Tangle newsletter
Ben Smith - Media columnist for The New York Times and the founder and former editor-in-chief of Buzzfeed News
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 5, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/9/2021 • 50 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows most weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
The last few times, we haven’t even started with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. And those shows have been fun. So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EST hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or 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.
12/8/2021 • 49 minutes
Former Senator Joe Lieberman believes the best seat in the House is in the middle
Former Senator Joe Lieberman believes the center of Congress is the best place from which to legislate. It’s the sweet spot for negotiation and compromise and making the deals that move the country forward. He thinks Congress would get more done if members would shift closer to the center and away from the fringe.
But how do you bring legislators in today’s Congress together when they don’t all share one set of facts? And at what point does centrism become opportunism and the bridge-builder an appeaser? Are there compromises not worth making?
Joe Lieberman joins us to talk about his 24 years as a “centrist” legislator and his complicated relationship with Connecticut voters.
GUEST:
Joe Lieberman - Represented Connecticut in the U.S. Senate for 24 years; he is currently the national co-chair of the political group No Labels, and his new book is The Centrist Solution: How We Made Government Work and Can Make It Work Again
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.
12/7/2021 • 49 minutes
What we know about the omicron variant, cute cat videos are spreading misinformation, and the keys to critical thinking
This hour, we talk about an assortment of topics.
First, the omicron variant has been found in at least 16 states. We’ll learn about the latest with COVID-19 and this new variant.
Then, we’ll get tips for how to think critically.
Finally, why cute cat videos have been used to spread misinformation online.
GUESTS:
Dr. Leana Wen - An emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University. She is a CNN medical analyst and contributing columnist for The Washington Post. Her new book is “Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health.”
Joe Árvai - The Dana and David Dornsife Professor of Psychology and Director of The Wrigley Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of Southern California. His recent article for The Conversation is “Aaron Rodgers dropped the ball on critical thinking -- with a little practice you can do better.”
Davey Alba - A technology reporter for The New York Times whose recent article is “Those Cute Cats Online? They Help Spread Misinformation.”
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/6/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at (all 468 minutes of) ‘The Beatles: Get Back’
This week, The Nose was a frying pan.
The Beatles: Get Back is a three-part Disney+ docuseries produced and directed by Peter Jackson. It’s made from material originally captured for a 1970 documentary of the making of Let It Be. Jackson has called it “a documentary about a documentary.”
Originally conceived as a feature film, The Beatles: Get Back was ultimately released last weekend as three episodes totaling nearly eight hours.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Renowned fashion designer Virgil Abloh dies at 41 after a private battle with cancer
Ex-Child Actor in ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’ Shot and Killed Police said Jonshel Alexander and a man were shot inside a vehicle Saturday in New Orleans.
Did Taylor Swift Just Make Billboard Chart History? She’s given The Beatles and Don McLean a 10-minute run for their money.
‘Home Alone’ House For Rent On Airbnb, Kevin Not Included
Which Films Lead the Biggest Best-Picture Race in Years? With epics like “West Side Story” and biopics like “King Richard” in contention, Oscar voters have plenty of choices in a category that’s now set at 10 slots.
The Best Movies of 2021 This year’s releases, augmented by movies postponed from last year, offer exceptional artistry amid the industry’s commercial difficulties.
Here’s Why Movie Dialogue Has Gotten More Difficult To Understand (And Three Ways To Fix It)
The 10 most outrageous moments from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia The A.V. Club breaks down some of the wildest moments of the FXX comedy, which kicks off its 15th season on December 1
The New Yorker: The Best Music of 2021
NPR: Best Music Of 2021
Adele convinces Spotify to remove the shuffle button from album pages: “our stories should be listened to as we intended” Streaming giant makes it less easy on you if you want to mess with an album’s running order
Gen Z Pop Stars Made Their Mark in 2021. Beware, Millennial Forebears. Upstarts including Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Chloe Bailey and the Kid Laroi grew up on the internet, admiring the artists who are now their contemporaries.
More Like Spotify Wrecked (I Use Apple Music) Here’s to the worst day of the year
M.L.B. Lockout: ‘We Understand It’s Bad for Our Business’ As the league and its players’ union settle in for a fight that the union called “unnecessary and provocative,” both sides went public to state their cases.
How Leisure Time Became Work The rise of the attention economy has accelerated our habit of engaging with our hobbies in a data-driven way.
The Package Is the Message American consumers can’t resist the lure of a well-designed container.
Cancel Mel Gibson Why is Hollywood still hiring this raging anti-Semite?
GUESTS:
Steve Metcalf - Director emeritus of the University of Hartford’s Presidents’ College
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/3/2021 • 49 minutes
Don’t worry. We’ve got enough maple syrup. But beyond that, the supply chain is still a mess
From toilet paper shortages, to delayed shipping and low product inventories, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on our global supply chains.
This hour we look at what’s going on, and how supply chain disruptions have impacted truck drivers and secondhand stores. Plus, why you don’t have to worry about maple syrup shortages any time soon, thanks to a Canadian maple syrup reserve.
GUESTS:
Terry Esper - Associate Professor of Logistics in the Department of Marketing and Logistics at the Fisher College of Business of The Ohio State University. He is also on the Board of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.
Keith Trosell - Truck driver and owner/operator of Boba Freight, which is based in Columbia, CT.
Jeff Wieser - President and CEO of Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut.
Pascal Thériault - Director of the Farm Management and Technology program at McGill University.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/2/2021 • 49 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows most weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
The last few times, we haven’t even started with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. And those shows have been fun. So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EST hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or 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.
12/1/2021 • 49 minutes
Sly like a (domesticated) fox
In 1959, Soviet geneticist Dmitri Belyaev started an ambitious experiment to study the origins of domestication: he would attempt to breed domesticated wild foxes by selecting on their behavior alone, a process he imagined our ancestors carried out with dogs thousands of years before.
This hour, a look at the history and progress of this still-ongoing experiment: What can it tell us about our animal companions — and ourselves?
Plus, we catch up with some domesticated fox owners and find out if foxes are good pets in real life.
GUESTS:
Amy and David Bassett - Founders of the Judith A. Bassett Canid Education and Conservation Center and the owners of several Russian domesticated foxes
Lee Dugatkin - Author of How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog): Visionary Scientists and a Siberian Tale of Jump-Started Evolution
Jacob Mikanowski - Writes about science, history, and art
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 26, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/30/2021 • 50 minutes
A Monday in the park. Our tribute to Sondheim and his songs
Stephen Sondheim was, put simply, among the most important figures in the history of musical theater.
His major works include West Side Story, Gypsy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, and Into the Woods.
Sondheim won eight Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize, an Oscar, eight Grammy Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Stephen Sondheim died November 26 in Roxbury, Connecticut. He was 91.
GUESTS:
Steve Metcalf - Director emeritus of the University of Hartford’s Presidents’ College
Alexandra Petri - Columnist for the Washington Post and the author of Nothing Is Wrong And Here Is Why
Gene Seymour - A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek”
Howard Sherman - Theater administrator, writer, and advocate; author of Another Day’s Begun: Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in the 21st Century
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/29/2021 • 49 minutes
The Poet Laureate of Rock ’n’ Roll at 80
Bob Dylan turned 80 years old in May. His first album, 1962’s Bob Dylan, is in its 60th year on record store shelves.
We’re at a point where, for most of us, there has simply never been a popular culture in which Dylan wasn’t a towering figure whose influence seems to touch, well, everything.
This hour, a look at Bob Dylan at 80.
GUESTS:
Noah Baerman - A pianist, composer, and educator
Fred Bals - Hosted the Dreamtime podcast, covering Theme Time Radio Hour with Your Host, Bob Dylan
Sean Latham - Director of the Institute for Bob Dylan Studies, editor of The World of Bob Dylan, and the writer and narrator of It Ain’t Me You’re Looking For: Bob Dylan at 80
Gayle Wald - Professor of American studies at George Washington University; her most recent book is It’s Been Beautiful: Soul! and Black Power Television
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 20, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/24/2021 • 50 minutes
The enduring appeal of boy bands, from ‘Bye Bye Bye’ to ‘Butter’
From New Kids on the Block to *NSYNC to One Direction, boy bands have been a staple of popular music for decades.
This hour, a look at the history — and future — of boy bands.
GUESTS:
Brad Fischetti - The surviving member of LFO
Aja Romano - A culture staff writer for Vox
Maria Sherman - Author of Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 1, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/23/2021 • 50 minutes
Joni Mitchell’s ‘Blue’ at 50
Joni Mitchell’s album Blue turned 50 this year. It may not have the artistic sophistication of her later albums, but Mitchell’s vulnerability endeared her to fans, if not early critics unused to such intimate storytelling. That was okay with Mitchell. She said her “music is not designed to grab instantly. It’s designed to wear for a lifetime, to hold up like a fine cloth.”
She was right. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Blue the third-greatest album on its 2020 list of “The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time,” a move up from No. 33 in 2017.
We talk with musicians and critics about the album Blue and more.
GUESTS:
Peter Kaminsky - Professor of music theory at the University of Connecticut
Steve Metcalf - Director emeritus of Presidents’ College at the University of Hartford
Carolann Solebello - Singer-songwriter
Join us on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired April 8, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/22/2021 • 50 minutes
The Nose looks at Taylor Swift’s ‘All Too Well,’ ‘The Problem with Jon Stewart,’ and ‘The Harder They Fall’
This week, The Nose is lightning with the blam blams.
First: Taylor Swift’s new 15-minute film for the new 10-minute version of her old five-minute song “All Too Well.” Swift played all of “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” in front of some of the film live on Saturday night. It is now the longest song anyone has ever performed on SNL.
And then: The Problem with Jon Stewart is a “late night” show that “airs” every other Thursday on AppleTV+. It marks Stewart’s return to television hosting after leaving The Daily Show in 2015. Each episode is an hour long and focuses on one issue. Four episodes are available so far.
And finally: The Harder They Fall is a revisionist Western co-written and directed by the British singer-songwriter and music producer Jeymes Samuel, in his feature film debut. The movie, streamable now on Netflix, opens with title cards: “While the events of this story are fictional… These. People. Existed.” and nearly every character of any import is Black.
Some other stuff that happened in the last couple weeks, give or take:
Dean Stockwell, Actor Known for ‘Quantum Leap,’ ‘Blue Velvet’ and ‘Married to the Mob,’ Dies at 85
Ed Bullins, Leading Playwright of the Black Arts Movement, Dies at 86 He wrote not for white or middle-class audiences, but for the strivers, hustlers and quiet sufferers whose struggles he sought to capture in searing works.
Rapper Young Dolph Was Killed In A Shooting In Memphis The 36-year-old rapper had survived shooting attacks in the past, incorporating his experiences into the music he released over the years.
Heath Freeman, ‘NCIS’ and ‘Bones’ actor, dead at 41
Paul Rudd Is PEOPLE’s 2021 Sexiest Man Alive: ‘I’m Getting Business Cards Made’ “I’m going to lean into it hard,” the actor says of earning the crown. “I’m going to own this"
What The Sexiest Man Alive Has Looked Like Every Year Since 1985 And What They Look Like NowSome of these are so random.
Inside Ivy Getty’s Fantasy Wedding Weekend in San Francisco
Big Bird got ‘vaccinated’ against COVID-19, drawing outrage from Republicans
The Metaverse Is Already Here — It’s Minecraft Blocky game-worlds are decentralized, thriving, hackable, and have produced a vibrant economy
Disney Plus to Launch 13 Marvel Movies in Imax Expanded Aspect Ratio
Star Wars Spin-Off Rogue Squadron Delayed, Director Patty Jenkins Still Attached
This West Side Story Teaser Wants To Pretend This Movie Isn’t A Musical For Some Reason
America’s Dad Is Lonelier Than Ever In recent movies like Finch, Tom Hanks’ once-genial everyman doesn’t have much use for humanity.
Disney+ Growth Slows, Stock Takes Big Hit Ahead Of Disney+ Day
Aaron Sorkin Defends ‘Being the Ricardos’ Casting Decisions The writer-director opens up about controversies in casting Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, the parallels between McCarthy-era Hollywood and cancel culture today, and the all-important endorsement of Lucy and Desi’s daughter.
What happened to Eric Clapton? The guitar legend has long been inscrutable, but his covid turn has friends and fans puzzled like never before.
‘Party Down’ Revival Gets Starz Greenlight With Six Of Original Series’ Seven Stars Returning
Jane Campion Will Never Direct a Superhero Movie: ‘I Hate Them’
Dubbing ‘A Fistful of Dollars’ to spread the Navajo language
Grandma mistakenly invited a stranger to Thanksgiving. Six years later, they still celebrate the holiday together. The Internet is still swooning over their feel-good friendship
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, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
11/19/2021 • 49 minutes
Who’s running for president in 2024? Why isn’t there a COVID vaccine for pets? And what happened to Eric Clapton?
It’s a smorgaspourri of disparate topics this hour.
First: Who will be the Democratic nominee for president in 2024? President Biden says he’ll run, and being that he’s supposed to still be president in 2024, that would make sense. But not everyone believes him. So then you’d have to figure Vice President Harris, right? Well, there are some questions about that theory too.
And then: Why isn’t there a COVID vaccine for pets? Dogs and cats both get COVID from people. Lots of animals can. And lots of animals are getting vaccinated. Minks. Jaguars. Orangutans, otters, ferrets, lions, tigers… All getting vaccinated. So why not cats and dogs?
And finally: What happened to Eric Clapton? The legendary blues guitarist and singer hadn’t released a protest song in his 56 years of recording, until last year, when he and Van Morrison started putting out songs protesting… COVID lockdowns? And now Clapton won’t play places where there are vaccine mandates, and he gives interviews to anti-vax YouTube channels. Just what is going on there, exactly?
GUESTS:
Emily Anthes - Science and health reporter for The New York Times
Geoff Edgers - National arts reporter for The Washington Post
Alex Thompson - White House correspondent for POLITICO
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/18/2021 • 49 minutes
Occam's razor makes the case for simplicity in a complex world
Occam's razor states that "entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity.”
This hour is all about Occam’s razor: where the principle came from, how it impacts science, its role in medicine, and how it shapes our daily lives.
GUESTS:
Johnjoe McFadden - Author of “Life Is Simple: How Occam's Razor Set Science Free and Shapes the Universe.”
Kurt Andersen - Co-founder of Spy Magazine and he was the host and co-creator of Studio 360; his newest book is “Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America -- A Recent History.”
Dr. Lisa Sanders - A Clinician Educator in the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program at the Yale School of Medicine. She is also the author of the “Diagnosis” column for “The New York Times Magazine,” and is behind the Netflix show “Diagnosis.” She was also a technical advisor for the TV show “House,” which was based on her column.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/17/2021 • 49 minutes, 57 seconds
Scientists confirm existence of woo-woo. Woo-woo declares results inconclusive
Between all we know to be true and all we know to be false lies a world of woo. “Woo-woo,” to use the full term, refers to ideas considered irrational or based on extremely flimsy evidence or that appeal to mysterious occult forces or powers.
But who decides what’s woo-woo, and what gets accepted into the hallowed halls of scientific truth?
The easy answer is that scientists decide. But the answer becomes harder when we remember that it was scientists who once deemed the world to be flat, light to be transmitted through “aether,” and a mysterious element called “phlogiston” to be responsible for combustion.
On any given day in history, one person’s science is another person’s woo-woo.
This hour, we bring together both skeptics and believers in an attempt to pin down exactly what constitutes “woo-woo.”
GUESTS:
Stuart Hameroff - Anesthesiologist and professor at the University of Arizona known for theories on quantum consciousness
Michael Shermer - Founder of The Skeptics Society and the author of The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies — How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths and The Moral Arc: How Science Makes Us Better People
Jess Tomlinson - Creator of Radiant & Rise
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired September 22, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/16/2021 • 50 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows most weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
The last few times, we haven’t even started with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. And those shows have been fun. So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EST hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/15/2021 • 49 minutes
Here be dragons
Dragons have captured our imagination going back to the Greek and Roman Empires when the skeletal bones of dinosaurs fed the myths we still believe today.
And those myths show up in our most popular popular culture today – in the Harry Potter books and movies, in Tolkien’s Middle-earth books and movies, in George R. R. Martin’s Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.
This hour, a look at dragons from the ancients through Game of Thrones.
GUESTS:
Cressida Cowell - Author of the How to Train Your Dragon series
Adrienne Mayor - Author of The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times and Fossil Legends of the First Americans
William O’Connor - The late author and illustrator of the Dracopedia book trilogy
Matthew Reilly - Author The Great Zoo of China, among many other novels
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Jonathan McNicol, Chion Wolf, and Alan Yu contributed to this show, which originally aired June 4, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/12/2021 • 50 minutes
Toad’s Place and the Shaboo Inn had a magic in the ’70s and ’80s that may never happen again
Toad’s Place and The Shaboo Inn were part of a magical era for music in Connecticut in the 1970s and ’80s. It was a time when small music venues had a symbiotic relationship with fans and could lure thousands of rock, blues, and hip-hop superstars like Bruce Springsteen, Muddy Waters, and Cardi B to their stages.
Local arts papers, FM radio, two huge coliseums, a less fragmented music industry, and plenty of college students from places like Yale and UConn who wanted cheap drinks and great music, provided a pipeline for local and national artists who wanted the intimacy of a smaller venue.
This hour, the past and future of Toad’s and the Shaboo.
GUESTS:
Randall Beach - A columnist for Connecticut magazine and a former reporter, columnist, and rock music critic for the New Haven Register; he’s the co-author of The Legendary Toad’s Place: Stories from New Haven’s Famed Music Venue
Brian Phelps - Owner of Toad’s Place and the co-author of The Legendary Toad’s Place: Stories from New Haven’s Famed Music Venue
David Foster - Former co-owner of the Shaboo Inn, founder of the Shaboo and Mohegan Sun All-Stars, and current owner of Shaboo Productions
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.
11/11/2021 • 49 minutes
Operators are standing by! A show about infomercials
The inconic inventor and pitchman Ron Popeil died July 28. He was 86 years old. This hour, we listen back to the 2016 show we did with Popeil on the form he perfected: the infomercial.
The Thighmaster, the Chop-O-Matic, the George Foreman Grill, and the Clapper… products which are all part of American consumer culture and which were all introduced through infomercials.
But as online shopping increases and traditional television watching decreases, what will become of celebrity pitchmen like Tony Little and Richard Simmons?
GUESTS:
Kevin Harrington - Author of Key Person of Influence: The Five-Step Method to Become One of the Most Highly Valued and Highly Paid People in Your Industry
Ron Popeil - The late inventor and infomercial pitchman
Remy Stern - Author of But Wait… There’s More! Tighten Your Abs, Make Millions, and Learn How the $100 Billion Infomercial Industry Sold Us Everything But the Kitchen Sink
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Lydia Brown, Ray Hardman, Greg Hill, Betsy Kaplan, Ross Levin, Stephanie Riefe, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired March 7, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/10/2021 • 49 minutes, 53 seconds
The Meta Formerly Known as Facebook. Rebranding in business, culture and, well, this very radio show
Philip Morris became Altria. Apple Computer became Apple. Radio Shack became The Shack (and then went bankrupt). The New Britain Rock Cats moved to Hartford and became the Yard Goats. Tribune Publishing Co. became Tronc (and then became the Tribune Publishing Co. again). Dunkin’ Donuts became Dunkin’. The Washington Redskins became the Washington Football Team. Last month, Facebook became Meta. And next year, the Cleveland Indians will become the Cleveland Guardians and the Washington Football Team will become… something else.
And that’s all just this century, and it’s all just companies and sports teams.
Let’s not forget Puff Daddy/P. Diddy/Puffy or Snoop Doggy Dogg/Snoop Lion/Snoop Dogg or John Mellencamp/Johnny Cougar/John Cougar Mellencamp. Or His Royal Badness, The Artist Formerly Known as an Unpronounceable and Untypable Symbol. Or, just, David Bowie. Or, just, Madonna.
Sometimes a logo gets old or an identity gets stale or a color scheme gets out of date. Sometimes a company or a sports team needs to put its past behind it. Sometimes people go to a doughnut shop mostly for coffee. Sometimes a computer company mostly sells iPods and iPhones and iPads.
Sometimes rebranding is the only solution. Or a terrible mistake. Or even just an interesting challenge.
This hour: rebranding, from Google to Kanye to, yes, The Colin McEnroe Show.
GUESTS:
Patrick Dugan - Creative director and chief copywriter at Adams and Knight
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Mike Pesca - Host of the independent podcast The Gist
Garett Sloane - Technology, digital, and media reporter for Ad Age
Brendan Jay Sullivan - A writer, producer, DJ, and food history TikTokker
Join the conversation on Facebook (or whatever it’s called) and Twitter.
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.
11/9/2021 • 50 minutes, 4 seconds
Architecture vs. humans. Why do architects sometimes design buildings that make people feel bad?
Over the past few weeks, there has been a debate surrounding Munger Hall, a dorm designed by billionaire Charles Munger to house over 4,000 students on the University of California, Santa Barbara’s campus. The design has been criticized because of the lack of windows in most rooms, and concerns over fire safety.
This hour, inspired by that debate, we discuss architecture that makes humans feel bad, and the ethics of architecture.
GUESTS:
Mark Pasnik - Architect at OverUnder, Professor at Wentworth Institute of Technology, and author of Heroic: Concrete Architecture and the New Boston
Joseph Heathcott - Chair of Urban and Environmental Studies at The New School
Shalini Agrawal - Associate Professor in the Critical Ethnic Studies Program at the California College for the Arts, Director and Co-Founder of Pathways to Equity, and Founder and Principal of Public Design For Equity
Julio Bermudez - Director of the Sacred Space and Cultural Studies graduate concentration program of The Catholic University of America School of Architecture and Planning
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/8/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose goes on a ‘Voyage’ with ABBA (and HBO’s ‘Succession’)
Voyage is ABBA’s ninth studio album and their first album of new material in 40 years. Its 10 tracks dropped early this morning. A concert residency, ABBA Voyage, is scheduled to run next year in London. The band will not appear in person for these concerts. Instead, digital “ABBAtars” will perform in their place. It was announced that ABBA would officially break up after the release of Voyage.
And: Succession is an hour-long, satirical comedy-drama series on HBO. It was created by Jesse Armstrong and originally debuted in 2018. We’re three episodes into its third season, and 23 episodes have aired overall. Its first two seasons won nine Emmys between them, including Outstanding Drama Series in 2020. Succession was renewed for a fourth season in October.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Halloween and the Anatomy of the Sitcom Holiday Episode Over eight seasons on two networks, the recurring Halloween heists established a model template for one of TV’s underappreciated art forms
The 1970s sitcom divide that still secretly rules American TV comedy Though less and less of it with every year
We Asked Gen Z to Review Millennial Subculture Fashion From emo to nu-rave, nobody is safe.
This Man Moved Several States Away, Not Realizing He Had Accepted A Job At NASA, And TikTok Can’t Get Enough Of The Story I signed the paperwork and they measured me for my spacesuit.
Can We Separate the Art From the Artist?
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
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/5/2021 • 49 minutes, 52 seconds
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows most weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
The last few times, we haven’t even started with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. And those shows have been fun. So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/4/2021 • 49 minutes
There are rules for punctuation, but we don't always agree on them
Should people use Oxford commas? Is there a correct number of exclamation points per email? If someone ends a casual text with a period, does that mean they're mad at you?
This hour is all about punctuation and how we use it. We talk about the history of punctuation marks, timeless punctuation debates, and how writing for texts and emails has changed the way we use punctuation.
GUESTS:
Claire Cock-Starkey - Author of Hyphens and Hashtags: The Stories Behind The Symbols On Our Keyboard
Julia Pistell - Founding member of Sea Tea Improv, one of the hosts of the Literary Disco podcast, and a producer freelancing with us
Raquel Benedict - Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction; she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/3/2021 • 49 minutes
A show about nothing (really!)
Why is there something rather than nothing? This has been described as perhaps the most sublime philosophical question of all. This hour, we try to answer it. But as we do, we realize that it’s not just a philosophical quandary; it’s a scientific, cultural, and theological one as well.
Indeed, to the extent that “nothing” is even understood, it is understood so differently across different domains that one person’s nothing truly is another person’s something.
Confused? You’re not alone. The concept has vexed, distressed, and seduced all manner of folk, from Aristotle to Einstein, and remains no less mysterious to today’s brightest minds.
GUESTS:
Ronald Green - Author of Nothing Matters: A Book About Nothing
Jim Holt - Author of Why Does The World Exist? An Existential Detective Story
James Owen Weatherall - Author of Void: The Strange Physics of Nothing
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired December 6, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/2/2021 • 50 minutes
Airships in history and fiction capture our imaginations. Could they have a real-world role to play?
There's something almost romantic about airships--from zeppelins to dirigibles to little Goodyear Blimps. The image of a giant, floating aircraft feels both nostalgic and futuristic. In the early 20th century, airships were on the leading edge of aviation; today, they mostly live on in the domain of steampunk art and speculative fiction.But a number of companies are betting they can bring airships out of the history books and into modern real-world applications like cargo transport and military uses.
This hour, we talk with speculative fiction author Ken Liu, as well as a journalist and the leader of a modern hybrid airship company about airships, real and imagined.
GUESTS:
Ken Liu - Speculative fiction author and futurist, the author of the Dandelion Dynasty, an epic fantasy featuring airships
Jeanne Marie Laskas - Journalist; she wrote a piece for The New Yorker in 2016 on modern airships
Nick Allman - Chief Operating Officer of Hybrid Air Vehicles
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at Facebook’s Meta rebranding, ‘Dune: Part One,’ and more
Facebook announced Thursday that its umbrella company will rebrand as “Meta.” Mark Zuckerberg said that the new name reflects the full breadth of the future the company wants to help build: “Now we have a new North Star: to help bring the Metaverse to life. From now on, we’re going to be Metaverse first, not Facebook first.”
And: Do we want TV shows (and movies and books, etc.) to acknowledge the pandemic? It’s an odd conundrum. When shows deal with it, it seems intrusive. When they don’t, it seems unrealistic.
And finally: Dune: Part One is the fourth screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s book series that dates back to the 1960s. It is directed and co-written by Denis Villeneuve, and it debuted in theaters and on HBOMax on October 22. A sequel was officially greenlit this week.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Mort Sahl, Whose Biting Commentary Redefined Stand-Up, Dies at 94 A self-appointed warrior against hypocrisy, he revolutionized comedy in the 1950s by addressing political and social issues.
There’s No Dave Chappelle or Hannah Gadsby Without Mort Sahl Before Sahl, who died at 94 on Tuesday, intellectual arguments and controversial stances were off-limits to stand-ups seeking mass acceptance.
James Michael Tyler death: ‘Friends’ star who played Gunther dies from cancer, aged 59 ‘If you met him once you made a friend for life,’ family says of actor
The First Thing We Do, Let’s Kill All the Leaf Blowers
Photos Are Too Flattering Now An ode to the bygone days of blurry, poorly lit images
What happens when your favorite thing goes viral? A 2002 song by the Mountain Goats about a doomed divorce is suddenly big on TikTok. Why?
Joe Exotic, Carole Baskin, And Jeff Lowe’s Complicated Saga Continues In The First Trailer For “Tiger King 2” The big cat owners and their bigger rivalries will return to Netflix next month.
There is a consistency to the debate over book censorship: Distress about change
The Alec Baldwin shooting has some people calling for only computer-generated gunshots. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Creating a realistic muzzle flash is a key part of the problem
Gwyneth Paltrow, Jada Pinkett Smith Declare Porn ‘Harmful to Women’
Chappelle is unapologetic in his first public statement on ‘The Closer’ controversy
The 37-Year-Olds Are Afraid of the 23-Year-Olds Who Work for Them Twenty-somethings rolling their eyes at the habits of their elders is a longstanding trend, but many employers said there’s a new boldness in the way Gen Z dictates taste.
GUESTS:
Helder Mira - Multimedia producer at Trinity College and co-host of the So Pretentious podcast
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Join the conversation on Facebook (I’m pretty sure it’s still called that) 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.
10/29/2021 • 49 minutes
Not Necessarily The Nose: The year in horror, 2021
We realized a few years ago that — basically because Colin and I are fraidy cats — The Nose doesn’t cover very much horror stuff. So we started doing an annual Halloween special that tackles horror head-on, in a vaguely Nose-ish way.
This year: Could it be that the one genre with a certain amount of immunity from the Disneyfication, the cinematic universeification of everything… is horror?
And: There’s an ongoing renaissance in Black horror dating back to Jordan Peele’s Get Out in 2017. This year’s best example is probably Nia DaCosta’s Candyman reboot/remake/sequel (co-written by DaCosta and Peele). But horror’s creeping (you see what I did there) reckoning with racism is having its share of ups and downs, too.
And finally: We have a largely arbitrary tradition of spending a chunk of this show on a horror classic that’s celebrating, specifically, its 40th anniversary. Previously, it’s been Halloween, Alien, The Shining. This year: An American Werewolf in London.
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict - Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction; she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast
David Jesudason - A freelance writer and journalist
Rich Johnson - Writes about movies; he’s the host of two movie podcasts: Film & and Mondo Moviehouse
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
10/28/2021 • 50 minutes
Has America become the land of failed opportunity?
An entrenched anxiety is taking hold throughout America. You can feel it in the air and see it in the rise of guns, doomsday preppers, and mask wars. The deep economic and social insecurity at the root of our anxiety comes from political decisions made since 9/11 that starve the public to benefit the private.
The elections of Barack Obama and Donald Trump, the Black Lives Matter movement, the global pandemic, and our endless war on terror have exposed our failures and electrified our anxiety.
Today, we talk about the cost of our public discontent and endless war.
GUESTS:
Evan Osnos - A staff writer at The New Yorker, a CNN contributor, and a senior fellow at Brookings Institution; his most recent book is Wildland: The Making of America’s Fury
Samuel Moyn - Teaches law and history at Yale; his most recent book is Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Cat Pastor and Colin McEnroe contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/27/2021 • 49 minutes
An ode to ink
From ancient scrolls to modern toner cartridges, ink (in one form or another) has been around for millennia. And while we may take it for granted now, for much of that time, it was a precious and coveted substance.
Ink makers closely guarded their recipes; spy agencies developed secret, invisible ink formulations; and even now, billions are spent to create the perfect printer inks.
This hour, we look back at the history of ink and ask whether its heyday might be coming to a close.
GUESTS:
Ted Bishop - Author of Ink: Culture, Wonder And Our Relationship With The Written Word
Kristie Macrakis - Author of Prisoners, Lovers, & Spies: The Story of Invisible Ink from Herodotus to al Qaeda
Kyle Wiens - Founder of iFixit
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 9, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/26/2021 • 50 minutes
Music critic and author Kelefa Sanneh writes that music genres are communities
This hour, we’re joined by Kelefa Sanneh, author of Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres. We talk about music genres and look back at the history of music.
GUESTS:
Kelefa Sanneh - Author of Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres and a staff writer at The New Yorker
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
10/25/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose looks at the BBC’s 100 greatest TV series of the century, Netflix’s ‘Maid,’ and more
This week, BBC Culture dropped its list of “The 100 Greatest TV series of the 21st Century.” No. 1 is exactly what you’d think it’d be, but below that, there’s plenty to argue about. (Deadwood at 18?! Horse pucky.) The Nose, over the years, has covered many of the shows on the list, by the way: Atlanta, Black Mirror, Fleabag, Game of Thrones, The Good Place, I May Destroy You, Mindhunter, OJ: Made in America, The Queen’s Gambit, Schitt’s Creek, Stranger Things, The Underground Railroad, Watchmen… to name a few.
And, speaking of shows: Maid is a Netflix limited series inspired by Stephanie Land’s memoir, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive, and created by Molly Smith Metzler. Netflix describes it this way: “After fleeing an abusive relationship, a young mother finds a job cleaning houses as she fights to provide for her child and build them a better future.” Its 10 episodes dropped on October 1.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Alec Baldwin Fired Prop Gun That Killed Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Injured Director
Hartford names city’s first troubadour and flow artist; Khaiim Kelly and Lael Marie Saez will serve three-year terms
The Many Decades of Bond “How has someone who is a borderline rapist, murderer, and potential sociopath, endured through all these decades?”
Michael Caine Says His Latest Film Is His Last, but He’s Not Retired The 88-year-old screen legend says he’s transitioning to writing, while his representatives walk back his remarks.
Americans Are Overworked And Over Work “As I’ve gotten older, work is definitely [still] really important, but I think I’ve started to see it less as my identity.”
It’s Quitting Season
‘I Screwed Up’: Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Addresses Dave Chappelle Fallout
Netflix Staff Raised Concerns About Chappelle Special Before Its Release The company is dealing with an internal outcry unprecedented in its history.
Dave Chappelle’s views on gender are problematic and hurtful
Addison Rae Was Permanently Banned From TikTok For Literally Like A Day, So I Guess She Can Go Back To Dancing Now “Time to get a job.”
Why ‘Y: The Last Man’ Was Abruptly Canceled Six years after landing at FX for development, the drama based on the beloved comic series was axed before it could even finish its first and (possibly) only season.
Y: The Last Man Might Get Resurrected On HBO Max
The Huge Box Office For Halloween Kills Seemingly Says A Lot About Peacock
Succession at Scholastic Seemed to Be a Shock, Even to the New Chairwoman The powerhouse children’s publisher, known for Harry Potter, had been passed from father to son until Iole Lucchese, a top executive, was given control.
Top 40 New Wave Albums
The Believer Literary Magazine Shutting Down Issue No. 139, due out in February 2022, will be its last
Kanye West is now officially ‘Ye’
‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Author Margaret Atwood Faces Backlash for Gender Neutrality Tweet
MLB Just Tried a Bunch of Experimental Rules in the Minors. How Well Did They Work? Several minor leagues served as the guinea pig for ideas that could improve the pace of play, including robo umps, pushing the mound back, and bigger bases. Were they effective?
‘The Sopranos’: WarnerMedia In Talks With David Chase About HBO Max Prequel Series
Why Groundhog Day Left Harold Ramis And Bill Murray’s Friendship In Shambles
Royal Caribbean to offer 274-night cruise — the world’s longest
GUESTS:
Rand Richards Cooper - A fiction writer, contributing editor at Commonweal, and the restaurant critic for the Hartford Courant
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project
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.
10/22/2021 • 49 minutes
Combating corrosion: the war on rust
Rust is all around us. It’s in our cars, our homes, our infrastructure. It’s also the subject of Jonathan Waldman’s book Rust: The Longest War, which introduces us to the people who fight it.
This hour, Waldman joins us, and we hear from a visual artist who has found a way to incorporate rust into her work.
GUESTS:
Esther Solondz - A Rhode Island-based visual artist
Jonathan Waldman - Author of Rust: The Longest War
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired March 25, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/21/2021 • 50 minutes
We take your calls. Ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these shows most weeks where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
The last few times, we haven’t even started with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. And those shows have been fun. So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/20/2021 • 49 minutes
Jewish unity is kryptonite to antisemitic rage
Jews have a long history of resistance against antisemitism that has sought to eradicate their literal existence. The power of their resistance lies in Jewish cultural and spiritual unity and the resulting close-knit communities that have survived and thrived in response to hate.
This hour, we talk about how Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood came together in 2018 after a shooter killed eleven Jewish worshippers in a synagogue as they were preparing for their Saturday morning services.
We also talk about the thousands of Jewish ‘family camps’ and partisan fighters who survived and triumphed in the forests of Eastern Europe during World War II. Some of their descendants settled in Connecticut.
Resistance can take many forms beyond warfare.
Photo Courtesy Of The Langerman And Lazowski FamiliesBeryl Sakier, Tania, Miriam, Rochel, Morris, and Luba Rabinowitz after arriving in Santa Maria di Leuca, Italy
GUESTS:
Mark Oppenheimer - Senior Editor at Tablet, where he hosts the podcast Unorthodox; he is the author of five books including, most recently, Squirrel Hill: The Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood
Rebecca Frankel - A journalist and author; her most recent book is Into the Forest: A Holocaust Story of Survival, Triumph, and Love
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.
10/19/2021 • 49 minutes
Alcohol is bad for us. So why have humans been drinking it for thousands of years?
Drinking alcohol has a number of negative impacts. But humans have been doing it for thousands of years, and show no signs of stopping.
This hour, we discuss why we drink, why more people are moving towards sobriety through the “sober curious” movement, and the rise of nonalcoholic cocktails.
GUESTS:
Edward Slingerland - Author of Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization, and a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia
Hilary Sheinbaum - Journalist and author of The Dry Challenge: How to Lose the Booze for Dry January, Sober October, and Any Other Alcohol-Free Month
Elva Ramirez - Journalist, media consultant and author of Zero Proof Cocktails: 90 Non-Alcoholic Recipes for Mindful Drinking
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose plays 'Squid Game' and discusses 'Who Is the Bad Art Friend?'
This hour, The Nose talks about Netflix’s hit show Squid Game.
Plus: the viral New York Times Magazine article “Who Is The Bad Art Friend?”
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Taneisha Duggan - A director, producer, arts consultant, and an artist working at the crossroads of performance and creative leadership
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/15/2021 • 41 minutes
Needle phobia is as old as human history
Human beings are wired to hate pain, even in the form of a teeny tiny needle delivering life-saving elixir. Needle phobia, or trypanophobia, ranges from slight discomfort to crippling anxiety—and these fears can cause serious harm for people who avoid medical care.
Despite this, we’ve been using syringes and needles forever. The ancient Greeks were using syringes to drain wounds, acupuncture was developed in China thousands of years ago, and tattoos can be found on mummies and bodies preserved in 5,000 year old ice. Yet your expected lifespan is probably a lot longer due to one invention: the hypodermic syringe.
This hour we look at the history of needles, their stigma and controversies, and figure out how to get through fear of shots without judgement.
GUESTS:
Dr. Jeremy Greene - Professor of Science, Technology, and Medicine at Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Meghan McMurtry - Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Guelph, and a Psychologist at McMaster Children's Hospital
Johanna Korson - A graduate student working towards licensure as a clinical mental health counselor, and a person who has struggled with needle phobia herself
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/14/2021 • 40 minutes, 56 seconds
The role of the Senate parliamentarian, the importance of local newspapers, and the history of the wheelie suitcase
This hour, a potpourri of topics: the Senate parliamentarian, local news, and wheelie suitcases.
First, we talk about the Senate parliamentarian.
And then: we discuss the value of local news, through the case study of The Hartford Courant.
Finally, we learn about the invention of the wheelie suitcase.
GUESTS:
Elana Schor - Congress editor at Politico
David Folkenflik - NPR’s media correspondent
Katrine Marçal - Author of Mother Of Invention: How Good Ideas Get Ignored In An Economy Built For Men
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/13/2021 • 40 minutes, 31 seconds
Good bulldozer, bad bulldozer
Everybody loves a bulldozer. In fact, we all grew up loving bulldozers, didn't we? From Benny the Bulldozer to Katy and her big snow, from all the Tonka toys to all the die cast model Caterpillars, the bulldozer is more of an icon in American popular culture than we maybe realize.
But the first scholarly "biography of the bulldozer" argues that there's a darker side to the demolition and clearance that gives these big machines purpose. And then, maybe there is a certain violence inherent here too.
This hour, the history of bulldozing, the future of bulldozers, and a look at heavy construction equipment as adventure destination.
GUESTS:
Francesca Russell Ammon - Author of Bulldozer: Demolition and Clearance of the Postwar Landscape
Jason Anetsburger - Project manager for Komatsu America's Intelligent Machine Control line of bulldozers and excavators
Kate McMullan - Children's book author and executive producer of The Stinky and Dirty Show
Randy Stenger - Founder and CEO of Extreme Sandbox
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Alex Ingberg, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired April 21, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/12/2021 • 42 minutes
The phones are open. We're taking your calls
We’ve been doing these almost weekly shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
This hour, we do it again.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/11/2021 • 40 minutes, 55 seconds
The Nose looks at ‘The Many Saints of Newark’ and Dave Chappelle’s ‘The Closer’
The Many Saints of Newark is a film prequel to The Sopranos. It takes place in the 1960s and ’70s, and part of Tony Soprano’s origin story is one of its secondary narratives. It opened in theaters last weekend and will run on HBOMax through October.
And: The Closer is Dave Chappelle’s sixth and final (for now, at least) feature-length standup special for Netflix. It is, let’s say, provocative. (The Nose has previously covered three of Chappelle’s other Netflix specials: Equanimity and The Bird Revelation in 2017 and Sticks & Stones in 2019.)
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Alan Kalter, ‘Late Show With David Letterman’ Announcer, Dies at 78
Who Is the Bad Art Friend? Art often draws inspiration from life — but what happens when it’s your life? Inside the curious case of Dawn Dorland v. Sonya Larson.
Hell Is the New York Times Publishing Your Group Chat
A Botched Circumcision and Its Aftermath The constant discomfort of a genital injury creates a covenant of pain. It is impossible to think about anything else.
People Are Arguing Over Whether It’s OK For A 30-Year-Old To Date A 19-Year-Old, And It’s Very Controversial “It’s not the age gap, it’s the mind gap.”
How Silence Became a Luxury Product
Upcoming HBO Max Movies To Keep An Eye On
William Shatner Reveals Feelings Ahead Of Space Flight: “I’m Captain Kirk And I’m Terrified”
Marvel’s What If…? Writer Explains A Presumed Infinity Stone Plot Hole
Is it time to hire a chief metaverse officer? Brands are entering the metaverse through virtual stores, AR, gaming and digital fashion shows. While many have relied on external partnerships, an internal expert or team might be on the horizon.
No Time To Die Costume Designer Shares How You Dress The Most Stylish Spy In Movie History
GUESTS:
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/8/2021 • 49 minutes
No, Mark Twain did not say that. If we're going to quote people, let's get it right
From our favorite songs and movies, to Shakespeare and Maya Angelou, we regularly quote others in our daily lives. This hour, we talk about famous quotations and misquotations, and discover why some quotations endure through history, while others don’t. Plus, why is Mark Twain misquoted so often?
GUESTS:
Elizabeth Knowles - Editor of The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations
Fred Shapiro - Editor of The New Yale Book of Quotations, and associate director for collections and special projects at the Yale Law Library
Kent Rasmussen - Editor of The Quotable Mark Twain and Mark Twain A to Z, among other books
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2021 • 49 minutes
COVID won’t kill the handshake. It has survived worse PR problems.
COVID is no match for the enduring power of the handshake. It has survived cholera, the 1918 pandemic, and Donald Trump’s lengthy grip. It has thrived when other shakes, snaps, and pats have failed, such as the penis handshake and the beard-and-pat.
The handshake is our most enduring symbol of egalitarianism and brotherhood. It has helped elect politicians to office, to seal the deal on contracts, and grease the wheels of women’s suffrage.
The handshake has been around for seven million years, says Ella Al-Shamahi, author of The Handshake: A Gripping History. Scientists trace it to chimps, our closest living relatives, and the Neanderthals. COVID is no match for something so deeply ingrained into our DNA. The handshake is here to stay.
This hour, the history and symbolism of the handshake, including the “dap.”
GUESTS:
Ella Al-Shamahi - A National Geographic Explorer, a TV presenter, palaeo-anthropologist, evolutionary biologist, and a stand-up comic, who has taken four shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival; her latest book is The Handshake: A Gripping History
Tyler D. Parry - Assistant Professor of African American and African Diaspora Studies within the Interdisciplinary, Gender, and Ethnic Studies Department, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; he’s the author of Jumping the Broom: The Surprising Multicultural Origins of a Black Wedding Ritual
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2021 • 49 minutes
Ted Williams: the greatest hitter who ever lived?
During his remarkable career with the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams earned many nicknames: The Kid, The Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame… but the only nickname that he ever wanted was “the greatest hitter who ever lived.”
And maybe he really was? He’s baseball’s all-time leader in on-base percentage, and he’s second behind only Babe Ruth in both slugging and on-base plus slugging percentages. He’s the last guy to hit .400, and that was 80 years ago. And on top of all that, he lost close to five full seasons (and three of them in the prime of his career) to serve in two different wars.
This hour, a look at the man, the hitter, and the pitchman (you see what I did there) that was Ted Williams.
GUESTS:
Jim Baumer - A Maine-based writer and the author of Moxie: Maine in a Bottle
Nick Davis - Produced and directed Ted Williams: “The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived”; his newest film, about the 1986 New York Mets, is Once Upon a Time in Queens
Sam Miller - National baseball writer at ESPN
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, which originally aired July 19, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/5/2021 • 42 minutes
We take your calls: ask (or tell) us anything
We’ve been doing these almost weekly shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
The last few times, we haven’t even started with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. And those shows have been fun. So we’re doing that again.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888–720–9677. Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose is a very strong rooster: revenge bedtime procrastination, Clint Eastwood’s ‘Cry Macho,’ more
So you get home from a long day of work, and then you spend a long evening dealing with the family and the dinner and the house and the pets. And then you finally get some time to yourself to… play stupid Candy Crush on your phone. Or watch hours of HGTV that you don’t even like. Or whatever. While you should be sleeping so you can be well-rested for your long day of work tomorrow. There’s a term for that: revenge bedtime procrastination.
Plus: A look at the vocal minority of vaccine refusers in the NBA, of all places.
And: Cry Macho is a neo-Western drama directed by, produced by, and starring Clint Eastwood. It’s in theaters and on HBOMax. Eastwood, 91, takes his 39th turn directing, and it’s his 53rd credited acting role in a motion picture career dating back to the Eisenhower administration.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Tommy Kirk, Old Yeller And The Shaggy Dog Star, Has Died At 79
Joel Coen: Streaming Is Reason ‘Risky’ Films Like ‘Tragedy of Macbeth’ Can Still Exist “The worst nightmare as a filmmaker is that someone watched your film on an airplane,” Coen said at NYFF, while acquiescing that streaming is how movies like “Macbeth” get made.
How does a comedy outsider make sense of Norm Macdonald? What I found valuable after hearing about Norm Macdonald’s death was not watching his old greatest hits on Youtube. It was reading the eulogies written for him by people who appreciated his genius.
The Complicated Legacy of Norm Macdonald Norm Macdonald, who passed away at 61 from cancer, was a comedy legend. But these women say he sexually harassed them, and comedy clubs took measures to protect women from him.
‘Law & Order’ Revived By NBC For Season 21 From Dick Wolf & Rick Eid
Beck Bennett Leaves ‘SNL’ as Cast Veterans Set to Return, Three New Featured Players Join for Season 47
For Al Franken, a Comeback Attempt Goes Through Comedy Clubs Onstage, the ex-senator and “S.N.L.” star doesn’t exactly address his fall from grace. But he doesn’t not address it either. Asked if he’ll run again, he is noncommittal.
America as an Internet Aesthetic TikTok’s Americancore meme critiques cultural appropriation by exoticizing the familiar. Who has the last laugh?
For $84,000, An Artist Painted Two Blank Canvasses Titled ‘Take The Money And Run’
Why Is Every Young Person in America Watching ‘The Sopranos’? The show’s new audience is also seeing something different in it: a parable about a country in terminal decline.
Why Are People Nostalgic for Early-Pandemic Life? Pandemic fatigue is fueling a bizarre sense of longing.
The Best Movies Of 2021 So Far
You Can Spend The Night In The House From Scream This Halloween
Scientists created the world’s whitest paint. It could eliminate the need for air conditioning.
Marvel’s What If…? Episode 8 Appears To Enter The Star Wars Universe
Shakira Was Attacked By Wild Boars “They’ve destroyed everything.”
The Melting Face Emoji Has Already Won Us Over Of the 37 new emojis approved this year, one has stood out as a visual proxy for our collective malaise.
Super Bowl 2022 Halftime Performers Revealed: Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg
‘Drunk’ man reported missing joins his own search party
Men weaponize incompetence to avoid housework, caring for kids
GUESTS:
Tracy Wu Fastenberg - Development officer at Connecticut Children’s
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
10/1/2021 • 49 minutes
The Longest Continuous Human Thought: A Look At Mathematics
It’s been a while since we’ve done a math show. So this hour, some discussion of just what mathematics even is in the first place.
Plus, some news from the world of math: A look at three landmark papers bridging the gap between quantum physics and formal mathematics.
And: the low-dimensional topology of… knitting.
GUESTS:
Sabetta Matsumoto - A theoretical physicist and applied mathematician at Georgia Tech, where she leads The Matsumoto Group studying the geometry of materials
Alec Wilkinson - Staff writer at The New Yorker
Charlie Wood - Contributing writer to Quanta Magazine
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/30/2021 • 49 minutes
A Conversation With Ruth Ozeki
This hour, we’re joined by novelist Ruth Ozeki. Her latest novel is The Book of Form and Emptiness. We talk about animism, hearing voices, and how Zen Buddhism informs her writing.
GUESTS:
Ruth Ozeki - Novelist, filmmaker, and professor of English language and literature at Smith College
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
9/29/2021 • 49 minutes
The Following Show About Movie Trailers Has Been Approved For Appropriate Audiences
This hour, we talk about movie trailers. Maybe you wonder what a movie critic thinks of them. Actually, critics don’t see as many as you do because they often go to special screenings.
I asked America’s Greatest Living Film Critic, David Edelstein, about trailers. He answered, “Actually, I avoid them like the plague. I don’t watch them online, and when I see movies in theaters, I often whip out my Kindle and plug my ears. If I’m on the aisle, I leave and get a Diet Coke. Trailers give away everything. They give away jokes. More than that, they orient you to the narrative in a way I don’t like being oriented. (Of course, I have the luxury of going into a movie not knowing what it’s even about because I get paid to do so, but that’s my preferred way to work – to be left in the hands of the storyteller.) As for as awful ones I have seen… I remember Nebraska in particular as being terrible because the pace and tone of that movie are antithetical to the way mainstream trailers work. It said quirky. Offbeat. Lovable. Among the best, I recall Batman Returns as being so great. I thought the movie itself was an overrated shambles – a really terrible piece of storytelling – but even Tim Burton’s worst movies have so many good images and set-pieces that they really read in trailers.”
For the rest of us, trailers are either a pain or a pleasure.
GUESTS:
Allan Arkush - Contributor to Trailers from Hell; he worked in the trailer department for Roger Corman
Stephen Garrett - Founder of Jump Cut
Sam Hatch - Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUH
Kevin O’Toole - Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUH
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Lydia Brown, John Dankosky, Greg Hill, Tucker Ives, Harriet Jones, Betsy Kaplan, Jonathan McNicol, Patrick Skahill, Catie Talarski, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 2, 2014.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/28/2021 • 50 minutes
An Hour With Francisco Goldman
Francisco Goldman made a big choice as a young man. He chose to spend a year in Guatemala living with his uncle instead of pursuing the master’s degree he could have had from a prestigious school offering him a full scholarship. It turned out to be one of the most consequential decisions of his early life.
This hour, Colin talks with Goldman about his novel Monkey Boy, a story about the legacy of violence on a family and much more, including how his decision to go to Guatemala has shaped his life.
GUEST:
Francisco Goldman - Author of seven books; his most recent is the novel Monkey Boy
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 27, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/27/2021 • 50 minutes
The Nose Won The Apocalypse: ‘Y: The Last Man,’ The Real-Time True Crime-ification of Gabby Petito, More
Y: The Last Man is an FX on Hulu television series (whatever that means) based on the DC comics series. It stars Diane Lane as President Jennifer Brown and Ben Schnetzer as Yorick Brown, the last living person with a Y chromosome.
And: Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie were (at least aspiring) #vanlife influencers. Tragedy, and our culture around this particular sort of tragedy, has turned them into pop culture figures of an entirely different kind.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Melvin Van Peebles, Godfather of Black Cinema, Dies at 89 He directed ‘Watermelon Man,’ did everything on ‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song’ and wrote a pair of Broadway musicals.
Beloved ‘Sex And The City’ Actor Willie Garson Dies At 57
Chris Rock says he has COVID-19, urges vaccination
The Song That Never Ends: Why Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’ Sustains
The Man Behind Those Annual ‘Sept. 21’ Videos Has Made His Last Masterpiece
Not Enough Has Changed Since Sanford and Son The unwritten rules of Black TV
James Corden Is Getting Called Out For Making An Ageist Joke About BTS Fans And…Yikes When will celebs learn not to come for the fandoms?!
Johnny Depp Says Cancel Culture Is “So Far Out Of Hand” & “No One Is Safe”, Asks People To “Stand Up” Against “Injustice”
The Emmys Underlined the Paradox of Too Much TV The people handing out the awards were a diverse lot. The ones receiving them, much less so.
Japanese school students sent a message in a bottle. 37 years later, it washed up in Hawaii
No sign of £4.8m golden toilet stolen from Blenheim Palace, two years on
World’s first 108-key concert grand piano built by Australia’s only piano maker
Netflix now owns the screen rights to Roald Dahl’s entire catalog The acquisition of the Roald Dahl Story Company follows three years of partnership
Eddie Murphy Signs Three-Picture & First-Look Film Deal With Amazon Studios
Reading a Novel Set Entirely in Slack In “Several People Are Typing,” Calvin Kasulke takes office agony to its outer limits.
Elon Musk and Grimes break up after three years together
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict - Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction; hosts the Rite Gud podcast
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
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.
9/24/2021 • 49 minutes
Radiation: Maybe Not As Bad As You Think
Radiation is everywhere. It’s emitted by our sun, by cat litter, by bananas, and occasionally by nuclear bombs. It’s even emitted by you and by me and by every living (and dead) person in the world. So why are we so scared of something so prevalent in our everyday lives?
While certain types of radiation can be very harmful in high doses, our fears may have more to do with how radiation is portrayed than it does with the actual danger of exposure. This hour, we talk with experts about the benefits, risks, and oftentimes misguided fears of radiation.
GUESTS:
Francis Cucinotta - Professor for the department of health physics and diagnostic sciences at the University of Nevada
Tim J. Jorgenson - Author of Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation
David Ropeik - Author of How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Match The Facts
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Ray Hardman, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired November 21, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/23/2021 • 50 minutes
Looking At Our World Through Glass
Glass is all around us: from windows and mirrors, to phone screens and fiber optic cables.
This hour, we learn how glass helped shape our world, about efforts to create different types of glasses, and what it's like to make art out of glass.
GUESTS:
John Garrison - Professor at Grinnell College, and author of the book Glass
Alexis Clare - Professor of Glass Science at Alfred University
Eric Meek - Senior Manager of Hot Glass Programs at the Corning Museum of Glass
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
9/22/2021 • 49 minutes
The New England Patriots: From Winner To Champion, From Champion To Dynasty
Seventeen AFC East championships. Nine Super Bowl appearances. Six Lombardi trophies. Twenty seasons pairing maybe the greatest head coach in the history of the NFL with maybe the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL.
At the same time, there are words like “spygate.” “Deflategate.” And even “solicitation in Florida.”
This hour, a look at one of the all-time great (and all-time most divisive) sports dynasties: the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick/Robert Kraft New England Patriots.
GUEST:
Jeff Benedict - Special features writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of 16 books; his latest is The Dynasty
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired December 9, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/21/2021 • 50 minutes
The Best Laid Schemes Of Mice And Men: Human And Wildlife Conflict
“Animals, which were in the service of man, could be arrested, tried, convicted and executed,” according to Edmund P. Evans in his book The Criminal Prosecution and Capital Punishment of Animals, published in 1906. They could also be excommunicated from the church.
Our relationship to our pets and wildlife has mellowed over the centuries, but we still can’t figure out how to share space and food with the wildlife that lives among us without conflict, especially when resources get tight.
We can’t translocate, trap, tase, laser, bomb, and euthanize our way toward a good solution. And aren’t we part of the problem? So, how do we coexist when humans make all the rules?
GUESTS:
Mary Roach - The author, most recently, of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law
Ben Kilham - Founder of the Kilham Bear Center in New Hampshire and the author of two books, Among the Bears: Raising Orphan Cubs in the Wild and In the Company of Bears
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
9/20/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Knew The Deceased Only In Passing: ‘Only Murders In The Building,’ ‘Small Engine Repair,’ More
Only Murders in the Building is a half-hour-ish (!) mystery-comedy series on Hulu. It stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, and Amy Ryan. Five first-season episodes have dropped so far, and it was renewed for a second season this week.
And: Small Engine Repair is a film adaption written by, directed by, and starring John Pollono and based on his black comedy drama (black dramedy?) stage play of the same name. It is the first movie showing exclusively in theaters that the Nose has covered since January, 2020.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Norm Macdonald Dies: Influential Comedian & Former ‘SNL’ Weekend Update Anchor Was 61
Rolling Stone: The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time For the first time in 17 years, we’ve completely remade our list of the best songs ever. More than 250 artists, writers, and industry figures helped us choose a brand-new list full of historic favorites, world-changing anthems, and new classics
Empire: The 50 Best Animated Movies
John Mulaney was performing a role all along Parasocial relationships aren’t to blame for the John Mulaney/Olivia Munn pregnancy discourse.
Twitter Has a Parasocial Relationship with the Word Parasocial
Epic v. Apple judge rules Fortnite’s Peely can appear naked in court Peely’s ‘just a banana man,’ after all
Porno Hustlers Of The Atari Age The newly unearthed history behind one of the most offensive video games ever made
Owen Wilson Is Doing Great, Thanks The veteran actor has a cold, but that’s nothing a few avocado pancakes, some hydration therapy, a bike ride, hot tea, half a slice of Key-lime pie, and the magic of life can’t fix. Three days with the star of Loki, The French Dispatch, and all those movies you know by heart.
Drake And Kanye Owe Us More Than This The collision of Certified Lover Boy and Donda should have been a thrilling moment. Instead, it’s petty, frustrating, and lacking in high stakes.
Welcome to Dunkin’ World With streetwear-style drops and a shrewd embrace of social media, New England’s favorite purveyor of extremely normal coffee has turned itself into a lifestyle brand.
Why “Jeopardy!” Might Not Survive The Mike Richards Debacle “Many people saw it basically as kind of like Dick Cheney conducting a search for the vice president…and then deciding that he would be the best vice president.”
Christopher Nolan Exits Warner Bros. After Nearly Two Decades, New Film Set Up at Universal Nolan’s follow-up to “Tenet” will reportedly begin production in the first quarter of 2022.
‘Necessary Roughness’ Made Texas Football Into a Joke. But It Also Moved the Chains. Kick off the football season with this underappreciated, Denton-filmed comedy, which captured some truths about Texas football that later, more-serious movies would expand on.
Emmys 2021: Who Will Win, Who Should Win Ahead of Sunday night’s ceremony, we place our bets on likely winners and shout out those shows and stars poised to get robbed
Nicki Minaj isn’t anti-vax, exactly. That’s why her vaccine resistance is so concerning. Minaj, under the guise of urging vaccine caution, is helping mainstream a dangerous form of anti-science.
Dune Director Denis Villeneuve Is Not A Fan Of Marvel Movies, Sorry
The once-sedate astronomy world is quarreling over whether ’Oumuamua was an alien craft Alien probe or a “chunk of Pluto”? The scientific debate over ’Oumuamua continues
Diarrhea incident continues to spell problems for Ultimate Slip ’N Slide The Bobby Moynihan/Ron Funches-hosted reality series finds itself stuck without an ending, and pulled from its plum post-Olympics timeslot
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer - A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
9/17/2021 • 49 minutes
The Art Of Gossip
Gossiping is considered a bad habit. But, when done well, it can actually have social benefits. This hour on the Colin McEnroe Show, we’ll discuss what gossip is, its benefits and drawbacks, and why we’re interested in celebrity gossip.
GUESTS:
Frank McAndrew - Psychology professor at Knox College
Shayla Love - Senior staff writer of features at Vice
Amanda Kehrberg - Adjunct media studies faculty at Arizona State University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
9/16/2021 • 49 minutes
The State Of Vax Requirements, Dunkin' Drops Merch, And Resurrecting The Woolly Mammoth
This hour, a smorgasbord of disparate topics: mandates, mammoths, and merch.
First, a look at the state of America’s patchwork of COVID vaccine requirements.
And then: New England’s own Dunkin' has started doing limited-edition merchandise drops. Can normie coffee make itself into a lifestyle brand?
Finally: Scientists are trying to genetically resurrect the woolly mammoth. “Life, uh, finds a way,” and all that.
GUESTS:
Debbie Kaminer - Professor of law at the CUNY Baruch College
Lora Kelley - A contributor to GQ
Carl Zimmer - The science columnist for The New York Times
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.
9/15/2021 • 49 minutes
Fire: Sparking Imagination Since 2 Million B.C.
Fire imagery abounds in music, literature, art, and scripture. It thrives at the center of ceremony and ritual around the world. We associate fire with sentiments of passion, anger, transformation, purity, and even evil itself.
Some say our fascination with fire is owed to the fact that, of all creatures, we alone possess the ability to create and control it.
They say at its center, fire burns hottest. So stand back and listen close, for this hour, we journey straight to its core. It’s one heck of a hot topic, and we’re guessing it’ll spark your interest.
GUESTS:
Steve Pyne - Author of Moved by Fire: History’s Promethean Moment and Fire: A Brief History
Eric Rabkin - Professor emeritus of English language and literature and of art & design at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Gary Snyder - Poet
Christian Tryon - Assistant professor of anthropology at Harvard
Charles Wright - The 50th Poet Laureate of the United States
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired January 14, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/14/2021 • 50 minutes
We Take Your Calls: Ask (Or Tell) Us Anything
We’ve been doing these weekly shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
A few times, we haven’t even started with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. And those shows have been fun. So we’re doing it again this week.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or 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.
9/13/2021 • 49 minutes
A Radio Show About Mimes? You Bet.
Mimes have been gesticulating their way into our hearts (or nightmares) nearly for forever. It may be that the legendary Marcel Marceau popularized the mime, but people have been communicating through movement since the very beginning.
Today, characters in big-budget Hollywood movies and television shows routinely rely on pantomime techniques to create the on-screen characters we love.
This hour, the past, present, and future of mimes.
GUESTS:
Doug Jones - A trained mime, contortionist, and award-winning actor known for his roles in The Shape of Water, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, Hocus Pocus, Star Trek: Discovery, and more
Richard Knight - Author of Mime the Gap: Techniques in Mime and Movement
Shawn Wen - Author of A Twenty Minute Silence Followed by Applause
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired August 30, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/10/2021 • 50 minutes
A Tribute To The Proud And Peaceful Pigeon
B. F. Skinner thought pigeons were so smart they could be used to guide missiles during World War II. He proposed a system in which pigeons would essentially pilot a missile. Skinner said pigeons could be trained to peck at a screen to adjust the trajectory of the missile toward its target. Project Pigeon was funded but never used.
In 2013, New York conceptual artist Duke Reilly trained half his flock of pigeons to carry contraband cigars from Cuba to Florida and the other half to carry tiny video cameras documenting the smuggling flight of their comrades.
Another group of researchers trained pigeons to reliably distinguish between the paintings of Picasso and Monet, even if they had never seen a particular painting before.
This hour, everything you ever wanted to know about pigeons but were afraid to ask.
GUESTS:
Yoni Applebaum - A social and cultural historian
Andrew Blechman - Author of Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World’s Most Revered and Reviled Bird
Wanda Corn - The Robert and Ruth Halperin Professor Emerita in the department of art and art history at Stanford University
Patrick Skahill - Senior reporter at Connecticut Public
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired November 12, 2013.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/9/2021 • 50 minutes
Star Trek: 55 Years Of Boldly Going
At 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, 1966, NBC aired the premiere of a new series called Star Trek. The episode was “The Man Trap.” The star date was 1513.1, in case you’re interested in that kind of thing.
I am not interested in that kind of thing.
The Star Trek canon encompasses 10 television shows — 811 episodes, so far — and 13 movies. I’ve just never been into it. I tried to get into it for this show, but it didn’t work.
But here’s the thing: It doesn’t matter. “Beam me up.” “Live long and prosper.” “Redshirt.” “Vulcan.” “Klingon.” The English language’s best known split infinitive. Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of Star Trek, Star Trek is a big damn deal, with nearly boundless influence.
“Star Trek is more than pop culture; it’s 20th century mythology,” according to The AV Club’s Caroline Siede. This hour, a look at some of the more than 36,000 minutes — more than 25 days — of television and movies that is Star Trek.
GUESTS:
Sam Hatch - Co-host of The Culture Dogs on WWUH
Timothy Sandefur - Author of The Permission Society: How the Ruling Class Turns Our Freedoms Into Privileges and What We Can Do About It; he wrote an essay on the politics of Star Trek
Caroline Siede - Freelance writer
Linda Wetzel - Associate professor of philosophy at Georgetown University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Rebecca Castellani, Greg Hill, Chion Wolf, and Alan Yu contributed to this show, which originally aired September 8, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/8/2021 • 50 minutes
Bastards! A Look At Illegitimacy From ‘Game Of Thrones’ To ‘Hamilton’ And Beyond
The word “bastard” hasn’t always been meant to offend. Used simply as an indication of illegitimate birth at first, the label “bastard” didn’t bring with it shame or stigma until long after it first appeared in the Middle Ages.
Today, while its original meaning has not been forgotten, its use is largely reserved for insult. Yet, ironically, the underdog status once associated with a person of illegitimate birth is now something our modern culture celebrates.
From Alexander Hamilton to Game of Thrones’s Jon Snow, the bastard’s ability to rise above his or her unfortunate circumstances to achieve greatness has become something to root for.
This hour, a look at the origin, evolution, and pop culture triumph of the bastard!
GUESTS:
Scott Andrews - Science fiction reviewer for The Philadelphia Inquirer, columnist for Winter Is Coming, and the author of The Guild Leader’s Handbook
Joanne Freeman - Professor of history and American studies at Yale University and the editor of The Essential Hamilton: Letters & Other Writings
Sara McDougall - Associate professor of history at John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York and the author of Royal Bastards: The Birth of Illegitimacy, 800–1230
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 18, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/7/2021 • 50 minutes
The Nose Is Important For The Health Of The Department: ‘Seinfeld’ On Netflix, TV’s White Guys, And ‘The Chair’
According to Vulture, TV’s white guys are in crisis, and specifically on a bunch of shows The Nose has covered: Kevin Can F**k Himself, The White Lotus, The Chair, Ted Lasso… Oh, and Jeopardy!
And speaking of TV’s white guys, Seinfeld is coming to Netflix next month. Eric Deggans wonders why it hasn’t caught on with young people the way shows like The Office and Friends have.
And finally: The Chair is a Netflix miniseries about the English department at fictional Pembroke University. It stars Sandra Oh, Jay Duplass, Bob Balaban, Holland Taylor, and more.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
How MLB pushed back the Atlantic League mound and pushed fed-up players to the brink of a work stoppage
Lady Gaga’s Dog Walker Is Finally Ready to Talk Ryan Fischer took a bullet trying to save the pop star’s French bulldogs from being dognapped. He knows you have questions
Inside the Weird World of Out-of-Office Messages
‘Jeopardy!’ Had To Clarify Its Rules Because A Very Good Champion Has A Very Annoying Answering Habit
Joe Rogan, a podcasting giant who has been dismissive of vaccination, has Covid.
Al Leiter, John Smoltz won’t appear at MLB Network studios after refusing vaccine
After Pink criticized the parents of a 14-year-old YouTuber who was pictured in a bikini, the girl said the swimsuits aren’t sexual unless you ‘view us that way’
Who asked for this? We don’t know. But Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew is here anyway.
The People Who Make Ted Lasso Can See Your Tweets, You Know
ABBA Reunite for First Time in 40 Years, Announce New Album and Digital Concert Swedish pop group finally releases singles “I Still Have Faith In You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down”
A Dishonest Study on Dishonesty Puts a Prominent Researcher on the Hot Seat
A complete timeline of how Bishop Sycamore fooled ESPN
McDonald’s Mascot Grimace Is a What Now?!? Truly did not need this information in my life.
GUESTS:
Elizabeth Keifer - Professor emerita of English at Tunxis Community College
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
9/3/2021 • 49 minutes
The Movies, Mysteries, And Marvels Of Christopher Nolan
In the 20 years since Christopher Nolan’s Memento hit theaters, his movies have grossed more than $5 billion, earned 36 Academy Award nominations, and won 11 Oscars.
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 standalone live action movie ever made.
This hour, a look at the filmmaker behind Batman Begins, Dunkirk, Interstellar, Tenet, and more: Christopher Nolan.
GUESTS:
Kayleigh Donaldson - A pop culture writer and critic
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Tom Shone - Author of The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan
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.
9/2/2021 • 49 minutes
From ‘Bye Bye Bye’ To ‘Butter’: The Enduring Appeal Of Boy Bands
From New Kids on the Block to *NSYNC to One Direction, boy bands have been a staple of popular music for decades.
This hour, a look back at the history — and future — of boy bands.
GUESTS:
Maria Sherman - Author of Larger Than Life: A History of Boy Bands from NKOTB to BTS
Aja Romano - A culture staff writer for Vox
Brad Fischetti - The surviving member of LFO
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
9/1/2021 • 49 minutes
The Search For What It Means To Be Alive (And Human)
“Life is a self-sustained chemical system capable of undergoing Darwinian evolution.”
That’s the so-called “NASA definition of life.”
Or there’s Russian-born geneticist Edward Trifonov’s take: Life is “self-reproduction with variations.”
Or there’s “Life is an expected, collectively self-organized property of catalytic polymers.” Or “Life is a metabolic network within a boundary.”
It’s said that, “There are as many definitions of life as there are people trying to define it.” And yet, none of those definitions is quite right.
Science writer Carl Zimmer says that’s strange behavior for scientists: “It is as if astronomers kept coming up with new ways to define stars.”
Plus: Linguist Ben Zimmer (no relation to Carl*) on what it means to be human. Or, at least, as much as we can tell about what it means to be human by looking at Dr. Fill, the artificial intelligence that won a national crossword puzzle tournament.
*No relation beyond that they’re brothers, I mean.
GUESTS:
Ben Zimmer - A linguist, lexicographer, and the language columnist for The Wall Street Journal
Carl Zimmer - The science columnist for The New York Times; his newest book is Life’s Edge: The Search for What It Means To Be Alive
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 26, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/31/2021 • 50 minutes
We Take Your Calls: Ask (Or Tell) Us Anything
We’ve been doing these weekly shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
The last couple weeks, we haven’t even started with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. And those shows have been fun. So we’re doing it again this week.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888–720–9677. Or 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.
8/30/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Never Wears Shoes: Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Barefoot CEOs, 'Roadrunner,' More
There is a longstanding tendency among tech CEOs to be sort of performatively photographed with bare feet. Also: It’s gross.
And: Washington Post humorist Gene Weingarten got himself into a bit of trouble this week for saying that Indian cuisine is based entirely on one spice. And and: Pumpkin spice lattes are back. Already. (Also: It’s 90 degrees outside.)
And finally: Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain is, well, a documentary film about Anthony Bourdain. It’s available as a $20 rental right now, and it’ll hit HBO Max and air on CNN in the future.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Don Everly, Older Brother in Groundbreaking Rock Duo, Dies at 84 The Everly Brothers, Don and Phil, were the most successful rock act to emerge from Nashville in the 1950s, rivaling Elvis Presley for radio airplay.
Charlie Watts, the Rolling Stones’ Drummer and Inimitable Backbone, Dead at 80 Rock & roll legend “passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier [Tuesday] surrounded by his family,” according to publicist
‘Never Call Me Your Drummer Again’ The full story of the time Charlie Watts punched Mick Jagger, excerpted from Sympathy for the Drummer.
Man Photographed As A Baby On ‘Nevermind’ Cover Sues Nirvana For Sexual Exploitation
OnlyFans Is Reversing Its Ban On Adult Content, But Sex Workers Say It’s Already Cost Them Followers And Money “Every single dime that company has made has revolved around porn whether they want to admit it or not … I think it’s hilarious now watching them try to pick up the pieces from a vase they threw at the wall.”
25 Tweets That Prove No One Was Emotionally Prepared For The “Spider-Man: No Way Home” Trailer
The Karate Kid Stage Musical To Wax On In A Pre-Broadway Run In 2022
Sean Penn still has more to say He’s supposed to be talking about his new movie. But there’s so much else.
Tom Hanks Sells 4 Vehicles From His Collection His marquee item in the auction, an Airstream trailer bought in the “Sleepless in Seattle” era, brought in over $200,000.
Looking Back On 15 Years Of ‘Idiocracy,’ One The Most Memorable And Sadly Relevant Comedies Of The 21st Century
Parents Are Not Okay We’re not even at a breaking point anymore. We’re broken.
Even Billy Joel Mocked ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire.’ I Loved It. As a 4-year-old, our critic couldn’t get enough of this manic 1989 hit, a crash course in U.S. history. Now the song lives on in parodies and memes.
Ted Lasso Is a Perfect Show If You Hate Laughing This “balm for the soul” is supposed to be a comedy?
Tom Cruise Performed 13,000 Motorbike Jumps To Prep For A Mission: Impossible 7 Stunt
He’s No Longer Host. But Mike Richards Is Still Running ‘Jeopardy!’ Defying a backlash over sexist and crude comments, a top Sony TV executive told the show’s staff that the studio stood behind Mr. Richards as the executive producer.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project
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.
8/27/2021 • 49 minutes
Exploring Climate Solutions
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently released a report detailing the latest scientific understanding about climate change. This hour, we learn about what’s included in that report. And, we’ll discuss some climate solutions, including carbon capture, oysters, and granting rights to rivers and lakes.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Leber - Climate reporter at Vox
David Bercovici - The co-director of the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture and a professor in Yale’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Danielle Bissett - Director of Restoration for the Billion Oyster Project
Kelsey Leonard - Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Environment at the University of Waterloo, a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Waters, Climate, and Sustainability, and a citizen of the Shinnecock Nation
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/26/2021 • 49 minutes
Words That Shall Not Be Said
Profanity used to be about someone swearing insincerely to God. Then the Reformation came along and made profanity about sex and the body.
Today, our most unspeakable words are are slurs against other groups at a time when Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, and cancel culture are driving our cultural narrative.
This hour: the past, present, and future of profanity.
GUEST:
John McWhorter - Author of Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter — Then, Now, and Forever and host of Slate’s Lexicon Valley podcast
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 13, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/25/2021 • 50 minutes
New Thinking About Cavities, Smokey Bear Needs A Rebrand, And Earth As Exoplanet
This hour, a potpourri of topics.
First, some new thinking around dental cavities — are they really an oral microbiome problem?
And, as we endure another record-setting fire season, scientists are wondering, does Smokey Bear need a makeover?
Finally, what happens if we look at Earth as an exoplanet?
GUESTS:
Jaime Green - Associate editor of Future Tense
Maggie Koerth - Senior science writer for FiveThirtyEight
Jennifer Oldham - Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/24/2021 • 49 minutes
We Take Your Calls: Ask (Or Tell) Us Anything
We’ve been doing these weekly shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
This week, we aren’t even starting with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Gene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/23/2021 • 49 minutes, 59 seconds
The Nose Won’t Be The New Host OfThe Nose Won’t Be The New Host Of ‘Jeopardy!’ Either: Mike Richards, ‘FBOY Island,’ More ‘Jeopardy!’ Either: Mike Richards, David & Dershowitz, ‘FBOY Island’
The Nose had planned to discuss all the scandals around Jeopardy! executive-producer-turned-incoming-host Mike Richards. But then he quit this morning, so The Nose discusses that instead.
And: Larry David (the real guy, not the TV character — as much as those are two different things) went off on Alan Dershowitz in a Martha’s Vineyard grocery store.
And finally: FBOY Island is HBO Max’s first reality TV dating show. It’s not the sort of thing The Nose would normally cover, which is exactly why The Nose is covering it.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Chuck Close, Artist of Outsized Reality, Dies at 81 He found success with his large-scale Photorealist portraits, becoming one of the leading artists of his generation. Late in life he faced allegations of sexual harassment.
Sean Lock Dies: ‘8 Out Of 10 Cats’ Comedian Was 58; Tributes From Ricky Gervais, Bill Bailey, David Baddiel & More
Lawsuit Alleges Sexual Abuse By Bob Dylan
Britney Spears Is Under Investigation For Battery After A Dispute With A Staff Member No one was injured in the alleged altercation between Spears and a member of her staff.
New pictures show Wally the Walrus relaxing on a small boat in Crookhaven Wally the walrus is set to get a ‘floating couch’ in an effort to prevent him from sinking more boats.
Carrie Underwood Faced Backlash Online After She Liked An Anti-Mask Video On Twitter
Mr. McFeely’s son, a real-life mail carrier, to deliver in Daniel Tiger’s neighborhood
Why Country Music Was (Finally) Ready to Come Out “It was like, ‘I can be comfortable and out and gay, or I can do country music, but I definitely can’t do both,’” says one artist. Now that dichotomy appears to be falling apart
The Coen Brother If Ethan Coen is done making movies with his brother Joel, what might that mean for projects from each Coen Brother going forward?
OnlyFans Says It Will Ban Sexually Explicit Content The new policy takes effect Oct. 1.
GUESTS:
Xandra Ellin - Associate producer at Pineapple Street Media, and she writes the On the Media newsletter
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Cat Pastor - Assistant radio operations manager at Connecticut Public
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/20/2021 • 49 minutes
The Humble Fly
There are thought to be about 17 quadrillion flies alive on Earth at any one time. That’s 17 million for every living human.
They’re predators and parasites and pests, but they’re pollinators too. They help us solve crimes, heal wounds, and understand genetics and evolution. And they literally help at least one artist paint his paintings.
Also this hour: A look at David Cronenberg’s 1986 remake of The Fly on the week of its 35th anniversary.
GUESTS:
Jonathan Balcombe - Author of Super Fly: The Unexpected Lives of the World’s Most Successful Insects
John Knuth - An artist; his work is part of Reunion, A Group Exhibition at Hollis Taggart in Southport, Conn., showing until September 4
Gale Ridge - Associate scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Jacob Trussel - Author of The Binge Watcher’s Guide to The Twilight Zone; his latest piece for Film School Rejects is “Only Jeff Goldblum Could Make Us Fall in Love with ‘The Fly.’”
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/19/2021 • 49 minutes
Building Utopia
Over 500 years ago, Sir Thomas More wrote about utopia. Since then, countless communities around the world have worked to create their own versions of a perfect world. This hour on the Colin McEnroe Show, we look at examples of utopian communities from around the world.
GUESTS:
Avery Trufelman - Host of the podcast Nice Try!
Akash Kapur - Author of Better to Have Gone: Love, Death, and the Quest for Utopia in Auroville
Samir Patel - Editor-in-chief of Atlas Obscura
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/18/2021 • 49 minutes
We Take Your Calls
We’ve been doing these weekly shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls.
This week, our plan was to forgo even starting with the suggestion of a topic that your calls might, potentially, be about. Just to see what would happen.
But the situation in Afghanistan has drawn focus, and we should probably at least vaguely start there.
But still: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about anything at all. 888-720-9677. Or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/17/2021 • 49 minutes
Sly Like A (Domesticated) Fox
This show originally aired July 26, 2017.
In 1959, Soviet geneticist Dmitri Belyaev started an ambitious experiment to study the origins of domestication: he would attempt to breed domesticated wild foxes by selecting on their behavior alone, a process he imagined our ancestors carried out with dogs thousands of years before.
This hour, a look at the history and progress of this still-ongoing experiment: What can it tell us about our animal companions — and ourselves?
Plus, we catch up with some domesticated fox owners and find out if foxes are good pets in real life.
GUESTS:
Amy and David Bassett - Founders of the Judith A. Bassett Canid Education and Conservation Center and the owners of several Russian domesticated foxes
Lee Dugatkin - Author of How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog): Visionary Scientists and a Siberian Tale of Jump-Started Evolution
Jacob Mikanowski - Writes about science, history, and art
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/16/2021 • 50 minutes
The Nose Wants 2 B Released Posthumously: Prince’s ‘Welcome 2 America’ And T.J. Newman’s ‘Falling’
Welcome 2 America is a brand new, never-before-released full studio album of Prince material. And it’s the first one of those released after his death. That fact seems to complicate things a bit.
And: It’s not often that The Nose reads a book, but it has happened before, and it is happening again. T.J. Newman’s debut novel, Falling, has been a bit of a publishing phenomenon, having instantly entered the New York Times best sellers list at No. 2. The book is an airplane thriller, and Newman was a flight attendant until earlier this year.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Kool & The Gang Co-Founder Dennis ‘Dee Tee’ Thomas Has Died At Age 70
Markie Post, ‘Night Court’ Actress, Dies at 70 Ms. Post played a bail bondswoman on the show “The Fall Guy” in the 1980s and starred opposite John Ritter in the sitcom “Hearts Afire” in the 1990s.
16 Recent Books Reddit Thinks Will Be Classics
What Bobby Mcilvaine Left Behind Grief, conspiracy theories, and one family’s search for meaning in the two decades since 9/11
ABA CEO Allison Hill’s Letter to Members
Ghosts I didn’t know how to write about my sister’s death—so I had AI do it for me.
Can culture degenerate? Tempting it might be, but the idea that culture has become vacuous and banal comes with unsavoury implications
‘Jeopardy!’ Announces Mike Richards and Mayim Bialik as New Hosts The long-running game show decided to turn to its own executive producer in succeeding Alex Trebek, who died last year, as the show’s regular host.
Ryan Adams: ‘I Felt Like They Were Asking Me to Die’ Two years after a series of #MeToo allegations turned him into a pariah, the struggling singer is finally breaking his silence. But does anyone want to hear what he has to say?
SpaceX and a Canadian startup plan to launch a satellite that will beam adverts into space. Anyone can buy pixels on the satellite’s screen with dogecoin.
NASA Wants You To Spend A Year Simulating Life On Mars, For Science
Matt Damon used to escape controversy, while Ben Affleck used to be the punchline. What changed?
Michael Stipe Wants to Make Mistakes
Long before Jungle Cruise, Hollywood mastered the adventure romance genre The African Queen, Romancing The Stone, and The Mummy mix action, romance, and comedy in perfect measure
The Last Jedi let the past die—and pissed off a galaxy of overprotective fans in the process Rian Johnson dared to make an anti-nostalgic Star Wars. The diehards were not pleased.
Marvel and DC face backlash over pay: ‘They sent a thank you note and $5,000 – the movie made $1bn’
HBO Investigating Theroux and Harrelson Series Over ‘Alleged Unprofessional Behavior’ on Set The incident on “The White House Plumbers” is said to involve director/executive producer David Mandel and a member of the props department.
A Guide to Each Hollywood Studio’s Theatrical Windows
Oh hell yes: At long last, De La Soul’s entire catalogue will be available digitally One of the best and most influential groups in hip-hop history will finally see its deep well of music hit streaming services in 2021
“I Got a Second Chance”: From Puff Daddy to Diddy to Love Sean Combs was the original influencer. Now the artist and mogul is defining his next era—and launching a record label.
12 Celebrities With Questionable Bathing Habits And 12 Celebrities With Exemplary Bathing Habits Apparently this is a divisive topic!
David Schwimmer Responded To The Rumors That He And Jennifer Aniston Are Now Dating In Real Life After Admitting To Having “Major" Crushes On Each Other During The “Friends” Reunion “We were crushing hard on each other, but it was like two ships passing because one of us was always in a relationship.”
It Makes Total Sense That Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer Would Be Dating
Opinion: Why not pay college actors like college athletes?
I Was Powerless Over Diet Coke After almost 40 years as a diet-soda addict, my body suddenly started to reject my favorite feel-good companion.
I Am Also Powerless Over Diet Coke, and It Rules
Either Wirecutter Or I Are Doing Toilet Brush Ownership EXTREMELY Wrong
Nestflix Creator Lynn Fisher Shares the Inspiration for Her Website Devoted to Fake Movies
GUESTS:
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright and director of client services at Buzz Engine
Julia Pistell - A founding member of Sea Tea Improv, a co-host of the Literary Disco podcast, and other things
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Matt Farley, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/13/2021 • 49 minutes
‘To The Hobbits’: Celebrating ‘The Lord Of The Rings’
It has been almost 20 years since the The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring movie was released.
This hour, a look back at the The Lord of the Rings books and movies and their impact.
GUESTS:
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 - Entertainment editor for Polygon
Molly Ostertag - Graphic novelist, TV writer, and author of the article “Queer Readings of the Lord of the Rings are Not Accidents”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
8/12/2021 • 49 minutes
The Semiotics of Cigarettes, Sexy Shoes, and Some Other Stuff
Semiotics is the study of sign process, which is to say: it’s the science of the search for meaning.
And then, part of the underlying premise of semiotics — which just happens to be part of the underlying premise of The Colin McEnroe Show, itself — is that there’s meaning… everywhere.
Why do people smoke cigarettes even though everyone knows they’re terribly harmful? Why do women wear terribly uncomfortable high-heeled shoes? Could it simply be because those things are… interesting?
This hour: a crash course in the study of meaning-making, in the science of semiotics.
GUEST:
Marcel Danesi - The author of Of Cigarettes, High Heels, and Other Interesting Things: An Introduction to Semiotics
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired September 6, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/11/2021 • 50 minutes
A Failed Star Dubbed ‘The Accident,’ The Rise And Fall Of The Segway, And Squirrel Parkour
It’s a magazine show — which is to say, it’s a show covering a number of disparate topics linked only by the fact that we’ve decided to cover them together.
This hour, the too-big-to-be-a-planet, too-small-to-be-a-proper-star celestial body dubbed ‘The Accident.’
And: A look at the overwhelming hype, and precipitous fall (pardon the pun) of the Segway.
Plus: squirrel parkour.
GUESTS:
Steve Kemper - The author of several books, including Reinventing the Wheel: A Story of Genius, Innovation, and Grand Ambition
Dan Kois - An editor and writer at Slate
Lucia Jacobs - Principal investigator at The Jacobs Lab of Cognitive Biology at the University of California, Berkeley
Jonathan O’Callaghan - A freelance space and science journalist
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.
8/10/2021 • 49 minutes
We Take Your Calls: The Delta Variant
As compared to two weeks ago, new COVID case counts are up 112%, hospitalizations are up 90%, and deaths are up 92%. This would seem to be driven by the extra-contagious delta variant and a population that’s just 50% fully vaccinated.
And so: What do we need to change about ourselves? And what do we want government to change for us? Do we need to get off the honor system?
Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour: 860-275-7266, or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/9/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Booked The Pineapple Suite: Ashton Kutcher’s Irregular Bathing, Tapbacks, And ‘The White Lotus’
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have publicly admitted that they rarely bathe. Kutcher, in fact, went as far as to say he washes his “armpits and my crotch daily and nothing else ever.” This all makes me incredibly uncomfortable, but it turns out that maybe not everyone feels that way.
And: A look at the etiquette of the text tapback, as saluted in this week’s New York Times Magazine.
And finally: The White Lotus is a six-part miniseries currently running on HBO. It follows the staff and guests at a Hawaiian resort over the course of a week, and while it starts off as a sort of drama/thriller, it evolves into more of a satire as it goes.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
How TV Went From David Brent to Ted Lasso
Disney, WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal wrestle with balancing the value of cable networks and streaming services
DaBaby Was Dropped From Two More Music Festivals For His Anti-Gay Comments
Silver Linings
Meet the Dommes Who Are Demanding Their Submissives Get Vaxxed
Light detected behind a black hole for the first time
Coen Bros. Split Because ‘Ethan Didn’t Want to Make Movies Anymore,’ Says Carter Burwell
Lorne Michaels Can’t Quit SNL, So He Hopes Nobody Else Will, Either
Lionel Messi is Not Renewing His Contract with FC Barcelona
Mike Richards in Advanced Negotiations to Become Permanent Host of ‘Jeopardy!’
Who Owns My Name? by Amanda Knox
The Washington Football Team Has Banned Native American Headdresses From Its Stadium
The Rolling Stones to perform private concert for Robert Kraft and friends
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer - A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
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.
8/6/2021 • 49 minutes
The Return Of The Music Mavens
The Three Music Musketeers return!
Are you bored with your playlist? We’ve reunited our trio of music mavens — novelist Wally Lamb, critic Eric Danton, and not-killed-by-video radio star Joan Holliday — to freshen up your music choices with great recommendations.
Warning: This program includes banter.
The songs in this show include some or all of these ones:
“I NEED YOU” by Jon Batiste
“Pigeons” by Bill Callahan
“Brando” by Lucy Dacus
“Jazz on the Autobahn” by The Felice Brothers
“Northsiders” by Christian Lee Hutson
“Waxahachie” by Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall
“Hard Drive” by Cassandra Jenkins
“Sometimes” by Bessie Jones
“Washing Machine” by Kings of Convenience
“The King of All Birds” by Aoife O’Donovan
“Trap Life” by SAULT
“Chaise Longue” by Wet Leg
GUESTS:
Eric Danton - A reporter and critic
Joan Holliday - Host of The Riversound Café with Joan Holliday weekday afternoons on 93.9 and 101.5 The River
Wally Lamb - The author of nine books; his most recent novel is I’ll Take You There
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/5/2021 • 49 minutes
Hunting For Treasure
Treasure hunts are prolific across literature, film, and history.
This hour we talk about treasure hunts, including what happens when you drop one in the present day.
GUESTS:
Dan Barbarisi - Author of Chasing The Thrill: Obsession, Death and Glory In America’s Most Extraordinary Treasure Hunt
Marcellus Cadd - Writes the blog Geocaching While Black
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
8/4/2021 • 49 minutes
How Soon Is Too Soon? (And Other Classic Questions And Conundrums About Comedy)
humor = tragedy + time
OK, but then the logical next question is: How much time?
If it’s OK, at this point, to joke about, say, The Spanish Inquisition… what about, for instance, the Holocaust? Or AIDS? September 11th? The MeToo movement?
…The delta variant?
There’s a line there somewhere, right?
Or are some topics just never going to be funny?
GUESTS:
Mike Bent - Teaches writing in the Comedic Arts program at Emerson College, and he’s a performing comedian and magician
Shawn Murray - Shawn Murray is a comedian, writer, and the host of Nobody Asked Shawn
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer
Ferne Pearlstein - A documentary filmmaker who directed The Last Laugh
Caleb Warren - Assistant professor of marketing at the University of Arizona
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Catie Talarski, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired February 21, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/3/2021 • 50 minutes
We Take Your Calls: Trying To Get Comfortable With Uncomfortable Conversations About Race
This hour, a conversation not exactly about the recent anti-CRT hysteria on the right and not exactly about extreme wokeness on the left, but about how we talk and write and think and teach so that we acknowledge the wrongs of the past and how they show up in the present. Without driving each other nuts.
Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour: 860-275-7266, or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/2/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Watches ‘Schmigadoon!’ And ‘Summer of Soul’
Schmigadoon! is a musical comedy series on Apple TV+ starring Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key. In it, the couple gets stuck in a musical town, and can’t leave until they find true love.
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s documentary Summer of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised), on Hulu, is about The Harlem Cultural Festival, which occurred over six weeks in the summer of 1969, and featured artists like Stevie Wonder and Nina Simone.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Artistic Producer at Theater Works
Steve Metcalf - Director Emeritus of the University of Hartford’s Presidents’ College
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/30/2021 • 49 minutes
Taking Your Calls: Simone Biles, House Select Committee Hearing On The Capitol Attack
This hour, we take your calls about Olympian Simone Biles. She withdrew from competition on Tuesday to focus on her mental health, just weeks after tennis star Naomi Osaka also stepped back due to mental health struggles.
And we want your reaction to the House selection committee hearing on the January 6th Capitol attack, happening this week.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/29/2021 • 49 minutes
Profiling Criminal Profilers
Criminal Minds. Mindhunter and Manhunt. Cracker and Profiler. Nearly the whole of the Hannibal Lecter universe: Manhunter, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal (the movie and the TV series), Red Dragon… It goes on.
It seems we’re fascinated by forensic psychology, by mindhunting, by criminal profiling.
This hour, we look at three different criminal profilers: James Brussel, the psychologist who helped catch the Mad Bomber of New York in 1957; James Fitzgerald, the forensic linguist who caught the Unabomber; and Bill James, the father of sabermetrics, turns his data analysis on a century-old serial killer mystery that no one had even realized was a serial killer mystery before he and his daughter figured it out.
GUESTS:
Michael Cannell - Author of Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber, and the Invention of Criminal Profiling
James Fitzgerald - Retired FBI agent, criminal profiler, and forensic linguist; he’s the author of a series of memoirs, A Journey to the Center of the Mind
Bill James - Former Senior Advisor on Baseball Operations for the Boston Red Sox; co-author of The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery
Rachel McCarthy James - Co-author of The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired November 7, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/28/2021 • 50 minutes
An Ode To Obituaries And Obituarists
On the one hand, obituaries are an amalgam of a bunch of different kinds of journalism: they’re feature stories, they’re profile pieces, they cover history, and they’re hard news too.
On the other hand, the subject is always… dead.
This hour, a look at the art of obituaries and obituarists.
GUESTS:
Kate Cimini - A reporter for The Salinas Californian and CalMatters
Vanessa Gould - Produced and directed the documentary Obit.
Heather Lende - Obituarist for the Chilkat Valley News in Alaska and the author of Find the Good: Unexpected Life Lessons from a Small-Town Obituary Writer
Bruce Weber - Retired New York Times obituarist
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 24, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/27/2021 • 50 minutes
Do The 2020 Olympics Deserve A Medal?
The 2020 Olympics began late last week in Tokyo, Japan. This hour: we look back at the opening weekend, and ahead at the rest of the games.
GUESTS:
Ben Waterworth - Australian journalist and radio host, and host of many podcasts, including "Off The Podium," a podcast about the Olympics
Rebecca Schuman - Writer who is covering Olympic gymnastics for Slate
Emily VanDerWerff - Critic at Large for Vox
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/26/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Does Weird Deer [Stuff]: Deepfaked Bourdain, Black Rifle Coffee Company, And ‘Sweet Tooth’
The disclosure that a new documentary about Anthony Bourdain uses an artificial intelligence-generated version of his voice for three lines of its dialogue has raised a number of questions of ethics. Are documentaries journalism in the first place?
And: A profile of the Black Rifle Coffee Company in The New York Times Magazine has started some new conversations about consumption as political spectacle and more.
And finally, this paragraph will take a bit of a turn at the end: Sweet Tooth is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy drama series on Netflix. It is mostly set following a devastating viral pandemic, and the main character is a 10-year-old boy who is half deer.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Trans model makes Sports Illustrated swimsuit cover history: ‘If you don’t like it, you can go somewhere else’
How Shakespeare Became an American Icon
Will We Ever See a ‘Star Wars’–MCU Crossover?
The Spirit of the ’80s Is Alive and Crying on John Mayer’s New Album
In second Honors this year, Kennedy Center to recognize Joni Mitchell, Bette Midler, Lorne Michaels, Berry Gordy and Justino Díaz
An increasingly popular way to be buried: Become part of an artificial reef
With ‘Black Widow’ ticket buying suddenly drying up, growing questions for Disney’s Marvel about what did it in
Blaming Disney+ for the ‘Black Widow’ Drop Was Not a Smart Argument
Why I Still Love the Office
Where Have All the Sports Movies Gone?
The Resurgent Appeal of Guinness World Records
Why Does Jeff Bezos’ Rocket Look So Much Like a Penis? We Asked a Rocket Scientist.
Eric Clapton Will Not Play Shows Where Proof of Vaccine Is Required
Netflix’s Subscriber Base is Growing, But Not In North America
Sean Penn Line In Sand: Won’t Return To Watergate Series ‘Gaslit’ Unless All Cast & Crew Get Mandatory Covid Vaccinations
Neckties Are the New Bow Ties
Pack It In, Everyone, Dolly Parton Now Owns Hot Girl Summer
GUESTS:
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
7/23/2021 • 49 minutes
The Multiplicity Of The Multiverse
There’s a theory that ours isn’t the only universe. That there are, actually, infinitely many universes.
That there are, then, infinitely many yous.
That there are infinitely many different yous reading infinitely many different versions of this show synopsis. That there are infinitely many universes that don’t even bother to include you. Or this show synopsis. Or even reading.
Also, there’s a theory that The Berenstain Bears prove the theory that ours isn’t the only universe.
So, this hour, in this universe, a show about all that. Or (at least) one version of a show about all that.
GUESTS:
Amanda Gefter - A physics and cosmology writer and the author of Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn: A Father, a Daughter, the Meaning of Nothing and the Beginning of Everything
Mack Lamoureux - Night editor at Vice Canada
Eugene Lim - Senior lecturer in theoretical physics at King’s College London
Alicia Lutes - Managing editor of The Nerdist
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Katie Glass, Cat Pastor, Chion Wolf, and Alan Yu contributed to this show, which originally aired December 8, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/22/2021 • 50 minutes
A Meeting To Talk About Meetings
For many, meetings at work can feel like they get in the way of actual work. This hour, we talk about the history of meetings, why we meet, and how to meet better. Plus, how our meeting culture might change due to the pandemic.
GUESTS:
Liana Kreamer - PhD Student in Organizational Science at the University of North Carolina
Caitlin Rosenthal - Associate Professor of History at the University of California Berkeley
Rachel Sugar - Staff writer for Grubstreet
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/21/2021 • 49 minutes
We Take Your Calls
How far would you go? How far would you go, for instance, to convince people to get vaccinated?
Vaccination is, in a way, a test run. It’s a test run for some of the other big challenges we face. Like, for instance, climate change.
How far would you go?
Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour at 860-275-7266, or 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.
7/20/2021 • 49 minutes
The Exodus Of Young Evangelicals, The COVID Vaccine In Sports, And Soon-To-Be Astronaut Wally Funk
For decades, Christian evangelicals were the fastest-growing religious group in this country. Now, some young evangelicals are abandoning the faith.
And: There’s a new competitive edge in pro sports — the COVID vaccines.
And finally: Tomorrow, July 20, Wally Funk will become the oldest person ever to fly to space. So today, our conversation with Funk on her last day as a non-astronaut.
GUESTS:
Wally Funk - An American aviator with nearly 20,000 flight hours and a former member of the Mercury 13 program
Alex Kirshner - A writer and editor; he co-hosts the Split Zone Duo podcast and co-writes the Moon Crew newsletter
Terry Shoemaker - A lecturer on religious studies and American studies at Arizona State University
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/19/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Needs A Wet Paper Towel: ‘Black Widow’ And ‘I Think You Should Leave’
Black Widow is the 24th movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is the ninth, and final, one to feature Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff, and it’s the first film in Phase Four of the M.C.U. I don’t know what a lot of that stuff means, but Black Widow has already set a number of pandemic box office records. It has grossed more than $200 million worldwide so far.
And: I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is Robinson’s Netflix sketch comedy series. Its six second season episodes debuted on July 6. The episodes are all less than 20 minutes long (!).
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Charlie Robinson, Who Played Mac on ‘Night Court,’ Dies at 75
Mj Rodriguez Just Became The First Transgender Person To Be Nominated For A Major Lead Acting Emmy
The Emmys Have Gone Mildly Wild
Best Actor Or Actress? Gender-Expansive Performers Are Forced To Choose
Jason Sudeikis Is Having One Hell of a Year
Thom Yorke and Radiohead Release Music Video for “Creep (Very 2021 Rmx)”
Olivia Rodrigo Went To The White House To Talk About Vaccinations
Mint condition Super Mario 64 game sells for record $1.5m
This Insect Drinks Your Milkshake
Man fuels his personal fart-cycle with gas from a swamp
The newest clip from Netflix’s Sexy Beasts dating show offers fresh nightmare fuel
The Only ‘New’ Thing About Cross-Cultural Casting Is Who’s Getting The Roles
GUESTS:
Raquel Benedict - Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction, and she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast
Tom Breen - Managing editor of The New Haven Independent, and he hosted Deep Focus on WNHH radio
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.
7/16/2021 • 49 minutes
The Unicorn Show
When we think of unicorns, many of us picture idyllic white horses with a single horn, surrounded by rainbows. But that’s not how unicorns have always been depicted.
This hour, we discuss the history of unicorns, and their enduring popularity.
GUESTS:
Martha Bayless - The Director of Folklore and Public Culture and a professor of English at the University of Oregon
Adam Gidwitz - Author of The Unicorn Rescue Society series, among other books, and the creator of the podcast Grimm, Grimmer and Grimmest
Sarah Laskow - Author of The Very Short, Entirely True History of Unicorns and senior editor for science at The Atlantic
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/15/2021 • 49 minutes
Plum Island: ‘Sounds Charming’
Plum Island sits less than 7 miles off the coast of Connecticut in Long Island Sound. It is completely owned by the federal government and controlled by the Department of Homeland Security. Since 1954, it has been the site of the soon-to-be-decommissioned Plum Island Animal Disease Center.
“All islands carry a certain mystery, but Plum Island has more than its share of stories and secrets,” according to Marian Lindberg.
This hour, a look at the place Dr. Hannibal Lecter calls “Anthrax Island”: Plum Island, New York.
GUESTS:
Ellen Killoran - Staff reporter and editor at Crime Online
Marian Lindberg - Conservation specialist for The Nature Conservancy and the author of Scandal On Plum Island: A Commander Becomes the Accused
Geoff Manaugh - Co-author of Until Proven Safe: The History and Future of Quarantine
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.
7/14/2021 • 49 minutes
We Take Your Calls
On the one hand, it kind of feels like the pandemic is winding down, right? On the other hand, the daily caseload in the U.S. is 23,000, up 94% versus two weeks ago.
At the same time, the Teletubbies are all vaccinated, so that’s a welcome relief.
How are you handling this strange gray area in which we find ourselves?
Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour: 860–275–7266, or 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.
7/13/2021 • 49 minutes
It's Time To Talk About The Alphabet In The Room
Most of the Western world is organized by alphabetical order, which is so much more than the 26 letters that make up the alphabet. Alphabetical order is an organizing principle that allows us to save, order, and access thousands of years of humankind's most precious documents and ideas. Without it, we'd never know what came before us or how to pass on what's with us. It's ubiquitous, yet invisible in daily life.
This hour, a conversation about how we order our world and why we do it.
GUESTS:
Nicholson Baker - A novelist and essayist; he's the author of 17 books, including, most recently, Baseless: My Search for Secrets in the Ruins of the Freedom of Information Act
Judith Flanders - Author of A Place For Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order
Peter Sokolowski - A lexicographer and editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster and co-host of the podcast Word Matters
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired January 21, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/12/2021 • 50 minutes
The Nose Has A Few Dunkies Coffees And A Pack Of Menthols: 'Kevin Can F**k Himself,' More
The Nose is all TV all the time this week.
First: Is the era of the unifying television hit already over? And: Has Netflix already lost its cool?
And then: Kevin Can F**k Himself is both a multi-camera sitcom and a single-camera drama at the same time. It airs on AMC and stars Annie Murphy.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Richard Donner, Director of 'Superman,' 'The Goonies' and 'Lethal Weapon,' Dies at 91
R.I.P. filmmaker and actor Robert Downey Sr.His son, actor Robert Downey Jr., confirmed the news on Instagram
What Deadlines Do to LifetimesCan we find a balance between structuring our time and squandering it?
Brace yourself for the Bill Cosby media redemption tourIn the comedy world he may still be persona non grata. But can TV news divisions resist the ratings he'd pull in?
2021 Miss Nevada Will Be The First Openly Transgender Miss USA Contestant
Everyone is praising Selena Gomez's unedited swimsuit and bikini pictures"Seeing Selena Gomez's stomach & body WITHOUT PHOTOSHOP is fire"
The Pop Music You Listen to Really Does MatterThe story of Dr. Luke and Doja Cat shows how the industry relies on consumer passivity. But audiences can still stand against alleged abusers.
Future Lord of the Rings films should acknowledge the book's queer leaningsNobody wants to see a horny Gollum or Orcs with raging hard-ons – but why shouldn't some of Middle-earth's denizens be gay?
If they won't let Zack Snyder make a stupid Star Wars, he'll just make his own stupid Star Wars
Zack Snyder is making an Akira Kurosawa-inspired sci-fi epic for Netflix
How Disney Mismanaged the Star Wars UniverseAnd how The Mandalorian can restore the true power of George Lucas's galaxy
The Urge to Destroy a ViolinAn Instagram account reveals both our reverence for and our loathing of classical instruments.
The Games Done Quick Marathon Is More Important Than EverFor years, GDQ has brought together gamers to speedrun for charity. After a year of loss and loneliness, the event means so much more.
Returnal and Why Games Need More Badass Middle-Aged WomenWomen in video games are either young and sexy or old and wise. But a character who’s built up the strength and confidence of experience? Sign me up.
How "The Print Shop" Turned People into Banner Wizards in the 1980s
Mathematicians Prove 2D Version of Quantum Gravity Really WorksIn three towering papers, a team of mathematicians has worked out the details of Liouville quantum field theory, a two-dimensional model of quantum gravity.
What Gets Lost as Little Leagues Get SmallerTown leagues, unprofessionalized and open to all, knit neighborhoods together in ways that intensive and competitive travel teams do not.
How "Rick and Morty" and "Loki" built thoughtful altars to apathy for everything we hold dearBoth shows acknowledge that gods exist. But each questions the zealotry with which we follow them
'Legally Blonde' Oral History: From Raunchy Script to Feminist ClassicAlong the way, adult zingers were edited out, Jennifer Coolidge struggled with the "bend and snap" and the ending was changed at least three times.
You Really Need to Quit TwitterHow could I have succumbed to this common, embarrassing habit that just about everyone on Earth knows is a scourge?
Why Is Everyone Talking About the "Cat Person" Short Story Again?
"Cat Person" and MeKristen Roupenian's viral story draws specific details from my own life. I've spent the years since it published wondering: How did she know?
Nicholas Braun is going to be the Cat Person asshole in the viral story's movie adaptationEmilia Jones will play Margot, the 20-year-old who goes on a bad date with the Cat Person
Admit it: Grilling is bad
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
7/9/2021 • 49 minutes
A Personal And Literary Exploration Of Blindness And Sight
At 10 years old, M. Leona Godin began losing her vision. Her experience with sight and blindness is detailed in her new book, There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural History of Blindness. In it she also explores blindness throughout literature, and through key figures and inventions throughout history.
This hour, we’re joined by Godin to discuss "the vast, dappled regions between seeing and not-seeing, blindness and sight, darkness and light."
GUEST:
M. Leona Godin - Author of There Plant Eyes: A Personal and Cultural History of Blindness
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
7/8/2021 • 49 minutes
An Hour With John McPhee
John McPhee is a writer's writer. He's thought of as one of the progenitors of the New Journalism, of creative nonfiction or narrative nonfiction, along with people like Gay Talese and Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson. But his style is... quiter than those folks'. His writing is transparent. He tends to keep himself out of the narrative. He doesn't even, in fact, have an author photo.
McPhee has written for The New Yorker since 1963, and he's taught writing at Princeton University since 1975. He is the author of 32 books, including Coming Into the Country, A Sense of Where You Are, Oranges, and Annals of the Former World, which won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.
GUEST:
John McPhee - Staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of 33 books; his latest are Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process and The Patch
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show, which originally aired September 28, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/7/2021 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Colliding With Asteroids (On Purpose), Shohei Ohtani, And The Misunderstood Shark
The impending doom of an asteroid (or comet or whatever) colliding with the Earth is the premise of any number of movies and books and such. But what would we really do to stop such a thing from happening, if we had to? One solution might be to try to nudge the asteroid off its collision course with us, and NASA is about to test a way to do just that.
And: A few points about baseball's two-way phenom, Shohei Ohtani. He might be having the best season anyone's ever had, "it's almost inarguable that he's the most physically talented all-around athlete ever to play the game," and, also according to Ben Lindbergh, "if you can't get into Ohtani, maybe baseball isn't for you." But are we maybe not appreciating Ohtani enough?
And finally: If I say "shark," you think of Jaws, right? But there are two major problems with the shark-as-villain stereotype. First, sharks are fascinating and awe-inspiring more than they're scary. And second, we need to be more afraid for sharks than afraid of them.
GUESTS:
Ben Lindbergh - Staff writer at The Ringer and co-host of Effectively Wild
Melissa Cristina Márquez - A marine biologist and shark scientist
Andrew Rivkin - A planetary astronomer and the DART Investigation Team Lead at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
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.
7/6/2021 • 49 minutes
But Look, The Nose Made You Some Content: 'Bo Burnham: Inside' And 'No Sudden Move'
Bo Burnham: Inside is a Netflix standup comedy concert play documentary thing written, shot, edited, directed, and performed by Bo Burnham. Burnham made it by himself, with no audience and no crew, during pandemic lockdowns.
And: No Sudden Move is Steven Soderbergh's sixth movie in the four years since he returned from retirement, and his second for HBOMax. It's a neo-noir crime thriller set in 1950s Detroit, and it's got an all-star enemble cast: Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, David Harbour, Amy Seimetz, Jon Hamm, Ray Liotta, Kieran Culkin, Brendan Fraser, and more.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Bill Cosby's sex assault conviction overturned by court
College Athletes May Earn Money From Their Fame, N.C.A.A. RulesHere's a breakdown of why the N.C.A.A. finally relented to pressure to allow athletes to make money beyond the cost of attending their universities.
Does the Job of Talk-Show Sidekick Even Make Sense Anymore?Andy Richter reinvigorated the thankless, tired role, but now that "Conan" is going off the air, it's time to re-evaluate work that was often mired in stereotypes.
Why 'Fast & Furious' Is Our Best -- And Worst -- Franchise
F9 Makes Dom Toretto Canonically Tall
The Life and Death of Pete Davidson's ChadDavidson and the creators of Saturday Night Live's monosyllabic icon chart his improbable rise and explosive fall.
Bullshitting Is Actually a Sign of Intelligence, Study FindsThis is not BS.
NPR's Joy Generator
A Food Critic Reviews the Swedish Chef's New Restaurant
What Gets Lost as Little Leagues Get SmallerTown leagues, unprofessionalized and open to all, knit neighborhoods together in ways that intensive and competitive travel teams do not.
It's Not Easy Being GreenspeopleTransforming winter into spring or creating faux forests and fanciful estates is all in a day's work for these behind-the-scenes masters of foliage on movie and TV sets.
When A City-Size Star Becomes A Black Hole's Lunch, The Universe Roils
With gift from David Geffen, Yale's drama school goes tuition-free
Elvis Costello dismisses claims Olivia Rodrigo plagiarized his music, saying that's rock and roll
The Tin Man Gets His Heart: An Oral History of 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day'Three decades ago, James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Linda Hamilton joined forces again to make the biggest, baddest, most eye-popping sequel ever. Here's the story of how the machines took over Hollywood.
Judge Denies Britney Spears' Request To Have Her Father Removed From Conservatorship
How Twitter can ruin a lifeIsabel Fall's sci-fi story "I Sexually Identify as an Attack Helicopter" drew the ire of the internet. This is what happened next.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications, Marketing and Events Manager at the Simsbury Meadows Performing Arts Center, and a freelance writer
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/2/2021 • 49 minutes
Zillow Surfing: The Surprising Appeal Of Online Real Estate Listings
Scrolling through online real estate listings, a practice known as "Zillow surfing," has become a popular pastime this past year. And it's not just for people who are actually looking to buy houses... It's also for snooping on the value of other people's homes, imagining different lives for yourself, or just finding unusual houses to make fun of and share with friends.
This hour, a look at the appeal of Zillow surfing.
GUESTS:
Ariel Norling - Author of the "I Know A Spot" Newsletter
Dana Bull - Realtor with Sagan Harborside Sotheby's International Realty, based in Massachusetts
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
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.
7/1/2021 • 49 minutes
Operators Are Standing By: A Show About Infomercials
The Thighmaster, the Chop-O-Matic, the George Foreman Grill, and the Clapper... products which are all part of American consumer culture and which were all introduced through infomercials. But as online shopping increases and traditional television watching decreases, are we beginning to see the end of these high-energy, late-night shows?
What will become of iconic pitchmen like Ron Popeil, Tony Little, and Richard Simmons in an age where consumerism is changing by the day?
This hour, we look back at some of the most memorable infomercials of all time and ask if they still have a place in our national media landscape.
GUESTS:
Kevin Harrington - The unofficial "King of Infomercials" and the author of Key Person of Influence: The Five-Step Method to Become One of the Most Highly Valued and Highly Paid People in Your Industry
Ron Popeil - Inventor and iconic infomercial pitchman
Remy Stern - Author of But Wait… There's More! Tighten Your Abs, Make Millions, and Learn How the $100 Billion Infomercial Industry Sold Us Everything But the Kitchen Sink
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Lydia Brown, Ray Hardman, Greg Hill, Betsy Kaplan, Ross Levin, Jonathan McNicol, Stephanie Riefe, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired March 7, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/30/2021 • 50 minutes
Here Be Dragons
Dragons have captured our imagination going back to the Greek and Roman Empires when the skeletal bones of dinosaurs fed the myths we still believe today.
And those myths show up in our most popular popular culture today -- in the Harry Potter books and movies, in Tolkien's Middle-earth books and movies, in George R. R. Martin's Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.
This hour, a look at dragons from the ancients through Game of Thrones.
GUESTS:
Cressida Cowell - Author of the How to Train Your Dragon series
Adrienne Mayor - Author of The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times and Fossil Legends of the First Americans
‌William O'Connor - Author and illustrator of the Dracopedia book trilogy
Matthew Reilly - Author The Great Zoo of China, among many other novels
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Jonathan McNicol, Chion Wolf, and Alan Yu contributed to this show, which originally aired June 4, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2021 • 50 minutes
A Show About Nothing (Really!)
Why is there something rather than nothing? This has been described as perhaps the most sublime philosophical question of all. This our, we try to answer it. But as we do, we realize that it's not just a philosophical quandary; it's a scientific, cultural, and theological one as well.
Indeed, to the extent that "nothing" is even understood, it is understood so differently across different domains that one person's nothing truly is another person's something.
Confused? You're not alone. The concept has vexed, distressed, and seduced all manner of folk, from Aristotle to Einstein, and remains no less mysterious to today's brightest minds.
GUESTS:
Ronald Green - Author of Nothing Matters: A Book About Nothing
Jim Holt - Author of Why Does The World Exist? An Existential Detective Story
James Owen Weatherall - Author of Void: The Strange Physics of Nothing
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired December 6, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/28/2021 • 50 minutes
Pressing Rewind On Cassettes
In March, Lou Ottens died in Duizel in the Netherlands. He was 94. I don't think I had ever heard of Ottens before, but the news of his death quickly filled my social media feeds. Ottens, you see, invented the compact cassette in the 1960s.
There's a certain romance to the cassette tape, right? They're more fun than mp3s, for sure. And it turns out they're having a little mini resurgence right now.
Last year, cassette sales hit their highest mark since 2003. Some old, hard to find tapes sell for crazy prices. Blank tapes still sell well. There are cassette-only record labels. There are even podcast episodes out on tape.
This hour, a look at the long past and surprising present of the cassette tape.
GUESTS:
Joe Carlough - Runs This And That Tapes
Lory Gil - A writer in the tech industry
Sommer McCoy - Founder of The Mixtape Museum
Zack Taylor - Director of Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 24, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/25/2021 • 50 minutes
An Ode To Ink
From ancient scrolls to modern toner cartridges, ink (in one form or another) has been around for millennia. And while we may take it for granted now, for much of that time, it was a precious and coveted substance.
Ink makers closely guarded their recipes; spy agencies developed secret, invisible ink formulations; and even now, billions are spent to create the perfect printer inks.
This hour, we look back at the history of ink and ask whether its heyday might be coming to a close.
GUESTS:
Ted Bishop - Author of Ink: Culture, Wonder And Our Relationship With The Written Word
Kristie Macrakis - Author of Prisoners, Lovers, & Spies: The Story of Invisible Ink from Herodotus to al Qaeda
Kyle Wiens - Founder of iFixit
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 9, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/24/2021 • 50 minutes
Combating Corrosion: The War On Rust
Rust is all around us. It's in our cars, our homes, our infrastructure. It's also the subject of Jonathan Waldman's book Rust: The Longest War, which introduces us to the people who fight it.
This hour, Waldman joins us, and we hear from a visual artist who has found a way to incorporate rust into her work.
GUESTS:
Esther Solondz - A Rhode Island-based visual artist
Jonathan Waldman - Author of Rust: The Longest War
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired March 25, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/23/2021 • 50 minutes
Radiation: Maybe Not As Bad As You Think
Radiation is everywhere. It's emitted by our sun, by cat litter, by bananas, and occasionally by nuclear bombs. It's even emitted by you and by me and by every living (and dead) person in the world. So why are we so scared of something so prevalent in our everyday lives?
While certain types of radiation can be very harmful in high doses, our fears may have more to do with how radiation is portrayed than it does with the actual danger of exposure. This hour, we talk with experts about the benefits, risks, and oftentimes misguided fears of radiation.
GUESTS:
Francis Cucinotta - Professor for the department of health physics and diagnostic sciences at the University of Nevada
Tim J. Jorgenson - Author of Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation
David Ropeik - Author of How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don't Match The Facts
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired November 21, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/22/2021 • 50 minutes
Fire: Sparking Imagination Since 2 Million B.C.
Fire imagery abounds in music, literature, art, and scripture. It thrives at the center of ceremony and ritual around the world. We associate fire with sentiments of passion, anger, transformation, purity, and even evil itself.
Some say our fascination with fire is owed to the fact that, of all creatures, we alone possess the ability to create and control it.
They say at its center, fire burns hottest. So stand back and listen close, for this hour, we journey straight to its core. It's one heck of a hot topic, and we're guessing it'll spark your interest.
GUESTS:
Steve Pyne - Author of Moved by Fire: History's Promethean Moment and Fire: A Brief History
Eric Rabkin - Professor emeritus of English language and literature and of art & design at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Gary Snyder - Poet
Christian Tryon - Assistant professor of anthropology at Harvard
Charles Wright - The 50th Poet Laureate of the United States
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired January 14, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/21/2021 • 50 minutes
The Nose On 'High On The Hog' And Afro-Latinx Representation In 'In The Heights'
It's a special, Juneteenth (observed)-observing, Thursday edition of The Nose.
First: The lack of Afro-Latinx actors in the movie version of In the Heights has caused some controversy. Lin-Manuel Miranda has apologized.
And: High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America is a four-part docuseries hosted by Stephen Satterfield. All four episodes hit Netflix on May 26.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Congress Has Made Juneteenth A National Holiday. Just Don't Talk About The Legacy Of Slavery.As conservatives seek to ban critical race theory from schools, many Black Americans wonder if children will fully understand the new holiday marking the end of slavery.
Ned Beatty, titanic character actor of 'Network,' dies at 83
Opinion: Tom Hanks Is A Non-Racist. It's Time For Him To Be Anti-Racist
James Corden Is Facing Backlash For His "Spill Your Guts" Segment"It's blatant racism."
How 'WandaVision,' 'The Umbrella Academy,' 'Harley Quinn' Subvert the Superhero Genre
Tina Fey Looks Back at Problematic '90s Trends During 'Girls5Eva' Tribeca Panel: 'We All Cosigned That?'
The Girl Scouts Have Unsold Cookies Left. 15 Million Boxes!
How Working From Home Has Changed EmployeesThey are used to far greater independence. And they may value personal time more. Bosses better be ready to adapt.
An Oral History Of 'Freddy Got Fingered,' Tom Green's Glorious Broadside Against The Fame Industry That Made Him
Cristiano Ronaldo snub sees Coca-Cola market value fall by $4bn
'The Cable Guy' Turns 25: How Jim Carrey’s $20 Million Salary Shook Up Hollywood
A David Bowie Painting That Sold For $4 At A Thrift Store Is Now Up For Auction
Robert Altman's 20 best films -- ranked!From The Long Goodbye to Short Cuts, Altman's innovative movies have influenced a generation of film-makers. With the re-release of Nashville and a BFI tribute, we rank the work of one of America’s greatest directors
GUESTS:
Rand Richards Cooper - A fiction writer, contributing editor at Commonweal, and the restaurant critic for the Hartford Courant
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.
6/17/2021 • 49 minutes
Living With Grief In A Culture That Doesn't Like To Talk About It
We don't do grief very well in this country. We don't talk about, we get uncomfortable around it, and in some mind-twisting way, we hope grief will leave us alone if we pretend it doesn't exist. But that's not how grief works.
Even professionals trained in grief tend to pathologize it when the grieving don't 'get over it' or 'recover ' from it fast enough.
Today, a hard look at what is grief, including how to survive it and how we can all better support those who are living in it.
GUESTS:
Nelba Marquez-Greene is the Director for Community Advancement at Central CT State University, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and the founder of the Ana Grace Project. (@Nelba_MG)
Megan Devine is a psychotherapist, writer, and grief advocate. She’s the founder of Refuge in Grief and the author of It’s OK That You’re Not Okay: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand and most recently, How To Carry What Can’t Be Fixed @refugeingrief
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/14/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Endorses Betsy Kaplan (And Sees 'In The Heights')
Betsy Kaplan has been producing episodes of The Colin McEnroe Show for a decade. Today is her last day. (Ostensibly, anyway. She's producing our show next Monday, which isn't really how last days are supposed to work. But it's very much how Betsy Kaplan works.) The Nose is crestfallen.
And: In the Heights is the big (and/or small) screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's multiple Tony Award-winning musical. It is directed by Jon M. Chu and stars Anthony Ramos. It debuted in theaters and on HBOMax on Thursday.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Those Descriptions on the Inside of Book Covers Are Full of ItThey've become meaningless mush -- but they don't have to be.
Bogus Social Media Outrage Is Making Authors Change Lines in Their Books NowThe silly idea that a fictional character's statements reflect an author's actual beliefs is spreading.
'Raiders of the Lost Ark': Why the "Indy Doesn't Matter" Criticism Needs to Be Put in the GroundHere's what an often-cited "plot hole" completely misunderstands about storytelling.
Actress Karen Allen addresses her character's underage relationship with Indiana Jones: 'I don't think of him as a pedophile'
Grown-ups, it's okay to love pop culture for kids. Stop being embarrassed about it.
Chris Harrison Is Officially Out As Host Of The "Bachelor" FranchiseDeadline reported that Harrison, who hosted the franchise for nearly two decades, will receive an eight-figure payout.
Dove Cameron Just Got So Real About Coming Out, And We Need To Talk About ItWe stan a bi queen!
GUESTS:
Carmen Baskauf - Produces Where We Live on Connecticut Public Radio
Lydia Brown - Managing producer of Vermont Public Radio's Vermont Edition
John Dankosky - Host The CT Mirror's Steady Habits podcast, and he is news and special projects editor for Science Friday
Robyn Doyon-Aitken - Senior producer for Seasoned on Connecticut Public
Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright, and director of client services at Buzz Engine
Jonathan McNicol - Hasn't quit his job producing The Colin McEnroe Show
Ali Oshinskie - A corps member with Report for America covering the Naugatuck River Valley for Connecticut Public
Patrick Skahill - A reporter at Connecticut Public Radio, and he was the founding producer of The Colin McEnroe Show
Chion Wolf - Hosts Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/11/2021 • 49 minutes
Clocking Out of Work
Many people are reassessing how they view their work after a year of Covid. The pandemic magnified everything we don’t like about modern work - too many hours for too little pay in the context of a loosely woven national safety net. Some people are switching jobs, others are dropping out of the workforce entirely.
The reasons why people are leaving work vary, but it gets to a bigger societal question that asks what kind of work we value and how that value is rewarded. Jobs no longer provide the economic security, pension and room for advancement that helped build the middle class after World War II. And we all learned this past year that the workers who were "essential" during the pandemic have historically been undervalued.
Today, are we getting what we need from work?
GUESTS:
Katie Heaney is a senior writer at "The Cut" and the author of several books including the her YA novels Girl Crushed and the forthcoming The Year I Stopped Trying
Erin Cech is an assistant professor of Sociology and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan. Her new book, The Trouble with Passion: How Searching for Fulfillment at Work Fosters Inequality will be published in October.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/10/2021 • 49 minutes
Our (10th Or) 11th (Almost) Annual Song Of The Summer Show
We've done this show every year since 2013. We almost certainly didn't do it 2012. But we did in 2011. And there's good circumstantial evidence that we did it in 2010 too, but no actual record of that possibly inaugural episode survives.
Point is: Our song of the summer show is a bit of a tradition. It's a tradition that... makes some people angry, we realize. It's a tradition that we're not sure has ever made anyone happy.
And that all has to do with how we define the term. 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.
And so, our job here is to try to predict a thing that you and your mom will agree on like three months from now.
Try not to get too annoyed with us.
GUESTS:
Abby Govindan - A standup comedian based in New York CitySam Hadelman - Host of The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn and the editor-in-chief of Cut/Break MagazineBrendan Jay Sullivan - A writer, producer, and DJ best known for his work with Lady GagaSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/9/2021 • 40 minutes, 47 seconds
Good Bulldozer, Bad Bulldozer
Everybody loves a bulldozer. In fact, we all grew up loving bulldozers, didn't we? From Benny the Bulldozer to Katy and her big snow, from all the Tonka toys to all the die cast model Caterpillars, the bulldozer is more of an icon in American popular culture than we maybe realize.
But the first scholarly "biography of the bulldozer" argues that there's a darker side to the demolition and clearance that gives these big machines purpose. And then, maybe there is a certain violence inherent here too.
This hour, the history of bulldozing, the future of bulldozers, and a look at heavy construction equipment as adventure destination.
GUESTS:
Francesca Russell Ammon - Author of Bulldozer: Demolition and Clearance of the Postwar Landscape
Jason Anetsburger - Project manager for Komatsu America's Intelligent Machine Control line of bulldozers and excavators
Kate McMullan - Children's book author and executive producer of the animated television series The Stinky and Dirty Show
Randy Stenger - Founder and CEO of Extreme Sandbox
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, Alex Ingberg, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired April 21, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/8/2021 • 42 minutes
The History Of Black Cowboys On The Western Frontier
Nat Love was born a slave, but died a free cowboy and a legend of the Old West. After the Civil War freed Love from slavery, he walked to Dodge City, Kansas, and got a job breaking horses - after he could prove that he could rope a bucking horse, climb on its back without a saddle, and ride him without falling off. He got the job. Thus began Nat's life as a cowboy.
We don't typically include Black cowboys as part of the American story of the West, even though one in four American cowboys are Black. Black cowboys are as American as baseball.
GUESTS:
Zaron Burnett III is an investigative reporter and longform feature writer for MEL Magazine. He’s the host and creator of the iHeartRadio podcast “Black Cowboys” (@zaron3)
Patricia Kelly is U.S. Marine Corp Vietnam-era veteran, an African-American cowgirl, and the founder of Ebony Horsewomen. She was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 2015. (@ebonyhorsewomen)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/7/2021 • 49 minutes
Not Necessarily The Nose: Regarding Hitchcock
Over just six years, from 1954 to 1960, Alfred Hitchcock made four movies -- Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960) -- that are routinely mentioned among the very best movies ever made. It's maybe an unparalleled run in the history of cinema.
And that's just those four movies. Hitchcock's filmography is full of classics: Notorious (1946), Strangers on a Train (1951), The 39 Steps (1935), The Wrong Man (1956), The Birds (1963). The list goes on.
At the same time, Hitchcock's relationship with his actors has been the subject of much discussion and debate for many decades. He's said to have thought of them as "cattle" and "animated props." He's said to have sexually harassed at least one of them.
At the same time as that, Hitchcock's films earned eight of his actors nine Academy Award nominations and produced many more all-time-great screen performances, from Joan Fontaine in Rebecca (1940) to Tippi Hedren in Marnie (1964) and many others.
This hour: a look at the work of Alfred Hitchcock... and his actors.
GUESTS:
Tom Breen - Managing editor of the New Haven Independent and the host of Deep Focus on WNHH radio
Dan Callahan - Author of The Camera Lies: Acting for Hitchcock
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 3, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/4/2021 • 50 minutes
After We Die, Our Dust Will Live Forever
Dust is everywhere, but we rarely see it. We shed it from our skin, hair, and nails, leaving little bits of DNA wherever we roam. More than 100 tons of cosmic dust fall to Earth each day, leaving an archive of every "geochemical" substance that has fallen - at least some of it into our homes.
All of history is recorded in the dust we create: the pollution we make, the fires we start, the chemicals we use, the volcanos that erupt. Scientists can learn about the Roman Empire through the dust that has been compressed each year for thousands of years into layers of ice sheets in Greenland.
Today, we talk about the science, politics and ephemeral nature of dust.
GUESTS:
Jay Owens - Geographer and research director at Pulsar Platform. She writes a newsletter about dust she calls, “Disturbances.” (@hautepop)
Jolie Kerr - Cleaning expert and advice columnist for The Inventory and the host of the podcast “Ask a Clean Person.” She’s also the author of My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag...and Other Things You Can't Ask Martha. She’s the resident cleaning expert for the New York Times. (@joliekerr)
Suzanne Proulx - Artist, sculpture and Assistant Professor, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
This show first aired on January 15, 2019Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/3/2021 • 48 minutes, 53 seconds
Bastards! A Look At Illegitimacy From 'Game Of Thrones' To 'Hamilton' And Beyond
The word "bastard" hasn't always been meant to offend. Used simply as an indication of illegitimate birth at first, the label "bastard" didn't bring with it shame or stigma until long after it first appeared in the Middle Ages.
Today, while its original meaning has not been forgotten, its use is largely reserved for insult. Yet, ironically, the underdog status once associated with a person of illegitimate birth is now something our modern culture celebrates.
From Alexander Hamilton to Game of Thrones's Jon Snow, the bastard's ability to rise above his or her unfortunate circumstances to achieve greatness has become something to root for.
This hour, a look at the origin, evolution, and pop culture triumph of the bastard!
GUESTS:
Scott Andrews - Science fiction reviewer for The Philadelphia Enquirer, columnist for Winter Is Coming, and the author of The Guild Leader's Handbook
Joanne Freeman - Professor of history and American studies at Yale University and the editor of The Essential Hamilton: Letters & Other Writings
Sara McDougall - Associate professor of history at John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York and the author of Royal Bastards: The Birth of Illegitimacy, 800-1230
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 18, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/2/2021 • 50 minutes
Bring Back The Beaver!
Beavers build sophisticated dams and deep-water ponds that slow erosion of riverbanks, create cooler deep-water pools for temperature-sensitive plant and fish species, and increase the water table, a big deal for Western states coping with drought. And they're social animals who have mates, kits, and an active social life.
But centuries-old myths and fables about the beaver have led to their destruction and prevented us from recognizing their charms and value to the ecosystem. We fear them, dislike them, and use them for all the wrong reasons, like killing them for their pelts.
Let's celebrate the beaver!
GUESTS:
Jim Robbins - freelance journalist based in Montana and a frequent contributor to the New York Times. He’s the author of several books including, “The Man Who Planted Trees: Lost Groves, Champion Trees, and An Urge To Save the Planet.”
Rachel Poliquin - freelance writer and curator. She’s the author of “The Breathless Zoo: Taxidermy and the Cultures of Longing,” and “Beaver,” for the Reaktion Books’ Animal Series.
Heidi Perryman - child psychologist and the founder of Worth-A-Dam
Sherri Tippie - the top live-trapper of Beaver in North America. She rescues beaver in Colorado and rehabilitates and relocates them to areas where there ponds are needed.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2021 • 49 minutes, 1 second
The Nose Would Rather Sling Bang Bang Chicken And Shrimp All Day: Adrian's Kickback, 'Hacks,' More
Adrian Lopez is a high school kid from East Vale, California. He had planned a high school kid's birthday party at some fire pits for last weekend. But then the TikTok flyer for the party went viral, thousands of people showed up to two different locations, and the whole thing has been described as a "zombie apocalypse" of "17 to 19 year olds."
And: Hacks is a half-hour sitcom from HBO Max. It stars Jean Smart as a late-career Vegas comedian, and it's written and created by three people who wrote for Broad City on Comedy Central.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Eric Carle, Author of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' Dies at 91A self-described "picture writer," he wrote and illustrated more than 70 books for young children, selling more than 170 million copies.
Samuel E. Wright, The Voice Behind The Beloved "Little Mermaid" Character Sebastian, Has DiedThe actor was also nominated for two Tony awards for his performances in The Tap Dance Kid and The Lion King.
'Simpsons' writer (opinion): Why I love to make fun of Connecticut
How Girls5Eva Is Making Up for 30 Rock's PastThe Tina Fey-verse has finally outgrown Liz Lemon.
This Was the Week That Movie Studios Finally Lost Control of the IndustryIn a world where the theatrical release is an option, not a necessity, movie studios are no longer in charge of Hollywood.
Fresh Off A Viral Library Gig, The Linda Lindas Get A Record Deal
The Whole Parade: On the Incomparable Career of Nicolas Cage
Johnny Knoxville's Last RodeoAs he prepares to release his final Jackass film, the stuntman takes stock of a surprisingly long, hilariously painful, and unusually influential career.
J.J. Abrams Reflects on 'Star Wars' and When It's Critical to Have a Plan"I do think that there's nothing more important than knowing where you're going."
Broadway's Tony Awards, Delayed by Pandemic, Set for SeptemberMost of the prizes will be announced on the Paramount+ streaming service, followed by a starry concert celebrating Broadway on CBS television.
James Bond, Meet Jeff Bezos: Amazon Makes $8.45 Billion Deal for MGMMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer, while diminished, commanded a premium price, with Amazon seeking to bolster its crucial Prime membership offering.
Streaming TV Costs Add Up as Americans Add More Services
Vanessa Redgrave no longer set to appear in Kevin Spacey filmActor had been linked to her husband Franco Nero's Italian drama, set to be Spacey's comeback after sexual misconduct accusations
New York's Hyphenated HistoryIn Pardis Mahdavi's new book Hyphen, she explores the way hyphenation became not only a copyediting quirk but a complex issue of identity, assimilation, and xenophobia amid anti-immigration movements at the turn of the twentieth century. In the excerpt below, Mahdavi gives the little-known history of New York's hyphenation debate.
The Mesmerizing Pull of Plastic Surgery VideosProcedures used to be done in secret, but in the post-Kardashian world, transparency is just part of the process.
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
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.
5/28/2021 • 49 minutes
An Hour With Francisco Goldman
Francisco Goldman made a big choice as a young man. He chose to spend a year in Guatemala living with his uncle instead of pursuing the master’s degree he could have had from a prestigious school offering him a full scholarship. It turned out to be one of the most consequential decisions of his early life.
This hour, Colin talks with Goldman about his new novel, Monkey Boy, a story about the legacy of violence on a family and much more, including how his decision to go to Guatemala has shaped his life.
GUEST:
Francisco Goldman - Author of seven books; his most recent is the novel Monkey Boy
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.
5/27/2021 • 49 minutes
The Search For What It Means To Be Alive (And Human)
"Life is a self-sustained chemical system capable of undergoing Darwinian evolution."
That's the so-called "NASA definition of life."
Or there's Russian-born geneticist Edward Trifonov's take: Life is "self-reproduction with variations."
Or there's "Life is an expected, collectively self-organized property of catalytic polymers." Or "Life is a metabolic network within a boundary."
It's said that, "There are as many definitions of life as there are people trying to define it." And yet, none of those definitions is quite right.
Science writer Carl Zimmer says that's strange behavior for scientists: "It is as if astronomers kept coming up with new ways to define stars."
Plus: Linguist Ben Zimmer (no relation to Carl*) on what it means to be human. Or, at least, as much as we can tell about what it means to be human by looking at Dr. Fill, the artificial intelligence that just won a national crossword puzzle tournament.
*No relation beyond that they're brothers, I mean.
GUESTS:
Ben Zimmer - A linguist, lexicographer, and the language columnist for The Wall Street Journal
Carl Zimmer - The science columnist for The New York Times; his new book is Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means To Be Alive
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.
5/26/2021 • 49 minutes
Something Is Eternal: A Look At 'Our Town'
Thornton Wilder's Our Town debuted more than 80 years ago. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and, over the decades since, it has continuously been one of the most produced of American plays.
It is known for its spare set -- just some chairs and tables, perhaps some ladders -- and lack of props and sometimes even costumes. It's known for its metatheatricality and its Stage Manager character, who addresses the audience directly and rarely participates in the action of the play, as much as there really is any.
It is known as old-fashioned, sentimental, nostalgic and, simultaneously, obviously and intentionally not old-fashioned, sentimental, and nostalgic.
This hour, a look at perhaps the quintessential American play: Our Town.
GUESTS:
Howard Sherman - The author of Another Day's Begun: Thornton Wilder's Our Town in the 21st Century
Kate Powers - A stage director and the founder of The Redeeming Time Project; in 2013, she directed a production of Our Town at Sing Sing Correctional Facility
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 24, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/25/2021 • 50 minutes
Excuse Me. You've Been Canceled.
'Cancel culture' has become a phrase that means so much that it means nothing at all. It originated in Black culture as a way to hold the powerful accountable, but was eventually appropriated as a political weapon for (mostly White) conservatives and liberal progressives, each group using it in very different ways.
Cancel culture has brought much-needed attention to societal inequities, but also toppled careers - some justifiably, others more questionably. In the end, the most powerful scalawags seem too big to cancel.
We parse out the nuance of 'cancel culture' with three thoughtful people, including one who has been canceled and who now counsels the canceled.
GUESTS:
Gene Seymour is a film and jazz critic and a cultural critic for CNN.com, the New Republic, and the Nation.
Clyde McGrady is a Style features writer for the Washington Post focusing on race and identity.
Alice Dreger is a writer, historian, journalist, and local news publisher with Ph.D in History of Science. Her best known book is Galileo’s Middle Finger: Heretics, Activists, and One Scholar’s Search for Justice, and her bylines include the New York Times, WIRED Magazine, and the Atlantic.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/24/2021 • 49 minutes
If The Nose Is Boring, It Isn't 'Cause Of Cancel Culture: Donald Glover, 'The Underground Railroad'
After a long absence from Twitter, Donald Glover last week, in a series of since-deleted tweets, blamed boring culture on cancel culture.
After a long absence from the popular culture, Sinéad O'Connor has a memoir coming out.
And: The Underground Railroad is a 10-part limited series on Amazon Prime. It's Barry Jenkins's adaptation of Colson Whitehead's 2016 novel.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Paul Mooney Dies: Trailblazing Comedian, Writing Partner Of Richard Pryor Was 79
Charles Grodin, Star of 'Beethoven' and 'Heartbreak Kid,' Dies at 86A familiar face who was especially adept at deadpan comedy, he also appeared on Broadway in "Same Time, Next Year," wrote books and had his own talk show.
Inside the All-hands Meeting That Led to a Third of Basecamp Employees QuittingThe company's senior leadership wanted to quell employees' concerns, and only made things much, much worse
Jon Bon Jovi, Don Henley Called Antitrust "Co-Conspirators"An outfit representing some 10,000 radio stations wants to depose star musicians in a heavyweight legal battle.
Oregon Trail Gets A Makeover With More Accurate Native American Representation
Ellen DeGeneres' Farewell Tour Is Already a Whiny, Tone-Deaf DisasterWhile DeGeneres complains about the reports of her behavior and toxic workplace, it's even harder to remember what it was about the show that changed history -- and was so good.
I'll Take 'White Supremacist Hand Gestures' for $1,000How hundreds of "Jeopardy!" contestants talked themselves into a baseless conspiracy theory -- and won't be talked out of it.
Only Shooting Stars Break the Mold: The Massive Musical Footprint of 'Shrek'Thanks to 'All Star' to 'Hallelujah,' the animated blockbuster’s soundtrack has maintained a quietly rich legacy. The people behind the film -- and musicians behind its songs -- break down how it came together and why it still matters, even as the years started coming and didn’t stop coming.
The New 'Right Stuff' Is Money and LuckRich people are heading to space, and they're changing what it means to be an astronaut.
Goop Responds to "Frivolous" Lawsuit Claiming That Its Vagina Candles Explode After LightingThis class action filing comes after another customer claimed at the beginning of the year that the candle turned her living room into an "inferno."
How a Review Changed Both Sarah Silverman and Our CriticA.O. Scott critiqued her approach to comedy in a 2005 movie. Now they sit down to talk about what he got right and wrong, and why owning up to mistakes is freeing.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
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.
5/21/2021 • 49 minutes
The Poet Laureate Of Rock 'N' Roll At 80
Bob Dylan turns 80 years old on May 24. His first album, 1962's Bob Dylan, is in its 60th year on record store shelves.
We're at a point where, for most of us, there has simply never been a popular culture in which Dylan wasn't a towering figure whose influence seems to touch, well, everything.
This hour, a look at Bob Dylan at 80.
GUESTS:
Noah Baerman - A pianist, composer, and educator
Fred Bals - Hosted the Dreamtime podcast, covering Theme Time Radio Hour with Your Host, Bob Dylan
Sean Latham - Director of the Institute for Bob Dylan Studies, editor of The World of Bob Dylan, and the writer and narrator of It Ain't Me You're Looking For: Bob Dylan at 80
Gayle Wald - Professor of American studies at George Washington University; her most recent book is It's Been Beautiful: Soul! and Black Power Television
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.
5/20/2021 • 49 minutes
Going Back To The Office Bathroom; "Familect"; And, The Semiotics Of Unmasking
Using our private bathrooms while working from home opened our eyes to how uncomfortable it can be to use public bathrooms at the office - especially when you have a digestive issue.
Also this hour: "Familect" are the invented nicknames, references, and jokes shared by people who live together. For example, my husband calls me "diller," because I remind him of the hard-headed armadillo that kept crashing into our tent on our honeymoon.
Lastly, the semiotics of unmasking.
GUESTS:
Angela Lashbrook is a health, tech, and books writer. Her work has appeared in OneZero, Refinery29, The Atlantic, Vice, Vox, The Outline, and other places.
Dr. Neil Parikh is a gastroenterologist for Hartford Healthcare and Connecticut GI
Kathryn Hymes is a computational linguist and the co-founder of Thorny Games, a game studio out of Washington DC
Mignon Fogarty is the founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips network and creator of the Grammar Girl website and podcast. She’s the author of Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing.
Glynnis MacNicol is a writer and the author of No One Tells You This: A Memoir. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Cut, and the New York Daily News among others.
Emily Gardner Xu Hall is a musical theatre writer, composer and actor. Born in Tokyo and raised in London, she now lives in Harlem, New York City.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/19/2021 • 49 minutes
A Non-Threatening Conversation About Jazz
Who's afraid of the Bix bad Beiderbecke?
Hartford has an amazing jazz history, and Colin has a lot of jazz musician friends. This hour, a little onstage jazz party recorded in front of a live audience long before the pandemic put a pause on live audiences as a thing.
Colin and the panel look to make jazz accessible to mere mortals. They talk about what makes jazz jazz, invite the audience to sing, and teach the audience to scat.
GUESTS:
Steve Davis - Trombone
Atla DeChamplain - Vocals
Matt DeChamplain - Piano
Henry Lugo - Bass
Jocelyn Pleasant - Drums
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
This show originally aired February 8, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2021 • 50 minutes
The Nose Is Eligible For The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame In 2035: The 2021 Class And 'Mare of Easttown'
The 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees have been announced. Artists like Foo Fighters, Jay-Z, Todd Rundgren, Tina Turner, LL Cool J, Kraftwerk, and Gil Scott-Heron got in. Folks like Iron Maiden, Chaka Kahn, Rage Against the Machine, Devo, and Dionne Warwick did not.
And: Mare of Easttown is a seven-episode HBO limited series starring Kate Winslet. The fifth episode airs Sunday.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Norman Lloyd, Associate of Welles, Hitchcock and Others, Dies at 106He was seen in movies and on TV shows like "St. Elsewhere" and worked with some of the biggest names in show business, even though his own name was little known.
1980s siren Tawny Kitaen of music videos and 'Bachelor Party' dies at 59
Ellen DeGeneres to End Talk Show: "I Need Something New to Challenge Me"DeGeneres gets candid about her decision to wrap up the show in 2022, the allegations that nearly sent her packing and the parts that she'll miss most -- and least -- about her daily platform.
NBC Will Not Air Golden Globes in 2022 Due To Ongoing HFPA Controversy
Ummm, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Were Spotted Hanging Out Together at a Resort in Montana
Gen Z Is Bringing Emo Back, But This Time It's Not Just A Bunch Of White Dudes
The Jean War between millennials and Gen Z cannot be won
The Squandered Promise of Chet Hanks's White-Boy SummerPerhaps, in the end, we weren't nearly as ready for it as we might have wanted to be.
Cinemark Signs Deals With 5 Major Hollywood Studios for Shorter Theatrical Windows
STAR WARS Answers the Mystery of Luke's Missing Hand
Reddit just realized that Jerry Seinfeld's TV apartment defies the laws of science
Is rewatching old TV good for the soul?
Andrew McCarthy Revisits the Brat PackIn a new memoir, the actor reflects on being typecast in his twenties, his struggles with addiction, and learning to like John Hughes movies.
David Chase and The Sopranos writers break down 'Pine Barrens', 20 years onThe Sopranos creator and two of his closest collaborators, Terence Winter and Tim Van Patten, discuss the origin of 'Pine Barrens' -- the greatest TV episode of all time -- and why the glorious ambiguity that permeated the show keeps it relevant today
The State of Baseball: Inside the biggest questions MLB is facing with the future of the sport at stake
Gal Gadot Confirmed Reports That Joss Whedon "Threatened" Her While Shooting "Justice League""I handled it on the spot."
Cut the intermission, please. Why I hope the pandemic ends a theatrical tradition
Who Should John Mulaney Be Now?
Just 12 People Are Behind Most Vaccine Hoaxes On Social Media, Research Shows
GUESTS:
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/14/2021 • 49 minutes
Words That Shall Not Be Said
Profanity used to be about someone swearing insincerely to God. Then the Reformation came along and made profanity about sex and the body.
Today, our most unspeakable words are slurs against other groups at a time when BLM, #MeToo, and cancel culture are driving our cultural narrative.
We talk about the past, present, and future of profanity.
GUEST:
John McWhorter teaches linguistics, American studies, and music history at Columbia University. He’s a contributing editor to The Atlantic and host of Slate’s Lexicon Valley podcast. His new book is Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/13/2021 • 49 minutes
Are We Ready To Accept That UFOs Are Real?
In 2017, The New York Times uncovered a program at the Defense Department which investigated unidentified flying objects.
This year, the former chair of Harvard's astronomy department published a book arguing that we may recently have been "visited by advanced alien technology from a distant star."
This week, The New Yorker has a long piece on changing attitudes and fading taboos around UFOs.
What does this all mean? Does it matter that these acknowledgements are coming from The New York Times, The New Yorker... the astronomy department at Harvard?
Could it be that the concept of UFOs has finally escaped the crackpot fringe?
GUESTS:
Leslie Kean - An investigative journalist and the author of UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record
Avi Loeb - Former chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University and the author of Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond the Earth
Mike Panicello - Mutual UFO Network CT state director
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired June 6, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/12/2021 • 50 minutes
The Semiotics of Cigarettes, Sexy Shoes, and Some Other Stuff
Semiotics is the study of sign process, which is to say: it's the science of the search for meaning.
And then, part of the underlying premise of semiotics -- which just happens to be part of the underlying premise of The Colin McEnroe Show, itself -- is that there's meaning... everywhere.
Why do people smoke cigarettes even though everyone knows they're terribly harmful? Why do women wear terribly uncomfortable high-heeled shoes? Could it simply be because those things are... interesting?
This hour: a crash course in the study of meaning-making, in the science of semiotics.
GUEST:
Marcel Danesi - The author of Of Cigarettes, High Heels, and Other Interesting Things: An Introduction to Semiotics
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired September 6, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/11/2021 • 50 minutes
The Next Phase Of 'Jeopardy'; Van Morrison's Rant; Showering Less
Alex Trebek’s imprint as the host of "Jeopardy" looms large over the show, making it hard for anyone else to live up to the impeccable standard he demanded during his 37 seasons as the show's iconic host. But more than a dozen guest hosts have tried, from big winner Ken Jennings to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Who will the next host be and what will the next iteration look like?
Also this hour: two-time Grammy Award winner Van Morrison is best known for the volumes of soulful love songs he's written over his five decade career. So, why did the 75-year-old musician release a 28-song album filled with paranoia, antisemitic rants, and grievance against well, just about everyone.
Lastly, people are showering less during the pandemic - and loving it!
GUESTS:
Amanda Hess is a critic-at-large for the New York Times. She writes about the internet and culture. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, ESPN the Magazine, and Wired, among others.
Louis Keene is a staff reporter at The Forward
Maria Cramer is a breaking news reporter for The New York Times. She previously covered legal affairs for The Boston Globe
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/10/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Is The World's Biggest Art Heist: 'This Is A Robbery,' Elon Musk Hosts 'SNL,' More
Elon Musk will host tomorrow night's Saturday Night Live. It is, if nothing else, an odd choice.
Speaking of choices, Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Sitcoms of All Time is out this week.
Finally, This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist is a four-part Netflix docuseries about the 1990 robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The burglary was the largest museum heist in history in terms of value (thought to be as much as $600 million) until 2019.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Jeff Goldblum's a movie star, jazz pianist and an inescapable meme. What's behind his enduring appeal?
On That Bombshell Billie Eilish Cover for British VogueThe pop star known for defying gender stereotypes got a glamour makeover with a corset. Not everyone is happy about it.
Broadway Is Reopening. But Not Until September.Even as New York City begins to reopen this summer, Broadway will not resume performances until Sept. 14. Here's why.
I'm Not Ready to PerformA great rock-and-roll show means openness, confrontation, and a kind of danger, and those ideas right now feel too heavy to lift.
Jason Concepcion Is Still Working Through His Early-Pandemic Pasta Purchase"I've always had an affinity for the cuisine of the Italians"
Eww, That's Gross. And We Like It That Way.Why the tasteless humor of "Bad Trip," starring Eric Andre, is a feat to be celebrated. Few can pull off transgression so skillfully.
German Gymnasts Cover Their Legs In Stand Against Sexualization
Prince's epic "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" guitar solo has a new director's cut
Ethan Hawke Waits for Godot, or for the Zoom Screen to UnfreezeAfter a rehearsal for a virtual production of the play, Hawke and his co-star John Leguizamo ponder how all dialogue now sounds like Beckett.
Prancer, the 'demonic' Chihuahua who went viral, finds his forever homePrancer has adjusted to both his new life and his viral celebrity status quite well.
Here Are The First Official Photos From HBO's "House Of The Dragon"The show will debut on HBO and on its streaming platform HBO Max in 2022.
Heads Up! A Used Chinese Rocket Is Tumbling Back to Earth This Weekend.The chances of it hitting a populated area are small, but not zero. That has raised questions about how the country’s space program designs its missions.
GUESTS:
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
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.
5/7/2021 • 49 minutes
The Secret Lives Of Numbers
Numbers are so fundamental to our understanding of the world around us that we maybe tend to think of them as an intrinsic part of the world around us. But they aren't. Humans invented numbers just as much as we invented all of language.
This hour, we look at the anthropological, psychological, and linguistical ramifications of the concept of numbers.
And we look at one philosophical question too: Are numbers even real in the first place?
GUESTS:
Brian Clegg - Author of Are Numbers Real? The Uncanny Relationship of Mathematics and the Physical World
Caleb Everett - Professor and chair of anthropology at the University of Miami and the author of Numbers and the Making of Us: Counting and the Course of Human Cultures
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired October 12, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/6/2021 • 50 minutes
Are We In The Age Of Peak Newsletter?
Newsletters have become a great way for journalists and others to dive deep into less-covered topics and engage directly with their readers in ways not always possible in the mainstream media ecosystem.
The platform Substack is making it easy for them. The subscription-based model offers writers more editorial control and the ability to offer free content and earn a sustainable salary at a time when public trust in media is low, local news is thinning and media content is often driven by social-media algorithms.
We talk about newsletters with people who write them and critique them.
GUESTS:
Heather Cox Richardson - Professor of history at Boston College; she writes the Letters from an American newsletter
Gabe Fleisher - Student at Georgetown University and the author of the Wake Up To Politics newsletter
Isaac Saul - A journalist and the author of the Tangle newsletter
Ben Smith - Media columnist for The New York Times and the founder and former editor-in-chief of Buzzfeed News
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.
5/5/2021 • 49 minutes
Running Toward the Fire
to help. They chose to be nurses at a time when the risk to their own health was never greater. Why are some people willing to run toward the fire when others are running away from it?
Most of us fall somewhere on a spectrum of altruistic behavior. We might adopt a stray pet, donate a liter of blood, or check on an older neighbor. Others pursue a career based on helping others, and, at the extreme end of the spectrum, some choose to donate their kidney to a stranger or rush into traffic to save a stranger's life.
We talk to two nurses, a kidney donor, and a psychologist about nursing and the nature of altruism.
GUEST:
Kelly Chevalier - Interim director of emergency services at Trinity Health of New England/St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center
Tracy Gordon Fox - A former journalist for the Hartford Courant; she’s currently a staff nurse on the general surgery floor at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center
Lauren Herschel - An anonymous kidney donor who lives in Calgary, Alberta
Abigail Marsh - A professor of psychology and a neuroscientist in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University; she directs their Lab on Social & Affective Neuroscience, and she’s the author of The Fear Factor: How One Emotion Connects Psychopaths, Altruists, and Everyone In Between
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/4/2021 • 48 minutes
Aaron Rodgers And The Packers; Classical Music-Loving Cows; and, Why We Should Love Wasps
Aaron Rodgers leaked his dissatisfaction with the Green Bay Packers just before last week's NFL opening round. The NFL draft drew about 2 million people and has become something of a cultural event. In essence, he made himself the story within the story. So, what's going on with Aaron Rodgers? Does he have a future with the Packers, another NFL team, or will he head to Jeopardy and date Shailene Woodley?
Also this hour: a story about cows who love classical music.
Lastly, an ode to the reviled wasp. It's time we learn to love the wasp.
GUESTS:
Ben Shpigel is a sports reporter for The New York Times, covering the NFL since 2011. (@benshpigel)
Lisa Abend is a journalist based in Copenhagen and the author of The Sorcerer's Apprentices: A Season in the Kitchen at Adria's Elbulli. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME magazine, and The Atlantic, among other publications. (@LisaAbend)
Seirian Sumner is professor of Behavioral Ecology at University College London. She's the co-founder of Soapbox Science and The Big Wasp Survey. (@WaspWoman)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/3/2021 • 49 minutes
A Long Look At Losing And Lovable (And Loathsome) Losers
As we were preparing for our show on underdogs, I kept saying that we shouldn’t overlook the fact that, often, to be an underdog in the first place, you have to be relatively bad at the thing you’re an underdog about.
The more we talked about it, the more I found myself making the case that losers and losing are fascinating.
And they are. There’s a whole podcast about political candidates who lost. We romanticize losers in movies and TV and songs and stories.
And think just about the phrase “lovable losers.” In a culture where we focus seemingly entirely on the positive half of the zero sum, where we endlessly exalt WINNING, it’s kind of interesting that we love the losers too, isn’t it?
This hour, a long look at losers and losing.
GUESTS:
Jason Cherkis - Political reporter for The Huffington Post and the co-host of Candidate Confessional
Josh Keefe - An investigative reporter at the Bangor Daily News; in a piece for Slate’s Sports Nut, he claimed that he was the worst high school quarterback ever
Jonathan McNicol - Producer at Connecticut Public Radio
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show, which originally aired August 1, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/30/2021 • 50 minutes
From The Bad Ideas Dept.: It's A Show About Towels!
Seriously: a show about towels.
There's the history of towels, towels in Christianity, Terrible Towels, Towel Day.
Oh, and there are actual towels too.
Because when has a bad idea ever stopped us before?
GUESTS:
Marcel Danesi - The author of Of Cigarettes, High Heels, and Other Interesting Things: An Introduction to Semiotics
John Dankosky - Host of The CT Mirror's Steady Habits podcast and news and special projects editor for Science Friday
Jackie Reeve - Bed and bath writer for Wirecutter; her blog about quilting and crafting and cooking and traveling and things is The Orange Room
Jem Roberts - Comedy historian and the author of The Frood: The Authorised and Very Official History of Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired December 6, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/29/2021 • 50 minutes
It's The Breast Day Of The Week
We're so caught up in fetishizing (mostly) female breasts in film, literature, art, and in the anatomy-defying breasts of comic book heroines, that we overlook the breast as a vital source of food and and as a body part vulnerable to cancer, including young women under forty. How often should we get that mammogram? To breastfeed - or not?
Lastly, how come men can go topless in America but women can't?
Florence Williams - Author of Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History and The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, which will be published in February and her Audible podcast Breasts Unbound, debuts in December
Dr. Christine Rizk - Breast surgeon, director of the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center
Lina Esco - Actress, producer, activist, director of the documentary, Free the Nipple and leader of the Free the Nipple movement.
You can join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
This show originally aired on October 4, 2016. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/28/2021 • 48 minutes, 31 seconds
A Nerding Out About Clouds
No one likes a cloudy sky. A cloud on the horizon is seen as a harbinger of doom. We feel like clouds need to have silver linings.
But here's our thesis: Clouds are unfairly maligned.
Consider this: From almost any vantage point (literally -- any vantage point in the universe), clouds are planet Earth's defining characteristic.
They're what changes, what moves. They're what's going on on our pale blue dot.
Clouds are, after all, the vehicle that spreads the sun's energy across the planet, an "expression of the atmosphere's moods."
This hour, an appreciation of clouds.
GUESTS:
Gavin Pretor-Pinney - Founder of The Cloud Appreciation Society, author of The Cloudspotter's Guide and The Cloud Collector's Handbook
David Romps - Assistant professor of Earth & Planetary Science at the University of California, Berkeley; runs The Romps Group, which studies clouds and climate
Karolina Sobecka - An interdisciplinary artist and designer whose work has focused repeatedly on clouds
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show, which originally aired July 6, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/27/2021 • 50 minutes
Our Lunchtime With André
André Gregory has directed and acted in the theater for more than 50 years. He has appeared in a number of movies, including Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, Woody Allen's Celebrity, Brian De Palma's The Bonfire of the Vanities, Peter Weir's The Mosquito Coast, and many more. He has starred in three movies about the theater with the playwright, actor, and comedian Wallace Shawn: A Master Builder, Vanya on 42nd Street, and the iconic My Dinner with Andre.
Gregory's memoir is This Is Not My Memoir. He joins us for the hour.
Note: I apologize for the flagrant hackiness of the "joke" of the headline here. I feel your scorn and must suffer through my shame. There are times when a work is so iconic one doesn't have a choice but to make reference to it. And so here we are.
GUEST:
André Gregory - An actor, writer, director, teacher, and painter; his new book, written with Todd London, is This Is Not My Memoir
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.
4/23/2021 • 42 minutes
We're Feeling Nostalgic For Quarantine Life. It Wasn't All Bad.
We're not the same people today that we were before covid upended our lives last spring. We found ways to survive a deadly and invisible virus, even as it threatened our survival. We learned to work from home, sew masks, Zoom, and create new words to describe our unique situation. And scientists developed vaccines so we could adapt faster than the virus could mutate.
Now, we're realizing that we don't want to leave behind all of our new "normal" as we prepare to return to the routines of our pre-pandemic "normal."
We talk about that and play some of your essays.
GUESTS:
Devon Powers is an associate professor at the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University and the author of On Trend: The Business of Forecasting the Future. (@devjpow)
Olga Khazan is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World. (@olgakhazan)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/22/2021 • 49 minutes
The Art Is The Idea: A Look At Sol LeWitt
Hartford native Sol LeWitt was one of the giants of conceptualist and minimalist art.
As an artist, he abandoned the long histories of painting and drawing and sculpture in favor of his Wall Drawings and Structures.
And as an art figure, he abandoned the conventions of celebrity and resisted ever even having his picture taken.
This hour, a look at Connecticut's own Sol LeWitt.
GUESTS:
David Areford - Associate professor of art history at the University of Massachusetts Boston
Lary Bloom - The author of Sol LeWitt: A Life of Ideas
Andrea Miller-Keller - Was the Emily Hall Tremaine Curator of Contemporary Art at the Wadsworth Atheneum from 1968 to 1998
Cary Smith - An artist who makes abstract paintings
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired May 9, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/21/2021 • 41 minutes
The Myth Of Meritocracy
Americans like to believe we live in a meritocracy but the odds are stacked in favor of the already lucky and fortunate. We congratulate the "winners" and humiliate the "losers," who are told to better themselves or carry the burden of their failure.
The 2016 election of Donald Trump was decades in the making. Like other populist leaders around the world, Trump gave voice to the resentment directed toward “elites” who devalue the hard work and dignity of workers without college degrees.
Ronald Reagan was the first president to tell every American they could "go just as far as their dreams and hard work will take them." Yet, his administration's economic policies made it hard for those without college degrees to get ahead, no matter how hard they worked. Little has changed.
GUEST:
Michael Sandel teaches philosophy at Harvard University. His most recent book is The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? His BBC Radio 4 series, The Public Philosopher, explores the philosophical ideas behind the headlines.
You can join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 8, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/20/2021 • 48 minutes, 57 seconds
Learning How To Breathe
The jury will begin deliberations later today on whether George Floyd's death was caused by his inability to breathe under the weight of Derek Chauvin. Breathing is so automatic that we don't think about it until lung disease, dirty air, poor breathing habits and, now, COVID-19 and police brutality make it hard to do.
We take breathing for granted; we don't breathe deep enough, we breathe too much, and we often breathe through our mouths instead of our noses.
We can't take all the blame. The tradeoff of humans evolving to have bigger brains is that our larger brains squeezed our noses, sinuses, tongues, and jaws into smaller spaces. That's why humans are the only species of 5,400 mammals to have misaligned jaws, overbites, underbites, and crooked teeth.
This hour, the science, art, and politics of breathing.
GUESTS:
James Nestor - A journalist and author; his most recent book is Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
Dahlia Lithwick - A senior editor for Slate and the host of Amicus
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired June 18, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/19/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose (Taylor's Version)
Taylor Swift has announced plans to re-record six of her previous albums in order to own master recordings of her older catalogue. Fearless (Taylor’s Version), which came out last Friday, is the first of these six re-recordings to be released. Fittingly, this would appear to be the sixth Nose that is substantively about Taylor Swift.
And: If you're socially anxious (and who isn't, really?), you're gonna miss Zoom when it's gone. Oh, and speaking of social anxiety, meet Prancer, the Chihuahua who hates almost everyone.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Frank Jacobs, Mad Magazine Writer With a Lyrical Touch, Dies at 91He deftly mocked pop culture, politics and more for 57 years. He also wrote new lyrics for familiar songs, which led to a lawsuit from Irving Berlin and others.
Phoebe Bridgers' smashed 'Saturday Night Live' guitar is up for auctionOrganised by the 2021 GLAAD Media Awards, which had nominated Bridgers as Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist
LeVar Burton steps up his Jeopardy! campaign: "It just makes sense"
Catherine Zeta-Jones Is Enjoying Herself
Hollywood loves making excuses for bullies. Here are some of the most damaging
George Clooney did some of his best work in Steven Soderbergh's reviled Solaris
Adam McKay on How To Be Political and Entertaining and Not Destroy the World
'Dune' Director Denis Villeneuve Blasts HBO Max Deal
ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres to Close
Why Are Women on TikTok Asking to Get Peed On?On PissTok, memes about golden showers and accidental-on-purpose jellyfish stings abound
You Can Be a Different Person After the PandemicOur personalities are not set in stone. They are more like sand dunes.
Pure perfection: North Texas pitcher Hope Trautwein strikes out all 21 batters in perfect game
In the minors, a major change as the Atlantic League plans to move the mound back a foot
The Long Tail of Aphex Twin's 'Avril 14th'A song released 20 years ago continues to inspire curiosity and covers by classical, experimental and pop artists.
'NCIS' Renewed for Season 19 With Mark Harmon to Return
Colorful coffins lighten mood at New Zealand funerals
GUESTS:
Gorman Bechard - Novelist and filmmaker
Rebecca Castellani - Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/16/2021 • 40 minutes, 40 seconds
Where Have All The Public Toilets Gone?
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently wrote a column proclaiming that "America Is Not Made for People Who Pee." It hit a nerve. People responded with stories that all seemed to agree with him.
So, why don't we complain about locked doors, long lines (for women), or the lack of a public toilet where one should be? Lezlie Lowe might say that we don't like to talk about bodily functions that are perceived as kind of, well, gross.
This hour, we talk about public toilets, including one that people like.
GUESTS:
Lezlie Lowe - Teaches journalism at the University of King's College and is the author of No Place To Go: How Public Toilets Fail Our Private Needs
Evan Madden - Sales manager for The Portland Loo
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.
4/15/2021 • 49 minutes
One Of The Greats: Robin Williams
Popeye. The World According to Garp. Good Morning, Vietnam. Dead Poets Society. Awakenings. The Fisher King. Aladdin. Mrs. Doubtfire. Jumanji. The Birdcage. Good Will Hunting. What Dreams May Come. One Hour Photo. Death to Smoochy. Insomnia. Night at the Museum.
And that's just a super-abbreviated version of Robin Williams's filmography. And it completely ignores his career as one of the all-time great standup comedians. And it ignores Mork & Mindy. And Comic Relief. And so much more.
This hour: A look at Robin Williams, who would've turned 70 this year.
GUESTS:
Dave Itzkoff - A culture reporter for The New York Times and the author of Robin
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is the founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired in a different form June 21, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/14/2021 • 42 minutes
Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived?
During his remarkable career with the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams earned many nicknames: The Kid, The Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame... but the only nickname that he ever wanted was "the greatest hitter who ever lived."
And maybe he really was? He's baseball's all-time leader in on-base percentage, and he's second behind only Babe Ruth in both slugging and on-base plus slugging percentages. He's the last guy to hit .400, and that was 80 years ago. And on top of all that, he lost close to five full seasons (and three of them in the prime of his career) to serve in two different wars.
This hour, a look at the man, the hitter, and the pitchman (you see what I did there) that was Ted Williams.
GUESTS:
Jim Baumer - A Maine-based writer and the author of Moxie: Maine in a Bottle
Nick Davis - Produced and directed Ted Williams: "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived"
Sam Miller - National baseball writer at ESPN
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, which originally aired July 19, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/13/2021 • 42 minutes
Politics Is No Laughing Matter
Fox News broadcast the first episode of Greg Gutfeld's new late-night show, Gutfeld!, earlier this month. They're betting that Gutfeld can turn his talk show format into a successful late-night comedy show for conservatives. The problem is that conservatives don't do political satire any better than liberals do opinion talk radio.
Dannagal Young believes that opinion talk is political satire for the right and political satire is opinion programming for the left. They serve the same purpose; both formats are responses to a lack of trust in mainstream media. Which one appeals to each of us depends less on how "smart" we are and more on how we process information.
GUEST:
Dannagal Young - Professor of communication and political science at the University of Delaware and the author of Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Fear, Outrage and Comedy in the United States
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.
4/12/2021 • 41 minutes
The Nose Misses The Office: 'Hemingway' And More
At Connecticut Public, there's a smallish corner conference room thing that we think of as The Crying Room. I, personally, haven't ever seen anyone cry in there, but I've had my suspicions. In any case, where people go to cry is part of the essential geography of the modern office. On the other hand, do we even have offices anymore?
And: Hemingway is a three-part PBS documentary directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. It premiered this week, and all 5½ hours are streamable now.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Gary Bimonte, owner of Pepe's Pizza in New Haven has died
R.I.P. SNL writer and Square Pegs creator Anne Beatts
Prince Philip, Husband of Queen Elizabeth II, Is Dead at 99The Duke of Edinburgh, who married the future queen in 1947, brought the monarchy into the 20th century, but his occasional frank comments hurt his image.
What Will Happen to Friendships When We Crawl Out of Our Pandemic Hidey Holes?A year of isolation has left our lives strewn with carcasses of friendships once held sacred -- but can reopening revive them?
In Computero: Hear How AI Software Wrote a 'New' Nirvana SongComputer-generated artificial tracks by Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse and Jim Morrison highlight a new project that helps bring attention to mental illness
Yahoo Answers Is Ending, So Here Are 31 Of The Funniest Posts To Ever Exist ThereYahoo Answers, you will be missed.
'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' has ruined Marvel movies forever -- and that's a good thing
Low-rise jeans are back. Don't panic.Millennials are terrified of the return of low-rise jeans and Y2K fashion. But what if they looked different this time around?
Long-Awaited Muon Measurement Boosts Evidence for New PhysicsInitial data from the Muon g-2 experiment have excited particle physicists searching for undiscovered subatomic particles and forces
An Interview With the Man Who Keeps Uploading My Feet to WikiFeet
Taylor Swift Drops 'Mr. Perfectly Fine'From the Vault: Why Fans Think It's About Joe Jonas or Jake Gyllenhaal
With "Mr. Perfectly Fine," Taylor Swift Got Ahead Of Her Least Original CriticsThere doesn't have to be drama. There can just be bops.
Pino Palladino, pop's greatest bassist: 'I felt like a performing monkey!'One of the world's most celebrated bass players has worked with everyone from Adele to Elton John, the Who and D'Angelo. But the Welsh musician has hidden from the spotlight -- until now
Why Are Furio's Shirts So Good on The Sopranos?An appreciation of the most intoxicating silk tops to hit prestige TV.
An Interview With the Guy Who Yells "Mortal Kombat" in the Theme for Mortal KombatNearly three decades later, he's still got it.
I Work in a Bookstore. Why Am I Still Shelving "Mein Kampf"?There are historical and scholarly reasons to preserve Hitler's manifesto -- but that doesn't mean anyone needs to own it
Aaron Rodgers Could Actually Be the Next Host of Jeopardy!He has no right to be as good at this as he is.
"Everyone Just Knows He's an Absolute Monster": Scott Rudin's Ex-Staffers Speak Out on Abusive BehaviorEven as other Hollywood bullies are being sidelined, the uber-producer behind 'The Social Network' and Broadway’s 'To Kill a Mockingbird' has been given a pass for his volcanic temper. Now, former employees open up about a boss who left many traumatized: "It was a new level of unhinged."
This man is looking for the friends who shipped him overseas in a crateThe book The Crate Escape details how Brian Robson's scheme almost killed him
America is facing a ketchup packet shortage
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
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.
4/9/2021 • 49 minutes
Joni Mitchell: 'Blue' Turns 50
Joni Mitchell's album Blue turns 50 this year. It may not have the artistic sophistication of her later albums, but Mitchell's vulnerability endeared her to fans, if not early critics unused to such intimate storytelling. That was okay with Mitchell. She said her "music is not designed to grab instantly. It's designed to wear for a lifetime, to hold up like a fine cloth."
She was right. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Blue the third-greatest album on its 2020 list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time," a move up from No. 33 in 2017.
We talk with musicians and critics about the album Blue and more.
GUESTS:
Peter Kaminsky - Professor of music theory and associate department head of undergraduate studies at the University of Connecticut
Steve Metcalf - A journalist, music critic, pianist, and composer, and director emeritus of Presidents' College at the University of Hartford
Carolann Solebello - A singer-songwriter, a founding member of the Americana trio Red Molly, and a member of the Jack Hardy Songwriters Exchange; she tours with the folk quartet No Fuss and Feathers
Join us 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.
4/8/2021 • 49 minutes
The King: Before There Was Lebron, There Was Elvis
Elvis left two legacies. Musically, he pulled several American musical traditions out of the shadows, braided them together, and made them mainstream. Personally, he created a far darker template for the way a musical celebrity could be devoured by the very fame he avidly sought.
Recorded live in front of an audience -- long before the pandemic hit -- as part of Colin's Freshly Squeezed series at Watkinson School, an hour about the artist who defined the birth of rock and roll and was the genre's first superstar.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine - Guitar and vocals
Latanya Farrell - Vocals
Steve Metcalf - Piano and vocals
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
This show originally aired February 20, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/7/2021 • 50 minutes
How Soon Is Too Soon? (And Other Classic Questions And Conundrums About Comedy)
humor = tragedy + time
OK, but then the logical next question is: How much time?
If it's OK, at this point, to joke about, say, The Spanish Inquisition... what about, for instance, the Holocaust? Or AIDS? September 11th? The #MeToo movement?
...Derek Chauvin?
There's a line there somewhere, right?
Or are some topics just never going to be funny?
GUESTS:
Mike Bent - Teaches writing in the Comedic Arts program at Emerson College, and he’s a performing comedian and magician
Shawn Murray - A stand up comedian and writer and a host of Fantasy Filmball
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer
Ferne Pearlstein - A documentary filmmaker who directed The Last Laugh
Caleb Warren - Assistant professor of marketing at the University of Arizona
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Catie Talarski, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired February 21, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2021 • 50 minutes
We Want To Hear From You. Give Us A Call.
We'll be taking your calls during this hour -- and during more of our Monday shows moving forward. We'll still invite guests when we think it's important. Otherwise, we want to talk to you. Call us today at 888-720-9677 between 1 and 2 p.m. EDT.
I'm not sure what you want to talk about today, but consider this: Nicholas Kristof, opinion writer for The New York Times, complained that "America Is Not Made for People Who Pee." It's great that President Biden wants to rebuild highways, fix aging schools, and upgrade our electrical grid, but what about public toilets? Have you had to search for a public toilet, especially during the pandemic? If so, you're not alone.
Talk to you soon.
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.
4/5/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Vs. 'Godzilla Vs. Kong' (Plus Other Stuff)
So celebrities and their giant water bottles: It's a thing, I guess. And then there's the ABC Carpet couches email thread. Plus: Netflix's dwindling, dying DVD library.
And then: Godzilla vs. Kong is the fourth movie in Legendary's MonsterVerse. It's a direct sequel to both Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and it's the 12th King Kong movie and the 36th Godzilla movie, overall. Godzilla vs. Kong's theatrical opening (both internationally and domestically) has been the largest of any movie's during the pandemic.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Lil Nas X, Clapback ChampThe rapper's new single, video and sneaker were merely the prelude to a brilliantly orchestrated main event: a virtuosic performance on Twitter.
Unpacking Chet Hanks' Complex 'White Boy Summer' TaxonomyHe calls out prejudicial beliefs against anyone from a different background than you, while encouraging his viewers to "keep suck-a-duckin."
G. Gordon Liddy, undercover operative convicted in Watergate scandal, dies at 90
'Game of Thrones' Play in the Works for Broadway, Will Revive Iconic CharactersGeorge R.R. Martin is developing a live stage spectacular for Broadway, West End and Australia that will bring fan-favorites like Ned Stark and Jaime Lannister back to life while dramatizing a legendary event in Westeros history
Volkswagen of America lied about rebranding to 'Voltswagen'From the company that brought you Dieselgate...
The Timeless Fantasy of Stanley Tucci Eating Italian FoodIn CNN's culinary travel series, Italy is beautiful and the food of Italy is beautiful. Not insignificantly, Tucci is beautiful, too.
Comic-Con Unveils Fall Dates For In-Person Convention; Confab Returns To San Diego For First Time Since 2019
I Like That The Boat Is StuckIt's bad that the boat is stuck. It's bad for lots of people and for lots of reasons. I know that. Please don't think that me liking the stuck boat is an ideological stance. This is not an opinion I have about boats, or about canals, or about things generally being stuck.
How "A Drive Into Deep Left Field by Castellanos" Became the Perfect Meme for These Strange TimesThe infamous on-air apology derailed by a Nick Castellanos home run has found life beyond Weird Baseball Twitter -- and it may be here to stay
A new energy drink will debut in New Haven. It was developed by 3 Yale students.
I Am Obsessed With Anthony Hopkins' Truly Bizarre Social Media PresenceI love him?
Nickelodeon Removes SpongeBob Panty-Raid Episode for Being Too Horny for Kids
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Handles social media marketing and event planning for Quiet Corner Communications
Sam Hatch - Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on Sunday nights on WWUH
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.
4/2/2021 • 49 minutes
The Allure Of Advice
John Dunton started the first advice column in 1690. He called it the Athenian Mercury. John, a bookseller, and his four "experts" wanted to answer "all the most Nice and Curious Questions proposed by the Ingenious of Either Sex." One person wondered why they would trouble themselves "and the world with answering so many silly questions." But it was a hit.
People have always been drawn to advice columns. They're a public forum for private thoughts; they're communal, yet anonymous; they reveal human strength, yet vulnerability. Despite their popularity, until recently, most readers in the recent decades have been white women. That's changing.
Are you an advice junkie? Join us.
GUESTS:
Jamie Fisher - A writer and researcher with The New York Times
Danny M. Lavery - Slate's Dear Prudence, co-founder of The Toast, and the author of Texts From Jane Eyre, The Merry Spinster, and Something That May Shock and Discredit You
Christine Pride - A writer, book editor, and content consultant; her advice column, Race Matters, is on A Cup of Jo, and her debut novel, We Are Not Like Them, is available for preorder
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.
4/1/2021 • 49 minutes
They Say The City Never Sleeps. Neither Do We.
Did you get enough sleep last night? If you're like most Americans, probably not. You might feel pretty good after six hours of sleep and a strong cup of coffee, but the physical and mental toll of sleep deprivation is high.
We become more impulsive and less mentally agile, and we make more mistakes. Long term, lack of sleep (six hours or less per night) can mess with mood, hormones, and immune systems, and it can increase our risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
There are lots of things we can't control that keep us up too late, such as crying babies and shift work. But there are lots of things we can control, like how much caffeine we consume and whether we take our phone to bed.
But somewhere along the way, our culture made less sleep a matter of personal virtue and moral judgement. Even naps are frowned upon for all but the youngest and the oldest among us.
GUESTS:
Maria Konnikova - A journalist, professional poker player, and the author of The Confidence Game and Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes
Dan McNally - A doctor with the Sleep Disorders Center at UConn Health
Todd Pitock - Journalist
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, which originally aired March 18, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/31/2021 • 47 minutes, 30 seconds
Connecticut's Cartoon County
For a period of about 50 years, many of America's top cartoonists and illustrators lived within a stone's throw of one another in the southwestern corner of Connecticut.
Comic strips and gag cartoons read by hundreds of millions were created in this tight-knit group -- Prince Valiant, Superman, Beetle Bailey, Hägar the Horrible, Hi and Lois, Nancy, The Wizard of Id, Family Circus... I could keep going.
This hour, a look at the funny pages, and at Connecticut's cartoon county.
GUESTS:
Bill Griffith - The creator and author of the daily comic strip Zippy
Henry McNulty - A writer and editor who worked for the Hartford Courant for more than 25 years
Cullen Murphy - Editor-at-large for Vanity Fair and the author of Cartoon County: My Father and His Friends in the Golden Age of Make-Believe
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Kevin MacDermott, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired January 11, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/30/2021 • 49 minutes
The First Dogs Are Home; And Other News
A number of media critics gave poor grades to reporters questioning President Biden at his first formal press conference last week. Is there a disconnect between what the media cares about, such as the filibuster and the 2024 election, and what people care about?
Also this hour: An Amazon executive set off a firestorm after boasting on Twitter that Amazon was the "Bernie Sanders of employers." Workers weighed in on whether a company was progressive if workers felt they had to urinate in a bottle in order to meet production quotas. How will all this attention influence whether workers at an Alabama Amazon warehouse decide to unionize?
Lastly, the first dogs are home, sweet home.
GUESTS:
Dan Froomkin - The editor of Press Watch
Ken Klippenstein - An investigative reporter for The Intercept focusing on national security
Rachel Treisman - A production assistant on NPR's Digital News Desk
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.
3/29/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Is Stuck In A Canal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shrimp Tails, 'For All Mankind,' More
As with all weeks, it's been a strange week.
First there were the Cinnamon Toast Crunch shrimp tails. And then an enormous container ship got stuck in the Suez Canal. And now there might be another toilet paper shortage. Which would be bad for the Amazon drivers who have to poop in their trucks.
Maybe it's been an especially strange week.
Separate from all that: For All Mankind is Ronald D. Moore's alternate history of a world where the space race never ended. It's six episodes into Season Two on AppleTV+.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
George Segal, Veteran of Drama and TV Comedy, Is Dead at 87He is best remembered for his Oscar-nominated dramatic role in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and was later a familiar comic actor.
"Arrested Development" Star Jessica Walter Has Died At 80Walter was best known for playing Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development and voicing Malory Archer in Archer.
R.I.P. Talladega Nights actor Houston Tumlin
Ronnee Sass, Veteran Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Publicist, Dies at 72
The Extended Universe: What the Snyder Cut Means for the Future of FandomThe campaign demanding the release of Zack Snyder's 'Justice League' got its payoff with the release of the four-hour movie last weekend. Does it mean anything for similar movements for 'Suicide Squad' and 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'?
Justice League's Epilogue Is Its Messiest, Most Dangerous Indulgence
5 widescreen videos to watch instead of the 4:3 Snyder Cut of Justice League'That's no moon'
High school baseball: How Juab beat Provo 29-28 in the highest-scoring game in state history
Dr. Oz is hosting Jeopardy! and everyone hates it
Every DC Comics Movie, Ranked
How Beeple Crashed the Art WorldAn N.F.T., or "non-fungible token," of the digital artist's work sold for sixty-nine million dollars in a Christie's auction. It's good news for crypto-optimists, but what about for art?
'Black Widow' Will Hit Disney+ and Theaters on July 9, 'Shang-Chi' Delayed, and More Disney Release Date Changes
An Interview With Mike Birbiglia About Pizza And Only Pizza
'Superstore' Was the Perfect Comedy for Less-Than-Funny TimesThis week's series finale closes out a delightful sitcom that didn't shy from the challenges faced by America's low-wage workers, including the current pandemic.
Dave Chappelle to perform at Foxwoods with rapid COVID testing at the door
The Definitive Ranking of Ducks
Beyond Peak TVIt's no longer enough to flood the zone with new television in general. Now, the zone is flooded with specific individual brands -- over and over again.
Oscar Producers Facing Backlash And Logistical Headaches After Requiring Nominees To Attend Ceremony In Person, Not On Zoom
Not-So-Special Characters: The Biggest Grifters, Frauds, and Outright Nobodies on Today's Typographical Scene
Johnny Depp denied appeal in case that found 'wife beater' article about him 'substantially true'
Here's Why Taylor Swift Is Re-Releasing Her Old Albums
Is the guitar solo dead in the 21st century?
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Pedro Soto - President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
Coach Catie Talarski - Senior director of storytelling for Connecticut Public
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.
3/26/2021 • 49 minutes
Pressing Rewind On Cassettes
On March 6, Lou Ottens died in Duizel in the Netherlands. He was 94. I don't think I had ever heard of Ottens before, but the news of his death quickly filled my social media feeds. Ottens, you see, invented the compact cassette in the 1960s.
There's a certain romance to the cassette tape, right? They're more fun than mp3s, for sure. And it turns out they're having a little mini resurgence right now.
Last year, cassette sales hit their highest mark since 2003. Some old, hard to find tapes sell for crazy prices. Blank tapes still sell well. There are cassette-only record labels. There are even podcast episodes out on tape.
This hour, a look at the long past and surprising present of the cassette tape.
GUESTS:
Joe Carlough - Runs This And That Tapes
Lory Gil - A writer in the tech industry
Sommer McCoy - Founder of The Mixtape Museum
Zack Taylor - Director of Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape
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.
3/24/2021 • 49 minutes
Forget Google Maps. There's Still Lots To Explore
After a year of pandemic, we're all itching to break from the restrictions of the pandemic. We want to travel and explore. It makes sense; we're hard-wired to explore. Our ancestors would not have survived absent the drive to seek food and safety from the dangers of the day. Safe and satiated, they later sought new lands to conquer and later still, to escape the constraints and cruelties of rapid industrialization.
If the recent pandemic left you yearning to explore, you might be inspired by this show we first aired in 2017.
GUESTS:
David Grann - Staff writer for The New Yorker, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon and most recently, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
Hugh Thomson - Writer, filmmaker and author of many books including The White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland and A Sacred Landscape: The Search for Ancient Peru
Kathryn Schulz - Staff writer for The New Yorker and author of Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/23/2021 • 49 minutes
Anti-Asian Racism, Religion, and 'Sex Addiction'
Last week's violence at three spas in Georgia, followed a year of escalating violence against Asian Americans, some of it captured on videos that went viral. Despite visual evidence, New Yorker writer Hua Hsu, writes that this current moment stresses the "in-between space Asian Americans inhabit." It's hard to prove bias when we lack a historical understanding of what Asian American racism looks like.
The 21-year-old man who killed eight people last week, six of whom were Asian women, told investigators that he attacked the spas because he was struggling with a “sex addiction” and wanted to eliminate the “temptation” of buying sex. Psychologist Joshua Grubbs writes that religion is deeply intertwined with perceptions of sexual behavior and moral beliefs about sexuality.
GUESTS:
Hua Hsu is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of A Floating Chinaman: Fantasy and Failure Across the Pacific. He is an associate professor of English at Vassar College (@huahsu)
Joshua Grubbs is an assistant professor of psychology at Bowling State University. His research is primarily concerned with the scientific study of addiction, personality, and morality (@joshuagrubbsphd)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/22/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Needs To Go Home: 'Promising Young Woman' And More
It might just be that the pandemic is starting to wind down. Advertisers are anxious to act like it is. We're all maybe anxious to get some hugs back into our lives, or maybe we'll all just always be anxious about hugs. And: How does this all work for half-vaccinated couples? Plus: The Nose sees some parallels in the sexlessness of superheroes.
And: Promising Young Woman is Emerald Fennell's feature-film debut as a writer, director, and producer, and it's made her an Academy Award-nominated writer, director, and producer. The movie is nominated for five Oscars overall, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Carey Mulligan.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Yaphet Kotto, Bond Villain and 'Alien' Star, Dies at 81Well known for playing hardened personalities, he was also seen in movies like "Midnight Run" and the TV show "Homicide: Life on the Street."
Boxing great Marvelous Marvin Hagler dies at 66
Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez Announce They Are Still TogetherLess than a day after E! News confirmed reports that Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez were going their separate ways, the music superstar and actress and retired MLB star issued a joint statement
How Hollywood Is Complicit in the Violence Against Asians in AmericaReducing Asians, women and sex workers to flat punchlines isn't just degrading -- it's dangerous
'Avatar' Overtakes 'Avengers: Endgame' As All-Time Highest-Grossing Film Worldwide; Rises To $2.8B Amid China Reissue
2021 Oscar Stats: Two Female Filmmakers Are Up for Best Director for the First Time; Plus Historic Nods for Viola Davis, Riz Ahmed, Steven Yeun, More
The Winners and Losers of the 2021 Oscar NominationsThe good: 'Minari' and 'Nomadland' leading a far less local slate. The bad: Delroy Lindo getting snubbed.
Razzie Awards 2021: Robert Downey Jr., Adam Sandler, Anne Hathaway Among Nominees
Movies That Would Have Been Better with Richard Kind in Them
The Mound Is Too Damn CloseFor nearly 130 years, the distance between pitchers and batters has remained the same. But as pitchers get better and bigger -- and balls in play become increasingly rare -- MLB could benefit from giving hitters some space.
Prominent NCAA tournament players launch '#NotNCAAProperty' protest as March Madness begins
Why Channel 37 Doesn't Exist (And What It Has to Do With Aliens)Since the advent of analog TVs, channel 37 has always been static. Here's why.
'60 Songs That Explain the '90s': The Ugly Beauty of ToolUp next on our trek through the decade: "Stinkfist," one of the hardest, crudest songs from one of rock's hardest, crudest bands
Sanitary CultureExperts brightly offer to help create a society so safe, clean, inoffensive, and nontoxic art disappears. Show them the door.
Teen Vogue Editor Resigns After Fury Over Racist TweetsThe hiring of Alexi McCammond, who was supposed to start at the Condé Nast publication next week, drew complaints because of racist and homophobic tweets she had posted a decade ago.
Topps removes Garbage Pail Kids collectible sticker card featuring bruised BTS after backlash
NYC man sells fart for $85, cashing in on NFT craze
If You Look at Your Phone While Walking, You're an Agent of ChaosAn experiment by Japanese researchers revealed how just a few distracted walkers really can throw off the movements of a whole crowd.
Is This Going To Be The Horniest Summer Of All Time?
GUESTS:
Tracy Wu Fastenberg - Development officer at Connecticut Children's
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/19/2021 • 49 minutes
Our Hour With Lauren Oyler
Writer and essayist Lauren Oyler, joins Colin to talk about Fake Accounts, her new novel on internet culture. They'll also talk about literary fiction, cultural criticism, ghostwriting, and her staunch defense of semicolons, among other things.
Lauren Oyler will be at the Mark Twain House & Museum, Tuesday, March 23, 7-8 pm. The event is free. You can register at marktwainhouse.org
GUEST:
Lauren Oyler’s essays have appeared in the London Review of Books, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Harper’s, Bookforum, New York Magazine’s The Cut, and elsewhere. Her first novel is Fake Accounts. (@laurenoyler)
Find us on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Gene Amatruda contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/18/2021 • 49 minutes
Our 11th* (Almost) Annual March Madness Show
Every year around this time, there's a big-old college basketball tournament. So every* year around this time, for every* year that this show has been on the air, we've put together a big-old hour of radio about said big-old college basketball tournament.
Until last year, of course.
Last year, we were right in the middle of getting this show together when quarantines started, when we closed our building to the outside world, when sports seasons were suspended and canceled, when we all suddenly switched to working remotely.
Last year, the NCAA basketball tournaments were canceled, so we had to cancel this show.
And so we're very excited to be doing this show again this year. We're still working from home, but that's no reason not to do an hour of radio about basketball with an improv comic and an ex-politican-turned-political-pundit.
There are a bunch of other reasons not to do that, but we don't care about any of them very much.
*Our best guess is that this is the 11th version of this show we've done. It might be the 10th, maybe the ninth. But we're going with 11th. It could be that one of the 11 was a show more about birds than it's about basketball, but whatever.
GUESTS:
Bill Curry - Playing the part of Bill Curry
Julia Pistell - A founding member of Sea Tea Improv, among a number of other things
Gregory S. Woodward - President of the University of Hartford
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.
3/17/2021 • 49 minutes
An Ode To Obituaries And Obituarists
On the one hand, obituaries are an amalgam of a bunch of different kinds of journalism: they're feature stories, they're profile pieces, they cover history, and they're hard news too.
On the other hand, the subject is always... dead.
This hour, a look at the art of obituaries and obituarists.
GUESTS:
Kate Cimini - A reporter for The Salinas Californian and CalMatters
Vanessa Gould - Produced and directed the documentary Obit.
Heather Lende - Obituarist for the Chilkat Valley News in Alaska and the author of Find the Good: Unexpected Life Lessons from a Small-Town Obituary Writer
Bruce Weber - Retired New York Times obituarist
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 24, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2021 • 50 minutes
This Is 'Jeopardy!'
Jeopardy! has been part of the fabric of American TV, in a couple different forms and across a couple different breaks, since 1964. It is the longest-running nationally-televised game show in U.S. television history.
At the 2015 Emmys, John Oliver quipped, "The sun could burn out, humanity could flee to another galaxy, time as we know it could cease to exist, but Alex Trebek will still be there scolding librarians from Ames, Iowa, to answer in the form of a question."
Except, of course, Alex Trebek died last year. And before that, Jeopardy!'s long-time executive producer and its long-time contestant coordinator both left at the end of last season.
So what's in store for this quiz show institution?
The Nose is off, but that doesn't mean some other stuff didn't happen this week, give or take:
'Phantom Tollbooth' Author Norton Juster Dies At 91
The Best Movie Performances of the Century So Far
'Nomadland,' 'Rocks' Lead 2021 BAFTA Awards Nominations
Steven Spielberg to Direct a Movie About His Own Childhood; Michelle Williams to Star
People are Using Dating Apps to Find Doctors, Drugs, and ProtestersAs the world gets weirder, dating apps are expanding from attracting horny singles to even being a marketplace for everything but love.
The Internet Is Making Lots Of Jokes At The News That Instagram Is Launching A "Lite" Version Of Its App"Does Instagram Lite have less calories than the other competitors?"
GUESTS:
Sherri Cohen - Former Jeopardy! contestant
Claire McNear - Staff writer at The Ringer and the author of Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider's Guide to Jeopardy!
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer, and founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired November 18, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/12/2021 • 50 minutes
Profiling Criminal Profilers
Criminal Minds. Mindhunter and Manhunt. Cracker and Profiler. Nearly the whole of the Hannibal Lecter universe: Manhunter, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal (the movie and the TV series), Red Dragon, and now Clarice.
It seems we're fascinated by forensic psychology, by criminal profiling, by... mindhunting.
This hour, we look at three different criminal profilers: James Brussel, the psychologist who helped catch the Mad Bomber of New York in 1957; James Fitzgerald, the forensic linguist who caught the Unabomber; and Bill James, the father of sabermetrics, turns his data analysis on a century-old serial killer mystery that no one had even realized was a serial killer mystery before he and his daughter figured it out.
GUESTS:
Michael Cannell - Author of Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber, and the Invention of Criminal Profiling
James Fitzgerald - Retired FBI agent, criminal profiler, and forensic linguist; he's the author of a series of memoirs, A Journey to the Center of the Mind
Bill James - Former Senior Advisor on Baseball Operations for the Boston Red Sox; co-author of The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery
Rachel McCarthy James - Co-author of The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired November 7, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/11/2021 • 50 minutes
The Other Connecticut: The Southeastern Region
The southeastern part of our state conjures images of casinos, submarines, and a blue-collar vibe that's just a little different from the rest of the state's image of leafy suburbs, clapboard homes, and town greens that show off Connecticut's colonial past.
The southeastern corner has its own allure, challenging writers and artists mystified by this place that time left alone. It's quirky, a little unruly, and special in ways we can't fully define. Wally Lamb describes it as "more feisty than fashionable, more liverwurst than pate."
We talk to three writers, including Wally Lamb, who have tried to capture the essence of this unique region of Connecticut.
GUESTS:
Wally Lamb - The author of I Know This Much is True, She's Come Undone, We Are Water, and I'll Take You There
John-Manuel Andriote - A reporter and the author of Victory Deferred, Wilhelmina Goes Wandering, and Tough Love: A Washington Reporter Finds Resilience, Ruin, and Zombies in his ‘Other Connecticut' Hometown
Stephen Dobyns - Poet of 13 volumes including Winter's Journey and Velocities and the author of Is Fat Bob Dead Yet?
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired October 29, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/10/2021 • 47 minutes, 30 seconds
Dancin' In The Moonlight: Connecticut Dance Halls
This hour, we talk about two Connecticut dance halls, each springing from the vision of two very different men who took their respective dance halls down very different paths. One's dream soared, bringing thousands of concert-goers to over 3,000 acts over an 11-year history. The other's dream stalled, his elaborate dance hall sitting idle for decades.
Thrall Hall in East Windsor is a lot of things. By most accounts, it's a fascinating example of vernacular or folk architecture. Ed Thrall built the dance hall from materials he recovered from demolition projects, sometimes salvaging pieces of historical interest. He built it his own way following his own idiosyncratic ideas about architecture. Thrall Hall contains some engineering marvels including the use of recycled tractor trailer tires under the dance floor to give it adjustable bounce.
What Thrall Hall is not is usable.
Ed is a peculiar and troubled man. He didn't work and play well with others, and you'll hear today an occasionally hair-raising account of his battles with the town. Catie Talarski shares this heartbreaking story of lost dreams, betrayal, and redemption.
Thrall Hall was just about the only thing that could make the wild 11-year run of the Shaboo Inn in Mansfield seem pale by comparison. That's the second story we tell today.
Connecticut’s Shaboo Inn, a legendary 1970s and 1980s blues and rock concert dance hall, attracted over 100 top artists, including Bonnie Raitt, Miles Davis, The Police, Aerosmith, and Tom Waits, to the former silk mill in Mansfield.
David "Lefty" Foster started Shaboo at the age of 19 when he wasn't yet old enough to be inside the building. He joins us to share stories from this long and storied Connecticut icon.
Read and listen to Catie Talarski's feature here.
GUEST:
David Foster - Co-founder of Shaboo Productions and the leader of the Mohegan Sun Shaboo All-Stars; he was inducted into the New England Music Hall of Fame in October, 2020
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Betsy Kaplan, Catie Talarski, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired September 30, 2014.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2021 • 49 minutes, 1 second
An Evening With Patti Smith
We reair Colin's 2016 interview with Patti Smith at the Immanuel Congregational Church in Hartford when she was in town for a Mark Twain House event. The church was filled to the rafters with a capacity crowd of 700 people who remained enraptured by her presence throughout the entire evening. If you don't know her, you may come to love her after hearing this very funny and endearing interview.
She looked back over her life as an artist, a lover of Robert Mapplethorpe, a wife and a mother, and as a person she says is a better friend in the abstract than in reality. Again, she's really funny.
GUEST:
Patti Smith - Singer, songwriter, poet, and visual artist; she's released almost a dozen albums and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007; she won a National Book Award for her memoir Just Kids; her second memoir is M Train
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired November 10, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2021 • 49 minutes, 1 second
The Nose Has Always Required Content Warnings: Dr. Seuss, The Muppets, 'Allen v. Farrow,' More
This Week (or so) in Reassessing Not-Necessarily-Current Bits of Culture: Seuss enterprises pulled six mostly early Dr. Seuss books from future publication. Disney+ added content warnings to certain episodes of The Muppet Show. Amazon tweaked its app logo to look less like, uh, Hitler. Turner Classic Movies launched a new series called Reframed Classics that will, well, frame movies like Gone with the Wind and Breakfast at Tiffany's with discussions of their problematic aspects.
And: Allen v. Farrow is a four-part HBO documentary series that chronicles the sexual assault allegation against Woody Allen by Dylan Farrow.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
"Degrassi" Actor Jahmil French Has Died At 29, And The Cast Is Sharing Emotional Memories Of Him"Bhandurner forever in my heart."
Bunny Wailer, Reggae Pioneer With the Wailers, Dies at 73He was the last surviving original member of the group, which also featured Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Together they helped spread the music of Jamaica worldwide.
Inside Joss Whedon's 'Cutting' and 'Toxic' World of 'Buffy' and 'Angel'
The Marilyn Manson Reckoning
From Britney Spears to Janet Jackson, the Era of the Celebrity ReappraisalMonica Lewinsky. Janet Jackson. Lindsay Lohan. Whitney Houston. We are living in an era of reappraisals.
Opinion: Do we even need the Golden Globes?
Rosamund Pike Says Body Was Photoshopped for Johnny English PosterThe "I Care a Lot" star said she was photoshopped on the poster for "Johnny English."
The 101 Greatest Endings in Movies HistoryGood finales offer catharsis. The best deny us closure altogether.
Critics Poll: 'Do the Right Thing' Named Best Film of the 1980s By Over 200 Critics, Filmmakers and Programmers
E-mail Is Making Us MiserableIn an attempt to work more effectively, we've accidentally deployed an inhumane way to collaborate.
First-ever space hotel slated to be operational by 2027
Disney CEO Bob Chapek Thinks Shorter Theatrical Windows May Be Here to Stay
'Soul' and 'Wolfwalkers' Lead the 2021 Annie Awards With 10 Nominations Each
Reese's New Peanut Butter Cup Is (Almost) All Peanut ButterAfter decades of touting the taste of two flavors together, Hershey's will release a version without chocolate.
'Playing With Power' Tackles the Unique Enigma That Is Nintendo
GUESTS:
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright and director of client services at Buzz Engine
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
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.
3/5/2021 • 49 minutes
The Face Behind The Mask
We produced our first show on masks in the spring of 2020. It was when most of us were isolated at home to sidestep the life-threatening illness we've come to call "COVID." The show was about how rapidly masks had become a statement of political identity.
The intensity of the mask battles has begun to calm as we've acclimated to the pervasiveness of masks in our lives. Like them or not, they're here to stay, and they've begun to leave a lasting imprint on our culture.
This hour, we take a longer view of how these objects that cover half of our faces have changed the way we perceive ourselves, how we interact with others -- and what masks might look like in the future.
GUESTS:
Kim Adrian is the author of Sock, The 27th Letter of the Alphabet, and, most recently, Dear Knausgaard
Henry Alford is a humorist, journalist, and author; his most recent book is And Then We Danced: A Voyage Into the Groove
Mollie Ruben is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Maine
Elizabeth Segran is a senior staff writer at Fast Company and the author of The Rocket Years: How Your Twenties Launch the Rest of Your Life
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.
3/4/2021 • 48 minutes, 1 second
Regarding Hitchcock
Over just six years, from 1954 to 1960, Alfred Hitchcock made four movies -- Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960) -- that are routinely mentioned among the very best movies ever made. It's maybe an unparalleled run in the history of cinema.
And that's just those four movies. Hitchcock's filmography is full of classics: Notorious (1946), Strangers on a Train (1951), The 39 Steps (1935), The Wrong Man (1956), The Birds (1963). The list goes on.
At the same time, Hitchcock's relationship with his actors has been the subject of much discussion and debate for many decades. He's said to have thought of them as "cattle" and "animated props." He's said to have sexually harassed at least one of them.
At the same time as that, Hitchcock's films earned eight of his actors nine Academy Award nominations and produced many more all-time-great screen performances, from Joan Fontaine in Rebecca (1940) to Tippi Hedren in Marnie (1964) and many others.
This hour: a look at the work of Alfred Hitchcock... and his actors.
GUESTS:
Tom Breen - Managing editor of the New Haven Independent and the host of Deep Focus on WNHH radio
Dan Callahan - Author of The Camera Lies: Acting for Hitchcock
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.
3/3/2021 • 49 minutes
The Multiplicity Of The Multiverse
There's a theory that ours isn't the only universe. That there are, actually, infinitely many universes.
That there are, then, infinitely many yous.
That there are infinitely many different yous reading infinitely many different versions of this show synopsis. That there are infinitely many universes that don't even bother to include you. Or this show synopsis. Or even reading.
Also, there's a theory that The Berenstain Bears prove the theory that ours isn't the only universe.
So, this hour, in this universe, a show about all that. Or (at least) one version of a show about all that.
GUESTS:
Amanda Gefter - A physics and cosmology writer and the author of Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn: A Father, a Daughter, the Meaning of Nothing and the Beginning of Everything
Mack Lamoureux - Night editor at Vice Canada
Eugene Lim - Senior lecturer in theoretical physics at King's College London
Alicia Lutes - Managing editor of The Nerdist
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Katie Glass, Cat Pastor, Chion Wolf, and Alan Yu contributed to this show, which originally aired December 8, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/2/2021 • 50 minutes
Voter Suppression Bills; COVID-19; Deb Haaland
The theme of election fraud ran through this weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference. We talk about how "The Big Lie" is becoming a way for Republican leaders to rationalize the voter suppression measures making their way through state legislatures.
Also this hour: In the short term, there seems to be a mortality gap between wealthier and poorer countries when it comes to COVID-19, with wealthier countries, such as the U.S., experiencing significantly more deaths than the least developed countries. But the long-term economic and public health toll on poorer countries could get much worse if wealthier countries don't step in to help.
Lastly, what Rep. Deb Haaland's nomination to lead the Department of the Interior means to the Native American community.
GUESTS:
Ari Berman - A senior reporter at Mother Jones covering voting rights and the author of Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America
Mushfiq Mobarak - Professor of economics at Yale University with concurrent appointments in the Department of Economics and in the School of Management; he’s the founder and faculty director of the Yale Research Initiative on Innovation and Scale
Jenni Monet - A journalist and media critic reporting on indigenous affairs; she's the founder of the weekly newsletter Indigenously
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.
3/1/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Has Always Been Gender Neutral: Potato Head, New Mail Trucks, 'Nomadland'
On Thursday, Hasbro announced that its Mr. Potato Head brand would drop the "Mr." in a move toward inclusiveness. But they also made clear, in a move toward not being yelled at by the internet, that the Mr. Potato Head character (and the Mrs. Potato Head character, for that matter) would continue.
Also this week, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a new design for its mail trucks. The internet yelled about that some, too.
And: Nomadland is Chloé Zhao's third film as writer and director. It is nominated for four awards at this weekend's Golden Globes, including two for Zhao (Best Director and Best Screenplay) and one for Frances McDormand (Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama).
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Daft Punk Break UpThe legendary dance duo has called it quits 28 years after forming in Paris
Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Poet Who Nurtured the Beats, Dies at 101An unapologetic proponent of "poetry as insurgent art," he was also a publisher and the owner of the celebrated San Francisco bookstore City Lights.
Kim Kardashian Broke Her Social Media Silence After Officially Filing For Divorce From Kanye WestAfter two days of radio silence, Kim returned to Instagram on Sunday night.
Olivia Rodrigo's 'Drivers License' Is The New Longest-Running No. 1 Hit On The Global Chart, Beating BTS And Mariah Carey
Justice League: The Shocking, Exhilarating, Heartbreaking True Story of #TheSnyderCutA demoralizing battle with Warner Bros. A devastating personal tragedy. A fan base he couldn't control. Zack Snyder tells V.F. why he quit Justice League, and why he’s returned to complete a cut that’s reached near-mythical status.
Farewell Cinefex, you unlocked the magic of VFX for everyoneAfter 40 years, the legendary journal is shutting down.
How Hollywood Is Beating Its Final Boss: Video Game AdaptationsWith 'Mortal Kombat,' 'Uncharted,' 'Halo,' and 'The Last of Us' leading an adaptation deluge, video game IP has finally leveled up
Look upon Chuck's works, E. mighty, and Cheesepair
8 Comedians Break Down Their Favorite Stand-up Closers Ever
Paramount+ TV Shows: 'The Italian Job,' 'Fatal Attraction,' and More Are Becoming Streaming Series
Post Malone Covers Hootie and the Blowfish for Pokémon Day CelebrationArtist will perform his rendition at Pokémon anniversary virtual concert this Saturday
'Baseball Bugs' at 75: How a Looney Tunes classic wham-bammed America's pastime
I found the Bay Area hill in Windows XP's iconic wallpaper
Biden Revokes Trump-Era Executive Order On Brutalist Federal Architecture
GUESTS:
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Elizabeth Keifer - Professor emerita of English at Tunxis Community College
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.
2/26/2021 • 49 minutes
Ghostwriting: What Happens In The Pages, Stays In the Pages
Ghostwriting evokes an image of the writer who toils away in obscurity, secretly penning books credited to another. In reality, ghostwriters are just good at turning someone's undeveloped vision into a story that others want to read. Their services are in demand from people wanting help writing everything from celebrity memoirs to Instagram captions and online dating profiles.
Self-publishing is on the rise as our fixation on the solitary author and the stigma of ghostwriting recedes. Even rap and hip hop artists are getting on board.
This hour, we pull back the curtain on ghostwriting.
GUESTS:
Lisa Dickey - A book collaborator and the ghostwriter for 20 books, nine of which became New York Times bestsellers; she's the author of Bears in the Streets: Three Journeys Across a Changing Russia and a storyteller on stage, appearing at The Moth's GrandSLAM, among other shows
Dan Gerstein - The founder and CEO of Gotham Ghostwriters; he was a speechwriter and communications director for former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, and he has been a contributing columnist to several publications including Forbes and Politico
Khaiim the RapOet (also known as Self Suffice) - Performs internationally, is co-host of the SoundMinds podcast, and leads Make It Full Time, career coaching for professional artists; his use of hip Hop to educate was awarded by President Obama and recognized by The New York Times and NPR, among others
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.
2/25/2021 • 49 minutes
Something Is Eternal: A Look At 'Our Town'
Thornton Wilder's Our Town debuted more than 80 years ago. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and, over the decades since, it has continuously been one of the most produced of American plays.
It is known for its spare set -- just some chairs and tables, perhaps some ladders -- and lack of props and sometimes even costumes. It's known for its metatheatricality and its Stage Manager character, who addresses the audience directly and rarely participates in the action of the play, as much as there really is any.
It is known as old-fashioned, sentimental, nostalgic and, simultaneously, obviously and intentionally not old-fashioned, sentimental, and nostalgic.
This hour, a look at perhaps the quintessential American play: Our Town.
GUESTS:
Howard Sherman - The author of Another Day's Begun: Thornton Wilder's Our Town in the 21st Century
Kate Powers - A stage director and the founder of The Redeeming Time Project; in 2013, she directed a production of Our Town at Sing Sing Correctional Facility
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.
2/24/2021 • 49 minutes
Are You Smarter Than An Octopus?
The octopus has always been the stuff of spine-tingling legend, like that of the kraken, the many-armed sea monster believed to drag ships to the bottom of the sea after dining on the crew. Or Gertie the Pus, the giant Pacific octopus that lives under the Narrows Bridge connecting Tacoma, Washington, to Gig Harbor.
In reality, the octopus is more benign but equally fascinating. Did you know the octopus has two-thirds of its brain neurons distributed throughout its eight arms? Or that the severed arm of an octopus can walk independently toward a food source and move it to where its mouth should be?
The octopus was the only invertebrate included in The Cambridge Decision of Consciousness, a 2012 declaration by scientists expressing consensus on animal consciousness. But what does consciousness mean in an octopus and how does it drive the relationships Sy Montgomery and Dr. David Schell have with these alien beings?
Scientists wonder if humans can even begin to understand the intellect and mystery of the octopus.
So, should we be eating octopus?
GUESTS:
Sy Montgomery - The author of nearly 20 books for adults and children, including The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness
David Scheel - A marine biologist and behavioral ecologist at Alaska Pacific University; he has a forthcoming book on the behavioral ecology of marine animals
Silvia Killingsworth - Managing editor at The New Yorker
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 26, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/23/2021 • 48 minutes
COVID; Polarizing Politicians; And The Cloning Of Elizabeth Ann
The U.S. is about to surpass 500,000 deaths from COVID-19. That said, new cases are declining, hospitalizations and deaths are trending down, and vaccination rates are picking up, though inequities remain. We talk vaccines, variants, messaging, and more.
Also this hour: A new study finds that House members who hold extreme views receive far more airtime on cable and broadcast news than their moderate counterparts. Changes in the media have incentivized elected officials such as Marjorie Taylor Greene to build a national brand at the expense of legislating for their local constituents.
Last, welcome to Elizabeth Ann, a baby black-footed ferret cloned from Willa, who died more than 30 years ago.
GUESTS:
Leana Wen - An emergency room physician and visiting professor at George Washington University School of Public Health; she's a contributing columnist at The Washington Post and a medical analyst for CNN
Joshua Darr - An assistant professor of political communication at Louisiana State University; his book is Home Style Opinion: How Local Newspapers Can Slow Polarization co-authored with Matthew P. Hitt and Johanna L. Dunaway
Ben Novak - A de-extinction biologist and the lead scientist at Revive and Restore; he leads The Great Passenger Pigeon Comeback
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.
2/22/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Has Always Been Much More Than Content: 'Judas And The Black Messiah,' Scorsese, More
In a new essay for Harper's, filmmaker Martin Scorsese criticizes the current state of the movie business and all these new fangled streaming platforms and their algorithms. "We can’t depend on the movie business, such as it is, to take care of cinema," Scorsese says.
And: Judas and the Black Messiah is a biopic of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton. It is director Shaka King's studio feature film debut, and it's nominated for two Golden Globe Awards. It is one of two movies nominated for Golden Globes this year that portray Hampton (along with The Trial of the Chicago 7).
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
If you use this emoji, Gen Z will call you old
The First "Cruella" Trailer Is Here, And The Internet Already Has A Ton Of ThoughtsIs this Disney's Joker???
Failing Britney SpearsIt shouldn't have taken ten years to realize the discourse about her had been a hurtful, unhealthy constant.
Buffy Deserves Better Than Joss WhedonHe wasn't the only person who made Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and he shouldn't be the one to take it down.
Taylor Swift Misses the Old Taylor Swift, TooThe artist's first release from her re-recording project is much more than a nostalgia play. It's a love letter.
Hockey Has a Gigantic-Goalie ProblemNever before in the NHL's history has the tail so wagged the dog.
Why Is Everyone Talking About Clubhouse?The new social media app is tapping into the public's desperate need to connect -- and it's becoming a flashpoint in the culture wars
So, you’ve been subtweeted by Turner Classic Movies. What do you do next?
'Paddington 3' Officially in the Works
The Story of the DuckTales Theme, History's Catchiest Single Minute of MusicA woo-hoo heard around the world.
'You can smell the sweat and hair gel': the best nightclub scenes from cultureWriters and artists including Róisín Murphy, Tiffany Calver and Sigala on the art that transports them to the dancefloor during lockdown
I have an important pop culture theoryYou will now read it and share it with others online as you see fit
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks
Lucy Gellman - Editor of The Arts Paper and host of WNHH radio's Kitchen Sync
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.
2/19/2021 • 49 minutes
Finding Humanity At The Sideshow
Cartoonist Bill Griffith based his legendary character Zippy the Pinhead on Schlitzie, a real life sideshow 'pinhead' who appeared in Todd Browning's 1932 film Freaks. Early audiences were appalled by Browning's use of real sideshow characters to seek revenge on those who treated them cruelly.
Griffith's graphic novel is his effort to understand Schlitzie and the sideshow family who cared for him. We talk to Griffith and a member of Schlitzie's sideshow family.
Also this hour: the man who saved thousands of premature infants by exhibiting them in incubators at the Coney Island sideshow.
GUESTS:
Bill Griffith - Creator of the syndicated daily comic strip Zippy and author of two graphic memoirs, including, Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead
Wolf Krakowski - Yiddish singer whose CDs are on Tzadik Records; Wolf has videotaped testimonies of Holocaust survivors for the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation
Claire Prentice - Freelance journalist, editor, and writer; She's the author of two non-fiction books, including Miracle at Coney Island: How a Sideshow Doctor Saved Thousands of Babies and Transformed American Medicine
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired May 2, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/17/2021 • 48 minutes, 31 seconds
Our Show Today Is Really Five Short, Little Shows
We live in an "Everything Should Take Twenty Minutes" world. Movies are too long. SundanceTV has a show that airs in 10-minute episodes. Tierra Whack has a 15-minute album made of fifteen 60-second songs. Todd Rundgren's memoir has 183 one-page, three-paragraph chapters.
So today, we turn our hour over to five short, little shows about short, little things.
Here's a Spotify playlist of the albums reviewed on today's short, little episode of The Sam Hadelman Show.
GUESTS:
Carmen Baskauf - Produces Where We Live on Connecticut Public Radio
Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks
Sam Hadelman - Host of The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Brandy Jensen - An advice columnist and editor at The Outline
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright, and director of client services at Buzz Engine
Vince Mancini - Senior film and culture writer for Uproxx
Chion Wolf - Host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio
Bill Yousman - Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Matt Farley contributed to this show, which originally aired July 18, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/17/2021 • 50 minutes
Our Collective Post-Impeachment Hangover
The Senate voted to aquit Donald Trump Saturday after falling shy of the two-thirds majority required to convict him. Fifty-seven senators, including seven Republicans, voted to convict him for "incitement of insurrection" and 43 Republicans voted to acquit Trump for a variety of reasons.
Reliving the January 6 insurrection during last week's Senate impeachment trial has left many of us sorting through a gamut of emotions along with a lack of closure on the last four years.
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.
2/16/2021 • 49 minutes
Impeachment 2.0; Fox Under Fire; The Lightness Of This Year's Super Bowl Ads
As of Monday morning, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are still working out the details for the Senate impeachment trial scheduled to begin this Tuesday, February 9. Forty-five senators say it's not constitutional. Conservative lawyer Charles Cooper says it is. We talk to Connecticut U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal on impeachment, intelligence, and more.
Also this hour: Fox News has been scared into silencing popular commentator Lou Dobbs, after Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation suit against Fox News over election fraud claims made on their shows. Fox News Media hosts Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro were named, along with lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell. Will it take a massive lawsuit to force them to confront the lies and harm perpetuated on their broadcasts?
Lastly, a quick look at the tone of this weekend's Super Bowl ads.
GUESTS:
Richard Blumenthal is a US senator from Connecticut
David Folkenflik is NPR’s media correspondent and the author of Murdoch’s World: The Last of the Old Media Empires
Melinda Fakuade is a fellow for The Goods by Vox, covering culture and entertainment
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/8/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Was Filmed Before A Live Studio Audience: 'WandaVision,' More
WandaVision is a Disney+ miniseries that's part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and that's set, like, inside the history of television? It follows Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany as Vision as they try to conceal their superhero powers and blend into a generic sitcom neighborhood. Episodes so far have taken on the look and feel of American sitcoms from the 1950s, '60s, '70s, and '80s.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Hal Holbrook, Actor Who Channeled Mark Twain, Is Dead at 95He carved out a substantial career in television and film but achieved the widest acclaim with his one-man stage show, playing Twain for more than six decades.
Dustin Diamond, 'Saved by the Bell' star, dead at 44
Jamie Tarses, Pioneering Television Executive, Dies at 56
Tony Bennett Reveals Alzheimer's Battle
Golden Globes 2021: A Full List of NomineesHere are the films, television shows, actors and directors chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Ella Emhoff Isn't a Nontraditional Model!Please stop praising her for having armpit hair and tattoos.
Evan Rachel Wood Alleged Her Ex-Fiancé Marilyn Manson "Horrifically Abused" And "Manipulated" Her"He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years. I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission."
Of course the GameStop stock market frenzy is already being turned into a movie
Steven Spielberg Writes For Empire About Why Cinema Will Never Die
The Wayne's World Super Bowl Ad Is Even More Depressing Than That Wonder Years TweetThe Generation X staple vanishes a little more each year
Even Jodie Foster Is Still Trying to Figure Jodie Foster Out
Six arrested after changing Hollywood sign to 'Hollyboob'
Outlander star Sam Heughan hints he will be next James Bond on Instagram post
The Accidental Sex Couch Tearing Facebook Mom Groups Apart
Sarah Silverman just wants to make things rightThe potty-mouthed comic isn't done talking trash, but it's no longer her first instinct, or her job.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks
Bill Yousman - Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
2/5/2021 • 41 minutes, 24 seconds
A Non-Threatening Conversation About Jazz
Who's afraid of the Bix bad Beiderbecke?
Hartford has an amazing jazz history, and Colin has a lot of jazz musician friends. This hour, a little onstage jazz party recorded in front of a live audience long before the pandemic put a pause on live audiences as a thing.
Colin and the panel look to make jazz accessible to mere mortals. They talk about what makes jazz jazz, invite the audience to sing, and teach the audience to scat.
GUESTS:
Steve Davis - Trombone
Atla DeChamplain - Vocals
Matt DeChamplain - Piano
Henry Lugo - Bass
Jocelyn Pleasant - Drums
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
This show originally aired February 8, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/4/2021 • 50 minutes
Digging Into The Roots Of Our Food
We have a complicated relationship with our food. We need food to live; yet, we've become removed from the food we eat and how it's grown and processed. Even with the best of intentions, today's ultra-processed foods make it hard for us to know exactly what we're eating or how the methods used to mass produce our food are affecting our environment and our health. And I haven't even touched on how food has led to war, famine, poverty, and enslavement.
Today, we talk about the history of agriculture, where it went wrong, and how we might begin to cultivate food that is kinder to our bodies, our earth, and our fellow humans.
GUEST:
Mark Bittman is the author of 30 books, most recently, Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food From Sustainable To Suicidal. He was a food columnist and writer at the New York Times for 30 years. He’s currently Special Advisor on Food Policy at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/3/2021 • 41 minutes
Beyond Mark Twain: A Conversation With Hal Holbrook
Colin interviewed Hal Holbrook on February 3, 2015, in advance of Holbrook's performance of Mark Twain Tonight in Hartford on his 90th birthday on February 17, 2015. Colin wrote at the time that Holbrook was one of the most remarkable people he's encountered of all the remarkable people he's interviewed over the years.
Holbrook was so passionate and fun to speak with that Colin never got to ask him all the many questions about the love of his life, his difficult childhood, or his time spent at Suffield Academy. He hoped for a second interview.
Holbrook died on January 23. This hour, we reair our 2015 interview with him.
GUEST:
Hal Holbrook was an American film, television, and stage actor famous for his portrayal of Mark Twain in the solo show he created, Mark Twain Tonight, for which he won a Tony Award. His movies include All the President's Men, Lincoln, and Into the Wild, for which he was nominated for an Oscar in 2008. He won five Primetime Emmy Awards, and he's the subject of a documentary by Scott Teems and Laura D. Smith, Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show, which originally aired February 4, 2015.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/2/2021 • 49 minutes, 15 seconds
How To Report On The Behavior Of The GOP; Trump's Evolving Defense Team
Some say the press continues to portray the Republican Party as a "mainstream, center-right entity," long after their words and deeds reflect something more ominous. Is the media failing to convey the extreme behavior of the GOP out of fear they will be accused of liberal bias? It's not the first time the media has been accused of bias or been too slow to see something for what it is instead of what they want it to be.
Also this hour: Five members of former President Trump's impeachment team departed Saturday, a little over a week before the Senate trial is set to begin on February 9. On Sunday, Trump hired lawyers David Schoen and Bruce L. Castor Jr. to take over. Will they be ready by next week?
GUESTS:
Eric Boehlert - A media critic and the founder and editor of Press Run; he has been a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, a media critic at Daily Kos, and a staff writer at Rolling Stone, and he's the author of three books, including Lapdogs: How The Press Rolled Over For Bush (@EricBoehlert)
Ross Garber - Principal at The Garber Group, specializing in political investigations and impeachment; he's also a legal analyst for CNN, and he teaches at Tulane Law School (@rossgarber)
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.
2/1/2021 • 41 minutes
The Nose Drives Alone Past Your Street: 'Pretend It's A City' And 'How To With John Wilson'
Olivia Rodrigo's "drivers license" is in its second week as the No. 1 song in the country, having debuted there last week. It is the first debut single by any artist to hit the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1 in history.
And: Pretend It's a City is Martin Scorsese's seven-part Netflix documentary series about Fran Liebowitz that's actually also kind of about New York City.
And finally: How To with John Wilson is John Wilson's six-part HBO documentary series of advice and tutorials that's actually also kind of about New York City.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Cicely Tyson, groundbreaking award-winning actor, dead at 96
Cloris Leachman, Emmy and Oscar Winner, Dies at 94
Bruce Kirby, Veteran Character Actor and 'Columbo' Cop, Dies at 95
Walter Bernstein, Oscar-Nominated Screenwriter on 'The Front,' Dies at 101
Freddy the Great Dane, the world's largest dog, has died
The Jokes About GameStop And The Stock Market Keep Coming, So Here Are The 50 Funniest Ones"Siri, what is a 'stock'?"
There's a Metallica/Huey Lewis Mashup Now, Because San Francisco
The Oscars Are a Mess. Let's Make Them Messier.Nothing has been normal about the last year, including the movies. The academy shouldn’t try to pretend otherwise. It should see this as an opportunity.
These are the movies to watch before Oscars night
The 50 Best Cult MoviesFrom 'The Room' to 'Eraserhead' to 'Rocky Horror,' these are the best movies to ever inspire deep obsession
'Tenet' Is Destined to Become a Cult MovieWith a failed release due to the pandemic, a muted critical reception, and a twisty narrative that demands multiple viewings, Christopher Nolan's 2020 film has all of the elements that eventually lead to niche fandom
2021 BBWAA Voting Results Yield No Electees
Kraft Is Releasing A Pink Candy-Flavored Mac And Cheese For Valentine's Day, And The Internet Is Losing Its Mind
The Pandemic Has Erased Entire Categories of FriendshipThere's a reason you miss the people you didn't even know that well.
Here's What It Was Really Like to Work at a Women's WebsiteI felt nothing. So I headed to my desk for another busy day of browsing online sales and waiting to die.
Carey Mulligan Responds to Variety's Apology for 'Promising Young Woman' Review
Subway's tuna is not tuna, but a 'mixture of various concoctions,' a lawsuit alleges
A Reformed Late Person's Guide to Being on TimeTime has become fluid in the pandemic. Except when there's a Zoom meeting.
GUESTS:
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright and director of client services at Buzz Engine
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
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.
1/29/2021 • 49 minutes
Running Toward The Fire
Applications to nursing schools spiked during the pandemic from those who wanted to help. They chose to be nurses at a time when the risk to their own health was never greater. Why are some people willing to run toward the fire when others are running away from it?
Most of us fall somewhere on a spectrum of altruistic behavior. We might adopt a stray pet, donate a liter of blood, or check on an older neighbor. Others pursue a career based on helping others, and, at the extreme end of the spectrum, some choose to donate their kidney to a stranger.
We talk to two nurses, a kidney donor, and a psychologist about the nature of altruism.
GUEST:
Kelly Chevalier - Interim director of emergency services at Trinity Health of New England/St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center
Tracy Gordon Fox - A former journalist for the Hartford Courant; she’s currently a staff nurse on the general surgery floor at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center
Lauren Herschel - An anonymous kidney donor who lives in Calgary, Alberta
Abigail Marsh - A professor of psychology and a neuroscientist in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University; she directs their Lab on Social & Affective Neuroscience, and she’s the author of The Fear Factor: How One Emotion Connects Psychopaths, Altruists, and Everyone In Between
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.
1/28/2021 • 49 minutes
Our Lunchtime With André
André Gregory has directed and acted in the theater for more than 50 years. He has appeared in a number of movies, including Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, Woody Allen's Celebrity, Brian De Palma's The Bonfire of the Vanities, Peter Weir's The Mosquito Coast, and many more. He has starred in three movies about the theater with the playwright, actor, and comedian Wallace Shawn: A Master Builder, Vanya on 42nd Street, and the iconic My Dinner with Andre.
Gregory's memoir is This Is Not My Memoir. He joins us for the hour.
Note: I apologize for the flagrant hackiness of the "joke" of the headline here. I feel your scorn and must suffer through my shame. There are times when a work is so iconic one doesn't have a choice but to make reference to it. And so here we are.
GUEST:
André Gregory - An actor, writer, director, teacher, and painter; his new book, written with Todd London, is This Is Not My Memoir
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.
1/27/2021 • 50 minutes
Coronavirus Variants; A Very Catholic Inauguration; An Ode
Moderna announced today they were making new versions of their vaccine that can be used as boosters against variants seen in South Africa, Brazil, and the U.K. The vaccine should be effective against variants but it seems to create fewer antibodies against the one that has emerged in South Africa. Either way, vaccines alone will not be enough. We talk about mutations and vaccines.
Also this hour: The Biden inauguration was the most Catholic inauguration in history. Is a more liberal Christianity on the rise?
Lastly, a tribute to John McDonough, actor, singer, and a Connecticut native.
GUESTS:
Paul Turner - An evolutionary biologist and virologist; he’s the Rachel Carson Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University and a microbiology faculty member at Yale School of Medicine
Michael Sean Winters - Writes the Distinctly Catholic blog for the National Catholic Reporter, and he is the author of two books including Left At the Altar: How Democrats Lost The Catholics And How Catholics Can Save The Democrats
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.
1/25/2021 • 49 minutes
Pardon Me: Season 2, Episode 2 -- It's Been A Good Week
The House will transmit its Article of Impeachment charging former President Trump with "incitement of insurrection" to the Senate on Monday.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell asked the House to wait two weeks to let the former president work on his defense. The House chose not to wait any longer , possibly influenced by more than a dozen Republican senators trying to dismiss the impeachment trial before it begins, based on the disputed claim that it's unconstitutional to try an ex-president. And House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's walking back his prior claim that Trump incited the riot at the Capitol.
Today, we look at what's required to prove "incitement" and we look back on the fashion legacy of Trump. We also bring you factoids with Chion Wolf and our first second-season AccuFrankie dispatch from reporter Frankie Graziano.
GUESTS:
Vanessa Friedman - Fashion director for The New York Times
Frankie Graziano - A reporter for Connecticut Public Radio
Catherine J. Ross - Professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and the author of a forthcoming book, Presidential Lies, The First Amendment, and Democracy
Chion Wolf - The host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/22/2021 • 47 minutes, 7 seconds
It's Time To Talk About The Alphabet In The Room
Most of the Western world is organized by alphabetical order, which is so much more than the 26 letters that make up the alphabet. Alphabetical order is an organizing principle that allows us to save, order, and access thousands of years of humankind's most precious documents and ideas. Without it, we'd never know what came before us or how to pass on what's with us. It's ubiquitous, yet invisible in daily life.
This hour, a conversation about how we order our world and why we do it.
GUESTS:
Nicholson Baker - A novelist and essayist; he's the author of 17 books, including, most recently, Baseless: My Search for Secrets in the Ruins of the Freedom of Information Act; he's currently the Jennifer Jahrling Forese Writer-in-Residence in Creative Writing at Colby College
Judith Flanders - A social historian and senior research fellow at the University of Buckingham; her new book is A Place For Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order
Peter Sokolowski - A lexicographer and editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster and co-host of the podcast Word Matters; he's also a musician and public radio jazz host at NEPR and the author of a chapter in The Whole World in a Book
Join us 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.
1/21/2021 • 49 minutes
The Legacy Of COVID-19
Yale University's Dr. Nicholas Christakis explores what it means to live in a time of pandemic. He looks at historical epidemics and current medical and social research to help us understand the potential long-term impact COVID-19 will have on people and culture.
Greek mythology holds that the arrows of plague Apollo shot down upon the Greeks led to great death and suffering. The plague that has brought death and pain over this past year was not brought by an angry god, but an infinitesimal virus that has wreaked global havoc and exposed the best and worst of human behavior.
We spend an informative and insightful hour with Nicholas Christakis.
GUEST:
Nicholas Christakis - A physician and sociologist; he directs the Human Nature Lab at Yale where he is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science, and he's the author of Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/19/2021 • 49 minutes, 1 second
The Nose Can Cut, Soothe, Delight, Frighten, Insult, And Seduce: Tom Cruise's COVID Robots, 'History Of Swear Words,' And More
Tom Cruise's seventh Mission: Impossible installment has been one of the few huge Hollywood productions trying to to figure out how to film during the pandemic. Cruise has been in the news lately for blowing up at his crew for breaking COVID protocols, and now he's back in the news for… buying COVID enforcement robots?
And: Could front porches be just the right "magical intermediate zone" to keep communities connecting during a time of social distancing?
And finally: Nicolas Cage is hosting a documentary series on Netflix called History of Swear Words. Normally I'd try to give you a little more context here, but I feel like that first sentence pretty much covers it.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Michael Apted, 'Coal Miner's Daughter' Director and 'Seven Up' Documentarian, Dies at 79
Jessica Campbell, 'Election' and 'Freaks and Geeks' Actor, Dies at 38
Oscars' International Feature Race: Has 'Parasite' Ushered in a Broader Acceptance of Genre in the Category?
Why a Vogue Cover Created an Uproar Over Kamala HarrisThe vice president-elect is on the cover of the U.S. fashion magazine. Many people were not happy with the result.
Are Armie Hammer's leaked DMs fake? Actor's alleged 'cannibal sex fantasy' shocks Internet: 'This can't be real'The actor allegedly stated 'I am 100% a cannibal' to a woman who shared the Instagram DMs and the Internet is shocked
Armie Hammer calls online attacks 'spurious,' will still exit Jennifer Lopez rom-com
Sex And The City revived at HBO Max—yes, without Kim Cattrall
Welcome to ZollywoodAt 24 she's already conquered the Disney thing—and Marvel. She even won an Emmy for Euphoria. Next up for Zendaya? Figuring out who she really is when the cameras aren't rolling.
Alec Baldwin Delivers Final Trump Performance With Spoof 'Farewell Address' Audiobook
Bill Belichick says he won't accept Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump
Hollywood Prepares to Delay Another Slew of Blockbusters
Netflix teases massive 2021 film slate with plans to release new movies every week
Gov. Cuomo outlines plan to accelerate return of theater and the arts
Chuck Norris' Manager Insists Actor Wasn't at the Capitol Insurrection
The Case for Ted Danson As the TV GOATNearly 40 years after he stepped behind a Boston bar, Danson is still going. And by the time he's finished, no one may be able to top his run.
Chris Rock Re-Edits a Special, and the Result Is FascinatingWith "Total Blackout: The Tamborine Extended Cut," the comic effectively erases the stamp of the original director, Bo Burnham, and turns in a less intimate show.
Bruce Willis asked to leave store for 'refusing' to wear a mask
'The Office' Was by Far the Most-Streamed TV Show in 2020, Nielsen Says
David Fincher: The Rolling Stone InterviewThe boundary-pushing filmmaker behind 'Mank' reflects on his career, his journey into Hollywood's past and the industry's uncertain future
Noah Baumbach Adapting Don DeLillo's White Noise; Adam Driver & Greta Gerwig to Star
A History of the Trump Era Through Stories About Toilets
'Human foot' in Gateshead field turns out to be potato
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
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.
1/15/2021 • 49 minutes
Pardon Me's Season Two Premiere: We Love You. You're Very Special. Go Home.
Previously on Pardon Me (Another Damn Impeachment Show?): House Democrats voted to impeach President Trump on two Articles of Impeachment: "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress." He was later acquitted promptly after Senate Republicans voted against calling witnesses or admitting new evidence.
Now (less than 48 weeks later), on Season Two of Pardon Me: House Democrats, along with 10 Republicans, voted to impeach President Trump Wednesday on one Article of Impeachment: "incitement of insurrection." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., promptly responded that there'll be no trial while he's Senate leader.
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
This hour, we talk about the constitutional gray zone of impeaching a president no longer in office, co-opting historically significant language, and a musical response to this political moment. And, we bring back Factoids with Chion Wolf.
GUESTS:
Joanne Freeman - The Class of 1954 Professor of History & American Studies at Yale University and the co-host of the American History podcast Backstory; her most recent book is The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War
Michael Gerhardt - The Burton Craige University Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill and the author of seven books; his most recent is Lincoln's Mentors: The Education of a Leader
Jill Sobule - An award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist; her most recent album is Nostalgia Kills
Chion Wolf - The host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio
Cat Pastor contributed to this show.
Pardon Me is a production of The Colin McEnroe Show on Connecticut Public Radio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/14/2021 • 46 minutes, 27 seconds
Go Ahead And Talk To Yourself. It's Good For You.
Do you talk to yourself? Is it a silent inter-narrative or do you talk aloud? What form of address to you use to yourself?
When I'm mad at myself I sometimes address myself as Colin. But, I sense that when LeBron speaks to himself as LeBron, it's more affirming.
I talk aloud quite a bit. A hangover, I think, from growing up as an only child.
The Spanish and Argentine novelist Andres Neumann has a new work, "Talking to Ourselves," in which he explores the solitary inner narrative that each of us conducts either silently, aloud, or writing a diary.
Some form of talking to ourselves is universal. You could argue that without it life would be unsupportable, would be lived unconsciously. So, let me ask you again, do you talk to yourself? Yes, you do.
GUESTS:
Professor Ethan Kross is Director of the Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory at the University of Michigan
Andres Neuman is an author of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and criticism. He’s the author of several award-winning novels including “Traveler of the Century” and most recently, “Talking To Ourselves”
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Jon Franois produced this show with help from Betsy Kaplan and Chion WolfSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/12/2021 • 48 minutes
Is This The End Of Trumpism Or The Beginning?
Wednesday's insurrection by Trump supporters at the Capitol was the culmination of months of Trump perpetuating the lie that the election was stolen from him. The fire he built might have sputtered without oxygen from Republican colleagues and right-wing media intent on capitalizing on his lies.
House Democrats introduced an article of impeachment Monday. It charges President Trump with "inciting violence against the government of the United States," after House Republicans objected to a resolution calling on Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment. The House will consider the impeachment resolution on the floor if the vice president refuses to intervene "within 24 hours" or if the president refuses to resign.
The boundaries between democracy, autocracy, and fascism have blurred in America over the last four years. Is impeachment or the 25th Amendment the best way to put out the fire of Trumpism?
We want to hear from you. Call us at 888-720-9677.
GUEST:
Yascha Mounk - A contributing editor at The Atlantic, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and a senior adviser at Protect Democracy; his most recent book is The People Vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is In Danger and How To Save It, and he recently founded the newsletter Persuasion
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.
1/11/2021 • 49 minutes
The Nose Is Preparing To Divorce Kanye West (Plus: #BeanDad And 'Bridgerton')
Last weekend, a little girl asked her father for help opening a can of beans. Rather than help her, Bean Dad left his daughter to figure it out for herself. For six hours (supposedly). And tweeted about it. It was peak internet.
Also: This will come as a shock (it probably won't), but Kim Kardashian is rumored to be divorcing Kanye West. Or she's rumored to be about to be divorcing Kanye West. Or she's rumored to be considering divorcing Kanye West. Or something.
And finally: Bridgerton is a period drama series on Netflix produced by Shonda Rhimes. It's set in Regency London during "the social season," and you're either super interested in a show with that premise or you aren't.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
The Nirvana of Ben AffleckWe want our stars to be just like us, but ultimately, we want them to be themselves even more
Influencers Feuding After Both Naming Their Babies 'Baby'
We Need to Bring Back Clowning On Some Guy
What's Entering the Public Domain in 2021: The Great Gatsby & Mrs. Dalloway, Music by Irving Berlin & Duke Ellington, Comedies by Buster Keaton, and More
'Calvin and Hobbes' said goodbye 25 years ago. Here's why Bill Watterson's masterwork enchants us still.
McDonald's will debut new chicken sandwich Feb. 24New platform will be offered in three versions: crispy, spicy and deluxe
What On Earth Happened Here?
Grammys Postpone 2021 Ceremony Over COVID-19 ConcernsOrganizers set March 14th as new date, citing "thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear"
Rapper Dr. Dre hospitalized after brain aneurysm"I will be out of the hospital and back home soon," the 55-year-old Beats co-founder posted on Instagram.
The Forever Legacy of Alex TrebekThe longtime 'Jeopardy!' host’s final episodes are airing this week. They're a testament to Trebek's profound impact -- on the show he defined, the world it created, and the lives of those who crossed his path.
Simon & Schuster Cancels Plans for Senator Hawley's BookThe publisher faced calls to drop the Missouri Republican's upcoming book, "The Tyranny of Big Tech," following criticism of his efforts to overturn the presidential election.
Shakespeare, Swing and Louis Armstrong. So What Went Wrong?Three theaters are exploring "Swingin' the Dream," which tanked on Broadway in 1939, but opens a window on the racial and artistic dynamics of its time.
Wrestler Mick Foley asks Vince McMahon to boot Donald Trump from the WWE Hall Of Fame
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer - A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
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.
1/8/2021 • 49 minutes
Insurrection At The U.S. Capitol
President Trump has gotten away with bad behavior since long before he was elected to the presidency. When faced with an election loss that he couldn't change, he instigated his followers to fight for him. They obeyed his command. He may not be able to get out of the consequences of the actions they took on his behalf.
We talk about the implications of what happened yesterday. And we take your calls. You can reach us at 888-720-9677.
GUEST:
Ruth Ben-Ghiat - Professor of history and Italian studies at New York University and a frequent contributor to CNN opinion; her new book is Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present
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.
1/7/2021 • 49 minutes
Congress Counts The Electoral College Votes, And We Take Your Calls
As our show starts today, the U.S. Congress will begin the process of officially tallying the Electoral College votes in the 2020 elections for president and vice president.
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received 306 votes, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence received 232 votes, and this should be a pretty pro forma exercise.
Should be. Instead, scores of congressional Republicans are expected to object to the certified votes from a number of swing states. The president thinks the vice president has the power to pick and choose which votes to count. The vice president reportedly disagrees. In any case, the objections are expected to gum up the works -- probably for hours.
All this while House Democrats consider censuring the president, while there are rumors the president is planning to travel to Scotland on the eve of Inauguration Day, while the countdown to Inauguration Day has ticked down to t-minus just two weeks. Oh. And there were two runoff elections in Georgia yesterday to decide control of the U.S. Senate.
In other words, all kinds of craziness going on all at once.
And so: We want your calls. Join us during the 1 p.m. ET hour.
888-720-WNPR. 888-720-9677.
GUEST:
Ross Garber - A lawyer specializing in political investigations and impeachment and a legal analyst for CNN
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/6/2021 • 49 minutes
The New Yorker's Alex Ross On 'Wagnerism'
Nietzsche called Richard Wagner "a volcanic eruption of the total undivided artistic capacity of nature itself," and Thomas Mann said he was "probably the greatest talent in the entire history of art."
More than a thousand movies have Wagner on their soundtracks, including classic scenes from Apocalypse Now, The Blues Brothers, Bugs Bunny cartoons, and Charlie Chaplin.
But, there's a reason Woody Allen says too much of Wagner's music gives him "the urge to conquer Poland." Wagner is nothing if not a problematic figure. As the new book Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music puts it, "An artist who might have rivaled Shakespeare in universal reach is undone by an ideology of hate."
This hour, a look at Wagnerism with New Yorker music critic Alex Ross.
GUESTS:
Steve Metcalf - Director emeritus of the University of Hartford's Presidents' College
Alex Ross - Music critic at The New Yorker and the author of Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 30, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/5/2021 • 50 minutes
Finding The Soul Of The Republican Party; And, Politics In 2021
President Trump kept Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on the phone for an hour Saturday, using a combination of cajoling, lies, and threats to encourage him to “find” enough votes to overturn the election.
All 10 living former defense secretaries stressed in an op-ed for the Washington Post published yesterday that: “The time for questioning the results has passed; the time for the formal counting of the electoral college votes, as prescribed in the Constitution and statute, has arrived.”
Yet, eleven Republican senators and senators-elect and 140 House Republicans plan to vote against the joint session of Congress scheduled for Wednesday where President-elect Joe Biden’s victory is expected to be certified.
Has the Republican Party lost its soul?
Lastly, how will the political power dynamics in Washington play out in 2021?
GUESTS:
Peter Wehner is a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a contributing writer at The Atlantic and The New York Times. He’s the author of The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump. He served in the three previous Republican Administrations.
John Harris is the co-founder of Politico and the author of The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House. He writes the Altitude column for Politico.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/4/2021 • 49 minutes
The Best Jazz Of 2020
To round out the year, we round up the best jazz of the year. We've done this every year for at least the last seven years.
Here are our 2020 picks:
"Kurinji" by Jen Allen featuring Kris Allen, Marty Jaffe, and Kush Abadey, from Sifting Grace
"The Sidewinder" by Artemis, from Artemis
"Dream Without Me" by Noah Baerman & Friends, from Love Right
"Inner Child" by Chris Dingman featuring Linda May Han Oh and Tim Keiper, from Embrace
"The Well" by Endless Field, from Alive in the Wilderness
"AKA Reggie" by Wayne Escoffery, from The Humble Warrior
"I Can't Remember Love" by Anna Hauss, Robert Wienröder & William Horberg, from Music from the Netflix Limited Series The Queen's Gambit
"La Mesha" by Jimmy Heath featuring Wynton Marsalis, from Love Letter
"Spiral" by Dan Liparini, from Tessellations
"Data Lords" by Maria Schneider Orchestra, from Data Lords
"More?" by Joel Ross, from Who Are You?
"Piggy Bank for Charity" by Sax & Taps, from Intersplosion! (Live at Dizzy’s Club)
GUESTS:
Jen Allen - A pianist, composer, arranger, and educator; her new album is Sifting Grace
Noah Baerman - A pianist, composer, and educator; his new album is Love Right
Gene Seymour - A film, television, and music critic
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.
12/31/2020 • 50 minutes
The Nose Says Goodbye To 2020
2020 was … not great.
But, from a pop culture point of view, it wasn't so bad either. I mean, we got the Hamilton movie, The Queen's Gambit, the final season of Schitt's Creek, David Byrne's American Utopia, the Borat sequel, "WAP," I May Destroy You, Tiger King, two new Taylor Swift albums, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom…
The list goes on.
This hour, The Nose looks back at the year in pop culture that was 2020.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
French designer Pierre Cardin, licensing pioneer, dies at 98
What the Hole Is Going On?The very real, totally bizarre bucatini shortage of 2020.
This Lawsuit Goes to 11The creators of This is Spinal Tap, the most influential mockumentary ever made, have been paid almost nothing. The rock gods are angry.
Wait, What's Going on With Hilaria Baldwin?
The 16 Best Ambient Albums of 2020Whether offering solace, transport, or simple numbness, these albums perfectly suited a year of lockdown.
The 15 Best Crime Movies of 2020Heists, embezzlement attempts, and temporally-warped espionage will help end the year on a good note.
The 39 Most Anticipated Movies of 2021
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Handles social media marketing and event planning for Quiet Corner Communications
Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks
Sam Hadelman - Host of The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Mercy Quaye- Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
12/30/2020 • 49 minutes
The Battle For Butter
We tend not to think much about that pat of butter we put on our morning toast, including how the store-bought sweet cream butter we're eating likely pales in comparison to the rich, nutty flavor of the cultured butter not found in many stores.
Nor, do we think about butter sculpture, butter bogs, pleasure dairies, or the dairymaids, those once respected and well-paid artisans and economic powerhouses of our nations earliest days.
We definitely don't think about the nationwide 'war' between butter-loving dairy farmers and the margarine industry. It led to smear campaigns, state laws against margarine, and a ruling by the Supreme Court that led to pink margarine.
You may not even know it's okay to eat butter again after decades of being told to stay away from the death-inducing fats found in butter. So, go ahead and eat that toast with butter.
Today, a show about butter.
GUESTS:
Elaine Khosrova - Author of Butter: A Rich History, a former pastry student at Culinary Institute of America and a former test kitchen editor at Country Living magazine
Doug Moe - Wisconsin-based author and journalist who has written for newspapers and magazines for almost 40 years
Adeline Druart - President of Vermont Creamery. Adeline brings her knowledge of butter-making to Vermont from her home country of France
You can join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/27/2020 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
Our 2020 Holiday Spectacular With 'Big Al' Anderson, Jim Chapdelaine, And Friends
Toward the end of every year since 2014, we've picked a day and put "Big Al" Anderson, Jim Chapdelaine, and Colin in a room together, sung some songs, told some stories, and wound up with some sort of a holiday special.
The "in a room together" part of that is essential… and just not going to happen in 2020.
So, in lieu of doing a new show with Al and Jim, this year we've gone through all six of the previous shows we've done and pulled out some of the best songs -- 11 of them, no less -- and some of the best guest appearances and some of the other best bits and bobs and we've added a brand-new version of an age-old Big Al song that Al and Jim sent along special. And we've wound up with this sort of best-of edition of our annual holiday spectacular.
Just 'cause we can't all get in a room together doesn't mean you can't have an hour of our nonsense to put on in the background on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve or whatever Eve you want.
Happy holidays from us to you.
GUESTS:
Al Anderson - Vocals, guitar, songwriter
Jim Chapdelaine - Guitar and vocals
Lorne Entress - Drums and vocals
Paul Kochanski - Bass guitar and vocals
Nekita Waller - Connecticut's 17th state troubadour
Chion Wolf - Host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Gene Amatruda, Betsy Kaplan, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/24/2020 • 50 minutes
The Nose Hasn't Happened Yet: 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' And 'Tenet'
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The Nose Hasn't Happened Yet: 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' And 'Tenet'By JONATHAN MCNICOL • 1 HOUR AGOThe Colin McEnroe ShowShareTweetEmail
Chadwick Boseman, Colman Domingo, Viola Davis, Michael Potts, and Glynn Turman in 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.'NETFLIX, INC.
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is George C. Wolfe's film adaptation of the August Wilson play. It stars Viola Davis in the title role and Chadwick Boseman in his final film performance, and it's available to stream on Netflix.
Christopher Nolan's Tenet was the first tentpole movie to be released in theaters during the pandemic. It did okay business (it's currently the third-highest grossing film of 2020), but nothing like what Warner Bros. would've hoped for in a normal time. It's still in theaters, and it's now available to buy on physical disc or from digital platforms. It will be available to rent digitally in January.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
John le Carré, Best-Selling Author of Cold War Thrillers, Dies at 89Breaking from the James Bond mold, he turned the spy novel into high art as he explored the moral compromises of agents on both sides of the Iron curtain.
Charley Pride, Country Music's First Black Superstar, Dies at 86He began his career amid the racial unrest of the 1960s and cemented his place in the country pantheon with hits like "Kiss an Angel Good Mornin'."
Ann Reinking, Tony Winner and Star of Broadway's 'Chicago,' Dies at 71
Pantone Picks Two Colors of the Year for 2021It's all about the messaging. Get ready for a brighter future.
Here's a Complete List of Updated Marvel, Lucasfilm, Pixar, and Disney Animation Release Dates
Snoop Dogg Doesn't Agree With Cardi B's "Wap," Encourages Women to Have Privacy and Leave Things to the Imagination
Jon Bon Jovi's sappy cover of a Pogues' holiday classic just 'ruined' Christmas, says the Pogues
American Master Bedrooms Should Just Split Up Already
No, I Am Not Getting Rid of My Thousands of CDsOur chief classical music critic writes in praise of going to a shelf, pulling out a recording and sitting down to listen.
Cleveland's Baseball Team Will Drop Its Indians Team NameThe decision comes amid a wider push for sports teams to stop using Native American names and imagery as team names and mascots.
MLB Is Finally Recognizing the Negro Leagues as the Major Leagues They Always WereNegro League statistics from 1920 to 1948 will now be officially classified as "major league," marking a long-overdue acknowledgment of the accomplishments of players who didn't have the opportunity to play in the American or National Leagues
Every Steven Soderbergh Movie, Ranked
Taylor Swift's deeply affecting evermore continues folklore's rich universe-building
Christopher Walken Says He's Never Owned a Computer or Cell Phone
TOM CURSE: Raging Tom Cruise warns Mission: Impossible crew they're 'f***ing gone' if they break COVID rules on set
Tom Cruise rant dubbed into classic 'Rudolph' clip on Twitter
Lin-Manuel Miranda Is Hopeful for Broadway's Return
'Heroes' Was Supposed to Be Leonard Roberts' Big Break. Instead, It Nearly Broke Him.
Cyberpunk 2077 Was Supposed to Be the Biggest Video Game of the Year. What Happened?Nearly a decade of hype led to a troubled release riddled with glitches, a livid fan base, refunds for potentially millions of players and a possible class-action lawsuit.
John Mulaney Checks Into Rehab
The Journalist and the Pharma BroWhy did Christie Smythe upend her life and stability for Martin Shkreli, one of the least-liked men in the world?
It Took a Global Pandemic, But Generation X is Finally Getting LoveSorry Boomers and Too Bad Millennials -- Only One Generation Stands Out as Social Distancing Pros
A Close Reading of Ariana Grande's Engagement AnnouncementIn an extremely 2020 move, Ms. Grande got quarantine-engaged and announced it in an Instagram photo dump.
MGM Is Exploring a Sale of Its Studio
Trump Sets 'Beautiful' as the New Standard for Federal Buildings
Golden Globes Switch 'Promising Young Woman' to Drama, Maria Bakalova Moved to Lead for 'Borat'Other HFPA changes include the men of "One Night in Miami" and "Hamilton" accepted into the film categories.
GUESTS:
Tom Breen - A film critic and reporter for the New Haven Independent and host of WNHH radio's Deep Focus
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
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.
12/23/2020 • 49 minutes
Kurt Andersen On The Unmaking Of America
Kurt Andersen's last book, Fantasyland, looks at America's "centuries-old weakness for the untrue and irrational, and its spontaneous and dangerous flowering since the 1960s" and how it got us where we are today.
His new book, Evil Geniuses, is a kind of sequel, a companion. It's a parallel history, really, that looks more closely at "the quite deliberate reengineering of our economy and society since the 1960s."
This hour, public radio great Kurt Andersen on "the unmaking of America."
GUEST:
Kurt Andersen - Co-founded Spy magazine and he was the host and co-creator of Studio 360; his newest book is Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America — A Recent History
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 23, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/22/2020 • 50 minutes
America's Defenses Are Being Tested By Cyberattacks and Electoral Dysfunction
It could be months or years before the US government knows the full extent of last week's sophisticated cyberattack that targeted private tech and security companies and federal agencies like the Energy Department and National Nuclear Security Administration.
President Trump dismissed the significance of the attack, tweeting that "everything was under control." He refused to criticize Russia for the attack, claimed without evidence that it could be China, and contradicted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's acknowledgement of Russian involvement. Yet, the President continues to fight the election results and has considered declaring martial law to overturn the election.
Also this hour: The FDA says it's time to deregulate the ingredients in French dressing and frozen cherry pies.
GUESTS:
Josphine Wolff is assistant professor of cybersecurity policy at The Fletcher School at Tufts University. She's the author of, You'll See This Message When It Is Too Late: The Legal and Economic Aftermath of Cybersecurity Breaches.
Lawrence Douglas is the James J. Grosfeld Professor of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought at Amherst College. He’s the author of seven books; his most recent is Will He Go? Trump and the Looming Electoral Meltdown in 2020
Michael Levenson reports for The New York Times, Express Desk.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/21/2020 • 49 minutes
We Like To Watch
For decades, we didn't take television seriously. We saw it as ephemeral, as "chewing gum for the eyes," as, literally, furniture.
And then, around the turn of the century, things started to change. There was The Sopranos. The Wire. And, at the same time, shows like Big Brother and The Amazing Race. For Emily Nussbaum, it was Buffy the Vampire Slayer that forever changed her take on television.
This hour: A serious appraisal of television with The New Yorker's television critic.
GUEST:
Emily Nussbaum - Television critic for The New Yorker and the author of I Like To Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 15, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/18/2020 • 42 minutes
(Un)Erasing Native American Culture
Native Americans exerted their political power in the 2020 election. A record-breaking six Native-Americans were elected to Congress and Native American votes tipped the scales in Arizona - which went blue for only the second time in seventy years. And U.S. Representative Deb Haaland (D-NM) is on President-elect Biden's short list to be Secretary of the Interior.
Native Americans made big gains in the 2020 election. Yet, Native Peoples are still largely invisible in American culture. Centuries of "colonialism" that separated Indigenous People from their families, their culture, and their land, led to intergenerational trauma from which they are still recovering. Yet, they remain resilient against continued attacks on their land and a trail of broken promises.
Today, we look at the emerging power of Native Americans in the context of centuries of systemic racism and cultural erasure.
GUESTS:
Sara Sinclair is an oral historian of Cree-Ojibwa descent. She is the editor of the Voice of Witness oral history collection How We Go Home: Voices from Indigenous North America. Sara teaches in the Oral History Masters Program at Columbia University.
Robert Ornelas is T/ijua Apache. He worked at the New York City Ballet and as a substance abuse counselor
Tara Benally is of Hopi descent. Her family was raised by Navajo. She is a field director at Utah Rural Project
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/17/2020 • 49 minutes
Considering Kubrick
2001: A Space Odyssey. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. A Clockwork Orange. The Shining. Full Metal Jacket. Spartacus. Eyes Wide Shut.
This hour, a careful consideration of the filmmaker Steven Spielberg called "the best in history": Stanley Kubrick.
GUESTS:
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
David Mikics - Author of Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker
Lila Shapiro - Senior reporter at New York magazine and Vulture, where she published "What I Learned After Watching Eyes Wide Shut 100 Times"
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired in a different form September 2, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/16/2020 • 42 minutes
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's thing 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'll trace yodeling's history from its humble, utilitarian roots to its place in modern day pop music and beyond.
GUESTS:
Bart Plantenga - Amsterdam based writer, radio DJ, and expert on yodeling; author of several books including Yodel in Hi-Fi: From Kitsch Folk to Contemporary Electronica
Timothy Wise - Senior lecturer in musicology at the University of Salford, England; author of Yodeling and Meaning in American Music
Roger Tincknell - Massachusetts-based cowboy yodeler, musician, and traveling performer
Chion Wolf - Host of WNPR's Audacious with Chion Wolf
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show, which originally aired October 10, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/15/2020 • 47 minutes, 56 seconds
President Trump's Failed Coup; The Voice Of America Is Under Siege
Each state's slate of electors will cast their votes for president and vice-president today. President Trump won't win today. Nor will he win in the final Congressional certification on January 6, despite talk among some Republican legislators about plans for some type of electoral coup during the final vote count.
Trump and his supporters are retreating deeper and deeper into an alternate reality where they can collectively will things to be the way they want them to be. At some point, Americans will have to start sharing the same reality again or reckon with the outcome.
If we downplay anti-democratic behavior by a sitting president and leaders of a major political party, even if they didn't pull it off, we normalize it and invite future attempts by someone more competent.
Also this hour: the ongoing assault against Voice of America.
GUESTS:
Dahlia Lithwick writes about the courts and the law for Slate and hosts the podcast Amicus.
Margaret Sullivan is a media columnist for The Washington Post and the author of Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Crisis of American Democracy @sulliview
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/14/2020 • 49 minutes, 3 seconds
The Nose Has Never Not Been Fired
Mank is David Fincher's feature film portrayal of the writing of Citizen Kane. Gary Oldman plays the title character and Kane screenwriter, Herman J. Mankiewicz. Mank hit Netflix last Friday, and it's already got lots of Oscar buzz.
The Godfather: Part III is a movie that was actually nominated for seven Oscars 30 years ago (it didn't win any), and it's the third film in a series that had already won nine Academy Awards, including two Best Pictures. Part III, though, has always been thought of relatively poorly. And so, for its 30th anniversary this month, Francis Ford Coppola has rejiggered it and rereleased it as The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone. This new version is four minutes shorter, starts with a different scene, ends slightly differently ... and is ultimately the same movie.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Stream Taylor Swift's New Album, 'Evermore'
Taylor Swift Had A Powerful Message For People Who "Don't Care" About Following COVID Guidelines"If they make it out of this, if they see the other side of it, there's going to be a lot of trauma that comes with that."
Bob Dylan Sells His Songwriting Catalog in Blockbuster DealUniversal Music purchased his entire songwriting catalog of more than 600 songs in what may be the biggest acquisition ever of a single act's publishing rights.
Harrison Ford to reprise Indiana Jones role for fifth and final movie
Disney Just Announced So Much More 'Star Wars'Breaking down the many Force-related developments from Thursday's Investor Day
Steven Soderbergh Teases Plans for Limited-Edition Box Set Featuring Seven Remastered FilmsAnd it could be released sooner than you think.
GUESTS:
Nick Davis - A filmmaker and the author of the forthcoming Competing with Idiots: Herman and Joe Mankiewicz, a Dual Portrait
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
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.
12/11/2020 • 50 minutes
How Will We Know If Society Is On the Verge Of Collapse?
Are we on the verge of societal collapse? We tend to worry about the big explosive stuff like nuclear war, asteroids, and solar flares when we consider end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it scenarios. The reality is that most "fallen" civilizations gradually decline over many decades with a banality that can barely register.
We often remember the decline of civilizations as the fault of poor leaders or natural disasters but it's more like death from a thousand cuts from conditions like inequality, corruption, and political dysfunction. That's (partly) what happened to the Roman Empire.
And most civilizations don't "collapse." They adapt and transform and take their culture with them. The Maya civilization is the archetype of a “collapsed” civilization, ingrained through popular and scholarly literature. That's not really what happened and millions of Maya descendants are alive to talk about it.
Today, we talk about societal collapse and whether we'll know if we're in it.
GUESTS:
Martin Rees is the Astronomer Royal and a member of the House of Lords. He’s the co-founder of the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk at the University of Cambridge. His latest book is On the Future: Prospects for Humanity.
Patrick Wyman is the host of the “Tides of History,” and the former host of “The Fall of Rome,” podcasts. His book, The Verge, will be published in 2021.
Patricia McAnany is a Maya archaeologist and the Keenan eminent professor of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the co-editor with Norman Yoffe, of Questioning Collapse: Human Resilience, Ecological Vulnerability, and the Aftermath of Empire
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/10/2020 • 49 minutes
From Winner To Champion, From Champion To Dynasty
Seventeen AFC East championships. Nine Super Bowl appearances. Six Lombardi trophies. Twenty seasons pairing maybe the greatest head coach in the history of the NFL with maybe the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL.
At the same time, there are words like "spygate." "Deflategate." And even "solicitation in Florida."
This hour, a look at one of the all-time great (and all-time most divisive) sports dynasties: the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick/Robert Kraft New England Patriots.
GUEST:
Jeff Benedict - Special features writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of 16 books; his latest is The Dynasty
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.
12/9/2020 • 49 minutes
A Look At Logic Puzzles (Like Sudoku!)
In May, I discovered (along with the rest of the internet) a video on YouTube of a guy in his loft in Surrey, England ... solving a Sudoku puzzle. It was intense, a roller-coaster ride, and, ultimately, sublime.
Those are not words you might expect someone to use to describe watching a stranger solve a little number puzzle, but here we are.
Since I found that video, I've watched that YouTube channel, Cracking the Cryptic, practically every day. Sometimes the videos are riveting. The rest of the time, they're soothing.
The channel's 300,000 subscribers and 50 million cumulative views would seem to indicate that I'm not alone in using it as a way to both exercise and relax my mind during this pandemic period.
This hour, a look at Sudoku, specifically, and logic puzzles more generally.
GUESTS:
Simon Anthony - A former U.K. team member in the World Sudoku and World Puzzle Championships and a host of Cracking the Cryptic
Jason Rosenhouse - Professor of mathematics at James Madison University and the author of a number of books about math and related topics, including Games for Your Mind: The History and Future of Logic Puzzles
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 26, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/8/2020 • 50 minutes
The Return of Decency; Vaccine Caution; And, A Run On Christmas Trees
Roger Cohen, a former columnist and current Paris bureau chief for The New York Times, longs for a return to decency - a moral shift away from a Trump Presidency characterized by retreat, self-obsession, and a lack of respect for truth or decency.
He welcomes the tenor he anticipates President-elect Biden will bring to the White House, but cautions against a return to the status quo. Too much has changed that still threatens liberalism and the Western alliance.
Also this hour: The Trump Administration is not happy that the FDA failed to approve a coronavirus vaccine before the UK did it first. The President's prior interference in FDA decisions led to public resistance against any vaccine they feared was tainted by politics. Are they doing it again?
Lastly, there's a national run on Christmas trees this year akin to the run on toilet paper in the spring. Even people who don't usually purchase a real tree seem to want one this year.
GUESTS:
Roger Cohen runs the Paris bureau for The New York Times. He's also the author of several books, including his family memoir, "The Girl From Human Street: Ghosts of Memory in a Jewish Family."
Dan Diamond investigates health care politics and policy for Politico. He co-authors “Politico Pulse,” and hosts Politico’s “Pulse Check” podcast.
Kathy Kogut is president of the Connecticut Christmas Tree Growers Association
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/7/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Thinks Schenectady Sounds Terrible, Even Phonetically
Warner Bros. announced Thursday that all of its movies for all of 2021 will be available to stream on HBO Max the same day they debut in cinemas. The movie theater chains see this as "doomsday for the theatrical experience."
And: Three strange, metal monoliths having been discovered in recent weeks, one each in Utah, Romania, and California. The ones in Utah and Romania have since disappeared, and the one in Utah had stood undiscovered for at least four years before it was found.
Finally: The Undoing is a six-part HBO miniseries starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant. Its finale aired Sunday.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
David Prowse, Man Behind the Darth Vader Mask, Dies at 85
'Juno' and 'Umbrella Academy' Actor Elliot Page Comes Out as Transgender in Heartfelt Letter"I love that I am trans. And I love that I am queer," Page writes.
Elliot Page Will Continue to Star in 'Umbrella Academy,' Netflix Changes Credits on His Past Films
John Cleese Sparks Backlash Over Transphobic Tweets in Defense of J.K. Rowling
Harry Styles Clapping Back At Candace Owens Is The Content I Needed Today
Music Legends Eric Clapton, Van Morrison Team for Anti-Lockdown Single 'Stand and Deliver'
Disney+ redesigns Black Panther's opening logo in honor of Chadwick Boseman's birthday
I raised my kids on Pixar -- and it has ruined classic cinema for themHaving grown up on Toy Story and Up, this generation has zero tolerance for slow pacing or only mild amusement
"Look At What We Love. It's on Fire": Stephen Colbert on Trump Trauma, Leadership, and LossThe late-night host is ready for a little less excitement: "If Joe Biden is a pair of khaki pants inside a manila envelope, that would be great."
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Handles social media marketing and event planning for Quiet Corner Communications
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
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.
12/4/2020 • 49 minutes
Fixing The Norms That President Trump Has Broken
The Trump presidency has exposed many vulnerabilities in the laws and norms that govern presidential behavior. His brazen disrespect demands action to protect against a future president who might build on Trump's playbook.
President Trump has flouted norms against conflicts-of-interest and courting foreign interference, abused his pardon power, threatened nuclear war, used the office to attack political foes, the press, and the judiciary, and refused to concede an election that he lost.
He's not the first president to abuse presidential power and he's not the only problem. Congress has abdicated too much of the power they once used to better oversee and constrain presidential power.
The good news is that we now have an opportunity to codify certain norms most vulnerable to abuse. Do we have the political will?
GUEST:
Jack Goldsmith is a professor at Harvard Law School, co-founder of Lawfare, and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution. He served as the head of the Office of Legal Counsel during the George W. Bush Administration. Administration. He’s the co-author, with Bob Bauer, of After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency (@jacklgoldsmith)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/3/2020 • 49 minutes
America Loves Its Heroes
How we define what it means to be a hero depends a lot on the values shared by the group that's in power at any given time.
We're seeing it today in the push and pull over the statues of men whose values no longer reflect the values of a changing community. And time tends to wash away the nuance and complexity of heroes that stand as a symbol of a prior generation.
Yet, America loves its heroes, even if only for a time. But we have a way of using the language of "heroism" to sacrifice the very heroes we admire. Many of the essential workers we deemed heroes of the pandemic had to choose between their health and a paycheck. They didn't choose to be heroes. Some didn't want to be. Others were silenced or shamed for speaking out about unsafe conditions.
This hour, we talk about what it means to be a hero, and we consider some Connecticut heroes you may not know about.
Also, a look at the unlikely hero driven to heroic acts to avoid being labeled a coward.
GUESTS:
Dahlia Lithwick - Writes about the courts and the law for Slate and hosts the podcast Amicus
Chris Walsh - Director of the college of arts and sciences writing program at Boston University and the author of Cowardice: A Brief History
Walter Woodward - State historian of Connecticut, the author of Creating Connecticut, and the host of the Grating the Nutmeg podcast
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 28, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/2/2020 • 50 minutes
Mmmm Donuts
Almost everybody has a favorite donut - even if you don't eat a lot of donuts. It's not so much about the donut as it is about how donuts bring people together - to celebrate, to mourn, to share.
Donuts have been part of cultures around the world for more than a thousand years, first as a festival special-occasion food, later as an everyday treat. Later still, as a "weapon" in World War I. They're in movies, music, and Twin Peaks. In the words of Homer Simpson, "Mmmm donuts.
What's your favorite donut?
GUESTS:
Michael Krondl - Food writer, culinary historian, artist, and the author of many books including The Donut: History, Recipes, and Lore from Boston to Berlin
Miranda Popkey - Freelance writer whose work appears in numerous publications including The Hairpin, New York Magazine, and The New Yorker
Collin Sanford - Dentist at Avon Family Dentistry in Avon and the son of Luke Sanford, former owner of Luke’s Donuts in Avon
Freda Love Smith - Drummer and founding member of the Blake Babies, lecturer at Northwestern University and the author of her food memoir, Red Velvet Underground
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/1/2020 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
Mmmm Donuts
Almost everybody has a favorite donut - even if you don't eat a lot of donuts. It's not so much about the donut as it is about how donuts bring people together - to celebrate, to mourn, to share.
Donuts have been part of cultures around the world for more than a thousand years, first as a festival special-occasion food, later as an everyday treat. Later still, as a "weapon" in World War I. They're in movies, music, and Twin Peaks. In the words of Homer Simpson, "Mmmm donuts.
GUESTS:
Michael Krondl - Food writer, culinary historian, artist, and the author of many books including The Donut: History, Recipes, and Lore from Boston to Berlin
Miranda Popkey - Freelance writer whose work appears in numerous publications including The Hairpin, New York Magazine, and The New Yorker
Collin Sanford - Dentist at Avon Family Dentistry in Avon and the son of Luke Sanford, former owner of Luke’s Donuts in Avon
Freda Love Smith - Drummer and founding member of the Blake Babies, lecturer at Northwestern University and the author of her food memoir, Red Velvet Underground
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/1/2020 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
Politics, Religion, and Football. (No Peanuts Or Beer)
We are still living in two different realities. President Trump lost the election but still can't concede or admit it, and a high percentage of Republicans say they doubt the results - even though courts have found no evidence to support their claims of fraud.
Meanwhile, President-Elect Joe Biden is moving forward with his transition - including talking with foreign leaders, choosing Cabinet members, and planning his first 100 days in office. Can Biden unite us?
On a related note: Pope Francis elevated Archbishop Wilton Gregory to be a cardinal for the archdiocese of Washington. He'll be the first African American cardinal in the history of the Catholic Church. The archdiocese of Washington sits the heart of our government and Cardinal Gregory will work with the incoming Biden administration to advance the social justice causes important to both.
Lastly, the virus is wreaking havoc on the NFL.
GUESTS:
Frank Rich is Writer-at-Large for New York magazine and Executive Producer for the HBO series "Succession." (@frankrichny)
Michael Sean Winters is a columnist at National Catholic Reporter and a fellow at the Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life at Trinity College in Hartford. (@MichaelSWinters)
Ken Belson covers the NFL for The New York Times (@el_belson)
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/30/2020 • 48 minutes, 50 seconds
The Nose Is Ready For Thanksgiving
Last week, President Obama twittered a list of "memorable songs" from his administration. The list was, let's just say, not necessarily well received.
Vaguely relatedly: Incoming secretary of state nominee Antony Blinken… has his own "wonk rock" tunes up on Spotify?
And: The Liberator is a sort of animated, four-part Netflix miniseries that tells the story of the 157th Infantry in World War II.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Fred Hills, Editor of Nabokov and Many Others, Dies at 85A longtime editor at Simon & Schuster, he brought to market both commercial hits and literary prizewinners and edited more than 50 New York Times best sellers.
David Maas, Half of 'Quick Change' Magic Act, Dies of COVID-19Mr. Maas and his wife, who performed lightning-fast costume changes, often appeared on television and were a halftime fixture at N.B.A. and college basketball arenas.
Conan O'Brien's Nightly Late-Night Show to End Its Run in 2021
Here's The Deal, Folks: A POTUS Impression Is Harder Than It Looks
Baby Yoda Canceled Amid Accusations of GenocideLast week's egg-eating episode of The Mandalorian has led to a disturbance in the Force. For real.
Howard Stern: If Trump starts a TV network, it'll fail within a year
The Art That Defied the Last Four, Terrible YearsMy mind has slipped anxiously off books and movies since 2016. But as the credits roll on 2020, I'm ready to look back.
George Clooney When We Need Him MostThe actor, director, and GQ Icon of the Year is the one thing we can all agree on -- at a time when we can’t agree on anything.
Jason Isaacs: 'I'd like to apologise to anyone who met me before I was 30 -- I was a drug addict'
David Fincher's Impossible EyeWith 'Mank,' America's most famously exacting director tackles the movie he's been waiting his entire career to make.
98 Million TikTok Followers Can't Be WrongHow a 16-year-old from suburban Connecticut became the most famous teen in America
Helicopter pilot finds 'strange' monolith in remote part of UtahState employee spotted mysterious metal structure amid red rocks while counting bighorn sheep
John Boyega Had A "Transparent, Honest" Phone Call With Kathleen Kennedy After 'Star Wars' Race Comments
Columbus-Free Wooster Square Takes Shape
Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa Dominate 2021 Grammy NominationsThe major categories include some surprising, lesser-known names and notable absences as a Recording Academy in transition plans its pandemic awards show.
'Chappelle's Show' Removed From Netflix at Dave Chappelle's Request
The 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century (So Far)Chameleons or beauties, star turns or character roles -- these are the performers who have outshone all others on the big screen in the last 20 years.
GUESTS:
Lucy Gellman - Editor of The Arts Paper and host of WNHH radio's Kitchen Sync
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
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.
11/25/2020 • 49 minutes
A Long Look at Losing and Lovable (and Loathsome) Losers
As we were preparing for our show on underdogs, I kept saying that we shouldn't overlook the fact that, often, to be an underdog in the first place, you have to be relatively bad at the thing you're an underdog about.
The more we talked about it, the more I found myself making the case that losers and losing are fascinating.
And they are. There's a whole podcast about political candidates who lost. We romanticize losers in movies and TV and songs and stories.
And think just about the phrase "lovable losers." In a culture where we focus seemingly entirely on the positive half of the zero sum, where we endlessly exalt WINNING, it's kind of interesting that we love the losers too, isn't it?
This hour, a long look at losers and losing.
GUESTS:
Jason Cherkis - Political reporter for The Huffington Post and the co-host of Candidate Confessional
Josh Keefe - An investigative reporter at the Bangor Daily News; in a piece for Slate's Sports Nut, he claimed that he was the worst high school quarterback ever
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show, which originally aired August 1, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/24/2020 • 50 minutes
America's Escalating Post-Election Madness
We're almost three weeks past Election Day. Yet, President Trump and his evolving legal team continue to spew conspiracy theories intended to delegitimize the voting process, sow confusion, and delay the transition of power to incoming President-elect Joe Biden.
Meanwhile, most Senate Republicans remain silent and Trump's most fervent supporters ignore our post-election reality in favor of conspiracy theories that run unchecked on platforms like Parler.
Lastly, is it too late to cancel Thanksgiving? Many people are already traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday despite CDC pleas to please stay home.
GUESTS:
James Surowiecki is a journalist who has written about business and finance for The New Yorker and Slate. He now writes a business column for Marker on Medium. He's the author of The Wisdom of Crowds (@jamessurowiecki)
Tina Nguyen reports on the White House for Politico (@tina_nguyen)
James Hamblin is a staff writer at The Atlantic. He is preventive medicine physician and a lecturer at Yale School of Public Health. He's the co-host of the podcast "Social Distance," and author of Clean: The New Science of Skin. (@jameshamblin)
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/23/2020 • 49 minutes
It Was A Dark Night In The City. Death Hung In The Air Like...
A hard-boiled private eye, a glamorous blond, and a hapless drifter all sit at a bar on the seamy side of town. It's night, the streets are wet, the shadows are long. They each nurse a drink to the notes of a mournful saxophone and a lonely piano. Smoke from the cigarettes swirls in the darkness.
We all know classic noir when we see it and hear it and read it; yet, we don't really know how to define the dark plots that expose humanity in all its moral ambiguity and loneliness.
Noir arrived in America with German emigres escaping the Nazis and fit well with the bleakness of Americans reeling from a depression, two world wars, and, later, the threat of nuclear annihilation. It continues to resonate and has transposed its style across genres.
This hour, a deeper look at noir -- then and now.
GUESTS:
Amy Bloom - A novelist and the editor of New Haven Noir
Colin Harrison - The author, most recently, of You Belong To Me
Sheri Chinen Biesen - Professor of film history at Rowan University and the author of Blackout: World War II and the Origins of Film Noir and Music in the Shadows: Noir Musical Films
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Kevin MacDermott, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired January 24, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/20/2020 • 50 minutes
Polls Are Like A Bad Mate. They Keep Letting Us Down.
Many of the poll results that drove headlines this election season missed the mark, even after pollsters spent the previous four years correcting for the errors of 2016.
They shouldn't feel too bad. Even George Gallup got it wrong. But Gallup had it easier. Almost ninety percent of people answered polls in his day. Today, about six percent of people answer polls - and the ones that do tend to have more social trust in other people and institutions.
Pollsters will be dissecting the hits and misses in their predictions for some time. Could it be that not enough people participate any longer for them to get a diverse enough sample of viewpoints to reflect our political reality? Should we consider whether polls advance or hinder democracy?
We talk about the history and current state of polling, including how pollsters misread the Latino vote.
GUESTS:
David Shor is an independent data analyst who formerly worked for the 2012 Obama campaign and Civis Analytics. (@davidshor)
David Greenberg is a professor of History, and of Journalism & Media Studies at Rutgers University, and a contributing editor to Politico Magazine. He is currently working on a biography of the late congressman John Lewis. (@republicofspin)
Arelis Hernandez covers the U.S. Southern border, immigration, and Texas for The Washington Post (arelisrhdz)
Join the conversation on Facebook and TwitterSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/19/2020 • 49 minutes
This Is 'Jeopardy!'
Jeopardy! has been part of the fabric of American TV, in a couple different forms and across a couple different breaks, since 1964. It is the longest-running nationally-televised game show in U.S. television history.
At the 2015 Emmys, John Oliver quipped, "The sun could burn out, humanity could flee to another galaxy, time as we know it could cease to exist, but Alex Trebek will still be there scolding librarians from Ames, Iowa, to answer in the form of a question."
Except, of course, Alex Trebek died last week. And before that, Jeopardy!'s long-time executive producer and its long-time contestant coordinator both left at the end of last season.
So what's in store for this quiz show institution?
GUESTS:
Sherri Cohen - Former Jeopardy! contestant
Claire McNear - Staff writer at The Ringer and the author of Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider's Guide to Jeopardy!
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer, and founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
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.
11/18/2020 • 49 minutes
America Has A Pandemic Problem. The President Has A Legal Problem.
The number of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 is rising in almost every state. America averaged over 100,000 new cases every day over the last seven days and 1,000 deaths every day over the same period. The positivity rate is more than 50 percent in some states, straining hospital systems and front line staff. Have we normalized the pandemic to the point where we're no longer taking it seriously enough?
Also this hour: President Trump will no longer be protected from federal and state prosecution for questionable business and tax dealings when he exits the office of the presidency. There are also several civil lawsuits, including from two women who have filed separate civil suits for defamation after he denied their allegations of sexual assault. How legally vulnerable is President Trump?
GUESTS:
Dr. Angela Rasmussen is a virologist and an affiliate at the Georgetown Center for Global Health Science and Security. She’s a contributor to Slate (@angie_rasmussen)
Ross Garber is a lawyer specializing in political investigations and impeachment and a legal analyst for CNN. He teaches at Tulane Law School. (@rossgarber)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/16/2020 • 49 minutes
Is Election Day Over Yet?
t's been eight days since Election Day. It's been four days since Joe Biden was projected to become President-elect Joe Biden.
But we've still got the secretary of state saying, "There will be a smooth transition to a second Trump administration." We've still got any number of lawsuits flailing their way through the courts in various states.
Are we really going to reject democratic elections to soothe Trump's ego?
And: The Washington Post's Pulitzer-winning nonfiction book critic takes a look at the Trump years through the lens of all the Trump books.
GUESTS:
Philip Bump - A correspondent for The Washington Post based in New York
Jeannie Suk Gersen - A contributing writer to The New Yorker and a professor at Harvard Law School
Carlos Lozada - The nonfiction book critic of The Washington Post and the author of What Were We Thinking: A Brief Intellectual History of the Trump Era
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.
11/15/2020 • 49 minutes
Benedict Arnold: Unscrupulous Traitor or Unsung Hero?
Benedict Arnold's reputation as a traitor instead of a skilled warrior and confidante of George Washington has become accepted history in the minds of many Americans living hundreds of years removed from our founding. But that's too simple a story.
The Revolution was a chaotic time. Congress was in constant battle with the military and feelings ran high over whether power should reside in the states or the federal government.
The war took a toll on the men who fought this bloody and protracted war. Leadership was often ineffective, greed was rampant, and militias fought without pay, few provisions, and little training. Family farms were looted and destroyed, the economy collapsed, and the Native Americans usually fought for the British.
Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country, fighting against friends and former comrades. He was impetuous and quick to anger. He also fought valiantly for the Revolution, often turning the tide toward America in decisive battles. Yet, he got little respect, less pay, and was a target of a politicized Congress.
Is it time to take another look at Benedict Arnold and the Revolution that birthed America?
GUESTS:
Nathaniel Philbrick - Author of In the Heart of the Sea; Mayflower; and Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution
Eric Lehman - Professor of English and Director of the Creative Writing Program at University of Bridgeport; author of Homegrown Terror: Benedict Arnold and the Burning of New London
Brad Meltzer - Author of The Inner Circle; The Book of Fate; and The House of Secrets
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Chion Wolf, and Greg Hill contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/14/2020 • 48 minutes
The Nose Got The Boot For Putting Boots In The Boot
The world has an Alex Trebek-shaped hole in it. Which raises a question: Who should fill said hole?
Billie Eilish has a new single out this week, which got The Nose thinking about her now-in-limbo James Bond theme song, which got The Nose thinking about James Bond theme songs in general.
And: Ted Lasso is a half-hour comedy series on AppleTV+. It stars Jason Sudeikis as the title character, and it's based on a character Sudeikis developed in 2013 for a series of promos for NBC Sports's Premier League coverage, of all things.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine - An Emmy-winning musician, producer, composer, and recording engineer, and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/13/2020 • 49 minutes
The Flap Over Flags
On the surface, a flag is a piece of cloth with pretty colors and designs. That's the thing with flags. They're often judged on their aesthetics, but their power lies in how well their design captures the culture, religion, politics, and history of a place and its people.
We have flags for everything - nations, states, cities, sports teams, schools, micronations - you can even make your own flag with advice on how to do it. Keep it simple with 2-3 basic colors and skip the lettering.
How can a flag unite a group around a single identity when people are unique and cultures change?
Today, we talk about flags. Check out the website of the North American Vexillological Association. It's filled with lots of good stuff.
GUESTS:
Mike Pesca is the host of the Slate daily podcast The Gist and a frequent contributor to NPR
Alexandra Petrie is a columnist for the Washington Post and the author of A Field Guide to Awkward Silences
Scot Guenter is a laureate of the International Federation of the Vexillological Association and professor of American Studies at San Jose State University. He’s the author of The American Flag 1777-1924: Cultural Shifts from Creation to Codification and the founder of “Raven: A Journal of Vexillology
You can join us on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/12/2020 • 49 minutes
So. How Was Your Weekend?
On most Mondays, we scramble around trying to put together a show reacting to the weekend's news.
But being that nothing much happened over this weekend, we decided just to take your calls this hour.
860-275-7266. Call in and talk to Colin about how you're feeling at the start of this new day, this new week -- this new era.
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.
11/9/2020 • 49 minutes
The Truth About Lies
Laszlo Ratesic is a nineteen-year veteran of the Speculative Service. He lives in the Golden State, the only place left in what was once America. Laszlo's job is to bring the worst criminals to justice, those who tell lies. In his new novel, Ben Winters creates a world which might sound Eden-esque in our era of misinformation.
It's getting more difficult to distinguish real from fake news, AI-assisted technology allows a bad actor to splice celebrity heads onto the faces of actors in a pornographic video, and major news organizations need to keep track of how often America's president lies.
Yet, we should be careful what we wish for. Philosophers like Derrida have long questioned the nature of truth; can there be one truth? If so, whose truth is it?
While few of us want to return to the pre-internet days when everyone got their news from Walter Cronkite, we need to understand how to recognize when information is false and how it is spread. It's too easy to blame ignorance or a willful repudiation of the truth for the spread of misinformation. It's a lot more about who we trust.
For those who fear a Golden State could be our future, there's hope on the horizon if we're willing to pay attention.
GUESTS:
Ben Winters - Author of ten novels including Underground Airlines, the award-winning Last Policeman trilogy, and most recently Golden State: A Novel
James Owen Weatherall - Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the University of California, Irvine and the author of three books. His most recent is The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread, co-authored with Cailin O’Connor
Aviv Ovadya - Founder of the Thoughtful Technology Project, set to launch soon, and a non-resident fellow at the German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democrac (@metaviv)
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this showSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/9/2020 • 48 minutes, 1 second
The Nose Has Been Watching Some Netflix. What Have You Guys Been Up To?
Since nothing has really been going on lately, we figured we'd do an hour about the week in pop culture, as usual.
The Nose is sad to see Sean Connery go. But it's glad to see John Mulaney on SNL again.
And: The Queen's Gambit is Netflix's new limited series adaptation of the Walter Tevis novel of the same name.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Billy Joe Shaver, Seminal Outlaw-Country Songwriter, Dead at 81Best known as the songwriter of Waylon Jennings' 1973 album 'Honky Tonk Heroes,' the colorful Texas raconteur had his songs recorded by Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley
The Crock-Pot Facebook group drama, explainedThe admin of the group said she goes into "full mama bear mode" when members are treated unkindly.
50 Best Movie Posters of the 2010s
Tyra Banks Lands in Hot Water Over Takeout Order
The Most-Watched Streaming Movies of 2020 Include 'Hamilton', 'Borat 2', 'My Spy', and More
Robert Zemeckis Helped Revolutionize Visual Effects -- and Then Visual Effects Ruined Robert Zemeckis
Why Johnny Depp's career is finished
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Handles social media marketing and event planning for Quiet Corner Communications
David Edelstein - America's Greatest Living Film Critic
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.
11/6/2020 • 49 minutes
Waiting For A President
The Trump campaign threatened legal challenges Wednesday, to force four states to stop counting ballots after Joe Biden's wins in the battleground states of Michigan and Wisconsin narrowed the President's path to reelection. How bad must an American president behave before a majority of voters repudiate him for his actions?
We want to hear from you. How are you coping with this current moment? Are you still proud to be an American? What do you want from your government and the next President? Call us at (888) 720-9677 with your questions, comments, concerns.
GUEST:
Bill Curry was White House counselor to President Bill Clinton and a two-time Democratic nominee for governor of Connecticut.
Join us on Facebook and TwitterSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/5/2020 • 49 minutes
Uh. Well. Election Day Is Over.
The one thing we knew for sure was that by the time we got to today, yesterday would be over.
And it is.
And we don't quite know what actually happened yet.
This hour, we look at today and start to think about tomorrow... and the rest of the week... and maybe the weeks after that.
GUESTS:
David Folkenflik - NPR's media correspondent
Michael Lynch - Professor of philosophy and director of the Humanities Institute at the University of Connecticut; the author of Know-It-All Society: Truth and Arrogance in Political Culture
Chris Murphy - The junior U.S. senator from Connecticut
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/4/2020 • 49 minutes
"Citizen Observers" Share Their Voting Experiences
The Colin McEnroe Show has an Election Day tradition of celebrating voters by inviting "citizen observers" from around the state to share their experience with voting. An ongoing pandemic and tensions stemming from a deeply divided electorate make this a year like no other.
People nationwide are working hard to make sure their vote is counted. They're voting early, they're waiting hours in line, and some are flying "home" to vote in-person to ensure their vote is counted.
Election Day still has the power to inspire and make me hopeful that we're more united than some would have us believe.
Call us today at (888) 720-9677 with your Election Day stories. We'll take as many calls as we can.
GUESTS:
Alicia Cobb is a visual artist and art instructor in Bridgeport.
Madi Csejka is a 23-year-old voter living in Orange.
Susan Clinard is the owner of Clinard Sculpture Studio in Hamden.
John Dlugosz works in information technology services at Trinity College.
Ben Freund is the owner and operator of Freund's Farm, and Cow Pots, in East Canaan.
Lara Herscovitch is a singer-songwriter-poet, performer, and a former CT State Troubadour. Her latest album is "Highway Philosophers."
Sarah Kaufold is a choral conductor and founder and artistic director of Consonare Choral Community
Michael Moschen is a world-renowned juggler, performance artist, and recipient of a MacArthur Genius Grant.
George Noujaim is the owner of Noujaim's Bistro in Winsted.
Kate Rushin is a poet, writer, and educator.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/3/2020 • 49 minutes
The Election Is Finally Here. What Happens Now?
Most of us are approaching Election Day with a mix of excitement, hope, and fear, as we live with surging numbers of coronavirus cases, threats of civil unrest, and uncertainty over when the election will be decided -- and who will get to decide. We want to hear from you. Call us at 888-720-9677 or 888-720-WNPR to share your hopes and concerns about Election Day and for a post-election America.
GUEST:
Alan Greenblatt - Senior staff writer covering politics and policy issues for Governing magazine; his work has been published in the New Republic, Vox, and American Conservative, among other publications (@alangreenblatt)
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.
11/2/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose For Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (on Amazon Prime) is a sequel to 2006's Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Sacha Baron Cohen returns as the titular character.
And: The Trial of the Chicago 7 (on Netflix) is Aaron Sorkin's film depiction of the 1969 trial of Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, David Dellinger, Tom Hayden, Rennie Davis, John Froines, Lee Weiner, and Bobby Seale. Here, Baron Cohen plays Hoffman.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Pioneering drummer Viola Smith has died, aged 107The original 'hep girl' played a big part in the acceptance of female musicians
Jerry Jeff Walker, a Trailblazer of the Cosmic Cowboy Sound, Passes Away at 78The country icon was, as fellow musician Lucinda Williams put it, an "American treasure."
Mutiny! Prince Andrew 'could be sacked' as Commodore of Britain's most famous yacht club over his links to Jeffrey Epstein -- and be replaced by Duchess of Cambridge
A Glance at Daily Life Among the Caretakers of Britain's Small IslandsStationed off the coast of Britain, island wardens manage preservation of their small speck of land -- while coping with extreme weather and limited access to the mainland
15 Years On, The Lonely Legacy Of 'Shadow Of The Colossus'
Time Magazine replaces its name on cover for first time in 100 yearsEditors replaced "TIME" with the word of the moment: "VOTE."
This Election, David Duchovny Wants to Go on Record"Sadly, it's a little prophetic at this point," actor-musician says of his new anti-Trump song "Layin' on the Tracks"
What was fun?As we adjust to the "new normal," something's missing.
Beethoven Has a First NameIt's time to "fullname" all composers in classical music.
F*ck Sliders
An East Dallas Home's Halloween Decorations Prompt Multiple Police Visits
And Now, a Sinkhole Full of Rats
Hollywood's Masked Killers Want You to Know How Hard Their Job IsThe actors who played Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers and Leatherface discuss the misconceptions around playing Hollywood's masked bogeymen.
American Accident: All the Presidents' Movies
GUESTS:
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright and director of client services at Buzz Engine
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
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.
10/30/2020 • 49 minutes
Is It Time To "Pack" The Supreme Court?
A lot of people are wondering if it's time to look at "court packing," and other court reforms, to address judiciary dysfunction that we can see playing out during this election and in the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Look at what's happening with voting rights. The Supreme Court had been asked to intervene in several state decisions that would allow ballots postmarked by Election Day to be accepted in the first days after the election due to the high volume of mail-in ballots cast during a pandemic. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that Wisconsin mail-in ballots could not be accepted after Election Day. On Wednesday, they refused to hear a fast-tracked plea from Pennsylvania Republicans looking to block a three-day extension, and refused to block rulings allowing North Carolina to extend their deadlines.
In addition, voter suppression or intimidation tactics are happening in states like Nevada, Texas, and Michigan. And one week before the election, the mail is still slow.
Lastly, states led primarily by Republicans, have been trying to pack their state supreme courts for a decade, mostly for partisan advantage.
Do we need a new amendment to the Constitution that would protect against a minority no longer accountable to the people they serve?
GUESTS:
Marin K Levy is a professor of law at Duke University and author of "Packing and Unpacking State Courts," published in the William & Mary Law Review earlier this year. (@marinklevy)
Ian Millhiser is a senior correspondent at Vox, where he focuses on the Supreme Court and the Constitution. He’s the author of Injustices: The Supreme Court's History of Comforting the Comfortable and Afflicting the Afflicted. (@imillhiser)
Julie Suk is a Florence Rogatz Visiting Professor of Law at Yale Law School and Professor of Sociology, Political Science, and Liberal Studies at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Her new book is We the Women: The Unstoppable Mothers of the Equal Rights Amendment (@JulieCSuk)
Join the conversation on Facebook and TwitterSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/29/2020 • 49 minutes
Not Necessarily The Nose: The Year In Horror, 2020
It's our annual Halloween special! For this year, the script kind of wrote itself. We look at the way our current, actual horror is likely to affect our future fictional horror through the lens of the genre's past distinct historical eras.
Plus: A new study that seems to say that horror fans were better prepared for the pandemic than the wimpy rest of us were.
And: Every year on this show, for no particular reason, we look specifically at some classic horror movie that's celebrating its 40th anniversary. Two years ago, it was Halloween. Last year, it was Alien. This year, it's Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.
And finally: The always-spooky staff endorsements.
Note: This podcast version of the show is nearly four full minutes longer than the show as it's airing on WNPR. We couldn't fit all the good stuff into the constraints of radio, so we present to you here the show as we really wanted to make it.
GUESTS:
Carmen Baskauf - A producer for Where We Live on Connecticut Public Radio
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Betsy Kaplan - Our senior producer
Ryan Caron King - Visuals journalist for Connecticut Public
Megan McCluskey - A reporter for Time magazine
Carlos Mejia - Digital audience manager for Connecticut Public
David Mikics - The author of Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker
Ali Oshinskie - A reporter covering the Naugatuck River Valley for Connecticut Public Radio
Coltan Scrivner - A PhD candidate in the Department of Comparative Human Development at The University of Chicago
Catie Talarski - Senior director of storytelling and radio programming for Connecticut Public
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.
10/28/2020 • 53 minutes, 54 seconds
In Pods We Trust: How The Pod Prevails In Consumer- And Pop-Culture
We wake up to coffee from a pod, listen to music through our EarPods from our iPods, drive our Smart cars and Fiats and other increasingly pod-shaped vehicles, wash our clothes using Tide pods, and while we wait for the clothes to dry, we listen to our favorite podcast through our AirPods from our HomePod. Sound about right?
What is it about pods that we're so drawn to? And why do an increasing number of our products and services all feature the word "pod" in their name?
Is it possible the pod's slick, liminal aesthetic or the allure of its Pandorian promise holds some sway over our subconscious? Might Freud have something to say about its curvature or its role in nature as a place of transformation, emergence, and ultimately independence?
Perhaps it's the pod's minimalism and symmetry which appeal to us as we negotiate an increasingly chaotic world. Or is it simply an efficient design suited to meet the needs of our busy lives?
This hour, we speak with experts and discuss the mystery of the pod in consumer- and pop-culture. We'll also look back over recent history and explore the possibility that we are, and always have been, pod people!
GUESTS:
Blanka Domagalska - Lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design teaching courses on product design with expertise in art history, media and cultural theory, philosophy, and aesthetic liminality
Elvina Beck - Co-founder and CEO of Podshare
Kotaro Aoki - Former philosophy major at Wesleyan University
Jim Knipfel - A novelist and memoirist; he wrote the feature "The Legacy of Invasion of the Body Snatchers" for Den of Geek
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired December 26, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/27/2020 • 50 minutes
America In The Middle Of An Election During A Surge In The Pandemic
The Trump Administration continues to downplay the pandemic, Vice-President Mike Pence campaigns even as staff members in his inner circle test positive for SARS-CoV-2, and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," that the Administration is no longer going to control the pandemic.
Some Americans are beginning to fear a dark post-election America if the other side wins. Fear of the "other" candidate winning is felt by Biden and Trump supporters. Americans usually fear foreign threats, not each other. Does the pandemic have us on edge or is something deeper going on in America?
Also this hour: The Trump Administration is counting on a vaccine by the end of the year. But approval of a vaccine may signal the beginning of a long year tracking the safety of potentially multiple vaccines in the absence of a vaccine safety office dedicated solely to leading the effort.
GUESTS:
Yascha Mounk is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Persuasion, an associate Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Johns Hopkins University, and a contributing editor at The Atlantic. His latest book is "The People Vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is In Danger and How To Save It." @yascha_mounk
Carl Zimmer is the author of thirteen books about science. His next book, “Life’s Edge: The Search For What It Means To Be Alive,” will be published in March 2021. He writes the "Matter" column for The New York Times, and is an adjunct professor at Yale. (@carlzimmer)
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/26/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Turns Like A Wheel Inside A Wheel
It has come to The Nose's attention that you can rent an entire movie theater out for just $99 and have yourself a slightly less pandemic-panicky moviegoing experience. Which got us thinking about, just, going to the movies. Remember going to the movies?
And then: "Which of the Hollywood Chrises is the worst Hollywood Chris?" is a question the internet has been grappling with recently. As with all things internet, there's now a bit of a controversy.
And: David Byrne's American Utopia is Spike Lee's HBO movie version of Byrne's American Utopia Broadway show, which is a theater version of Byrne's American Utopia tour, which Byrne did in support of his album, American Utopia.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
A Disturbing Twinkie That Has, So Far, Defied Science
Alan Arkin on Hollywood success: 'I was miserable pretty much all of the time'In his mid-30s, the actor was living the dream, but was far from happy. As he publishes his memoir Out of My Mind, he talks about turning his life around -- and the disgraced guru he pinned his hopes on
Last Week Tonight - The John Oliver Memorial Sewer Plant is Here!
Mike 'Doc' Emrick retiring from legendary NHL broadcasting career
Actor Jeff Bridges Tweets That He Has Been Diagnosed With Lymphoma
The Pandemic Lessons From MLB's Surprisingly Successful Season
COVID-19 Pauses Production On Joe Rogan's Podcast
The Outfield Frontman Tony Lewis Dead at 62
Tom Lehrer Is Releasing His Lyrics and Music Into the Public Domain
Apple Launches 'Apple Music TV,' a 24-Hour Music Video Livestream
Keith Jarrett Confronts a Future Without the PianoThe pathbreaking musician reveals the health issues that make it unlikely he will ever again perform in public.
'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' won't air on ABC this year, moves to Apple TV+The popular Halloween special, which premiered on CBS in 1966, will instead air on demand on AppleTV+ for free from Oct. 30-Nov. 1.
NASA To Make Major Announcement Of 'Exciting News' About The MoonFlying observatory that made new discovery is able to 'pick up phenomenon impossible to see with visible light', space agency notes
The 50 Best Movie and TV Show Twists of All TimeFrom 'Fight Club' to 'Game of Thrones,' from 'The Sixth Sense' to 'Lost,' nothing hits quite as hard as a shocking reveal
Rethinking Appropriation and Wokeness in Pop MusicOver the last decade, the language and aesthetics of social justice have become the social currency of the music industry (and pop culture at large), ultimately yielding the myth that representation solves everything. This is one story of how we got there, and where we carefully go from here.
Artist In Residence Creates Portraits Of Reform At The District Attorney's Office
AOC's debut Twitch stream is one of the biggest everAnd she's genuinely pretty good at Among Us
Scientists have found a rare half-male, half-female songbird
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
Bill Yousman - Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
10/23/2020 • 49 minutes, 59 seconds
How To Secede From Belgium Without Really Trying
Secession is in the air. Britain withdrew from the European Union, Scotland wants out of the U.K., Catalonia from Spain, and, wait for it, California from the U.S. Yes, the days of our country's states being united may soon come to an end.
In fact, not only is California home to active secessionist and separatist movements, but so are Texas, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, and several other states. And with the degree to which our nation seems divided, one wonders if this isn't long overdue.
This hour, we speak with legal experts and advocates about the growing calls for secession both here and abroad. Would nations be better off if they allowed their citizens to secede, forming smaller, more like-minded sovereign territories? Would the citizens be better off? And, to be quite frank, would any of this even be legal?
GUESTS:
Francis H. Buckley - Foundation professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, senior editor at The American Spectator, and the author of American Secession: The Looming Threat of a National Breakup
Marcus Ruiz Evans - Co-founder of the Yes California movement and author of California's Next Century
Erica Frankenberg - Professor of education and demography in the College of Education at Penn State University and co-author of several books including Educational Delusions?: Why Choice Can Deepen Inequality and How to Make Schools Fair
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 27, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/22/2020 • 50 minutes
You Can Keep Your Socks On
In the 1990's, the Southport Sockmen, otherwise known as Steven Bain and Steven Gawthrop, paid drunk people in Liverpool bars and clubs to give them the socks they were wearing. The Sockmen took photos of each “donor,” before placing each sock and its matching donor photo in a plastic bag. The police found 4,000 pairs of socks piled 18 inches deep when they arrived to arrest the pair for "acts of gross indecency." The socks were also hanging from the furniture and lampshades - and some were in the microwave.
Most of us put on a pair of clean socks every morning. Beyond what color and style we choose, we don't give much thought to the history, craft, or fashion of socks. Nor do we think about the intimacy of the sock. Almost half of sexual fetishes are for feet, shoes, or socks. This seemingly boring object that we wear on our feet every day, is really quite interesting.
GUESTS:
Kim Adrian is the author of the memoir 'The Twenty-Seventh Letter of the Alphabet.' Her most recent book, 'Dear Knausgaard,' was published in September. She teaches at Grub Street in downtown Boston.
Kara Mavros is a writer based in New York.
Chloe Bryan is the deputy editor for Mashable’s shopping section, covering tech and lifestyle products. Previously, she was a culture reporter for Mashable. (@chloebryan)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/21/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Awake In The Middle Of The Night
Our ancestors viewed sleep as a highly sensual and transcendent experience. Today, about a third of adults have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or feeling rested. We're becoming a nation of insomniacs.
We live in what Rubin Naiman calls, a "wake-centric era,” where sleeping and dreaming are viewed as less important than being awake and on the go. It's hard to come down from the hyperaroused state we whip ourselves into by the end of a day. It's not surprising that we can't sleep.
Insomnia can be miserable when all we want to do is sleep. But it's more a human condition than a medical condition to be solved by sleeping pills and tech gadgets.
Plus, insomnia can have its upside. Our minds can be more open to insights and new possibilities in the dark quiet of night when our thoughts can wander to unknown places that the conscious mind can’t see.
GUESTS:
Marina Benjamin is a writer and Senior Editor at Aeon magazine. She’s written five books. Her latest memoir is Insomnia. She’s also the author of The Middlepause and Garden Among Fires: A Lockdown Anthology. (@marinab52)
Rubin Naiman is a psychologist, clinical assistant professor of medicine and the sleep and dream specialist at the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (@drnaiman)
Charlotte Jee is a writer and reporter for MIT Technology Review, where she also writes The Download newsletter (@charlottejee)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/20/2020 • 48 minutes
Trump's Ghostwriter; And, A Covid Surge
Donald Trump asked journalist Tony Schwartz to ghostwrite his memoir, "The Art of the Deal," because Trump liked the unflattering story Schwartz wrote for New York magazine, about Trump's effort to evict rent-controlled tenants from his Manhattan apartment building. Schwartz agreed and has been atoning for that decision ever since.
Also this hour: The Covid Tracking Project shows the US may be entering a third surge of coronavirus infections that is more widespread than the regional spikes we saw last spring and summer. We still don't have a national plan to manage it and Trump officials continue to downplay the risk and spread misinformation about herd immunity.
GUESTS:
Tony Schwartz is a journalist and political commentator. His most recent book is Dealing with the Devil: My Mother, Trump, and Me. He’s also the ghostwriter for Donald Trump’s 1987 memoir, The Art of the Deal. He’s the founder and CEO of The Energy Project (@tonyschwartz)
Jeremy Konyndyk is a senior policy fellow and pandemic preparedness expert at the Center for Global Development. He was the director of USAID’s Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance 2013-2016. (@JeremyKonyndyk)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/19/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Watches 'The West Wing'
Bill Burr hosted Saturday Night Live last weekend, and his monologue -- which included bits about wearing masks, cancel culture, white women in the "woke" movement, Pride Month, and more -- has drawn some criticism. It has The Nose thinking about "How President Trump Ruined Political Comedy."
And: The West Wing ran for seven seasons and 156 episodes and ended more than 14 years ago. A new reunion special debuted yesterday, and it's got The Nose wondering how the classic show -- with its Capraesque, idealized vision of American politics -- plays against our present reality.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Joe Morgan, driving force of Big Red Machine, dies at 77
NY Philharmonic cancels entire concert season for the first time in its 178-year history
20 Notable UConn Alumni Who Changed the World
Kate McKinnon breaks character, addresses viewers during 'SNL': 'Such a crazy time'The fourth-wall busting moment summed up this year pretty well.
Woman says Southwest wouldn't let her on plane due to 'inappropriate' outfitKayla Eubanks said Southwest Airlines employees told her that she needed to wear a shirt over her outfit in order to board one of their planes.
Inside Gravity's daring mission to make jetpacks a realityInventors like Richard Browning have been trying to build jetpacks for a century. Now they're here, what do we do with them?
Dying swan or lame duck? Why 'Fatima' the ballerina's next job was tripping up the governmentA new advert suggesting a ballerina retrain for a job in 'cyber' has faced a backlash. What were they thinking?
The rise and fall and rise of Kevin Smith's MallratsThe writer-director recalls making his ribald comedy, whose cast includes Jeremy London, Jason Lee, Shannen Doherty, Claire Forlani, and Ben Affleck.
Cardi B Breaks Her Silence After Accidentally Posting Private Pic: 'Lord,Why Did You Make Me So Stupid?'
'Jagged Little Pill' leads Tony Awards nominations with 15
J.J. Abrams, Ava DuVernay, Mariska Hargitay Among 100 Top Hollywood Players Protesting NBC's Trump Town Hall
The DC Universe is taking a giant leap into the futureDC Comics' next event, Future State, launches in January
Tab, Coca-Cola's Diet-Soda Pioneer and a '70s Icon, Is Going AwayThe beverage maker had held on to the fading brand to appease its loyal fan base, but the coronavirus pandemic prompted a culling of the company's products
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Handles social media marketing and event planning for Quiet Corner Communications
Theresa Cramer - A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications
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.
10/16/2020 • 40 minutes, 38 seconds
Right-Wing Extremism
The pandemic, coupled with Black Lives Matter protests, and incendiary rhetoric from President Trump, has riled up anti-government militias across the US, most evident in the recent foiled plot by militia groups in Michigan, to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Anti-government movements emerged in the 1990's, in response to the government's deadly siege at Ruby Ridge, the Waco standoff with the Branch Davidians, former President Bill Clinton's passage of NAFTA, and two new gun control laws, one of which banned assault weapons. The FBI took these groups more seriously after anti-government extremist Timothy McVeigh blew up a federal building in 1995, that killed 168 people, including 19 children.
It used to be hard for people with extreme ideologies to find one another. Now, groups across the country are networking, posting hate speech, and planning events on Facebook. Hate speech goes against Facebook policy but the posts are rarely removed.
GUESTS:
Amy Cooter is a senior lecturer in Sociology at Vanderbilt University (@AmyCooter)
Andrew Marantz is a staff writer for The New Yorker. He writes about technology, social media, and the alt-right. He’s the author of Antisocial: Online Extremists, Techno-Utopians, and the Hijacking of the American Conversation (@andrewmarantz)
Mark Pitcavage is a historian and senior research fellow at the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. Prior to joining ADL in 2000, Dr. Pitcavage trained law enforcement officers on domestic terrorism in a Justice Department anti-terrorism program created after the Oklahoma City bombing. (@egavactip)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/15/2020 • 38 minutes, 10 seconds
The Nose Has A Fly In Its Hair
Undoubtedly, the thing that will most be remembered from Wednesday night's vice presidential debate is the fly that landed on Mike Pence's hair... and then stay there for more than two minutes. The Nose isn't sure what to make of that, exactly, but things are definitely being made of it.
And: Fargo is an anthology that premiered on FX in 2014. It's inspired by the Coen brothers' 1996 film. The fourth season, which is airing now, stars Chris Rock, Jessie Buckley, and Jason Schwartzman, and it's set in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1950.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Eddie Van Halen, Virtuoso of the Rock Guitar, Dies at 65His outpouring of riffs, runs and solos was hyperactive and athletic, making deeper or darker emotions feel irrelevant. The band he led was one of the most popular of all time.
Mac Davis, Country Singer and Elvis Presley Songwriter, Dead at 78Singer-songwriter wrote Elvis Presley's indelible "In the Ghetto" alongside solo hits like "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me" and "Stop and Smell the Roses"
'GLOW' Canceled By Netflix; Won't Proceed With Fourth & Final Season Due To COVID-19
Why Is Mainstream Media Choosing to Silence Us?An article published by The New York Times discussing the "comeback" of the guitar propels our investigation into the dangers of mainstream narratives.
Super-Concierge Doctors, High-Design Home Classrooms, and Catered Backyard Dinners: Lifestyles of the Rich and QuarantinedThis is what a luxe lockdown in Washington looks like.
People Are Calling Out Chris Pratt For Making An "Insensitive" Joke About Voting And Yikes"Read the room."
Led Zeppelin Emerges Victor in 'Stairway to Heaven' Plagiarism Case
Sorry, But The Yankees Are The Good Guys
Robert Downey Jr. Is Developing a 'Sherlock Holmes' Cinematic Universe to Follow the Next Sequel
Cineworld Closing Theater Venues Following 'No Time to Die' Delay
Most of Scottish Wikipedia Written By American in Mangled EnglishScots is an official language of Scotland. An administrator of the Scots Wikipedia page is an American who doesn't speak Scots but simply tries to write in a Scottish accent.
Why Are Pandemic Sports Ratings So Terrible?
People Are Just Finding Out Chris Evans Is Covered In Tattoos After He Posted A Video Doing A Backflip Into A PoolThis was a major oversight on my part.
What Is the Best Adam Sandler Movie?What is an "Adam Sandler movie," for that matter?
Danbury City Council passes vote to rename sewage plant after HBO's John Oliver
GUESTS:
Shawn Murray - A stand up comedian and writer
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
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.
10/9/2020 • 42 minutes, 25 seconds
The Myth Of Meritocracy
The populist backlash that led to the election of President Trump was decades in the making. Like other populist leaders around the world, Trump gave voice to the resentment directed toward “elites” who devalue the hard work and dignity of workers without college degrees.
Ronald Reagan was the first president to tell every American they could "go just as far as their dreams and hard work will take them." He used those words to enact policies that led to economic inequality and a global economy that advantaged a professional class over those without college degrees. These policies were continued by subsequent administrations, regardless of party.
Americans like to believe we live in a meritocracy but the odds are stacked in favor of the already lucky and fortunate. We congratulate the "winners" and humiliate the "losers," who are told to better themselves or carry the burden of their failure.
GUEST:
Michael Sandel teaches philosophy at Harvard University. His most recent book is The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? His BBC Radio 4 series “The Public Philosopher,” explores the philosophical ideas lying behind the headlines.
You can join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/8/2020 • 41 minutes
We Like To Watch
For decades, we didn't take television seriously. We saw it as ephemeral, as "chewing gum for the eyes," as, literally, furniture.
And then, around the turn of the century, things started to change. There was The Sopranos. The Wire. And, at the same time, shows like Big Brother and The Amazing Race. For Emily Nussbaum, it was Buffy the Vampire Slayer that forever changed her take on television.
This hour: A serious appraisal of television with The New Yorker's television critic.
GUEST:
Emily Nussbaum - Television critic for The New Yorker and the author of I Like To Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired July 15, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2020 • 42 minutes
Republicans And COVID; The White House COVID Tracker
President Trump was quick to downplay the pandemic upon his return from Walter Reed in a tweeted video encouraging people not to let the virus dominate or scare them. He said they would beat the virus, just as he's convinced himself that he's got his licked.
The president's attitude reflects a reality that denies the 209,000 (and counting) people who have already died from the virus and a stunning inability to admit weakness. Unfortunately, the nation has to pay for it.
We still don't know when he was first infected or when he learned he was contagious. We do know that he is one of 25 (and counting) people in his orbit who have tested positive in recent days and that he traveled to a campaign rally in Minnesota and a fundraiser in New Jersey -- sans mask -- after learning he was infected.
How much sympathy should we have for a president who has actively withheld or misconstrued information that could have prevented deaths from COVID? Yet, what does it say about who we are becoming as people and as a culture if we can't offer a morsel of sympathy?
Also this hour: A group of data specialists developed a White House COVID Tracker to chart the impact of COVID on political leaders and those they come in contact with. Unfortunately, the White House refuses to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to trace exposures that could save lives.
GUESTS:
John F. Harris is the co-founder of Politico and the author of The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House; he writes "Altitude," a weekly column for Politico) (@harrispolitico)
Peter Walker leads the White House COVID Tracker, a crowd-sourced database for the White House COVID outbreak, and is head of growth at Public Relay (@PeterJ_Walker)
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.
10/6/2020 • 41 minutes, 6 seconds
The Serious, Subversive (And Sometimes Shocking) History Of Cartoons
It's been over 100 years since the first cartoons were drawn by hand. Since then, the form has delved into everything from sex and drugs to racial inequality and war crimes. Even the tamest, G-rated cartoons have often found ways of slipping in adult humor past the eyes of younger viewers.
Cartoons have been the vehicle for government propaganda, social change, and political satire. Some have been boycotted and even banned for their content while others have been deemed masterpieces and praised by critics for their bold message and style.
Today, cartoons continue to find ways of subverting the status quo in surprising (sometimes shocking) new ways. This hour, we speak with animators, animation experts, and historians about what makes cartoons so well suited for the exploration of, well, everything.
GUESTS:
Maureen Furniss - Program director of experimental animation at California Institute of the Arts, founding editor of Animation Journal, and the author of A New History of Animation
Paul Wells - Director of the Animation Academy at Loughborough University in England and the author of several books including Animation, Sport and Culture
Ralph Bakshi - Animator, writer, and director of animated and live-action films and TV shows including Fritz The Cat, Coonskin, and Heavy Traffic
Lisa Hanawalt - Producer and production designer of the Netflix animated series BoJack Horseman, which ended in January
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired April 18, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/5/2020 • 42 minutes
The Nose Needs Loyalty; It Expects Loyalty
The Nose had planned to discuss The Danish Girl star Eddie Redmayne standing up for J.K. Rowling and Rolling Stone updating their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list.
But then some news broke overnight.
Perhaps fittingly, though, The Nose watched Showtime's new miniseries, The Comey Rule, this week.
GUESTS:
Lucy Gellman - Editor of The Arts Paper and host of WNHH radio's Kitchen Sync
Mike Pesca - The host of Slate's daily podcast, The Gist
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/2/2020 • 49 minutes
Do You Believe In Ghosts?
A 2019 YouGov survey says that 20 percent of American adults "definitely" believe in ghosts; another twenty-five percent believe they "probably exist."
And, while no data yet proves it, there's a good chance that quarantining at home during the pandemic has led more people to wonder where those nighttime creaks and groans are coming from.
Some skeptics say that seeing ghosts is part of the human experience and far too common an occurrence for everyone who thinks they see a ghost to be crazy. But there are a lot of reasons to explain why we sincerely believe we're seeing a ghost. Yet, it's hard to convince people otherwise - even when confronted with evidence to the contrary.
In the end, psychologists can offer explanations but no one can definitively prove ghosts don't exist.
GUESTS:
“Danielle” is a lawyer in British Columbia. She chose not to have her full name used.
Chris French is a professor of psychology and head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit, Department of Psychology, at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He’s a former editor of The Skeptic Magazine (@chriscfrench)
Deborah Hyde is a cultural anthropologist, and a fellow of “The Committee of Skeptical Inquiry.” She recently retired as editor of The Skeptic Magazine. (@jourdemayne)
Elizabeth Saint is an electrical engineer, paranormal researcher, and president of the streaming platform VidiSpace. She was a researcher on Discovery’s “Ghosts of Shepherdstown” (@ElizabethSaint)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/1/2020 • 49 minutes
The New Yorker's Alex Ross On 'Wagnerism'
Nietzsche called Richard Wagner "a volcanic eruption of the total undivided artistic capacity of nature itself," and Thomas Mann said he was "probably the greatest talent in the entire history of art."
More than a thousand movies have Wagner on their soundtracks, including classic scenes from Apocalypse Now, The Blues Brothers, Bugs Bunny cartoons, and Charlie Chaplin.
But, there's a reason Woody Allen says too much of Wagner's music gives him "the urge to conquer Poland." Wagner is nothing if not a problematic figure. As the new book Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music puts it, "An artist who might have rivaled Shakespeare in universal reach is undone by an ideology of hate."
This hour, a look at Wagnerism with New Yorker music critic Alex Ross.
GUESTS:
Steve Metcalf - Director emeritus of the University of Hartford's Presidents' College
Alex Ross - Music critic at The New Yorker and the author of Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music
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.
9/30/2020 • 49 minutes
Sex And Intimacy When Fat
We tend to focus on the physical ailments that can arise from being fat more than how fat shaming can affect the mental health of people who are fat.
Nor do we think of how our culture (and the media) perpetuate the notion that fat people aren't desirable enough for love and intimacy. That's flat-out wrong. Sex is a physical act that is deeply influenced by how our mind perceives desire.
We first aired this show in 2014, so you'll hear some outdated references to Lena Dunham and Louis C.K. The references are dated; the message is not.
GUESTS:
Sarah Varney is the author of XL Love: How the Obesity Crisis is Complicating America's Love Life
Laura Bogart is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in Salon, The Rumpus, and The Nervous Breakdown
Dan Weiss is a music critic, he's the author of the blog Ask A Guy Who Likes Fat Chicks, and he plays in the band Dan Ex Machina
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 27, 2014.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/29/2020 • 48 minutes
The Latest Political Dysfunction To Emerge From The Weekend
At a news briefing last week, President Trump refused to commit to a peaceful transition. Now, we're all talking about it. Atlantic writer Barton Gellman, gamed out worst case scenarios, the military discussed how they would deal with his refusal, and Republican colleagues pushed back on his comments. Has anyone told the President that it's not his choice?
Today, we talk about presidential dysfunction, Amy Coney Barrett and the Supreme Court, and Tuesday's presidential debate.
Also this hour: Matt Lieberman is running as a Democrat for a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia. He's currently positioned to be the spoiler that could hand the race to the Republicans. This, in a state where Black Americans suffer higher levels of voter disenfranchisement, maternal death, and poverty. Did I mention he's the son of former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman?
GUESTS:
Molly Jong Fast is editor-at-large for The Daily Beast and co-host of the podcast “The New Abnormal.” She’s the author of two novels, Normal Girl and The Social Climber's Handbook, and a memoir, Girl [Maladjusted]. (@mollyjongfast)
Anjali Enjeti is an award-winning Atlanta-based journalist. Her essay collection about activism and debut novel will be published in the spring of 2021. She is the co-founder of the Georgia chapter of They See Blue, an organization for South Asian Democrats. (@anjalienjeti)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/28/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Goes Up 'Schitt's Creek'
Listen live Friday at 1 p.m.
The Nose has been contemplating covering the controversy around the The Ellen DeGeneres Show literally for months now. The show returned with a new season of new episodes this week, and Ellen addressed allegations of a toxic work environment in her monologue.
And: The CBC series Schitt's Creek has been endorsed on any number of Noses over the years, but we've never actually covered it. But then, after it won literally ever Emmy in the comedy category on Sunday (a feat no show has ever before achieved), we decided that this week had to be the week.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Randall Kenan, Southern Writer of Magical Realism, Dies at 57His upbringing in North Carolina helped him create a fictional hamlet, Tims Creek, where a 3-year-old clairvoyant scares the neighbors and a pig talks.
Michael Lonsdale, 'Day of the Jackal' Star & James Bond Villain Hugo Drax, Dies at 89
Jackie Stallone Sylvester's Mom Dead At 98
Michael Chapman, 'Taxi Driver' and 'Raging Bull' Cinematographer, Dies at 84
Ron Cobb, Designer of the 'Alien' Ship and the 'Back to the Future' DeLorean, Dies at 83
Tommy DeVito, a founding member of The Four Seasons, dies from Covid-19 complications
Winston Groom, Author of 'Forrest Gump,' Dies at 77He wrote the 1986 novel that inspired the Oscar-winning film starring Tom Hanks. Another book was a finalist for a Pulitzer.
RBG and the empty triumph of liberal pop culture
"This Is the Best Part I've Ever Had": Chris Rock Talks 'Fargo,' Aging and Why He's Spending 7 Hours a Week in Therapy
Someday Our Kids Will Not Believe Us About Any of This
Oklahoma woman tells cops 'I have to poop so bad' before high-speed chase
MTA board to formally ban pooping in subways and buses
The Most Underrated Movies of 2020 (So Far)
Don't sleep on these overlooked gems.After 7 weeks on the lam, the latest on 'Buddy the Beefalo'
CDC's Halloween Guidelines Warn Against Typical Trick-Or-Treating
Too much candy: Man dies from eating bags of black licorice
BTS Fans Are Donating to Public Radio StationsThe day after the K-pop group performed a Tiny Desk concert, its fans are sharing screenshots of their donations.
'Lord of the Rings' TV Crew Size Is So 'Mind-Blowing' It's Someone's Job to Study How Dust MovesMorfydd Clark takes on the role of young Galadriel and says of the show, "I don't think things could get much bigger than this."
The Metropolitan Opera Won't Reopen for Another YearThe nation's largest performing arts organization, shut by the coronavirus pandemic, sends a chilling signal that American cultural life is still far from resuming.
Nobody wants to bone Luigi
The Problem With Calling Tenet a Flop
I'm an On-Set 'COVID Person,' Whatever That MeansAs production resumes amid the pandemic, a new role is causing confusion and consternation.
The Weirdest Thing About the Pandemic Emmys Was How Normal They FeltCOVID jokes and a few moments of protest aside, this was an awards show devoted to the idea that TV should make you feel good.
We Talked to the Hot Firefighter About Debunking Conspiracy Theories, Viral Fame, and Thirsty DMs
The Rise and Fall of the Quaker Rice Cake, America's One-Time Favorite Health SnackWhere did they come from and where did they go?
Ranch NationHow one creamy, peppery salad dressing became America's favorite flavor.
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
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.
9/25/2020 • 49 minutes
Motels and RVs Are Enjoying A Renaissance With Millennials
One of the few silver linings of the pandemic has been a resurgence of interest in motels and RV life from a diverse group of millennials who want safe and less expensive options to travel and work during a pandemic.
And motels and RV companies are trying to meet the demand with upgrades and amenities like flat-screen TVs, memory-foam mattresses, and free Wi-Fi.
Some are turning to RV life permanently to travel, live, and work from where they want instead of being tethered to a desk and real estate. The pandemic has shown us that millennials who have never known the security of stable jobs or home ownership feel more "at home" outside traditional places.
The existential nature of the pandemic has made many of us think about what's important to each of us, how we spend our time, and who we want to spend it with. And the freedom of the open road sounds like a pretty good way to start figuring those questions out.
GUESTS:
Foram Mehta - A journalist, editor, and content developer; her personal essays, op-eds, and articles have appeared in HuffPost, The New York Times, and The Bold Italic, among others
Alex Temblador - A novelist and freelance writer who focuses on diversity and inclusion in travel, arts, and culture; she's the author of Secrets of the Casa Rosada
Arunan Arulampalam - The deputy commissioner at the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
Liza Butler Arulampalam - Co-lead pastor of the Riverfront Community Church
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.
9/24/2020 • 49 minutes
Kurt Andersen On The Unmaking Of America
Kurt Andersen's last book, Fantasyland, looks at America's "centuries-old weakness for the untrue and irrational, and its spontaneous and dangerous flowering since the 1960s" and how it got us where we are today.
His new book, Evil Geniuses, is a kind of sequel, a companion. It's a parallel history, really, that looks more closely at "the quite deliberate reengineering of our economy and society since the 1960s."
This hour, public radio great Kurt Andersen on "the unmaking of America."
GUEST:
Kurt Andersen - Co-founded Spy magazine and he was the host and co-creator of Studio 360; his newest book is Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America -- A Recent History
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/23/2020 • 49 minutes
What About Bill? Bill Murray At 70
Bill Murray has starred in some of our favorite movies of the last few decades: Caddyshack, Stripes, Tootsie, Ghostbusters, Scrooged, What About Bob?, Groundhog Day, Ed Wood, Space Jam, Lost in Translation, all the Wes Anderson films, and so many more.
He doesn't like managers or agents, and, rumor has it, he once agreed to play Garfield because he thought it was a Coen brothers film. (It wasn't.)
And now, Bill Murray is 70 (!) years old.
This hour, we talk with Robert Schnakenberg, author of The Big Bad Book of Bill Murray: A Critical Appreciation of the World's Finest Actor, to find out what makes the famed comedian unique. We also hear some favorite Bill Murray stories from local celebrities and members of Sea Tea Improv.
GUEST:
Robert Schnakenberg - Author of The Big Bad Book of Bill Murray: A Critical Appreciation of the World's Finest Actor
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Jonathan McNicol, Julia Pistell, Dan Schulz, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired December 14, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/22/2020 • 50 minutes
The Supreme Court and COVID
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died Friday evening, breaking the hearts of generations of women -- and men -- who have benefited from her work guaranteeing our rights to equal treatment under the law.
That same evening, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that a Trump nominee to replace Ginsburg would receive a vote on the floor of the Senate. By Saturday, President Trump was claiming he had an "obligation" to replace her, "without delay." The loss is larger than either man could understand.
We talk about the political ramifications of her death and what it might mean for the upcoming election. We also continue our weekly check-in with an epidemiologist to help us make sense of news on the pandemic.
GUESTS:
Richard Blumenthal is the senior U.S. senator from Connecticut
Kate Grabowski is an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University; she leads researchers at the Novel Coronavirus Research Compendium
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.
9/21/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Treats Its Grammys Better Than Kanye Treats His
Kim Kardashian and other celebrities "froze" their Facebook and Instagram accounts for one day this week "to protest the spread of hate speech and misinformation on those platforms." Meanwhile, Kardashian's husband had the strange sort of week that we've maybe grown to expect from him, but seemingly with more public peeing in it than we're maybe used to.
And: Cuties (Mignonnes in the original French) is the feature film debut of Senegalese-French writer and director Maïmouna Doucouré. The movie's release on Netflix has been controversial, to say the least.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
New promenade at West Hartford park to be named after Parks & Rec character Leslie Knope
Life on Venus? Astronomers See a Signal in Its CloudsThe detection of a gas in the planet's atmosphere could turn scientists' gaze to a planet long overlooked in the search for extraterrestrial life.
His Girl Friday redefined the screwball comedy at 240 words per minute
John Boyega Drops Jo Malone Ambassador Title After Brand Removes 'Star Wars' Actor From China Ad
'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' mansion is added to Airbnb -- for just $30
Jason Momoa Slams Warner Bros. Amid 'Justice League' Investigation: 'This S--- Has to Stop'
Movie Theaters That Opened For Tenet Are Now Worse Off Than BeforeThings aren't looking too good for the movie theaters that are currently open, even with the release of Christopher Nolan's Tenet.
Ethan Hawke Directing Documentary About Paul Newman And Joanne Woodward
CBS All Access to Rebrand as Paramount Plus Early Next Year'Godfather'-inspired drama 'The Offer' and reboot of 'The Game' among new original series in works
Stanley Crouch, combative writer, intellectual and authority on jazz, dies at 74
'Colourful, vibrant, sensual!' Stars on Jimi Hendrix, 50 years goneIn awe of everything from his raunchiness to his skill with sheer volume, members of Pixies, Yes, Parliament-Funkadelic, Thin Lizzy and more celebrate the guitar god, who died 50 years ago today
'I Don’t Want to Be an Oracle.' Baseball Writer Roger Angell at 100.Talking extra innings -- and a milestone birthday -- with the celebrated chronicler of the summer game
7 movies to celebrate Bill Murray's 70th birthday
Bus passenger uses live snake as a face mask
GUESTS:
Theresa Cramer - A writer and the editor of E Content Magazine
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
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.
9/18/2020 • 49 minutes
The Face Behind The Mask
We produced our first show on masks in the spring of 2020. It was when most of us were isolated at home to sidestep the life-threatening illness we've come to call "COVID." The show was about how rapidly masks had become a statement of political identity.
The intensity of the mask battles has begun to calm as we've acclimated to the pervasiveness of masks in our lives. Like them or not, they're here to stay, and they've begun to leave a lasting imprint on our culture.
This hour, we take a longer view of how these objects that cover half of our faces have changed the way we perceive ourselves and interact with others -- and what they might look like in the future.
GUESTS:
Kim Adrian is the author of Sock, The 27th Letter of the Alphabet, and, most recently, Dear Knausgaard
Henry Alford is a humorist, journalist, and author; his most recent book is And Then We Danced: A Voyage Into the Groove
Mollie Ruben is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Maine
Elizabeth Segran is a senior staff writer at Fast Company and the author of The Rocket Years: How Your Twenties Launch the Rest of Your Life
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.
9/17/2020 • 49 minutes
Some Fierce Thing Replete With Too Much 'Rage'
Bob Woodward is 77 years old. He's in his 50th year at The Washington Post. And he just yesterday published his 20th book.
Rage is Woodward's second book about the Trump presidency. Two years ago, on the day after the first one came out, we did a show about it.
So we've gotten that band mostly back together again, and we've spent the last 30 or so hours cramming.
This hour, a look at Rage as a chronicling of our current history and as a publishing phenomenon.
GUESTS:
David Adams - Reviews editor at Publishers Weekly
Susan Campbell - A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and the author, most recently, of Frog Hollow: Stories from an American Neighborhood
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright and the director of client services at Buzz Engine
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.
9/16/2020 • 49 minutes
The Politics Of Police Reform And COVID-19
Black Americans are more likely to be infected from COVID-19, be incarcerated, live in poverty, and/or be killed by the police than white Americans. It took a pandemic and the killing of George Floyd to crystallize those facts.
Historian and New Yorker writer Jelani Cobb looks at race, policing, and the difficulty of holding police departments accountable in Frontline's "Policing the Police 2020," a documentary that will air on CPTV on Tuesday, Sept. 15. It follows Cobb's 2016 Frontline, "Policing the Police."
On another front: Trump administration officials have been interfering since (at least) August with the data that are included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports." These reports are used to help doctors and researchers understand how COVID-19 is spreading and who is at risk. Up to now, scientists wrote the reports without political interference. This is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to censor information intended to protect us.
GUESTS:
Jennifer Nuzzo is a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering and the Department of Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; she is the lead epidemiologist for the Johns Hopkins Testing Insights Initiative (@JenniferNuzzo)
Jelani Cobb is a staff writer at The New Yorker and a professor of journalism in Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism; his most recent book is The Substance of Hope: Barack Obama and the Paradox of Progress (@jelani9)
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.
9/14/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Is Thinking Of Ending Things
It's been a week of ending things, really. Keeping Up with the Kardashians is ending after 20 seasons. Diana Rigg -- Emma Peel on The Avengers and Lady Olenna on Game of Thrones, among many other things -- died at 82. And, of course, people are trying to end the whole world with their gender reveal parties.
And then there's I'm Thinking of Ending Things. It's Charlie Kaufman's first movie for Netflix, and it stars Jesse Plemons and Jessie Buckley. It's based on Iain Reid's novel of the same name, which makes it the first movie Kaufman's ever directed not from his own original screenplay.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Plymouth police closing in on Buddy, the beefalo who has been on the run since escaping from a local slaughter house
ESPN Scraps Hank Williams Jr. From "MNF" Open
'Saturday Night Live' Promotes Ego Nwodim To Main Cast Member For Season 46
Ryan Reynolds Brings Rick Moranis Out of Retirement for Mint Mobile Commercial
Fender has sold more guitars in 2020 than any other year in its historyGibson, Taylor, Martin and others also report pandemic sales booms, with new users turning to the guitar as "six-string therapy"
Film Academy Sets Inclusion Requirements for Oscars, Will Take Full Effect in 2024
Kirstie Alley slams new Oscars inclusion rules: 'This is a disgrace to artists everywhere'
'Tenet' Will Play at a Southern California Drive-In Despite Indoor Theaters Being Closed, Ignoring WB's Previous Mandate
Kate Winslet, Unfiltered: "Because Life Is F--king Short"The Oscar winner, whose powerful love story Ammonite debuts at the Toronto Film Festival this week, knows the industry can do better -- and that she can too: "What the f--k was I doing working with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski?"
Why Disney's new 'Mulan' is a scandal
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Handles social media marketing and event planning for Quiet Corner Communications
David Edelstein - America's Greatest Living Film Critic
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.
TAGS: Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/11/2020 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Racism In The Small Towns And Suburbs Of Connecticut
In the wake of resistance to Black Lives Matter protests against racial injustice in cities like Portland, Oregon; Kenosha, Wisconsin; and others, we decided to take a look at race relations in the small towns and suburbs of Connecticut. What we found was disturbing.
In some ways, the show feels inadequate. I wish we could have included more of the many people who have experienced racist behavior in our small towns of Connecticut. We won't get to talk to a woman from Farmington who received a threatening note at her home for hanging a Black Lives Matter banner, a student from Killingly who experienced racial bullying, a young BLM organizer in Durham, or a woman angry that Confederate flags are still sold at the Durham fair. I know about these. Most incidents never make the news.
This hour, what’s it like to be black and living in a small town or suburb in Connecticut? How do we begin to change the structures that keep racism alive?
GUESTS:
Gary Greenberg is a psychotherapist, the author of The Book of Woe: The DSM and the Unmasking of Psychiatry, and the first selectman of Scotland, Connecticut
Drew John Ladd is a blogger, activist, and the author of Wolfsong, Beloved
Leah Ralls is the president of the Windham/Willimantic NAACP and a social worker for Connecticut’s Division of Public Defender Services
Al Robinson is a blogger, activist, and the publisher of My Left Nutmeg
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.
9/10/2020 • 49 minutes
VHS Will Not Die
Tracking, rewinding, ejecting, collecting -- VHS broke ground in home entertainment like never before. The culture of VHS and its enormous best friend, the VCR, were kings of consumer media for decades. Despite the last VCR and VHS being manufactured just four years ago, videotapes are still consumed, collected, and in some cases, sold(!) across the country. But why?
With streaming service giants like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney, giving us on-demand content with the push of a button and with Blu-ray and 4K players displaying movies and TV shows at crystal clear resolutions, videotapes offer a simple, analog experience that will just not go away.
This hour, a look inside the impact, history, and legacy of VHS.
Plus: the video store! It was the place to get your VHS rental and consume the content you couldn't get anywhere else. A look at life owning and working at a video store.
GUESTS:
Caetlin Benson-Allott - Distinguished Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies at Georgetown University and the author of Killer Tapes and Shattered Screens Video Spectatorship From VHS to File Sharing
Sam Hatch - Co-host of The Culture Dogs on Sunday nights on WWUH
Hank Paper - The former owner of Best Video in Hamden, Conn., and a professor of Film, Television, and Media Arts at Quinnipiac University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired May 16, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/9/2020 • 50 minutes
The Philosophy And Psychology (And Physics And Metaphysics) Of Holes
In November, 2016, we did a show about all the problems presented by, well, a-holes. And so it seems only logical to expand our scope a bit and do a show about all the problems presented by, well, a hole.
For instance: How many holes are there in a straw? Did you say one? Okay, cool. Then how many holes are there in a sock? (A relatively new sock, I mean.) You said one again, right? But how can both of those things be true at the same time?
Or, put another way: What happens to the hole in the donut as you eat the donut around it? This gets into mereology, the theory of parthood relations -- for our purposes, the parts and wholes of holes and the wholes the holes are parts of.
Your head hurts a little, right?
And then there's trypophobia, an irrational fear of clusters of holes and cracks.
And finally: We've just found a black hole right in our cosmic backyard.
GUESTS:
Chrissie Giles - A science writer and the global health editor at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
Marina Koren - Staff writer at The Atlantic
Achille Varzi - Professor of philosophy at Columbia University and the coauthor of Holes and Other Superficialities
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 12, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/8/2020 • 50 minutes
The Nose Parties On, Dudes
Carole Baskin is going to appear on Dancing with the Stars. And with that, I've typed the least surprising opening sentence in the history of Nose posts.
And: When Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure came out in 1989, Alex Winter (Bill) was 23 and Keanu Reeves (Ted) was 24. Winter and Reeves are now 55 and 56, respectively, but that seems to be no reason not to put out a third Bill & Ted movie, 29 years after the second one. Bill & Ted Face the Music is now available on all your video-on-demand platforms.
And speaking of sequels to classic 1980s teen movies, the first two seasons of Cobra Kai have moved from YouTube to Netflix (who will produce a third season) and they've found a new audience.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Do Your Bowels Suddenly Spring to Life in Bookstores? You're Not Alone -- and the Japanese Even Have a Term for It: Mariko Aoki
Parents of young 'Black Panther' fans struggle with telling children of actor's death
Twitter says Chadwick Boseman's final post is the most liked tweet everIt's a bittersweet achievement.
Brad Pitt's girlfriend reportedly is married but in an 'open' relationship
Andrew Lloyd Webber dropped a 'Phantom of the WAPera' Cardi B remix and we regret to inform you music is cancelled
John Oliver throws sludge back at Danbury officials, demands sewage plant be named in his honor
Mariah Carey Just Addressed Her "Uncomfortable" Resurfaced Interview On "The Ellen DeGeneres Show""I wasn't ready to tell anyone."
How Pop Music's Teenage Dream EndedA decade ago, Katy Perry's sound was ubiquitous. Today, it's niche. How did a genre defined by popularity become unpopular?
'I Like to Move It' DJ, Erick Morillo, Dead at 49
WFSB Cleans House -- But At What Cost?
Alarmed pilot tells LAX tower: 'We just passed a guy in a jet pack'; FBI now investigating
Robert Pattinson Has COVID-19, Halting The Batman ProductionVanity Fair has learned the star came down with the virus just days after shooting resumed.
How a Praying Mantis Says 'Boo!'A study of startle displays hints at why provoked creatures have such a wide range of reactions.
GUESTS:
Helder Mira - Multimedia producer at Trinity College and a Cinestudio board member
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
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.
9/4/2020 • 49 minutes
Imagining Hillary's Clinton Life If She Never Married Bill
Hillary Clinton has spent a lot of time in the spotlight. We know her as a First Lady, a U.S. Senator from New York, President Obama's Secretary of State, a candidate in the 2016 presidential election, and as the wife of former President Bill Clinton.
Yet most everything we know about Hillary as an individual separate from Bill has been filtered through the media, through President Trump's Twitter feed, and through the many conspiracy theories linked to her name.
But after all the years of Hillary at Bill's side and after her loss in the 2016 election, didn't you wonder how Hillary Clinton's life might have been different if she never married Bill? Would she have broken the "glass ceiling" if she hadn't been married to Bill?
We talk to a writer who imagined Hillary's life without Bill.
GUEST:
Curtis Sittenfeld is the author of a collection of short stories, You Think It, I’ll Say It, as well as six novels, including Prep and Eligible. Her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and NPR’s This American Life, among others. Her new novel is Rodham.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/3/2020 • 49 minutes
Considering Kubrick
2001: A Space Odyssey. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. A Clockwork Orange. The Shining. Full Metal Jacket. Spartacus. Eyes Wide Shut.
This hour, a careful consideration of the filmmaker Steven Spielberg called "the best in history": Stanley Kubrick.
GUESTS:
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
David Mikics - Author of Stanley Kubrick: American Filmmaker
Lila Shapiro - Senior reporter at New York magazine and Vulture, where she published "What I Learned After Watching Eyes Wide Shut 100 Times"
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.
9/2/2020 • 42 minutes, 56 seconds
Hang Tight. It's Almost Next Year.
Officials in the Trump Administration last week videotaped both a naturalization ceremony held at the White House and an HUD official's interview with four New York City tenants on housing conditions. They then played selected parts from each video at the Republican National Convention without the knowledge of the participants.
The CDC updated testing guidelines last week to say that people who have been exposed to the virus but who don’t have symptoms or underlying risk factors, don't necessarily need to be tested. After public health officials complained that asymptomatic carriers are more likely to spread the virus, we learned that the recommendations came from the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
Today, politics and Covid.
Guests:
Saskia Popescu is an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Arizona (@SaskiaPopescu)
Gail Collins is an op-ed columnist for the New York Times and the author of When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women From 1960 to the Present and most recently, No Stopping Us Now: The Adventures of Older Women in American History (@gailcollins)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/31/2020 • 49 minutes
The Placebo Effect
Placebo treatments have been making people feel better for a long time. They've been working since long before Franz Mesmer was run out of 18th-century Vienna for "mesmerizing" a young pianist into regaining her eyesight, after all hope for a medical cure had been lost.
Doctors have long dismissed the placebo effect as inferior to conventional medical treatments that sometimes fail where placebo works well, including in surgical procedures like arthroscopy, a popular procedure that relieves the pain of arthritic knees.
The placebo effect is triggered not by a magic pill, but through a combination of expectation, hope, and the strength of the doctor-patient relationship. Placebo is real; it's on the rise in America, and technology is allowing researchers to link placebo with physiological and psychological changes and genetic predisposition that could change the way we treat illness.
GUESTS:
Gary Greenberg - Psychotherapist and the author of The Book of Woe: The DSM and the Unmasking of Psychiatry
Ted Kaptchuk - Professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, and Director, Program of Placebo Studies and Therapeutic Encounter at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital
Bruce Moseley - Orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, former team physician to the Houston Rockets, first to perform placebo surgery
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/28/2020 • 48 minutes, 58 seconds
The Nose's Bookshelf Is Just A Bunch Of Copies Of Mariel Hemingway's Yoga Memoir
This week, the NBA, the WBNA, MLB, MLS, tennis, and eventually the NHL all postponed games and matches in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
And: A Tweet listing the "Top 7 Warning Signs In a Man's Bookshelf" -- including "Too Much Hemingway," you see -- caused a bit of a fuss on the Twitter.
And finally: Atlantics is the directorial debut of actress and writer Mati Diop. It premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where it was the first movie directed by a Black woman ever to compete at the festival. It won the Grand Prix. It is available to stream on Netflix, and The Guardian wrote about it this week in their "My Streaming Gem" column.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Justin Townes Earle, Americana Singer-Songwriter, Dead at 38Nashville native, known for his mix of old-timey roots music and modern folk-rock, was the son of Steve Earle
Riley Gale, Power Trip Vocalist, Dead At 34One of metal's true rising stars has left us too early
Danbury Mayor Names Sewage Plant After John Oliver Following 'Last Week Tonight's Story On Jury Selection In Connecticut
Jerry Seinfeld: So You Think New York Is 'Dead'(It's not.)
The Batman: is Robert Pattinson set to play the superhero as an emo?In the latest film version of the vigilante's adventures, Batman/Bruce Wayne unexpectedly brings back the eyeliner and My Chemical Romance fringe of early 00s youth culture
Fans Already Solved The Riddler's Cryptic Puzzle In 'The Batman' TeaserThe bigger question is why Batman doesn't just check the internet.
How the Criterion Collection Crops Out African-American DirectorsThe prestigious line is coveted by cinephiles and taught in film schools. The company's president blames his "blind spots" for largely shutting out Black Americans.
'Tenet' May Not Be Playing at Your Local Drive-In Theater
'Drunk History' Canceled After Six Seasons at Comedy Central
Bleacher Report Shuttering B/R Mag Long-form Storytelling Unit
Chris Evans Responds To Backlash Over That Ted Cruz PhotoThe "Avengers" actor explained things on "The Daily Show."
Live Comedy Is Back in New York! But Outdoors. Is This a Good Thing?The club Stand Up NY is staging 40 shows a week across the city. Performing in parks raises the stakes for comedians and audiences alike.
Steven Soderbergh Reedited Three of His Movies in Quarantine While Producing 'Bill and Ted Face the Music'The filmmaker discussed how he's been spending quarantine, exploring safety guidelines for film productions, and why he helped get a long-dormant sequel finally get made.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine - An Emmy-winning musician, producer, composer, and recording engineer, and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
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.
8/28/2020 • 49 minutes
Trumpism Is The Loyal Child of McCarthyism
America has long been attracted to charismatic demagogues who master the media of their time to tap into America’s insecurities. Long before Donald Trump descended a golden escalator in 2015 to announce he was running for president, anti-communist zealot Joseph McCarthy took America by storm.
The parallels many writers see between President Trump and Senator Joe McCarthy are not coincidental. There's a flesh-and-blood throughline that connects the two. President Trump's former attorney Roy Cohn taught him everything he learned from McCarthy's playbook when the served as McCarthy's chief council during his second term as a Wisconsin senator.
Demagogues are often charasmatic men of limited ability who bully their way to the top and threaten reluctant enablers to go along. The good news is that they fall faster than they rise once people see that the emperor wears no clothes.
What can we learn from McCarthyism as we consider our upcoming election?
GUEST:
Larry Tye is the author of eight books. His latest is Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy. He’s also a Nieman fellow at Harvard and a former award-winning reporter for The Boston Globe. His next book will be, The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Satchmo Armstrong and Count Basie Transformed America.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/27/2020 • 49 minutes
A Look At Logic Puzzles (Like Sudoku!)
In May, I discovered (along with the rest of the internet) a video on YouTube of a guy in his loft in Surrey, England... solving a Sudoku puzzle. It was intense, a rollercoaster ride, and, ultimately, sublime.
Those are not words you might expect someone to use to describe watching a stranger solve a little number puzzle, but here we are.
Since I found that video, I've watched that YouTube channel, Cracking the Cryptic, practically every day. Sometimes the videos are riveting. The rest of the time, they're soothing.
The channel's 250,000 subscribers and 40 million cumulative views would seem to indicate that I'm not alone in using it as a way to both exercise and relax my mind during this pandemic period.
This hour, a look at Sudoku, specifically, and logic puzzles more generally.
GUESTS:
Simon Anthony - A former U.K. team member in the World Sudoku and World Puzzle Championships and a host of Cracking the Cryptic
Jason Rosenhouse - Professor of mathematics at James Madison University and the author of a number of books about math and related topics, including the forthcoming Games for Your Mind: The History and Future of Logic Puzzles
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.
8/26/2020 • 49 minutes
The Secret Lives Of Numbers
Numbers are so fundamental to our understanding of the world around us that we maybe tend to think of them as an intrinsic part of the world around us. But they aren't. Humans invented numbers just as much as we invented all of language.
This hour, we look at the anthropological, psychological, and linguistical ramifications of the concept of numbers.
And we look at one philosophical question too: Are numbers even real in the first place?
GUESTS:
Brian Clegg - Author of Are Numbers Real? The Uncanny Relationship of Mathematics and the Physical World
Caleb Everett - Professor and chair of anthropology at the University of Miami and the author of Numbers and the Making of Us: Counting and the Course of Human Cultures
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired October 12, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/25/2020 • 50 minutes
Two Political Conventions And A Pandemic
The Food and Drug Administration on Sunday authorized the emergency use of convalescent blood to treat people hospitalized with Covid-19. Sunday's decision comes on the heels of a presidential tweet that may have put pressure on the FDA to authorize it prematurely. We talk about this and more news on Covid.
Also this hour: The Republican National Convention begins this week, a few days after former Vice-President Joe Biden accepted the nomination to represent Democrats in November's election. We talk about last week's convention, how this week's convention might play out, and other political news from the weekend.
GUESTS:
Angela Rasmussen is a virologist and associate research scientist at the Center of Infection and Immunity at Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. She is a contributing writer to Forbes magazine. (@angie_rasmussen)
Annie Linskey is a national political reporter focused on the 2020 presidential campaign for The Washington Post. (@AnnieLinskey)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/24/2020 • 49 minutes
Swipe The Nose Like A Credit Card
The No. 1 song in the country -- "WAP" by Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion -- seems to make just one concession to commercial decorum: its acronym title, which I won't be spelling out for you here. It's being called the "gloriously filthy song of the summer" and subversive "in almost every way, even as it plays with the limits of explicit expression."
Speaking of troublesome songs: Does The Band's classic "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" belong in the same category as bits of culture like Song of the South and Gone with the Wind?
And finally: Has it turned out that Kevin Costner's 1997 box office bomb, The Postman, is "the most accurate dystopian movie?"
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
CAROLE BASKIN Debunks Facebook Group's Theory ... MISSING HUBBY'S NOT IN SEPTIC TANK!!!
Second City Is Trying Not To Be Racist. Will It Work This Time?For more than 60 years, the premier home for improv was a bastion of whiteness where performers of color were consistently demeaned. Now it is trying to remake itself entirely.
An Airline Employee On TikTok Is Calling Out All The Celebs Who Were Rude (And Nice) To Her, And It's Wild"She wouldn't get off the aircraft until everybody else got off."
Two men charged with the 2002 killing of Run-DMC legend Jam Master Jay
On Percival Everett's Almost Secret Experiment in a Novel in ThreesDavid Lerner Schwartz on the Tripartite Puzzle That is Telephone
How the Criterion Collection Crops Out African-American DirectorsThe prestigious line is coveted by cinephiles and taught in film schools. The company's president blames his "blind spots" for largely shutting out Black Americans.
GUESTS:
Cara McDonough - A freelance writer; you can read her blog at caramcduna.com
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
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.
8/21/2020 • 49 minutes
Can You Spare A Quarter?
The pandemic has led to national shortages in testing supplies, PPE, and now, coins.
We've been predicting a cashless society and the demise of the penny for so long that we may be underestimating how much people still use coins in places like laundromats and coffeeshops, and the occasional parking meter.
And about eight million households are "unbanked," and rely on money orders, pawn shops, or payday loans, instead of banks. So, where are all the coins?
Also this hour: The world's earliest coins date back to ancient Greek and Roman culture. And each coin contains information often not found anywhere else in surviving relics of the ancient world. Some numismatists consider ancient coins one of the most important discoveries to fuel the renaissance.
Lastly, how a North Carolina aquarium used coins from their waterfall to care for thousands of their animals during the pandemic.
GUESTS:
Molly Olmstead is a staff writer at Slate
Brian Wallace is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Coin Laundry Association
David Vagi is Director, Ancient Coins at the Numismatic Guaranty Corporation and the author of Coinage and History of the Roman Empire
Liz Baird is the director of the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
Join the conversation on Facebook and TwitterSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/20/2020 • 49 minutes
A New Saliva Test; Politics At The Postal Service
The FDA on Saturday authorized emergency use of a rapid and inexpensive saliva test that could increase testing capacity. It’s quick, less expensive, and doesn't need the chemical reagents that are in short supply. It's also less sensitive than PCR tests. But public health experts believe the tradeoff will save lives. We talk about that and more Covid-related news.
"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from their appointed rounds," remains the motto of the United States Postal Service, despite changes by the new Postmaster General to slow down mail delivery, remove sorting machines, and make it more difficult for voters to receive and return mail-in ballots on time.
Free and fair elections are the bedrock of democratic principles. The postal service led our first communications revolution by forging transportation networks that spread national and international news - even to those living in the most remote areas - to encourage an informed citizenry. Isn't it worth protecting?
GUESTS:
Vincent Racaniello is a professor of Microbiology & Immunology in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. He’s the host of the podcast, “This Week in Virology.” (@profvrr)
Margaret Sullivan is the media columnist at the Washington Post and the author of Ghosting the News: Local Journalism and the Crisis of American Democracy. (@sulliview)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/17/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Knows That It's Going To Be Tired Tomorrow, At Least
The Nose is worried about movie theaters. The pandemic has done such damage to the industry that Hollywood has started treating the U.S. as a second-run market. And now the Paramount Consent Decrees have ended. (We're not exactly sure what that means, but it's not good.) Is the future of movie theaters... Walmart drive-ins?
And: She Dies Tomorrow is a horror-comedy-thriller written and directed by Amy Seimetz. It was supposed to premiere at this year's South by Southwest, which was canceled. She Dies Tomorrow is out now on video on demand platforms.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
RZA unveils new ice cream truck jingle to replace problematic 'Turkey in the Straw'
Trini Lopez, Singing Star Who Mixed Musical Styles, Dies at 83His blend of American folk, Latin and rockabilly music captivated listeners worldwide. His secret: arrangements that people could dance to. He died of COVID-19.
Kurt Luedtke, Newspaperman Turned Screenwriter, Dies at 80He led The Detroit Free Press at 33, then gave up journalism for Hollywood. "Absence of Malice" was one result; an Oscar for "Out of Africa" was another.
The Best Movies Eligible for the 2021 Oscars Right NowFrom "The Assistant" to "Never Rarely Sometimes Always," the first half of 2020 boasts more than a few titles worthy of Oscar buzz.
Alan Dershowitz claims a fictional lawyer defamed him. The implications for novelists are very real.
Kelly Ripa claps back after troll criticizes her 'lack of personal grooming'
Martin Scorsese Makes Apple First-Look Film & Television Deal For His Sikelia Productions Banner
Yale scientists restore cellular function in 32 dead pig brainsResearchers hope the technology will further our understanding of the brain, but lawmakers may not be ready for the ethical challenges.
Can You Hack the Jeopardy! Buzzer?Different schools of thought have emerged.
Oh, to be a cat in a plastic container sailing around a bathtub
The Shark Week SuperlativesDiscovery Channel's much-hyped annual programming package has become increasingly ahistorical and fantastical over the years. Yet, it remains popular. So, our two resident shark experts dove in to discuss the best and worst that the week has to offer.
"Weird and Strange Doesn't Even Begin to Describe It": What It’s Like to Be the Phillie Phanatic Right NowA brave mascot reveals what it's like to fill the crushing emptiness of an MLB stadium.
A 'Socially Distanced' Venue Held Its First Concert, And It's An Introvert's Dream
As it Celebrates the Centennial of the Negro Leagues, MLB May Undo a "Major" MistakeBecause of a prejudiced decision made more than 50 years ago, the segregation-era circuits that featured Black players have never been counted among the official major leagues. For the first time, MLB is considering righting that wrong.
GUESTS:
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
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.
8/14/2020 • 49 minutes
Swamps: The Past, Present, And (Endangered?) Future Of America's Wetlands
As President Trump talks about draining the swamp in Washington D.C., we turn our attention to actual swamps. Associated with death and decay, while also celebrated for their beauty and biodiversity, few landscapes evoke such contradictory sentiments as swamps.
This hour we speak with experts about the surprising history, culture, nature, and politics associated with America's wetlands. We'll also talk with a woman who spent eight years of her life living in these inhospitable environments on a makeshift houseboat.
GUESTS:
Michael Grunwald - Senior writer for Politico Magazine, and Editor-at-Large of POLITICO’s new public policy site, The Agenda; author of The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise (@MikeGrunwald)
Dr. Anthony Wilson - Professor of English at LaGrange College, GA; author of Swamp: Nature and Culture, and Shadow and Shelter: The Swamp in Southern Culture
Gwen Roland - Writer, and former full-time resident of the Atchafalaya river basin swamp; author of Atchafalaya Houseboat: My Years in the Louisiana Swamp, and Postmark Bayou Chene
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/13/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
The Sweatpants Maketh The Man (And Woman)
"It is the rare person who doesn't own a pair of sweatpants." I am, it turns out, that rare person. Sweatpants are just too warm, is my take. But I do own a number of pairs of cotton pajama pants. They're my sweatpants proxy.
Back before the pandemic became the central preoccupation of our existence, back when we made our radio show in, ya know, a radio studio, I would always get a little dressed up on my show days. I'd wear a jacket. Or a tie. Or a jacket and a tie.
Now that we're all working from home all the time, I spend the great majority of my work hours in pajama pants and stocking feet and a bathrobe. But when it comes time for one of my shows -- like this one, for instance -- I change out of my PJ pants into jeans or chinos. That's what "a little dressed up" means these days: putting real pants on. (Or even "hard pants," as they're now known.)
For we are living in the age of sweatpants. Question is: Are we ever going back? Or should we go back right now and start dressing like grownups again? What if we got, like, some fancy pants sweatpants? Would that be grown up enough?
This hour, from The Bad Ideas Dept.: a show about sweatpants.
GUESTS:
Tim Chan - Lifestyle and market editor at Rolling Stone
Rebecca Jennings - A reporter covering pop and internet culture at The Goods by Vox
Rachel Tashjian - Style writer for GQ
Adam Tschorn - Deputy fashion editor at the Los Angeles Times
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 6, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/12/2020 • 50 minutes
Happy Little Trees: The Joy Of Bob Ross (And Thomas Kinkade)
It's been 25 years since Bob Ross died and 26 years since his The Joy of Painting went off the air. But there are 52 episodes of the show available to stream on Netflix. Bob Ross and Chill is a thing. The 403 full episodes available on YouTube have accumulated something approaching 250 million views. And last summer, The New York Times did a big Bob Ross investigation.
This hour: a look at the undying force for permed hair and puffy little clouds and happy little trees that is Bob Ross.
Plus: Could we do a show about Bob Ross without also talking Thomas Kinkade? No we could not. And so no we do not.
GUESTS:
Nathan Badley - Cohost of the Nothing But a Bob Thang podcast
Alexis Boylan - Associate professor of art history at UConn and the editor of Thomas Kinkade, The Artist in the Mall
Justin Croft - Cohost of the Nothing But a Bob Thang podcast
Emily Rhyne - Cinematographer at The New York Times
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired September 26, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/11/2020 • 50 minutes
COVID; And, The Assault On Liberalism
As of this weekend, the number of people in the U.S. infected with SARS-CoV-2 topped five million, just sixteen days after passing the four million mark on July 23. This weekend's motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota portends that those numbers will continue to rise.
Three potential vaccines against the virus have entered phase III clinical trials, in which safety and effectiveness is tested on thousands of healthy people.
This stage can take months or years depending on how quickly researchers can detect a difference between the two groups, but some doctors believe that we'll have a vaccine sooner than later. Are we expecting too much from a vaccine? And, what about the expanding group of people afraid to trust any vaccine developed at "warp speed"?
Is it time for another lockdown to get things under control until a vaccine is ready?
Also this hour: Sending troops into U.S. cities and the recent changes at the U.S. Postal Service are two recent examples of what writer Adam Gopnik sees as an emboldened and authoritarian right encroaching on democratic premises. Meanwhile, he says the rage of an out-of-power left makes liberalism look indifferent. Incremental reform is not enough.
GUESTS:
Tim Schacker is an infectious disease physician and vice dean for research at the University of Minnesota Medical School
Adam Gopnik is an author and a staff writer for The New Yorker. The paperback edition of his most recent book, A Thousand Small Sanities: The Moral Adventures of Liberalism, was published in July. He is also a lyricist and libretto writer. With composer David Shire, he wrote the book and lyrics for the musical comedy TABLE, produced in 2016 at the Long Wharf Theater
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.
8/10/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Won't Make Assumptions About Why You Switched Your Homeroom
The Federal Communications Commission requires that The Nose cover each and every new Taylor Swift release*. Folklore is Swift's seventh number-one album, and it's become, in just two weeks, the highest-selling album of 2020 so far. But rather than just spending a segment talking about the album... We came across a term that's new to us: cottagecore. Folklore is, apparently, cottagecore. We're not entirely convinced that cottagecore is a thing, but we're covering it anyway, and we'll get to Folklore that way.
And: When You Finish Saving the World is an audiobook/podcast/radio play/thing written by and co-directed by and starring Jesse Eisenberg. It's a five-hour, three-act, three-monologue, audio-only Audible original that also stars Kaitlyn Dever and Finn Wolfhard as the wife and son of Eisenberg's character, respectively.
*No, it doesn't.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Will White People Forget About George Floyd?A parable embedded in The Maltese Falcon offers a cautionary tale.
The Reconciliation Must Be TelevisedWhat is the next step as America confronts its racism? A broadcast spectacle, our critic writes, that could look like court, a telethon, therapy, an Oprah show -- and more.
Wilford Brimley, 'Cocoon' Star and Quaker Oats Pitchman, Is Dead at 85
The Mind Behind Japan's Legendary Batmanga, Jiro Kuwata, Has Passed Away
The End of the Fictional CopTelevision and film helped naturalize police violence. Noir offers a way out.
Brad Garrett, Lea Thompson declare Ellen staff mistreatment "common knowledge"
Hollywood Is Finally Admitting That the U.S. Is a Lost CauseThe country's sluggish pandemic response has forced movie studios to release big movies, such as Christopher Nolan's Tenet, abroad first -- a highly unusual move for the industry.
Netflix is rolling out video speed controls
Zelda recipe appears in serious novel by serious author after rushed Google searchA bad day for literature, a great day for Polygon's SEO
GUESTS:
Lucy Gellman - Editor of The Arts Paper and host of WNHH radio's Kitchen Sync
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/7/2020 • 49 minutes
Two Hours With Songwriter Jimmy Webb: Part Two
Jimmy Webb was possibly the most successful songwriter of the 1960s and 1970s. Classics like "Galveston," "Wichita Lineman," "Up, Up, and Away," and "MacArthur Park" were recorded by hundreds of artists from Glen Campbell to Donna Summer. Webb wrote the songs that others made famous.
Our team made the trek to Glen Cove, New York, in the summer of 2019 to meet Jimmy Webb and his wife, Laura Savini, at a recording studio near their home.
Our adventure was well worth the trip. What we took home from our day were the sweet remains of time spent with friends, great music, and a spectacular sunset.
For the first time in Colin McEnroe Show history, we decided to create two shows from our time with Jimmy Webb. Today, we bring you part two of our two-hour show with Jimmy Webb.
Listen to Part One.
GUEST:
Jimmy Webb - Songwriter, pianist, composer, storyteller. He's won Grammy Awards for his music, lyrics and orchestration. His songs include "Galveston," "Wichita Lineman," and "MacArthur Park." He's the author of Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting and his 2017 memoir, The Cake and the Rain. His latest album is Slipcover.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/5/2020 • 49 minutes
Laura Nyro Was The Emily Dickinson Of American Pop Music
Laura Nyro's most famous compositions -- "Stoned Soul Picnic," "Stoney End," "When I Die," "Wedding Bell Blues," "Eli's Coming" -- are jewels of mainstream music, and her covers of songs like "Jimmy Mack" and "Gonna Take a Miracle" are legendary.
But she was uncomfortable under the spotlight and withdrew from it to become the Belle of Danbury.
This hour: a night of singing, reflecting, and celebrating recorded in front of a live audience on January 29, 2020, as part of Colin's Freshly Squeezed series at Watkinson School.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine - Guitar and vocals
Latanya Farrell - Vocals and tambourine
Steve Metcalf - Piano and vocals
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
This show originally aired February 21, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/4/2020 • 50 minutes
Two Hours With Songwriter Jimmy Webb: Part One
We're reairing this show from September, 2019, when our team traveled to Glen Cove, New York, to interview legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb.
We waited a long time for this interview and it was worth every minute of the wait. It was a special day. We broke bread together, met kind people, and enjoyed a day of music and stories from Jimmy Webb's decades of making music.
The day was not without adversity. A flat tire forced us to miss our ferry back home to Connecticut (and our dinner). We were hungry and tired. But none of that mattered when the late ferry pulled into Bridgeport against a spectacular sunset of orange, red, and purple. We would never have seen it had the day gone as planned.
A lot has changed in America since that day last September. But not our human need for music and kinship.
We made two shows from our time with Jimmy Webb. There was too much music not to share all of it. This is part one. You can hear part two on Thursday, August 6.
GUEST:
Jimmy Webb - Songwriter, pianist, composer, storyteller. He’s won Grammy Awards for his music, lyrics, and orchestration. His songs include “Galveston,” “Wichita Lineman,” and “MacArthur Park.” He’s the author of Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting and his 2017 memoir, The Cake and the Rain. His latest album is Slipcover.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/4/2020 • 49 minutes
To Bubble Or Not To Bubble: The Sports, They Have Returned
Sports! There are sports!
Baseball's back. At least for now. With almost all of the teams playing games. And only, ya know, two of them having big COVID outbreaks.
The NBA exists in a Disney World "bubble," and it hasn't had a single test come back positive yet.
The NHL is doing two different kinds of tournaments at once in two different "bubbles" in Canada.
The arenas and stadiums are empty and quiet, but for the cardboard cutout fans and the piped-in crowd sounds. And the whole thing may well be a bad idea anyway...
But there are sports! At least for now.
GUESTS:
Ben Cohen - Sports reporter for The Wall Street Journal and the author of The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks
Jeff Tracy - Sports reporter for Axios
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.
8/3/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Got Bought Out By The Des Moines Register
This New or Second or Third Golden Age of Television has been going on for 20 or 25 or 30 years now. Peak TV just won't stop peaking. For decades, there's just been no way to keep up. But then… suddenly we've all got a lot more time on our hands in our houses. And instead of finally watching The Wire and The Americans and Homeland and whatever else, we're all just rewatching Parks and Rec for the eleventeenth time.
And, hey, whoa: The New York Times bought Serial productions.
And finally: I May Destroy You is a BBC One and HBO show starring and written and created by Michaela Coel. Set in London, the series is a comedy-drama about consent and, ultimately, trauma.
Some other stuff that happened in the last couple weeks, give or take:
Alan Parker, British Director of 'Fame', 'Midnight Express' and 'Mississippi Burning,' Dies at 76
Malik B., Founding Member of the Roots, Dead at 47The rapper departed the group following the the release of Things Fall Apart in 1999
Regis Philbin, TV's Enduring Everyman, Dies at 88With patience, determination and folksy, spontaneous wit, Mr. Philbin climbed to pre-eminence relatively late in life on talk and game shows.
David Letterman On Regis Philbin's Death: "Best Guest We Ever Had"
As a Teenager, I Hated Johnny Carson. Then Came the Pandemic.As a teenager, I thought his 'Tonight Show' was a bland, uncool relic. Now I appreciate his deadpan humor and the loose weirdness of his interviews.
'Saturday Night Live' Wants to Resume Filming in Person
Olivia de Havilland, a Star of 'Gone With the Wind,' Dies at 104She built an illustrious Hollywood career punctuated by a successful fight to loosen the studios' grip on actors.
Billy Eichner To Play Paul Lynde In 'Man In The Box,' About Gifted Actor Stigmatized For Being Gay: Why Eichner Feels Things Haven't Changed, Gay Actors Still Excluded From Straight Roles & Even Playing Gay Icons
The Force Is Still Strong with John Williams
Washington NFL team to use 'Washington Football Team' for 2020 season
Mulan falls off Disney's schedule, takes Avatar and Star Wars with it
"The Far Side" Returns to a Weird World
Best Cinematography Oscar Winners of the 21st Century, Ranked
Tom Hanks lending voice as vendor at Oakland A's games
'Metal Gear Solid V' Players Achieve the Impossible: Nuclear Disarmament'Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain' players briefly got rid of all nuclear weapons and triggered a secret cutscene.
Wild Star Wars Rumor Claims Disney Will Erase the Sequel Trilogy and Reset CanonAn unsubstantiated Star Wars rumor claims that Disney is ready to junk everything that happened in The Force Awakens and its sequels.
Breonna Taylor Is On The Cover Of O Magazine -- The First One Ever Without Oprah"Breonna Taylor had dreams," Oprah Winfrey said. "They all died with her the night five bullets shattered her body and her future."
GUESTS:
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
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.
7/31/2020 • 49 minutes
The Decimation Of The Osage Nation
Native Americans have been getting forced off their land for a long time. Although Thomas Jefferson promised they shall know the United States as only "friends and benefactors," he forced them from their ancestral home in 1804 after he signed the Louisiana Purchase.
Assured by the government that Kansas territory would be theirs forever, they were soon forced from their new home by white settlers (including the Wilder family of Little House fame) who plundered their burial sites and squatted on their land until they felt little choice but to sell to them.
The Osage finally settled on territory in Oklahoma that most whites found "unfit for cultivation," at least until they found oil underneath those rocks. Then it became attractive to powerful white men who hatched a plot to kill the Osage obtain and obtain mineral rights to the land.
This is the chilling story of the systematic murder of one group of native people. It's the bigger story of how the United States government has betrayed and controlled the sovereignty of a nation of people who lived here first.
This story never seems to end. In 2019, Attorney General William Barr announced a plan to address the crisis of missing and murdered Native Americans. I wonder whether anything has changed.
GUESTS:
David Grann - Staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of The Lost City of Z: Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon and Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
Denny McAuliffe - Editor at The Washington Post, adjunct professor in journalism at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, and the author of The Deaths of Sybil Bolton: An American History
Jim Gray - Former Principal Chief of the Osage Nation and current Tribal Administrator for the Sac and Fox Nation
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 10, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/31/2020 • 49 minutes
You Didn’t Ask To Be Here: Adventures In Antinatalism
Colin McEnroe Show alum Chion Wolf has a new show: Audacious. Hear this guest episode from her series!
Last year, a 28-year-old guy in Mumbai tried to sue his parents -- who are both lawyers -- for having brought him into the world. He claims his parents didn’t get his consent to live. In addition to being a very bold person, he is an anti-natalist. That is, he believes that it is morally wrong to bring sentient life into this world -- no matter how charmed or how troubled that life is -- and that humanity should stop reproducing, full stop.
Anti-natalism is not a novel concept. You can trace it as far back as some interpretations of the teachings of Buddah, and in ancient religious sects. Nowadays, the subreddit dedicated to anti-natalism has 70,000 members, and there are 15,000 people following the Facebook group the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement. You'll hear from one of its leaders in this show.
The screenwriter for the HBO series True Detective says that that the antinatalist beliefs of one of the main characters was inspired by the book Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming Into Existence by the philosopher David Benatar. You'll meet him too and learn a lot more about the belief that this world would have been better had none us been here in the first place.
GUESTS:
David Benatar - A professor and the head of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, the author of Better Never to Have Been: The Harm of Coming into Existence and The Human Predicament: A Candid Guide to Life's Biggest Questions
Les Knight - A volunteer with the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement
Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and email.
Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/29/2020 • 50 minutes
America Loves Its Heroes
How we define what it means to be a hero depends a lot on the values shared by the group that's in power at any given time.
We're seeing it today in the push and pull over the statues of men whose values no longer reflect the values of a changing community. And time tends to wash away the nuance and complexity of heroes that stand as a symbol of a prior generation.
Yet, America loves its heroes, even if only for a time. But we have a way of using the language of "heroism" to sacrifice the very heroes we admire. Many of the essential workers we deemed heroes of the pandemic had to choose between their health and a paycheck. They didn't choose to be heroes. Some didn't want to be. Others were silenced or shamed for speaking out about unsafe conditions.
This hour, we talk about what it means to be a hero, and we consider some Connecticut heroes you may not know about.
Also, a look at the unlikely hero driven to heroic acts to avoid being labeled a coward.
GUESTS:
Dahlia Lithwick - Writes about the courts and the law for Slate and hosts the podcast Amicus
Chris Walsh - Director of the college of arts and sciences writing program at Boston University and the author of Cowardice: A Brief History
Walter Woodward - State historian of Connecticut, the author of Creating Connecticut, and the host of the Grating the Nutmeg podcast
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.
7/28/2020 • 49 minutes
It's Hard To Be Black In America. Still.
Race is a myth; racism is not. I'm stealing this line from Gene Seymour, one of our guests on our show today.
We're reairing a show with three people who discuss what it's like to be Black in America. The show was originally in 2017.
We chose to reair it today to coincide with the memorials this week for Congressman John Lewis, who will be the first Black congressman to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda, after fighting his entire life for social justice. And because the recent police brutality, along with a pandemic that disproportionately affected minority communities, exposed how little has changed for Black Americans since we first aired this show in 2017.
Many of us hoped the election of Barack Obama in 2008 was a sign that we were finally entering a time when America was ready to recognize that racial inequality is the direct result of systemic discrimination going back to the founding of this country. That did not happen.
Congressman Lewis fought for civil rights and dignity for all black Americans. We should all think about that as we honor his legacy this week.
This show originally aired on July 12, 2017 and was reaired on January 15, 2018.
GUESTS:
Gene Seymour - Cultural critic, writer, jazz aficionado, and contributor for CNN Opinion, The Baffler, Book Forum and The Nation
Bruce Haynes - Professor of sociology at U.C. Davis and co-author of Down the Up Staircase
Kris Marsh - Demographer and associate professor of sociology at the University of Maryland and a 2017 Fulbright Scholar in South Africa
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/27/2020 • 49 minutes
The Glory Of Everything: Reading Kids' Books As An Adult
My son, Simon, is a year old. His mother and his grandmother are both librarians. His father is, well, me. Simon is, predictably, obsessed with books.
Back before everything changed, we'd gotten into a pretty good reading routine. Every morning before Simon went to his grandparents', we'd read a big pile of books. Every evening when I got home from work, we'd read a big pile of books.
We'd read Goodnight Moon. We'd read Little Blue Truck. We'd read Peek-a Who? and Peek-a Moo! and Peek-a Zoo! We'd read Who Hoots? and Who Hops? We'd read Dear Zoo and Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? and Each Peach Pear Plum and Spooky, Spooky, Little Bat and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? And then we'd probably read them all again.
Now that our whole family stays home all day every day, we still do all the reading. What's lost is the routine. What's lost is any sort of limit at all. From Simon's point of view, there's nothing to stop us from reading all day every day, from when he jams me in the back with his copy of The Mixed-Up Chameleon too early in the morning until he falls asleep wearing one sock and with a clump of Cheerios somehow stuck in his diaper too late at night.
If you've got smallish kids and you're staying home these days, children's literature has undoubtedly become a much larger part of your life than you'd ever bargained for. This hour, a look at what it's like reading kids' books as an adult.
GUESTS:
Bruce Handy - The author of Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult
Julia Pistell - Managing director of Sea Tea Improv and cohost of the Literary Disco podcast
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired April 9, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/24/2020 • 50 minutes
Do You Speak Corona?
It took two years for the word AIDS to get from coinage to dictionary. It took COVID-19 thirty-four days. The pandemic has inspired a thousand new or repurposed words, slang, nicknames, and neologisms.
It has changed the way we speak.
We made technical medical language part of everyday conversation. We created new words to describe emotions that had no words. We repurposed old words or combined two words to express a way of life we never expected. Lockdowns. WFH. Pancession. Doomscrolling.
We made phrases to unite us, others to make us laugh, and some to explain our confusion. Workers became essential and advertisers made them heroes.
Do you speak Corona?
GUESTS:
Peter Sokolowski is a lexicographer and editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster; he's also a musician and public radio jazz host at NEPR, and he's the author of a chapter in The Whole World in a Book (@PeterSokowski)
Tony Horne is a linguist, lexicographer, and a language consultant in the faculty of Arts and Humanities, at King’s College, London (@tonythorne007)
Justin Peters is a correspondent for Slate and the author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet (@justintrevett)
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.
7/23/2020 • 48 minutes, 52 seconds
A Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Historian Christine Sismondo says that "America, as we know it, was born in a bar."
Taverns were where the Boston Tea Party was planned. They were where court cases were carried out, where land was bought and sold, where immigrants came to congregate.
Over the centuries since, bars have fostered so much social change. And today, they're where we go to meet people, to catch the game, to talk about our problems, to relax.
Or at least they were. Back when bars were open, back when there were games to catch... Back when we could relax.
This hour, a look at what we've been missing these last few months when we've been missing bars.
GUESTS:
Rand Richards Cooper - A contributing editor at Commonweal, and he writes the "In Our Midst" column for Hartford Magazine
Christine Sismondo - The author of America Walks into a Bar: A Spirited History of Taverns and Saloons, Speakeasies and Grog Shops
Karl Franz Williams - Principle, The Anchor Spa in New Haven
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/22/2020 • 49 minutes
Does Religion Still Matter When We Need It Most?
Religious scholar Elaine Pagels trusted the Gospel of Thomas to get her through the almost unbearably painful years after the death of her six-year-old son -- born with a congenital heart defect -- followed one year later by the unexpected death of her husband.
Thomas was one of many hidden texts discovered in a cave in Egypt in 1945, written around the time of Jesus but omitted from the New Testament.
Pagels's exploration of the secret gospels revealed early Christianity to be a mix of traditions, stories, music, mysticism, art, and poetry that were lost in later versions perpetuated by individual Christian groups. Pagels wonders how Roman Catholics, Baptists, Mormons, and Quakers -- to name a few -- could all proclaim themselves the one true version of Christianity.
The Gnostic Gospels challenged thousands of years of Christian ideology regarding our views on God, women, sexuality, and death that still dictate the cultural values we follow today. How had we not become aware that thousands of years of censoring Christianity has come to contradict our own experience of what is meaningful in our lives?
So often, religion fails us in our time of need. The Gnostic Gospels gave Elaine Pagels hope. She was grateful for that.
GUEST:
Elaine Pagels - Professor of Religion at Princeton University and the author of several books including The Gnostic Gospels, Beyond Belief, and, most recently, Why Religion? A Personal Story
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired February 21, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/20/2020 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Coronavirus Is Still Rising, Biden Is Still Leading, And It's National Moth Week
The number of people testing positive for coronavirus continues to rise in many parts of the U.S., with sharp rises in places like Florida, Nevada, Alabama, Texas, and Puerto Rico. Yet, President Trump continues to attribute the rise to more testing -- despite the rise in hospitalizations and deaths -- and he wants to reduce federal aid for more testing, tracing, and for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Also this hour: The ABC News/Washington Post poll released Sunday shows former Vice President Joe Biden leading President Trump by 15 points among registered voters, 55% to 40%. A majority of respondents are not happy with the president's handling of the coronavirus, among other things.
On a happier note: It's National Moth Week!
GUESTS:
Maria Sundaram is an infectious disease epidemiologist. She’s a postdoc fellow at ICES in Toronto and a regular contributor to BBC OS (@mariasundaram)
Steven Shepard is senior campaign and elections editor and chief polling analyst for Politico. (@politico_steve)
Liti Haramaty is a founding member of the Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission and vice-chair of the East Brunswick Commission. She's co-founder of National Moth Week and a researcher at the department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University. (@LeeTeeK)
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.
7/20/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Has Got A Lot Of Brains But No Polish
Four years ago, over the course of three days, film crews documented the musical Hamilton as performed by nearly its entire original Broadway cast. Eventually, Disney bought the distribution rights to the movie and planned to release it in theaters next fall. But then there was a pandemic, and people were stuck in their houses, and the film dropped on Disney+ earlier this month.
And: Kanye West is running for president. Unless he isn't. But maybe he is.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Grant Imahara, Host of 'MythBusters' and 'White Rabbit Project,' Dies at 49
This Pickle Is a CakeWelcome to the viral world of hyper-realistic cake slicing videos.
26 Hilarious Tweets About All Those Cakes We're Seeing On The Internet"Are we human? Or are we cake?"
TikTok users panic as Trump admin considers banning app
Far Side creator Gary Larson publishes first new cartoons in 25 yearsAfter coming out of retirement, the cartoonist says digital technology has allowed him to rediscover the fun of drawing
In Conversation: Thandie NewtonAfter decades onscreen, nothing surprises the Westworld actress, though what she’s ready to share will surprise you.
This Profile of Charlie Kaufman Has ChangedHow do you write about Hollywood’s most self-referential screenwriter at a destabilizing moment in history? It takes more than one draft.
How 'Inception' Redefined Christopher Nolan
Could U.S. Theaters Stay Closed Until Mid-2021?
Walt Disney World's Reopening Video Didn't Go Over So Well
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright and director of client services at Buzz Engine
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.
7/17/2020 • 49 minutes
Awake In The Middle Of The Night
Our ancestors viewed sleep as a highly sensual and transcendent experience. Today, about a third of adults have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or feeling rested. We're becoming a nation of insomniacs.
We live in what Rubin Naiman calls, a "wake-centric era,” where sleeping and dreaming are viewed as less important than being awake and on the go. It's hard to come down from the hyperaroused state we whip ourselves into by the end of a day. It's not surprising that we can't sleep.
Insomnia can be miserable when all we want to do is sleep. But it's more a human condition than a medical condition to be solved by sleeping pills and tech gadgets.
Plus, insomnia can have its upside. Our minds can be more open to insights and new possibilities in the dark quiet of night when our thoughts can wander to unknown places that the conscious mind can’t see.
GUESTS:
Marina Benjamin is a writer and Senior Editor at Aeon magazine. She’s written five books. Her latest memoir is Insomnia. She’s also the author of The Middlepause and Garden Among Fires: A Lockdown Anthology. (@marinab52)
Rubin Naiman is a psychologist, clinical assistant professor of medicine and the sleep and dream specialist at the University of Arizona Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (@drnaiman)
Charlotte Jee is a writer and reporter for MIT Technology Review, where she also writes The Download newsletter (@charlottejee)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/16/2020 • 49 minutes
We Like To Watch
For decades, we didn't take television seriously. We saw it as ephemeral, as "chewing gum for the eyes," as, literally, furniture.
And then, around the turn of the century, things started to change. There was The Sopranos. The Wire. And, at the same time, shows like Big Brother and The Amazing Race. For Emily Nussbaum, it was Buffy the Vampire Slayer that forever changed her take on television.
And now... the president is a TV character.
This hour: A serious appraisal of television with The New Yorker's television critic.
GUEST:
Emily Nussbaum - Television critic for The New Yorker and the author of I Like To Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution
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.
7/15/2020 • 49 minutes
A Perfect Storm: A Surging Virus and An Election Meltdown
The number of people being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus is rising in 48 states. We're testing more, but the rate of positive tests, hospitalizations, and in some states, deaths, is also rising.
On Sunday, Florida recorded 15,300 new cases, the highest single-day total to date. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 60,000 new cases in the U.S. on Monday. And we're seeing the same delays in test results and shortages of protective gear that we experienced in the spring.
Should we be more focused on what's happening now instead of reopening bars and schools?
Also this hour: Election law scholar Richard Hasen says we need a 28th amendment to secure voting rights in this country. The U.S. Constitution contains no affirmative right to vote. Social policy and responsive representation should reflect everyone’s needs, not just those most likely to turn out with their votes and dollars.
GUESTS:
Saskia Popescu is an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Arizona (@SaskiaPopescu)
Richard Hasen is a professor of Law and Political Science at the University of California, Irvine. He is a founding co-editor of Election Law Journal and runs The Election Blog. His new book is Election Meltdown: Dirty Tricks, Distrust, and the Threat To American Democracy. (@rickhasen)
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.
7/14/2020 • 49 minutes
Walking With Dante
"Dante's Inferno" is the most famous section of Dante Aligheri's 14,000 line epic poem, The Divine Comedy. But it's only the first part of Dante's long pilgrimage through the afterlife. He first enters the circles of hell, filled with beasts and sinners doomed to the Inferno for crimes like gluttony, lust, and treason.
Dante slowly recognizes a glimmer of each sinner's fault in his own character as he makes his way through hell. His recognition of his humanity led him up the steep mountain of purgatory and ultimately toward a paradise opened by his enlightenment.
The story of The Divine Comedy is an adventure story based on Dante's real life in 14th century Italy. He was deeply wrapped up in the politics of his time. He was a city official, diplomatic negotiator, poet, and a man who dared to cross the pope. He was exiled from his city, never to return under threat of death. He left all behind, except his unrequited love for Beatrice.
Nearly broken and in a "dark wood" of grief in midlife, Dante wrote a masterpiece that is remarkably relevant today for all of us who have ever been in the dark wood of loss. This hour, we talk to three people who walked with Dante through the dark wood.
GUESTS:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/13/2020 • 49 minutes
A World In A Grain Of Sand
Sand is the most abundant material on Earth. And, other than water and air, sand is the natural resource we consume more than any other -- more, even, than oil.
The pyramids are made of sand. Our roads and driveways and sidewalks are made of sand. Concrete buildings and their concrete foundations are made of sand. From computer chips to computer screens, window panes to lightbulbs, breast implants to the Hubble telescope, sand is basically the essential building block of civilization.
Humans are estimated to consume almost 50 billion tons of sand and gravel every year.
Oh, and, by the way: We're running out of it.
For a look at Sue McGrew's crazy impressive sand sculptures, check out her website.
GUESTS:
Vince Beiser - Author of The World in a Grain: The Story of Sand and How It Transformed Civilization
Sarah Page Kyrcz - A reporter who covers Guilford and Madison for the Shoreline Times
Sue McGrew - Professional sand sculptor
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 9, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2020 • 50 minutes
Silenced Nights: Curfews And Fear Of The Night
Over the past weeks, cities across the country have implemented curfews in response to George Floyd protests and to enforce stay-at-home orders during COVID-19.
This hour, we discuss whether emergency curfews really keep people safer or become another way to intimidate and discriminate. Also, the history and wisdom of juvenile curfews and what it's like to protest after curfew.
And we learn about early curfews across the pond during the British Empire.
GUESTS:
Roger Ekirch - The author of five books including At Day's Close: Night in Times Past
Dennis Keeney - Former police officer and current professor in the John Jay Department of Criminal Justice at City University of New York
Mike Males - An American sociologist and senior researcher at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice in San Francisco
Kalfani Ture - Assistant professor of criminology at Quinnipiac University and a former police officer
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Betsy Kaplan, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/9/2020 • 49 minutes
Bankers For The Stars: Deutsche Bank, Trump, And Jeffrey Epstein
Is it safe to say that we're not yet ready to kiss and make up with the banks whose reckless behavior led to the 2008 financial crisis? A little contrition would go a long way to helping us forgive and forget. That's not happening, at least not with Deutsche Bank, the preferred bank of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.
Deutsche Bank lent money to rogue states that funded terrorist activities that hurt U.S. soldiers. They laundered money for Russian oligarchs, sold securities they knew were bad, gave out multimillion-dollar bonuses, and fired whistleblowers who tried to tell. They lent money to Donald Trump, despite his repeated defaults on his loans, and Jeffrey Epstein long after he was shunned for molesting young girls.
You may wonder how this could happen. Basically, a massive lack of accountability on behalf of the Central Bank, the Federal Reserve, shareholders, board members, and the federal government. That's a lot of people.
No wonder Elizabeth Warren threatened to take on the big banks.
GUESTS:
David Enrich - Business investigations editor at The New York Times and the author of Dark Towers: Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump, and An Epic Trail of Destruction
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.
7/7/2020 • 48 minutes
The Evolution Revolution: Women Call The Shots
The Argus Pheasant is a lifelong bachelor. He mates with multiple females but has no further contact with his mates or the baby pheasants he sires. By human terms, not much of a feminist.
Yet, he stages a chivalrous courtship on moonlit nights on a forest stage he clears with meticulous care. He sings and dances and pecks. He encompasses his 'date' in a cape of intricately-colored four-foot-long feathers. He ends with a bow.
Evolutionarily, there's no purpose for the spectacular feathers on the Argus Pheasant - unless you consider they may have evolved to satisfy the sexual preferences of the female Argus.
Darwin, while famous for his theory on evolution through battle for the fittest, also promoted a second, less popular theory of evolution through female sexual preference.
This theory may also shed light on evolved human traits and behaviors we don't need to survive - like female orgasm and same-sex preferences.
GUESTS:
Richard Prum - Evolutionary Ornithologist, Professor of Ornithology at Yale and the curator of Ornithology at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. He’s the author of The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World - and Us.
Patricia Brennan - Evolutionary Biologist, Behavioral Ecologist and visiting lecturer at Mount Holyoke College.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/6/2020 • 49 minutes
You're Not Dying. But Panic Attacks Can Make You Think You Are.
You're Not Dying. But Panic Attacks Can Make You Think You Are." width="100%">You're shopping for groceries. Out of the blue your heart starts to race, your knees feel week, you feel like you can't breathe, like you might be having a heart attack. You wonder if you're losing your mind -- but you're not. You're having a panic attack.
About 1 in 4 people have had at least one panic attack during their lives, yet few like to admit it. Because panic manifests through physical symptoms that can mimic a heart attack, a lot of people feel shame when they go to the ER and find there's nothing wrong with them. In the absence of a test that defines panic, a lot of people worry they might be losing their mind.
Also this hour: Panic ensued in Times Square in early August when a motorcycle backfired. Fear of being caught in the crossfire of gun shots has led to a collective panic of loud noises in public places.
GUESTS:
Geraldine DeRuiter - Writer, public speaker and the author of All Over the Place: Adventures in Travel, True Love, and Petty Theft. Her blog is titled, The "Everywhereist."
Jacques Lamarre - Connecticut-based playwright and director of client services at BuzzEngine
Cara McDonough - Freelance writer who writes for several publications, including the Washington Post. Her blog is titled, “Caramcduna.”
David Tolin - Director, Anxiety Disorders Center & Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Institute of Living
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/6/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Has Pretty Much Always Hoped Someone Would Rename It
The raft of renaming going on right now obviously hasn't spared popular culture. The Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum are now The Chicks and Lady A, respectively. Björk's record label changed its name. Democrats want to rename John Wayne Airport. FedEx has formally asked the Washington Redskins to change their name, and Guilford's board of education voted to drop the town's "Indians" nickname. And, while Splash Mountain is going to keep being called Splash Mountain, it won't be based on Song of the South anymore.
And: The King of Staten Island is the sixth feature film directed by Judd Apatow. It stars Pete Davidson (who also co-wrote the movie with Apatow and Dave Sirus) as a 24-year-old high school dropout who lives with his mother on Staten Island. It's available for rental on digital platforms.
Some other stuff that happened over the last month, give or take:
Carl Reiner, Comedy Legend and 'Dick Van Dyke Show' Creator, Dies at 98
Joel Schumacher, Director of Batman Films and 'Lost Boys,' Dies at 80
Hugh Downs, Perennial Small-Screen Fixture, Is Dead at 99A longtime host of both "Today" and "20/20," for many years he held the Guinness-certified record for most total hours on commercial network television.
Legendary Batman writer, Denny O'Neil dies at age 81
Benny Mardones, 'Into the Night' Singer-Songwriter, Dead at 73
At 99, Al Jaffee Says Goodbye to Mad MagazineAs a send-off for the cartoonist, the satirical publication has prepared an all-Jaffee issue that includes his final Fold-In.
Olivia de Havilland, the Last Remaining Star of Old Hollywood, Turns 104
The Long Battle Over 'Gone With the Wind'The 1939 blockbuster once symbolized the ultimate in mass entertainment. But African-Americans have protested against it from the start, even if white America didn't want to hear it.
The Gentlemanly Hater's Guide to Gone With the WindThe Hollywood classic is a soap opera and a war movie smashed together. It’s also really, really racist.
'Jaws' Is Still Devouring Us. SOS!In 1975, this thriller freaked out the world, scaring us out of the water and creating the summer-blockbuster template. It was also a warning.
'Back To The Future' At 35: Looking Back On The Movie That Made America Great Again
Heads Up, Hollywood: Agents Can Vote For Oscars Now
Academy delays 2021 Oscars ceremony because of coronavirus
Broadway Will Remain Closed Through the Rest of the YearThe industry has not yet set a reopening date, but said it would now refund tickets through Jan. 3.
Chuck E. Cheese Files for Bankruptcy
Walmart Will Convert Parking Lots Into Drive-Ins This Summer, Teams with Tribeca For Touring Screening Series
'The Trip to Greece' tops New Zealand box office as cinemas return to full capacity
Unsubscribe: The $0-budget movie that 'topped the US box office'
Bob Dylan Has a Lot on His MindIn a rare interview, the Nobel Prize winner discusses mortality, drawing inspiration from the past, and his new album, "Rough and Rowdy Ways."
Jon Stewart Is Back to Weigh In
The end of credits: why doesn't Netflix want us to watch them?The end credits are an unsexy but important part of the experience -- but streaming platforms seem to be interested only in getting us to the next piece of content
A Redditor Revealed He Left His Wife Over His Funko Pops Collection And People On Twitter Had Thoughts"$500 a month?! How many Funko Pops is that? Where do you put all the Funkos?!"
Batman Returns! Michael Keaton in Talks to Play Bruce Wayne in 'The Flash' MovieThat plot will introduce general audiences to the idea of the multiverse, one of the of core concepts underpinning DC Comics
Producer Effie Brown: "People Didn't Want to Work With Me" After Calling Out Matt Damon on 'Project Greenlight' Diversity Issues
Black Performers and Other Minority Alums of The Second City and The UCB Join Forces, Asking Their Theaters To Do better
Many newsrooms are now capitalizing the B in Black. Here are some of the people who made that happenIt took years of work behind the scenes, both with the Associated Press and despite seemingly sacred style rules.
NFL To Play Black National Anthem Before Week One Games, Considers Placing Police Violence Victims' Names on Jerseys, Helmets
Jeremy Piven Is Available For A Zoom Call If You Have A Spare... $15,000?!
A 'Reimagined' Beavis and Butt-Head Is Coming to Comedy Central
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - A music writer for the Red Hook Star Revue
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
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.
7/3/2020 • 49 minutes
Poker Mirrors Life: Part Skill, Lots Of Luck
Maria Konnikova, best-selling New York Times author and a regular contributor to The New Yorker, has long been interested in understanding the balance between skill and luck. How much of her life could she take credit for and how much was the luck of her draw? So, she took a year away from work to become a professional poker player.
What better way to learn how skill and luck play out in life than by learning the game that best balances these two competing forces? Unlike the pure chance of roulette or the mathematical precision of chess, poker finely balances chance and skill, particularly the game of no limit Texas Hold'em.
How can we use poker to help us strengthen our hand against Covid-19 and the economic downturn? How do we make the best of a bad hand?
GUEST:
Maria Konnikova is a New York Times best-selling author, journalist, and professional poker player. Her newest book is The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned To Pay Attention, Master Myself, And Win. She is a regularly contributing writer for The New Yorker (@mkonnikova)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/2/2020 • 49 minutes
Wild And Crazy Guys
Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, John Belushi, John Candy, Rick Moranis.
Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Beverly Hills Cop, Caddyshack, The Jerk, Ghost Busters, ¡Three Amigos!, Funny Farm, Spaceballs, Stripes.
We maybe didn't properly appreciate it at the time, but the 1980s were one of the most fertile periods ever for screen comedies and screen comedians.
This hour, a look at the mavericks who shaped a whole comedy aesthetic and at some of the most popular movie comedies ever made.
GUESTS:
Nick de Semlyen - Features editor for Empire and the author of Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the '80s Changed Hollywood Forever
Daniel Kalwhite - A standup comedian based in New Haven
Carolyn Paine - A standup comedian, an actress, and a dancer
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show, which originally aired July 11, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/1/2020 • 50 minutes
You Are Your Safest Sex Partner: Sex And Coronavirus
Your sex life doesn't have to suffer just because you're cooped up at home every day. Researchers say that sex is a healthy way to calm the anxiety of pandemic, even if you live alone. Virtual dating, masturbation, and coronavirus-related porn are more popular than ever.
Some sex researchers think our desire for sex in the middle of a pandemic is one way we cope with the prospect of our own mortality. But not everyone reacts in the same way. Some lose their desire for sex, especially when you pile on added stressors like losing a job, having kids home from school, or working in a higher-risk job.
Also this hour: How will coronavirus change the way we think about touching others?
We take a look at sex, dating, and relationships in the shadow of coronavirus.
GUESTS:
Justin Lehmiller - A research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, the founder and editor of the Sex and Psychology blog, and the author of Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life
Lisa Bonos- Writes about dating and relationships for the Washington Post
Amy Weissfeld - A somatic sex educator and masturbation coach
Cathrine Jansson-Boyd - A consumer psychologist at Anglia Ruskin University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, Catie Talarski, Gene Amatruda, TJ Coppola, and Joe Coss contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2020 • 49 minutes
Coronavirus Is Surging; Tax Refunds Will Be Delayed; Fireworks Inspire Conspiracy Theories
There are just over 10 million cases of coronavirus globally and almost 500,000 deaths. U.S. deaths recently rose to 125,000.
Yet, the Trump Administration continues to downplay the seriousness of this pandemic. The White House Coronavirus Task Force met Friday for the first time in two months, with Vice-President Pence acknowledging the surge in several states but insisting, "We're in a much better place," than we were two months ago.
Also this hour: The estimated backlog of unopened mail at the IRS is about eleven million. And that doesn't include the one million pieces of mail that continue to come in every day. It may take a while to get your tax refund.
Lastly, fireworks are a rite of summer. In this summer of pandemic, police brutality, and overall mistrust, fireworks have attracted darker conspiracies.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Katz is a Professor and Director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University Medical Center. (@rebeccakatz5)
Kelly Phillips Erb is a managing shareholder at the Erb Law Firm, a Senior Contributor at Forbes, regular columnist for Bloomberg Tax, and author of the “Taxgirl” blog. (@taxgirl)
Kaitlyn Tiffany is a staff writer for The Atlantic. (@kait_tiffany)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2020 • 49 minutes
Long Live The Movie Musical
The movie musical died a long, slow death a long time ago. Right?
Well, except that there's La La Land. And Moana. And The Greatest Showman and A Star Is Born and Mary Poppins Returns. Oh, and Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. And Frozen II and The Lion King and Aladdin.
Those are just from the last five years. And I could keep going, but then I might forget to mention that Steven Spielberg's version of West Side Story is scheduled to come out this year or that the Hamilton movie comes out next week.
This hour, a long look at the long-dead movie musical. Long live the movie musical.
GUESTS:
Jeanine Basinger - Founder of the Department of Film Studies at Wesleyan University and the author of twelve books on film; her latest is The Movie Musical!
Steve Metcalf - Director of the University of Hartford's Presidents' College
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 5, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/25/2020 • 50 minutes
How Are You? It's So Nice Outside Today; A Great Day For Our Show On Small Talk
It's nice to meet you! How do you like it here in Connecticut?
Small talk is both the bane of our existence and essential in our existential quest to understand our place in the world.
Whether you like it or hate it may depend, in part, on whether you like speech that establishes and maintains relationships or speech that provides information.
We talk to a humorist, writing teacher, meteorologist, and philosopher about small talk. And we want to hear about your small talk stories.
GUESTS:
Alexandra Petri - A columnist for The Washington Post, a punning champion, and the author of Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Garett Argianas - A forensic meteorologist and Connecticut Public Radio's weather forecaster
Agnes Callard - Associate professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago, monthly columnist for The Point magazine, and a contributor to The New York Times
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 4, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/24/2020 • 49 minutes
The Wonder Of Termites (Yep, That's What I Said)
Nobody likes termites. They get into the wood in our homes and can lead to infuriating and expensive repairs. What's to like?
It turns out, there's a lot to like termites. Scientists study how they build their mounds for clues to solving some of the world's most pressing problems, like mitigating the effects of drought, building colonies on Mars, and creating biofuels.
Plus, their ability to adapt to the harshest conditions over millions of years says a lot about them. Almost 90% of the microbes found in their guts are unique to the termite. Those same gut microbes are what make them so productive and, on the flip side, so destructive.
Lastly, some believe termites work with joy and have a soul. You be the judge.
GUESTS:
Jennifer Dacey - An entomologist and a wildlife biologist and integrated pest management technician in the UConn Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture
Lisa Margonelli - Author of Underbug: An Obsessive Tale of Termites and Technology
Mick Pearce - An architect
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired August 29, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/24/2020 • 50 minutes
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Humans typically make enough collective noise to keep the earth vibrating at a steady hum. But the pandemic has quieted that hum enough to let seismologists study the vibrations that can be hard to detect in the din of our noise.
The world is eerily silent now, showing us how accustomed we have become to cacophony of loud sound in our lives. We're hardwired to focus on the sounds we need to hear and tune out those we don't. It's hard to notice what we miss when cars and horns and other noisemakers compete for our sonic attention.
And we don't always notice how loud it is until it's quiet.
Today, an ode to the sound we take for granted, including the soothing sound of another human voice on the telephone. Yep, that's what I said. The telephone.
GUESTS:
David Owen is a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of more than a dozen books. His newest book is Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World
Chris Hoff is a sound engineer and co-creator with Sam Harnett, of the podcast, "The World According to Sound." (@chrisjameshoff)
Sam Harnett is a reporter and co-creator with Chris Hoff, of the podcast, "The World According to Sound." (@samwharnett)
Heather Radke is a writer and critic. Her work has appeared in The Believer, The Paris Review Daily, and RadioLab, among others. Her book, BUTTS, will be published in 2021. (@hradke)
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/23/2020 • 49 minutes
After We Die, Our Dust Will Live Forever
Dust is a fascinating substance. Our bodies are always shedding dust from our skin, hair, and nails, leaving little bits of DNA wherever we roam. Dust floats unseen through the air around us. It's light. It's hard to see unless it lands on a contrasting surface or crosses the path of a ray of sunshine. It can travel far and wide.
Earth collects more than 100 tons of cosmic dust a day. A speck of it might be in your rug. The unseen dust deeply embedded in our homes over many years becomes an archive of every "geochemical" substance that's ever entered our home.
All of history is recorded in the dust we create: the pollution we make, the fires we start, the chemicals we use, the volcanos that erupt. Scientists can learn about the Roman Empire through the dust that has been compressed each year for thousands of years into layers of ice sheets in Greenland.
Today, we talk about the science and politics of dust. We also talk to a cleaning expert who will take your questions about dust and an artist who makes dust bunnies--bunnies sculptures from dust.
GUESTS:
Jay Owens - Geographer and research director at Pulsar Platform. She writes a newsletter about dust she calls, “Disturbances.” (@hautepop)
Jolie Kerr - Cleaning expert and advice columnist for The Inventory and the host of the podcast “Ask a Clean Person.” She’s also the author of My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag...and Other Things You Can't Ask Martha. She’s the resident cleaning expert for the New York Times. (@joliekerr)
Suzanne Proulx - Artist, sculpture and Assistant Professor, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/22/2020 • 49 minutes
Learning How To Breathe
Scientists say humans don't know how to breathe very well. We don't breathe deep enough, we breathe too much, and we breathe through our mouths instead of our noses. Our bad breathing can lead to conditions that we don't typically associate with the way we breathe, such as asthma.
We can't take all the blame. The tradeoff of humans evolving to have bigger brains hundreds of thousands of years ago, is that our brains squeezed our noses, sinuses, tongues, and jaws into smaller spaces. That's why humans are the only species of 5,400 mammals to have misaligned jaws, overbites, underbites, and crooked teeth.
We inhale and exhale about 25,000 breaths per day, but we don't think about how we're breathing or how it makes us feel until COVID-19 and police brutality make it hard to breathe.
We're finally paying attention.
The science, art, and politics of breathing.
GUESTS:
James Nestor - A journalist and author; his most recent book is Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
Dahlia Lithwick - A senior editor for Slate and the host of Amicus
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.
6/18/2020 • 49 minutes
Our (9th Or) 10th (Almost) Annual Song Of The Summer Show
We've done this show every year since 2013. We almost certainly didn't do it 2012. But we did in 2011. And there's good circumstantial evidence that we did it in 2010 too, but no actual record of that possibly inaugural episode survives.
Point is: Our song of the summer show is a bit of a tradition. It's a tradition that... makes some people angry, we realize. It's a tradition that we're not sure has ever made anyone happy.
And that all has to do with how we define the term. 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.
And so, our job here is to try to predict a thing that you and your mom will agree on like three months from now.
Try not to get too annoyed with us.
GUESTS:
Abby Govindan - A standup comedian based in New York City
Sam Hadelman - Host of The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn
Brendan Jay Sullivan - A writer, producer, and DJ best known for his work with Lady Gaga
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.
6/17/2020 • 41 minutes, 59 seconds
Understanding Hierarchies In Nature And Society
Social structures, in almost all cases, are defined by some form of hierarchy. Whether in academics, sports, religion, business, or politics, there's usually someone at the top and others whose goal it is to get there. But while it's easy to think that we've designed our world to be this way, the truth may be that we had no choice.
Among our primate ancestors and other social animals we can see similar hierarchies in place: Alpha males dominating the troop while subordinates fall in line, pecking orders among various birds and dominance hierarchies among wolf packs. Even insects such as bees and termites form their own systems of social ranking.
Are hierarchies mandated by evolution? Is there something in nature -- in our genes, even -- which gives rise to the stratified society we live in? Though it sounds like a notion proposed by those with power in defense of their rank, the reality is that it may be a hard truth of human nature.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
GUESTS:
Melvyn Fein - Professor of Sociology at Kennesaw State University, editor of The Journal of Public and Professional Sociology, author of Human Hierarchies: A General Theory
Christopher Boehm - Professor of Biological Sciences and Anthropology, former Director of The Goodall Research Center at The University of Southern California Dornsife, author of Hierarchy in the Forest: The Evolution of Egalitarian Behavior
Steven A. Peterson - Director of the School of Public Affairs at Penn State Harrisburg, focusing on the intersection of biology and politics, co-author of Darwinism, Dominance and Democracy
MUSIC:
“Hierarchy” by The Noisettes
“High School Hierarchy” by Alexander Tso
“I’m In Charge” by Dee Jones
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/16/2020 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
A Nerding Out About Clouds
No one likes a cloudy sky. A cloud on the horizon is seen as a harbinger of doom. We feel like clouds need to have silver linings.
But here's our thesis: Clouds are unfairly maligned.
Consider this: From almost any vantage point (literally — any vantage point in the universe), clouds are planet Earth's defining characteristic.
They're what changes, what moves. They're what's going on on our pale blue dot.
Clouds are, after all, the vehicle that spreads the sun's energy across the planet, an "expression of the atmosphere's moods."
This hour, an appreciation of clouds.
GUESTS:
Gavin Pretor-Pinney - Founder of The Cloud Appreciation Society, author of The Cloudspotter's Guide and The Cloud Collector's Handbook
David Romps - Assistant professor of Earth & Planetary Science at the University of California, Berkeley; runs The Romps Group, which studies clouds and climate
Karolina Sobecka - An interdisciplinary artist and designer whose work has focused repeatedly on clouds
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show, which originally aired on July 6, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/15/2020 • 50 minutes
Not Necessarily The Nose: 36 Years Of The Coen Brothers
No Country for Old Men. Fargo. The Big Lebowski. Raising Arizona. Barton Fink. Miller's Crossing. Blood Simple. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
Over the past 36 years, Joel and Ethan Coen have reliably been among the most recognizable voices in moviemaking.
This hour: a Noseish look at the work of the Coen brothers.
GUESTS:
Tom Breen - Film critic and the host of WNHH radio's Deep Focus
Skip Lievsay - Sound editor, mixer, and designer for film and television; he won the Academy Award for Best Achievement in Sound Mixing for Gravity, and he's done the sound on every Coen brothers picture
Adam Nayman - The author of The Coen Brothers: This Book Really Ties the Films Together
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show, which originally aired November 21, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/11/2020 • 50 minutes
Do You Speak Corona?
It took two years for the word AIDS to get from coinage to dictionary. It took COVID-19 thirty-four days. The pandemic has inspired a thousand new or repurposed words, slang, nicknames, and neologisms.
It has changed the way we speak.
We made technical medical language part of everyday conversation. We created new words to describe emotions that had no words. We repurposed old words or combined two words to express a way of life we never expected. Lockdowns. WFH. Pancession. Doomscrolling.
We made phrases to unite us, others to make us laugh, and some to explain our confusion. Workers became essential and advertisers made them heroes.
Do you speak Corona?
GUESTS:
Peter Sokolowski is a lexicographer and editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster; he's also a musician and public radio jazz host at NEPR, and he's the author of a chapter in The Whole World in a Book (@PeterSokowski)
Tony Horne is a linguist, lexicographer, and a language consultant in the faculty of Arts and Humanities, at King’s College, London (@tonythorne007)
Justin Peters is a correspondent for Slate and the author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet (@justintrevett)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/11/2020 • 49 minutes
Sports In The Time After (But Kind Of Still During) Corona
The leagues are working in earnest toward starting back up. The NBA has a plan. Major League Baseball can't seem to work one out. Major League Soccer might beat them both back onto the field.
How is this all going to work? What are sports going to look like when they start playing games again? Should they start playing games again?
Plus: One of the ways we've dealt with a sportsless world these last few months -- betting on esports.
And, in case you didn't know there were multiple crises on at once: a look at sports in the time of protest.
GUESTS:
Marc Carig - Senior writer for The Athletic, where he covers Major League Baseball
Ben Cohen - Sports reporter for The Wall Street Journal and the author of The Hot Hand: The Mystery and Science of Streaks
Seth Schiesel A freelance writer for The New York Times and Protocol
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/10/2020 • 49 minutes
The Facts And The Fiction Of Pandemic
A group of health officials gathered in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss infectious disease learn that forty-seven people at an internment camp in Indonesia have died from acute hemorrhagic fever.
This is how Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright, begins his new novel that in many ways, predicts the pandemic we're currently experiencing. He joins us to talk about it.
Before we get to the fiction of pandemic, we speak with an epidemiologist about the reality of our current pandemic.
GUESTS:
Michael Mina is an assistant professor of epidemiology and faculty member at the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (@michaelmina_lab)
Lawrence Wright is an author, screenwriter, playwright, and a staff writer for The New Yorker. His book, The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 2007. His most recent book is The End of October, a novel about a pandemic. (@lawrence_wright)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/8/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Doesn't Know A Frog's Ribbit About Those Things
We've all seen any number of emails and Tweets and Facebook posts this week from companies supporting protests and the like. Entertainment industry firms have jumped on that bandwagon too, but The Washington Post's Alyssa Rosenberg has a different idea about how those particular players might be able to help: by shutting down all the police movies and TV shows.
And: Comedian Sarah Cooper has found an elegant, perhaps surprisingly effective way to lampoon the president. She just lip syncs to his own words.
And finally: The Vast of Night is the feature film debut of writer and director Andrew Patterson. He financed its $700,000 budget himself, and after its premiere at last year's Slamdance Film Festival, Amazon acquired it. The Twilight Zone-style sci-fi mystery debuted on Amazon Prime last weekend.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Christo, Artist Who Wrapped and Festooned on an Epic Scale, Dies at 84Mountains, museums, bridges and Central Park were just some of what he used to make astonishing and popular art with his wife and collaborator, Jeanne-Claude.
Bruce Jay Friedman, 90, Author With a Darkly Comic Worldview, DiesAn unusual case in American letters, he moved easily between literature and pop culture, including movies like "Stir Crazy" and "Splash," to great acclaim.
The Remaking of Steve BuscemiSteve Buscemi has seen it all. He was hit by a car and a bus as a kid, was once stabbed in a bar fight, volunteered as a firefighter during 9/11, and somewhere along the way became one of the most accomplished film actors of his generation. And then tragedy struck: In 2019, Buscemi lost his wife of over 30 years. In a rare interview, Hollywood's most beloved misfit opens up about anxiety, loss, and the hard work of getting through it all.
Why Your Local Comics Shop Matters Now More Than Ever
Feeling Lucky at 90: The Clint Eastwood Passion ProjectOne of Hollywood's most enduring icons enters his 10th decade on the planet this week. After more than 50 films, 38 directed by the man himself, what's left to say about Clint Eastwood? Two fans look at old favorites and a few less heralded works to paint a picture of sustained, often unpredictable artistry.
Necco Wafers make their triumphant return 2 years after the factory that made them closed its doors
HBO's 'Watchmen' Was Ahead of its Time -- By 9 Months
GUESTS:
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
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.
6/5/2020 • 49 minutes
The World (Kind Of) Without Us (For A Little While)
In 2007, journalist Alan Weisman published The World Without Us. It was an international bestseller. The book tries to answer what is ultimately a simple question: What happens to the Earth if human beings disappear? Here's how Weisman puts it in the book: "Say a Homo sapiens-specific virus -- natural or diabolically nano-engineered -- picks us off but leaves everything else intact." Then what?
And over these last few months, we've gotten maybe a fraction of a percentage point there. Temporarily. Maybe not directly because of coronavirus, but indirectly because of our absence and scarceness due to stay-at-home orders and the like. And so... then what?
Well, goats "took over" a town in Wales. Wild boar "invaded" a town near Barcelona. Salamanders "own the road" in Maine. And the air got cleaner and the night sky got clearer.
And so it follows: Now what?
GUESTS:
Beth Gardiner - Author of Choked: Life and Breath in the Age of Air Pollution
Brandon Keim - A freelance journalist specializing in animals, nature, and science
Alan Weisman - The author of six books including The World Without Us
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.
6/4/2020 • 49 minutes
What Could Be Wrong? I Don't See What's Wrong.
When did the horrors that once seemed unthinkable become commonplace?
We're in the throes of a global pandemic. People protesting a police officer who kept his knee on a black man's neck for over eight minutes, two minutes beyond when he lost consciousness, were tear gassed to make room for a photo op for President Trump.
But relax. Nothing is wrong, or at least that's what we're told by a president who thinks this is a wonderful time to be alive. There is no climate change (even though we'll soon see water where there once was land). The pandemic will go away any minute now. There'll be a wonderful vaccine soon (different from all the others I pan). In the meantime, we can take a very (un)safe drug that works miracles if we get infected. The underlying economy is great (except for the 40 million currently unemployed), and I'm the most stable of geniuses.
GUEST:
Alexandra Petri - Columnist for The Washington Post; her new book is Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why: Essays (@petridishes)
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.
6/3/2020 • 49 minutes
Something Different Is Happening. Do You Feel It?
Something different is happening in America at this moment. Do you feel it? We want to hear from you. Call us during our live show Tuesday, from 1 to 2 p.m., at 888-720-9677 or 888-720-WNPR.
People across America are protesting the same police brutality against black Americans that never seems to stop.
America has suffered more deaths from COVID-19 than any other nation, and we still don't have a federal plan to deal with it, despite the efforts of health care workers and scientists.
President Trump had threatened to deploy the military if the state officials he first felt the need to denigrate couldn't control the looting in their locales. He proceeded to order the police to use tear gas and flash grenades to disperse peaceful protesters so that he could pose in front of a burned church with a Bible in his hand.
Let's not forget the President's efforts to disenfranchise the same voters he's gassing by trying to prevent them from voting in November.
Are we finally at a turning point where we can no longer tolerate the lies and cruelty of the last three years?
GUEST:
Lawrence Douglas - Author of Will He Go? Trump and the Looming Electoral Meltdown in 2020
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/2/2020 • 50 minutes
The Convergence Of A Pandemic, Police Brutality And Racism
The pandemic has laid bare how racism in housing, education, employment, and access to health care, disproportionately hurts Black Americans more than White Americans and leads to police brutality against people the police are supposed to protect.
The country is reacting against both the trauma and rage from sustained racism and frustration over a pandemic we can't control. Will the outcry finally lead to lasting change or will we focus on "riots" instead of the underlying problem?
Most states have begun to reopen and many Americans shed their masks and social distancing and their concerns about the virus. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security. The virus hasn't gone away and there's no evidence that warm weather will make it disappear.
GUESTS:
Alan Dove is a science journalist with a Ph.D in microbiology, a podcaster, blogger, and a co-host of the podcast "This Week in Virology" (@alandove)
Marcus Thompson II is a lead columnist at The Athletic and the author of the biography Golden: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry (@ThompsonScribe)
Danielle Kilgo is an assistant professor of journalism in The Media School at Indiana University. She focuses on media coverage of social justice issues and protests.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Is Culturally Confident
Hannah Gadsby has been a prominent comedian in Australia for going on 15 years. In America, though, she arrived seemingly from nowhere in 2018 with a Netflix special called Nanette, which won a Peabody and an Emmy. Douglas is Gadsby's follow-up Netflix special. It's, as she calls it, her "difficult second album that is also [her] tenth and some people's first."
And: I Know This Much Is True is a six-part HBO miniseries set in Connecticut and based on the Wally Lamb novel of the same name. Mark Ruffalo plays two twin brothers, one who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and one who doesn't. Three episodes have aired so far.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Top Sheets Are The LITERAL [...] WORST — Here's WhyOh sheet.
Crocs Are Back In Style. And Not Just Because of Coronavirus.Stay-at-home adults are wearing the comfy shoes. So are young shoppers who want to be seen. 'They are the Nickelback of footwear.'
Yankee Stadium Is Being Turned Into a Drive-in Concert and Movie Venue This SummerEnjoy the fun of a festival from the safety of your car.
The fate of the summer movie season rests on one Christopher Nolan filmHis new film 'Tenet' is seen as a test of whether, and how, Americans can return to movie theaters after the coronavirus shutdowns end
The game that ate the world: 40 facts on Pac-Man's 40th birthdayThe iconic maze chase has been played billions of times, created one of the 80s' strangest sex symbols, stupefied Martin Amis -- and is now enshrined in a leading art museum
Will the coronavirus pandemic open the door to a four-day workweek?When New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern floated the idea of a four-day workweek, an audience outside the country took notice.
GUESTS:
Cara McDonough - A freelance writer; you can read her blog at caramcduna.com
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
5/29/2020 • 49 minutes
Between Two Worlds: The Liminal Nature Of Life During Crises
As the world waits for an end to Covid-19, billions of people find themselves betwixt and between two realities: The pre-pandemic reality we knew, and the post-pandemic reality that is yet to come. As author and Professor of Theology Shelly Rambo wrote in the wake of hurricane Katrina, "Life as it once was cannot be retrieved,... life ahead cannot be envisioned."
On today's show we'll explore the concept of crisis liminality and examine ways in which people are trying to cope with the unknown. We'll also speak with experts about the myriad of possible changes that may arise from this liminal state. We will emerge from this crisis changed; for the better or worse remains to be seen.
GUESTS:
Blanka Domagalska - Lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design teaching courses on product Design, with expertise in art history, media and cultural theory, philosophy and aesthetic liminality
Leysia Palen - Professor of Computer Science, as well as Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Information Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. She’s also a leader in the field of crisis informatics
Gerd Leonhard - Futurist, speaker and author of several books including Technology vs. Humanity: The Coming Clash Between Man and Machine
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/28/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
An Hour With An Old Friend
Shortly after the pandemic shifted our weekday work scenario from one of shared space and bursts of spontaneous conversation, to one hour-long weekly Zoom meeting, Colin shared his urge to sit down with a few old friends to talk about life in the shadow of a pandemic.
We take for granted the small connections we make every day, including how good it can feel to talk to a stranger, let alone friends and colleagues.
Today, Susan Campbell and Colin get together (by Zoom) to talk about life, pain, and keeping faith amid the successive shockwaves of 9/11, the 2016 election, and a global pandemic. (and some fun stuff too)
GUESTS:
Susan Campbell is a journalist, columnist, and a distinguished lecturer at the University of New Haven. She’s the author of Dating Jesus: A Story of Fundamentalism, Feminism and the American Girl; Tempest-Tossed: The Spirit of Isabella Beecher Hooker; and, most recently, Frog Hollow: Stories from an American Neighborhood. (@campbellsl)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/27/2020 • 49 minutes
The Virus Is Still Here. The Only Thing That's Changed Is That We're Reopening.
The U.S. is on track to reach 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 this week. Yet, most states began reopening last week using data that may be undercounting how many people are currently infected.
The reopening of some businesses and activities is a step that can lull us to believe that this pandemic is almost behind us. That would be a mistake. The only thing that's changed since March is that we have isolated ourselves from each other enough to let the sick get well before more well people get sick.
The virus will continue to infect us - and we'll infect each other - faster than we can control it if we stop wearing masks or socially distancing.
A vaccine may not emerge for a long time. We can't jump over the scientific obstacles to getting one, no matter how much the President promotes "Operation Warp Speed."
We talk with an epidemiologist and a former musician turned physician, who will talk about his shift from artist to healer. They're not that different.
GUESTS:
Gregg Gonsalves is the codirector of the Global Health Justice Partnership at Yale Law School and an assistant professor of epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health. He also writes a weekly series for The Nation. (@gregggonsalves)
Hugh Blumenfeld is a family physician in Hartford. He's also a singer/songwriter, a former English professor, and Connecticut's 7th State Troubadour.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/26/2020 • 49 minutes
An Hour With America's Greatest Living Film Critic
Today, in lieu of The Nose, an hour with America's Greatest Living Film Critic, David Edelstein.
GUEST:
David Edelstein - America's Greatest Living Film Critic
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.
5/22/2020 • 49 minutes
Masks Maketh The Man (Women And Lions Too)
Who would have guessed a face mask would become the latest cultural symbol of our identity, one more way to express our politics, our sense of style, and our deepest beliefs in what it means to be American.
Whether you wear a mask might depend less on the science behind the advice, and more on how you view society - are we in this together or is it each (wo)man for him or herself.
The mask has become a fashion statement, a staple of our daily attire as we adapt to the reality masks are likely here to stay. We may as well look good while we're going through it. Unless, you're a member of Congress. Fashion designers and DIY sewers are upping the style, many directing surplus to areas of shortage.
Masks are even part of the politics of religion. In one case, ancient mummy masks were destroyed as part of a scam to try and rewrite the history of Christianity. We'll explain.
We have bogged down the once simple face mask with the weight of our human frailties. I hope they don't split at the seams.
GUESTS:
Ryan Lizza is Chief Washington Correspondent for Politico and a senior political analyst at CNN. He’s writing a book about 2020 with Olivia Nuzzi. (@RyanLizza)
Robin Givhan is fashion critic for The Washington Post. She’s the author of The Battle of Versailles: The Night American Fashion Stumbled into the Spotlight and Made History. (@RobinGivhan)
Ariel Sabar is an award-winning journalist and author. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Smithsonian Magazine. His latest book is Veritas: A Harvard Professor, A Con Man, And the Gospel of Jesus’s Wife. (@arielsabar)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/20/2020 • 49 minutes
How Creating A Color Created A Controversy
Nyctophiliacs rejoice! The color you know and love (black) is now blacker than ever before. And never mind that black is not technically a color. The point is that as you were traipsing through graveyards and reveling under the night sky, scientists were busy inventing two new shades which are so dark they'd make Wednesday Adams reach for a flashlight.
But while Vanta black and Black 3.2 are undoubtedly achievements to be celebrated, they did not come without controversy. Indeed, the feud over who could use the blackest substance on Earth soon had the tempers of some artists running red hot. Can a color even be owned? As it turns out, yes!
This hour, we speak with a historian of the color black as well as the creator of one of these remarkable new shades. We'll also speak with a scientist on the other end of the color-creating spectrum about a brand new ultra-white that'll soon be brightening our lives in strange new ways.
GUESTS:
Stuart Semple - Contemporary British artist and creator of several unique colors including PINK, the world's pinkest pink paint, and most recently Black 3.2, the world's blackest paint
John Harvey - Life fellow and former director of studies in English at Emmanuel College at Cambridge University; art critic and author of many books, including Men In Black, The Story of Black, and the 2020 U.K. Booker prize-nominated Pax
Silvia Vignolini - Associate professor at the University of Cambridge in chemistry and bio-inspired materials; lead researcher and creator of a new, ultra-white coating modeled on the scales of the Cyphochilus beetle
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired February 19, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2020 • 50 minutes
Searching For The Holy Grail Of COVID-19
Connecticut will reopen some businesses on May 20, as coronavirus-related hospitalizations continue to decrease.
This may be good news for business owners and unemployed workers, and for those looking for a glimmer of light at the end of a long tunnel.
It may be scary for people with greater risk for having severe illness from COVID-19 and front-line workers with greater exposure.
The bottom line is that we still don't fully understand this virus. And, not all of the 40 states set to reopen are prepared to scale up the testing, tracing, and isolating necessary to prevent a spike in the curve.
We must remain vigilant in the absence of a vaccine, and the lag time it will take for a spike to emerge.
We talk with a virologist about the search for a vaccine and an emergency doctor about the risks of reopening too early. We want to hear from you too. Call us at 888-720-9677 or 888-720-WNPR.
GUESTS:
Brianne Barker - Associate professor of biology at Drew University and a co-host of the podcast This Week in Virology (@bioprofbarker)
Leana Wen - An emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University; she previously served as Baltimore's health commissioner and is a contributing columnist for The Washington Post (@DrLeanaWen)
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.
5/18/2020 • 49 minutes, 1 second
The Nose Wants To Go To Dreamland
Twitter announced on Tuesday that its employees who can work from home can continue to work from home -- for forever, if they want. One wonders how many companies will follow suit -- and how employees will feel about such an arrangement.
And: Ryan Murphy is the showrunner behind things like Nip/Tuck, Glee, American Horror Story, 9-1-1, and The Politician. In 2018, Murphy signed the largest development deal in the history of television with Netflix. His new miniseries, Hollywood, is the second project to come out of that deal.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Little Richard, Founding Father of Rock Who Broke Musical Barriers, Dead at 87Pianist-singer behind "Tutti Frutti," "Good Golly Miss Molly," and "Long Tall Sally" set the template that a generation of musicians would follow
Column: Will the new coronavirus kill spitting in sports?
The pandemic has reminded us: We don't need more sports in our lives -- we need less
Robot dogs are patrolling Singapore parks telling people to socially distance
How Analog Clocks Can Give Us More by Giving Us Less
Nearly Half of Men Say They Do Most of the Home Schooling. 3 Percent of Women Agree.
New Banksy art unveiled at hospital to thank doctors, nurses
Contact-Free Movie Theaters Being Tested in South Korea
Solstice Studios' Russell Crowe Road Rage Thriller 'Unhinged' To Be First Film Back In Movie Theaters July 1
'Hamilton' Movie Will Stream on Disney Plus on July 3In a surprise move, the film of the original Broadway production is being released 15 months early.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 are being remastered for PS4, Xbox One, and PCTwo classics in one package
A million people are pretending to be ants on Facebook -- and it could be therapeuticMore than 18,000 Facebook users responded to a post of ants on ice cream, writing comments like, "NOM," "SLURP" and "LIFT.TO.THE.QUEEN."
Ex-Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga wants MLB to recognize 2010 perfect game, overturn blown call
Bob Dylan Cancels U.S. Summer Tour in 'Interest of Public Health and Safety'"We hope to be back out on the road at the earliest possible time," he says
Inside HBO Max, the $4 Billion Bet to Stand Out in the Streaming Wars
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
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.
5/15/2020 • 49 minutes
Holy Bats In A Pandemic!
Bats get a bad rap. People are afraid of animals that tap into our deepest fears and revulsions. Bats aren't cuddly, they fly at night, have big eyes that can’t see, and conjure creepy images of vampires who steal the blood of the unsuspecting as they sleep.
Their role in the pandemic hasn’t made them more popular. Most scientists who study the genomes of bat viruses believe the horseshoe bat played a role in transmitting the virus from an animal to a human host. People encroaching on animal habitats and handling wildlife they shouldn't touch is way more likely to cause a pandemic than the animal who was minding its own business.
But fear of bats and disease has led to violence and destruction of bat colonies worldwide. They're vital for pest control, pollination, and seed dispersal. Bats also live a long time, have highly efficient immune systems, and are social creatures that share blood with "friends" and adopt orphans.
Bats once impressed one dentist so much that he got the U.S. government to support a plan to use bats to bomb Japan during World War II.
GUESTS:
Jonathan Epstein is a veterinarian, disease ecologist and the Vice President for Science and Outreach for EcoHealth Alliance. His work has been published in Science, Nature, and Emerging Infectious Diseases, among others. (@epsteinjon)
Merlin Tuttle is an ecologist, wildlife photographer, and bat conservationist. He’s the founder of Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation and a research fellow at the University of Texas.
Cara Giaimo is a freelance writer. She spent three years as a staff writer at Atlas Obscura, and now writes for the New York Times, Grist, Anthropocene Magazine, and elsewhere (@cjgiaimo)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/13/2020 • 38 minutes, 28 seconds
The Philosophy And Psychology (And Physics And Metaphysics) Of Holes
In November, 2016, we did a show about all the problems presented by, well, a-holes. And so it seems only logical to expand our scope a bit and do a show about all the problems presented by, well, a hole.
For instance: How many holes are there in a straw? Did you say one? Okay, cool. Then how many holes are there in a sock? (A relatively new sock, I mean.) You said one again, right? But how can both of those things be true at the same time?
Or, put another way: What happens to the hole in the donut as you eat the donut around it? This gets into mereology, the theory of parthood relations -- for our purposes, the parts and wholes of holes and the wholes the holes are parts of.
Your head hurts a little, right?
And then there's trypophobia, an irrational fear of clusters of holes and cracks.
And finally: We've just found a black hole right in our cosmic backyard.
GUESTS:
Chrissie Giles - A science writer and the global health editor at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
Marina Koren - Staff writer at The Atlantic
Achille Varzi - Professor of philosophy at Columbia University and the coauthor of Holes and Other Superficialities
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/12/2020 • 49 minutes
Greenwich Republicans And Trump; 'This Week In Virology'
We can observe how economic inequality in America plays out during this pandemic by watching who gets help and who gets ignored.
Two America's live side by side, often in the same community. Nowhere is it on display more than in Greenwich, Conn., where hedge fund managers in gilded mansions live across town from minimum wage workers in local service jobs.
The inequality on display today is the byproduct of decades of policy choices that benefit the wealthy.
Also this hour: We help you make sense of the sometimes conflicting news about COVID-19 with the host of the podcast This Week In Virology.
GUESTS:
Evan Osnos - Staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of Age of Ambition: Chasing Fortune, Truth, and Faith in the New China
Vincent Racaniello - Professor of microbiology & immunology in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University and the host of the podcast This Week in Virology
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.
5/11/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Is A Made-Up, Bogus, Hyped-Up, Not-Necessary Special Event
23 Hours To Kill is Jerry Seinfeld's fourth-ever standup comedy special and his second for Netflix. It hit the streaming service on Tuesday, and The Nose thinks it's great. And also that it sucks.
And then: Waco is a six-part miniseries that tells exactly the story you'd guess it tells. Taylor Kitsch plays David Koresh. Waco was the big, original launch title for the Paramount Network when it rebranded from SpikeTV in January, 2018. So why is it relevant now? One wonders, but it was recently added to Netflix, and it's been trending there for weeks.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
'Murder Hornets' in the U.S.: The Rush to Stop the Asian Giant HornetSightings of the Asian giant hornet have prompted fears that the vicious insect could establish itself in the United States and devastate bee populations.
A 5-year-old boy was pulled over in Utah on his way to California to try to buy a Lamborghini
What will Connecticut restaurants look like after coronavirus? Owners expect an entirely different dining experience from the past
The Red Sox are exploring 'changes' to their uniform
Was Donald Trump Good at Baseball?The president has long claimed he could have gone pro. We looked into it.
TV Ratings: Remote 'Voice' Slips to Monday Season Lows
Grimes & Elon Musk Have A Baby Boy Named X Æ A-12
Turns Out Elon Musk and Grimes Can't Actually Name Their Baby X Æ A-12 Due To California LawsWell, they tried.
Risky Business? NASA and Tom Cruise Talk Movie Shoot in SpaceThe head of NASA said the agency is working with the "Mission: Impossible" star on a new film aboard the International Space Station.
Drive-Thru Strip Club Serves Up Sexy (And Safe) Solution For Coronavirus BluesLucky Devil Lounge in Oregon has come up with yet another innovative, fun and sexy idea to keep income -- and customers -- coming during the pandemic.
What Is Demon Time? Instagram's 'After Dark' Craze, Explained
Twitter Asks Users to Reconsider Before Sending Vulgar Tweets
Drive-in concerts could provide coronavirus workaround
An Unhappy Ending For Movie Theater Chains AMC And Cineworld
Adele's new birthday photo thanking frontline workers sparks debate on body image
TV Writers Wrestle With How (and When) to Work COVID-19 Into Series
What Happened to Val Kilmer? He’s Just Starting to Figure It Out.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine - An Emmy-winning musician, producer, composer, and recording engineer, and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
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.
5/8/2020 • 49 minutes
The Sweatpants Maketh The Man (And Woman)
"It is the rare person who doesn't own a pair of sweatpants." I am, it turns out, that rare person. Sweatpants are just too warm, is my take. But I do own a number of pairs of cotton pajama pants. They're my sweatpants proxy.
Back before the pandemic became the central preoccupation of our existence, back when we made our radio show in, ya know, a radio studio, I would always get a little dressed up on my show days. I'd wear a jacket. Or a tie. Or a jacket and a tie.
Now that we're all working from home all the time, I spend the great majority of my work hours in pajama pants and stocking feet and a bathrobe. But when it comes time for one of my shows -- like this one, for instance -- I change out of my PJ pants into jeans or chinos. That's what "a little dressed up" means these days: putting real pants on. (Or even "hard pants," as they're now known.)
For we are living in the age of sweatpants. Question is: Are we ever going back? Or should we go back right now and start dressing like grownups again? What if we got, like, some fancy pants sweatpants? Would that be grown up enough?
This hour, from The Bad Ideas Dept.: a show about sweatpants.
GUESTS:
Tim Chan - Lifestyle and market editor at Rolling Stone
Rebecca Jennings - A reporter covering pop and internet culture at The Goods by Vox
Rachel Tashjian - Style writer for GQ
Adam Tschorn - Deputy fashion editor at the Los Angeles Times
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.
5/6/2020 • 49 minutes
The One About Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell is a singer-songwriter from Alberta, Canada. In 1968, her debut album, Song to a Seagull, was released and since then, Mitchell has become one of the most influential and greatest recording artists. Mitchell has won nine Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, and countless music awards, and her albums are considered among the best ever made.
We're big fans. It turns out we're not alone.
This hour, we talk to a few friends of the show to discuss Mitchell's influence on them while listening to their favorite Joni songs. Plus, we chat David Yaffe, the author of Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell.
GUESTS:
David Yaffe - Assistant professor of Humanities at Syracuse University and the author of Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
Brendan J. Sullivan - Producer and author of Rivington Was Ours: Lady Gaga, the Lower East Side, and the Prime of Our Lives
Lee Newton - Director of program promotion at Connecticut Public
Jim Chapdelaine - Musician, producer, recording engineer, and Emmy-winning composer
Steve Metcalf - Music critic, arts consultant, composer, director of the University of Hartford's Presidents' College
Noah Baerman - Jazz pianist and composer
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Carlos Mejia, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired April 4, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/4/2020 • 49 minutes
Pandemic And Moral Relativism; The Rush To A Vaccine; Asian Giant Hornets
It's hard to fathom the idea that more people have to die from COVID-19 before we come out on the other end of this pandemic. Is it time for political leaders of both parties to have an honest conversation about the moral trade-offs of this pandemic and how to balance them toward the public interest?
The world is rushing to produce a vaccine against COVID-19. We talk about the trade-offs of shortening a process that typically takes 10-15 years to complete and the ethical challenges of manufacturing one or more vaccines and how we choose to distribute them.
The Asian giant hornet has arrived in the U.S. for the first time -- and it doesn't bode well for honeybees. What are scientists doing to eradicate it?
GUESTS:
John Harris - Founding editor of Politico
Carl Zimmer - The author of 13 books about science; his latest is She Has Her Mother's Laugh: The Power, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity
Mike Baker - Seattle bureau chief for The New York Times
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.
5/4/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Has The Hands Of A 70 Year Old
There are plenty of questions about what the future of live performance looks like right now, and, in certain ways, no form seems more displaced by social distancing and everything else than does standup comedy. As such, people are just going to have to try new things, right? New York club comedian Ted Alexandro's YouTube comedy special is one of the first such experiments.
And: Do you feel like you're running out of movies to watch? Have you crossed just about everything off of your must-see list? The Nose has compiled its own list of semi-obscure, semi-forgotten, semi-overlooked movies to help get you through this time. Nothing too artsy-fartsy, nothing too oddball. Just some titles you might've missed that are worth your time. (Here's the full list in handy Twitter-thread form. It runs fully 43 titles.)
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
G.I. Joe Artist Hector Garrido Passes Away At Age 92
For Graduation, Cal Students Build 'Blockeley University' in Minecraft
SNL Promotes Kate McKinnon's Cat to Featured Player
Someone Edited Every Star Wars Movie To Play At Once, And I Can't Look Away
Pentagon officially releases UFO videos
Comedy Community Mourns The 'End Of An Era' As UCB Closes New York Locations
Academy Alters Oscars Rules: Streaming Films Eligible, Sound Categories Combined, and More
AMC Theatres Refuses to Play Universal Films in Wake of 'Trolls World Tour'
Museums Challenge Each Other to Show their Creepiest Object
Have Serena Williams And Roger Federer Won Their Last Grand Slams?
FAA looking into a runway incident involving Harrison Ford
Coffin Floats Are Real And You Can Bury Yourself In One This Summer
The Erotic Chaos and Suspense of a Zoom Orgy
Little League Cancels 2020 World Series and Region Tournaments
GUESTS:
Susan Bigelow - A librarian, a columnist for CT News Junkie, and a science fiction/fantasy novelist
Shawn Murray - A standup comedian and writer
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.
5/1/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Did We Get The Dystopia We Were Promised?
Three years ago, we did a show where we asked which fictional dystopian future we were actually already living in. Now that we've arrived at, ya know, this present moment, that show has been on our minds. But we've realized we've got a new set of questions now too.
After all the dystopian and apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction there's been over the past couple decades -- and there's been KIND OF A LOT, right? -- has any of it actually prepared us for our very present, very current, actual nonfiction dystopia?
Well, mostly no. But some of it just may have.
And then: What exactly is dystopian fiction going to look like after this is all over?
GUESTS:
Naomi Kritzer - A science fiction and fantasy writer; she wrote "So Much Cooking" in 2015, and her novel Catfishing on CatNet just won the Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel
Laurie Penny - An author, columnist, journalist, and screenwriter
Ben Winters - The author of ten novels; his new collection of short stories, Inside Jobs: Tales from a Time of Quarantine, is out tomorrow as an Audible original
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.
4/30/2020 • 49 minutes
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Humans typically make enough collective noise to keep the earth vibrating at a steady hum. But the pandemic has quieted that hum enough to let seismologists study the vibrations that can be hard to detect in the din of our noise.
The world is eerily silent now, showing us how accustomed we have become to cacophony of loud sound in our lives. We're hardwired to focus on the sounds we need to hear and tune out those we don't. It's hard to notice what we miss when cars and horns and other noisemakers compete for our sonic attention.
And we don't always notice how loud it is until it's quiet.
Today, an ode to the sound we take for granted, including the soothing sound of another human voice on the telephone. Yep, that's what I said. The telephone.
GUESTS:
David Owen is a staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of more than a dozen books. His newest book is Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World
Chris Hoff is a sound engineer and co-creator with Sam Harnett, of the podcast, "The World According to Sound." (@chrisjameshoff)
Sam Harnett is a reporter and co-creator with Chris Hoff, of the podcast, "The World According to Sound." (@samwharnett)
Heather Radke is a writer and critic. Her work has appeared in The Believer, The Paris Review Daily, and RadioLab, among others. Her book, BUTTS, will be published in 2021. (@hradke)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/29/2020 • 49 minutes
We Knew This Pandemic Was Coming
This show originally aired on July 25, 2018.
Two years ago, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security ran an intricate simulation of a rapidly spreading pandemic with government leaders to talk about the difficult ethical questions that arise in the event of a pandemic and the same questions we are confronting today.
They learned what had to be done in the event of a real "Clade X". We haven't done it.
The CDC said another pandemic was coming and that there was a good chance it President Trump would be confronted with it just as the two presidents before him. Yet, he cut funding for pandemic preparedness that has helped curb prior deadly global outbreaks and rid his administration of scientific advisors.
Just under 150 million died globallyby the end of the Johns Hopkins simulation. It doesn't have to end this way or when the next pandemic hits. But the threat won't go away simply because we choose to ignore it.
GUESTS:
Ed Yong - Science writer for The Atlantic and is the author of I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life. (@edyong209)
Eric Toner - Senior Scholar with the John Hopkins Center for Health Security and Senior Scientist for John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Environmental Health and Engineering. (@JHSPH_CHS)
Laura Spinney - Science journalist and the author of most recently, Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed The World. (@lfspinney)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/28/2020 • 49 minutes
How Do We Make Sense Of President Trump's Behavior?
People in several states came together last weekend to protest against stay-at-home orders. Their actions followed President Trump tweets of support to "liberate" their states and start reopening the economy. Dr. David Grew makes the case that resuming "normal" business activity in the absence of testing and credible messaging will do more economic harm than good.
Also this hour: What would President Selina Meyer do in a pandemic? How about Logan Roy? We talk to Frank Rich, the Executive Producer of HBO's VEEP and Succession. Could even they do a better job?
Lastly, we talk trash with an essential worker.
GUESTS:
Dr. David Grew is a radiation oncologist, co-chair of the Cancer Committee at St. Francis Hospital, and a public health messenger. You can find him on Instagram @davidgrew.
Frank Rich is Writer-at-Large for New York magazine and Executive Producer for the HBO series, VEEP and Succession. (@frankrichny)
Mike Paine is the president of Paine's Incorporated.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/27/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Rollicks And Frolics With All The Young Dudes
Fiona Apple's new album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters, is currently the best-reviewed album, um, ever, according to Metacritic. Bon Iver has a new benefit single out that seems to have been written specifically for the present moment. Norah Jones has a new tune. Bob Dylan has kind of randomly put out two new songs, one of which charted in the U.K. despite being very nearly 17 minutes long.
And then, here's a trivia question: There are five artists who have charted singles in the Top 40 in each of the last four decades, Michael Jackson, Madonna, U2, Kenny G... and who's the fifth? Would you believe it's this guy?
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Paul Schrader Does Not Have Much Hope for the Future of Movies
Randall Beach: Small CT theaters in a new fight for survival
MLB might not be back to normal until 2023So says one high-ranking executive. Plus, other thoughts about what might happen with baseball in 2020.
A 2020 Minor League Baseball Season Grows More And More Unlikely
The Wire Forever: David Simon on the Quarantine Favorite and His Equally Pissed-Off New Show, The Plot Against America
Social-distancing detecting 'pandemic drones' dumped over privacy concerns
Craving the Roar of a Crowd? Online Reruns of Concerts, Sports Provide Solace for SomeWith gatherings at theaters and arenas banned, videos of prepandemic events have become a source of humanity; 'That's what people are yearning for'
Put on your sad clown face: The Gathering Of The Juggalos has been canceled
A Seaside Irish Village Adopts Matt DamonBut don't you dare ask what it's like living under lockdown with Matt O'Damon.
Ben Affleck won't let face mask stop him from smoking
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - A music writer for the Red Hook Star Revue
Eric Danton - A reporter and critic
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.
4/24/2020 • 49 minutes
Noah Baerman And 'The Rock & The Redemption'
The Noah Baerman Resonance Ensemble's The Rock & the Redemption is a jazz concept album of sorts that recasts the Sisyphus myth around the heroism of perseverance and persistence.
Keyboardist and composer Noah Baerman joins us for the hour.
To purchase The Rock & the Redemption (including the full-length concert video), visit Noah Baerman's Bandcamp. All proceeds from the album go to Claire's Continuum, an initiative of Resonant Motion, Inc., to commission socially conscious musical and interdisciplinary work by first-time collaborators.
GUEST:
Noah Baerman - Jazz pianist and composer
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show, which originally aired August 31, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/22/2020 • 50 minutes
The Scapegoat Is Not To Blame
In March, President Trump blamed our global pandemic on China. When that didn't work, he blamed the World Health Organization (WHO) for not responding quickly enough to the virus. When that didn't work, he blamed governors for not getting their own supplies. Now, he says immigrants will take away American jobs.
The Bible defines a scapegoat as one of two kid goats. One goat was sacrificed and the living “scapegoat” was supposed to absorb the sins of the community and carry them into the wilderness. Is that what's happening here? Are the president's scapegoats supposed to carry away the sins of Mr. Trump?
Also this hour: Politics and our human need for a scapegoat has defined the way we name diseases almost as much as the goal of accurately describing a threat to public health.
And, the story of one of our earliest scapegoats, the sin-eater.
GUESTS:
Graeme Wood is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of The Way of the Strangers: Encounters With the Islamic State (@gcaw)
Lili Loofbourow writes about culture, gender, and politics for Slate (@Millicentsomer)
Laura Spinney is a science journalist and author who has been published in National Geographic, Nature and The Economist, among others. Her latest book is Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World. (@lfspinney)
Thomas Lynch is a poet and author of five collections of poems and four books of essays, including The Sin-Eater: A Breviary. His latest book of essays is The Deposition: New and Selected Essays On Being and Ceasing To Be. He has been a funeral director since 1974.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/22/2020 • 49 minutes
Without TV, There's No Trump
That headline is just a direct quote from James Poniewozik's Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America. I was torn between that line from the book and this one:
Donald Trump is not a person.
Poniewozik's take is that "Donald Trump" is really a character that Donald Trump has been playing on television since at least the early 1980s.
"Television has entertained America, television has ensorcelled America, and with the election of Donald J. Trump, television has conquered America," Poniewozik writes. Audience of One is a cultural history of television and a television history of Donald Trump.
Poniewozik joins us for the hour.
GUEST:
James Poniewozik - Chief television critic for The New York Times and the author of Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired October 24, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/21/2020 • 50 minutes
Learning To Live In The Shadow Of Coronavirus
One can't help but wonder if the President understands that getting through this pandemic will not be a quick sprint.
On Thursday, the Trump Administration announced guidelines for states to begin reopening the economy, with a goal to begin by May 1. On Friday, the President personally encouraged protesters in Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia, to "liberate" their states from onerous social-distancing guidelines imposed by their Democratic governors. On Saturday, protesters from other states joined the fray.
Social distancing seems to be flattening the curve but we haven’t yet turned a corner. The U.S. averaged 30,000 new cases of Covid-19 during the five days leading up to Friday, April 17.
Yet, there’s a good chance the Trump Administration will encourage a partial reopening before we’ve significantly increased testing or set up the infrastructure needed to trace the contacts of the infected.
How do we continue in the shadow of Coronavirus?
We want to hear from you. Call us at (888)-720-9677 or (888)-720-WNPR. What have you learned you can live without? How has your life changed? What do you envision life will be like this time next year?
GUEST:
Ed Yong covers science for The Atlantic. He’s that author of I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander Way of Life (@edyong209)
Martha Gulati is the Chief of Cardiology and Physician Executive Director, Banner Health Institute, at the University of Arizona-Phoenix. She is the Editor-in-Chief of CardioSmart, a patient education website by the American College of Cardiology. @DrMarthaGulati
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/20/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Hosts 'SNL' In Its Pajamas
Last weekend, Saturday Night Live aired a prerecorded special, "Saturday Night Live at Home." Tom Hanks hosted from his kitchen. Michael Che and Colin Jost did Weekend Update from their living rooms and by Zoom or something similar. Chris Martin covered a Bob Dylan song in front of handwritten "ENTRANCE TO TRAIN" signs.
All of the late night shows are operating in some similar way right now. Jimmy Kimmel hosts from his living room and has people like Jason Bateman on by Skype or whatever. John Oliver sits at his desk in front of a mysterious white wall. Samantha Bee hosts from the woods.
And: The original one-woman stage version of Fleabag just hit Amazon Prime. The Nose missed the TV show, and so now this gives us an excuse to finally get on the Fleabag bandwagon a little bit.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Brian Dennehy Dies; Tony Award-Winning Actor Was 81The versatile actor, whose career spanned more than 50 years in theater, movies and television, won two Tony Awards, including for his performance in "Death of a Salesman."
Danny Goldman, voice of Brainy Smurf and 'Young Frankenstein' actor, dies at 80
Hank Steinbrenner, Yankees co-owner and eldest son of George Steinbrenner, dead at 63
Allen Garfield, character actor in 'Nashville' and 'The Conversation,' dies at 80 of coronavirus
Online dating amid coronavirus: Longer conversations and a 'pivot' to video dates"She said, 'Do I have to change out of sweats?' and I said, 'Of course not, I haven't worn adult pants in weeks anyway.' "
Sex Work Comes HomeMore of us are making and watching sexual performances online now. Fewer of us are paying.
In 1918, as a pandemic ripped through Hartford, Babe Ruth drew big crowds at the worst possible time
The Forgotten Art of AssemblyOr, Why Theatre Makers Should Stop Making
How much TV should your children be watching right now?
Burning Cell Towers, Out of Baseless Fear They Spread the VirusA conspiracy theory linking the spread of the coronavirus to 5G wireless technology has spurred more than 100 incidents this month, British officials said.
Here's How Those Hot Jigsaw Puzzles Are MadeThe coronavirus has sent businesses racing as demand surges past levels seen at Christmas.
'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' Wants to Be a Megahit AgainABC has rolled out a celebrity edition of what was once the most popular program on television, this time helmed by Jimmy Kimmel. Can the game show become a hit again?
Trump Wanted a Radio Show, but He Didn't Want to Compete With Limbaugh
MLB players, team employees participating in coronavirus study
Coyotes, bobcats and bears: Wildlife is reclaiming Yosemite National Park
Living in Sim: We made a team of 26 Mike Trouts. It lost 50 straight games
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
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.
4/17/2020 • 49 minutes
Grocery Blues: Supermarket Shopping In The Time Of COVID
I haven't been grocery shopping in 21 days. The last time I went, March 26, was a harrowing experience.
It was before this particular grocery store, at least, had started limiting the number of customers in the building at a time, before it had made aisles one-way, before it started wiping down carts after each use and providing sanitizing wipes for customers to use.
Staff and customers alike didn't seem to understand just how far six feet is, and the aisles were too narrow to afford that sort of distancing anyway. Fresh meats were in short supply, cleaning products were nowhere to be found, and canned and frozen foods were few and far between.
And so I haven't been back.
This hour, a look at all the things that have upended our expectations of the grocery shopping experience in the time of COVID: Can you really go two or three weeks without getting groceries? Just how nervous should you be about that trip to the grocery store? And finally: Where did all the toilet paper really go, anyway?
GUESTS:
Joseph G. Allen - An assistant professor of exposure and assessment science and director of the Healthy Buildings Program at Harvard
Marc Fisher - Senior editor at The Washington Post
Robert LaBonne Jr. - President and CEO of LaBonne's Markets
Ann Maloney - Food reporter and editor at The Washington Post
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.
4/16/2020 • 49 minutes
On Solitude And Hermits
Before the pandemic, most of us craved of a little solitude away from the hustle of life. Now, we've been been thrust into a form of solitude far from the idleness of the lazy summer afternoon we imagined. Our minds are restless with uncertainty and fear and without the usual distractions we turn toward when being alone with ourselves becomes too painful to confront.
Today, we learn there is more to solitude than being alone. It can provide the time and space needed to silence the voices in our head. Poet Marianne Moore said, "the cure for loneliness is solitude."
GUESTS:
Stephen Batchelor is a Buddhist teacher and writer. He’s the author of several books including Buddhism Without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide To Awakening and most recently, The Art of Solitude. He’s the co-founder of Bodhi College.
Dr. Lucinda Mosher is a faculty associate in Interfaith Studies at the Hartford Seminary
Karen Karper Fredette lived as a hermit for six years in a cabin in West Virginia. She’s the author of several books including, Consider the Ravens: On Contemporary Hermit Life. She and her husband Paul run Raven's Bread Ministries.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/15/2020 • 49 minutes
When Will It Be Safe To Go Back In The Water?
Health experts have released multiple plans that all call for some version of the same thing. We need to conduct widespread testing, trace contacts of the infected, and quarantine those contacts, BEFORE we can ease social distancing measures.
Despite the many task forces the President Trump has formed to deal with the crisis, it's governors, former government officials, disease specialists, nonprofits, and even Apple, Google, and Bill Gates have taken charge in the absence of federal leadership.
Lastly, what role can the humanities play in a crisis?
GUESTS:
Dr. Alison Buttenheim is an Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and an Associate Director of Penn's Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics.
Yasmeen Abutaleb reports on health policy for The Washington Post
Agnes Callard is an associate professor of Philosophy at the University of Chicago and a monthly columnist for The Point Magazine and a contributor to The New York Times.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/13/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Bought $100,000 Worth Of Anthony Fauci Bobbleheads
We've entered a moment where the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is a celebrity. You can buy donuts with his face on them. A petition to make him People's Sexiest Man Alive has more than 13,000 signatures. And, yes, sales of Dr. Anthony Fauci bobblehead dolls have raised more than $100,000.
At the same time, how do we find community in this time of COVID and quarantine and social distance?
And then: The Plot Against America is HBO's miniseries based on Philip Roth's novel. It's an alternative history written 16 years ago -- and set 80 years ago -- with undeniable echos of our present politics.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Al Kaline, Detroit Tigers legend, dies at age 85
John Prine, Hero Of 'New' Nashville, Dies After Developing COVID-19 Symptoms
Mort Drucker, Master of the Mad Caricature, Is Dead at 91His illustrations of celebrities for Mad magazine's movie and television satires inspired countless cartoonists. Actors, politicians and others knew they had made it when he drew them.
Lee Fierro, 'Jaws' Actor, Dies of Coronavirus at 91
David Driskell, 88, Pivotal Champion of African-American Art, DiesAn artist himself, Professor Driskell recognized the role of black artists in the broader story of American art. He died of the coronavirus.
Hal Willner, 'SNL' Staple And Acclaimed Music Producer, Has Died
Thank god for the internetWhat the hell would be happening now without it?
When All the Zingers Were Fit To PrintIn 1978, a mischievous band of writers that included George Plimpton and Nora Ephron teamed up to create a spoof of The New York Times. Turns out, Times journalists were among them.
Rules for Using the Sidewalk During the CoronavirusGoing outside is still a joy. But we all need to do more to walk and run while social distancing.
What to Stream: Forty of the Best Movies on Netflix Right Now
Why Animal Crossing Is the Game for the Coronavirus MomentWith the world in the grip of a pandemic, the wildly popular game is a conveniently timed piece of whimsy, particularly for millennials.
Trump order encourages US to mine the moonExecutive order says US will oppose any international effort to bar it from removing chunks of moon, Mars or elsewhere in space
Radiohead to Stream Classic Concert Films on YouTube During Quarantine
GUESTS:
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
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.
4/10/2020 • 49 minutes
The Glory Of Everything: Reading Kids' Books As An Adult
My son, Simon, is a year old. His mother and his grandmother are both librarians. His father is, well, me. Simon is, predictably, obsessed with books.
Back before everything changed, we'd gotten into a pretty good reading routine. Every morning before Simon went to his grandparents', we'd read a big pile of books. Every evening when I got home from work, we'd read a big pile of books.
We'd read Goodnight Moon. We'd read The Little Blue Truck. We'd read Peek-a Who? and Peek-a Moo! and Peek-a Zoo! We'd read Who Hoots? and Who Hops? We'd read Dear Zoo and Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? and Each Peach Pear Plum and Spooky, Spooky, Little Bat and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? And then we'd probably read them all again.
Now that our whole family stays home all day every day, we still do all the reading. What's lost is the routine. What's lost is any sort of limit at all. From Simon's point of view, there's nothing to stop us from reading all day every day, from when he jams me in the back with his copy of The Mixed-Up Chameleon too early in the morning until he falls asleep wearing one sock and with a clump of Cheerios somehow stuck in his diaper too late at night.
If you've got smallish kids and you're staying home these days, children's literature has undoubtedly become a much larger part of your life than you'd ever bargained for. This hour, a look at what it's like reading kids' books as an adult.
GUESTS:
Bruce Handy - The author of Wild Things: The Joy of Reading Children's Literature as an Adult
Julia Pistell - Managing director of Sea Tea Improv and cohost of the Literary Disco podcast
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.
4/9/2020 • 49 minutes
You Are Your Safest Sex Partner: Sex and Coronavirus
Your sex life doesn't have to suffer just because you're cooped up at home every day. Researchers say that sex is a healthy way to calm the anxiety of pandemic, even if you live alone. Virtual dating, masturbation, and coronavirus-related porn are more popular than ever.
Some sex researchers think our desire for sex in the middle of a pandemic is one way we cope with the prospect of our own mortality. But not everyone reacts in the same way. Some lose their desire for sex, especially when you pile on added stressors like losing a job, having kids home from school, or working in a higher-risk job.
Also this hour: How will coronavirus change the way we think about touching others?
We take a look at sex, dating, and relationships in the shadow of coronavirus.
GUESTS:
Justin Lehmiller - A research fellow at the Kinsey Institute, the founder and editor of the Sex and Psychology blog, and the author of Tell Me What You Want: The Science of Sexual Desire and How It Can Help You Improve Your Sex Life
Lisa Bonos- Writes about dating and relationships for the Washington Post
Amy Weissfeld - A somatic sex educator and masturbation coach
Cathrine Jansson-Boyd - A consumer psychologist at Anglia Ruskin University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, Catie Talarski, Gene Amatruda, TJ Coppola, and Joe Coss contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/8/2020 • 49 minutes
A Conversation With Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong emigrated to Hartford from Vietnam when he was two years old. His family brought with them the trauma of an American-led war that ravaged their people and their culture. How do they retain their culture and assimilate into one that doesn't want them?
His family struggled in a Hartford very different from the city that many of us experience. It's a place that still exists in the shadows.
Ocean’s family is a snapshot into a bigger and more pervasive picture of the problems in America that many choose to hide -- the toll of low-wage work, poverty, drugs, violence, and the erasure of histories and ways of living life that don't fit neatly into the American myth.
Ocean's first novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, is an American story, albeit one about the failure of America. This is an excerpt.
GUEST:
Ocean Vuong - A poet and the author of the novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 17, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2020 • 49 minutes
America's Leaderless Pandemic
The pandemic is making us reflect on what we value as people and a country. We don't yet know how much COVID-19 will change life as we knew it before the pandemic. We do know that it must change. We're learning to respect each other's space. The internet is becoming a kinder place. And we shouldn't accept political leaders who can't lead.
GUESTS:
Gia Kourlas - Dance critic for The New York Times
Tanya Basu - Senior reporter for MIT Technology Review covering the intersection of technology and humans
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, Gene Amatruda, Joe Coss, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Stayed Up Late Trying On Clothes It Already Owns
The novel coronavirus has started to take its toll on figures from our popular culture. Adam Schlesinger, who founded Fountains of Wayne and wrote songs for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend among other things, died on Wednesday. The great playwright Terrence McNally died last week. The list goes on: songwriter Alan Merrill, country music star Joe Diffie, fashion designer Jenny Polanco, college basketball star Dave Edwards, actor Mark Blum, soccer star Lorenzo Sanz. And it seems like the jazz community has been especially vulnerable: guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, pianists Ellis Marsalis and Mike Longo, and trumpeter Wallace Roney have all died.
And then: Dave is an FXX comedy series that tells a fictionalized version of the rise of rapper Lil Dicky, and John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch is a Netflix children's special that Mulaney made "on purpose."
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
'Lean On Me,' 'Lovely Day' singer Bill Withers dies at 81
The Stupidest [...] Movies Guaranteed To Make You Laugh During This CatastropheWho needs a plot right now? Let’s just slap some jokes in our faces instead
You Can Watch the First 8 Minutes of 'Sonic the Hedgehog' Online Now
April fools' day is canceled, you monstersDon't you dare, brands
Joe Buck: Stop Sending Me Your Sex Tapes ... I'm Not Gonna Narrate Them!!!
Llandudno marauders: the herd of goats running riot through a Welsh townTaking advantage of the town’s deserted streets because of the coronavirus lockdown, the goats have been branded vandals for munching through gardens
Companies Avoid Advertising Next to Coronavirus NewsThe name of the virus overtakes 'Trump' as the keyword blocked by the most brands, a problem for digital news publishers
New York is one of the world's great cities for the arts -- but the damage from the pandemic is proving to be catastrophic
Ina Garten Made A Giant Cocktail For Herself At 9:30 A.M. And Now She's My Quaranqueen
Tom Perrotta's 'The Leftovers' imagined 2 percent of the population disappearing. That could be our reality.
Shudder Subscriptions Are Surging During the Coronavirus Pandemic
HBO's #StayHomeBoxOffice Campaign Is Offering Hundreds of Hours of Programming for Free
Uranus blasted a gas bubble 22,000 times bigger than EarthIt happened back in 1986 -- but it could happen again.
GUESTS:
Stosh Mikita - A stand-up comedian and writer based in New Haven
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
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.
4/3/2020 • 49 minutes
One Person's Boredom Is Another Person's Pleasure
You can find lots of advice about how to avoid feeling bored during this pandemic. There are virtual dance parties and home safaries, lists of what to read and watch, and yoga classes on Zoom.
Boredom is a difficult emotion for most of us. Almost 3,500 people living under quarantine in Italy shared on a survey last week that boredom has been one of the hardest parts of staying inside. We go out of our way to avoid feeling it, like the students who chose electric shock over feeling bored.
Why can't we allow ourselves to be bored? Too much boredom can lead to depression and risky behavior. But it can also deepen awareness and inspire creativity.
And one person's boredom is another person's pleasure. Henrietta Swan-Leavitt was an astronomer at Harvard College Observatory who spent 20 years beginning in 1895 scanning photographic plates to catalogue the brightness of stars.
GUESTS:
Sandi Mann - Senior psychology lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire and the author of The Upside of Downtime: Why Boredom Is Good
Kate Green - A poet, essayist, and former laser physicist; her book, Once Upon a Time I Lived on Mars: Space, Exploration, and Life on Earth, will be published in July
Krystal Douglas - The owner of Music City Sewing, a company that sews custom costumes for entertainers and is currently sewing masks for health care workers
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.
4/2/2020 • 49 minutes
The History Of Hygiene: Humanity's Quest For Cleanliness
From ancient mixtures of boiled goat fats and ashes to modern artisanal soaps with calendula and coffee grinds, humans have been inventing clever ways of cleaning themselves since the very beginning.
This quest for cleanliness has wound its way through religion, sexuality, culture, and more. It has been the source of everything from comedies to conflicts to consumer crazes. This hour we talk to experts and historians about the history of hygiene.
GUESTS:
Katherine Ashenburg - Toronto-based author of several prize-winning books including The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History and All the Dirt: A History of Getting Clean
Virginia Smith - Historian, honorary fellow of the Centre for History in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and author of Clean: A History of Personal Hygiene and Purity
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired February 15, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/1/2020 • 49 minutes
Trust Me, I'm A Scientist
For those who put their trust in science, it's hard to understand why anyone wouldn't. But in recent decades, the voices of skeptics have grown louder by the day. From average citizens to media personalities to high-ranking government officials, it seems even the most irrefutable scientific findings are being challenged.
Is it the scientists themselves, their research methods, or how their findings often challenge deeply held values that fuels this mistrust? On today's show we'll explore this phenomenon and discuss how, during the current pandemic, our ability to trust science is more important than ever.
GUESTS:
Naomi Oreskes - Professor of the history of science at Harvard University and the author of several books, including the recently-released Why Trust Science?
Jane Lytvynenko - Senior reporter for Buzzfeed News reporting most recently on disinformation, scams, and conspiracies surrounding the coronavirus and COVID-19
Lise Saffran - Director of the Master of Public Health Program at University of Missouri and Co-chair of the Health Humanities Consortium; lead author of "Constructing and influencing perceived authenticity in science communication"
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, Catie Talarski, Gene Amatruda, Joe Coss, and T.J. Coppola contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/31/2020 • 49 minutes
Prioritizing Public Health; Grieving Coronavirus; Blaming "Others"
William Wetmore Story sculpted The Angel of Grief for his wife's grave after her death in 1894. He wrote that it was the only way he could express his feelings of utter abandonment. It was his last work before his own death one year later.
We may not readily identify grief in the gamut of emotions we're feeling during this pandemic. We haven't lost the kind of love expressed through William Story's sculpture, but loss is very much at the center of our new reality. We are collectively grieving the loss of a world that has changed forever.
Also this hour: There's a growing movement of people who want to walked back his desire to reopen the economy by Easter on Sunday evening, there remains an unsettling push to prioritize the economy over certain groups of people.
Lastly, we must resist blaming "others" for viruses we can't control.
GUESTS:
Gregg Gonsalves - Assistant professor of epidemiology and the co-director of the Global Health Justice Partnership at Yale School of Public Health
David Kessler - The author of five books and the founder of grief.com; his latest book is Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief
Ian Buruma - Professor of human rights and journalism at Bard College
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, Catie Talarski, Gene Amatruda, Joe Coss, and T.J. Coppola contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/30/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Is Big Cat People
Last Friday night, Disney released the #1 movie in the country -- Pixar's Onward -- for digital download on iTunes/Amazon/etc. It's safe to say, that's the first time that's ever happened.
When you say "the #1 movie in the country," you're talking about what was #1 last weekend or maybe last week. Onward was also the #1 movie in the country specifically on last Thursday... when it made $33,296. There are times when movies make that per screen.
There's a movie on that domestic chart that one person went to see. It made $6. That movie, though, wasn't at the bottom of that chart… because there are three movies on that chart that no one went to see. In the country.
Also: Tiger King is the "shocking Netflix series that has captivated the internet" and "the most bonkers true-crime doc you'll ever see."
The Nose has seen both.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Cowboy Museum Puts Their Head Of Security In Charge Of Their Twitter, And His Tweets Are Hilariously Wholesome
Social Distancing Diaries: Cut the Crap and Embrace the BidetThe COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a countrywide toilet-paper-buying frenzy. But there's a better way to clean up that's good for your butt, your wallet, and the environment.
Cats Allegedly Added Buttholes, Then Removed Them, And Now Fans Want The Butthole Cut
AMC Theatres Has Furloughed Its Entire Corporate Staff and CEO in the Wake of Coronavirus Closures
Movie Theaters Are Closed, but Their Value Isn't Lost to Us Yet
These Famous Logos Have Been Remade for the Coronavirus Age
McDonald's Separates Its Golden Arches in an Act of Coronavirus Solidarity
This Pork-Hucking Pig Farmer Is the Only One Doing Quarantine RightLeft with a backlog of ham and sausages, one farmer has figured out a way to safely get his wares to his customers in the time of social distancing -- hucking ham.
ATTENTION OLD PEOPLE: Millennials Aren't The Problem Right NowWe are way too old.
McDonald's Separates Its Golden Arches in an Act of Coronavirus SolidarityIn Brazil, brand has altered iconic mark to encourage safety for all during coronavirus pandemic
Eli Miller, a Sultan of Seltzer, Is Dead at 86He began delivering sparkling water in 1960, when hundreds of seltzer men plied the streets. He continued until 2017, when there were almost none.
Terrence McNally, Tony-Winning Playwright of Gay Life, Dies at 81Mr. McNally, who died of coronavirus complications, introduced audiences to characters and situations that most mainstream theater had previously shunted into comic asides.
Florida Senate proclaims Florida State national champion
Scott Boras pitches 162-game MLB season, including Christmas game, despite coronavirus delay
GUESTS:
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Pedro Soto - President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
Elle - Pedro's nine-year-old daughter
Tracy Wu Fastenberg - Development officer at Connecticut Children's
Claire - Tracy's six-year-old daughter
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.
3/27/2020 • 49 minutes
A Little Bit Of Soap
Humans have been using soap for literally millennia -- nearly five of them... at least.
And while there's a run on alcohol-based hand sanitizers, it turns out that good, old-fashioned soap is a simpler, more-reliable way to destroy all that coronavirus that might be all over your gross, dirty hands.
In the end, though, "A little bit of soap / Will never never never ever begin / To take away the hurt that I feel..."
GUESTS:
Kieran Dahl - A freelance writer; his piece for Vox is "How a decades-old hippie soap brand became a touchstone of wellness culture"
Brian Resnick - Senior science reporter for Vox
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/26/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Restaurants Cannot Live By Takeout Alone
Restaurants around the country have closed their doors to in-dining service to help slow the spread of Coronavirus and prevent unnecessary deaths. That's good news.
The porch of Metro Bis Restaurant in Simsbury, Conn.CREDIT CHRIS PROSPERI
But it's also bad news for an industry that employs 160,000 people in Connecticut alone, many laid off and waiting for their unemployment application to be processed by our overwhelmed state system.
A lot of restaurants are offering creative ways to have some fun with takeout. But most restaurants can't live on takeout alone, even if their closure helps us live.
GUESTS:
Chris Prosperi - Co-owner and chef of Metro Bis restaurant in West Simsbury, Conn.
Richard Rosenthal - Founder and president of Max Restaurant Group
Scott Dolch - Executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association
Kassia Borgio - A full-time server at Capital Grille who is currently laid off from work
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.
3/25/2020 • 49 minutes
The Politics Of A Pandemic; Staying Healthy While Staying Home
The Trump administration is pursuing policies they say are necessary to fight the spread of coronavirus -- even though Congress and the courts rejected these policies prior to the pandemic.
Last week, the president gave his administration the power to shut the southwestern border, implement a rule allowing federal workers to withhold their union dues, and deliver food boxes to rural areas after Congress complained about poor food quality. Most recently, he asked Congress to let judges indefinitely hold people without trial during an emergency.
How do we give President Trump the power to mobilize the resources of the federal government against coronavirus and protect against his abuse of that power?
Also this hour: Governor Lamont is urging us to stay home and stay safe over the next month or more. How do we stay calm in the chaos of this moment? You could take the Quarantine Challenge or, maybe, just a really long walk.
GUESTS:
Dahlia Lithwick - Writes about the courts and the law for Slate and hosts the podcast Amicus
Catherine Price - A science journalist, the author of How to Break Up With Your Phone, and the creator of Screen/Life Balance
Tamara Hew-Butler - Associate professor of exercise and sports science at Wayne State University
Mariane Fahlman - Professor of kinesiology, health, and sport studies at Wayne State University
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.
3/23/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
The Nose Self-Isolates
As with all things, The Nose has never been a Nose quite like this week's Nose. First off, for almost every Nose ever, we've put four (sometimes more) people in a radio studio for an hour. This Nose is four people talking to each other from very separate places, and none of them is a radio studio.
Meanwhile, we've said goodbye to movie theaters. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson and Idris Elba have all tested positive. People have been using Tinder as a news service. I mean, it's hard to imagine that we'll ever go back to normal.
And so, we might as well watch some TV then, right? The Nose has tried out Hulu's new adaptation of High Fidelity with Zoë Kravitz in the lead role.
Some other stuff that's happened in the last couple weeks, give or take:
No, Daniel Radcliffe Doesn't Have Coronavirus
Sketchy Coronavirus Survival Guides Are Booming on Amazon
Pandemics: An Essential Reading List
The Onion created lovable 'Diamond Joe' Biden. Then it destroyed him.
Max von Sydow, Star of 'Seventh Seal' and 'Exorcist,' Dies at 90
There Is Truly No Need to Put "I Voted" Stickers on Your Pets
McDonald's debuts new Big Macs
"Who Can't Get on Board With That?": How 'House Party' Brought the Black Teenage Experience to the Mainstream
Billie Eilish and Her Signature Baggy Clothes Open World Tour With Message to Body Shamers
Jennifer Lopez And Alex Rodriguez Did The "Flip The Switch" TikTok Challenge And Eyes Emoji
Louis C.K.'s sexual misconduct tanked his career. Now he's selling out theaters.
In a Time of Crisis, a Panicked Nation Comes Together to Watch Nu-Metal Band Trapt Melt Down on Twitter
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - A music writer for the Red Hook Star Revue
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
Join the conversation on Facebook or Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, TJ Coppola, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/20/2020 • 49 minutes
Sports In The Time Of Corona
The NBA, the NHL, and Major League Soccer have all suspended their seasons. Major League Baseball canceled spring training and postponed opening day until at least mid-May. The NCAA canceled March Madness (which would've started in earnest today) and, in fact, all of its winter and spring sports championships. Tennis's French Open is postponed until September, and soccer's Euro 2020 is postponed until 2021.
There have been cancellations and postponements in archery, badminton, canoe-kayak, cricket, curling, handball, judo, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, skating, snooker, sumo, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, water polo, weightlifting… The list goes on.
Put a bit more simply: Sports is canceled.
Except... The NFL Draft is set to go on next month (but without the public in attendance). The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are, so far, going on as planned. And then there's... Scrabble.
This hour: sports in the time of corona.
GUESTS:
Bryan Curtis - Editor-at-large at The Ringer
Stefan Fatsis - A panelist on the Slate sports podcast Hang Up and Listen and the author of Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players
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.
3/19/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
They Say The City Never Sleeps. Neither Do We.
Did you get enough sleep last night? If you're like most Americans, probably not. You might feel pretty good after six hours of sleep and a strong cup of coffee, but the physical and mental toll of sleep deprivation is high.
We become more impulsive and less mentally agile, and we make more mistakes. Long term, lack of sleep (six hours or less per night) can mess with mood, hormones, and immune systems, and it can increase our risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
There are lots of things we can't control that keep us up too late, such as crying babies and shift work. But there are lots of things we can control, like how much caffeine we consume and whether we take our phone to bed.
But somewhere along the way, our culture made less sleep a matter of personal virtue and moral judgement. Even naps are frowned upon for all but the youngest and the oldest among us.
GUESTS:
Maria Konnikova - A journalist, professional poker player, and the author of The Confidence Game and Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes
Dan McNally - A doctor with the Sleep Disorders Center at UConn Health
Todd Pitock - Journalist
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/18/2020 • 49 minutes
Isn't There A Little Doomsday Prepper In All Of Us?
Reality TV shows like the Discovery Channel's Doomsday Bunkers and National Geographic Channel's Doomsday Preppers perpetuate a stereotype of "preppers" that omits the wide swath of people who engage in preparedness in a less extreme and more varied way.
Talk of nuclear war, climate apocalypse, pandemic, economic instability, and the decline of democracy has led more people to think about how to survive a catastrophic -- if not apocalyptic -- event.
Do you buy organic food? Will you drink only bottled water? Do you avoid antibiotics? You may not have an underground bunker but you might have a generator, short wave radio, extra batteries and a supply of canned foods.
This hour, we dive into the real world of "preppers."
GUESTS:
Tea Krulos - A freelance journalist and the author of Apocalypse Any Day Now: Deep Underground with America’s Doomsday Preppers
Mike Davidson - A metal fabricator and member of Zombie Squad
Jon Stokes - Founder of Ars Technica and the deputy editor of The Prepared
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired May 8, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2020 • 49 minutes
Carrying On Amid The Confinement Of COVID-19
America got (more) serious last week about COVID-19. Schools and colleges closed, workers went remote, professional sports teams canceled their seasons, theaters and restaurants closed their doors, and Americans hunkered down at home to reckon with the fragility of life as we know it.
We want to hear from you. Colin and an epidemiologist answer your questions.
Also this hour: Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden debated one-on-one Sunday in Phoenix before Tuesday's primaries in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, and Ohio. Did they forget the last three weeks happened?
GUESTS:
Joseph Vinetz - Professor of infectious diseases at Yale University
Edward-Isaac Dovere - Host of the The Ticket podcast; he's writing a book, You Are Right to Be Concerned: Democrats in Crisis in the Trump Years
Daniel Pollack-Pelzner - The Ronni Lacroute Chair in Shakespeare studies at Linfield College
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.
3/16/2020 • 49 minutes
An Hour With John McPhee
John McPhee is a writer's writer. He's thought of as one of the progenitors of the New Journalism, of creative nonfiction or narrative nonfiction, along with people like Gay Talese and Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson. But his style is... quiter than those folks'. His writing is transparent. He tends to keep himself out of the narrative. He doesn't even, in fact, have an author photo.
McPhee has written for The New Yorker since 1963, and he's taught writing at Princeton University since 1975. He is the author of 32 books, including Coming Into the Country, A Sense of Where You Are, Oranges, and Annals of the Former World, which won the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction.
GUEST:
John McPhee - Staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of 33 books; his latest are Draft No. 4: On the Writing Process and The Patch
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show, which originally aired September 28, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/13/2020 • 49 minutes
The Fine Art Of Taxidermy
When you think of taxidermy, you may imagine a trophy room in which mostly male hunters have mounted the heads of 12-point stags along wood-paneled walls. If so, your image would be incomplete.
Taxidermy has gone through many iterations since gentleman scientists turned to taxidermy to understand anatomy during the Enlightenment. Victorians added a touch of whimsy, decorating their homes with birds under glass and falling in love with Walter Potter's anthropomorphized cats.
Later still, Norman Bates shifted the cultural understanding of taxidermy from art to something more macabre after he (spoiler alert) taxidermied his mother in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho.
Today, animal-loving millennial women are taking taxidermy to new levels of artistry and craftsmanship, from rogue taxidermists who mix and match animal parts to the mallard wing bridal veil of a couture taxidermist.
In the end, isn't taxidermy about immortality and how we choose to remember?
GUESTS:
Kristen Arnett - The author of Mostly Dead Things
Beth Beverly - A couture taxidermist and the owner of Diamond Tooth Taxidermy
John Whitenight - The author of Under Glass: A Victorian Obsession
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter
Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired December 5, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/12/2020 • 49 minutes
Bankers For The Stars: Deutsche Bank, Trump, and Jeffrey Epstein
Is it safe to say that we're not yet ready to kiss and make up with the banks whose reckless behavior led to the 2008 financial crisis? A little contrition would go a long way to helping us forgive and forget. That's not happening, at least not with Deutsche Bank, the preferred bank of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.
Deutsche Bank lent money to rogue states that funded terrorist activities that hurt U.S. soldiers. They laundered money for Russian oligarchs, sold securities they knew were bad, gave out multimillion-dollar bonuses, and fired whistleblowers who tried to tell. They lent money to Donald Trump, despite his repeated defaults on his loans, and Jeffrey Epstein long after he was shunned for molesting young girls.
You may wonder how this could happen. Basically, a massive lack of accountability on behalf of the Central Bank, the Federal Reserve, shareholders, board members, and the federal government. That's a lot of people.
No wonder Elizabeth Warren threatened to take on the big banks.
GUESTS:
David Enrich - Business investigations editor at The New York Times and the author of Dark Towers: Deutsche Bank, Donald Trump, and An Epic Trail of Destruction
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.
3/11/2020 • 49 minutes
Please Don't Take My Stuffed Animal Away!
Take a few seconds to reminisce about your childhood "best friend." Maybe it was a boy, a girl, an imaginary friend, or perhaps a stuffed toy. This stuffed toy was your childhood confidant that you dragged everywhere, from the local supermarket to the preschool sandbox, a transitional object that temporarily stood between you and your relationship with your parents.
If you still have your stuffed toy, has it managed to maintain its shape, color, and lovable button eyes, despite numerous indignities? Or has it endured frequent trips to the stuffed animal hospital, otherwise known as the washroom and the sewing machine? Why do you still hold onto this friend from your childhood?
Our relationship with stuffed toys is a subject of curiosity. While they make act as a child's first companion by contributing to life's teachings, is there an age that children need to let go of their stuffed friends? Some adults continue to hold onto their stuffed animals, either for comfort or retention of their childhood memories, but is there an attached stigma with these comfort objects?
This hour, we focus on the allure of these transitional objects, why we continue to hold onto them, and how they are helpful in overcoming trauma. We also speak with a "travel agent" who journeys around Japan to provide stuffed animals with a truly cultural experience.
GUESTS:
Mark Nixon - Author and photographer of Much Loved
Catherine Pisacane - Founder and executive director of Project Smile
Sonoe Azuma - Founder and CEO of Unagi Travel
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Katherine Peikes produced this show, and Colin McEnroe, Greg Hill, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 24, 2014.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2020 • 49 minutes, 1 second
Fear of Italian-Style Lockdowns Is Leading to Hamsterkäufe, Or: Panic Buying
Italians fled northern Italy Sunday after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte imposed a lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus Covid-19, which has killed 366 residents to date. The government banned all public gatherings including concerts, sporting events, religious services, and weddings until April 3.
Scientists say one of their biggest concerns is preventing the virus from spreading faster than our health systems are prepared to handle. Dr. Anthony Fauci said regional lockdowns similar to the one in Italy could become necessary in America as the virus infects more people. Are we prepared?
The Grand Princess cruise ship that has been sitting off the coast of California is scheduled to dock in Oakland, CA on Monday. There are at least twenty-one passengers and crew members infected with Covid-19 among the more than 3,500 passengers. The Trump Administration still doesn't have a plan on how to test and treat those on board. Some say the President's mismanagement is making things worse.
Also this hour: panic shopping.
GUESTS:
Carolyn Canuscio is Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, Section on Public Health, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania (@carolyncannu)
Dan Diamond reports on health care politics and policy for Politico and is the author of Politico Pulse (@ddiamond)
Helen Rosner is a food correspondent for The New Yorker (@hels)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2020 • 49 minutes
The New Haven Nose Really Wants To Say 'I Do'
Katy Perry dropped a new single and video (which we apparently call a "visual" now) on Wednesday night. The video ends with what's being called "a stunning reveal."
And: A pair of new comedy specials caught the Nose's eye. Pete Davidson's Alive in New York on Netflix and Whitmer Thomas's The Golden One on HBO are both kind of... sad-funny? Funny-sad? And maybe in a particularly millennial way.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Public Enemy Fire Flavor Flav After Bernie Sanders Rally Spat"Public Enemy and Public Enemy Radio will be moving forward without Flavor Flav," group says. "We thank him for his years of service and wish him well"
James Lipton, Creator and Host of 'Inside the Actors Studio,' Dies at 93
Long-rumored Woody Allen memoir is coming in April, despite #MeToo
Knicks, Spike Lee in war of words following incident with Madison Square Garden security
A Genesis Reunion Is in the Air Tonight
Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek Shares One-Year Update on His Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis
William Shatner gets horse semen in divorce settlement
The Kids in the Hall to Return to Amazon With New Episodes
Will Studios Delay Films Like 'F9', 'Wonder Woman 1984', and 'Black Widow' Due to the Coronavirus? Here Are Their Current Plans
Pain Check: Ben Affleck’s Press Tour for 'The Way Back' Is an Exercise in BleaknessThe movie, which stars Affleck as a recovering alcoholic in a failing marriage, apparently hits a little too close to him
BTS Is Peaking. What Comes Next?"Map of the Soul: 7" demonstrates how the superstar K-pop group has grown into a musical monolith -- and what it might have to leave behind.
The Fashion World, Upended by CoronavirusThe growing coronavirus threat chased the luxury fashion world from Milan to Paris. A real crisis looms for designers, retailers and shoppers.
'Light Is My New Drug'The actually convincing science of light therapy.
'Candyman' Trailer: Say Farewell to the Flesh All Over Again
GUESTS:
Lucy Gellman - Editor of The Arts Paper and host of WNHH radio's Kitchen Sync
Mark Oppenheimer - Editor-at-large for Tablet Magazine and host of the podcast Unorthodox, among a bunch of other stuff
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/6/2020 • 49 minutes, 57 seconds
Long Live The Movie Musical
The movie musical died a long, slow death a long time ago. Right?
Well, except that there's La La Land. And Moana. And The Greatest Showman and A Star Is Born and Mary Poppins Returns. Oh, and Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman. And Frozen II and The Lion King and Aladdin.
Those are just from the last five years. And I could keep going, but then I might forget to mention that Steven Spielberg's version of West Side Story comes out this year or that the Hamilton movie comes out next year.
This hour, a long look at the long-dead movie musical. Long live the movie musical.
(Oh! And In the Heights comes out this summer too. There are just a lot of musicals still right now at this point. Is what I'm saying. Ya know?)
GUESTS:
Jeanine Basinger - Founder of the Department of Film Studies at Wesleyan University and the author of twelve books on film; her latest is The Movie Musical!
Steve Metcalf - Director of the University of Hartford's Presidents' College
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.
3/5/2020 • 48 minutes, 54 seconds
How Are You? It's So Nice Outside Today! It's A Great Day For A Show On Small Talk.
It's nice to meet you! When did you move in? How do you like it here in Connecticut after leaving the beautiful weather in Hawaii?
Small talk is both the bane of our existence and essential in our existential quest to understand our place in the world.
Whether you like it or hate it may depend partly on how we value speech that establishes and maintains relationships, as opposed to speech that is task-oriented or provides information. That may depend on gender.
We talk to a humorist, writing teacher, meteorologist, and philosopher about small talk. And we want to hear about your small talk stories.
GUESTS:
Alexandra Petri - A columnist for The Washington Post, a punning champion, and the author of A Field Guide to Awkward Silences; her new book of essays, Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is Why, will be published in June, 2020
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Garett Argianas - A forensic meteorologist and Connecticut Public Radio's weather forecaster
Agnes Callard - Associate professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago, monthly columnist for The Point magazine, and a contributor to The New York Times
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.
3/4/2020 • 49 minutes
Move Over Iowa. It's Time For Connecticut To Go First.
Sanders won big in Nevada. Biden won big in South Carolina. Steyer and Buttigieg are out, Bloomberg is in, and Warren and Klobuchar are pulling up the rear.
There will be 1,357 delegates from 14 states up for grabs on Super Tuesday. We try to make sense of it.
Also this hour: Iowa and New Hampshire no longer mirror the diversity of America and should let another state lead the way. How about Connecticut? James Surowiecki makes the case.
Lastly, The Lifespan of a Fact, the Broadway play based on John D'Agata's book of the same name, relays the many disagreements between a writer and his factchecker over the nature of truth. The play is at TheaterWorks through March 8. John D'Agata joins us in our studio.
GUESTS:
James Surowiecki - A journalist who has written about business and finance for, among others, Slate and The New Yorker; the author of The Wisdom of Crowds
John D'Agata - An essayist, professor of English and director of the nonfiction writing program at the University of Iowa, and the author of several books including The Lifespan of a Fact
You can 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.
3/2/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose Has A Regurgitative Reaction To Mistruthin'
Quarantine culture is coming. Maybe. So we start with a look at the coronavirus in comedy, COVID in culture, etc.
And then: Knives Out is Rian Johnson's fifth feature film as writer and director. It's mostly a howcatchem in the vein of Columbo and an all-star ensemble cast murder mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie adaptations like Murder on the Orient Express. It was nominated for three Golden Globes, including Best Picture (Musical or Comedy), and Johnson's screenplay was nominated for an Oscar. It's out on DVD/Blu-ray/4K and for rental on iTunes/Amazon/etc. this week.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Late-night hosts skewer Trump for coronavirus response
Late Night Awaits Mike Pence's Cure for the Coronavirus
Quarantine Cooking: Finding Relief From Coronavirus Anxiety In The Kitchen
It's Okay to Leave Your Headphones at HomeHow one writer learned an accidental lesson in the joys of silence
Jif really wants you to stop pronouncing GIF like its peanut butter
Honda Dealer Offers Deal: $900 If You Watch All the Fast & Furious Movies
The Most Upsetting McDonald's Candle Scents, From 'No' to 'Dear God'McDonald's is releasing six candles that, burned together, make your home smell like a Quarter Pounder
Burger King breaks the mold with new advertising campaign
Emergency Backup Goalie David Ayres Has Taken NHL By Storm After Win
The Invisible Man, Godzilla, King Kong: A History of the Movie Monster
How to Murder Harry PotterIn "deathfic," writers of fan fiction find unexpected comfort in killing off their favorite popular characters.
How to Dress Like Larry David, Casual Fashion Icon
Every Harrison Ford Movie Performance, Ranked
Kobe Bryant's Memorial Brought Out a Side of Michael Jordan I'd Never Seen Before
50 Years Ago Today: Ernie Sings "Rubber Ducky" In the Bathtub
Finneas O'Connell Tweeted About Success And Sparked A Ton Of Drama About Privilege And Nepotism"Spoken like someone born to two actors in LA."
This Artist Shows Us What Historical Figures Would Look Like If They Were Alive Today, And I Am ObsessedMarie Antoinette as a millennial?
Apple Won't Let Villains Use iPhones In Movies, According to Rian Johnson
Earth Can Have a New Little Moon, as a TreatAstronomers have spotted a small asteroid that's been captured by Earth's orbit.
Clive Cussler, best-selling author behind Dirk Pitt adventure novels, dead at 88
The best chase sequence ever is in Wallace and Gromit in The Wrong TrousersThe original Aardman shorts are available to stream on Amazon
Steven Spielberg Won't Direct 'Indiana Jones 5,' James Mangold in Talks to Replace
Hank Azaria wants to "make up" for his racist voicing of Apu on "The Simpsons"Hari Kondabolu first called attention to how the portrayal perpetuated negative Indian American stereotypes
↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A RIP: Konami Code Creator Kazuhisa Hashimoto Dies
The Dark, Chaotic, Utterly Mesmerizing Soul of Modern CelebrityIt was only a matter of time before grabbing a few seconds of a star's life got monetized. But the result is weirder than anyone expected.
My Ex-Boyfriend's New Girlfriend Is Lady GagaHow do you compare yourself with one of the most famous women in the world?
Taylor Swift, Man
Wax. Perm. Tint. Microblade. Glue. How eyebrows became everything
David Roback, Co-Founder Of Mazzy Star And Rain Parade, Dead At 61
Why some of the best-known tunes, like 'Happy Birthday,' are the hardest to sing
Jungle Cruise Boat Sinks At Walt Disney World
Lady Gaga's 'Stupid Love' Is Getting a Lot of Love From Her Little Monsters
Should Robots Have a Face?As automation comes to retail industries, companies are giving machines more humanlike features in order to make them liked, not feared.
GUESTS:
Susan Bigelow - A librarian, a columnist for CT News Junkie, and a science fiction/fantasy novelist
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Helder Mira - Multimedia producer at Trinity College and a Cinestudio board member
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.
2/28/2020 • 41 minutes, 59 seconds
How To Secede From Belgium Without Really Trying
Secession is in the air. Britain withdrew from the European Union, Scotland wants out of the UK, Catalonia from Spain, and, wait for it, California from the U.S. Yes, the days of our country's states being united may soon come to an end.
In fact, not only is California home to active secessionist and separatist movements, but so is Texas, Washington, Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont and several other states. And with the degree to which our nation seems divided, one wonders if this isn't long overdue.
On today's show we speak with legal experts and advocates about the growing calls for secession both here and abroad. Would nations be better off if they allowed their citizens to secede, forming smaller, more like-minded sovereign territories? Would the citizens be better off? And, to be quite frank, would any of this even be legal?
GUESTS:
Francis H. Buckley - Foundation Professor at the Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University as well as Senior Editor at The American Spectator,and a columnist for the New York Post; author of American Secession: The Looming Threat of a National Breakup
Marcus Ruiz Evans - Co-Founder of the Yes California movement, the largest and most widely-known community of activists who believe that California should be an independent country; author of California’s Next Century
Erica Frankenberg - Professor of Education and Demography in the College of Education at the Penn State University, focusing on racial desegregation and inequality in K-12 schools; co-author of several books including Educational Delusions?: Why Choice Can Deepen Inequality and How to Make Schools Fair
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/27/2020 • 49 minutes
You Can Check Out Anytime You Like, But You Can Never Leave
Most of the characteristics we associate with hotels - the welcoming yet alienating effect they have on our psyches - we absorbed from the artists, musicians, and filmmakers who have long been fascinated with the relationship between our physical travels and our spiritual journeys.
Hotels like Mariott and Hilton are jumping into the microhotel market that up to now, has been dominated ro by small operators like Arlo, YOTEL, and Pod, for the past decade. But millennial demand for more communal spaces, smaller rooms, and lower cost is forcing the big chains to freshen up their brand and drop their costs.
Today, a look at hotels.
GUESTS:
Hannah Sampson is a staff writer at The Washington Post where she reports on travel news.
Suzanne Joinson is British author and a senior lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Chichester in West Sussex, England. She’s the author of A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar and The Photographer’s Wife. She is a contributor to The New York Times.
Leo Mazow is the Cochrane curator of American Art at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the author of Edward Hopper and the American Hotel
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/26/2020 • 48 minutes, 47 seconds
You're Such An Annoying Know-It-All!
The recent Senate trial for President Trump's impeachment riveted the nation, but little consensus could be reached about the facts of the case or the outcome. Additionally, many in Congress knew how they would vote before the trial began.
The strong convictions that every member of the Senate brought to the trial - minus Senator Mitt Romney - didn't waver after the facts were presented.
You've probably noticed that we’re living in a know-it-all society. We tend to think we’re always right (meaning everyone else is wrong) at the expense of everyone else’s opinions. Is this part of the reason we’re not getting along so well as a society?
Also this hour: one man’s quest to be the smartest man in the world.
GUESTS:
Michael Lynch - Professor of Philosophy and director of the Humanities Institute at UConn and director of the New England Humanities Consortium. He’s the author of several books, most recently, Know-It-All Society: Truth and Arrogance in Political Culture
A.J. Jacobs - Contributor to Esquire magazine and The New York Times. He’s the author of four NYT bestsellers, including The Know-It-All: One Man’s humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/25/2020 • 40 minutes, 59 seconds
Bernie On The Rise; COVID-19 Inches Closer To A Pandemic; Sports Cheating
Bernie Sanders won a decisive victory in last week's Nevada caucuses after effectively tying with Pete Buttigieg in the less diverse states of Iowa and New Hampshire. Is he the candidate that can beat President Trump? Or the one who will lead the Democratic Party down the road to ruin? It depends on who you talk to.
Also this hour: More than 70,000 people have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, a novel form of coronavirus, since the first cases were confirmed in Wuhan, China, at the end of December. Significant outbreaks in multiple countries in the recent days have led health officials to worry that the virus is on the brink of becoming a pandemic.
Lastly, the brazen sign stealing scandal that tainted the Houston Astros' World Series win in 2017, and near-win in 2019, is part of a bigger pattern of cheating in sports that is a symptom of something we see throughout our culture: crime pays. The lack of accountability in sports and culture has led to brazen cheating at the expense of fair play and a collective moral compass.
GUESTS:
Edward-Isaac Dovere - Staff writer at The Atlantic and host of The Ticket podcast
Lena Sun - National health reporter for The Washington Post
Michael Baumann - Covers sports, culture, and politics for The Ringer and hosts The Ringer MLB 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.
2/24/2020 • 49 minutes, 1 second
Laura Nyro Was The Emily Dickinson Of American Pop Music
Laura Nyro's most famous compositions -- "Stoned Soul Picnic," "Stoney End," "When I Die," "Wedding Bell Blues," "Eli's Coming" -- are jewels of mainstream music, and her covers of songs like "Jimmy Mack" and "Gonna Take a Miracle" are legendary.
But she was uncomfortable under the spotlight and withdrew from it to become the Belle of Danbury.
This hour: a night of singing, reflecting, and celebrating recorded in front of a live audience on January 29, 2020, as part of Colin's Freshly Squeezed series at Watkinson School.
GUESTS:
Jim Chapdelaine - Guitar and vocals
Latanya Farrell - Vocals and tambourine
Steve Metcalf - Piano and vocals
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/20/2020 • 50 minutes
Memories of Watergate
It's been over 40 years since former President Richard Nixon resigned the presidency over Watergate. But, the story of Watergate is almost impossible to tell. It's too big and too murky. It's full of files that were burned and a tape that was erased. It's full of characters named McCord and Magruder and Mitchell, who are hard to keep track of. With each passing year, it becomes more of an inert thing and less of a breathing, wriggling, writhing creature.
And yet, Watergate survives in what we call Memes, ideas that stay alive and spread. Take something like, "It's not the crime, it's the cover-up." That one originated with Watergate, but it has been slapped on everybody from Martha Stewart to Chris Christie.
Today, over 40 years from the date of Richard Nixon's resignation, we'll talk about all the ways the story stayed alive in our collective memory and all the ways it died. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/20/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
How Creating A Color Created A Controversy
Nyctophiliacs rejoice! The color you know and love (black) is now blacker than ever before. And nevermind that black is not technically a color. The point is that as you were traipsing through graveyards and reveling under the night sky, scientists were busy inventing two new shades which are so dark they'd make Wednesday Adams reach for a flashlight.
But while Vanta black and Black 3.2 are undoubtedly achievements to be celebrated, they did not come without controversy. Indeed, the feud over who could use the blackest substance on Earth soon had the tempers of some artists running red hot. Can a color even be owned? As it turns out, yes!
On Today's show we speak with a historian of the color black as well as the creator of one of these remarkable new shades. We'll also speak with a scientist on the other end of the color-creating spectrum about a brand new ultra-white that'll soon be brightening our lives in strange new ways.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/19/2020 • 49 minutes
Pardon Me: Episode 11 -- Hang On A Minute, Lads. I've Got A Great Idea.
On December 13, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee voted to recommend two articles of impeachment against President Trump, and the full House of Representatives adopted them on December 18. On February 5, 2020, the Senate acquitted the president on both articles.
Going by those dates, the full, official impeachment saga lasted 54 days.
Our side-project, Saturday-show chronicling of the impeachment, Pardon Me (Another Damn Impeachment Show?), launched on December 6, 2019. 11 episodes and 12 hours of radio later, Pardon Me has come to its close.
This hour, in lieu of a proper Colin McEnroe Show, and continuing the Presidents' Day weekend festivities, we present the final installment of Pardon Me.
GUESTS:
Frankie Graziano - Reporter at Connecticut Public Radio
David Plotz - CEO of Atlas Obscura, co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest
Jay Rosen - Media critic and professor of journalism at NYU
Philip Rucker - White House Bureau Chief at The Washington Post, co-author of A Very Stable Genius: Donald J. Trump's Testing of America
Chion Wolf - Host, photographer, and announcer at Connecticut Public Radio
Thanks to Catie Talarski and Tim Rasmussen.
Pardon Me is a production of The Colin McEnroe Show on Connecticut Public Radio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/17/2020 • 51 minutes, 36 seconds
The Nose On Valentighting, Snoop v. Gayle, And HBO's 'The Outsider'
The Outsider is a planned 10-episode HBO miniseries based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. It airs on Sundays nights, and we're six episodes in so far. The premise is actually pretty simple: What if a guy actually were in two places at once? Then what? The ramifications of that, though, are about as complicated as you'd expect from Stephen King.
And: a look at the Gayle King/Snoop Dogg controversy, our latest edition of Carolyn Paine Explains a New Dating Term, and Netflix finally changes that one thing you've always hated... unless you didn't hate it.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Let's break down Eminem's Oscars performance, frame by frame
These zoos will name a cockroach after your ex and feed it to an animal on Valentine's Day
Will Disney's Theatrical Release of 'Hamilton' Be Censored?
The broom challenge may be sweeping the nation, but it's not actually as cool as you think
Trump tweets 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' clip that actually mocks his supporters
Here's the 'Back to the Future' Cybertruck mashup you never knew you needed
Well, 'The Hunt' Is Finally Going to See the Light of Day
We Asked a Hedgehog Dentist to Explain Why Sonic's Human Teeth Are So Upsetting
Extremely metal scientists name new species of tyrannosaur the "reaper of death"
The world just learned of the Astros' cheating. Inside baseball, it was an open secret.
Why C-SPAN's quirky call-in show has endured for 40 years
Stop Giving Westminster Best in Show to the Dog With the Silliest Haircut
You should watch everything with subtitles on
Built on Selfies, Museum of Ice Cream Has New Mantra: No Phones
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
Carolyn Paine- An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/13/2020 • 50 minutes
Fake News Feels Good (And Other Reasons Why Truth Is In Trouble)
What is real is no longer a question for philosophers alone. In today's world, it's a question we all contend with on a daily basis. Online, on television, in print and in public discourse, facts, feelings, and flat-out lies all share the same stage.
So how are we to tell the difference? Experts in technology, media, education, science, and politics are debating this very question. And while possible solutions are in the works, the truth may be that we as people simply prefer a lie that feels good over a truth that doesn't. Is the real problem our own human nature?
This hour we discuss not only the present and future of fake news, but its history as well. Turns out that efforts to undermine the truth are nearly as old as truth itself.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/13/2020 • 49 minutes
New Hampshire Is Just The Warm Up. Are You Still Excited?
The Democratic primary season is just getting started. How have the results from the New Hampshire primary affected how you might vote?
Bernie had a good night, Biden and Warren had bad nights, and Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and Bloomberg are vying to win the middle.
Are you all in for Bernie? What if he doesn't get the nomination? Will you back someone else, sit out the race, or something else, like, er, start your own party?
Is it over for Biden and Warren?
Will the party split between Bernie and Buttigieg? What about Bloomberg?
Are you one of the Yang Gang? If so, who's going to get your vote? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/12/2020 • 49 minutes, 2 seconds
Pardon Me: Episode 10 -- Acquitted! Or: Heading Down A Very, Very Dark Corridor
Note: This episode contains strong language.
This hour, we air an updated version of the most recent episode of our weekly impeachment show, Pardon Me, which normally airs Saturdays at noon.
The Senate acquitted President Trump on both articles of the impeachment. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was the only Republican who voted to convict the president on one charge, for "egregious" behavior he believed rose to the level of a "high crime and misdemeanor."
President Trump responded with anger. He fumed at his perceived enemies at Thursday's National Prayer Breakfast, he swore on live TV and radio at a rambling East Room acquittal "celebration," and then he fired two impeachment witnesses and an impeachment witness's twin brother... just to make sure he definitely got the right one, maybe?
This week, Colin speaks with Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and professor Ryan Goodman about how the fallout from the Senate acquittal of the president could affect the future of the election and the country. And more.
GUESTS:
Ryan Goodman - Founding co-editor-in-chief of Just Security, professor of law at NYU School of Law, and professor of politics and sociology at NYU
Kyle Knickerbocker - A merchant mariner from Essex, Conn., who went to see the impeachment hearings and trial in person a whole bunch of times
Chris Murphy - Democratic U.S. Senator from Connecticut
Chion Wolf - A producer, photographer, and announcer at Connecticut Public Radio
Thanks to Eugene Amatruda.
Email us your questions at pardonme@ctpublic.org.
Pardon Me is a production of The Colin McEnroe Show on Connecticut Public Radio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/10/2020 • 51 minutes, 39 seconds
President Trump's Massive Disinformation Campaign; The Rise Of Michael Bloomberg
The Atlantic writer McKay Coppins says President Trump's reelection team is waging a massive disinformation campaign that uses the same tactics of information warfare used by autocrats like Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and by Russian President Vladimir Putin in our 2016 election.
He says their tactics include coordinated bot attacks, micro-targeting millions of voters susceptible to radicalization and conspiratorial thinking, anonymous mass texting, and infiltrating local news stations with Potemkin local news websites. It's all meant to flood our senses and confuse our ability to discern fact from fiction.
Also this hour: Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is on the rise. Results from the Iowa caucus and President Trump's high approval ratings have some wondering if any of the existing frontrunners could beat Trump. Is it time to take another look at Bloomberg?
GUESTS:
McKay Coppins - Staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of The Wilderness: Deep Inside the Republican Party's Combative, Contentious, Chaotic Quest to Take Back the White House
Mike Pesca - Host of the Slate daily podcast The Gist and the editor of the book Upon Further Review: The Greatest What Ifs in Sports History
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/10/2020 • 49 minutes, 2 seconds
It's The Somethingth Annual Noscars!
We've done this show every year around this time for some number of years now. Unless we missed a year or two in there somewhere. But we've probably tried to do this show for every year that The Nose has existed. Of course, we aren't really sure how many years The Nose has existed.
But the point is: The 92nd Academy Awards are this Sunday, and so this hour, it's the 2020 edition of The Noscars, which will cover movies from 2019 just like the 2020 edition of the Oscars covers movies from 2019. Or something.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Was Letterman Really Such a Bad Oscar Host? He Still Thinks So
People Are Dipping Their Testicles in Soy Sauce, So Here's Some Science
'American Dirt' Has Us Talking. That's a Good Thing.
Cards Against Humanity Bought Clickhole
Barack Obama Is Figuring This Whole Menswear Thing Out
Spotify is buying Bill Simmons's The Ringer to boost its podcast business
Pete Rose uses Astros saga to ask for reinstatement
Someone Used Neural Networks To Upscale An 1895 Film To 4K 60 FPS, And The Result Is Really Quite Astounding
A Kobe Bryant Joke Goes Wrong, Revealing Comedy's Troll Side
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - A music writer for the Red Hook Star Revue
Rand Richards Cooper - A contributing editor at Commonweal who writes the "In Our Midst" column for Hartford Magazine
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Vivian Nabeta - Director of marketing and public relations for Capital Community College
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Gene Amatruda contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/6/2020 • 50 minutes
From Poverty To Incarceration To Redemption
William Outlaw is a natural leader. He's been a key figure in helping to lower New Haven's homicide rate over the last decade. He's a strategist and an organizer who can size up a situation quickly. He can defuse a threatening situation with his charisma and charm. He can run a business.
As a street outreach worker in New Haven, he uses all the same skills today that he used when he co-ran New Haven's largest cocaine gang in the 1980's.
He spent twenty years behind bars, surviving some of the most dangerous prisons in America. For the last decade, he's been giving back to the community he once harmed.
William takes responsibility for his crimes. He also recognizes that people make decisions within the framework of the opportunities and experiences available to them. The difference between William and an Ivy-educated CEO may be that William grew up in a public housing project steeped in a culture of violence and poverty.
William is still running a gang -- but using the same skills for a very different outcome. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/6/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
A Tribute To The Proud And Peaceful Pigeon
B.F. Skinner thought pigeons were so smart they could be used to guide missiles during WWII. He proposed a system in which pigeons would essentially pilot the missile. Skinner said pigeons could be trained to peck at a screen to adjust the trajectory of a missile toward its target. Project pigeon was funded but never used. It's one of the many reasons I could talk about pigeons all day.
In 2013, New York conceptual artist named Duke Reilly trained half his flock of pigeons to carry contraband cigars from Cuba to Florida and the other half to carry tiny video cameras documenting the smuggling flight of their comrades.
Another group of researchers trained pigeons to reliably distinguish between the paintings of Picasso and Monet, even if they had never before seen a particular painting.
Today, on the show, everything you wanted to know about pigeons. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/5/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Colin Is Taking Your Calls. We Miss You.
The Iowa caucuses descended into chaos after problems with a new app led to delays, mistrust, and renewed questions over whether Iowa should remain first in the nation. Does the primary system even work? Why don't we just hold a national primary?
Ironically, the new app Democrats developed to increase transparency and speed up results led to delays, mistrust in technology and the voting process in the first presidential election after the interference of 2016. Team Trump is already firing up the conspiracy machine.
Unfortunately, candidates got lost in the problems with process and in the absence of results. Each claimed they either won or did very well in an election when most Democrats remain frozen by the fear of making the wrong choice. Is Michael Bloomberg the winner in this mess?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/4/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Colingram #4 — Monday, February 3, 2020: The Night They Drove Old Missouri Down
This is a Colingram, a brief encounter with the host of The Colin McEnroe Show. We’re getting ready for an all-call-in show at 1 p.m. Tuesday discussing the results of the Monday caucuses which Colin claims are in Idaho, followed by primaries in New Vermont and South Kentucky.
And even if that’s not strictly correct, it doesn’t matter, because geography in 2020 is like playing horseshoes or bocce. If you’re close, sometimes that’s good enough. President Trump was very close to identifying the home state of this year’s winner of the Super Bowl which, we are pretty sure, is a croquet tournament.
Listen to Colin’s take here.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/3/2020 • 3 minutes, 46 seconds
Colingram #3 — Friday, January 24, 2020: Requiem for a Legume and a Legend
This is a Colingram, a brief encounter with the host of The Colin McEnroe Show, recorded on Friday while we all tried to figure out whether our stealth-brand show, Pardon Me (Another Damn Impeachment Show?), would be preempted from its usual Saturday noon time slot. (Connecticut Public Radio will air it at noon on Sunday.)
Colin is distraught over the news that Mr. Peanut, who is even older than Colin, will die on television during the Super Bowl instead of living out his final days in peace at an assisted snacking facility.
This is especially hard for Colin who was the one who found Speedy, the Alka Seltzer kid, in an alley outside a club in Minneapolis. Even today, the words “Plop Plop Fizz Fizz” are painful for him to hear.
The music played here is Ravel’s “Pavane for a Dead Peanut.”Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/24/2020 • 3 minutes, 12 seconds
Colingram #2 — Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Hello again!
And by “Again,” we mean that this is the second in a possibly infinite chain of Colingrams, a new concept in which the host of The Colin McEnroe Show (whose name, confusingly, is Bart Murfreesboro) shares some small insight, while urging you to subscribe (if you haven’t) to our new stealth brand podcast Pardon Me (Another Damn Impeachment Show?), which is available on every reputable podcast platform and also on certain disreputable ones.
Today, “Did Somebody Say ‘Lawyer’?”
Tomorrow on Colingrams, we say goodbye, reluctantly, to Mr. Peanut, who gave his life so that we could snack.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/22/2020 • 4 minutes, 21 seconds
Colingram #1 — Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Behold the first-ever Colingram, in which host Colin McEnroe chats briefly and possibly even engagingly about something of interest (to him anyway).
Colingrams will continue through the impeachment process and slightly beyond it. Until after the aftermath, one might say. And then life will resume its normal rhythms except that the United States will be ruled by Lindsey Graham and a large robot, the two functioning as Roman-style consuls. But we will go back to doing lots of Colin McEnroe Show episodes, if it’s OK with the robot.
Anyway, in today’s Colingram, a woman finds something he wrote in 1983 inside the walls of a lake house. Seriously.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/21/2020 • 3 minutes, 25 seconds
The Nose On Brad and Jen Together Again (Maybe) And Sam Mendes's '1917'
Sam Mendes's World War I drama, 1917, is currently the #1 movie in America. It won Golden Globe Awards for Best Director and Best Picture -- Drama, and it's nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, and Cinematography. The cinematography nomination is probably the least surprising one, as the entire movie is shot to look as though it was one long, unbroken take.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt could be about to become 'more than just friends'
'Very Male, Very White': Let's Talk About Those Oscar Nominations
This playboy tortoise had so much sex he saved his entire species. Now he's going home
Universal & Warner Bros. Form Home Entertainment Joint Venture
Whitney Houston, The Notorious B.I.G. Among 2020's Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees
The Treatment for Sign Stealing Isn't a Cure for MLB's Disease
Cooler on the Other Side: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Stuart Scott
New York Mayor Scorned Over His Favorite Bagel Order
Irish Island Looking for Two People To Manage Its Coffee Shop
Missouri could jail librarians for lending 'age-inappropriate' books
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/17/2020 • 49 minutes
Secret Government Mind Control Experiments (And Other Things Your Tax Dollars Paid For)
Over the years, our government has been involved in some pretty shady affairs. After eugenics and internment camps but before Watergate and Iran-Contra, came mind control. And just like the other ethically dubious projects mentioned, your tax dollars paid for it.
Beginning in the 1940s, multiple U.S. intelligence agencies became interested in studying how they might control people's minds to the extent that they'd be willing divulge secret information or even act in a manner contrary to their own free will.
The experiments were code named MKULTRA and involved the use of psychedelic drugs, radiation, isolation, and other forms of psychological harassment or torture. This hour, we'll speak with experts on the history of these experiments and ask how their results filtered down into the world we live in today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/16/2020 • 49 minutes
Life After Death: Science, Speculation And Skepticism
Life after death, in one form or another, has been examined by multiple disciplines for centuries: From theology, to physics, to philosophy, to medicine and more. But while the topic is taken seriously by some, it remains a focus of ridicule and skepticism by others.
Recently however, tests have been designed to unequivocally either prove or disprove this phenomenon once thought to be contestable. And the incredible stories of those claiming to have glimpsed what lies beyond continue to seduce and amaze.
This hour we speak with an investigative journalist and medical doctors--believers and skeptics alike-- about the latest theories and evidence of life after death.
This show is the fifth part of a new experiment: Radio for the Deaf. Watch a simulcast of signers from Source Interpreting interpreting our radio broadcast in American Sign Language via Facebook Live.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/15/2020 • 49 minutes
Pardon Me: Episode 6 -- One Nation, Under Insomnia
This hour, we air an updated version of the most recent episode of our weekly impeachment show, Pardon Me, which normally airs Saturdays at noon.
Law professor Bruce Ackerman argues that President Trump's order to kill Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani is a far graver offense than his efforts to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Joe Biden. Think about it: He's bragging about his decision to kill a high-ranking official of another country. Will Chief Justice John Roberts save us?
And that's the positive view on the show this week.
Sarah Kendzior studies autocratic governments. She thinks we'd be foolish to believe there are limits to what the Trump administration would do -- whether jailing witnesses and whistleblowers, threatening protesters, or using nuclear weapons.
GUESTS:
Bruce Ackerman- The Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale and the author of nineteen books, including We the People, his three-volume work on American constitutional development
Frankie Graziano - Reporter at Connecticut Public Radio
Sarah Kendzior - A writer, researcher, and co-host of the podcast Gaslit Nation
Chion Wolf - Producer, photographer, and announcer at Connecticut Public Radio
Email us your questions at pardonme@ctpublic.org.
Pardon Me is a production of The Colin McEnroe Show on Connecticut Public Radio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/14/2020 • 51 minutes, 30 seconds
It's An All-Call Monday
We like to open the phones and hear what's on your minds. We never know what you're going to say but we love that you call us to say it.
Colin would like to start with the Oscar nominations. You let us know where you want to go from there. Maybe you want to stay there.
Call us at (888) 720-9677, which is also (888) 720-WNPR. You can also tweet us @wnprcolin or leave us a message on Facebook. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/13/2020 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
The Nose On Megxit, The Joys (Or Agonies) Of Winter, And 'The Rise of Skywalker'
The Rise of Skywalker is the third and final movie in the third (and final?) trilogy -- the sequel trilogy in the trilogy of trilogies -- in the main, so-called "Skywalker Saga" of the Star Wars narrative. It's the eleventh Star Wars movie overall, the fifth since Disney bought Lucasfilm and took over the franchise, and the second directed by JJ Abrams (after The Force Awakens, the first of the Disney Star Wars films and the highest-grossing movie in the history of the United States). It is... somewhat divisive. The Nose weighs in.
And: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced that they're backing away from their role as royals.
Plus: Winter. You either hate it, or you love it.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
People are seeing 'Cats' while high out of their minds. These are their stories.
Good Riddance to Ricky Gervais, the Sneering, Purposefully Intolerable Golden Globes Host
The Golden Globes Sends a Message With Its Snub of The Irishman
Witness the birth of the year's first meme with Tom Hanks' Golden Globes grimace
Elizabeth Wurtzel, 'Prozac Nation' author who spurred a memoir boom, dies at 52
Report: Red Sox used replay room to steal signs in 2018 season
John Mulaney Is Not So Square
There are 2,373 squirrels in Central Park. I know because I helped count them.
The Oscars Will Skip the Whole To-Do and Just Go Hostless Once Again
Buck Henry Dies: 'The Graduate' Writer, 'Get Smart' Co-Creator & Early 'SNL' Favorite Was 89
Jupiter Is Flinging Comets Toward Earth
Warner Bros. Will Use Artificial Intelligence to Help Decide Which Movies to Greenlight
GOOP Has a Candle Called 'This Smells Like My Vagina'
GUESTS:
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Edwin Krakowiak - A navy vet going to school to become a middle school algebra teacher
Helder Mira - Multimedia producer at Trinity College and a Cinestudio board member
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/10/2020 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Ram Dass: We're All Just Walking Each Other Home
Ram Dass' 1971 book, "Be Here Now," was the gateway drug into spirituality for a lot of young people seeking answers in the era of Vietnam.
Dass first tried being a psychology professor at Harvard, where he and colleague Timothy Leary sought God through experiments with psychedelics. Then, he went to India and found his guru, who taught him how to feel high without the drugs.
Many young people followed him to India, The chose to feed the hungry and serve the people, just as Ram Dass tended to the dying, the blind, and the incarcerated. They searched for meaning away from the political tumult of 1960's America.
There are parallels to today.
Ram Dass died last month. But his words and life are inspiring a new generation of followers who are using the teachings of Ram Dass to find something bigger than the division and hatred evident in this political moment.
GUESTS:
Chris Grosso is a writer, public speaker, and author with Simon & Schuster. He’s also the host of The Indie Spiritualist Podcast on Ram Dass Be Here Now Network.
Mirabai Bush - is a Senior Fellow of the Center for Contemplative Mind in Society and a founding board member with Ram Dass of the Seva Foundation. She is co-author with Ram Dass of Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying
Sharon Saltzberg is the Cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in and the author of 10 books, including NYT bestseller, “Lovingkindness." Her newest book, “Real Change: Mindfulness To Heal Ourselves and the World,” will be published this summer.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/8/2020 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Getting to Know Our Iranian-American Neighbors
America and Iran have not had an easy relationship since 1979, when 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days by students supporting the Iranian Revolution. The resulting rise of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini further weakened the relationship.
Decades later, Iran is still seen by much of the democratic world through the lens of political tension, war and mistrust of political leaders who for decades have called for death to America and the destruction of Israel.
Yet over those decades, the people and culture of Iran have been quietly changing at the grassroots level, unnoticed amid the amplified political rhetoric that has kept Iran divided from much of the world.
Connecticut is home for many Iranians who make our state a more diverse and desirable place to live and work. Yet, we don't mingle with one another enough, sticking instead to those with whom we feel most comfortable.
Maybe it's time we take another look at Iran.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/8/2020 • 49 minutes
'Tis A Show About Castles, Me Lord
They're in the books we read, the shows we watch, and the art we hang on our walls. They conjure notions of might, magic, romance, and more. Castles, perhaps as much as any other architectural structure in history, define the landscape of our fantasy and imagination.
But is our imagination an accurate lens through which to view these fortresses of ol'? And why, after hundreds of years, does our culture's fascination with these structures seem to be on the rise? This hour, we speak with experts and enthusiasts about the reality and mystique of castles.
This show is the sixth part of a new experiment: Radio for the Deaf. Watch a simulcast of signers from Source Interpreting interpreting our radio broadcast in American Sign Language via Facebook Live.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/7/2020 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Pardon Me Episode 5: Jim Jordan -- The Vice Principal Who Haunts Your Nightmares
Last month, we launched a whole other show. It's a weekly show airing on Saturdays at noon and hitting your podcast feeds on Fridays most weeks hopefully. It's called Pardon Me (Another Damn Impeachment Show?). It's about all the latest trends and tech in the world of industrial welding. Wait, no. That's not right. It's about the impeachment, silly.
And so this hour, in lieu of your regular Monday Colin McEnroe Show, we present to you the fifth episode of our new impeachment show, Pardon Me. It's a little bit of a new adventure for us, and we hope you'll come along for the ride.
GUESTS:
Vanessa Friedman - Fashion director and chief fashion critic for The New York Times
Michael Gerhardt - The Burton Craige University Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill and the author of several books including Impeachment: What Everyone Needs To Know
Bill Yousman - Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University
Chion Wolf - Producer, photographer, and announcer at Connecticut Public Radio
Thanks to Eugene Amatruda.
Email us your questions at pardonme@ctpublic.org.
Pardon Me is a production of The Colin McEnroe Show on Connecticut Public Radio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/5/2020 • 49 minutes
The Nose On President Obama's Year-End Lists And Greta Gerwig's 'Little Women'
President Obama's lists of his favorite books, movies, and TV shows of 2019 are out. They include a number of titles that are showing up on proper critics' lists -- The Irishman, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Parasite, Unbelievable, Watchmen, etc. -- but there are some surprises too. At the same time, here are all the books President Trump recommended in 2019.
One other movie that shows up on Obama's list is Greta Gerwig's new version of Little Women, which is being celebrated as "a cinematic achievement" and "a masterful, passionate, all-in kind of adaptation."
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
The Best (and Worst) Food Trends From the Past Decade
The Absolute Best Way to Fry an Egg, According to 42 Tests
A Serious Conversation With the Man Who Made Cats
Wait, What Went Down Between John Boyega and Star Wars Fans on Twitter Last Night?
The Game of Thrones Creators Just Departed From Their Upcoming Star Wars Trilogy
Bumble dating app blocked Sharon Stone after users thought her profile was fake
This Toilet Patent Makes Workers Uncomfortable Taking Long Bathroom Breaks
KISS Frontman Gene Simmons' Cereal Hack Is Melting Down Social Media
Adam Sandler is the uniter we need right now
Has J.K. Rowling figured out a way to break our cancel culture?
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - A music writer for the Red Hook Star Revue
Cara McDonough - A freelance writer; you can read her blog at caramcduna.com
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/3/2020 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Reality, Controversy, And Efficacy Of Modern Homeschooling
The stereotypes around homeschooling have existed for decades. Since the modern homeschooling movement began in the late 20th century, those who favored this educational approach have largely been perceived as white, anti-establishment, radically Christian, and ultra-conservative.
But while this description does apply to some, the trend lines tell a different story. In recent years, homeschooling has been increasingly adopted by an ever more culturally and ideologically diverse segment of the population. This hour we speak with experts about the realities, controversies, and efficacy of homeschooling.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/2/2020 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
Celebrate The Best Jazz Of 2019!
Since 2014, we've gathered some of our heaviest hitters in the jazz world to talk about the year in jazz. From concept albums to masked musicians to tunes unlike anything you've ever heard, enjoy some great songs from this last crazy trip around the sun!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/31/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
We Take Your Calls
During this perineum week in-between Christmas and the New Year, we decided to take your calls.
We thought about a lot of asking you to weigh in on some disturbing and heavy topics. In the end, and by popular demand, we decided to keep it lighter. That doesn't mean you can't call with a concern that weighs heavy on your mind. We just thought you could use a break.
We'll get you started with one guest talking about goats and Christmas trees. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/30/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Last Nose Of 2019 Is A Total 'Cats' astrophe (Not Unlike This Headline)
Cats -- the new feature film based on the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and starring James Cordon, Judi Dench, Jennifer Hudson, Taylor Swift, and others -- opened last weekend and grossed $6.6 million in the U.S. It is the 19th-worst opening for any movie in very wide release in history. The 18 movies that opened to less money on a similar number of screens are mostly a bunch of stuff that you don't remember ever existed: Hoot, The Seeker: Dark Rising, Fun Size, Hardcore Henry, Keeping Up with the Joneses, The Wild Thornberrys Movie, etc.
Oh, and I forgot to say: In addition to being a financial disaster, Cats is also... terrible. It earned a C+ CinemaScore from audiences (which is really bad). And it's at 18% on the Tomatometer (which is really rotten). It's so bad that Universal released an updated version to theaters early this week that has hopefully slightly less bad special effects.
Plus: This is the last Nose of 2019. (It's the last Nose of the 2010s, even!) And so we might just spend some time talking about our favorite stuff of the year -- movies, television, books, music, kitchen gadgets, barbershops -- whatever.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/27/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
In Pods We Trust: How The Pod Prevails In Consumer- And Pop-Culture
We wake up to coffee from a pod, listen to music on our pod devices, drive to work in our Smart cars, Fiats, or other increasingly pod-shaped vehicles, sit all day in a cubicle (pod), relax after work in a hip, new float pod, wash our clothes using detergent pods, and while we wait for them to dry, we listen to our favorite podcast. Sound about right?
What is it about pods that we're so drawn to? And why do an increasing number of our products and services all feature the word pod in their name?
Is it possible the pod's slick, liminal aesthetic, or the allure of its Pandorian promise holds some sway over our subconscious? Might Freud have something to say about its curvature, or its role in nature as a place of transformation, emergence, and ultimately independence?
Perhaps it's the pod's minimalism and symmetry which appeal to us as we negotiate an increasingly chaotic world. Or is it simply an efficient design suited to meet the needs of our busy lives?
This hour, we speak with experts and discuss the mystery of the pod in consumer- and pop-culture. We'll also look back over recent history and explore the possibility that we are, and always have been, pod-people!
GUESTS:
Blanka Domagalska - Lecturer at Otis College of Art and Design teaching courses on product Design, with expertise in art history, media and cultural theory, philosophy and aesthetic liminality
Elvina Beck - Co-founder and CEO of Podshare, a membership based real estate startup designed to allow low cost pod living in major cities
Kotaro Aoki: Former philosophy major at Wesleyan University and self professed pod napper
Jim Knipfel - Novelist and author of a series of critically acclaimed memoirs including Slackjaw, Quitting the Nairobi Trio, and Ruining It for Everybody; he also authored the longrunning "Slackjaw" column which appeared in several publications
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/27/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Our 2019 Yuletide Celebration With "Big Al" Anderson, Jim Chapdelaine, and Nekita Waller
Don't miss -- for what might just be the seventh year we've done this (though it might also be some other number too) -- a very badly planned Christmas Eve special featuring chaos muppet and music legend "Big Al" Anderson, the great Jim Chapdelaine, and State Troubadour Nekita Waller!
GUESTS:
"Big Al" Anderson - Award-winning guitarist, singer, and songwriter known for his work in the band NRBQ, among a ton of other stuff
Jim Chapdelaine - Emmy Award-winning musician, producer, composer, and recording engineer; patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Nekita Waller - Connecticut's 17th State Troubadour
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Eugene Amatruda and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/23/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
Christianity Today Calls For Trump's Impeachment; Purity Tests and Wine Caves; Origins of Christmas
Christianity Today, an evangelical Christian publication founded by Billy Graham in 1956, published an editorial Thursday by editor-in-chief Mark Galli, calling for President Trump to be removed from office.
This might sound shocking to the large number of evangelicals who steadfastly support the president despite behavior that has been at odds with Christian morality.
The response to the editorial was swift and divided, causing Christianity Today's website to crash shortly after Galli's editorial was published. Will Galli's words make a difference?
Also this hour: Mayor Pete Buttigieg accused Elizabeth Warren of holding him to a purity test that she could not pass after she criticized him at Thursday's Democratic debate for holding a private fundraiser in a Silicon Valley wine cave. We look at the origins and use of the phrase "purity test."
Lastly, the darker underbelly of the origins of Christmas. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/23/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Serious, Subversive (And Sometimes Shocking) History Of Cartoons
It's been over 100 years since the first cartoons were drawn by hand. Since then, the genre has delved into everything from sex and drugs to racial inequality and war crimes. Even the tamest, G-rated cartoons have often found ways of slipping in adult humor past the eyes of younger viewers.
Cartoons have been the vehicle for government propaganda, social change, and political satire. Some have been boycotted and even banned for their content while others have been deemed masterpieces and praised by critics for their bold message and style.
Today, cartoons continue to find ways of subverting the status quo in surprising (sometimes shocking) new ways. This hour, we speak with animators, animation experts, and historians about what makes cartoons so well suited for the exploration of, well, everything.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/20/2019 • 43 minutes, 35 seconds
Live From Watkinson School: It's A Very Exciting Time To Be A Word!
When this forum was originally scheduled, it was intended as a conversation about how our language is changing. Example, the idiom "woke" or "#woke" has a very keen set of meanings to one group and flies by another.
I still want to do a little of that, but it’s also possibly more important to talk about the battle over basic meaning in the public square. I think it can be argued that:
(a) some phrases are being accorded an almost incantatory power (e.g. the long-running debate over whether or when Obama would use the phrase “radical Islam”),(b) some words are used to define the political landscape despite the fact that they themselves elude definition (e.g. the way the word “elites” was used in 2016),(c) there’s a whole pile of isms – fascism, nativism, nationalism, exceptionalism , even terrorism – that currently pepper our national discourse without a common consensual understanding,(d) it seems at least possible that the events of the last two years have been grinding away like termites at the substructure of American language so that a phrase like "what’s happening last night in Sweden" – in addition to being out of tense – is no longer held to any particular meaning/standard and can be translated by its utterer into "what I saw last night on television about things that have been transpiring over a period of time in Sweden."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/19/2019 • 42 minutes, 50 seconds
Why Are We So Fascinated By Scams?
Fyre Festival, Theranos, Anna Delvey, the college admissions scandal... the list goes on. And whether explored on the news or as a book, podcast, documentary or feature film, consumers can't seem to get enough of this 'scamtent.'
This hour, we'll talk about scams and scammers, and discuss why we as a culture can't seem to look away.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/17/2019 • 43 minutes, 16 seconds
Concerns Over Boris Johnson's Landslide Victory And Trump's Order Against Anti-Semitism
Voters in favor of Brexit handed British Prime Minister Boris Johnson an electoral victory on Thursday in a landslide not seen since Margaret Thatcher’s win in 1987. Conservatives won seats in British working-class districts that have been Labour strongholds for generations, giving Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party its biggest defeat since 1935. What can 2020 Democratic presidential candidates learn from this election?
Also this hour: President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday following Tuesday's anti-Semitic attack in a Jersey City kosher market that left six people dead, including the two shooters. The order sparked a firestorm online over fears that the order would bring up old debates about Jewish identity and squelch campus protests against Israeli political policy. We try to parse that out. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/16/2019 • 43 minutes, 19 seconds
America's Greatest Living Film Critic On The Year In Movies
The Nose is off this week (because, on any given day, it's entirely possible that our whole show will be off with all this impeachment nonsense going on), so David Edelstein joins Colin for the hour to talk about some of the best (and some of the worst) movies of the year.
The Irishman, Diane, Once Upon at Time... in Hollywood, Uncut Gems, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, The Lighthouse, Ad Astra, Marriage Story, The Goldfinch, and Dolemite Is My Name all get mentioned.
But which ones are the best, and which ones are the worst?
And what about Toy Story 4? Colin's got it as his favorite movie of the year. (It's #2 on my list so far.) Edelstein's got a whole other take on the Disney/Pixar sequel.
And speaking of Disney, there's some Marvel vs. movies talk here too.
GUEST:
David Edelstein - America's Greatest Living Film Critic
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/12/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
Our Interview With Dave Eggers For Our New Impeachment Show, 'Pardon Me'
We're preempted (again) today as the House Judiciary Committee debates its Articles of Impeachment. So, in lieu of a new episode of The Colin McEnroe Show, we thought you might enjoy this interview we did with Dave Eggers for our new, other show, Pardon Me (Another Damn Impeachment Show?). Pardon Me airs on Saturdays at noon on Connecticut Public Radio, and it's available wherever you get your podcasts.
Dave Eggers is the author of six books for young readers, including The Wild Things; three works of nonfiction, including Zeitoun; twelve novels, including What Is the What, A Hologram for the King, and The Circle; and the memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction. He has written three screenplays, including Where the Wild Things Are with Spike Jonze. And he is the founder of McSweeney's.
Eggers's latest is The Captain and the Glory: An Entertainment, about which John Hodgman wrote, "It is difficult these days to portray the sheer, numbing, terrifying, unprecedented strangeness of what is happening in contemporary maritime life. One wants to say it mirrors politics?"
This uncut interview is roughly twice as long as the version that ran in the debut episode of Pardon Me. It has been lightly edited for clarity but not for time or content.
GUEST:
Dave Eggers - The author of thirteen books; his latest is The Captain and the Glory: An Entertainment
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
Email us your impeachment questions at pardonme@ctpublic.org.
Pardon Me is a production of The Colin McEnroe Show on Connecticut Public Radio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/12/2019 • 25 minutes, 58 seconds
George Takei Discusses His Graphic Memoir And How America Must Learn From Its Past
Today we speak with actor and human-rights activist George Takei, not about his role as Lieutenant Sulu on the original Star Trek, but about a far more troubling chapter in his life. In his new graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy, George writes in detail about his childhood spent in an internment camp for Japanese-American citizens.
It's a vivid account of one of the darkest times in America’s history as well as a wake-up call to a country currently detaining tens of thousands of immigrants and their families. Is there still time to learn from our past mistakes or have the politics of fear and division already caused us, as a nation, to repeat them?
GUESTS:
George Takei - Actor, Human-rights activist and spokesperson, as well as author of the New York Time's best-selling graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Chion Wolf, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired on August 21, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/11/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Articles Of Impeachment And Your Calls
We had intended to run the debut episode of our new other show, Pardon Me (Another Damn Impeachment Show?), in our hour today. But then the Democrats unveiled two articles of impeachment against President Trump. And so suddenly airing a show from last weekend seemed like a bad idea.
So instead, we take to the airwaves with you as our only guest. Call in and let Colin know what you're thinking: 888-720-WNPR (888-720-9677).
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/10/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
'The Plot's The Thing With Character Actor Harris Yulin And Playwright Will Eno
The New York Times has called Harris Yulin "something of the character actor's character actor." You know him from, well... pretty much everything: Scarface, Ghostbusters II, Clear and Present Danger, Bean, The Hurricane, Rush Hour 2, Training Day, The Place Beyond the Pines, 24, Veep, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Ozark. It goes on.
Yulin is here playing Righty in the Yale Repertory Theatre's world premiere production of The Plot, which is playwright Will Eno's latest. Eno's previous work includes Middletown; The Open House; The Realistic Joneses, which also premiered at Yale Rep and which went on to Broadway; and Thom Pain (based on nothing), which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama.
Yulin and Eno (and Eno's adorable daughter, Albertine) are our guests.
GUESTS:
Albertine - The adorable daughter of Will Eno and Maria Dizzia
Will Eno - An Obie Award-, Drama Desk Award-, and Lucille Lortel Award-winning playwright
Harris Yulin - An actor and director who has been appearing on stage and screen for going on 60 years
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show, which includes original music composed by Emily Duncan Wilson, sound designer for Yale Repertory Theatre's production of The Plot.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/5/2019 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
The Fine Art Of Taxidermy
When you think of taxidermy, you may imagine a trophy room in which mostly male hunters have mounted the heads of 12-point stags along wood-paneled walls. If so, your image would be incomplete.
Taxidermy has gone through many interations since gentleman scientists turned to taxidermy to understand anatomy during the Enlightenment. Victorians added a touch of whimsy, decorating their homes with birds under glass and falling in love with Walter Potter's anthropomorphized cats.
Later still, Norman Bates shifted the cultural understanding of taxidermy from art to something more macabre after he taxidermied his mother in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho."
Today, animal-loving Millennial women are taking taxidermy to new levels of artistry and craftsmanship, from rogue taxidermists who mix and match animal parts to the mallard wing bridal veil of a couture taxidermist.
In the end, isn't taxidermy about immortality and how we choose to remember?
GUESTS:
Kristen Arnett is a librarian and a queer fiction and essay writer. She’s the author of the novel, NYT bestseller Mostly Dead Things, and a short fiction collection, Felt in the Jaw.(@Kristen_Arnett)
Beth Beverly is a couture taxidermist and the owner of Diamond Tooth Taxidermy. Her work has been featured in The New York Times and most recently the Netflix series "Stranger Things" (@bethbeverly)
John Whitenight is an educator, author, and artist. He’s the author of Under Glass: A Victorian Obsession
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/4/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Show About Psychics! But You Already Knew That
There is perhaps no figure more emblematic of the paranormal than the psychic. Able to predict the future, see into the past, and even communicate with the dead, the psychic's awesome gifts are matched only by his or her ability to withstand skepticism and ridicule.
But are our misgivings towards these intuitives justified? Is it merely smoke and mirrors which they've learned to master or are they, in fact, possessed of powers beyond our comprehension? This hour we speak with believers, skeptics and self-proclaimed psychics to find out.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/3/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Privatizing Weather Data; Canada's Bagel Wars; The Apostrophe
Private weather companies are cropping up to produce weather and climate models that has historically been provided by the government at taxpayer expense. Private weather forecasting is a $7 billion industry that threatens the National Weather Services hold on the best data and could lead to a tiered system of access.
Also this hour: Montrealers are united around their bagels. Until now, the biggest division was over who made the best bagel. Now, environmental concerns have divided them into those who want to ban the wood-burning ovens that make Montreal bagels unique and traditionalists who want to preserve the city's Jewish history and social fabric.
Lastly, the Apostrophe Preservation Society has closed its doors. It's 96-year-old chairman said "ignorance and laziness" has won. We take your calls (pet peeves) about the apostrophe. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/2/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Thanksgiving Eve Nose On Sacha Baron Cohen, Tesla's Cybertruck, And Disney+'s 'The Mandalorian'
Last Thursday, Elon Musk unveiled Tesla's Cybertruck and Sacha Baron Cohen gave the keynote address at an Anti-Defamation League summit. Both performances have drawn mixed reactions.
And: The Mandalorian is the big, new, original, launch title for Disney's new streaming service, Disney+. It's a half(ish)-hour western set in the Star Wars universe, and three episodes have dropped so far.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/27/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
America Loves Roadside Attractions. So We Talked To One.
If you ever drive across the country, you’ll notice there is a surprising amount of World’s Largest attractions.
West Virginia has the world’s largest teapot, California has the world’s largest yo-yo and Arkansas, for whatever reason, has the world’s largest Spinach can. This hour we talk to the man who brought the world’s tallest Uncle Sam to Danbury, Connecticut.
We also speak with the only person in history who claims to have built two full-size replicas of Stonehenge, and a cartoonist that is very well-traveled.
Lastly, we speak to someone who is the attraction. He's gone viral for knitting sweaters of roadside attractions, then taking selfies in front of them. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/26/2019 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
The Navy Versus President Trump; Yale-Harvard Protest; Student Impeachment
Defense Secretary Mark Esper demanded the resignation of Navy Secretary Richard Spencer on Sunday. Esper said he had lost confidence in Spencer. Esper's action follows Spencer publicly disagreeing with President Trump over the military's decision to demote one of three war criminals the president pardoned against military advice. What are the consequences of presidential interference in the military code of justice?
Also this hour: Students from Yale and Harvard protested during Saturday's Yale-Harvard football game in New Haven, to call on both universities to divest their investments in fossil fuels. About 350 additional fans joined them on the field to the sounds of John Denver. Sam Waterston was there too.
Lastly, a group of student body senators at the University of Florida initiated impeachment proceedings against their student body president for using student fees to promote a political agenda. He specifically wanted to pay Donald Trump Jr. to speak on campus.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/25/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' And Canceling Gauguin
The Irishman is Martin Scorsese's first gangster movie in thirteen years. It's his first feature-length film with Robert De Niro in 24 years and his first with Harvey Keitel in 31 years. It's Joe Pesci's first onscreen performance since 2010 and just his third since 1998. It's the first time any combination of Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and/or Harvey Keitel has ever worked together, and it's the first time Scorsese has ever directed Pacino.
The Irishman is also Scorsese's first film for Netflix. As such, a number of theater chains in our area are boycotting the picture. But some aren't -- and it'll be streaming right to a Netflix machine near you as of November 27, just in time for the long holiday weekend.
And: The French post-impressionist Paul Gauguin died more than 116 years ago. Is it time to cancel him?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/22/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Case Against Boeing; Myles Garrett Is Suspended Indefinitely; Return Of A Stradivarius
Ralph Nader's niece died when Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 max 8 jet crashed in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, in March 2019. Since that day, her family has been trying to prove that Boeing put profits before public safety when they failed to ground the plane when they recognized the danger it posed.
There is a poignancy in the notion that this family has to fight this battle against corporate greed and deregulation. It's been the fight of their lives. Now, the fight is more personal.
Also this hour: Myles Garrett, a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, was suspended indefinitely for attacking another player on the field. He likes poetry, astrophysics and paleontology. He's the least likely guy to exhibit violence. Why did he do it and what can we learn from it?
Lastly, a long-lost Stradivarius comes home. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/18/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
From Poverty To Incarceration To Redemption
William Outlaw is a natural leader. He's been a key figure in helping to lower New Haven's homicide rate over the last decade. He's a strategist and an organizer who can size up a situation quickly. He can defuse a threatening situation with his charisma and charm. He can run a business.
As a street outreach worker in New Haven, he uses all the same skills today that he used when he co-ran New Haven's largest cocaine gang in the 1980's.
He spent twenty years behind bars, surviving some of the most dangerous prisons in America. For the last decade, he's been giving back to the community he once harmed.
William takes responsibility for his crimes. He also recognizes that people make decisions within the framework of the opportunities and experiences available to them. The difference between William and an Ivy-educated CEO may be that William grew up in a public housing project steeped in a culture of violence and poverty.
William is still running a gang -- but using the same skills for a very different outcome.
GUESTS:
Charles Barber - Writer in residence at Wesleyan University and a lecturer in psychiatry at Yale. He’s the author of three books, most recently Citizen Outlaw: One Man’s Journey from Gangleader to Peacekeeper
William Juneboy Outlaw III- Co-directs the Connecticut Violence Interruption Project, which seeks to reduce youth violence in New Haven. He’s also Senior Community Advocate at Good Will where he helps formerly incarcerated people reenter the community.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/14/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Live From A Forest: Discussing Hiking, Archaeology, Invasives & Connecticut's Trails
There are more than 800 miles of Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails in Connecticut. Today we're doing our show from one of them.
Hiking those trails, you can pass an old Tory hideout from the American revolution and, not terribly far away, the sprawling home owned by Mike Tyson and 50 Cent. There are things out in the woods that might surprise you, and one of the guys walking down the trail to visit us today is our state archeologist, who's still uncovering the mysteries of Connecticut distant past. But we're also going to talk about the ecosystem of the trails and woods and about their newest unwelcome visitor, the emerald ash borer. We also hope to provides lots of good hiking tips and a few warnings about what to watch out for. So put on some [smack] bug spray and join us out in the woods.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/12/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Former NSA John Bolton, Late Hartford Mayor Carrie Saxon Perry, And ESPN's 'The Spy Who Signed Me'
President Trump's former National Security Advisor John Bolton is a pretty interesting figure in the whole impeachment inquiry, right? On the one hand, he's a pretty high-level official who is said to have characterized the whole Ukraine affair as a "drug deal." On the other hand, he's so far refused to testify at the same time as he's making it clear he's got lots of relevant information. On the other other hand,
And: Carrie Saxon Perry was the mayor of Hartford from 1987 to 1993, and she was the first black woman elected mayor of any major New England city. She died almost a year ago, "under a cloak of silence and no public notice."
And finally: After their storied careers at UConn, Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird went on to play in the WNBA and overseas. The new season of ESPN's 30 for 30 Podcasts tells the story of their time in Russia playing for an owner with ties to the Russian mob and the KGB.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/11/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On Our Current Cancel Culture, Jane Fonda's Arrests, And 'Parasite'
The news comes fast in the world of the canceled these days. Louis CK is back out on tour. President Obama has a "very boomer view" of the whole thing. The New York Times reports on teens' takes.
Meanwhile, some celebrities, rather than getting themselves canceled, are getting themselves arrested. Jane Fonda, for instance. And Sam Waterston. And Ted Danson.
And: Bong Joon Ho's genre-defying new movie, Parasite, won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and it's being called "a nearly perfect film" and "the best movie of the year."
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Emmys alter rules to combat America's crippling EGOT epidemic
A same-sex love scene was cut from a movie on Delta flights. So was the word 'lesbian.'
Radio Host Claims 'Boomer' Is the 'N-Word of Ageism,' Internet Immediately Responds with 'OK Boomer'
'Death Stranding' Is the Best Video Game Movie Ever MadeGuillermo del Toro, Mads Mikkelsen, Margaret Qualley, and Norman Reedus star in a video game that doubles as one of the year's best cinematic experiences.
Facebook is now F A C E B O O K
Martin Scorsese: I Said Marvel Movies Aren't Cinema. Let Me Explain.Cinema is an art form that brings you the unexpected. In superhero movies, nothing is at risk, a director says.
Netflix and Theater Chains Feud Over 'Irishman'
Seth Meyers's Netflix Special Features a Handy Button to Skip the Trump Jokes
James Dean, who died in 1955, just landed a new movie role, thanks to CGIDirectors say he was the 'perfect' actor to play the role
It's Time to Take Down the Mona LisaLeonardo's painting is a security hazard, an educational obstacle and not even a satisfying bucket-list item. It's time the Louvre moved it out of the way.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Music writer for the Red Hook Star Revue
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/8/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Eugene O'Neill Deserves A Closer Look
Listen Wednesday at 1:00 pm
Eugene O'Neill doesn't get enough credit. His plays are a form of therapy. O'Neill forces us to watch the raw pain of our human condition, the disillusionment and existential fear that we push into the background.
O'Neill's plays are dark but there's a catharsis in confronting our deepest fears and illusions.
Who is the man behind the works and what can they teach us about ourselves and this current cultural moment.
GUESTS:
Robert Dowling - Professor of English at Central CT State University, author of Eugene O’Neill: A Life in Four Acts, and President of the Eugene O’Neill Society.
Howard Fishman - frequent contributor to The New Yorker, performer, and composer.
Jeanie Hackett - actor, director, author, and artist-in-charge at The Workroom.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.
Jared Todd produced this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/6/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Harmonica Heroes Take Over WNPR
Are there countries where harmonica players are BIG stars? Why don't more women play it? How many different musical styles can you squeeze out of one of these things? Guests include a lot of the pros: Howard Levy, Don DeStefano and Chris DePino whose odd career arc has taken him from railroad conductor to chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party to professional harmonica player.
Also, Wolfie gets an on-air harmonica lesson from these gods of the harp.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/5/2019 • 49 minutes
The President Was Booed; Deadspin Staff Resigns; Obama And Cancel Culture
President Trump changed his primary address from New York to Florida. He says he'd been treated badly by political leaders.
He was also booed twice last week, first at Game Five of the World Series match between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros, this past Saturday at a UFC mixed martial arts event at Madison Square Garden. It does hightlight how infrequently the president ventures beyond the safety of the controlled settings of his rallies.
Also this hour: Journalists at Deadspin submitted their resignations en masse last week in a revolt against the corporate mandate to "stick to sports."
Lastly, President Obama objected to the prevalence of call-out culture last week during an interview about youth activism. He's being called out for his comments.
GUESTS:
Alexandra Petri - Columnist for The Washington Post, World pun champion, and the author of A Field Guide to Awkward Silences (@petridishes)
Bryan Curtis - Editor-at-Large for The Ringer and the co-host The Press Box (@bryancurtis)
Ernest Owens - Journalist, Writer at Large for Philadelphia Magazine and CEO of Ernest Media Empire (@MrErnestOwens)
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/4/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Watches The 'Watchmen' And Says Goodbye To Mr. Dankosky
Watchmen is a limited series of comic books that became a graphic novel in 1987 and a feature film in 2009. And now it's an HBO series from Damon Lindelof that acts as a kind of sequel to the original comics, set 34 years later.
And: Today is John Dankosky's last day at Connecticut Public after 25 years. There is just no denying that WNPR wouldn't be what it is -- and The Colin McEnroe Show wouldn't be at all -- if it weren't for Mr. Dankosky. The Nose tries to begin to come to terms.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
I Showed My 7-Year-Old 'Jaws' and I Regret NothingSure, horror movies can horrify children. But they can also heighten the senses and awaken the analytical mind.
The Mainstream Media Is Not Playing GamesWith its new vertical Launcher, The Washington Post is the latest big outlet to dedicate resources to covering video games in a comprehensive manner. But past efforts have failed at publications like Rolling Stone and Variety -- so why is this time going to be different?
Game of Thrones Creators Chose a Weird Time to Confirm They Had No Idea What They Were DoingAs David Benioff and D.B. Weiss put it during a fan panel over the weekend, during the show's early days, "Everything we could make a mistake in, we did."
Kickball Umpire Sues South Carolina Mayor, Saying He Was Fired Over a CallA lawyer for the umpire is calling for the governor and the state attorney general to open a misconduct investigation into Michael A. Lockliear, the mayor of Moncks Corner.
Peter Luger Used to Sizzle. Now It Sputters.
G/O Media Tells Deadspin Staff in Leaked Memo: Stick to SportsSports—and sports alone—must be "the sole focus" of the website, new management said Monday in a memo obtained by The Daily Beast.
Let's All Stop Mindlessly Clicking and Sharing Zombie Links
Ten Years Ago, I Called Out David Letterman. This Month, We Sat Down to Talk.It's not often that you speak truth to power and power responds, "Oops, sorry," writes former Letterman writer Nell Scovell.
'Baby, It's Cold Outside' Gets Update for the #MeToo EraJohn Legend and Kelly Clarkson replaced lyrics that some considered an allusion to date rape. Gone: "Say, what's in this drink?" New: "It's your body, and your choice."
GUESTS:
John Dankosky - Namesake of The Dankosky Building on heartbroken Asylum Hill in Hartford
Jeff Cohen - Connecticut Public Radio's news director, which Mr. Dankosky used to be
Sam Hatch - Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on Sunday nights on WWUH
Ned Lamont - The 89th governor of Connecticut
Dannel Malloy - The 13th chancellor of the University of Maine system; was, until this January, the 88th governor of Connecticut
Ralph Nader - Mr. Dankosky's neighbor, among other things
Lucy Nalpathanchil - Hosts Where We Live on WNPR, which Mr. Dankosky used to do
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Chion Wolf - Our technical producer and announcer
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Tucker Ives contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2019 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: The Year In Horror, 2019
Every year around this time, we like to take a look at just what's frightening us in the present moment. This year, we start with our present take on a past horror classic, Ridley Scott's Alien, which has its 40th anniversary this year.
Plus: Ari Aster's Hereditary follow-up, Midsommar, is set at a pagan retreat in rural Sweden. As such, it's seen as a bit of a reinvigoration of the folk horror genre, which includes classics like The Wicker Man and more contemporary titles like The VVitch.
Note: Today's show utterly spoils both Alien and The Wicker Man. We use audio from the final scene of The Wicker Man and the very last lines of Alien. Now, The Wicker Man came out in 1973, and Alien came out in 1979. 1973 and 1979 are 46 and 40 years ago. It's on you at this point.
GUESTS:
Kyle Anderson - Senior editor and film critic for Nerdist
Carmen Baskauf - Produces Where We Live on WNPR
Betsy Kaplan - The Colin McEnroe Show's senior producer
Roger Luckhurst - Professor in modern and contemporary literature at Birkbeck, University of London; the author of BFI Film Classics: Alien
Carlos Mejia - WNPR's digital producer
Coach Catie Talarski - Senior director, Connecticut Public Radio
Chion Wolf - Our technical producer and announcer
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/31/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
The Gaps In Connecticut's Second Chance Prison Reform
Connecticut's "Second Chance Society" has reduced the number of people going into prison and better prepared offenders for a meaningful life when they get out.
We've closed prisons, repealed the death penalty, and raised the age at which young people can be tried as adults. We've added reentry programs modeled loosely on the German prison system, where incarcerated men and women raise and cook their own food, wear their own clothes, and participate in longterm therapy.
Yet, too many men and women don't benefit from the changes: discrimination, inconsistent funding, and ineligibility from programs make it harder for some to succeed after prison.
Today, we talk about the challenges that remain with those who know best - the formerly incarcerated.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/30/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Predictions Of A Paperless Future
Predictions of a paperless future go back to the 1800s. Yet, despite a dizzying array of technological alternatives to paper, those prediction have not come true.
Whether we're reading, writing, or working we just can't seem to part with paper. But how long will this last? Why are we so attached to paper? We talk with experts about our longstanding love for paper.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/30/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
President Trump's Press Conference; The Future Of ISIS
President Trump held a Sunday morning press conference to announce that the U.S. military conducted a targeted operation to kill ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Saturday. The operation was successful and important but still a somber and serious event. The almost 50-minute question and answer period that followed the president's news was political, self-aggrandizing, undignified, and may have revealed sensitive operational details.
Also this hour: we talk to an expert on how the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi will will affect the global ISIS organization.
Lastly, we save time for your calls. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/28/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose On The 20 Defining Comedy Sketches Of The 2000s And Stephen King's 'The Institute'
This week, The Washington Post published "The 20 defining comedy sketches of the past 20 years" covering television sketch comedy of the 2000s. It includes a lot of what you'd expect it to include: SNL's "More Cowbell" and "Black Jeopardy with Tom Hanks," Inside Amy Schumer's "Last F---able Day," Chappelle's Show's "Frontline -- Clayton Bigsby."
And: For only the second time ever, The Nose has read a book. This time it's Stephen King's latest, The Institute. It's a kind of science fiction horror thriller with kids in it that harkens back to a lot of classic King.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Should We Pay to Enter Bookstores?
Dennis Quaid, 65, confirms engagement to Laura Savoie, 26
Patti LuPone on getting bullied by Broadway. And why she keeps coming back.
Why Are Meghan Markle And Prince Harry Having Such A Hard Time With Their Royal Life?
Francis Ford Coppola agrees with Scorsese, calls Marvel movies "despicable"Plus, James Gunn once again steps up to defend superhero movies
Marvel Movies Aren't Sexy Enough for Pedro Almodóvar, Says Pedro Almodóvar
How Popular Is Baseball, Really?
'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' Trailer Breakdown: Long Have We Waited for This
'This is natural chemistry': Behind the scenes with ESPN during the WNBA Finals
Google Claims a Quantum Breakthrough That Could Change Computing
The Astros Don't Deserve a World Series of DistractionHouston's response to a report about a prominent executive reveals a culture that not only values titles above all else, but condemns anyone who dares to feel differently. The Astros' actions are the story of MLB's signature event -- and no amount of winning should change that.
An Interview With The Viral Chinese Stunt Drinker Who Became Our King
Men, That Constant Tugging on Your Shirt? We Notice ItAs targeted by a skit on Netflix show 'I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson,' the male tendency to pull on shirts has become a pop cultural pressure point
Millenials are killing the Doorbell Industry by texting 'here'
Coldplay use classified ads in local papers to reveal new album tracksBand reveal details of double album Sunrise and Sunset among ads for bales of hay and whitegoods
The Secret Service Interviewed Eminem Over "Threatening Lyrics" About Trump And Ivanka. These Docs Prove It.Documents obtained by BuzzFeed News show the Secret Service interviewed the rapper about his Trump lyrics after an email from a TMZ staffer.
Always to Ax Female Symbol From Sanitary Products Packages in Nod to Trans UsersThe decision follows calls by transgender advocates who said the company was alienating trans and gender-nonconforming customers
Cult Halloween Classic Hocus Pocus getting a sequel on Disney+, Disney hopes to get original cast involved.
Warner Bros Wants Michael Keaton To Return For Batman Beyond Live-Action Movie
GUESTS:
Chris Grosso - Writes for Fangoria and Revolver magazine, the author of three books, and the host of The Indie Spiritualist Podcast
Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford
Julia Pistell - Founding member of Sea Tea Improv
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/25/2019 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Without TV, There's No Trump
That headline is just a direct quote from James Poniewozik's Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television, and the Fracturing of America. I was torn between that line from the book and this one:
Donald Trump is not a person.
Poniewozik's take is that "Donald Trump" is really a character that Donald Trump has been playing on television since at least the early 1980s.
"Television has entertained America, television has ensorcelled America, and with the election of Donald J. Trump, television has conquered America," Poniewozik writes. Audience of One is a cultural history of television and a television history of Donald Trump.
Poniewozik joins us for the hour.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/24/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Weird, Whimsical World Of Ventriloquism
Love it or hate it, ventriloquism is hot these days. From Jeff Dunham's superstardom to three recent America's Got Talent winners, 'vents' are seeing more exposure than they have in decades. And with this attention comes new fans and practicioners from around the world.
But venting wasn't always so popular. For centuries it was regarded as dark and deceptive--a practice often associated with charlatans, witches, and people possesed. And even today, some still admit to feeling uneasy in the presence of puppets.
Today we speak with historians and practicioners of ventriloquism to get an inside look at this age-old art form. We'll trace the evolution of venting from Vaudeville to its modern revival, and even get an on-air lesson by a pro!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/23/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
It Was A Dark Night In The City. Death Hung In The Air Like...
A hard-boiled private eye, a glamorous blond, and a hapless drifter all sit at a bar on the seamy side of town. It's night, the streets are wet, the shadows are long. They each nurse a drink to the notes of a mournful saxophone and a lonely piano. Smoke from the cigarettes swirls in the darkness.
We all know classic noir when we see it and hear it and read it; yet, we don't really know how to define the dark plots that expose humanity in all its moral ambiguity and loneliness.
Noir arrived in America with German emigre's escaping the Nazis and fit well with the bleakness of Americans reeling from a depression, two world wars and later, the threat of nuclear annihilation. It continues to resonate and has transposed its style across genres.
Today, a deeper look at noir - then and now. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/22/2019 • 49 minutes
The Legal Side Of Impeachment; And We Take Your Calls
Today, a two-part show. The first part is with an impeachment expert on the House inquiry into whether President Trump abused his power for personal gain. How much trouble is the president in?
In the last two weeks, diplomats and senior advisors have testified against White House orders. They've each told a similar narrative in which all paths lead to the president.
On Thursday, acting Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney all but confessed to the quid-pro-quo many Republicans have made a criteria for considering impeachment.
The second-part is for your calls. The president has become increasingly brazen in his effort to distract from the impeachment proceedings. As we've seen in Syria this week, his reactions can have serious consequences. How low might the president go to loosen the vise that's tightening on him?
How will the president react as the inquiry progresses? How will the inquiry affect the 2020 election? How will it end - will the Senate convict? If not, what happens next? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/21/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The New Haven Nose On Grumpy Marty Scorsese And 'Dolemite Is My Name'
Martin Scorsese is a grump. He doesn't like Marvel movies. He says they aren't "cinema." He says they aren't even narrative films, and "we shouldn't be invaded by it." The internet, as you can imagine, has takes.
And: The Eddie Murphy comeback is on. He appeared on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee this summer. He's hosting Saturday Night Live in December. He's got multiple standup comedy specials in the works. And right now he's starring in the briefly-in-theaters-but-hitting-Netflix-next-weekend biopic Dolemite Is My Name.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2019 • 42 minutes, 40 seconds
The Normalization Of Hate
"Hate" is the imprecise word we use to describe a group of ideas that have moved out of the shadows of American public life and into its center ring.
At the core of these movements sits one common idea: that all people are not equal.
This hour, we discuss the challenges this moment poses to educators, politicians, business leaders and journalists as recorded live at Watkinson School in Hartford as part of Colin's Freshly Squeezed series.
GUESTS:
Steve Ginsburg - Director of the Anti-Defamation League's Connecticut Regional Office
Jennifer Herdt - Gilbert L. Stark professor of Christian ethics at Yale Divinity School
Molly Land - Professor of law at UConn School of Law
Richard Wilson - Gladstein chair and professor of anthropology and law at UConn School of Law
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/17/2019 • 43 minutes, 52 seconds
The Shocking Truth Behind Tabloids Finally Revealed!!!
From the penny press, to yellow journalism, to supermarket tabloids and beyond, sensationalized news has been around for centuries. But while this style of reporting may have its critics, it may also serve as an important reflection of American culture and democracy.
This hour we speak with journalists and historians about the evolution and influence of tabloid journalism. We'll also discuss the alleged connection between President Trump and various tabloid publications, the true nature of which continues to unfold.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/16/2019 • 42 minutes, 50 seconds
You're Such An Annoying Know-It-All!
In January of 2018, a seemingly racist incident occurred on the National Mall. Photos and videos were posted to social media showing a group of MAGA hat-wearing high school students from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky. One of them, Nick Sandmann, seemed to be mocking and blocking the path of Native American activist, Nathan Phillips. People either jeered or cheered on social media, depending on how it was perceived, long before most of us had any idea of the context of the situation.
An investigation cleared the students of wrongdoing. What happened is less important than understanding how that incident triggered strong convictions that varied by political affiliation and remained resistant to changing after the investigation. Today, we talk about how this cultural moment is making all of us arrogant intellectual know-it-alls.
Also this hour: One man's quest to be the smartest man in the world. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/15/2019 • 43 minutes, 13 seconds
Turkey Invades Syria; Your Calls On The Unfolding Impeachment Inquiry
President Trump leaves chaos in his wake.
There is chaos in Syria. Turkish artillery fire is targeting the Kurdish-led militia that has been allied with U.S. Special Forces over the last five years in their war against ISIS. Syrians are fleeing their homes, ISIS prisoners are escaping from prisons no longer guarded by the Kurds, and the last U.S. troops pulled out on Sunday.
The developing crisis has heightened criticism of President Trump, who agreed to move American troops out of Turkey’s way in a phone call with Turkey’s president last week, despite strong opposition from U.S. military officials and the State Department.
There is chaos surrounding the impeachment inquiry. The White House is threatening to defy subpoenas of documents and witnesses key to the investigation. The president is defending his personal lawyer whose behavior is being investigated and lashing out on Twitter about those who oppose him.
Today, we have two segments. The first will be with a guest on the unfolding crisis in Syria. The second is your phone calls. What are your predictions for what's going to happen in the House impeachment inquiry? Where will we be on January 1? On March 1?
GUEST:
Robin Wright - Correspondent for The New Yorker and the author of seven books on the Mideast, most recently, Rock the Casbah: Rage and Rebellion Across the Islamic World. She’s a joint fellow at the U.S. Institute of Peace and the Woodrow Wilson Center.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/14/2019 • 43 minutes
The Nose On 'Joker' And 'Toy Story 4'
Joker is director Todd Phillips's modern take on movies like Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy. It stars Joaquin Phoenix in the title role in what happens also to be... a Batman movie. It's been called "a gloriously daring and explosive film" and "a movie that borders on genius" but also "bleak and juvenile" and "a movie of a cynicism so vast and pervasive as to render the viewing experience even emptier than its slapdash aesthetic does."
And: Toy Story 4 is out on Blu-ray and iTunes and such this week. In its theatrical run, it became the highest-grossing G-rated movie ever made, the fifth-highest-grossing animated movie ever made, and the third-highest-grossing movie of the year so far. And it is "perhaps the bleakest (and most beautiful)" of all the Toy Story movies.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Le Creuset Announces STAR WARS Line of Cookware
Raking leaves again this fall? Stop right now
Filming the Show: Pardon the Intrusion? Or Punish It?A seized phone. A stopped concert. A text from Rihanna. All are new fuel for a heated debate about theater etiquette in the digital age.
Trustworthy and chill: Alex Trebek, we're rooting for you
New Dr Pepper and Cream Soda is Coming Soon
GUESTS:
James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Pedro Soto - President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/11/2019 • 43 minutes, 26 seconds
Kristin And Mike Song Made 'Ethan's Law' Happen Against All Odds
On January 31, 2018, Kristin and Mike Song's 15-year-old son Ethan Song, accidentally shot and killed himself at his friend's house. They were handling a gun they knew was kept in a bedroom closet. The gun was one of three guns owned by the friend's father. They were in a cardboard box inside a tupperware container that was hidden in a bedroom closet. The guns had locks but the keys and ammunition were in the same box.
The son was charged with manslaughter. The dad was not charged. There was a loophole in Connecticut's law. The Song's channeled their grief into political action that led to "Ethan's Law."
Today, we talk about how citizens can use their power of self-government to make change happen at a time when so many of us feel powerless. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/10/2019 • 42 minutes, 41 seconds
Two Hours With Songwriter Jimmy Webb: Part Two
Listen Wednesday at 1:00 pm.
Jimmy Webb was possibly the most successful songwriter of the 1960's and 1970's. Classics like "Galveston," "Wichita Lineman," "Up, Up, and Away," and "MacArthur Park," were recorded by hundreds of artists from Glen Campbell to Donna Summer. Webb wrote the songs that others made famous.
Colin has wanted to interview Mr. Webb for a very long time, and on September 5, the CMS team made the trek to Glen Cove, New York to meet the musician, and his wife Laura Savini, at a recording studio.
Our adventure was not without adversity. We had to catch a very early ferry from Bridgeport to Port Jefferson and drive across Long Island. A flat tire forced us to miss our ferry back home to Connecticut (and our dinner).
It didn't matter though. What we took home from our day were the sweet remains of time spent with friends, great music, and a spectacular sunset.
For the first time in CMS history, we decided to create two shows from our time with Mr. Webb. It was too good to cut. Today, we bring you part two of our two-hour show with Jimmy Webb.
Listen to Part One.
GUEST:
Jimmy Webb - Songwriter, pianist, composer, storyteller. He’s won Grammy Awards for his music, lyrics and orchestration. His songs include “Galveston,” “Wichita Lineman,” and “MacArthur Park.” He’s the author of Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting, and his 2017 memoir, The Cake and the Rain. His latest album is Slipcover.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/9/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
We're Broadcasting In Four-Part Harmony
We’re exploring the world of Barbershop Harmony; from its roots in the African American community to its influence in other genres, Barbershop is an important piece of the puzzle in the American music scene.
For many, Barbershop calls to mind old people, singing old songs - but ask any Barbershopper and they’ll tell you nothing can be further from the truth. For them, there is a youthful joy, a sense of family, a love for the music and the performance in a dynamic and empowering setting. And if you let them, they’ll gladly share it with you.
So sit back and enjoy the sounds of Barbershop. Hopefully, we’ll ring a few chords along the way.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/8/2019 • 43 minutes, 24 seconds
SCOTUS Begins A New Term; A Second Whistle-Blower Steps Forth
The Supreme Court begins a new session Monday. It will be the first full term since the more conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh replaced the retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy. It's shaping up to be one of the most significant sessions in a long time with the potential to significantly limit reproductive and LGBTQ rights, put DACA recipients at risk for deportation, and expand gun rights.
Also this hour: An attorney for the whistle-blower concerned that President Trump's July 25 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posed a national security risk, confirms that he's now representing a second whistle-blower who works in the intelligence community and has first-hand knowledge of the president's actions. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2019 • 42 minutes, 40 seconds
The Nose On Netflix's 'Unbelievable' And More
The Netflix limited series Unbelievable stars Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, and Kaitlyn Dever. It tells the true story of a serial rapist and the investigation that caught him, and it's based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Marshall Project and ProPublica article "An Unbelievable Story of Rape" and the This American Life episode based on that.
Other possible topics include:
McDreamy, McSteamy, and McConnellCongressional fan fiction is real, it's glorious, and it might be reshaping our political world.
Aidy Bryant's SNL Gigglefest Is Chaotic Good
Joaquin Phoenix isn't joking around in his awkward Jimmy Kimmel Live interview
Joaquin Phoenix and Jimmy Kimmel Play Up the Joker Controversy by Airing Profane "Outtake"
Fiona Apple Is Still Calling BullshitThe singer spends most of her time at home, working on a new album. That doesn't mean she's not paying attention.
Reese Witherspoon Learning TikTok From Her Son Is The End-All"The Morning Show" star is a hoot as she tries out the short-form video app with her 15-year-old, Deacon Phillippe.
No boys allowed: Women-only hotel opens in Spain on dreamy island of Mallorca
Snoop Dogg reminds Tekashi 6ix9ine that Martha Stewart didn't snitch on anybody
Beer Vendor Accused Of Charging $724 For Two Beers At Dolphins Game
A Big Question About Prime Numbers Gets a Partial AnswerThe twin primes conjecture has bedeviled mathematicians for more than a century. Now there's a solution for one version of it.
Bill Maher on the perils of political correctness.
I Regret To Inform You the Comedians Are Filling Their Big Diapers AgainUh oh, comedians are afraid that woke meanies are censoring all their jokes
Curious Kids: Why do old people hate new music?
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - A writer for The Red Hook Star-Revue
Cara McDonough - Freelance writer; you can read her blog at caramcduna.com
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The (Sportsing) Year
October is upon us. Pumpkin spice everything is here. Leaf peeping is just around the corner. Your one slightly odd neighbor has put out his 37 hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns.
But more than any of that, what October brings with it is October sports. And this year, in Connecticut, that means two things:
The Connecticut Sun is in the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2005. The best-of-five series, against the Washington Mystics, is tied at one game apiece. Game Three will be at Mohegan Sun on Sunday.
And the New York Yankees won 103 games (they're one of four 100-win teams this year) and the American League East pennant. Their Division Series starts Friday night against the Minnesota Twins. Meanwhile, the Boston Red Sox are -- [checks notes] -- not playing any more games? Can that be right? Huh. That's too bad.
Plus, the rules have changed in Mexico's pro baseball league, and American-born players are now allowed. Their stories ring familiar.
GUESTS:
Joseph Bien-Kahn - Los Angeles-based writer who covers tech, culture, and odd desert things
Lindsay Gibbs - Covers the Washington Mystics for The Athletic; co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down
Frankie Graziano - Reporter for Connecticut Public Radio
Eric Stephen - Baseball writer and writer of other things for SB Nation's news desk
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/3/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Two Hours With Songwriter Jimmy Webb Part One
Listen Tuesday at 1:00 pm.
On September 5, our team traveled to Glen Cove, New York to interview legendary songwriter, Jimmy Webb.
The interview has been on our "to do" list for four years, and it was worth every minute of the wait. For the first time in CMS history, we've decided to create two shows from Webb's stories and music. (Part two will be available next Wednesday, October 9.)
The day was not without adversity. We had to catch a very early ferry from Bridgeport to Port Jefferson and drive across Long Island to a recording studio near Mr. Webb's home. A flat tire forced us to miss our ferry back home to Connecticut (and our dinner). We were hungry and tired.
Yet, the day was special for us all. We bonded, met kind people, and we reveled in Webb's stories and artistry. To cap it off, the late ferry we caught to Connecticut brought us a sunset we would never have seen if our day had gone as planned.
It's funny how adversity can turn into serendipity.
GUESTS:
Jimmy Webb - Songwriter, pianist, composer, storyteller. He’s won Grammy Awards for his music, lyrics and orchestration. His songs include “Galveston,” “Wichita Lineman,” and “MacArthur Park.” He’s the author of Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting, and his 2017 memoir, The Cake and the Rain. His latest album is Slipcover.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/2/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
It's All Fun And Board Games On This Show!
Today's show might get a bit dicey. In fact, it's almost certainly headed for Trouble. And all we can say is Sorry, that's Life! Okay, fine, let's drop the Charades. Today's show is about board games. Is that a big enough Clue?
From classics like Monopoly, Candyland, and Scrabble to current megahits like Magic, Gloomhaven, and Dungeons and Dragons, board games have been bringing people together for ages. And in a time full of polarizing issues and digital divides, maybe that's just what we need.
This hour, we'll talk with board-game designers and industry experts about the best new titles on the market, what it takes to make a really great game and where the industry is going next.
We'll also explore the ancient Chinese game Go, and hear how Google's new AlphaGo program is squaring off against today's top players.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/1/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Impeachment Inquiry Into President Trump
A lot has happened since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi initiated an impeachment inquiry against President Trump last week after learning that Trump asked Ukrainian president Volodymyr Velensky to interfere in the 2020 election.
Public support for the inquiry is rising after an edited transcript of Trump's conversation was released to the public along with a transcipt of the whistleblower complaint at the center of the scandal. The complaint reads like a novel, alleging the use of pass code protected servers, secret meetings, and the involvement of lawyers in the State and Justice Departments.
We try to make sense of all of it with Connecticut senator Chris Murphy, New York Magazine writer-at-large Frank Rich, and your calls. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/30/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The New Haven Nose On 'Ad Astra' And 'Downton Abbey'
The Nose couldn't decide which of last weekend's two big new movies to go see, so it went to both.
Downton Abbey, the feature film continuation of the incredibly popular PBS series, is the number one movie in the country. Its $31 million opening was the biggest ever for the studio that made it, Focus Features. Not bad for a PG-rated, special effects-free drama made for grownups.
James Gray's Ad Astra is kind of at the opposite end of a number of spectrums. As a huge, expensive space adventure that travels to Neptune and back, its #2 opening is underperforming its budget a bit. But it's also being called, "one of the most ruminative, withdrawn, and curiously optimistic space epics this side of Solaris," and, "also one of the best."
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Hefty launches 'talking trash bags' for millennials, with phrases like 'I'm so trashy' and 'Feed me tacos & tell me I'm pretty'
Vox Media Acquires New York Magazine, Chronicler of the Highbrow and Lowbrow
Mattel helped define gender norms for decades with Barbie and Ken. Now it’s defying them.
Billy Joel Anthology TV Series in the Works (Exclusive)
Danny DeVito, Never Retire (Bitch)
Glitter Pumpkin Butts Are the NSFW Halloween Trend You Need to See
The Hyphen AffairWhy grammar nerds keep getting so furious with the Associated Press -- and why they're wrong.
Ashton Kutcher Pushes For Trump Impeachment After Meeting Ukrainian President
Eddie Murphy Is Bringing Eddie Murphy BackIn a wide-ranging interview, the star explains why he's returning to stand-up and the big screen, why he regrets leaving and why it's hard to watch himself in "Raw" these days.
On Airlines, Window Shades Are the New Reclining Seats
Is Donald Trump Really Just Andy Kaufman in Disguise? An Investigation
GUESTS:
Tom Breen - Film critic and reporter for the New Haven Independent; host of WNHH radio's Deep Focus
Lucy Gellman - Editor of The Arts Paper; host of WNHH radio's Kitchen Sync
Pedro Soto - An aerospace executive working on a secret project
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/27/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Happy Little Trees: The Joy Of Bob Ross (And Thomas Kinkade)
It's been 25 years since Bob Ross's The Joy of Painting went off the air (and 24 years since Ross died). But there are 52 episodes of the show available to stream on Netflix. Bob Ross and Chill is a thing. The 403 full episodes available on YouTube have accumulated something approaching 250 million views. And this summer, The New York Times did a big Bob Ross investigation.
This hour: a look at the undying force for permed hair and puffy little clouds and happy little trees that is Bob Ross.
Plus: Could we do a show about Bob Ross without also talking Thomas Kinkade? No we could not. And so no we will not.
GUESTS:
Nathan Badley - Cohost of the Nothing But a Bob Thang podcast
Alexis Boylan - Associate professor of art history at UConn and the editor of Thomas Kinkade, The Artist in the Mall
Justin Croft - Cohost of the Nothing But a Bob Thang podcast
Emily Rhyne - Cinematographer at The New York Times
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Surviving The Anthropocene May Mean Thinking Outside The Box
An epoch of our own making is one way to describe it. And as the Anthropocene is set to be formally recognized as a chrono-stratigraphic unit in the next couple of years, scientists, philosophers, engineers and many more are exploring unconventional ways of adapting to this new era.
From terraforming cities to preserve Holocenic conditions, to collaborating with non-human life forms to "re-wild" our planet, to releasing chemicals into the stratosphere to block sunlight, no experiment, it seems, is off limits.
On today's show we'll speak with the visionary thinkers behind these ideas. Are they desperate measures meant for desperate times, a means of starting a conversation about change, or are they viable solutions to one of our species' greatest threats?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/25/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Women In America Are Dying From Childbirth. Are Midwives And Doulas The Answer?
Women in America die more frequently from complications of childbirth than in any other industrialized nation in the world. In addition, women of color are three to four times more likely to die than white women. And over the last 25 years that the maternal mortality was rising in America, other countries were decreasing their rate.
There are lots of reasons why maternal mortality and morbidity is rising, including lack of access, the high rate of caesarian sections, racial bias, bias against women's health issues, and a medical model that medicalizes a normal process.
While no one action can explain why maternal mortality rates are lower in European countries, we do know that they utilize one resource that we don't: midwives and doulas. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/24/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Is The House Ready To Impeach?
House Democrats are moving closer to initiating impeachment proceedings against President Trump after he confirmed that he discussed 2020 presidential candidate and political rival Joe Biden, with the Ukrainian president.
The possibility that the president may have subjugated the national interest for personal political gain is a "new chapter of lawlessness," according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Is this the tipping point for impeachment? What are the implications of seeking to impeach -- or not?
Also this hour: Have you ever noticed that President Trump has a habit of quietly stating his alleged offenses out loud?
Beulah, a 54-year-old Asian elephant that belonged to Connecticut-based R.W. Commerford & Sons Zoo, died at the Big E last week, sparking outrage from animal rights activists who have been trying to have elephants removed from traveling zoos for years. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/23/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose On The 533 New Words In The Dictionary And The Historic Bomb That Is 'The Goldfinch'
Merriam-Webster has added 533 new words to its dictionary. Words like "deep state," "pickleball," "escape room," and "Bechdel test." My favorite is probably "fatberg." But there's a particular new dictionary entry that The Nose is specifically interested in: "dad joke."
Also this week: The Nose tackles what we're pretty sure is its first certifiable bomb ever. The new movie adaptation of The Goldfinch opened last weekend on more than 2,500 screens at #8 at the domestic box office. It took in a little over $2.6 million. It is the sixth-worst opening for a release that wide in the history of movies.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
SNL Fires New Cast Member Shane Gillis
James Corden Has No Time for Bill Maher's Fat Shaming
Piers Morgan Supports Bill Maher's Call For Fat-shaming To Make A Comeback
Sean Spicer Appearing on Dancing With the Stars Is a Sign of the End Times
They're Coming! Area 51 Joke Spawns Dueling Alien-Themed PartiesThe organizers of one alien-themed party went their separate ways this week, leading to accusations of secrecy and poor planning.
The US Navy just confirmed these UFO videos are the real deal
I Was Caroline CallowaySeven years after I met the infamous Instagram star, I'm ready to tell my side of the story.
Ric Ocasek's Eternal Cool
Was Ric Ocasek Actually 75?Some sources said the Cars frontman, who died Sunday, was 70. Here's how The Times figured out the right age.
NBCUniversal Announces 'Peacock' As The Name Of Its Streaming Service And Unveils Initial Content Lineup
Someone Just Discovered John Milton's Copy of Shakespeare, Which Is Absolutely Bananas
After 350 Years, Scholars Have Found Another Hidden Message in Milton's 'Paradise Lost'
Whitney Houston Hologram Tour Announces First Dates
Amber Heard Defends Herself Against Backlash After Posting Risque Photo on Instagram
Friends Is a Gen X Show. Why Don't We Ever Call It That?
Inconceivable! Rumour of The Princess Bride remake sends fans into pit of despair
Cruel Food Brands Mangle Books For Meme Challenge. Readers Aren't Having It.Books are doused with milk and gummed up with Gushers. Publishers, readers, bookstores and libraries resist.
GUESTS:
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance
Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
'Everything But Country': The Politics Of A Polarizing Genre
Though country music is considered the most popular genre of music in America, its influence is profoundly regional. The style is known for appealing to the white working class, and is largely sequestered in southern and midwestern pockets of the country.
Meanwhile, coastal elites tend to regard the genre with disdain. "I like everything but country" is a popular refrain.
This hour, we unpack one of the country's most polarizing genres.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/19/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Wednesday Is Soylent Day!
What if you just don't really enjoy food very much? What if you're totally fine eating the same thing every single day? What if you think food is an inefficient way to get what you need to survive?
What if, rather than eating "food," you just mixed a white powder (that is definitely not made of people because it's made of soy protein isolate instead) with water and drank that in food's place?
This hour: a look at what you might call the non-foodie movement and the "powdered food" meal replacement product that is Soylent.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/18/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Conversation With Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong emigrated to Hartford from Vietnam when he was two years old. His family brought with them the trauma of an American-led war that ravaged their people and their culture. How do they retain their culture and assimilate into one that doesn't want them?
His family struggled in a Hartford very different from the city that many of us experience. It's a place that still exists in the shadows.
Ocean’s family is a snapshot into a bigger and more pervasive picture of the problems in America that many choose to hide -- the toll of low-wage work, poverty, drugs, violence, and the erasure of histories and ways of living life that don't fit neatly into the American myth.
Ocean's first novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, is an American story, albeit one about the failure of America. This is an excerpt.
GUEST:
Ocean Vuong - A poet and the author of the novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 17, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/17/2019 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Shark Fever: The Lore Of The Great White
Fear of sharks spiked last summer after a great white fatally bit a 26-year-old surfer off the coast of Cape Cod. The fever still runs high as reports of great white sightings coincide with people heading to the beach.
Yet, we have a higher risk of getting hit by lightning than killed by a great white shark. The myth of the great white, exacerbated by the 1975 megahit Jaws, is false. Great whites are not the aggressive creatures still perpetuated in popular media. We're more likely to survive a shark bite simply because sharks don't like the way we taste. They spit us out if they accidentally mistake us for a seal.
The convergence of globally warming waters off our east coast and the repopulation of seals and great whites after a previous panic nearly wiped them out, means we'll have to learn to share the ocean.
Instead of pursuing shark repellents like sonar buoys, electric shark shields, and seal contraception, should we consider how we can co-exist with the creatures of the sea? Besides, whose ocean is it anyway? The fish were there first. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/16/2019 • 48 minutes, 29 seconds
Wild And Crazy Guys
Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, John Belushi, John Candy, Rick Moranis.
Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Beverly Hills Cop, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, ¡Three Amigos!, Funny Farm, Spaceballs, Stripes.
We maybe didn't properly appreciate it at the time, but the 1980s were one of the most fertile periods ever for screen comedies and screen comedians.
This hour, a look at the mavericks who shaped a whole comedy aesthetic and at some of the most popular movie comedies ever made.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/13/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Dying For A Photo
A photo of people inching their way up a snaking line to the peak of Mount Everest last month has drawn attention to a number of problems, one of which was the jostling at the top of the mountain to take social media-ready selfies and photos.
That got us wondering if other people were risking their lives for that perfect photo. It turns out that more than 250 people worldwide have died while taking selfies in just over the last decade, according to a study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. Drowning, transport, and falls are the top reasons for death.
Today, we talk about how a social media-driven visual culture is shaping how we work, play, and experience life. Are we willing to die for that perfect photo? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
You're Not Dying. But Panic Attacks Can Make You Think You Are.
You're shopping for groceries. Out of the blue your heart starts to race, your knees feel week, you feel like you can't breathe, like you might be having a heart attack. You wonder if you're losing your mind -- but you're not. You're having a panic attack.
About 1 in 4 people have had at least one panic attack during their lives, yet few like to admit it. Because panic manifests through physical symptoms that can mimic a heart attack, a lot of people feel shame when they go to the ER and find there's nothing wrong with them. In the absence of a test that defines panic, a lot of people worry they might be losing their mind.
Also this hour: Panic ensued in Times Square in early August when a motorcycle backfired. Fear of being caught in the crossfire of gun shots has led to a collective panic of loud noises in public places. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/11/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Are We Ready To Accept That UFOs Are Real?
In early 2017, The New York Times uncovered a program at the Defense Department which investigated unidentified flying objects. Then, at the end of May, the reporters published another article, getting navy pilots to talk on the record about their encounters with unidentified flying objects.
In November 2018, the chair of Harvard's Astronomy Department, Avi Loeb, co-wrote a paper about an interestellar object, 'Oumuamua, writing, "Alternatively, a more exotic scenario is that 'Oumuamua may be a fully operational probe sent intentionally to Earth vicinity by an alien civilization."
What does this all mean? And does it matter that these aknowledgements are coming from a paper like The New York Times, or a scientist from Harvard?
This hour, we'll talk to Leslie Kean and Avi Loeb about their research, and we'll hear from people who have believed in extraterrestrial life all along about what it's like to see this news. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/10/2019 • 49 minutes
Alabama And Dorian: Never The Twain Shall Meet
We want to hear your thoughts on what it's like to be "living in a Trump salad," on this all-call Monday. (Colin coined the term.)
First, there's #sharpiegate. Last week, President Trump unleashed on the media for reporting his error tweeting a warning about Hurricane Dorian that included the state of Alabama. To prevent mass evacuation, the National Weather Service corrected his error. Alabama was not in danger.
It led to his doctoring of a weather map with a black Sharpie, and two government agencies and a FOX senior White House correspondent backing the president's misinformation. Mocking memes under the hashtag #sharpiegate rose in response to the president's efforts to alter the truth.
His volatility also led to an impetuous decision to break off peace talks with the Taliban, and questionable U.S. Air Force expenditures at an airport that benefits a Trump property in Scotland. Last week, Vice-President Pence stayed at a Trump hotel while on a taxpayer-funded trip to Ireland.
It would be funny if these incidents didn't serve to further normalize the president's war on truth, the media, and his ability to divert the country's attention away from trade wars, talk of pending recession and other important news.
What are we to make of all of this? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/9/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Your Mind Makes It Real: 'The Matrix' 20 Years On
It's hard to believe, but The Matrix is 20 years old this year. And its influence is all over the culture with bullet time and red pills and the "woah" meme and so much more.
We take the question of whether we're living in a simulation much more seriously than we did 20 years ago. We're much more attuned to the allegory for the trans experience that The Matrix might well have been.
And with John Wick 3 released this spring, Toy Story 4 out this summer, Cyberpunk 2077 out next year, and Bill & Ted 3 just finalizing production, the Keanussance is upon us.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/6/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
From the Bad Ideas Dept.: Today's Show Is Not About Tapirs
This week, we've started our second decade on the air.
Over the first ten years, we did some number north of 2,000 shows. And every one of those shows was intended, more or less, to be about some... thing. Towels or Trump or toast or television or whatever.
This hour we do the opposite thing: a show not about a specific something -- tapirs.
Note: Today's show features Chion Wolf's performance of "Let's Not Talk About Tapirs," with lyrics by Colin McEnroe and music by Chion Wolf.
Also note: We're idiots. Don't let the fact that we're idiots prevent you from finding tapirs as fascinating as we actually do. If you're able, you might consider supporting the Tapir Specialist Group, which "strives to conserve biological diversity by stimulating, developing, and executing practical programs to study, save, restore, and manage the four species of tapir and their remaining habitats in Central and South America and Southeast Asia."
GUESTS:
Carmen Baskauf - A producer for Where We Live; occasional host of The Carmen Baskauf Show on WNPR
Kimberly Hyde - A keeper at the San Diego Zoo; she handles the zoo's tapirs in its Elephant Odyssey habitat
Betsy Kaplan - The Colin McEnroe Show's senior producer
Jonathan McNicol - the producer of this very episode of The Colin McEnroe Show
Carlos Mejia - WNPR's digital producer
Mike Pesca - Host of The Gist
Josh Nilaya - Producer, The Colin McEnroe Show
Susan Piver - Meditation teacher, speaker, and long-time Buddhist practitioner
Patrick Skahill - WNPR's science reporter; producer emeritus of The Colin McEnroe Show
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/5/2019 • 49 minutes, 17 seconds
The Criminal (In)Justice System
The American criminal justice system has become less 'just' over recent decades and prosecutors bear much of the responsibility.
The tough-on-crime culture of the 1980's and 90's shifted power away from judges and juries and toward prosecutors who embraced their new power to wield mandatory sentencing laws to rack up the convictions demanded by the constituents who elected them.
The problem is they never let go of that power or the culture that rewards it, even as crime rates have plummeted to historic lows that are almost 50% below their peak in the 1990's.
They continue use sentencing to extract plea bargains from almost 95% of the people who come before them, even without evidence of guilt. Some impose draconian bail and probation conditions monitored by for-profit companies that extract a premium. Others run modern day debtors' prisons, jailing people for misdemeanor crimes like shoplifting because they can't afford bail.
Yet, there's cause for hope. A new breed of DA's are using prison as a last resort, focusing instead on "diversion" programs that offer a second chance instead of long prison sentences that research shows make worse criminals.
Is it time to rethink who belongs in prison?
GUESTS:
Emily Bazelon - Staff writer at The New York Times Magazine, co-host of Slate’s "Political Gabfest," lecturer at Yale Law School, and the author of two books, most recently, Charged: The New Movement To Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration (@emilybazelon)
Tony Messenger - Metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the 2019 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Commentary. (@tonymess)
Samara Freemark - Reporter and senior producer of "In the Dark," an investigative podcast from APM Reports, a division of American Public Media. (@sfreemark)
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired on May 22, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/4/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What's On Your Mind? Give Us A Call
We've got no guests today. It's you and Colin and whatever is on your mind.
There's a lot we could talk about. There's the 2020 election, why President Trump isn't sure what a Category 5 hurricane is, whether gun control measures beyond the introduction of the death penalty will come from this weekend's shootings in Texas, both top seeds are out of the US Open, and why a Tennessee school wants to ban Harry Potter books.
But we're interested in what you want to talk about. It could be very different. To some degree, this is an experiment to see if we're focusing on what's really important to you. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/3/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose On 'Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones' And 'The Last Black Man In San Francisco'
Sticks & Stones is Dave Chappelle's fifth standup comedy special for Netflix in three years. All four previous specials won the Grammy for Best Comedy Album, and one of them won the Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special. The critical response to this latest special, though, has been a bit more muted.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (out this week on DVD/Blu-ray/iTunes/Amazon/etc.) tells the semi-autobiographical story of Jimmie Fails, a man just trying to get his grandfather's house back. It's Joe Talbot's directorial debut, and it's been called the best film of the first half of 2019.
Also this hour: an AccuFrankie dispatch live from Nedstock.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/30/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Coming Down Fast: The Manson Family Murders, 50 Years Later
Last year, there was a movie about Charles Manson. This year, there was another movie about Charles Manson. Charles Manson is a character in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and in the second season of David Fincher's Mindhunter.
The Manson Family murders were fifty years ago this summer, and Manson still seems to fascinate us and our popular culture.
This hour, we wonder why.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/29/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
An Hour With Pop Culture Icon Chuck Klosterman
Chuck Klosterman is a man for all seasons. He's a pop culture icon. He's a sports geek. He's interviewed Jimmy Page. He appears as himself in other people's movies. He was part of a rock band. He's an author of fiction, non-fiction, and fictional nonfiction. Top that!
Today, an hour with someone at least one person would call, the smartest man on earth. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/28/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Happy Birthday, Barbie! A Look Back At 60 Years Of Fun, Fashion, And Mixed Messages
As Barbie Millicent Roberts -- yes, that's her name -- turns 60 we, as a plastic loving nation, celebrate! For six decades the impossibly proportioned fashion doll has been delighting children and adults around the world.
But the road to 60 hasn't always been easy. Critiqued by feminists, diversity advocates, and even child psychologists for her role in perpetuating harmful sterotypes, eating disorders, and body dysmorphic syndrome among young women, Barbie may be just as controversial as she is iconic.
In recent years, however, Mattel has made some long overdue changes. The new Barbies are more diverse in their career choices, body shapes, and ethnicities than ever before, and her new ad campaigns focus heavily on issues of women's empowerment and equality. But the question remains: Is it too little, too late for Mattel or are these changes enough to see Barbie into her seventies?
We speak with expert guests about the good, the bad and the ugly side of Barbie, as well as about the doll's creator, Ruth Handler. And in case you were wondering, we may even get to Ken along the way!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/27/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Tell Colin What's On Your Mind
You responded so enthusiastically to our all-call show last Monday, we decided to try it again this week.
What's on your mind? The world is you oyster, at least from 1-2 pm this afternoon.
Not sure what you want to talk about? Worried about the economy? Trump's 'loyalty' test for Jewish Democrats? Who's in and who's out of the next Democratic debate? No debate on climate change? The president taking a toll on our national psyche? How about 29-year-old NFL star Andrew Luck retiring over health concerns?
These are suggestions. We're more interested in what you want to talk about. (We even had a proctologist call in last week to remind people to get their colonoscopy) And we're (still) excited about our new toll-free call-in number. So, give us a call at 888-720-WNPR. That's 888-720-9677. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/26/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose On Tay Tay, Pepe's, And 'Blinded By The Light'
The Nose has this odd habit of covering basically every new Taylor Swift single/video. And so there's a new Taylor Swift single/video. And so The Nose is covering it.
And: As this is the way the world works now, a Facebook post has started a backlash against Frank Pepe Pizzeria over... politics. Sigh.
And finally: In the great tradition of A Bug's Life/Antz, Deep Impact/Armageddon, and The Prestige/The Illusionist, this year gives us Yesterday/Blinded by the Light. This week's Nose has seen Blinded by the Light, a coming-of-age story about the music of Bruce Springsteen and a British-Pakistani teenager whose life is forever changed by it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/23/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
It's A Sportsing Show!
If there's one thing we know about the public radio audience, it's that you love... sports. You crave sports coverage. You live for sportstalk radio. And so this hour, we talk sports... on the radio. And there's plenty to talk about:
There's the fallout over Jay-Z's new partnership with the NFL (and impending ownership within the NFL?). There's the hot take question, "Do running backs even matter?" There're all the interesting players in baseball right now: a trio of the best young players ever to play at the same time playing at the same time as one of the best two-way players ever to play playing at the same time as one of the best players, period, ever to play. Oh, and then there're all the baseball players apparently hopped up on gas-station sexual-enhancement pills.
Like I said: plenty to talk about.
GUESTS:
Des Bieler - Sports reporter for The Washington Post
Ben Lindbergh - Staff writer at The Ringer; his most recent book is The MVP Machine: How Baseball's New Nonconformists Are Using Data to Build Better Players
Erin Tarver - Associate professor of philosophy at Oxford College of Emory University and the author of The I in Team: Sports Fandom and the Reproduction of Identity
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/22/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
George Takei Discusses His Graphic Memoir And How America Must Learn From Its Past
Today we speak with actor and human-rights activist George Takei, not about his role as Liutenant Sulu on the original Star Trek, but about a far more troubling chapter in his life. In his new graphic memoir They Called Us Enemy, George writes in detail about his childhood spent in an internment camp for Japanese-American citizens.
It's a vivid account of one of the darkest times in America’s history as well as a wake-up call to a country currently detaining tens of thousands of immigrants and their families. Is there still time to learn from our past mistakes or have the politics of fear and division already caused us, as a nation, to repeat them?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/21/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
VHS Will Not Die
Tracking, rewinding, ejecting, collecting - VHS broke ground in home entertainment like never before. The culture of VHS and its enormous best friend, the VCR, were kings of consumer media for decades. Despite the last VCR and VHS being manufactured just three years ago, videotapes are still consumed, collected, and in some cases, sold(!) across the country. But why?
With streaming service giants like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and (soon) Disney, giving us on-demand content with the push of a button and with Blu-ray and 4K players displaying movies and TV shows at crystal clear resolutions, videotapes offer a simpler, analog experience that will just not go away.
Today, a look inside the impact, history, and legacy of VHS.
Plus, video stores! It was the place to get your VHS rental and consume the content you couldn’t get anywhere else. A look at life owning and working at a video store.
Betsy Kaplan and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired on May 16, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/20/2019 • 49 minutes
The Scramble Takes Your Calls
We've got no guests today. So much of the burden of making today's show any good at all rests with, well: you.
We can talk about pretty much whatever you want. The economy. Plastic bags. Greenland. The Little League Classic. 2020. Or 2020. Or 2020. Or 2020.
Oh! And we've got a brand new (and toll-free) call-in line that we're pretty excited about: 888-720-WNPR. That's 888-720-9677. Call in, today at 1:00 pm.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/19/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The New Haven Nose On Our Unquenchable Cancel Culture And Amazon's 'The Boys'
Everything's canceled, more or less. The movie The Hunt was canceled before anybody got to see it. People talked about canceling the movie Adam before anybody got to see it. Sarah Silverman was canceled, from a movie anyway, for something she did -- on television -- 12 years ago. The OA was canceled, but people maybe don't believe that it was canceled? And we're apparently on a path toward canceling... the Dewey decimal system?
And: Amazon Prime's new superhero series, The Boys, imagines a world where something like the Marvel Cinematic Universe is real... and something like the Marvel corporation exists too.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
The 25 Most Important Characters of the Past 25 Years
What Is the Greatest Movie Quote of All Time?
Gwyneth Paltrow excited to find out Samuel L. Jackson was also in all those Marvel movies she did
J.D. Salinger, E-Book Holdout, Joins the Digital Revolution
Lemon, a 30 Rock Spinoff Was So Close to Happening
A Novel Concept: Silent Book Clubs Offer Introverts A Space To Socialize
Marvel source claims X-Men character Wolverine will join Avengers in new MCU film
Eating At A Pizza Hut Restaurant May Be A Thing of the Past
AP: Women accuse opera legend Domingo of sexual harassment
Taylor & Kanye: How two superstars, four words, and 15 seconds of TV influenced a decade of pop culture
GUESTS:
Lucy Gellman - Editor of The Arts Paper and host of WNHH radio's Kitchen Sync
Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group
Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/16/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
'Tis The Season For Summer Shakespeare
Shakespeare in the Park starts tonight in New Haven. Shakespeare & Company in the Berkshires has a new workshop production of Coriolanus opening next week. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens didn't think Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare's works. The BBC has a multi-camera, filmed-in-front-of-a-live-studio-audience Shakespeare sitcom.
This hour: lots of little looks at this summer's best Shakespeare stuff.
GUESTS:
Allyn Burrows - Artistic director of Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, Mass.
Benjamin Curns - Plays Dromio of Syracuse in Elm Shakespeare's production of The Comedy of Errors
Tyler Foggatt - An editor of the Talk of the Town section of The New Yorker
Rebecca Goodheart - Producing artistic director for Elm Shakespeare Company
Tina Packer - Founding artistic director of Shakespeare and Company
KP Powell - Plays Antipholus of Syracuse in Elm Shakespeare's production of The Comedy of Errors
Rob Weinert-Kendt - An arts journalist and editor of American Theatre magazine
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/15/2019 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
Liberalism Has Become A Dirty Word
The 18th century Parisian cafe was an incubator for the liberal tradition as it was before liberalism became a politically-loaded and dirty word. The cafe brought people together to exchange ideas, talk, connect, argue, debate, and learn about humanity, empathy, and humility outside the control of the state; a place where civil society trumped tribal impulse.
We are a far more humane people today compared to what we've been, despite the astounding level of cruelty in the headlines every day. Laws still rule the day.
Yet, many question whether liberalism can survive the rise of nationalist leaders from Hungary to the United States and the illiberal ideas they promote; some 2020 presidential candidates are calling for revolution. Can the long history of the liberal tradition teach us something about this current moment? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/14/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Is Democracy Dying?
Populism is on the rise from Europe to India to the United States.
Americans elected Donald Trump on his promise to "Drain the swamp" of a political elite no longer responsive to their needs. Populists almost took control of Germany, France, and the Netherlands in 2017. Former prime minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi regained power seven short years after being ousted from office for corruption.
In America, tension between popular will and the ruling elite has existed since our founding. Yet, we've always believed democracy would persist in this nation that was founded on democratic ideals of individual rights and the rule of law.
Today, we're losing our allegiance to democracy - especially in the minds of young people increasingly open to forms of government outside of democracy.
Is it too late to regain our democratic footing and stem the current tide of populism? If not, how do we do it?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/13/2019 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
The Mysterious Death Of Jeffrey Epstein; Trump's Horribly Wrong Photo; The Future Of Bantam Cinema
The FBI, the Justice Department's inspector general and the New York City medical examiner will investigate how billionaire and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his jail cell at Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan early Saturday morning.
Conspiracy theories have taken root in the vacuum of unanswered questions and missteps. Many are unsubstantiated, others are based on credible suspicion. The bigger problem is that the conspiracy theories have gone mainstream. The belief that some kind of conspiracy might exist reflects a growing distrust in government that has been nurtured and encouraged by President Trump.
Also this hour: The president and first lady posed for a photo with Paul Anchando last week on their visit to El Paso, Texas to visit with survivors and families of victims killed in last week's mass shooting. Paul is the orphaned son of two parents who died protecting him. So, why are the president and first lady smiling in the photo?
Lastly, Connecticut's oldest continuously operating independent cinema is for sale. We'll talk about why. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/12/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On The Impossible Whopper, Nicolas Cage, 'Long Shot,' And 'The Great Hack'
Two things arrived this week that the world probably didn't previously know it needed: The Impossible Whopper and "the definitive Nicolas Cage interview." The Nose taste tests one of them live on the air and discusses both. I'll leave it a mystery which is which.
Plus, a look at two movies: the Charlize Theron-Seth Rogen rom-com Long Shot (now available on iTunes/Amazon/DVD/Blu-ray/etc.) and the Cambridge Analytica documentary The Great Hack (out now on Netflix).Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/9/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
America Loves Roadside Attractions. So We Talked To One.
If you ever drive across the country, you’ll notice there is a surprising amount of World’s Largest attractions.
West Virginia has the world’s largest teapot, California has the world’s largest yo-yo and Arkansas, for whatever reason, has the world’s largest Spinach can. This hour we talk to the man who brought the world’s tallest Uncle Sam to Danbury, Connecticut.
We also speak with the only person in history who claims to have built two full-size replicas of Stonehenge, and a cartoonist that is very well-traveled.
Lastly, we speak to someone who is the attraction. He's gone viral for knitting sweaters of roadside attractions, then taking selfies in front of them. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/8/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Fear Of The 'Other' Through The Story Of The Roma
Constantin Mutu was four-months-old when he was separated from his father, Vasily. The elder Mutu was arrested while seeking asylum at the southern border. So far, Constantin is the youngest child to be separated from his family.
What distinguishes Constantin and Vasily Mutu from the majority of asylum seekers at the southern border is that they are a family of Roma people, two of the roughly 12 million people who make up Europe’s largest, yet hidden minority and one of the world’s most persecuted people.
Caitlin Dickerson's story of the Mutu family is an introduction to a people suffering from centuries of persecution. In a broader sense, it's a story of the power of discriminatory immigration policy to destroy vibrant cultures and opportunities for them to contribute to society. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/7/2019 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Can A Con Artist Con You?
Dr. Joseph Cyr, a surgeon with the Royal Canadian Navy, had to think quick when his ship came upon a rickety boat with mangled and bloody bodies at the height of the Korean War in 1951. As the only doctor on board, he quickly moved to operate on 19 men, all of them his enemies in this war. All survived, making the young doctor a hero.
Except he wasn't really a doctor.
His real name was Ferdinando Waldo Demara, and he never graduated high school, let alone medical school. At different times in his life, he was also a prison warden, a teacher for disabled children, and a civil engineer.
We're fascinated by the art of the con, yet few of us think it can happen to us. We imagine psychics, card sharks, and Nigerian princes effortlessly lifting hundreds of thousands of dollars from easy marks. We can spot the scam a mile away. Right? Think again.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/6/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
'A Course In Miracles' And Marianne Williamson
Marianne Williamson was Googled more than any other candidate after last week's Democratic debate. Voters liked her call for "some deep truth-telling" and a "politics that speaks to the heart." But to understand Williamson's words, we need to first understand A Course in Miracles, the almost 1,300 page spiritual text she has built a career on interpreting.
Williamson has become a self-appointed guru of a text that claims no hierarchy, organizational structure, or leader. Its authority comes directly from Jesus, channeled through a clinical psychologist who heard the words in her dreams. Course hit a cultural nerve in the counterculture of the 1960's, especially among intellectuals and celebrities looking to find more love and empathy in their lives.
Williamson promotes love and kindness in a world that feels increasingly hostile. Can she ride it to the presidency? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/5/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose On The Decline Of Yelling, Quentin Tarantino's 'Once Upon A Time In... Hollywood,' And More
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino's ninth movie as writer and director. It had the biggest opening of his career last weekend, and its been called "his best movie in a decade" and "his most transgressive film." We'll discuss it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/2/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Oh, The Things You'll Hear! (On This Show About Dr. Seuss)
On September 3rd of 2019, Random House will release what is likely the very last Dr. Seuss book there'll ever be: Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum. The work, initially just a manuscript and pile of incomplete sketches, was found buried in a box in the late author's California home in 2013. Since then, artists intimately familiar with Seuss's style of drawing have managed to fill in the gaps and finish the book.
In advance of the book's release we'll look back at the life and career of the bestselling children's author and take a deep dive into some of his most memorable stories to reveal profound messages you may may have missed as a kid.
We'll speak with a New York Times bestselling biographer whose new book shows sides of Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) few new existed, a longtime artistic collaborator and friend of the children's author, and a university professor who reveals how Seuss's stories often reflect the thinking of some of history's greatest philosophers.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/1/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
American Women Are Dying From Childbirth. Are Midwives And Doulas The Answer?
Women in America die more frequently from complications of childbirth than in any other industrialized nation in the world. In addition, women of color are three to four times more likely to die than white women. And over the last 25 years that the maternal mortality was rising in America, other countries were decreasing their rate.
There are lots of reasons why maternal mortality and morbidity is rising, including lack of access, the high rate of caesarian sections, racial bias, bias against women's health issues, and a medical model that medicalizes a normal process.
While no one action can explain why maternal mortality rates are lower in European countries, we do know that they utilize one resource that we don't: midwives and doulas. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/31/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Art Is The Idea: A Look At Sol LeWitt
Hartford native Sol LeWitt was one of the giants of conceptualist and minimalist art.
As an artist, he abandoned the long histories of painting and drawing and sculpture in favor of his Wall Drawings and Structures.
And as an art figure, he abandoned the conventions of celebrity and resisted ever even having his picture taken.
This hour, a look at Connecticut's own Sol LeWitt.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/30/2019 • 48 minutes, 29 seconds
Election Security; Is Mitch McConnell A Russian Asset; Bowling And 'The Big Lebowski'
Election systems in all 50 states were targeted by Russia in 2016. Those were the conclusions of a bipartisan Senate Intelligence report released on Thursday. This comes one day after Special Counsel Robert Mueller III warned that Russian efforts to interfere in the upcoming election are happening right now. How safe are Connecticut's voting systems?
Also this hour: Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank nudged the Overton Window with this opening line from his Friday op-ed: "Mitch McConnell is a Russian asset." His post went viral on social media in response to the Senate Majority Leader's refusal to bring up for a vote multiple bipartisan bills intended to ensure the integrity of our elections.
Lastly, can bowling win over the 'Lebowski' generation?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/29/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose On The Future Of Big-Budget Blockbuster Movies And The Present Of Little Tiny Indie Movies
Last weekend, Marvel unveiled its plans for Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (along with a few hints and winks and nods about Phase Five -- which is mostly notable 'cause it means they're planning a Phase Five).
And we're currently in the middle of a year when, when it's all said and done, the top eight highest-grossing movies may well have all come from Disney or Marvel or both. The top eight. That's not a typo. Here, look:
Aladdin (2019) (Disney)
Avengers: Endgame (Marvel/Disney)
Captain Marvel (Marvel/Disney)
Frozen II (Disney)
The Lion King (2019) (Disney)
Spider-Man: Far from Home (Marvel/Sony)
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (Lucasfilm/Disney)
Toy Story 4 (Pixar/Disney)
And so the question is: Is the future of movies Marvel and Disney?
And then The Nose takes a look at the present of movies from the opposite end of the box office spectrum with three indie films: The Art of Self-Defense, Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love, and Wild Rose.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/26/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Why We Reread Our Favorite Books: The Power Of A Transformative Novel
Summer is the time we look forward to reading -- or rereading -- our favorite books.
How do you choose from the stack of next-to-read books that pile up beside your bed? Do you relish the adventure of what a new book might bring or do you reread an old favorite that changed your life in some way, that one book that resembles a child's much beloved stuffed animal -- dog-eared and stained with food, sweat, and tears.
Today, writers explore the transformative nature of reading, writing, and a great novel.
GUESTS:
Steve Almond - writer and author of ten books of fiction and non-fiction, including Against Football and Candyfreak. His latest book is William Stoner and the Battle For the Inner Life.
Julia Pistell - freelance writer, comedian, Managing Director at Sea Tea Improv, creator of Syllable Series, host of Literary Disco, a podcast about books and writing.
Joseph Luzzi - writer and author of the memoir, In a Dark Wood: What Dante Taught Me About Grief, Healing, and the Mysteries of Love. He’s the author of two other books, most recently, My Two Italies. He’s a professor of Comparative Literature at Bard.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/25/2019 • 49 minutes, 21 seconds
The Ultimate Glory Of Ultimate Frisbee
It's been called a "glorified game of toss" and "World of Warcraft for extroverts." But has Ultimate Frisbee quietly become a real sport?
It is, apparently, a likely Olympic sport. Which would, apparently, maybe be bad for Ultimate.
This hour: The world of the Frisbee disc, including Connecticut's integral part in its history.
This episode originally aired on August 31, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/23/2019 • 47 minutes, 24 seconds
What Will Robert Mueller Tell Congress?
Special Counsel Robert Mueller made crystal clear that he would not comment on the long-awaited Mueller Report beyond the carefully chosen words we could all find in his 448-page, plus appendices, report.
Now, I hope and expect this to be the only time that I will speak to you in this manner. I am making that decision myself. No one has told me whether I can or should testify or speak further about this matter. There has been discussion about an appearance before Congress. Any testimony from this office would not go beyond our report. It contains our findings and analysis and the reasons for the decisions we made. We chose those words carefully, and the work speaks for itself. And the report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress.
Yet, here we are. Robert Mueller has agreed to testify before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee for three hours this Wednesday, July 24, followed by two (or so) hours before the U.S. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
What does Congress hope to gain? That may depend on which side of the aisle you represent.
Colin, a political analyst, and a comedian will take your calls. We finish with a DC pub owner gearing up for a Mueller testimony party, of sorts. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/22/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On The New 007, Caspering, The Area 51 Raid, HBO's 'Years And Years,' And Maybe More
There's kind of a lot going on this week: There's rumored to be a new 007. The Emmy nominations are out. There's a new dating trend called 'Caspering.' Farhad Manjoo thinks we should all use the singular 'they.' 1.7 million people want to raid Area 51. Anthony Fantano (or an animated version of Anthony Fantano, really) is in the new "Old Town Road" video. During the New York City blackout, Star Wars fans helped direct traffic... with their lightsabers. And: The Cats trailer is out, and it's maybe kind of, uh, horrifying?
Oh, and Episode 4 of Years and Years aired on HBO. The show "combines the grand sweep of a near-future dystopia with the warm intimacy of a family drama." Its vision of our next decade or so is "terrifyingly plausible."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/19/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Our Show Today Is Really Five Short, Little Shows
We live in an Everything Should Take Twenty Minutes world. Movies are too long. SundanceTV has a show that airs in ten-minute episodes. Tierra Whack has a fifteen-minute album made of fifteen sixty-second songs. Todd Rundgren's memoir has 183 one-page, three-paragraph chapters.
So today, we turn our hour over to five short, little shows about short, little things.
Here's a Spotify playlist of the albums reviewed on today's short, little episode of The Sam Hadelman Show: Sam Hadelman's short albums.
GUESTS:
Carmen Baskauf - Produces Where We Live on WNPR
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at TheaterWorks
Sam Hadelman - Host of The Sam Hadelman Show on WNHH and a journalist for the New Haven Independent
Brandy Jensen - An advice columnist and editor at The Outline
Jacques Lamarre - A playwright, and director of client services at Buzz Engine
Vince Mancini - Senior film and culture writer for Uproxx
Chion Wolf - Our announcer and technical producer
Bill Yousman is professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Matt Farley contributed to today's show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/18/2019 • 50 minutes, 32 seconds
A Conversation With Ocean Vuong
Ocean Vuong emigrated to Hartford from Vietnam when he was two years old. His family brought with them the trauma of an American-led war that ravaged their people and their culture. How do they retain their culture and assimilate into one that doesn't want them?
His family struggled in a Hartford very different from the city that many of us experience. It's a place that still exists in the shadows.
Ocean’s family is a snapshot into a bigger and more pervasive picture of the problems in America that many choose to hide -- the toll of low-wage work, poverty, drugs, violence, and the erasure of histories and ways of living life that don't fit neatly into the American myth.
Ocean's first novel, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous, is an American story, albeit one about the failure of America. This is an excerpt.
GUEST:
Ocean Vuong - A poet and the author of the novel On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/17/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A World In A Grain Of Sand
Sand is the most abundant material on Earth. And, other than water and air, sand is the natural resource we consume more than any other -- more, even, than oil.
The pyramids are made of sand. Our roads and driveways and sidewalks are made of sand. Concrete buildings and their concrete foundations are made of sand. From computer chips to computer screens, window panes to light bulbs, breast implants to the Hubble telescope, sand is basically the essential building block of civilization.
Humans are estimated to consume almost 50 billion tons of sand and gravel every year.
Oh, and, by the way: We're running out of it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/16/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
NYC Goes Dark, Baseball Ratings Sag, But Drama At The CT Lottery Corp. Carries On
Staffing unrest at the Connecticut Lottery Corp. has been a longtanding source of intrigue.
But an employee's whistleblower case before the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities sheds new light on the level of infighting that unfolded at the quasi-public agency under previous its leadership.
It's a tale that includes secret recordings and the FBI.
More encouraging is the degree of calm and cooperation exhibited by New Yorkers during Saturday's five-hour blackout in Manhattan. What changes have come in the 42 years since the city descended into darken chaos back in 1977?
Finally, we can no longer ignore a sport that more and more Americans are choosing to tune out: Major League Baseball. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/15/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On The Supposed Joys Of Summer, The Future Of Streaming TV, And 'Spider-Man: Far From Home'
Spider-Man: Far From Home is the 23rd feature film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the final entry in its Infinity Saga. It is the 11th and final film in the MCU's Phase Three, even though everybody thought it'd probably be the first part of Phase Four, and now nobody really knows what Phase Four will start with.
I haven't entirely understood anything I've written so far, but I do get this bit: There won't be another Marvel movie for ten whole months -- all the way until next May.
Far From Home is the eighth Spider-Man movie across four different series, and it's at least the third one the Nose has covered (following Homecoming and Into the Spider-Verse).Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/12/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Wild and Crazy Guys
Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, John Belushi, John Candy, Rick Moranis.
Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Beverly Hills Cop, Caddyshack, Ghost Busters, ¡Three Amigos!, Funny Farm, Spaceballs, Stripes.
We maybe didn't properly appreciate it at the time, but the 1980s were one of the most fertile periods ever for screen comedies and screen comedians.
This hour, a look at the mavericks who shaped a whole comedy aesthetic... and at some of the most popular movie comedies ever made.
GUESTS:
Nick de Semlyen - Features editor for Empire magazine and the author of Wild and Crazy Guys: How the Comedy Mavericks of the '80s Changed Hollywood Forever
Daniel Kalwhite - A standup comedian based in New Haven
Carolyn Paine - A standup comedian, an actress, and a dancer
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/11/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scottsboro Boys: Tackling Racial Injustice Through Minstrelsy
The Scottsboro Boys were arrested as freight train hoboes in Alabama in 1931 and quickly convicted by an all-white jury of raping two white women. After several retrials and appeals, the case led to two landmark Supreme Court rulings on the right to adequate counsel and prohibiting the exclusion of black people from juries.
Yet, the problems in 1931 -- wrongful conviction, juvenile sentencing, police brutality, tampering with juries and evidence, and adequate counsel -- are still a problem in 2019.
Shows like Ava DuVernay's Netflix series "When They See Us," and the podcast, "In the Dark," are reigniting the injustice of the past within the context of current injustice and Black Lives Matter.
Playhouse on Park is currently staging The Scottsboro Boys, a Kander and Ebb musical satire that stages the play within the frame of minstrelsy, a potent symbol of Jim Crow injustice. Does their use of minstrelsy expose the absurdity of racism or is it simply offensive? We continue the debate. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Beneath The Surface: A Deep Dive Into Connecticut Shipwrecks
Searching for sunken treasure? The Long Island Sound is hardly the place to look.
But what can be found in its murky waters are ample remains of Connecticut's once prominent shipping industry, and perhaps evidence of early Native American villages from around 20,000 years ago when the Sound was a glacial lake.
Today, we survey shipwrecks and other bits of history resting off Connecticut's coast, as well as at the bottom of some lakes and rivers.
From dugout canoes and mastodon molars to the more than two dozen ships set ablaze in Essex harbor during the War of 1812, it's an underwater adventure not to be missed.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Earthquakes; Diminished U.S. Standing; Women's Soccer
The two biggest earthquakes to hit California since 1994 rocked an area about 120 miles northeast of Los Angeles on Thursday and Friday. Seismologists say a big earthquake happens every 100 years in California and the last big one hit 160 years ago. Is California prepared? If not, what does that mean for them and the rest of us? They are the fifth biggest economy in the world.
Also this hour: Some worry that President Trump's foreign policy will leave lingering damage to America's reputation and role in the world long after this administration leaves the White House. If the leaked cables from the British ambassador to Washington or the global reception of the U.S. Women's National Team are an indication, we've got a lot of work to do to repair relations around the world.
Lastly, the U.S. Women's National Team won their fourth World Cup, dominating their competitors and having a lot of confidence and spirit. Does America deserve this team? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/8/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose On #NotMyAriel, Lil Nas X, 'Big Little Lies' Season Two, And 'The Big Little Podcast'
No one is surprised to hear that Disney is planning a live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Some people were surprised, though, at the announcement that Halle Bailey, who is African American, has been cast as the titular Ariel. And probably the least surprising part of the whole thing is that part of the internet (the racist part) is mad about it.
And: Rapper Lil Nas X came out on the last day of Pride month. Is this news?
And then: We're just about halfway through the second season of HBO's Big Little Lies. Meryl Streep has joined the cast. And this week's Nose brings together all three cohosts of The Big Little Podcast.
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Mad Magazine to Effectively Shutter After 67 Years
Cow Cuddling Is The New Wellness Trend Now And It Costs $300 For A 90-Minute Session
THE WALKING DEAD to End With This Week's #193
John Sterling's amazing Yankees streak ending on Thursday
Auto industry icon Lee Iacocca dies at 94. He helped launch the Ford Mustang and saved Chrysler from bankruptcy.
Billy Drago, Actor in 'The Untouchables,' Dies at 73
'Avengers: Endgame' failed to beat 'Avatar' for the worldwide box-office record after being rereleased to theaters
Megan Rapinoe Makes Resistance Look Effortless
Arte Johnson, 'Laugh-In' Star, Dies at 90
Diarrhea Cases Caused By 'Poop Water' In CT Pools: Report
George Lucas Approved Rare Pre-Special Edition Star Wars Screening
Chuck Woolery's new game show is "Guess how many vasectomies I've had," and it sucks
Justin Bieber, Demi Lovato, Sia, Halsey & More Weigh in On the Taylor Swift and Scooter Braun Situation
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Director of venue operations and tour marketing for We Save Music and cohost of The Big Little Podcast
Theresa Cramer - A writer and the editor of E Content Magazine and cohost of The Big Little Podcast
Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance; and cohost of The Big Little Podcast
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/5/2019 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
Shark Fever: The Lore Of The Great White
Fear of sharks spiked last summer after a great white fatally bit a 26-year-old surfer off the coast of Cape Cod. The fever still runs high as reports of great white sightings coincide with people heading to the beach this 4th of July.
Yet, we have a higher risk of getting hit by lightning than killed by a great white shark. The myth of the great white, exacerbated by the 1975 megahit Jaws, is false. Great whites are not the aggressive creatures still perpetuated in popular media. We're more likely to survive a shark bite simply because sharks don't like the way we taste. They spit us out if they accidentally mistake us for a seal.
The convergence of globally warming waters off our east coast and the repopulation of seals and great whites after a previous panic nearly wiped them out, means we'll have to learn to share the ocean.
Instead of pursuing shark repellents like sonar buoys, electric shark shields, and seal contraception, should we consider how we can co-exist with the creatures of the sea? Besides, whose ocean is it anyway? The fish were there first. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/3/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Women Buried In The Footnotes Of Scientific Discovery
Women scientists and inventors have been making ground-breaking discoveries since Agnodike pretended to be a man in order to become the first female anatomist in ancient Greece. Yet, women's scientific contributions have historically been hidden in the footnotes of the work men claimed as their own.
It's 2019. Things are better, right?
Not really. Men still hold the majority of patents, and systemic biases still lead to lower pay, less authorship for scientific papers, and overt and subtle forms of harassment. Women scientists of color and those in the LGBTQ community feel it the most.
Yet, women scientists are banding together to call out bias and give credit where it's due -- one Wikipedia page at a time.
Today, we talk to four of them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/2/2019 • 48 minutes, 56 seconds
Isn't There A Little Prepper In All Of Us?
Reality TV shows like the Discovery Channel's Doomsday Bunkers and National Geographic Channel's Doomsday Preppers perpetuate a stereotype of "preppers" that omits the wide swath of people who engage in preparedness in a less extreme and more varied way.
Talk of nuclear war, climate apocalypse, pandemic, economic instability, and the decline of democracy has led more people to think about how to survive a catastrophic -- if not apocalyptic -- event.
Do you buy organic food? Will you drink only bottled water? Do you avoid antibiotics? You may not have an underground bunker but you might have a generator, short wave radio, extra batteries and a supply of canned foods.
Today, we dive into the real world of "preppers." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/1/2019 • 49 minutes, 3 seconds
Finding Humanity At The Sideshow
The concept of the early 20th century sideshow evokes images of bearded ladies, sword swallowers and exotic "others" exhibited as "freaks" before audiences both lured and repelled by what they saw.
Crowds flocked to Coney Island sideshows where, for 10 cents, they could find solace that someone was worse off than they were during times of low life expectancy, high infant mortality, world war, and financial instability. Few had the luxury of seeing the humanity behind the act.
Cartoonist Bill Griffith based his legendary character Zippy the Pinhead on Schlitzie, a real life sideshow "pinhead" who appeared in the movie Freaks. Early audiences were appalled by director Tod Browning's use of real sideshow actors who banded together to seek revenge on those who treated them with cruelty.
Griffith's new graphic novel is his way to dig a little deeper into who Schlitzie was and the sideshow family who cared for and loved him.
Also this hour: we learn about a man who saved thousands of premature infants over almost 40 years by exhibiting them in incubators in a Coney Island sideshow. Behind the acts, sideshow performers were often people of great compassion, courage, and humanity.
GUESTS:
Bill Griffith - Creator of the syndicated daily comic strip Zippy and author of two graphic memoirs, Invisible Ink: My Mother's Secret Love Affair With a Cartoonist and Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead
Wolf Krakowski - Yiddish singer whose CDs are on Tzadik Records; Wolf has videotaped testimonies of Holocaust survivors for the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation
Claire Prentice - Award-winning freelance journalist, editor, and writer; she's the author of two non-fiction books, The Lost Tribe of Coney Island: Headhunters, Luna Park, and the Man Who Pulled Off the Spectacle of the Century and Miracle at Coney Island: How a Sideshow Doctor Saved Thousands of Babies and Transformed American Medicine
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired May 2, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/28/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The 2019 Song Of The Summer Is...
It's SUMMER! And every year around this time, we gather up a few music mavens who help us analyze and celebrate the kind of music that gets us dancing and singing as soon as it comes on the radio.
But how do you define "Song of the Summer"? Amanda Dobbins breaks it down:
"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."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/27/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Dying For A Photo
A photo of people inching their way up a snaking line to the peak of Mount Everest last month has drawn attention to a number of problems, one of which was the jostling at the top of the mountain to take social media-ready selfies and photos.
That got us wondering if other people were risking their lives for that perfect photo. It turns out that more than 250 people worldwide have died while taking selfies in just over the last decade, according to a study published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care. Drowning, transport, and falls are the top reasons for death.
Today, we talk about how a social media-driven visual culture is shaping how we work, play, and experience life. Are we willing to die for that perfect photo? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/26/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Congratulations! You've Been Selected To Hear This Wonderful Show About Robocalls!!!
October of 2018 was an unremarkable month. That is, to everyone who wasn't working for Youmail. During that month, the California-based company which provides voicemail and call blocking technology, noticed something special: On average, 164 million robocalls were being placed every single day around America. That's nearly 7 million per hour, and nearly 2,000 per second, for a grand monthly total of over 5.1 billion. It was a new national record!
Unfortunately for Americans, the previous month's record of just over four billion robocalls was not one anyone wished to see broken. But broken it was and with this new record came a wave of unprecedented pressure on Congress and the FCC to act.
On March 23, 2019 they did. The TRACED Act; tough new legislation against illegal robocallers sailed through the Senate 99 to 1. Simultaneously, powerful, technological tools known as STIR / SHAKEN began rolling out allowing telecom companies to authenticate incoming calls from questionable numbers more effectively.
Had the problem finally been solved? All eyes turned once again to the Youmail robocall index for an answer. During March of 2019, the very same month that the TRACED Act passed, Youmail reported that 5.2 billion robocalls had been made. A brand new national record!
This hour we speak with technology and telecom industry experts about the national epidemic of robocalls. Can anything be done to finally stop (or even manage) the menace? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/25/2019 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Who Is Andrew Yang; SCOTUS decision on Curtis Flowers; Defining A Concentration Camp
Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang wants to give everyone a Universal Basic Income to offset the effects of automation. The plan resonates across a broad spectrum of voters from his "Yang Gang" to the alt-right and it has catapulted him to a spot in this week's Democratic primary debate alongside frontrunners Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Kamala Harris. Who is this guy?
Also this hour: Last month, we told you about Curtis Flowers, the Mississippi man convicted over 20 years ago of killing four people by a prosecutor with a history of racial bias and witness tampering. You may recognize the story from the APM podcast, "In the Dark." Last week, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn his latest conviction in a 7-2 decision. What's next?
Lastly, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says the Trump Administration is running "concentration camps" at our Southern border. We talk about that. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/24/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Who Is Andrew Yang; SCOTUS Decision On Curtis Flowers; Defining A Concentration Camp
Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang wants to give everyone a Universal Basic Income to offset the effects of automation. The plan resonates across a broad spectrum of voters from his "Yang Gang" to the alt-right and it has catapulted him to a spot in this week's Democratic primary debate alongside frontrunners Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Kamala Harris. Who is this guy?
Also this hour: Last month, we told you about Curtis Flowers, the Mississippi man convicted over 20 years ago of killing four people by a prosecutor with a history of racial bias and witness tampering. You may recognize the story from the APM podcast, "In the Dark." Last week, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn his latest conviction in a 7-2 decision. What's next?
Lastly, New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says the Trump Administration is running "concentration camps" at our Southern border. We talk about that. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/24/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The New Haven Nose On Taylor Swift's New Vid, The Obamas' New Pods, And Jim Jarmusch's New Zom Com
The Nose doesn't much miss a chance to cover Taylor Swift. And it turns out, Taytay's got a new song and video... for Pride Month... and it's been received, let's say, kind of skeptically. (Relatedly, here's a listicle: All 126 Taylor Swift Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best.)
And then: Last year, the Obamas signed a big deal to make TV programs for Netflix. And now, the former first couple's production company is coming to an earbud near you through a podcast-making deal with Spotify. (Relatedly, here's a listicle: The best podcasts of 2019 so far.)
And finally: Jim Jarmusch's new movie is... a zombie comedy? The Dead Don't Die stars Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Chloë Sevigny, Steve Buscemi, RZA, Tilda Swinton, Danny Glover, Carol Kane, and more. (Relatedly, here's a listicle: 8 Great Zombie Comedies (That Aren't The Dead Don't Die).)
Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take:
Gloria Vanderbilt, socialite and designer-jeans marketer who was the subject of a sensational custody trial in the 1930s, dies at 95
An Oral History of Vincent D'Onofrio's Perfect Men in Black'Sugar Water' Scene
What Really Happened to Malaysia's Missing Airplane
Bill Cosby's post as 'America's Dad' on Father's Day sparks anger online
John Cusack deletes tweet after being accused of anti-Semitism
Today in heavy-handed metaphors: The tree that inspired Dr. Seuss' The Loraxhas fallen
Today we're reminded that the singing Quiznos rats were real and not a collective fever dream
Ex-MLB star Lenny Dykstra spent 9 hours dumpster diving outside a Jersey Mike's. Here's why.
Summertime Sadness at the Box OfficeA stretch of June flops has once again put a magnifying glass on the health of the movie industry, as every studio not named Disney struggles to make an impact(Relatedly, here's a listicle: The 15 Best Films of 2019 (So Far).)
GUESTS:
Lucy Gellman - Editor of The Arts Paper and host of WNHH radio's Kitchen Sync
Sam Hadelman - Host of The Sam Hadelman Show on WNHH and a journalist for the New Haven Independent
Nicholas Quah - The editor and publisher of Hot Pod, a newsletter about podcasts
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/21/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
Of Coils And Coin Drops: Tales From The Vending Machine
There's much more to vending machines than those tasty, preservative-laden treats temptingly lined up on display behind the glass casing.
Today we take a magical voyage to find out what these snack dispensers tell us about how we live, what we value, our stresses, and our restraints.
Along the way, we check in with a local author and Hartford Courant columnist who devoured one of each snack in her workplace vending machine one afternoon without being rushed to the hospital.
We discuss their role in the nation's obesity epidemic, and why they rarely offer healthy eating choices.
We discover the fascinatingly strange (warm corn chowder, camouflage watches), sometimes disgusting (used women's underpants) products they pump out in Japan.
And we look at what they are legally not able to offer here in Connecticut. As Yale students found out, that includes emergency contraceptives.
Could self-pouring beer machines be in the state's near future? What about machine serving delicious, ready-to-eat bacon?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/20/2019 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Your Mind Makes It Real: 'The Matrix' 20 Years On
It's hard to believe, but The Matrix is 20 years old this year. And its influence is all over the culture with bullet time and red pills and the "woah" meme and so much more.
We take the question of whether we're living in a simulation much more seriously than we did 20 years ago. We're much more attuned to the allegory for the trans experience that The Matrix might well have been.
And with John Wick 3 in theaters, Toy Story 4 out next week, Cyberpunk 2077out next year, and Bill & Ted 3 just beginning production, the Keanussance is upon us.
GUESTS:
River Donaghey - An associate editor at Vice, where he published the piece "Give Keanu Reeves Some Space, Everybody"
David Sims - A staff writer at The Atlantic and the cohost of the podcast Blank Check with Griffin and David
Emily VanDerWerff - The critic at large for Vox, where she published "How The Matrix universalized a trans experience -- and helped me accept my own"
Rizwan Virk - Executive director of Play Labs at M.I.T.; his new book is The Simulation Hypothesis: An MIT Computer Scientist Shows Why AI, Quantum Physics, and Eastern Mystics All Agree We Are in a Video Game
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/19/2019 • 50 minutes, 16 seconds
Fallout From Jennifer Dulos Case: Domestic Violence; Race; Surveillance
Connecticut remains riveted by the unfolding saga of Jennifer Dulos, the wealthy, white New Canaan woman last seen almost four weeks ago. It's a tragic and familiar story. Yet, few cases receive the notoriety of this particular case.
Today, we examine several issues raised by Jennifer's disappearance, including how domestic violence in wealthy families can play out in ways not experienced by those with less money.
The night of Jennifer's disappearance, video surveillance cameras in Hartford spotted Jennifer's husband Fotis Dulos, dumping garbage bags with bloody clothing in trash bins throughout the north end of Hartford. We talk to a resident of the north end about how he feels about that.
Lastly, we talk about the current state of police surveillance technology, including in Hartford, and how it might be used in the future. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/18/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Chipping Away At Democracy, One Broken Norm At A Time
The president suggests he can take information from a foreign adversary without reporting it to the FBI. Kellyanne Conway can violate the Hatch Act without repercussion. American allies aren't sure if they can believe Trump Administration claims about Iran aggression. The president now suggests his supporters may demand that he serve more than two terms.
Amy Siskind has been documenting the erosion of democratic norms under President Trump almost since his inauguration. We spend some time with her.
The state Supreme Court released a unanimous decision Friday ordering new trials for two men convicted of a 1989 murder in New Milford. The call for new trials stems from misleading testimony by the state police forensic laboratory, under the purview of forensic scientist Henry Lee. Lee spoke this morning. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/17/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The One About Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell is a singer-songwriter from Alberta, Canada. In 1968, her debut album, Song to a Seagull, was released and since then, Mitchell has become one of the most influential, and greatest recording artists. Mitchell has won nine Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, countless musical awards, and her albums are considered as among the best ever made.
We’re big fans. It turns out we’re not alone.
Today, we talk to a few friends of the show to discuss Mitchell’s influence on them while listening to their favorite Joni songs. Plus, we chat with Mitchell biographer David Yaffe who recently wrote Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/14/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Giving Up Child Custody For Mental Health Care
There are a group of Connecticut parents who feel they must relinquish custody of their “high needs” children in order to get them into residential treatment programs when in-home services are inadequate to meet their needs.
Many years ago, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families chose to move children out of residential treatment centers and back to their families or foster care. Most agree it was a good move; residential care is expensive and many kids do better at home.
Some wonder if we've gone too far. The combined effect of the closing of residential centers, budget restrictions, and lack of available community resources to fill the void have led to a perfect storm.
Connecticut is not the only state to use the 'custody-for-care' loophole. It still happens in 44 states, even though 26 of those states have statutes or policies to prevent it. Connecticut has significantly decreased its use over the last decade, but not enough.
No one is a bad actor in this story. Parents do the best they can under difficult and stressful circumstances. DCF does the best they can within the reality of political and budgetary pressures. And there are systemic problems with the way insurance, hospitals, and schools are set-up to deal with the expensive and complex needs of some children.
Today, we take a look. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/13/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
This Show Will Be The Cat's Pajamas
This episode is really going to be the cat’s pajamas. Or is it pyjamas? Do cats even wear pajamas? Why would they? Why do we? Should any of us wear pajamas at all?
And if we do don a pair, are they only for bed? Or should pajamas have their day in the sun? If our PJs are making a fashion statement just what exactly are they saying?
We’re talking today about what we wear to bed, but who knows? Does not wearing pajamas to bed have health and other benefits once we settle in under the covers? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/12/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Every Family Has Secrets: Jessica Harper's 'Winnetka'
Jessica Harper has starred in movies like Suspiria, Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise, Woody Allen's Stardust Memories, and Steven Spielberg's Minority Report. And now she's publishing a memoir as a podcast.
Winnetka tells the story of growing up in a big family -- six kids, including two sets of twins -- in the 1950s and '60s in the midwest -- in Winnetka, Ill., you see -- and later in Connecticut.
Plus: An update on the podcast industry more generally. The "Netflix of podcasts" is here. A big new study on podcasting has just come out. And... is "podcaster burnout" becoming a thing?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/11/2019 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Are You Ready To Marie Kondo Your House?
Are you one of the millions inspired by Marie Kondo and her KonMari Method to get rid of your clutter? Kondo's books, such as The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, have sparked an intense and prolonged fervor where other self-help gurus have failed.
What is it about this phenom who advocates tidying as the path to the self-actualization? Is it her respect for our stuff as animated and alive? Is it because she doesn't shame us for our consumption, even as she encourages us to consider why we consume? Do our things 'spark joy' or hold us back?
Yet, she's not without her critics. The backlash has been fierce, and occasionally misconstrued Kondo's words. What's so threatening about questioning what we value? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/10/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On 'Rocketman' And 'When They See Us'
Rocketman is the sort of movie where (tiny spoiler ahead here, I suppose) "Elton John," at one point, becomes an actual "rocket man"... and blasts off into the sky... with fire shooting out of his feet. I mean, what else do you need to know really, right?
It's directed by Dexter Fletcher, whose previous film -- another little music biopic you might've heard of called Bohemian Rhapsody -- is the second-highest-grossing drama ever made. And it stars Taron Egerton, who does all his own singing, in the, uh, title role.
And: Ava DuVernay is the director of Selma (which was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars), A Wrinkle in Time, and the Netflix documentary 13th (for which DuVernay was nominated for the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature), among other things. Her newest project is When They See Us, a Netflix miniseries about the Central Park Five.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/7/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Are We Ready To Accept That UFOs Are Real?
In early 2017, The New York Times uncovered a program at the Defense Department which investigated unidentified flying objects. Then, at the end of May, the reporters published another article, getting navy pilots to talk on the record about their encounters with unidentified flying objects.
In November 2018, the chair of Harvard's Astronomy Department, Avi Loeb, co-wrote a paper about an interestellar object, 'Oumuamua, writing, "Alternatively, a more exotic scenario is that 'Oumuamua may be a fully operational probe sent intentionally to Earth vicinity by an alien civilization."
What does this all mean? And does it matter that these aknowledgements are coming from a paper like The New York Times, or a scientist from Harvard?
This hour, we'll talk to Leslie Kean and Avi Loeb about their research, and we'll hear from people who have believed in extraterrestrial life all along about what it's like to see this news. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/6/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Wednesday Is Soylent Day
What if you just don't really enjoy food very much? What if you're totally fine eating the same thing every single day? What if you think food is an inefficient way to get what you need to survive?
What if, rather than eating "food," you just mixed a white powder (that is definitely not made of people because it's made of soy protein isolate instead) with water and drank that in food's place?
This hour: a look at what you might call the non-foodie movement and the "powdered food" meal replacement product that is Soylent.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/5/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Exit Interview, Of Sorts, With Darko Tresnjak
Darko Tresnjak has been artistic director at Hartford Stage Company since 2011. During his tenure here, he's won a Tony. He's had multiple productions make the leap to Broadway. His Anastasia has multiple tours touring internationally.
And this season is his last season in Hartford.
This hour: our exit interview with Darko Tresnjak.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/4/2019 • 42 minutes, 19 seconds
Gerrymandering; Reading The Mueller Report; Are We Still Capable of Politically Honorable Deeds
The question of whether to allow a contested question about citizenship on the 2020 census is before the Supreme Court. How they decide may be altered by new and formerly secret files that show a long-standing relationship between the Republican Party and gerrymandering -- that includes an idea to add a citizenship question to the census to boost the voting power of "Republicans and non-Hispanic whites."
Also this hour: This weekend, over 100 artists staged a 24-hour public reading of the Mueller report in Queens. They're helping us do exactly what Robert Mueller implored us all to do. Read it in its entirety. Here's the story. Here's the full report. Here's the audiobook.
Lastly, is America still capable of doing large-scale politically-honorable deeds, such as impeaching a president? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/3/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose On 'Oh, The Places You'll Go,' All The HBO Shows, And Hulu's 'Catch-22'
Graduation season is upon us. Your niece is finishing high school. Your neighbor's son is graduating from Tulane. Your boss just got her second Master's. How did it get to be that the obvious gift for all of these people is... a Dr. Seuss book?
And then: Vulture, this week, published a click-bait listicle ranking all the HBO shows ever. The Nose took the bait and clicked. And... Six Feet Under didn't make the top ten? Girls isn't in the top 25? John from Cincinnati made the top 30? Did anybody even understand that show?
And speaking of shows, George Clooney and Grant Heslov's new Hulu miniseries is a four-and-a-half-hour, six-episode adaption of Joseph Heller's Catch-22. Is that what the world needed right now?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/31/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Truth About Lies
Laszlo Ratesic is a nineteen-year veteran of the Speculative Service. He lives in the Golden State, the only place left in what was once America. Laszlo's job is to bring the worst criminals to justice, those who tell lies. In his new novel, Ben Winters creates a world which might sound Eden-esque in our era of misinformation.
It's getting more difficult to distinguish real from fake news, AI-assisted technology allows a bad actor to splice celebrity heads onto the faces of actors in a pornographic video, and major news organizations need to keep track of how often America's president lies.
Yet, we should be careful what we wish for. Philosophers like Derrida have long questioned the nature of truth; can there be one truth? If so, whose truth is it?
While few of us want to return to the pre-internet days when everyone got their news from Walter Cronkite, we need to understand how to recognize when information is false and how it is spread. It's too easy to blame ignorance or a willful repudiation of the truth for the spread of misinformation. It's a lot more about who we trust.
For those who fear a Golden State could be our future, there's hope on the horizon if we're willing to pay attention. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/29/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Two Of The Greats: Robin Williams And George Carlin
From his rapid-fire stand-up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. Dave Itzkoff's new biography is Robin.
And 10 years after his death, a look back at the work of George Carlin.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/28/2019 • 49 minutes, 19 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: The Coen Brothers And 'The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs'
No Country for Old Men. Fargo. The Big Lebowski. Raising Arizona. O Brother, Where Art Thou? Miller's Crossing.
Over the past 35 years, Joel and Ethan Coen have reliably been among the most recognizable voices in moviemaking.
Their latest, the anthology western The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, hit Netflix last fall.
This hour: a Noseish look at the work of the Coen brothers.
GUESTS:
Tom Breen - Film critic and the host of WNHH radio's Deep Focus
Skip Lievsay - Sound editor, mixer, and designer for film and television; he won the Academy Award for Best Achievement in Sound Mixing for Gravity, and he's done the sound on every Coen brothers picture
Adam Nayman - The author of The Coen Brothers: This Book Really Ties the Films Together
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show, which originally aired November 21, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/24/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
From The Bad Ideas Dept.: It's A Show About Towels!
Seriously: a show about towels.
There's the history of towels, towels in Christianity, Terrible Towels, Towel Day.
Oh, and there are actual towels too.
Because when has a bad idea ever stopped us before?
GUESTS:
Marcel Danesi - The author of Of Cigarettes, High Heels, and Other Interesting Things: An Introduction to Semiotics
John Dankosky - Executive editor of the New England News Collaborative; host of The Wheelhouse and NEXT on WNPR
Mike Pesca - Host of the daily Slate podcast The Gist
Jackie Reeve - Bed and bath writer for Wirecutter; her blog about quilting and crafting and cooking and traveling and things is The Orange Room
Jem Roberts - Comedy historian and the author of The Frood: The Authorised and Very Official History of Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe, Carlos Mejia, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired, in a different form, on December 6, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/23/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
The Criminal (In)Justice System
The American criminal justice system has become less 'just' over recent decades and prosecutors bear much of the responsibility.
The tough-on-crime culture of the 1980's and 90's shifted power away from judges and juries and toward prosecutors who embraced their new power to wield mandatory sentencing laws to rack up the convictions demanded by the constituents who elected them.
The problem is they never let go of that power or the culture that rewards it, even as crime rates have plummeted to historic lows that are almost 50% below their peak in the 1990's.
They continue use sentencing to extract plea bargains from almost 95% of the people who come before them, even without evidence of guilt. Some impose draconian bail and probation conditions monitored by for-profit companies that extract a premium. Others run modern day debtors' prisons, jailing people for misdemeanor crimes like shoplifting because they can't afford bail.
Yet, there's cause for hope. A new breed of DA's are using prison as a last resort, focusing instead on "diversion" programs that offer a second chance instead of long prison sentences that research shows make worse criminals.
Is it time to rethink who belongs in prison? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/22/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Happy Birthday, Barbie! A Look Back At 60 Years Of Fun, Fashion, And Mixed Messages
As Barbie Millicent Roberts -- yes, that's her name -- turns 60 we, as a plastic loving nation, celebrate! For six decades the impossibly proportioned fashion doll has been delighting children and adults around the world.
But the road to 60 hasn't always been easy. Critiqued by feminists, diversity advocates, and even child psychologists for her role in perpetuating harmful sterotypes, eating disorders, and body dysmorphic syndrome among young women, Barbie may be just as controversial as she is iconic.
In recent years, however, Mattel has made some long overdue changes. The new Barbies are more diverse in their career choices, body shapes, and ethnicities than ever before, and her new ad campaigns focus heavily on issues of women's empowerment and equality. But the question remains: Is it too little, too late for Mattel or are these changes enough to see Barbie into her seventies?
We speak with expert guests about the good, the bad and the ugly side of Barbie, as well as about the doll's creator, Ruth Handler. And in case you were wondering, we may even get to Ken along the way!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/21/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Handmaid's Tale And Trump's America: Comparisons Frightening Or Overblown?
For everyone who watched Sunday's series finale of Game of Thrones, perhaps a better show to get a handle on what's happening inside America is Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale.
People aren't going around greeting their neighbors with "Blessed by the fruit." But there's an argument to be made that news headlines from the past week are eerily similar to the fictional transpirings that gave way to Handmaid's Republic of Gilead.
Today, we consider Alabama's new ultra-conservative abortion law, President Trump's desire for barriers along the Mexico border to be painted black with spikes, and the ousting of administration officials opposed to a White House plan to conduct mass raids of migrants in 10 major U.S. cities, among other recent events.
Is comparing them to Handmaid's make-believe dangerously unhinged? Or is it right to be concerned that we may be heading down a potentially Margaret Atwoodian path?
We'll take your calls. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/20/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Says Goodbye To Tim Conway, Peggy Lipton, 'Game of Thrones,' 'Veep,' And More
It's been a rough week for the famous. Last Saturday, Peggy Lipton died at age 72. On Monday, Doris Day died at 97. Then on Tuesday, it was Tim Conway at 85. And yesterday, I. M. Pei died aged 102.
And the week's gone kind of the same way for TV shows too. On Sunday, Veep finished its seven-year run on HBO. Last night, The Big Bang Theory aired its 279th and final episode. And Game of Thrones's series finale is set to air this coming Sunday.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/17/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
VHS Will Not Die
Tracking, rewinding, ejecting, collecting - VHS broke ground in home entertainment like never before. The culture of VHS and its enormous best friend, the VCR, were kings of consumer media for decades. Despite the last VCR and VHS being manufactured just three years ago, videotapes are still consumed, collected, and in some cases, sold(!) across the country. But why?
With streaming service giants like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and (soon) Disney, giving us on-demand content with the push of a button and with Blu-ray and 4K players displaying movies and TV shows at crystal clear resolutions, videotapes offer a simpler, analog experience that will just not go away.
Today, a look inside the impact, history, and legacy of VHS.
Plus, video stores! It was the place to get your VHS rental and consume the content you couldn’t get anywhere else. A look at life owning and working at a video store.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/16/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Liberalism Has Become A Dirty Word
The 18th century Parisian cafe was an incubator for the liberal tradition as it was before liberalism became a politically-loaded and dirty word. The cafe brought people together to exchange ideas, talk, connect, argue, debate, and learn about humanity, empathy, and humility outside the control of the state; a place where civil society trumped tribal impulse.
We are a far more humane people today compared to what we've been, despite the astounding level of cruelty in the headlines every day. Laws still rule the day.
Yet, many question whether liberalism can survive the rise of nationalist leaders from Hungary to the United States and the illiberal ideas they promote; some 2020 presidential candidates are calling for revolution. Can the long history of the liberal tradition teach us something about this current moment?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/15/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Does Religion Still Matter When We Need It Most?
Religious scholar Elaine Pagels, trusted the Gospel of Thomas to get her through the almost unbearably painful years after the death of her six-year-old son -- born with a congenital heart defect -- followed one year later by the unexpected death of her husband.
Thomas was one of many hidden texts discovered in a cave in Egypt in 1945, written around the time of Jesus but omitted from the New Testament.
Pagels exploration of the secret gospels revealed early Christianity to be a mix of traditions, stories, music, mysticism, art, and poetry that were lost in later versions perpetuated by individual Christian groups. Pagels wonders, how Roman Catholics, Baptists, Mormons, and Quakers -- to name a few -- could all proclaim themselves the one true version of Christianity?
The Gnostic Gospels challenged thousands of years of Christian ideology regarding our views on God, women, sexuality, and death that still dictate the cultural values we follow today. How had we not become aware that thousands of years of censoring Christianity has come to contradict our own experience of what is meaningful in our lives?
So often, religion fails us in our time of need. The Gnostic Gospels gave Elaine Pagels hope. She was grateful for that.
GUEST:
Elaine Pagels - Professor of Religion at Princeton University and the author of several books including The Gnostic Gospels, Beyond Belief and most recently, Why Religion?: A Personal Story
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/14/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Congressional Showdown; Teen Victims Of Shootings As Heroes; Moon Rocks
Listen at 1:00 pm.
President Trump is working to block more than 20 separate Congressional investigations led by the Democratic-controlled House. Democrats say the Trump Administration has failed to respond to or comply with at least 79 requests for documents or other information. Are we in a Constitutional crisis, or not?
Also this hour: Two students lost their lives in recent weeks charging at the school shooter who was trying to kill them and other classmates. Both died and are being hailed as heroes for their actions. They are heroes. Yet, for others looking in, have adults abdicated their responsibility to protect children to the point where they believe they must take things into their own hands?
Lastly, NASA will study three never touched samples from the rocks and soil astronaut Neil Armstrong scooped up during the Apollo 11 mission almost fifty years ago.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/13/2019 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The Nose On 'Pizza, A Love Story' And The Age-Old Question, Is Vampire Weekend Still Cool?
Father of the Bride is Vampire Weekend's fourth studio album, their first in nearly six years, and their first for a major label. It has been called a "masterpiece" and a "multi-layered dissertation on the world's ills." It's also been called "mild" and "some of the worst ideas the band has ever put to tape." The real question is, though: Is Vampire Weekend still cool?
And then: Gorman Bechard's Pizza, A Love Story has its New Haven premiere in a few weeks at this year's NHdocs documentary film festival. The Nose talks Pizza, specifically, and pizza, more generally, from the pizza capital of the world.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/10/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Art Is The Idea: A Look At Sol LeWitt
Hartford native Sol LeWitt was one of the giants of conceptualist and minimalist art.
As an artist, he abandoned the long histories of painting and drawing and sculpture in favor of his Wall Drawings and Structures.
And as an art figure, he abandoned the conventions of celebrity and resisted ever even having his picture taken.
This hour, a look at Connecticut's own Sol LeWitt.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/9/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Isn't There A Little Prepper In All Of Us?
Reality TV shows like the Discovery Channel's Doomsday Bunkers and National Geographic Channel's Doomsday Preppers perpetuate a stereotype of "preppers" that omits the wide swath of people who engage in preparedness in a less extreme and more varied way.
Talk of nuclear war, climate apocalypse, pandemic, economic instability, and the decline of democracy has led more people to think about how to survive a catastrophic -- if not apocalyptic -- event.
Do you buy organic food? Will you drink only bottled water? Do you avoid antibiotics? You may not have an underground bunker but you might have a generator, short wave radio, extra batteries and a supply of canned foods.
Today, we dive into the real world of "preppers." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/8/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The King: Before There Was Lebron, There Was Elvis
Elvis left two legacies. Musically, he pulled several American musical traditions out of the shadows, braided them together, and made them mainstream. Personally, he created a far darker template for the way a musical celebrity could be devoured by the very fame he avidly sought.
Recorded live in front of an audience -- and with a band! -- as part of Colin's Freshly Squeezed series at Watkinson School, an hour about the artist who defined the birth of rock and roll and was the genre's first superstar.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/7/2019 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
NPR Has A New Theme Song; A Beloved Writer Dies; Humans Are Killing Thousands Of Species
NPR has a new theme song. The new theme is much like the old theme with new embellishments created by a "sonic studio" instead of one artist and a "creative director" instead of a composer or arranger. After 40 years, is it time to update or do you miss the old song?
Also this hour: Rachel Held Evans was a 37-year-old Christian evangelical writer with an ability to both challenge orthodoxy within the religion and bridge the political divide between conservative and progressive followers. She died this past week from complications of an infection. We pay her tribute.
Lastly, today's UN report on biodiversity makes a direct link between human behavior and the faster than expected extinction of thousands of animal and plant species. Today's report coincides with a new Yale-led study showing that thousands of species of amphibians will go extinct faster than expected if we don't take action now. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/6/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose On 'Avengers: Endgame' And Taylor Swift's 'ME!'
Avengers: Endgame is the 22nd feature film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is the fourth Avengers movie and the fourth MCU entry directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. It is the 10th film in the MCU's Phase Three and the last part of its Infinity Saga. I didn't understand very much of that stuff I just wrote, but I totally get this last bit: Avengers: Endgame may well be on its way to becoming the highest-grossing movie ever made.
And then: Taylor Swift's new single/video, "Me," is setting records of its own. Never mind that the duet with Panic! at the Disco's Brendon Urie is maybe kinda... terrible?
And terribleness just might be the new trend in movie trailers: There's Sonic the Hedgehog and his creepy human teeth. There's Will Smith's weird blue genie in Aladdin. Or the "live-action" Lion King and its new-look Scar. The Sonic backlash has been so bad that it looks like they might even redesign the character.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/3/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Finding Humanity At The Sideshow
The concept of the early 20th century sideshow evokes images of bearded ladies, sword swallowers and exotic "others" exhibited as "freaks" before audiences both lured and repelled by what they saw.
Crowds flocked to Coney Island sideshows where, for 10 cents, they could find solace that someone was worse off than they were during times of low life expectancy, high infant mortality, world war, and financial instability. Few had the luxury of seeing the humanity behind the act.
Cartoonist Bill Griffith based his legendary character Zippy the Pinhead on Schlitzie, a real life sideshow "pinhead" who appeared in the movie Freaks. Early audiences were appalled by director Tod Browning's use of real sideshow actors who banded together to seek revenge on those who treated them with cruelty.
Griffith's new graphic novel is his way to dig a little deeper into who Schlitzie was and the sideshow family who cared for and loved him.
Also this hour: we learn about a man who saved thousands of premature infants over almost 40 years by exhibiting them in incubators in a Coney Island sideshow. Behind the acts, sideshow performers were often people of great compassion, courage, and humanity.
GUESTS:
Bill Griffith - Creator of the syndicated daily comic strip Zippy and author of two graphic memoirs, Invisible Ink: My Mother's Secret Love Affair With a Cartoonist and Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead
Wolf Krakowski - Yiddish singer whose CDs are on Tzadik Records; Wolf has videotaped testimonies of Holocaust survivors for the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation
Claire Prentice - Award-winning freelance journalist, editor, and writer; she's the author of two non-fiction books, The Lost Tribe of Coney Island: Headhunters, Luna Park, and the Man Who Pulled Off the Spectacle of the Century and Miracle at Coney Island: How a Sideshow Doctor Saved Thousands of Babies and Transformed American Medicine
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/2/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Lets Eat Grandma!
Who would have thought that a book on grammar would be #5 on Amazon's best-seller list? (Should that be "whom" would have thought? Should I write out the number five? Should it be "bestseller?" Ugh. I can't remember if the exclamation goes inside or outside the quotation mark in the sentence I just asked myself.)
Benjamin Dreyer says we're all writers. Or, we can channel our best writers if we choose our words more carefully, (try not writing the words very, rather, really, quite, surely, and actually for the next week) check our spelling, and quiet our sudden impulse to use two words where one will do. (Oops. I mean, quiet your impulse to use two words where one will do.)
Most of all, break those rules you were taught to obey. Language is about more than grammar. It's about artistry, voice, style. Sentences ending with a preposition shouldn't be hard to put up with. And start your sentence with an "and" or "but." Embrace the fragment. Channel your passive voice. (but only if it makes your sentence stronger)
I feel freer already.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/1/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
After We Die, Our Dust Will Live Forever
Dust is a fascinating substance. Our bodies are always shedding dust from our skin, hair, and nails, leaving little bits of DNA wherever we roam. Dust floats unseen through the air around us. It's light. It's hard to see unless it lands on a contrasting surface or crosses the path of a ray of sunshine. It can travel far and wide.
Earth collects more than 100 tons of cosmic dust a day. A speck of it might be in your rug. The unseen dust deeply embedded in our homes over many years becomes an archive of every "geochemical" substance that's ever entered our home.
All of history is recorded in the dust we create: the pollution we make, the fires we start, the chemicals we use, the volcanos that erupt. Scientists can learn about the Roman Empire through the dust that has been compressed each year for thousands of years into layers of ice sheets in Greenland.
Today, we talk about the science and politics of dust. We also talk to a cleaning expert who will take your questions about dust and an artist who makes dust bunnies--bunnies sculptures from dust.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/30/2019 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Anti-Semitism Is On The Rise; Twenty 2020 Democratic Candidates Are In The Race
We want to hear from you. It's just Colin and your calls.
Twenty Democratic presidential contenders are in the race for 2020. Are you suffering from choice overload? Is electability your primary criteria? If so, it probably shouldn't be. Who we consider electable usually leaves out women and minorities. Do we even know what makes someone electable? You're not alone if you're having trouble keeping up with who believes what. Give us a call.
Also this hour: Sunday's shooting at Chabad Poway is more evidence in the rise of anti-semitic violence across Europe and the U.S. The nearly 2,000 incidents fueled by social media and provacative language by politicians coincide with what the Anti-Defamation League calls the biggest jump in violence since it began tracking events forty years ago.
Yet, as violence against Jews surge, there is a concurrent denial that anti-Semitism exists, including by way of ignorance.
Here's how both topics come together. We have an opportunity before the 2020 election to demand plans on how candidates from both parties plan to deal with the rise of white nationalist violence.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/29/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Goes To 'Homecoming' And Breaks 'Jeopardy'
To say Beyoncé's performance at Coachella was historic feels like an understatement. In about the span of a week, Queen Bey released a two hour Netflix exclusive film (part one of her deal with the streamer) of the entire concert, a 40-track live album from the same show, which was released unexpectedly, and just for fun, she released her 2016 pop culture smash album “Lemonade” on all streaming platforms, which was originally exclusive to just Tidal.
Let’s not forget Bey’s Coachella set was months in the making, required about 200 people including dancers, musicians, and backup-singers, surprise appearances from Jay-Z, Destiny’s Child, and Solange, and it marked the first time an African American female headlined the 20-year old festival. So, yeah, it’s beyond historic.
Today, the Nose gets into Homecoming.
Plus, is Jeopardy broken? Average joe, James Holzhauer, has set all types of record-setting feats on the game show, and he’s currently on the verge of winning the biggest cash prize in show history. How?
Finally, are podcasts just wasting our time?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/26/2019 • 43 minutes, 16 seconds
Why Are We So Fascinated By Scams?
Fyre Festival, Theranos, Anna Delvey, the college admissions scandal... the list goes on. And whether explored on the news or as a book, podcast, documentary or feature film, consumers can't seem to get enough of this 'scamtent.'
This hour, we'll talk about scams and scammers, and discuss why we as a culture can't seem to look away.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/25/2019 • 42 minutes, 58 seconds
Kafka. Need I Say More.
Most of us know what Kafkaesque means even if we've never read a word Kafka wrote.
For example, it's Kafkaesque when your smart home turns on you. It's not Kafkaesque when you wait in line for two hours at DMV and they close the line when you get to the front. (Well, it's a little Kafkaesque.)
Franz Kafka, the man whose absurdly dark stories inspired the adjective of the same name, was an ascetic and introspective man. He was given to self-doubt, concerned over his health and obsessed with writing. He said his need to write "left empty all those abilities which were directed toward the joys of sex, eating, drinking, philosophical reflection, and above all music."
Today, we talk about the man behind the adjective and the truly Kafkaesque trial to determine who owned his papers. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/24/2019 • 42 minutes, 54 seconds
In Search Of Religion
The number of Americans who identify as 'spiritual but not religious' is growing, especially among millennials who may not be finding what they need in the religious institutions of their parents generation.
While some of the "Nones" have never affiliated with a particular religion, those who have some connection to faith yearn to find meaning they can't find in traditional churches, synagogues and mosques.
We look at why people -- especially millennials -- are becoming disaffected with religion, how mainstream institutions are responding (or not) to their departure, and how others are finding that the path to religion often goes through the arts much like it did centuries ago.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/23/2019 • 42 minutes, 53 seconds
We're Broadcasting In Four-Part Harmony
We’re exploring the world of Barbershop Harmony; from its roots in the African American community to its influence in other genres, Barbershop is an important piece of the puzzle in the American music scene.
For many, Barbershop calls to mind old people, singing old songs - but ask any Barbershopper and they’ll tell you nothing can be further from the truth. For them, there is a youthful joy, a sense of family, a love for the music and the performance in a dynamic and empowering setting. And if you let them, they’ll gladly share it with you.
So sit back and enjoy the sounds of Barbershop. Hopefully, we’ll ring a few chords along the way.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/22/2019 • 43 minutes, 30 seconds
Winter Is Here: Game Of Thrones Returns
This week, the long awaited final season of Game of Thrones launched on HBO.
As more than 17 million viewers dig in for one last round, some of the Nose's most dedicated fans gather to discuss what's made this series such a hit, and what they're thinking about as the show marches toward its end.
GUESTS:
Rebecca Castellani - Director of operations at We Save Music.
Jim Chapdelaine - Musician, producer, composer, and recording engineer
Theresa Cramer - Writer and the editor of E Content Magazine
Taneisha Duggan - Producing associate at Theater Works.
Jacques Lamarre - Playwright and director of client services at Buzz Engine.
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/19/2019 • 47 minutes, 8 seconds
"Here In My Car, I Feel Safest Of All," Sang Gary Numan. He Was So Right!
Engineers at Ford are working hard toward a breakthrough: A car that runs on tears! Okay, maybe not, but they really should be. Why? Because people cry in cars, a lot! Whether it's a sad song playing on the radio, passing a cemetary where a loved one is buried, or simply releasing the stress of a long, hard day, the car is one of the few places that offer the privacy and intimacy necessary for a good cry.
And it's not just crying that happens in cars. Awkward, sometimes difficult conversations of all manner happen in cars every day. From bad first dates, to couples breaking up, to parents talking birds and bees with their kids, cars seem somehow perfectly designed to be emotional spaces.
So what is it about cars that allow us to be so vulnerable? How, while surrounded by windows on all sides, do we manage to shroud ourselves in the illusion of privacy? On today's show we talk with psychologists and self professed car-cryers to explore this very phenomenon.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/18/2019 • 42 minutes, 58 seconds
Freshly Squeezed from Watkinson: We are Made of Star Stuff!
It could be argued that you will never understand yourself if you don’t understand the universe. And the universe is full of both beautiful and scary things. At least once, something has come roaring out of the skies to reconfigure completely life on earth. So it might be a good idea to study the heavens.
If it’s a clear night, we’ll have telescopes outdoors, but one of the many misconceptions about astronomy is that it’s entirely visual. There are blind astronomers and ways to “hear” the stars.
One way or another, we’re going to blow your mind.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/17/2019 • 50 minutes, 47 seconds
Why Are More People Turning Towards Socialism?
Between November of 2016 and June of 2018, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) saw it's membership jump from 5,000 to over 40,000.
This hour we'll explore what socialism means today, and why the ideology is having a resurgence. Plus, why are more young people getting involved in the movement? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/16/2019 • 43 minutes, 7 seconds
The Life And Promise That Comes With Being Connecticut's Chief Justice
The significance of being confirmed as Connecticut's first African-American state Supreme Court chief justice last May didn't fully sink in for Richard A. Robinson until a class of mostly minority students recently showed up to the Hartford court building for a tour.
Robinson came down from his office to give a presentation to the children packed in the courtroom gallery.
"You would have thought Barack Obama had walked in," he recalls during our initial call leading to today's show. "You could just sense a change in the room."
The class wanted to know when his portrait would be going up on the wall next to the all-white chief justices who served before him. Robinson says he believes he opened many young eyes to how bright their futures could become.
Robinson's goals as the new head of the Connecticut Judicial Branch center around working toward a time when everyone who enters a courthouse's doors, regardless of their background, is confident they will receive equal justice under the law.
In his spare time, he's a 4th-degree black belt in the Tang Soo Do martial arts. He's also fluent in Middle English.
We talk to him about his life as chief justice and how he got there.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/15/2019 • 43 minutes, 15 seconds
The Nose Hits That ‘Old Town Road’ And Kills Time With ‘Barry’
What is country music? If you ask Billboard, it’s definitely not Lil Nas X’s viral sensation, and the number one song in America, “Old Town Road”. The song, which was also remixed with country star Billy Ray Cyrus, has country themes, vibes, and sounds country, but Billboard booted it off their country charts.
Still, Lil Nas X, Cyrus, and a big swath of the country love the song regardless of its genre and can’t stop lip-singing to it on social media. Today, The Nose hops on the “Old Town Road”.
Plus, we cover the HBO series Barry. SNL alum Bill Hader co-created the series and he also stars, directs and writes the show. Hader plays Barry Berkman, a contract killer who is attempting to leave that life behind him while pursuing his new passion, acting. But he keeps killing people. This week the series was picked up for season three, so HBO definitely likes it. Today, the Nose takes on season two.
Finally, we tackle Lucky Lee’s restaurant in New York.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/12/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Of Coils And Coin Drops: Tales From The Vending Machine
There's much more to vending machines than those tasty, preservative-laden treats temptingly lined up on display behind the glass casing.
Today we take a magical voyage to find out what these snack dispensers tell us about how we live, what we value, our stresses, and our restraints.
Along the way, we check in with a local author and Hartford Courant columnist who devoured one of each snack in her workplace vending machine one afternoon without being rushed to the hospital.
We discuss their role in the nation's obesity epidemic, and why they rarely offer healthy eating choices.
We discover the fascinatingly strange (warm corn chowder, camouflage watches), sometimes disgusting (used women's underpants) products they pump out in Japan.
And we look at what they are legally not able to offer here in Connecticut. As Yale students found out, that includes emergency contraceptives.
Could self-pouring beer machines be in the state's near future? What about machine serving delicious, ready-to-eat bacon?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/11/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Women Buried In The Footnotes Of Scientific Discovery
Women scientists and inventors have been making ground-breaking discoveries since Agnodike pretended to be a man in order to become the first female anatomist in ancient Greece. Yet, women's scientific contributions have historically been hidden in the footnotes of the work men claimed as their own.
It's 2019. Things are better, right?
Not really. Men still hold the majority of patents, and systemic biases still lead to lower pay, less authorship for scientific papers, and overt and subtle forms of harassment. Women scientists of color and those in the LGBTQ community feel it the most.
Yet, women scientists are banding together to call out bias and give credit where it's due -- one Wikipedia page at a time.
Today, we talk to four of them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/10/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
This Show Will Be The Cat's Pajamas
This episode is really going to be the cat’s pajamas. Or is it pyjamas? Do cats even wear pajamas? Why would they? Why do we? Should any of us wear pajamas at all?
And if we do don a pair, are they only for bed? Or should pajamas have their day in the sun? If our PJs are making a fashion statement just what exactly are they saying?
We’re talking today about what we wear to bed, but who knows? Does not wearing pajamas to bed have health and other benefits once we settle in under the covers?
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/8/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Blind Injustice: A Look At Wrongful Convictions In America
Since 1989, more than 2,000 people have been identified as victims of wrongful convictions in the U.S. In 2015 and 2016, the wrongfully convicted were exonerated at a rate of about three per week.
This hour, a look at the reality of, psychology behind, and institutionalized pressures toward wrongful convictions in America.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/8/2019 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
The Nose Flies Into 'Dumbo'
This week, Will Leitch, from New York Magazine, wrote that "The Era of the Old Athlete is Over." Is it? And what does this mean for the future of sports?
And, what's so bad about slicing your bagel like bread? You may have heard of "Bagelgate." We'll discuss the ins and outs of slicing your bagel in half, or into slices.
And finally: Tim Burton has directed a live action re-make of Dumbo. Our panel gives their take on the new film, and it's relationship to the original. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/5/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The One About Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell is a singer-songwriter from Alberta, Canada. In 1968, her debut album, Song to a Seagull, was released and since then, Mitchell has become one of the most influential, and greatest recording artists. Mitchell has won nine Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, countless musical awards, and her albums are considered as among the best ever made.
We’re big fans. It turns out we’re not alone.
Today, we talk to a few friends of the show to discuss Mitchell’s influence on them while listening to their favorite Joni songs. Plus, we chat with Mitchell biographer David Yaffe who recently wrote Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell.
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/4/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Giving Up Child Custody For Mental Health Care
There are a group of Connecticut parents who feel they must relinquish custody of their “high needs” children in order to get them into residential treatment programs when in-home services are inadequate to meet their needs.
Many years ago, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families chose to move children out of residential treatment centers and back to their families or foster care. Most agree it was a good move; residential care is expensive and many kids do better at home.
Some wonder if we've gone too far. The combined effect of the closing of residential centers, budget restrictions, and lack of available community resources to fill the void have led to a perfect storm.
Connecticut is not the only state to use the 'custody-for-care' loophole. It still happens in 44 states, even though 26 of those states have statutes or policies to prevent it. Connecticut has significantly decreased its use over the last decade, but not enough.
No one is a bad actor in this story. Parents do the best they can under difficult and stressful circumstances. DCF does the best they can within the reality of political and budgetary pressures. And there are systemic problems with the way insurance, hospitals, and schools are set-up to deal with the expensive and complex needs of some children.
Today, we take a look. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/2/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Weightlessness Of Truth
Today's theme is about truth.
Roger Cohen asks us to look inward at our complicity -- the media included -- when he laments our obsession to follow seductive, yet empty leaders down a primrose path. Truth no longer seems to have meaning in our social-media-driven democracy. Before assuming that Trump supporters and conspiracy theorists are to blame for our current condition, ask yourself whether leaders like our President Trump are the antithesis of our values or a reflection of them.
The attorneys representing the Sandy Hook families who sued Alex Jones for repeatedly and falsely claiming the killings were staged, released the deposition to the public last week. It's funny how powerless and silly Jones looked when he could no longer control the narrative. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/1/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Gets Tethered With 'Us'
The sophomore film from any new director is oftentimes held to a harsher critique than their debut movie. It’s unfair. But Jordan Peele’s directorial debut was such a profound moment in 2017 culture, that anything he created after couldn’t live to the success of Get Out.
And then there was Us.
Not only did Us gross a lot of money, but it’s (mostly) universally praised by critics and audiences just like Get Out. Is the film a commentary on race? A commentary on class? Was it just a giant bait-and-switch? Did you even notice all of the references? The Nose attempts to go underground with Us.
But that’s not all. Since 2016, Amy Schumer has been one of the most successful comedians in entertainment. Last week, she released her second Netflix stand-up special, Growing, where she talks personally about her husband’s autism, her difficult pregnancy with hyperemesis, and, well about other things we just can’t say here. But is it funny? The Nose weighs in.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/29/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived?
During his remarkable career with the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams earned many nicknames: The Kid, The Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame... but the only nickname that he ever wanted was "the greatest hitter who ever lived."
And maybe he really was? He's baseball's all-time leader in on-base percentage, and he's second behind only Babe Ruth in both slugging and on-base plus slugging percentages. He's the last guy to hit .400, and that was 77 years ago. And on top of all that, he lost close to five full seasons (and three of them in the prime of his career) to serve in two different wars.
This hour, a look at the man, the hitter, and the pitchman (you see what I did there) that was Ted Williams.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/29/2019 • 49 minutes, 1 second
America Is Not A Happy Country
The annual U.N. World Happiness Report was released last week on World Happiness Day. (I'm a little unhappy that we missed it.)
It may be no surprise that the happiest countries have a few traits in common: people in happy countries value social and cultural connections, trust their government to work for them, and like to help others more than people in less happy countries. They also vote in greater numbers and donate more time and money to causes important to them. America didn't make the top ten.
Leo Canty took a 44,000-mile trip through 2018's ten happiest countries. We talk with Leo about what he discovered in his talks with people who live in those places.
Also this hour: The comic strip "Cathy" resonated with a generation of young women when it first appeared in the comic pages in 1976. It gave voice to women's confusion and grief that their newfound 'liberation' remained stubbornly tethered to the expectations of a still dominant patriarchy. The strip ran for 34 years and in almost 1,400 newspapers before ending its run in 2010.
For Cathy Guisewite, creator of the eponymous comic strip, happiness has always been a step out of reach for her and her namesake.
We talk with Cathy and Leo about the search for happiness. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/28/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Tales From The Trailer Park: An Inside Look At Mobile Home Communities
It is estimated that 12 million Americans live inside one of our nations roughly 45,000 mobile home communities. Despite these numbers, few people outside these parks truly know what life is like for their residents.
Stereotypes of mobile home communities are still largely tolerated in America, and as of yet there's been little pushback against such depictions. In headlines, Hollywood movies and on television, images of addicts, alcoholics and other societal outcasts still abound in stories of trailer park living.
This hour we speak with mobile home park operators, residents and researchers about the reality of life in these parks, about the struggle of park residents to achieve upward mobility, and about the need for mobile homes as a low-cost housing option. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/27/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Special Counsel's Findings: The Beginning Of An End Or The End Of A Beginning?
President Donald Trump is declaring it to be a "complete and total exoneration," but Democrats in Congress vehemently disagree.
Still how much should they press to win the release of every bit of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Trump campaign contacts with Russian interlopers during the 2016 election?
On today's Scramble, we'll consider that and several other questions emerging Sunday from Attorney General Bill Barr's four-page summary of Mueller's findings.
Those questions include:
What happened with the FBI's counterintelligence investigation into whether Trump was secretly working on behalf of Russia?
Did Mueller perform his duties admirably in an era of government leaks, or will he be remembered most for punting on the question of whether Trump should be charged with obstruction of justice?
Was 48 hours adequate time for Barr to reach his conclusions about a 22-month investigation?
Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/25/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Connecticut's Cartoon County
For a period of about fifty years, many of America's top cartoonists and illustrators lived within a stone's throw of one another in the southwestern corner of Connecticut.
Comic strips and gag cartoons read by hundreds of millions were created in this tight-knit group -- Prince Valiant, Superman, Beetle Bailey, Hägar the Horrible, Hi and Lois, Nancy, The Wizard of Id, Family Circus... I could keep going.
This hour, a look at the funny pages, and at Connecticut's cartoon county.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/25/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Goes ‘Into The Spider-Verse’ And Takes On Public Shaming
This week, on Last Week Tonight, John Oliver tackled public shaming with perhaps the one person who has had the worst case of public shaming in recent memory, Monica Lewinsky. The interview focused on how Lewinsky survived the shaming, and she said if social media was around in the mid-90s, it could have been worse.
That’s how James Gunn got his dose of public shaming. Eight months ago the director was fired from Guardians of the Galaxy 3 by Disney after decade old social media comments by Gunn surfaced. The tweets made light of pedophilia and rape. But now Gunn was rehired by Disney. So maybe there is a way back from public shame?
Plus, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse was released on Blu-ray and made available for rent this past Tuesday (you can also purchase it on Amazon, Google Play or wherever you buy digital movies). This week we get into the Oscar winner for Best Animated Feature because it’s one of the best animated and superhero films ever made, despite being the (and depending on how you want to count it) ninth film to feature a Spider-Man. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/22/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Our 10th* Annual March Madness Show
March Madness starts TODAY with some of the best games coming to Hartford!
There's a lot of excitement over the match-up between No. 5 seed Marquette's Marcus Howard and No. 12 seed Murray State's Ja Morant. I'm just sayin' that a No. 5 seed has beat a No. 12 seed 67% of the time.
Last year's winner, Villanova, also starts in Hartford. And Florida State will play the University of Vermont. Okay, Vermont may not win but they have a great mascot and they tell you why you should root for them.
As is our custom, a comedian and a political commentator join us to share their bracket strategy. Since there are 9.2 quintillion possible outcomes for a bracket -- that's 9,223,372,036,854,775,808 -- we think their chances are pretty good.
This hour, we talk mascots, vasectomy rates during March Madness, Wofford, the XL Center's deterioration and, hopefully, something about basketball.
*It's probably our 10th one of these. Other options include its being our ninth one of these. Also our eighth one of these. But probably it's our 10th.
GUESTS:
Julia Pistell - Writer, podcaster, and comedian.; she's the host of the podcast Literary Disco and Managing Director at Sea Tea Improv (@echochorus)
Bill Curry - Political commentator, two-time Democratic nominee for Governor of Connecticut, and former White House advisor in the Clinton Administration (@BillCurryct)
Nayef Samrat - President of Wofford College (@WoffordTerriers)
Frankie Graziano - Reporter at Connecticut Public Radio (@FrankieGrazie6)
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/21/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Flat Earth Movement: A (Global) Phenomenon!
In case you haven't heard, our planet is as flat as a pancake. Sound crazy? Perhaps. But around the globe (disc?) a flat Earth movement is steadily on the rise. More and more people, educated and not, from all walks of life, are posting videos, attending conferences, and publishing books embracing this seemingly radical notion.
NBA all-stars like Kyrie Irving and Shaquille O'Neal have publicly supported the idea. Rapper B.o.B is funding a satellite launch to prove it. And if that's not enough to convince you, know that social media and television star Tia Tequila is also a believer!
Is this just some strange new celebrity fad like Scientology, or is it a larger symptom of the post-truth, alternative facts era we're living in? This hour we look inside the flat Earth movement with believers and non-believers alike to find out.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/19/2019 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
Healing From Cancer
Colin was diagnosed with melanoma last year. He had a few scary weeks between diagnosis and removal of the cancer. He's told he's clean but, what happens next?
Fewer Americans diagnosed with cancer this year will die from their disease than at any other time in the last two decades. Medical advances in detection and treatment and a population more aware of the habits that can lead to cancer are helping more people live with cancer.
The good news is that more people survive a diagnosis of cancer. The bad news is that regardless of the medical advances, the word "cancer" can still trigger mental images that terrify us and the medical treatment can leave us ill-prepared to live with the fear and emotional upheaval that take center stage after the cancer is treated.
Today, Colin talks with friends who have been living with cancer for a very long time.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/18/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Myth Of Meritocracy; The Global Threat Of White Nationalism; March Madness
We're outraged that wealthy parents illegally paid to get their kids into elite colleges they would otherwise not qualify to enter. Despite evidence to the contrary, we still want to believe that America is a meritocracy. It's not. And believing that it is might be bad for you.
The word ‘meritocracy’ was coined as a satirical slur by Michael Young, a British sociologist and politician, in his 1958 dystopic novel, The Rise of the Meritocracy, 1870–2033. The idea that luck, socioeconomic status, and environment were neutralized by grit and hard work made it easy to absolve ourselves of discriminatory policy and rising inequality -- until now.
Also this hour: the global threat of white nationalism and the NCAA brackets. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/18/2019 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
The Nose On Facebook/Instagram Outages, Twitter Changes, And 'Captain Marvel'
This week, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp suffered major worldwide outages, and Twitter previewed some possible new changes. And people took to (what else?) social media to (what else?) complain.
And: The Ringer asks the age-old question, if a TV show falls in the woods, and no one talks about it, can it be certified fresh? Or something like that.
And finally: Captain Marvel is the 21st feature film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is the ninth movie in the MCU's Phase Three. It is, chronologically, a sequel to 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger and a prequel to 2008's Iron Man. I didn't follow much of that, but I get this part: After 11 years and all those previous movies, it's the first one with a female lead.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/15/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Every Family Has Secrets: Jessica Harper's 'Winnetka'
Jessica Harper has starred in movies like Suspiria, Brian De Palma's Phantom of the Paradise, Woody Allen's Stardust Memories, and Steven Spielberg's Minority Report. And now she's publishing a memoir as a podcast.
Winnetka tells the story of growing up in a big family -- six kids, including two sets of twins -- in the 1950s and '60s in the midwest -- in Winnetka, Ill., you see -- and later in Connecticut.
Plus: An update on the podcast industry more generally. The "Netflix of podcasts" is here. A big new study on podcasting has just come out. And... is "podcaster burnout" becoming a thing?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/14/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Are You Ready To Marie Kondo Your House?
Are you one of the millions inspired by Marie Kondo and her KonMari Method to get rid of your clutter? Kondo's books, such as The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, have sparked an intense and prolonged fervor where other self-help gurus have failed.
What is it about this phenom who advocates tidying as the path to the self-actualization? Is it her respect for our stuff as animated and alive? Is it because she doesn't shame us for our consumption, even as she encourages us to consider why we consume? Do our things 'spark joy' or hold us back?
Yet, she's not without her critics. The backlash has been fierce, and occasionally misconstrued Kondo's words. What's so threatening about questioning what we value? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/13/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Grumblings Over Moving The Clocks Forward And Fox News
Sunday morning news shows were abuzz about the Democratic National Committee's decision to deselect Fox News as a media partner for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary debates.
But you may have missed it if you didn't reset your clocks to Daylight Savings Time, or like a lot of us, spent your weekend fixated on that hour of lost sleep.
On this week's Scramble, we take on the weary rants over both topics.
Is the DNC wasting an opportunity to pull in Republicans or independents dissatisfied with President Donald Trump by ruling out Fox News as a debate host? Or is it a justified response to the cable network's uncomfortably close ties to the occupant in the White House, as meticulously detailed in a recent examination in The New Yorker?
As for that lost hour of sleep, should we readjust our clocks permanently ahead one hour so we capture that extra sunlight when we get out of work? Many say yes. But what about those children waiting for the morning school bus when it's still dark outside?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/11/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On A Sad Week For Celebrities And 'The Umbrella Academy'
It's been rough going here for the famous for a little while. This week, Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek announced his stage four cancer diagnosis. Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver retired from public life because of his dementia diagnosis. And then there are the deaths: Actor Luke Perry at 52. The Prodigy frontman Keith Flint at 49. Actress Katherine Helmond at 89.
Also this hour: a look at Netflix's new not-exactly-the-X-Men, but-still-adapted-from-a-comic-book series, The Umbrella Academy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/8/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
How Vampires, Zombies, Androids, And Superheroes Made America Great For Extremism
You know all the reasons Trump won, right?
Economic anxiety. Racial anxiety. The forgotten working class. The forgotten rustbelt...
But what if the real cause were something much simpler and much more pervasive: our popular culture.
This hour, a conversation with Peter Biskind, the author of The Sky Is Falling: How Vampires, Zombies, Androids, and Superheroes Made America Great for Extremism.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/8/2019 • 48 minutes
The Truth About Lies
Laszlo Ratesic is a nineteen-year veteran of the Speculative Service. He lives in the Golden State, the only place left in what was once America. Laszlo's job is to bring the worst criminals to justice, those who tell lies. In his new novel, Ben Winters creates a world which might sound Eden-esque in our era of misinformation.
It's getting more difficult to distinguish real from fake news, AI-assisted technology allows a bad actor to splice celebrity heads onto the faces of actors in a pornographic video, and major news organizations need to keep track of how often America's president lies.
Yet, we should be careful what we wish for. Philosophers like Derrida have long questioned the nature of truth; can there be one truth? If so, whose truth is it?
While few of us want to return to the pre-internet days when everyone got their news from Walter Cronkite, we need to understand how to recognize when information is false and how it is spread. It's too easy to blame ignorance or a willful repudiation of the truth for the spread of misinformation. It's a lot more about who we trust.
For those who fear a Golden State could be our future, there's hope on the horizon if we're willing to pay attention.
GUESTS:
Ben Winters - Author of ten novels including Underground Airlines, the award-winning Last Policeman trilogy, and most recently Golden State: A Novel
James Owen Weatherall - Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the University of California, Irvine and the author of three books. His most recent is The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread, co-authored with Cailin O’Connor
Aviv Ovadya - Founder of the Thoughtful Technology Project, set to launch soon, and a non-resident fellow at the German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democrac (@metaviv)
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter
Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2019 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
Jacques Lamarre's YOU MUST CHOOSE
For the past few months, Nose regular Jacques Lamarre has been posting debate-starting, head-to-head style Facebook posts.
Taylor Swift vs. Katy Perry. Ketchup vs. mustard vs. mayonnaise. When Harry Met Sally vs. Sleepless in Seattle. That kind of thing.
And so now, we've decided to try to turn the concept into a radio show. This hour, YOU MUST CHOOSE.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/6/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
An Hour With Joyce Maynard
Joyce Maynard has been writing for over 45 years about the kind of human experiences we're often taught to keep hidden - stories about envy, anger, vanity, self-pity, pride.
We read her stories because they offer a chance to first confront and then forgive ourselves for how those emotions can shape us into people we don't like.
Her honesty has come at a cost to her.
She has been criticized for writing about her relationship as an 18-year-old with a famous 53-year-old writer after 26 years of silence. She was told she should have kept quiet. She did this 20 years before #MeToo.
Today, we have a wide-ranging discussion with Joyce Maynard about politics, #MeToo, art, music and her marriage at 59-years-old to a love who died from cancer 3 short years later.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/5/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Is It Too Late To Cancel Michael Jackson?
It was hard to watch the first part of Leaving Neverland, the documentary which aired on HBO aired on March 3. The poignancy of the mixed emotions expressed by two men and their mothers who fell under the spell of Michael Jackson and later, his predation, left me feeling like a fly on the wall of a particularly difficult visit to a therapist. I was forced to consider my own complicity in how we collectively create and reward a celebrity culture that allows us to suspend reality against our own better judgment.
We've seen time and again in the recent year with Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein, and R. Kelly, to name a few, and how it takes a village to let serial predators go unscathed in the name of art and profit.
Also this hour: The cheating and doping scandals in the world of professional bridge.
Lastly, we take your calls. Have we hit peak cancel culture yet? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/4/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Wonder Of Termites (Yep, That's What I Said)
Nobody likes the termite. They get into the wood in our homes that can lead to infuriating and expensive repairs. What's to like.
It turns out, there's a lot to like about the termite; scientists study how termites build their "mounds" for clues to solving some of the world's most pressing problems, like mitigating the effects of drought, building colonies on Mars, and the creation of biofuels.
Plus, their ability to adapt to the harshest conditions over millions of years says a lot about them. Almost 90% of the microbes found in their guts are unique to the termite. Those same gut microbes are what make them so productive and on the flip side, so destructive.
Lastly, some believe termites work with joy and have a soul. You be the judge.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/1/2019 • 48 minutes, 49 seconds
Shall We Dance?
Why do we dance? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Dancing has served a multitude of functions for various cultures throughout history, and there is even evidence to suggest we, as a species, are biologically hard-wired to dance.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/28/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Pain Is A Subjective Thing, Or Is It?
You have pain that wakes you up at night and distracts you during the day. You go to the doctor, who asks you to grade your pain on a scale of 1-10. The doctor can't find anything wrong with you; it may be stress or anxiety or that you need more exercise or sleep. You're confused. You feel pain but nothing seems to be wrong. Does this sound familiar?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/27/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Attack Of The Apocaloptimists
We were going to produce a show today on loneliness with British writer Olivia Laing. We still want to do that show with Olivia - but not today.Instead, we decided to switch gears and talk with Olivia and other artists about the themes in Olivia's new novel because they mirror our own concerns: how to live life in this fast-moving world where the present is history in the blink of an eye and world leaders can end our world with one wrong tweet? How can we exist, create art, raise children, commit to a future in a world that could be ending?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/26/2019 • 48 minutes, 44 seconds
A Conversation With Peter Tork
Today, we remember Peter Tork of The Monkees. This show originally aired April 25, 2013.John Lennon said they were the greatest comedy team since the Marx Brothers.Gene Roddenberry based the look of the character Chekov on them. The Jimi Hendrix Experience got its first U.S. concert work as their opening act. Their TV show generated the money that launched the movie career of Jack Nicholson.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/25/2019 • 48 minutes, 22 seconds
It's The 2019 Noscars!
It's been a year of aborted missteps for the Academy Awards. There was going to be a new Best Popular Picture category. But now there won't be. Kevin Hart was going to host. But now there's nobody. They were going to present four awards -- including Film Editing and Cinematography -- during the commercial breaks. But now they aren't.Oh and there're the actual movies. Roma and The Favourite lead the field with 10 nominations each. A Star Is Born was once the favorite (no "u") to win in a bunch of categories. But now bettors' odds seem to favor Roma. Or maybe Green Book? And A Star Is Born? Its Best Picture hopes have fallen all the way to 40-1 against.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/22/2019 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
Does Religion Still Matter When We Need It Most?
Religious scholar Elaine Pagels, trusted the Gospel of Thomas to get her through the almost unbearably painful years after the death of her six-year-old son -- born with a congenital heart defect -- followed one year later by the unexpected death of her husband. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/21/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Does Religion Still Matter When We Need It Most?
Religious scholar Elaine Pagels, trusted the Gospel of Thomas to get her through the almost unbearably painful years after the death of her six-year-old son -- born with a congenital heart defect -- followed one year later by the unexpected death of her husband. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/21/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The King: Before There Was Lebron, There Was Elvis
Elvis left two legacies. Musically, he pulled several American musical traditions out of the shadows, braided them together, and made them mainstream. Personally, he created a far darker template for the way a musical celebrity could be devoured by the very fame he avidly sought.Recorded live in front of an audience -- and with a band! -- as part of Colin's Freshly Squeezed series at Watkinson School, an hour about the artist who defined the birth of rock and roll and was the genre's first superstar.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/20/2019 • 50 minutes, 32 seconds
Live (On Tape) From The Sea Tea Comedy Theater, It's Our Stand-Up Comedy Special!
To do a show about local stand-up comedy, we figured we should probably do a show of local stand-up comedy.So we went to a comedy club, put on a comedy show, and then did a talk show about the comedy show we'd just done.This hour: some of said comedy show plus most of said talk show -- and we're fairly confident it'll make more sense when you hear it than it probably just did reading about it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/19/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The New Haven Nose On Aziz Ansari And Two More Oscar Nominees: 'Bohemian Rhapsody' And 'Green Book'
Colin's away this week, but The Nose must go on! Or maybe "must" isn't quite right, but in this particular case, The Nose is going on -- with excellent guest hosts: The Arts Paper's Lucy Gellman and the New Haven Independent's Tom Breen.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/15/2019 • 50 minutes, 29 seconds
A Radio Show About Mimes? You Bet!
Mimes have been gesticulating their way into our hearts (or nightmares) for a lot longer than you may think. While it may have been the legendary Marcel Marceau who popularized the mime, people have been communicating through movement since the very beginning.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/14/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Seduction Of The Supermarket
We're doing a show on supermarkets today - from a supermarket!Most Americans still buy most of their food from a supermarket. While farmer's markets and specialty stores offer organic and local alternatives, large-scale supermarkets still offer more convenience, the lowest prices and a seemingly endless variety of choices. Their big wide aisles with neatly stacked and eye-catching packaged products are hard to resist. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/13/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Unfolding Evolution Of Origami
How do you make a 100-meter telescope that folds down to three meters so you can tuck it inside a space vehicle? How do you make a heart stent that folds out inside the human body? In each case, researchers have turned to masters of origami, the thousand-year-old art of paper folding.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/11/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Lets Eat Grandma!
Who would have thought that a book on grammar would be #5 on Amazon's best-seller list? (Should that be "whom" would have thought? Should I write out the number five? Should it be "bestseller?" Ugh. I can't remember if the exclamation goes inside or outside the quotation mark in the sentence I just asked myself.)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/11/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
An Exit Interview, Of Sorts, With Darko Tresnjak
Darko Tresnjak has been artistic director at Hartford Stage Company since 2011. During his tenure here, he's won a Tony. He's had multiple productions make the leap to Broadway. His Anastasia has multiple tours touring internationally.And this season is his last season in Hartford.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/8/2019 • 43 minutes, 50 seconds
The Contributions Of Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich was a once-promising psychoanalyst and scientist under the guidance of Freud in pre-World War II Europe. He promoted the "sexual revolution" to support his belief that sexual repression was linked to the bodily and societal ills of neurosis and fascism.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/6/2019 • 43 minutes, 8 seconds
A Different View Of The American Revolution
Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton has inspired millions to learn more about the founding of America. Some may be moved by a story of scrappy underdogs fighting for freedom against all odds. Others may wonder if America has ever lived up to the ideals assured in our Constitution. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/6/2019 • 41 minutes, 29 seconds
You Should Give Opera A Listen. It's Different Than You May Think
Have you ever been to the opera? I know, you think it's stuffy and formal and only for rich, white people of a certain age. You're wrong. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/5/2019 • 42 minutes, 31 seconds
The Super Bowl Was A Super Letdown
It's not a stretch to say the best part of Sunday's Super Bowl LIII was SpongeBob's short, but sweet, appearance during the halftime show. Should it be a surprise that the game was boring, the halftime show was bland, and the ads were forgettable? The long shadow of Colin Kaepernick cast a cloud over this game and the NFL has yet to deal with the fallout.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/4/2019 • 42 minutes, 16 seconds
The Nose On Maroon 5 At The Super Bowl And 'Roma'
The long list of luminaries who have played the Super Bowl Halftime Show includes Michael Jackson, Prince, Beyoncé, Madonna, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, The Who, U2, Tom Petty, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Springsteen... and as of Sunday: Maroon 5.Whatever artist finally agreed to perform, it was going to be seen as controversial. Maroon 5 is defending their decision, even in the face of petitions asking them to drop out.And: Alfonso Cuarón's Roma is nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including plenty of big ones -- Best Picture, Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay. Its 10 nominations tie it with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for the most ever by a foreign-language film. And this hour Roma becomes the 12th Oscar-nominated movie The Nose has covered.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/1/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Life And Promise That Comes With Being Connecticut's Chief Justice
The significance of being confirmed as Connecticut's first African-American state Supreme Court chief justice last May didn't fully sink in for Richard A. Robinson until a class of mostly minority students recently showed up to the Hartford court building for a tour.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/31/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Human Hubris And Its Cosmic Consequences
Humans are great at making a mess of things. So far, however, that mess has been confined to Earth. But as we develop into a spacefaring species, our capacity for destruction, pollution, and prejudice (towards aliens of earthly and unearthly origins) threatens to have cosmic consequences.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/30/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Son Of A Bench! Here We Go Again: Not Necessarily The Nose -- 'The Good Place'
Where We Live producer Carmen Baskauf had been badgering us to do a show about The Good Place for months on end. (It had gotten kind of weird, to be honest. We were a little worried about Carmen, to be honest.)Partly to get her off our back, partly because The Good Place really is "a sitcom that's also a profound work of philosophy," and partly because its Season Three season finale aired last Thursday night, last Friday afternoon we finally did a show about The Good Place....And then we got preempted by the president halfway through the forkin' show!So this hour, we try again.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/29/2019 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
To Impeach Or Not To Impeach? That Is The Question.
There's a healthy debate going on about whether to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Trump.The Atlantic's Yoni Appelbaum and others say now is the time to begin the process. History tells us that the process of impeachment, not the outcome, is a vital protection against the dangers of a president who has not kept his promise to preserve and defend our Constitution. Others say Trump will need to be beaten at the polls in the absence of Mueller-stamped evidence. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/28/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: Holy Shirtballs, This Is 'The Good Place'
Where We Live producer Carmen Baskauf has been badgering us to do a show about The Good Place for months on end at this point. (It's gotten kind of weird, to be honest. We're a little worried about Carmen, to be honest.)Partly to get her off our back, partly because The Good Place really is "a sitcom that's also a profound work of philosophy," and partly because its Season Three season finale aired last night, this hour we're finally doing a show about The Good Place.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/25/2019 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
Deconstructing 'Deconstructing 'The Beatles''
When Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band had its 50th anniversary, we put together a show with famed Beatles lecturer Scott Freiman and famed Hartford music genius Steve Metcalf.And now that The White Album has had its 50th anniversary, we've gotten the band back together, and we're doing it again.This hour: a look at the best-selling album of the 1960s, The Beatles.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/24/2019 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
It's All Fun And Board Games On This Show!
Today's show might get a bit dicey. In fact, it's almost certainly headed for Trouble. And all we can say is Sorry, that's Life! Okay, fine, let's drop the Charades. Today's show is about board games. Is that a big enough Clue?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/23/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
A (Video) Is Worth A Thousand Words
What we each saw in the short video (since deleted) that went viral this weekend of a Covington Catholic High School student staring at a Native American protestor on the National Mall is open to interpretation. Photos and videos carry the authority of truth, yet the 'truth' reflected in a video can vary, depending on what's included, what's left out and how it's framed.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/22/2019 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Spirit Is In The Music
Recently, I hopped into my car to go home after a long and grinding first day back to work. I had just returned the day before from a two-week vacation exploring the treasures of two foreign countries I had never seen before. The abrupt transition from play to work left me feeling quite blue, made worse by my receding memories of those weeks. Something in me needed music. So, I traded out my usual afternoon newscast for a "soul" song that caught my ear and brightened my heart. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/18/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Shyness Is Not For The Faint Of (Their Racing) Heart
I once took guitar lessons with a small group of people who met two nights a week in the basement of a local elementary school. We spent most of each lesson practicing in little nooks and crannies we each carved out in the old room. I enjoyed picking out tunes in my own little corner at my own pace. It was all going so smoothly until... the instructor mentioned the final "concert."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/17/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Noah Baerman And 'The Rock & The Redemption'
The Noah Baerman Resonance Ensemble's The Rock & the Redemption is a jazz concept album of sorts that recasts the Sisyphus myth around the heroism of perseverance and persistence.Keyboardist and composer Noah Baerman joins us for the hour.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/16/2019 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
After We Die, Our Dust Will Live Forever
Dust is a fascinating substance. Our bodies are always shedding dust from our skin, hair, and nails, leaving little bits of DNA wherever we roam. Dust floats unseen through the air around us. It's light. It's hard to see unless it lands on a contrasting surface or crosses the path of a ray of sunshine. It can travel far and wide. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/15/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Trump And Putin; Secret FBI Investigation; Government Shutdown; Your Calls
Another weekend came, and another crop of revelations regarding President Donald Trump came with it.First out was The New York Times' report that the FBI grew so worried the president might be acting in Russia's interests that it secretly launched a counterintelligence investigation. That happened after Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey in May 2017, according to The Times. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/14/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The New Haven Nose On Imagine Dragons As The Worst Band Ever And 'Black Mirror: Bandersnatch'
On Monday, Imagine Dragons played the Halftime Show at the College Football National Championship Game. The reviews were... not great. In fact, the performance has raised the question: Is Imagine Dragons the worst band ever?And: Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure-style, science fiction, psychological thriller film. It's streaming on Netflix, on some devices, as a standalone movie in the Black Mirror television series. The Nose has seen... a number of different versions of it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/11/2019 • 50 minutes, 54 seconds
To Hell With "Whom" (And More On The Inexorable Evolution Of Language)
Language is an untamable beast. You can decide that infinitives aren't to be split and that "whom" is the objective form of "who" and that "literally" literally means literally. But here's the thing: Language doesn't have to care one way or the other what nonsense you've decided.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/10/2019 • 50 minutes, 15 seconds
Kafka. Need I Say More.
Most of us know what Kafkaesque means even if we've never read a word Kafka wrote. For example, it's Kafkaesque when your smart home turns on you. It's not Kafkaesque when you wait in line for two hours at DMV and they close the line when you get to the front. (Well, it's a little Kafkaesque.)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/9/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Satanism: Religion, Philosophy, Lifestyle
Free will, individual responsibility, and the pursuit of happiness: Fundamental tenets of, wait for it... Satanism. While the word conjures up images of fire and brimstone, the truth is a bit more complicated. So why does a religion which celebrates so much what Americans profess to hold dear get such a bad rap?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/8/2019 • 48 minutes, 3 seconds
Representative Rashida Tlaib Wants To Fu...Er, Impeach President Trump
The reactions to Representative Rashida Tlaib's profanity and her calls for impeachment against the president have been mixed.While most Republicans are in sync in their outrage over her comments, Democrats are further apart. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/7/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose On Louis C.K. (What Else Is New?) And Two Movies: 'Bird Box' And 'Vice'
Louis C.K. has done another thing. He did the thing a few weeks ago, it turns out. But this week the thing appeared on the internet, as things do. And so The Nose, as it does, must cover the thing.And we've gotten to that part of the year where all the awards-season movies all come out at once. (I guess it's called... "awards season"? Huh.) But then the rest of pop culture keeps keeping on at the same time. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/4/2019 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
With Few Regrets, Governor Malloy Is "Ready To Live A Different Life"
Connecticut's 88th governor, Dannel P. Malloy, loves to make decisions. "That's who I am and what I am," he proclaimed during a wide-ranging exit interview with Colin McEnroe.He also, undoubtedly, loves to get the last word, no matter if it's on state employee pension reforms, his handling of an unspeakable tragedy, severe weather events, or the results of the 2018 election.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's been easy to overlook Trump Administration environmental policies that are contributing to the destruction of wildlife and habitats.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/2/2019 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
As 2018 Draws To A Close, Celebrate With "Big Al" Anderson And "Tall Jim" Chapdelaine
Don't miss -- for what might just be the sixth year we've done this -- a very badly planned New Year's Eve Eve Eve Eve special featuring chaos muppet and music legend "Big Al" Anderson and the great Jim Chapdelaine!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/28/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
Transcending Gender Roles Across Cultures
As our culture continues to progress, one elephant in the room that seems to be growing harder to ignore is our views on human sexuality. The traditional model of two mutually exclusive gender identities, male and female, is becoming increasingly outdated as we hear about people in our communities and around the world who fall somewhere in between the two (or outside the boxes entirely). Despite the threat of social exclusion and sometimes deadly persecution, stories of those who dare to embrace their own identity continue to increase in number.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/27/2018 • 48 minutes, 21 seconds
The Seduction Of The Supermarket
We're doing a show on supermarkets today - from a supermarket!Most Americans still buy most of their food from a supermarket. While farmer's markets and specialty stores offer organic and local alternatives, large-scale supermarkets still offer more convenience, the lowest prices and a seemingly endless variety of choices. Their big wide aisles with neatly stacked and eye-catching packaged products are hard to resist. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/26/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
I Want To Follow Jesus But...Can You Hold the Religion?
Donald Trump's election was the culmination of a venom-filled campaign that was nastier than almost any in recent memory. The mean-spirited comments tossed to voters eager to "lock her up" fell just shy of the malicious rhetoric coming from Thomas Jefferson's presidential campaign in 1796. Jefferson's hatchet-man called John Adams a "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/24/2018 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
The Nighttime Nose Bids Adieu To 2018
As 2018 draws to a close, The Nose makes its final appearance on our schedule this year. And so we've brought in a nine-person Nose to do a special, live, nighttime broadcast of our best ofs (and maybe worst ofs?) of the year.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/20/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
Some Jobs Require A Human Touch, Or Do They?
Athletes, therapists, comedians, and public radio producers: All jobs which require a human touch, right? Perhaps not. Even now, we're beginning to see some of these rolls being performed by robots. But while machines may be capable of doing such work, is there any demand for it among humans?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/20/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Celebrate The Best Jazz Of 2018!
2018 has been a doozy of a year. And 2019, well, who knows? But you know what would make you feel a little bit better? Listening to our esteemed panelists and some of their favorite jazz tunes of 2018, a show tradition we've had since 2014.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/19/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
What We Get Wrong About Disability
When was the last time you saw someone with a disability? Do you have a loved one who is part of the community? Did you see a character on TV, or did you just pass someone on the street? For some it may take a while to answer that question. Why is that?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/18/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Who Are The Women Helping Guide The Far Right?
The most common image of white supremacy, nationalism, and other far-right movements is of angry men. Often overlooked are the women.On the surface, they may appear less menacing. But in many ways, they serve a more insidious role: lending their groups a more palatable, family-values cover under which to operate and spread messages of intolerance.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/17/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: 'Hamilton' Is Here
Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton: An American Musical is, simply, a phenomenon.The Broadway production was nominated for a record 16 Tony Awards, and it won 11. The Original Broadway Cast Recording is certified five-times Platinum and won the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album, and The Hamilton Mixtape debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/14/2018 • 50 minutes, 3 seconds
Understanding Hierarchies in Nature and Society
Social structures, in almost all cases, are defined by some form of hierarchy. Whether in academics, sports, religion, business, or politics, there's usually someone at the top and others whose goal it is to get there. But while it's easy to think that we've designed our world to be this way, the truth may be that we had no choice.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/13/2018 • 45 minutes, 12 seconds
An Hour With Singer-Songwriter Jill Sobule
Jill Sobule is back in town! She joins us after her first of three consecutive evening performances at the Mark Twain House.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Twice-as-Nice Advice About Vice
Three guests, Peter Sagal of WWDTM, Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker, and Robert Evans of Cracked, take you on a tour of vice. They talk everything from casual sex to marijuana to greed and ostentation to coffee to beer to pornography. Peter and Colin also discuss what the next declared vice will be. Possibly sitting.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/11/2018 • 44 minutes, 48 seconds
Robert Mueller Inches Closer To The President
What did he know and when did he know it?Prosecutors from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team and the Southern District of New York on Friday afternoon came closer to answering these questions as they relate to President Trump and his campaign's interference in the 2016 election.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/10/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: 'Doctor Who' And Producers' Endorsements
The first episode of Doctor Who aired on November 23, 1963. Since then, there have been 37 seasons and 849 episodes of the show. The current Doctor, the thirteenth, is portrayed by Jodie Whittaker, the first woman to take the role on.Is a show with this much history impenetrable, at this point, for new viewers? Is Doctor Who nerd culture for nerds who think nerd culture isn't nerdy enough? Are Jodie Whittaker's Doctor and her diverse group of companions a fresh, compelling way into the series for new audiences?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/7/2018 • 50 minutes, 24 seconds
From The Bad Ideas Dept.: It's A Show About Towels!
Seriously: a show about towels.There's the history of towels, towels in Christianity, Terrible Towels, Towel Day.Oh, and there are actual towels too.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/6/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
It's Time To Show Your Toothbrush Some Love
Our relationship with our toothbrush is complicated. Most of us don't brush our teeth well enough. We don't brush long enough, or we brush too hard, or we keep our toothbrushes so long that tests would show it to be about as clean as our toilets.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/5/2018 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Smiling Will Get You Everywhere
On the series "NewsRadio," the character played by Phil Hartman once said, "Experience once taught me that behind every toothy grin lies a second row of teeth."Smiling is a universal way to show happiness. But not all smiles are happy. In reality, we smile less for happiness than for social reasons that have nothing to do with happiness. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/4/2018 • 48 minutes, 43 seconds
President Trump, Male Insecurity, And His New Status As "Individual 1"
New York University researchers say they've found a link between appeal for President Trump and a certain, specific segment of the male population: those with "fragile masculinity."Their research is based on Google searches for "erectile dysfunction," "hair loss," "Viagra," and some other words we may refrain from mentioning.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/3/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On Bernardo Bertolucci, Fresh Air, And 'Creed II'
Bernardo Bertolucci directed The Last Emperor (which won nine Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director), Last Tango in Paris, The Dreamers, 1900, and Little Buddha, among other movies. Bertolucci died on Monday. He was 77.In the years since it was released with an X rating in 1972, the infamous Last Tango in Paris -- and its infamous "butter scene" -- have complicated Bertolucci's legacy. In the days since Bertolucci's death, our friend David Edelstein made a tasteless butter-scene joke on Facebook, retracted the joke and apologized, and was fired from NPR's Fresh Air.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/30/2018 • 50 minutes, 29 seconds
The Flat Earth Movement: A (Global) Phenomenon!
In case you haven't heard, our planet is as flat as a pancake. Sound crazy? Perhaps. But around the globe (disc?) a flat Earth movement is steadily on the rise. More and more people, educated and not, from all walks of life, are posting videos, attending conferences, and publishing books embracing this seemingly radical notion. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/29/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Live (On Tape) From The Sea Tea Comedy Theater, It's Our Stand-Up Comedy Special!
To do a show about local stand-up comedy, we figured we should probably do a show of local stand-up comedy.So we went to a comedy club, put on a comedy show, and then did a talk show about the comedy show we'd just done.This hour: some of said comedy show plus most of said talk show -- and we're fairly confident it'll make more sense when you hear it than it probably just did reading about it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/27/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
An Hour With Nicholson Baker
Nicholson Baker once spent a portion of his retirement savings to rescue first edition newspapers from being destroyed. He also fought to save card catalogues and to prevent library managers from sending thousands of books to landfills in their rush to microfilm. He fought on behalf of all of us who think about what is lost when the specifics of a particular moment are worn away or forgotten or altered in the subsequent retellings of the original observations. It's kind of like a childhood game of telephone where the original message is passed from child to child until the last person relays a message with little resemblance to the original. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/27/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Stalin's Ghost
Joseph Stalin's only daughter grew up the beloved pet of a man responsible for a decades-long campaign to arrest, torture, execute or forcibly imprison millions of Soviet citizens, including children and members of his own family. That's what we know now.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/26/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: The Coen Brothers And 'The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs'
No Country for Old Men. Fargo. The Big Lebowski. Raising Arizona. O Brother, Where Art Thou? Miller's Crossing.Over the past 35 years, Joel and Ethan Coen have reliably been among the most recognizable voices in moviemaking.Their latest, the anthology western The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, hit Netflix last weekend.This hour: a Noseish look at the work of the Coen brothers.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/21/2018 • 50 minutes, 28 seconds
The Evolution Revolution: Women Call the Shots
The Argus Pheasant is a lifelong bachelor. He mates with multiple females but has no further contact with his mates or the baby pheasants he sires. By human terms, not much of a feminist.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/20/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Finding Common Ground On Guns Is Necessary
The repeated incidents of mass shootings are shocking. Yet, they're sanitized and abstract for most of us who haven't been directly touched by gun violence.The response to mass shootings has become predictable: anguished adults, candlelight vigils, and photos and remembrances of the victims in happier times. It's never about the carnage or the lingering impact on survivors or their families, communities, medical doctors, nurses and psychiatrists who care for them. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/18/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose On Pete Davidson, Dan Crenshaw, Douglas Rain, Stan Lee, and 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?'
Last weekend, Saturday Night Live did a thing it rarely does: it apologized for a joke it had made in poor taste. Pete Davidson, the comedian behind the joke and the apology, is a unique figure in the history of SNL.This week's biggest pop culture story is probably the death of Marvel Comics's Stan Lee. The Nose also wants to take a moment to acknowledge the death of the voice of HAL, Douglas Rain.And: Academy Award-winner Melissa McCarthy? Is that a universe we're headed toward? Her turn as Lee Daniels in Can You Ever Forgive Me? just might get us there.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/16/2018 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
Our Relationship Status With Blood: It's Complicated
Thirty million red blood cells circulate twelve thousand miles in a never ceasing loop through our bodies every day. Our blood has to keep moving in order to perfuse every organ and vessel necessary to keep us alive. Nothing in our body works without the constant presence and movement of our blood. Yet, few of us think about our blood until we see a few drops trickle from a cut. Then, we're horrified by it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/15/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
What If Tug-Of-War Were Still An Olympic Sport? And Other Crazy Crucial Questions With Mike Pesca
Mike Pesca is one of our very favorite guests -- on any number of topics. And he's got a new book out: Upon Further Review: The Greatest What-Ifs in Sports History.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/14/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
No Use Crying Over Spilled Milk...Right? A Look At Regret
We all regret and we should not regret that we regret. I regret buying that pair of pink sneakers that I'll never wear. I can't take the sneakers back but I can call the brother that I regret not speaking to for several months. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/13/2018 • 48 minutes, 57 seconds
100 Years After WW1; Matthew Whitaker; Doctored Videos
This weekend was the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. World leaders convened in Paris and listened to French president Emmanuel Macron warn against reviving the "old demons" of nationalism that led to our first world war. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On The Sexiest Man Alive And 'Homecoming'
Last week's Nose painted itself into a bit of a rhetorical corner and somehow found itself arguing that Idris Elba is too old to be James Bond. And while historically that's true, it's not an argument we're proud to have made. Thankfully, this week, the universe has been kind enough to redeem us with the announcement of your new Sexiest Man Alive: Idris Elba. Of course, that's no reason not to make a new bad argument about Elba, like that he's, say, too macho to be the sexiest man alive?And: The Amazon Prime series Homecoming is a few firsts. It's Julia Roberts's first TV series. It's the first scripted TV drama based on a podcast. And it's Sam Esmail's first new television project since Mr. Robot.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/9/2018 • 50 minutes, 27 seconds
Swamps: The Past, Present, And (Endangered?) Future Of America's Wetlands
As President Trump talks about draining the swamp in Washington D.C., we turn our attention to actual swamps. Associated with death and decay, while also celebrated for their beauty and biodiversity, few landscapes evoke such contradictory sentiments as swamps.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/8/2018 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
Women Of Connecticut Surf The Blue Wave
Women won big in these 2018 Connecticut midterm elections. This follows a national trend sparked in response to the 2016 election of Donald Trump. More women ran and more women won, many in seats not held by a Democrat in decades, let alone by a woman. Today, an hour with several of Connecticut's new female legislators. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/7/2018 • 50 minutes, 29 seconds
Citizen Observers Share What's Happening At Polling Places Around The State
We have a tradition on the show of celebrating voting and the people who vote by speaking to thoughtful "citizen observers" from around the state about their experience of voting on this Election Day. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/6/2018 • 50 minutes, 29 seconds
WE DON'T GIVE A F*** If You Don't Like This Terrific Interview With Lewis Black, King Of Rant
Lewis Black is a funny guy. His expletive-laced RANTS and YELLING about whatever's on his (our) mind lends a rejuvenating catharsis for anyone who's thinking exactly what he's saying. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/5/2018 • 22 minutes, 54 seconds
Let's Talk About Election Day
It's almost over. One more day of lawn signs, robocalls, nasty mailers and deceptive commercials. Election Day is upon us and is shaping up to bring an unprecedented number of voters to the polls. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/5/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose: 'Party For One' And 'Bodyguard'
Carly Rae Jepsen hadn't released a Carly Rae Jepsen single from a Carly Rae Jepsen album in three years... until Thursday, that is. Her new single and video is "Party for One," and it's the "perfect self-love anthem for 2018."And: The six-part BBC miniseries Bodyguard is British television's highest-rated drama since Downton Abbey and the BBC's highest-rated drama in a decade. The only broadcasts with similar ratings this year were things like the World Cup and the royal wedding. And now Bodyguard is on Netflix.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/2/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
The Decimation Of The Osage Nation
Native Americans have been getting forced off their land for a long time. Thomas Jefferson forced them from their ancestral home in 1804 after he signed the Louisiana Purchase and promised they shall know the United States as only "friends and benefactors." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2018 • 47 minutes, 56 seconds
Not Happy With The Major Party Candidates? You Have Options. We Bring You A Few.
Are you one of those people who wants to vote for Oz Griebel for governor but won't because you're afraid your vote might lead to a win for your least favorite candidate? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/31/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Forget Google Maps, There's Still Lots To Explore
There's a set of steps and a big stone fireplace sitting in the middle of the woods where I used to walk my dog. I can envision the family living in the house that was part of the neighborhood that got washed away when the Farmington River overflowed its banks in 1955. My exploration led me to the origin of those steps. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/30/2018 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Pulling Back The Curtain On Political Polls
The polling industry is seeking to regain public confidence after the 2016 election. Will the advent of live polling, like what's being done by The Upshot at The New York Times, rejuvenate enthusiasm or trust in poll results? What about the Political Atlas and its incorporation of opinions expressed on social media?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/29/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: The Year In Horror, 2018
In terms of box office, 2017 was the biggest year in the history of horror cinema. One wonders: Why? And then this year has brought us Hereditary, A Quiet Place, and now Netflix's The Haunting of Hill House.
This hour: a look at our current horror through the lens of our current horror.
GUESTS:
Tom Breen - A film critic and the host of WNHH radio’s Deep Focus
Aaron Mark - Creator, writer, and director of the scripted fiction podcast The Horror of Dolores Roach
Matt Owen - Author of "Our Age of Horror"
Jason Zinoman - Writes The New York Times's On Comedy column; author of Shock Value: How a Few Eccentric Outsiders Gave Us Nightmares, Conquered Hollywood, and Invented Modern Horror
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Colin McEnroe contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/26/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
What Jesus And Britney Spears Have In Common: Puns
Shakespeare was famous for his off-color puns, yet much of their cleverness has been lost to the evolution of our English language.In Shakespeare's English, the word "nothing" was pronounced as "no-ting," which at that time was a euphemism for um, a female lady part. In modern parlance, that would translate to Much Ado About... (female lady part.) Much is lost between Elizabethan times and today. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/25/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Following The Paper Trail
About 2000 years ago the Chinese came up with something really great: paper! Paper has allowed us to share ideas around the globe, record important historical events, build on our past success, create art, architecture, literature, music and more that may live on long on after we're gone.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/25/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Fire: Sparking Imagination Since Two Million B.C.
Things burn: Our environments, resources, and all forms of monument to self. And since the beginning, so too has our imagination. The inspiration humans have drawn from fire throughout the millennia is as impressive as it is immeasurable. Why fire occupies such an elemental place in the creative wellsprings of our consciousness is certainly a debate to had.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/23/2018 • 48 minutes, 9 seconds
Jamal Khashoggi's Killing And Trump's Transactional Presidency
The killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi has hit a cultural nerve in America. The sustained anger outstrips our response to the killing of 43 other journalists in 2018, Saudi Arabia's jailing of these dissidents, or the U.S.-supported Saudi invasion of Yemen that has created a humanitarian crisis that is affecting millions of people and getting worse.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/21/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The New Haven Nose On Louis C.K. And 'First Man'
Louis C.K.'s surprise return to a comedy club stage in late August was widely covered and discussed. His subsequent performances have maybe sparked less internet conversation, but they're just as confounding. This week, the owner of one club where C.K. has been performing has made a couple media appearances to explain his thinking about the whole thing.And: Damian Chazelle is the director behind the three-time Academy Award-winner Whiplash and the six-time Academy Award-winner La La Land. His new movie, First Man, stars Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/19/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
How Vampires, Zombies, Androids, And Superheroes Made America Great For Extremism
You know all the reasons Trump won, right?Economic anxiety. Racial anxiety. The forgotten working class. The forgotten rustbelt...But what if the real cause were something much simpler and much more pervasive: our popular culture.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
You Should Give Opera A Listen. It's Different Than You May Think
Have you ever been to the opera? I know, you think it's stuffy and formal and only for rich, white people of a certain age. You're wrong. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/16/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Live From Watkinson: Examining Our Furious Political Discourse
Common wisdom says that once you walk downstairs to the place where the sizes of candidates’ body parts are fodder for discussion, where one presidential nominee calls another “such a nasty woman” in a debate, where middle-finger salutes at the working press become commonplace at presidential rallies, you never go back up those stairs.On the eve of a midterm, we want to talk about whether that’s true and whether the 2018 political ecosystem caught the coarseness virus from 2016. And how do we get back up those stairs? How do we bleed some of the anger and vulgarity out of our political discourse?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/16/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Our Electronic Voting Systems Are Still Pretty Hackable
Despite Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and attempts by hackers to infiltrate voter-registration databases in Illinois, Arizona and several other states in the summer of 2016, little has been done to better secure America's network of electronic voting systems.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/14/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: 'A Star Is Born' (Again)
We now have no fewer than four big screen versions of A Star Is Born.There's the 1937 original, the Judy Garland/James Mason remake, the Barbra Streisand/Kris Kristofferson remake... and now's there's the Lady Gaga/Bradley Cooper remake, which is directed by Cooper, and which might just take the fall movie season by storm.This hour: a Noseish (but not quite actually The Nose) look at the phenomenon of A Star Is Born.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/12/2018 • 41 minutes, 26 seconds
Our Theme Today Is Theme Songs
So, when Prince died (which was two-and-a-half years ago), we announced that we were finally going to retire our theme song (which was a Prince song). And then we promptly did... nothing at all.Earlier this year, though -- and in typical Colin McEnroe Shovian fashion -- we decided that this non-problem was a big problem. And so, in order to try and hopefully finally fix this non-problem big problem, we did a whole show about theme songs -- ours and other people's.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/11/2018 • 42 minutes, 30 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's thing clear: Yodeling has been around for thousands of years and shows no signs of disappearing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/10/2018 • 41 minutes, 28 seconds
Is America Becoming More Tribal Or Just More Angry?
Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton were using strategies to deliberately divide America's political system decades before the pivotal 2000 presidential election between Al Gore and George W. Bush divided us into gangs of 'red' or 'blue.'Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/9/2018 • 40 minutes, 30 seconds
Has Lady Justice Ditched Her Blindfold?
Today, we've booked no guests. It's Colin and your calls. Saturday's confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court was the anticlimatic coda to a nomination that has both riveted and more deeply divided our country.Depending on your view, the Kavanaugh confirmation either endangers the legitimacy of the court or is a welcome culmination to a decades-long effort to capture a solid conservative majority on the high court.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/8/2018 • 41 minutes, 37 seconds
The New Haven Nose Takes Two: 'Slow Burn: Season Two' And 'Serial: Season Three'
So we did a Nose last week. It was good. It was about the second season of Slow Burn and the third season of Serial, and it was kind of also about how both of those shows tie into our present moment in interesting ways and that that's kind of interesting and suchlike.We thought it went well.You probably would've thought so too.Except you didn't hear it, so how would you know? That present moment that I was just talking about got in the way: We were preempted by some Senate Judiciary Committee vote or something.So we brought the show back for this week. We hope you'll like it now too.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/5/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
Are You 'October Ready'?
The postseason proper is upon us!Baseball has already played four winner-take-all games in three days. The Dodgers and the Brewers won their divisions in a pair of extra, tie-breaking game number 163s. And then the Cubs and the A's saw their seasons end in the two Wild Card Games.And now we're onto a round of real, full-length, five-game series. The two National League Division Series start today, and the American League's DSes start tomorrow.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2018 • 41 minutes, 21 seconds
How Can I "Take It Easy" When Everyone Is Still Fighting Over The Eagles?
The Eagles' first album touched a cultural nerve in 1971, with songs like "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "Witchy Woman." And the hits never stopped. Despite mounting criticism from critics and fans alike, within five years they rolled those hits into one of the biggest selling Greatest Hits albums of all time. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/3/2018 • 41 minutes, 32 seconds
Little House Libertarians
A lot of you reading this are familiar with the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder because you watched the popular "Little House on the Prairie" television show that ran from 1974-1983.But the television show came long after Laura Ingalls Wilder began sharing the story of her family's journey through the open frontier. She shared her memories in a series of beloved Little House books that spanned a life of pioneering both before and after the government declared the frontier closed. She speaks in simple and intimate prose of everyday life that fascinated millions of young readers who wanted to live like Laura. Fans today still want to believe in the absolute truth of every word. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/2/2018 • 40 minutes, 46 seconds
The Kavanaugh Hearings; Drug Exchanges
Like many Americans, our newsroom was glued to the eight or so hours of testimony by Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh during last week's Senate Judiciary Hearings, including the dramatic committee vote on Friday that led to a limited FBI investigation. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/1/2018 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
The New Haven Nose On 'Slow Burn: Season Two' And 'Serial: Season Three'
It's been... quite a week. It kinda seems like nothing happened in pop culture at all this week, doesn't it? Regardless, The Nose has a mandate to satisfy.Slow Burn is Slate's scripted, narrative impeachment podcast. The first season covered Watergate and President Nixon. The second (and current) season is covering Monica Lewinsky and President Clinton. It has a strong, willful woman at its center. It has some sexual malfeasance. It has some questionable testimony.Serial is This American Life's scripted, narrative true crime podcast. The first and second seasons covered Adnan Syed and Bowe Bergdahl. The third (and current) season covers the court system in Cleveland. It has some justice and plenty of injustice. It has some lawyerly delays and obfuscation. It has at least one questionable judge.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/28/2018 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
An Hour With Joyce Maynard
Joyce Maynard has been writing for over 45 years about the kind of human experiences we're often taught to keep hidden - stories about envy, anger, vanity, self-pity, pride. We read her stories because they offer a chance to first confront and then forgive ourselves for how those emotions can shape us into people we don't like. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Will The Real Brett Kavanaugh Please Stand Up
The nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill the seat of departing Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy had already widened the chasm between Democrats and Republicans before allegations of sexual assault against Kavanaugh blew it wide open. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/25/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Combating Corrosion: America's War on Rust
Rust is all around us. It's in our cars, our homes, our infrastructure. It's also the subject of Jonathan Waldman's first book, Rust, which introduces us to the people who fight it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/24/2018 • 48 minutes, 53 seconds
The Nose On The Death Of The Celebrity Profile, Chevy Chase, And 'The Land Of Steady Habits'
The celebrity profile is dead. Or dying, at least, according to The New York Times. Case in point: the Times's own terrible profile of the great Maya Rudolph. Counterpoint: The Washington Post's fascinating, and self-eviscerating, profile of the formerly great Chevy Chase.And: Nicole Holofcener's new movie is a Netflix adaptation of Ted Thompson's novel of the same name, The Land of Steady Habits. You'll never guess where it's set. (Actually, you might not. I'm pretty sure it's never said in the movie, and they shot it in Tarrytown, New York. But it's meant to be Westport, Conn., which is why The Nose is covering it.)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/21/2018 • 49 minutes, 20 seconds
Poverty: Personal, Political, And Philosophical Perspectives
How well do we really know the poor? As our nation's economy grows and the jobless rate decreases, are we increasingly ignoring their voices? Haven't we always ignored them?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Attack Of The Apocaloptimists
We were going to produce a show today on loneliness with British writer Olivia Laing. We still want to do that show with Olivia - but not today.Instead, we decided to switch gears and talk with Olivia and other artists about the themes in Olivia's new novel because they mirror our own concerns: how to live life in this fast-moving world where the present is history in the blink of an eye and world leaders can end our world with one wrong tweet? How can we exist, create art, raise children, commit to a future in a world that could be ending?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/19/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Historical Deletion and Censorship
There's a mostly forgotten story by the mostly forgotten sci-fi writer, R.A. Lafferty. It's called, "What's The Name of That Town." We meet a team of scientists and an amusing sentiant computer examining clues that suggested something existed once upon a time and has now been erased.It turns out to be the city of Chicago which has been obliterated in an accident so traumatic that the city's existence has been wiped from all records and from peoples actual memories. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/18/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Collision Of Brett Kavanaugh And America's Moral Code
Today, we have no guests. We want to hear from you. We canceled our previously planned show so we could dedicate the entire hour to understanding how you are feeling about the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/17/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On Cynthia Nixon's Bagel, 'Searching,' And Some Other Stuff
Actress Cynthia Nixon lost the Democratic gubernatorial primary in New York yesterday. Did she lose because of the kind of bagel she eats? Probably not. But from the Nose's point of view, what could really matter more than that?And Vulture, last week -- "as the discourse rages on about whether or not political correctness is destroying comedy (spoiler alert: it isn't)" -- ran a piece on the jokes comedians regret. But here's the real question: Do we want comedians regretting their jokes, tasteless or not?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/14/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Does Color Exist In The Dark?
Color doesn't exist on its own.A red rose will look different to me than it does to you. It will also look different to a pigeon, who can see way more shades and tints than most humans can see. Remember the 2015 debate over the dress? Gold & white, blue & black or yes, some saw brown & light purple. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Only Thing We Have To Fear Is 'Fear' Itself
You may have heard that Bob Woodward has a new book out.It was number one on Amazon... before it came out. It was into its seventh printing -- a million copies... before it came out. The president Twittered about it at least a dozen times... before it came out.Well, now it's out.This hour: a look at the phenomenon of Fear.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Breaking Up (With Your Phone) Is Hard To Do
Nearly ninety-percent of Americans own a smartphone.On average, we spend more than four hours a day on our phones, which adds up to about 56 full days a year. That's like sealing yourself in a room on the first day of summer and not emerging until the kids head back to school. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/11/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Serena & The Umpire; Who Get To Join Connecticut Debates?
After Naomi Osaka won the first set against Serena Williams during Saturday's U.S. Open Women's Final, chair umpire Carlos Ramos gave Williams a warning for receiving help from her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, who was sitting in the stands. She asked Ramos to take it back. She told him she doesn't cheat. Ramos didn't take it back. After that, it got ugly.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/10/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: Pop Culture Is Another Thing Dividing Us; The Major Leagues Of Wiffle Ball
Here's the money quote from a recent Washington Post story on entertainment in the Trump era: "People look at politics when deciding how they feel about a host or actor. Pop culture has now become one more thing that divides us, just like cable news and social media." The Nose couldn't pass that up, and this not-quite-The-Nose show can't pass it up either.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/7/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Semiotics of Cigarettes, Sexy Shoes, and Some Other Stuff
Semiotics is the study of sign process, which is to say: it's the science of the search for meaning.And then, part of the underlying premise of semiotics -- which just happens to be part of the underlying premise of The Colin McEnroe Show, itself -- is that there's meaning... everywhere.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/6/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Colin Kaepernick And Nike
Nike is catching a lot of press for selecting former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick as the face of a new "Just Do It" ad campaign. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/5/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Identity Politics: Friend Or Foe?
Former Trump official Steve Bannon was disinvited from the 19th annual "New Yorker Festival" Monday, after David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, first invited him for a "serious" and "combative" conversation in which Remnick promised to pose "difficult" questions to Bannon. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/4/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Living the Freelancer Life
We all know that the days of punching our clock for exactly forty hours is over. One of the alternatives that has risen in its place is what's called the "gig economy": Americans are casting off the traditional full-time job to freelance, moonlight, and temp their way to financial success.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/3/2018 • 49 minutes, 3 seconds
Noah Baerman And 'The Rock & The Redemption'
The Noah Baerman Resonance Ensemble's The Rock & the Redemption is a jazz concept album of sorts that recasts the Sisyphus myth around the heroism of perseverance and persistence.Keyboardist and composer Noah Baerman joins us for the hour.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/31/2018 • 51 minutes, 29 seconds
A Radio Show About Mimes? You Bet!
Mimes have been gesticulating their way into our hearts (or nightmares) for a lot longer than you may think. While it may have been the legendary Marcel Marceau who popularized the mime, people have been communicating through movement since the very beginning.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/30/2018 • 50 minutes, 29 seconds
The Wonder Of Termites (Yep, That's What I Said)
Nobody likes the termite. They get into the wood in our homes that can lead to infuriating and expensive repairs. What's to like.It turns out, there's a lot to like about the termite; scientists study how termites build their "mounds" for clues to solving some of the world's most pressing problems, like mitigating the effects of drought, building colonies on Mars, and the creation of biofuels. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/29/2018 • 50 minutes, 27 seconds
Who Killed The King?
One of the things you will learn this hour is how close New Haven came to being a possession of Spain. Even if you think you know the story of the New Haven Regicides, the men who fled to the New World rather than face punishment, by which I mean death, for their complicity in the execution of Charles I, we probably have some surprises for you. By we, I mean Lord Charles Spencer, who joins me in studio to talk about his book, Killers of the King. Spencer writes a very brisk and compelling style of history. To put it another way, if you like Game of Thrones, it's a pretty easy leap from there to this story. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/28/2018 • 48 minutes, 13 seconds
Will Political Decency Die With John McCain?
I didn't vote for U.S. Senator John McCain when he ran for president in 2000 and again in 2008. I was deeply angry with him in 2008 when I felt he capitulated to political pressure when choosing his running mate. I realize now that I felt angry because I expected more from him. In my mind, he was a man with integrity.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/27/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Not Necessarily The Nose: 'Crazy Rich Asians' Changing Hollywood; Baseball Changing...For The Worse?
The Nose is off this week, but we bring you some pop culture topics anyway:Jon M. Chu's Crazy Rich Asians is the number-one movie in the country, and it's expected to hold onto the top spot on the charts through this weekend. It's on the cover of Time magazine, and it's seen as "a major step forward for representation -- and the industry."And: Hits are down, and strikeouts are up. Pitching changes and replays are at an all-time high, and take-out slides and home-plate collisions have been banned. As such, baseball greats find the game "very difficult to watch." Is baseball in trouble? (Spoiler alert: Probably not.)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/24/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
The Psychopath Show
You know lots of sociopaths right?It could be anyone from your ex-spouse to the guy who cut you off on your drive to work today. It's a term we throw around loosely to refer to anyone whoever lied to us or didn't follow the rules.But, if we use it that way, it's not a very useful term. A sociopath is not the same thing as a jerk. In fact, the person you know who strikes you as a jerk is probably not a sociopath because it's not in the best interests of sociopaths to let you know what kind of people they are and sociopaths are usually pretty good about acting in their own best interests.So, what does this term mean?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/23/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
How Soon Is Too Soon? (And Other Classic Questions And Conundrums About Comedy)
humor = tragedy + timeOkay, but then the logical next question is: How much time?If it's okay, at this point, to joke about, say, The Spanish Inquisition... what about, for instance, the Holocaust? Or AIDS? September 11th? The #MeToo movement?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/22/2018 • 50 minutes, 30 seconds
Sugar Highs (And Lows): A History of "White Gold"
The history of sugar is a complicated one. Once available to only the rich and powerful, sugar now shows up in everything from cereals and soups, to cigarettes and body scrubs. It is known to both have medicinal qualities and to contribute to a variety of health problems.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/21/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Battle For Butter
We tend not to think much about that pat of butter we put on our morning toast, including how the store-bought sweet cream butter we're eating likely pales in comparison to the rich, nutty flavor of the cultured butter not found in many stores.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/20/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
(You Make The Nose Feel Like) A Natural Woman
August 16 -- yesterday -- is kind of an oddly busy day in the history of popular culture. In 1954, the first issue of Sports Illustrated was published. In 1962, Pete Best was fired from The Beatles. In 1948, Babe Ruth died. In 1958, Madonna was born (and so she turned 60 yesterday). In 1977, Elvis Presley died. And yesterday, a new August 16th-shaped dot was added to the timeline of pop culture: the death of Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul was 76 years old.And: The new Spike Lee joint, BlacKkKlansman, is set in 1970s Colorado Springs, Colo., and it tells a story that's about race relations in all of America right now, today. It's "a slapstick comedy, a blaxploitation throwback, and an incendiary Molotov cocktail thrown into the foray of the modern multiplex," and it's being called Lee's "hardest-hitting work in decades."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/17/2018 • 50 minutes, 31 seconds
What Does It Mean To Be A Man In 2018?
What do recent events such as #MeToo, the election of Donald Trump, and an onslaught of mass shootings perpetrated by white men all have in common? They’ve all provoked important cultural conversations about manhood in America.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/16/2018 • 50 minutes, 21 seconds
What Can Hannah Arendt Teach Us About This Moment?
Hannah Arendt's 576-page magnum opus, The Origins of Totalitarianism, is a densely-written book about the rise of anti-Semitism up to the outbreak of World War I. The book sold out on Amazon within one month of the 2016 election in which America elected Donald Trump as their next president. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/15/2018 • 50 minutes, 25 seconds
It's Primary Day, Er, Remember?
It's Primary Day in Connecticut! We know a lot of people can't vote in today's primaries because they're either not registered with one of our two major political parties, they're one of the millions of Americans on vacation during one of our final weeks of summer, or they just don't know about it. Maybe, it's all of the above.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/14/2018 • 50 minutes, 27 seconds
Is The White Nationalist Movement Falling Apart Or Getting Leaner And Meaner?
Many of us hoped the white nationalist movement that instigated last year's "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, would suffer a fatal blow. The majority of Americans condemned both the blatant bigotry displayed by the protesters and the president's failure to single out the nationalists as the perpetrators of the "hatred, bigotry and violence." He instead, said he saw that violence "on many sides."That's not what happened.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/13/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On The Academy Award For Best Popular Picture And 'Eighth Grade'
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this week announced changes to the annual Oscar awards, including a new category recognizing "outstanding achievement in popular film." Eligibility requirements and other details haven't been announced, but that hasn't stopped the film world from having strong opinions.And: Bo Burnham is a comedian, musician, and actor who was a teen YouTube star. He’s directed a few comedy specials -- including Chris Rock's Tamborine -- and as of this week, his feature film directorial debut, Eighth Grade, is in wide release. Its "queasy verisimilitude" has earned it a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/10/2018 • 50 minutes, 29 seconds
A World In A Grain Of Sand
Sand is the most abundant material on Earth. And, other than water and air, sand is the natural resource we consume more than any other -- more, even, than oil.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/9/2018 • 50 minutes, 28 seconds
What We Get Wrong About Disability
When was the last time you saw someone with a disability? Do you have a loved one who is part of the community? Did you see a character on TV, or did you just pass someone on the street? For some it may take a while to answer that question. Why is that?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/8/2018 • 50 minutes, 26 seconds
An Hour With Martin Amis
The Times of London has said that Martin Amis "is as talented a journalist as he is a novelist." His latest collection of essays and reportage covers 1994 through 2017, Travolta through Trump.Amis joins us for the hour.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/7/2018 • 49 minutes, 14 seconds
Is President Trump Inciting Violence Against The Media?
The Washington Post, in The Fact Checker database they've kept since the 2016 election, notes an increase in the number of false or misleading claims the president has made in recent months while traveling the country to campaign for Republicans running in summer primaries.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/6/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
This Nose Will Self-Destruct In Five Seconds
Colin's quite fond of this little piece of trivia: Tom Cruise was five years older during the production of Mission: Impossible -- Fallout than Wilford Brimley was during the filming of Cocoon. And it seems we're all okay with Tom Cruise as a 56-year-old action star. Fallout's opening weekend was the biggest for a Mission: Impossible movie and the second-biggest of Cruise's career.Fallout is the best-received movie in the M:I franchise too. If you had to pick the five best blockbusters of this decade, you could put together a totally reasonable list made just of Tom Cruise movies. (Here, look: Edge of Tomorrow, Jack Reacher, and the last three Mission: Impossibles. See?) In fact, at this point, if you like high-concept summer popcorn movies, but you don't like comic books/Star Wars/Star Trek/Harry Potter/etc.... what else even is there besides Tom Cruise movies anymore? Not much.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/3/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Healing From Cancer
Colin was diagnosed with melanoma several weeks ago. He had a few scary weeks between diagnosis and removal of the cancer. He's told he's clean but, what happens next? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/2/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Kneeling As An Act Of Protest
Kneeling has historically been an act of supplication. An act of reverence, of modesty. An act of submission, even.But then Colin Kaepernick started kneeling during the national anthem at football games, and eventually, the president of the United States called him and other players like him a "son of a bitch."And now a Haddam Selectman has started kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance, and people are calling her names too -- and calling for her to resign.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/1/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Rise And Fall Of The Hat
Take a look at at any early 20th century photograph and you'll see them: Hats! From Beavers and Bowlers to bonnets and baseball caps, for hundreds of years hats were the essential accessory for any fashionable and upstanding citizen.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/31/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Is President Trump Gaslighting Us?
George Packer wrote in The New Yorker this weekend that the only obstacle left to prevent President Trump's full consolidation of power is public opinion. We must vote.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/30/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The New Haven Nose On Ariana Grande's 'God Is A Woman' And HBO's 'Sharp Objects'
Ariana Grande already had a top 10 hit from her forthcoming album, Sweetener. As of this week, she's got songs at numbers six and eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 with the debut of her single "God Is a Woman." The song and its video have become somewhat controversial in certain corners of the internet.And: Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl was a literary phenomenon in 2012. In its wake, film/television rights for her previous novels were snapped up. And now, six years later, HBO is airing an eight-episode (and only eight episodes, by the way) miniseries adapted in part by Flynn and starring Amy Adams.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/27/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
'Everything But Country': The Politics Of A Polarizing Genre
Though country music is considered the most popular genre of music in America, its influence is profoundly regional. The style is known for appealing to the white working class, and is largely sequestered in southern and midwestern pockets of the country.Meanwhile, coastal elites tend to regard the genre with disdain. "I like everything but country" is a popular refrain.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/26/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Are We Ready For The Next Plague?
The flu virus "Clade X" is spreading rapidly around the world through respiratory droplets. It was first detected in Germany and Venezuela but it has made students sick at a liberal arts college in Massachusetts. Officials are reporting the virus was created in a Swiss lab and deliberately unleashed by a terrorist group intending to sabotage the National Institutes of Health.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/25/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Dancin' in the Moonlight: Connecticut Dance Halls
This hour, we talk about two Connecticut dance halls, each springing from the vision of two very different men who took their respective dance halls down very different paths. One's dream soared, bringing thousands of concert-goers to over 3,000 acts over an eleven-year history. The other's dream stalled, his elaborate dance hall sitting idle for decades.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/24/2018 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
Revolt Is In The Air On The Political Left And Against Twitter
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a 28-year-old Democratic socialist from New York who beat the fourth-ranked Democrat in the U.S. House in an upset primary victory in June. She won by unapologetically supporting Medicare for all and free college tuition. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/23/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On 'Hannah Gadsby: Nanette' And 'Three Identical Strangers'
Hannah Gadsby is an Australian comedian and writer. Her new Netflix special is Nanette. There are certain ways it's a different sort of comedy special than you're used to. It's, for instance, more of an art history lecture than you'd probably expect. Its audience laughs much less than you're used to. And it'll probably make you cry more than other specials have. Those idiosyncrasies are just some of the reasons Nanette is "the most discussed comedy special in ages."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/20/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Ted Williams: The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived?
During his remarkable career with the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams earned many nicknames: The Kid, The Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame... but the only nickname that he ever wanted was "the greatest hitter who ever lived."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/19/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Profiling Criminal Profilers
Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lecter series. "Criminal Minds" on CBS. In the past year, there've been "Mindhunter" on Netflix and "Manhunt: Unabomber" on Discovery.It seems we're fascinated by forensic psychology, by criminal profiling, by... mindhunting.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/18/2018 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Are You Smarter Than an Octopus?
The octopus has always been the stuff of spine-tingling legend, like that of the Kraken, the many-armed sea monster believed to drag ships to the bottom of the sea after dining on the crew. Or Gertie the Pus, the giant Pacific octopus that lives under the Narrows Bridge connecting Tacoma, Washington to Gig Harbor.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/17/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Sinking Helsinki Presser And Our Sinking Feelings
We had planned ("planned") to do a show today about how we're getting too familiar with our sinking feelings.And then that Trump-Putin press conference happened.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/16/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On The Art And Industry Of Protest And HBO's 'Succession'
Logan Roy is the head of a major media conglomerate, much like Rupert Murdoch. Also like Murdoch, he's not sure if he wants any of his kids to take over when he decides to retire.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/13/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Human Hubris And Its Cosmic Consequences
Humans are great at making a mess of things. So far, however, that mess has been confined to Earth. But as we develop into a spacefaring species, our capacity for destruction, pollution, and prejudice (towards aliens of earthly and unearthly origins) threatens to have cosmic consequences.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Cowabunga! An Hour With Mike Reiss
When The Simpsons started thirty years ago, no one thought it would last more than six weeks.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/11/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Legally-Obligated Look At Bees
Federal regulatory requirements mandate* that all public media outlets occasionally devote significant airtime to the health and welfare of bees.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Paradox of "America First"
We enjoyed speaking with all of the people who called our show last Monday. We want to keep the conversation going. We want you to keep calling so that we can all talk or listen to one another - even when we disagree. Today, it's Colin and your calls. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/9/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Kind Of HAD To Go See 'Won't You Be My Neighbor?,' Right?
They made a documentary about Mr. Rogers. Does The Nose really have a choice but to go see it? No. It does not. But then, it's "a vital doc," "a tearjerker with a purpose," and "the film we need right now" with "the hero 2018 needs." So we probably should've gone to see it regardless of whether the guy was a public broadcasting icon or not, no?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/6/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Shall We Dance?
Why do we dance? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Dancing has served a multitude of functions for various cultures throughout history, and there is even evidence to suggest we, as a species, are biologically hard-wired to dance.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/5/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Is Democracy Dying?
Populism is on the rise from Europe to India to the United States.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/4/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Agony And The Ecstasy Of Life In A Small Town
President Trump wants to "Make America Great Again," by turning back the clock to a time he believes was safer, purer, and removed from the dangers of modern society.He's not the first president to evoke nostalgia for the Rockwellian image of small town life where everyone knew one another, had a good job, and raised a family. The mental scene may vary but the nostalgia for something lost remains constant.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/3/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What Is Happening To The America Of Our Ideals
America has never been able to fully measure up to the ideals we embody. Yet, we could reasonably believe that we at least aspired to those ideals of equality, opportunity, and civility. Today, we can no longer deny that those in power care little about the people they govern. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/2/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose On The Oral History Of The Bobbitts, ESPN's Body Issue, And Naomi Alderman's 'The Power'
Believe it or not, Lorena and John Wayne Bobbitt (and their kitchen knife) entered the public consciousness 25 years ago last week.And this week, former UConn athlete Sue Bird and her girlfriend, Megan Rapinoe, became the first same-sex couple to appear on the cover of ESPN The Magazine's The Body Issue.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Is There A Better Way To Vote In Connecticut's Primary?
Connecticut will hold primaries on August 14 to determine which candidates get on the ballot in this November's midterm elections. Since Connecticut runs a closed primary system, only voters registered with a party get to vote in that party's primary. Unaffiliated and Independent voters are out of luck.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/28/2018 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The 2018 Song Of The Summer Is...
It's SUMMER! And every year around this time, we gather up a few music mavens who help us analyze and celebrate the kind of music that gets us dancing and singing as soon as it comes on the radio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/27/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
It's Just Another Dam Show!
In 1955, Connecticut experienced catastrophic flooding that killed more than eighty people. Two back-to-back hurricanes - Connie and Diane - dropped over two feet of rain across Connecticut. The rains overwhelmed the Naugatuck, Farmington, and Quinebaug Rivers and their tributaries too quickly for many to escape its wrath. After the flood, Connecticut enacted flood control measures that led to several new dams. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/26/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Tale Of The (Little) Red Hen: Do We Reap What We Sow?
Today, we have no guests. Just a conversation between you and Colin about Stephanie Wilkinson's request that Sarah Huckabee Sanders leave the Red Hen restaurant Friday night. Wilkinson owns the Red Hen, where Sanders and her party were dining Friday night.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/25/2018 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose On Melania's Jacket, 'Incredibles 2,' And Anthony Lane's Lascivious 'Incredibles 2' Review
There are three movies that deserve the credit (blame?) for the superhero/comic book movie renaissance/boom(/apocalypse?) that we've been living through now for nearly a decade and a half: Batman Begins (2005), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Brad Bird's The Incredibles (2004).Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/22/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Two Of The Greats: Robin Williams And George Carlin
From his rapid-fire stand-up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. Dave Itzkoff's new biography is Robin.And: For the tenth anniversary of his death, a look back at the work of George Carlin.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/21/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Breaking Up (With Your Phone) Is Hard To Do
Nearly ninety-percent of Americans own a smartphone.On average, we spend more than four hours a day on our phones, which adds up to about 56 full days a year. That's like sealing yourself in a room on the first day of summer and not emerging until the kids head back to school. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/20/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Referees: The Risks, Rewards, And Evolution Of Sports Officiating
From the first Olympic games in 776 B.C. to the 2018 World Cup currently underway, referees have always played an integral part in competitive sports. But as technology advances and the means to make more accurate on-field calls improves, these men and women find themselves under increasing pressure to keep up.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/19/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Is It Time For A Radical Change In How The Media Reports On Trump?
Despite First Amendment protections separating the press from unchecked presidential power, President Trump is pushing limits beyond any president before him.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/18/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nocean's 8, Starring Rebecca, Elizabeth, Vivian, Kate, and Wu, with Irene, and Colin
Ocean's 8 is about as 2010s a movie as there's ever been. It's a reboot sequel of a series that started with a remake. The fun part, though, is that this movie (unlike the four that precede it) stars eight women. And the even funner part is that it's the number one movie in the country. Our all-star, all-lady (plus Colin) Nose has thoughts.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/15/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Big, Dumb Paean To Big, Dumb Action Movies
The Fast and Furious franchise includes eight feature films and two short films, and it looks like it's about to include a series of spinoff films. It's Universal Pictures's highest-grossing film franchise with a combined box office of more than $5 billion.Uhh, how did that happen?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/14/2018 • 41 minutes, 9 seconds
No Use Crying Over Spilled Milk...Right? A Look At Regret
We all regret and we should not regret that we regret. I regret buying that pair of pink sneakers that I'll never wear. I can't take the sneakers back but I can call the brother that I regret not speaking to for several months. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/13/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Mark My Words: Larry Wilmore
You probably know Larry Wilmore as the host of the Black on the Air podcast or of Comedy Central's The Nightly Show. Or maybe you know him as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart's Senior Black Correspondent. Or you could know Wilmore as the co-creator of Insecure and The Bernie Mac Show or as a writer on The Office and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and In Living Color.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Is President Trump Replicating His Loneliness In Our Foreign Policy?
It's lonely at the top.President Trump has a lot of acquaintances but not many close friends, according to those who know him best. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/11/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, Clemency Counselor Kim Kardashian, And 'In The Dark'
Kim Kardashian rose to fame as a friend of Paris Hilton. She has a sex tape. She's been the subject of any number of reality TV shows. Kardashian is, for many people, the very definition of "famous for being famous."The Nose's charter includes a provision specifically requiring that we cover all things Kim Kardashian. But then, this week, we learned that she has the power to will presidential commutations into being. That's actually almost too much substance for The Nose to parse. Almost. But not quite.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/8/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What If Tug-Of-War Were Still An Olympic Sport? And Other Crazy Crucial Questions With Mike Pesca
Mike Pesca is one of our very favorite guests -- on any number of topics. And he's got a new book out: Upon Further Review: The Greatest What-Ifs in Sports History.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/7/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Non-Threatening Conversation About Jazz
Who's afraid of the Bix bad Beiderbecke?Hartford has an amazing jazz history, and Colin has a lot of jazz musician friends. This hour, a little onstage jazz party.Colin and the panel look to make jazz accessible to mere mortals. They talk about what makes jazz jazz, invite the audience to sing, and teach the audience to scat.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/6/2018 • 49 minutes, 34 seconds
The Shocking Truth Behind Tabloids Finally Revealed!!!
From the penny press, to yellow journalism, to supermarket tabloids and beyond, sensationalized news has been around for centuries. But while this style of reporting may have its critics, it may also serve as an important reflection of American culture and democracy. This hour we speak with journalists and historians about the evolution and influence of tabloid journalism. We'll also discuss the alledged connection between President Trump and various tabloid publications, the true nature of which continues to unfold.GUESTS:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/5/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
How Many People Really Died After Hurricane Maria?
There has been a lot of confusion about how many people died in Puerto Rico as the result of Hurricane Maria and its aftermath. Several publications reported last week that approximately five-thousand people may have died. They based their reports on a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine that reflected more ambiguity than often reported. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/4/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose On Roseanne Barr, Samantha Bee, And 'Solo'
Solo is the tenth feature-length, live-action Star Wars film. It is the fifth Star Wars prequel. It is the second Star Wars anthology film (following 2016's Rogue One), and it's the second Star Wars movie to come out in just the last six months (along with The Last Jedi).It is, though, a number of Star Wars firsts too: It's the first Star Wars picture to have its director(s) fired midway through production. It's the first to star Woody Harrelson. It's the first Star Wars movie that may well lose money.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Colin's Constipation Contemplation And Cogitation
We've been trying to push this show out for quite a while now. It's been a bit of a strain, and we got kind of backed up.But, this hour, we let loose a long look at... constipation.It should be a big relief for everyone involved.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/31/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Secret Lives Of Numbers
Numbers are so fundamental to our understanding of the world around us that we maybe tend to think of them as an intrinsic part of the world around us. But they aren't. Humans invented numbers just as much as we invented all of language.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/30/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
America Through The Looking Glass
I have traveled to three foreign countries since President Trump was elected. While I have always been proud to be American, even as I criticize much in my country, I was humbled by what people thought of America in the countries I visited. They were puzzled by our health care system, and appalled by our guns and voter apathy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/29/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Radiation: Maybe Not As Bad As You Think
Radiation is everywhere. It's emitted by our sun, by cat litter, by bananas and occasionally by nuclear bombs. It's even emitted by you, and by me, and by every living (and dead) person in the world. So why are we so scared of something so prevalent in our everyday lives?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/28/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Amazons: Myth, Reality, And Modern Relevance
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the Amazons of ancient Greek mythology is that they were not entirely mythical. While many of the deeds and details ascribed to these women warriors were imagined, the Amazons themselves were inspired by a real-life horse-riding tribe of nomads called the Scythians.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/25/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Evolution Of Our Relationship To Machines
Siri, Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant, etc. These are just the beginning of what experts believe will be a future filled with verbally interactive, digital and robotic assistants. And as we become more accustomed to interacting with machines, the machines are becoming more life-like.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/24/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
An Up-Close Look Behind the Glass of… Dioramas
When I hear the word "diorama," the first thing I think of is Mr. Mack’s fifth grade class and painting hills and grass and clouds and a fence into a shoebox and making little cardboard cut outs of Lassie and the boy she loved. God, I hated that stuff.The second thing I think of is a place like the Peabody Museum in New Haven and their incredibly, obsessively, over-the-toply detailed dioramas of the plant and wildlife of Connecticut.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/23/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Flap Over Flags
Flags have been in the news a lot lately. South Carolina removed the Confederate flag from its Statehouse and one Missouri county threatened to lower the flags at their courthouse for one full year to mourn the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. I'm in awe of the emotions a simple flag can evoke. On the surface, it's a piece of cloth with pretty colors and designs. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/22/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Exploring Prom Night In America
It's just a dance, right?Actually, maybe that's the last thing the prom is. Maybe the photo is even more important, because it freezes you. It's your chance, as high school trickles away, to say "This is who I am. This will be who I was."We've been looking at prom photos by Mary Ellen Mark, who will be on our show today, and they're striking in the range of emotional states they convey. We see joy, hesitation, confidence, detachment and some flat-out haunted looks.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/21/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose On Laurel Vs. Yanny, 'Cobra Kai,' And Some Big Wedding This Weekend Or Something
You remember the dress, right? In case you don't: Three years ago, a poorly-lit photograph of a dress pretty much tore the internet to pieces. Some people saw a black-and-blue dress; some people saw a white-and-gold dress. The black-and-blue-dress people couldn't understand how the white-and-gold-dress people were living their lives; the white-and-gold-dress people called the black-and-blue-dress people "fake news" (no they didn't).Well, this week there's a new the dress. Except it's a the dress for your ears, not your eyes. It's an audio file. Some people hear the word "laurel." Some people hear the non-word "yanny." And the dispute over which word is right and which word is wrong is very important (no it isn't).Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Hour With Sarah Kendzior
Sarah Kendzior predicted that the conditions she witnessed in 2013 from her home in America's overlooked heartland would lead to the rise of a candidate like Donald Trump. She was one of the few that saw it coming.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/17/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
An Hour Of Music With Jill Sobule
Singer/songwriter Jill Sobule is back in our Hartford studios to sing and play and talk and who knows what else!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/16/2018 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
What's Gravity Got To Do With It?
If there's one thing that unites us all (literally, ALL of us) it's gravity. Gravity attracts every bit of matter in the universe to every other bit of matter in the universe, no exceptions! But for something (a warping of space-time, to be precise) so universally present, it remains one of the least understood forces in physics.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/15/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
How Will You Choose Your Candidates In 2018?
Connecticut's political parties are in the midst of choosing who they will endorse in this November's elections. How much do you trust that they've endorsed the candidate most likely to represent your interests? On the other hand, how much do you want or need to know to cast your vote? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/14/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The New Haven Nose On "This Is America," R. Kelly and Spotify, and Monica and Town & Country
Donald Glover can do anything. He's an actor and a comedian, he's a singer and a songwriter, he's a rapper and a DJ. Mainstream audiences know him from Community and maybe the FX series he created, Atlanta. Nerdy audiences know him as the voice of Spider-Man, and they're about to know him as a young Lando Calrissian.But Glover's music -- he sings and raps as Childish Gambino and DJs as mcDJ -- has never quite punched through into the wider popular consciousness, despite some chart success. Until this week, maybe. The new Childish Gambino video, "This Is America," which dropped last Saturday in concert with Glover's hosting Saturday Night Live, has just about 75 million views on YouTube. It is "a milestone" and "a media phenomenon," and it has finally made Glover "a superstar."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/11/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Anybody Got A Match?
Lauren Bacall probably does have the most famous line about smoking in all of cinema. But there are other good ones too. "What are you gonna do? Charge me with smoking?" "Smoke if ya got 'em." And many more.Cigarettes have been such an integral part of movies for so long that one big concern in the lead up to Disney and Fox's planned merger is -- seriously -- all the smoking in Fox movies.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/10/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Sloane Crosley and Andy Borowitz Are Really Funny. They Join Us.
Comedy forces us to confront uncomfortable realities that we prefer to ignore. It also makes us laugh. Laughter is a powerful force. It can release chemicals in our body that make us feel good and help us better cope with the daily stress of living in a world that can lately seem to be spiraling out of control. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/9/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Rise Of Esports: From Internet Cafes To College Campuses And Beyond
From its humble, South Korean origins in the early 2000s to its current place as an international, cultural phenomenon, esports is certainly on the rise. Huge venues including Madison Square Garden, the Staples Center and others are routinely selling out to diehard fans of these competitive video gaming tournamentsSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/8/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
What Are We Not Talking About When We Talk About Trump?
We live in a big world and we're focused on one small speck in it named Donald Trump. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/7/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Prog Rock: The Show That Never Ends
The bands Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Rush, Asia, and Styx have sold, literally, hundreds of millions of albums.And that's despite the fact that This Is Spinal Tap is a devastatingly accurate spoofing of, ya know... all those bands.This hour: a look at the rise and fall of progressive rock.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/4/2018 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Neither Snow Nor Rain Nor Heat...
When Alexis de Tocqueville toured America in the early 1830's to gather observations that he would later put on the pages of Democracy in America, he was impressed with the efficiency of our American Postal Service.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/3/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Should We Bring Back Asylums?
Old asylums give us the creeps. The reality of asylums may pale in comparison to the horrors we conjure in our minds. Yet, they were awful. They were dark and dirty and overcrowded. Diseases were rampant and deadly. Staff was abusive. Food was scarce and inedible. Death and suicide were common.So, why does President Trump want to bring them back? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/2/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Swamps: The Past, Present, And (Endangered?) Future Of America's Wetlands
As President Trump talks about draining the swamp in Washington D.C., we turn our attention to actual swamps. Associated with death and decay, while also celebrated for their beauty and biodiversity, few landscapes evoke such contradictory sentiments as swamps.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/1/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble: Michelle Wolf; WHCD; Father Pat
A man kills women because he can't have them. An elected politician reacts harshly to speech he doesn't like. Supporters and critics of Wolf's monologue rip each other apart over whether Wolf went too far or got it just right. This is our second Monday in a row where we book no guests and take your calls. What does this mean to you? It's your calls and Colin.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/30/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose Is Dragon Energy
This week's Nose tackles Kanye's bromance with President Trump. And we've got an update on monkey selfies!Plus: Courtney Balaker's Little Pink House, which opens today at Real Art Ways in Hartford, tells the story of Kelo v. City of New London. Catherine Keener plays Susette Kelo. There's an unnamed version of Governor John Rowland. Keith Kountz makes an appearance. The movie is kind of Erin Brockovich, but on the Connecticut Shoreline in the Late '90s/Early 2000s. The Nose has seen it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/27/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
"Mark My Words" With Matt Taibbi
Matt Taibbi is an American journalist, author, and iconoclast. He is a contributor to Rolling Stone and the author of nine books, the most recent of which are Insane Clown President: Dispatches from the 2016 Circus and I Can't Breathe: A Killing on Bay Street.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/26/2018 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
Meet Your Gubernatorial Candidates! (the ones you don't know)
Each election year, we invite candidates running for public office who are on the 'fringe' of voter consciousness to join our show. We like to talk to these candidates. They're passionate, they want to talk about the issues important to them, and they don't necessarily follow a party platform. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/25/2018 • 46 minutes, 23 seconds
Is Beauty In The Eye Of The Beholder?
I find great joy in walking in the dead of winter along the river trail near my house. Everything leaves my mind as I watch the Canadian geese take flight, their wings flapping together as they lift and swoop over my head. I'm in awe of their beauty.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/24/2018 • 41 minutes, 26 seconds
The Scramble Takes Your Calls
We didn't book any guests today. We decided to take your calls for the entire hour so you could share what's on your mind.A lot happened this weekend in the news that you may want to talk about. But, instead of encouraging reactions to the latest news, many of you expressed interest on Colin's Facebook page in talking about something deeper. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/23/2018 • 41 minutes, 40 seconds
The Nose Can't Hear You Over All The Noise In This Restaurant
The original Lost in Space, an Irwin Allen series that aired on CBS for three seasons in the 1960s, was a marginal ratings success with seemingly outsized cultural impact. The show is still remembered for its campy humor, its catchphrases, and its not-possibly-designed-in-any-decade-but-the-1960s robot.Netflix's new Lost in Space, on the other hand, tells the Swiss-family-Robinson-in-space story as a relatively serious family drama with super high production values and the mostly serialized narrative that's become the custom on prestige TV. The Nose has thoughts.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/20/2018 • 41 minutes, 33 seconds
Trump, Evangelicals, And The 2018 Midterms
With controversies swirling around President Trump and the midterm elections approaching, many are asking, how will Evangelicals vote? Some believe values-voting Christians will stay home while others think issues like abortion, immigration, and religious liberty will be enough to drive them to the polls.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/18/2018 • 41 minutes, 20 seconds
What Does It Mean To Be 'Too Old' or 'Too Young'?
Joe Biden is seriously thinking about running for president in 2020. He's got a wealth of political experience and institutional knowledge. He's vibrant and in good health. He's also seventy-five-years-old. Many of us are quietly wondering if he's too old for the job.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/18/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Our Theme Today Is Theme Songs
So, when Prince died (which was two years ago), we announced that we were finally going to retire our theme song (which is a Prince song). And then we promptly did... nothing at all.Over the last few weeks, though -- and in typical Colin McEnroe Shovian fashion -- we've decided that this non-problem is a big problem. And so, in order to try and hopefully finally fix this non-problem big problem, we're doing a whole show about theme songs -- ours and other people's.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/17/2018 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Are We Nearing The End Of The Trump Presidency?
Does the investigation of Trump lawyer Michael Cohen signal the beginning of the end for the Trump presidency? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/16/2018 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose Started Facebook In Its Dorm Room
Wes Anderson is a... particular sort of filmmaker. With his typewriters and his pipe smoking. With his monochrome sets and props and costumes. With his perfectly symmetrical compositions. The one place where Anderson's tweeness is maybe softened a bit is in his old-school, stop-motion, animal-centric animated films. There was Fantastic Mr. Fox. And now there's Isle of Dogs. Dogs isn't without its own problems, though. The Nose weighs in.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/13/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Fake News Feels Good (And Other Reasons Why Truth Is In Trouble)
What is real is no longer a question for philosophers alone. In today's world, it's a question we all contend with on a daily basis. Online, on television, in print and in public discourse, facts, feelings, and flat-out lies all share the same stage.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Should Parents Need A License To Have Kids?
Having babies is something we're supposed to do - even though few of us know anything about parenting until we're deep in the game. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/10/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The $12 Potato Chip -- And Other Horrors
In 2016, a Swedish brewery offered for sale artisanally-prepared potato chips. $59 for five chips in what looks like a jeweler's box. They sold out. Crazy, right?But be honest: Have you gone to more than one place looking for just the right coffee bean or golden beet or ...something? Meanwhile, behind all this posturing, what do Americans really cook and eat?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/10/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: No (Legitimate) News Is Good News For Trump; Facebook Goes To Washington
Conservative media giant Sinclair Broadcast Group will reach 72 percent of American homes with televisions if they're allowed to acquire Tribune Media. The president likes the idea - even as it breaks current FCC rules that no TV station owners should reach beyond 39 percent of homes. No wonder he likes it. A new analysis shows President Trump does better in areas lacking a trusted news outlet. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/9/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose Hates Doing The Dishes Too
Ernest Cline's novel Ready Player One is a futuristic nostalgia bomb that lovingly apes Spielbergian 1970s and '80s pop culture. Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of Ready Player One could have been a self-aware, winking paean to the current Urban Outfitters kitsch for which Spielberg's somewhat responsible. Instead -- and perhaps not surprisingly -- it's a bigger, nostalgia bombier futuristic adventure filled with more decades' worth of pop culture references even than the book is. For better or worse. The Nose has thoughts.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Blind Injustice: A Look At Wrongful Convictions In America
For an American Sign Language-interpreted version click here.Since 1989, more than 2,000 people have been identified as victims of wrongful convictions in the U.S. In 2015 and 2016, the wrongfully convicted were exonerated at a rate of about three per week.This hour, a look at the reality of, psychology behind, and institutionalized pressures toward wrongful convictions in America.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/5/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Redheads: From Stereotypes To Superpowers
They smell better, they're better at sensing temperature changes and they can handle more pain. These are just a few of the actual differences between redheads and the rest of us. But while having red hair does come with certain advantages, there are more than a few disadvantages as well.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/4/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Remembering H.M.: The Man Who Couldn't Remember
H.M. is one of the most important and studied human research subjects of all time. He revolutionized what we know about memory today because of the amnesia he developed after a lobotomy in 1953 to treat the severe epilepsy he developed after a head injury sustained earlier in life. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/3/2018 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
The Scramble: Elizabeth Esty Says She Failed To Protect Her Staff
U.S. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty apologized Thursday for failing to dismiss Tony Baker, her former Chief of Staff, after learning that Anna Kain, a former aide who once dated Baker, filed serious allegations against him for sexual harassment and death threats.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/2/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
For The Nose, It's Always "Freaky Friday"
Armando Iannucci is the creator of Veep and The Thick of It and the writer and director of In the Loop. Those, you'll note, are all contemporary political satires. Iannucci's new movie, The Death of Stalin, is set in 1953 Moscow and tells a true-to-some-degree version of the story of, logically, Joseph Stalin's death. Historical period piece or no, The Death of Stalin is still utterly recognizable Iannucci: it's funny, it's filthy -- it's mostly about the incompetence of the powerful. And, at the same time, stories about Russian authoritarianism have a certain contemporary vibe too, ya know?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/30/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Power Of Christ Compels You (To Listen To This Show About Exorcism!)
As secular attitudes increase around the world and beliefs in the supernatural decline, how is it that the demand for exorcisms has never been higher?In America and across Europe, the Catholic Church is struggling to keep up. And as the Vatican is busy teaching courses to train new exorcists, the question remains: Why now?This hour we speak with a historian, a psychiatrist, and an officially sanctioned exorcist to unravel the mystery behind the twenty-first-century resurgence of this age-old Catholic practice.GUESTS:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/29/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Sucking Up
At President Trump's first full cabinet meeting in June 2017, we watched with some amusement while each member expressed over-the-top gratitude for the president's giving them the privilege to serve him and/or the American people. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/27/2018 • 49 minutes, 17 seconds
Dying In Prison
"Compassionate release" of our sickest and oldest prisoners is a way to reduce the federal prison population. It's also meant to save on the high cost of health care for aging inmates, and show some - well, compassion, to prisoners closing in on the end of their lives. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/27/2018 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The Scramble Takes Your Calls
A lot has happened in the recent days. The news is fast, complicated, disturbing and in some cases, hopeful.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/26/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
A Nerding Out About Clouds
No one likes a cloudy sky. A cloud on the horizon is seen as a harbinger of doom. We feel like clouds need to have silver linings.But here's our thesis: Clouds are unfairly maligned.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/23/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Microbiome: Friend, Foe, or Both
For most of time, microbes ruled the planet alone. Microbes have been around for billions of years - long before people ever began to inhabit the earth. Am I giving you a good picture of how small humans are in this grander view of life? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/22/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Salute to Accordions!
Here are some songs from your life, "Backstreet Girl" by the Rolling Stones, "Joey" by Bob Dylan, "Road to Nowhere" by the Talking Heads, "Boy In The Bubble" by Paul Simon, "July Fourth, Asbury Park", better known as "Sandy" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by the Beach Boys. They all rely heavily on the accordion. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/21/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Show About Infomercials. Operators Are Standing By!
The Thighmaster, the Chop-O-Matic, the George Foreman Grill and the Clapper: Products which are all part of American consumer culture and which were all introduced through infomercials. But as online shopping increases and traditional television watching decreases, are we beginning to see the end of these high-energy, late-night shows?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/20/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Trump And Facebook; Animal Abuse; The Return Of The Phone Booth
Cambridge Analytica, a data company backed by Republican donor Robert Mercer and headed by Steve Bannon, harvested private information from almost 50 million Facebook users without their permission to develop and exploit psychological profiles in the 2016 U.S. election.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/19/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Travels Through 'A Wrinkle In Time To Watch 'The Bachelor'
There was a lot of pressure on Ava Duvernay to bring Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 classic book, A Wrinkle In Time, to the screen. This is the first $100-million movie directed by an African-American woman with a diverse cast chosen to fill the roles written for whites in 1962.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Making Of Adolf Hitler
How did a figure like Hitler emerge so quickly and so forcefully onto the world stage? How, in what was thought to be an enlightened and civilized society, did such demagoguery manage to incite an army to commit one of history's greatest atrocities?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/15/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Our Ninth* Annual March Madness Show
Every year at this time, we invite an improv comic and an ex-politician-turned-political-pundit on to break down the NCAA tournament brackets and battle for sports analyst supremacy. Logically.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/14/2018 • 49 minutes, 34 seconds
Human Guinea Pigs Are So Unappreciated
Do you ever think about the people who make sure the medicine you're taking is safe for you to take? If your like most of us, probably not. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/13/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
One Leg At A Time: The History Of Women And Pants
According to mytho-historical accounts, the ancient Amazons wore pants while riding into battle. But the trend this tribe of warrior women set was short lived. For nearly two millennia after their demise, the notion of women wearing pants was steeped in controversy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Watches 'Seven Seconds'
In this week's Ridiculous Moments in Late-Stage Capitalism: Pizza Hut's new shoes -- because there are Pizza Hut shoes, apparently; they're, of course, called "Pie Tops" -- will pause live TV when your pizza delivery arrives. Amazon's Echo devices have started spontaneously laughing at people, which might really be scarier than it is funny. And, to celebrate International Women's Day, KFC is introducing the world to Colonel Sanders's wife, Mrs. Claudia Sanders.And: Netflix's Seven Seconds is not, it turns out, the prequel to a Luke Perry vehicle, rodeo movie it sounds like. It is instead "the contrived, misery-riddled show" that you maybe won't be able to stop watching. And it is also maybe the coldest Netflix show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
An Hour With Martin Amis
The Times of London has said that Martin Amis "is as talented a journalist as he is a novelist." His latest collection of essays and reportage covers 1994 through 2017, Travolta through Trump.Amis joins us for the hour.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/8/2018 • 49 minutes, 34 seconds
Is Democracy Dying?
Populism is on the rise from Europe to India to the United States.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Voodoo Unveiled
Voodoo is more than just a misunderstood religion, its practice draws on age-old beliefs, cultural elements, and folk traditions from a multitude of nations and ethnic groups.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/6/2018 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Dark Clouds Over The White House
Like the Alexander of children's literature, President Trump had a "terrible, horrible, no good, very bad" week.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/5/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
It's The Nighttime Noscars!
It's The Nose's annual Academy Awards special, and this year we're doing it live at night.The Nose has covered 15 of this year's Oscar-nominated movies. The only Best Picture nom we missed was Darkest Hour, so we're doing this show at the, uh, darkest hour of the day that we're on.Or... something.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/1/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Ode To Obituaries And Obituarists
On the one hand, obituaries are an amalgam of a bunch of different kinds of journalism: they're feature stories, they're profile pieces, they cover history, and they're hard news too.On the other hand, the subject is always... dead.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/1/2018 • 49 minutes, 20 seconds
Slime: From Spontaneous Generation To Internet Sensation
Slime is not something we often think about. But there are plenty of reasons why that should probably change: From the theory that life on Earth may have have first emerged from a primordial ooze, to the current slime-making craze that's sweeping the internet.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/28/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Hour With David Gelernter
Consciousness has been an elusive enigma for philosophers and scientists alike for about as long as there've been philosophers and scientists.And, while it's long been thought that artificial intelligence would bring us the next big breakthroughs in our understanding of consciousness, A.I. authority David Gelernter has a different idea entirely.He looks for answers to these fundamental questions in, instead... literature.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/27/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble: Mueller And Parkland Developments, Plus: Your Calls
Grading on the post-2016 scale, it was a relatively earth shattering revelation-free weekend. And so we have some time to regroup and take a look at more iterative developments in Mueller investigation- and Parkland-adjacent news.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/26/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Goes To 'Black Panther'
Ryan Coogler's Black Panther is the eighteenth feature film entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is the sixth movie in Phase Three, and it's most directly a sequel to Captain America: Civil War, the first film of the phase.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/23/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Rise And Fall Of The Hat
Take a look at at any early 20th century photograph and you'll see them: Hats! From Beavers and Bowlers to bonnets and baseball caps, for hundreds of years hats were the essential accessory for any fashionable and upstanding citizen.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/22/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
How Soon Is Too Soon? (And Other Classic Questions And Conundrums About Comedy)
humor = tragedy + timeOkay, but then the logical next question is: How much time?If it's okay, at this point, to joke about, say, The Spanish Inquisition... what about, for instance, the Holocaust? Or AIDS? September 11th? The #MeToo movement?...Parkland?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/21/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Russia; Parkland; "The Greatest Showman"
Robert Mueller on Friday indicted 13 Russian nationals and three organizations on charges related to interference in the 2016 U.S. electoral process. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/20/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Hartford Convention: 200 Years Since We Started the Fight Over States' Rights
Legend holds that years after the the Hartford Convention, a visitor from the South was touring the Old State House and asked to be shown the room where the Convention met. Ushered into the Senate chamber, the southerner looked at the crimson in the face of George Washington in the Gilbert Stuart portrait hanging here and said, "I'll be damned if he's got the blush off yet." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/19/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
It's Expensive To Die In America
It's expensive to die in America. We spend upwards of $3 trillion on medical care, a large percentage of those dollars concentrated in the last year of a person's life.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/16/2018 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The History Of Hygiene: Humanity's Quest For Cleanliness
From ancient mixtures of boiled goat fats and ashes to modern artisanal soaps with calendula and coffee grinds, humans have been inventing clever ways of cleaning themselves since the very beginning.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/15/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Love Is In The Nose
During last week's Super Bowl, Netflix announced the surprise release of the third installment in the already-super-unconvential Cloverfield film franchise... that night. Was it a genius, disruptive publicity stunt? Or was it an unceremonious, direct-to-streaming dumping of a subpar sequel? Or maybe it was both?And speaking of unconventional: The official presidential portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama were unveiled this week. The likenesses are being heralded as a milestone in black portraiture. But, predictably, not everyone agrees.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/14/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Bastards! A Look At Illegitimacy From Game Of Thrones To Hamilton And Beyond
The word bastard hasn't always been meant to offend. Used simply as an indication of illegitimate birth at first, the label bastard didn't bring with it shame or stigmatization until long after it first appeared in the Middle Ages.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/13/2018 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
The Scramble: Will The Mueller Report Matter?
Special counsel Robert Mueller has already charged several people associated with the Trump campaign with crimes uncovered in his investigation into Russian interference in our 2016 presidential election. Yet, some some believe there's a good chance he won't indict President Trump - even if he finds wrongdoing. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The Nose Is So Close To Being Ready For The Oscars
There are nine movies nominated for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. And, as of this week, The Nose has seen eight of them. We saw Get Out way back in last March. We saw Dunkirk over the summer. We went to Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri at night. And this awards season, we've gone to Greta Gerwig's Lady Bird and Steven Spielberg's The Post and Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Thread.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/9/2018 • 42 minutes, 22 seconds
A Non-Threatening Conversation About Jazz
Who's afraid of the Bix bad Beiderbecke?Hartford has an amazing jazz history, and Colin has a lot of jazz musician friends. This hour, a little onstage jazz party.Colin and the panel look to make jazz accessible to mere mortals. They talk about what makes jazz jazz, invite the audience to sing, and teach the audience to scat.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/8/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Stand Up And Be Counted: The 2020 Census
Do you remember where you were on April 1, 2010? That's the last time the U.S. Census Bureau counted you as one of the 323.1 million people who live in the U.S. Don't remember? No problem. It's time for the 2020 Census. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/7/2018 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
Cities That Changed The World: Mapping History's Hubs Of Innovation
In looking to our past, a curious trend appears. A vast amount of mankind's great accomplishments in art, music, science, technology and language seem to emerge from a relatively small number of cities: Athens, Hangzhou, Florence, Rome, Calcutta, Vienna, and Silicon Valley-- just to name a few.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/6/2018 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
Did You Watch The Super Bowl...Ads?
There have been some really great Super Bowl ads over the last 35 years. They changed the way we spoke and the way ads were created and consumed.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/5/2018 • 41 minutes, 44 seconds
The Groundhog Day Nose Buys All Of Its Twitter Followers From Richard Roeper
I, Tonya is a big, brash, brightly-colored, quirky comedy that happens to be telling a story that's ultimately kind of super sad. It's that mixture of tones -- a cinematic style seemingly at odds with the film's content -- and its Oscar-nominated performances by Margot Robbie and Allison Janney that have earned the movie a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Nose picks it apart.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/2/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The A-Maze-Ing History Of Mazes And Labyrinths
The history of mazes and labyrinths spans thousands of years. From Bronze Age stone carvings, to Medieval gardens, to modern-day laboratories, these elaborate designs continue to be used for a variety of reasons and in some surprising places.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/1/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Argumentation Nation: America's Love Of War With Words
Americans like to argue, a lot. In politics, in media, and in society at large, arguing has (arguably) become the default means by which we handle disagreement. But is it the most effective way, and has our readiness to wage a war with words gotten out of hand?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/31/2018 • 49 minutes, 23 seconds
A Legally-Obligated Look At Bees
Federal regulatory requirements mandate* that all public media outlets occasionally devote significant air time to the health and welfare of bees.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/30/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: The Eerie Similarities Between The Mueller Investigation And Watergate
The central question in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation is whether a foreign agent interfered in our electoral process and whether the Trump campaign colluded in that effort. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/29/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Tugs At A 'Phantom Thread'
Paul Thomas Anderson's Phantom Thread is nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Anderson, and Best Supporting Actress for Lesley Manville. Oh, and including Best Actor in a Leading Role for Daniel Day-Lewis. It's Day-Lewis's sixth nomination in the category. He's won the award three times previously, including for his work in Anderson's There Will Be Blood. If Day-Lewis were to win again this year, he'd join Katharine Hepburn as the only people ever to win four acting Oscars. It'd be a fitting end to a career that Day-Lewis says is over.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/26/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Colin's Constipation Contemplation And Cogitation
We've been trying to push this show out for quite a while now. It's been a bit of a strain, and we got kind of backed up.But, this hour, we let loose a long look at... constipation.It should be a big relief for everyone involved.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/25/2018 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Is Marijuana The Holy Grail Of Good Health?
Acceptance for medical marijuana is growing among people who swear by marijuana's power to relieve their ills. Older people are choosing marijuana for their aches and pains, parents are moving to states where marijuana is legal for children with seizure disorders, even pet owners are using pot to ease their pup's pain. It's currently legal in 28 states with several more on deck.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/23/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
It Was A Dark Night In The City. Death Hung In The Air Like...
A hard-boiled private eye, a glamorous blond, and a hapless drifter all sit at a bar on the seamy side of town. It's night, the streets are wet, the shadows are long. They each nurse a drink to the notes of a mournful saxophone and a lonely piano. Smoke from the cigarettes swirls in the darkness. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/23/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: The Government Closed; Women Are Running; Trump Has A Rubber Duck
This is one of the worst flu seasons in a decade. For the first time in thirteen years, the entire country is getting sick at the same time. While the government shutdown ended today, the two days of closure remind us what services could be lost when we most need them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/21/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Went On A Date With Aziz Ansari
The Post is Steven Spielberg's first movie since he turned 70 (and it's actually his first movie since he turned 71 too). It's just a little newspaper picture with a cast of newcomers like Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks and Bob Odenkirk and Matthew Rhys that Spielberg tossed off while he was simultaneously making Ready Player One (which comes out in a couple months). Oh, and it was nominated for six Golden Globes including Best Picture -- Drama and Best Director, and it's probably about to be nominated for a bunch of Oscars too. The Nose has seen it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/19/2018 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Predictions Of A Paperless Future
Predictions of a paperless future go back to the 1800's. And since then, as technology has advanced, such predictions have only increased. Today, despite a dizzying array of technological alternatives to paper, those prediction have not come true.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/18/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
An Ode To Ink
From ancient scrolls to modern toner cartridges, ink (in one form or another) has been around for millennia. And while we may take it for granted now, it was for much of that time a precious and coveted substance.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/17/2018 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Redheads: From Stereotypes To Superpowers
They smell better, they're better at sensing temperature changes and they can handle more pain. These are just a few of the actual differences between redheads and the rest of us. But while having red hair does come with certain advantages, there are more than a few disadvantages as well.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/16/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
It's Hard To Be Black In America. Still.
Race is a myth; racism is not. I'm stealing this line from Gene Seymour, one of our guests on our show today. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/15/2018 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The New Haven Nose Watched Both Of The New Dave Chappelle Specials
Dave Chappelle somewhat famously walked away from his Comedy Central series and went twelve years without releasing a comedy special. He broke that streak by putting out no less than four specials in 2017, and now he's maybe threatening to go back on another hiatus? Netflix released two new Chappelle specials -- "Equanimity" and "The Bird Revelations" -- on December 31, and The Nose has watched both.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/12/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Connecticut's Cartoon County
For a period of about fifty years, many of America's top cartoonists and illustrators lived within a stone's throw of one another in the southwestern corner of Connecticut.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/11/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Are We In A Golden Age Of Awkwardness?
Some would say we're living in a golden age of awkwardness. We recognize it in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Girls, and Silicon Valley. It's in Buzzfeed gif-ticles, and those old reruns of Seinfeld. Let's not forget Holden Caulfield, Owen Meany and Winnie the Pooh. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/10/2018 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Sugar Highs (And Lows): A History of "White Gold"
The history of sugar is a complicated one. Once available to only the rich and powerful, sugar now shows up in everything from cereals and soups, to cigarettes and body scrubs. It is known to both have medicinal qualities and to contribute to a variety of health problems.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/9/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble: The President's Mental Health; Golden Globes
The Goldwater Rule was put in place by the American Psychological Association in 1964. It says it's unethical for psychiatrists to give a professional opinion about public figures they have not examined.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/8/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Muses On 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'
Amy Sherman-Palladino created "Gilmore Girls." Her new Amazon Prime show, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," is nominated for Golden Globes for Best Television Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in a Television Musical or Comedy for Rachel Brosnahan in the title role. "Mrs. Maisel" sounds a lot like "Gilmore Girls" with the stylized, rapid-fire, overlapping dialogue. The biggest difference between the two shows is probably that this one is set mostly in 1960s New York City. Oh, and that Lenny Bruce is a recurring character. The Nose has thoughts.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/5/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Romance of the North
It's cold, snowy winter times like this that make us question why we choose to live in a place where snow, sleet, and wind define one-third of the year. It's a great excuse to complain, but does it also make us stronger and better people?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/4/2018 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Look Back At The Best Jazz Of 2017!
Because Thomas Hooker left Massachusetts and founded Connecticut so there could be jazz, we'll take it upon ourselves to look back at the best jazz of last year with people who eat, sleep, drink, and love jazz.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/3/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble: Presidential Power, Wesleyan Sports, Words of the Year
President Trump is changing the office of the presidency.He spent his first year in office defying political conventions and norms followed by the forty-four presidents before him. Some would say that he is squandering the moral integrity of the presidency. Will these changes outlast his tenure? How durable is the office of the presidency?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/2/2018 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
It's About Time We Talked About Time
Have you ever woken in the middle of the night, looked at the clock, and noticed that it's the same time you woke up the night before - and the night before that? How does your body know what time it is? You're not sure but the passage of minutes makes you worry that if you don't get back to sleep, you'll be too tired in the morning to get your work done on time. You can't get back to sleep. The minutes are ticking. You feel the pressure of the clock bearing down on you. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/1/2018 • 49 minutes, 23 seconds
The New Year's Eve Eve Eve Nose Watched 'The Crown'
Netflix's The Crown tells the story of Queen Elizabeth II, starting with her wedding in 1947. The second season, released this month and nominated for a 2018 Golden Globe for Best Television Series -- Drama, covers 1956 through 1963. The Nose has thoughts....And this Nose also has an expanded, year-end, best-of, New Year's Eve Eve Eve endorsements extravaganza covering all of our favorites from the dumpster fire that was 2017 (but, I mean, there were some good new movies and podcasts and toaster ovens and stuff -- this part of the show'll be more about that stuff and less about the dumpster fire).Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/29/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Celebrate the End of 2017 with "Big Al" Anderson & Jim Chapdelaine
Don't miss -- for the 5th year -- a very badly planned live New Year's Eve special featuring chaos muppet and music legend "Big Al" Anderson and the great Jim Chapdelaine!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/28/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
An Hour With Kurt Andersen
Kurt Andersen's new book is Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire. It's a 500-year history "of America jumping the shark." The idea, largely, is that our present post-fact, fake-news moment is... nothing new.This hour, we look back at the history. We look at our present -- which is to say, we look at our present president: "To describe [Trump] is practically to summarize this book," Andersen says in Fantasyland. And we wonder if there's any way to regain and retain reality in America.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/27/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
I Want To Follow Jesus But... Can You Hold The Religion?
Donald Trump's election last November was the culmination of a venom-filled campaign that was nastier than almost any in recent memory. Mean-spirited comments fell just shy of the malicious rhetoric coming from Thomas Jefferson's presidential campaign in 1796. Jefferson's hatchet-man called John Adams a "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/26/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Usually Says The Lord's Prayer In Pig Latin
Greta Gerwig's solo directorial debut, Lady Bird, is a coming-of-age comedy/drama that stars Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Lucas Hedges. Oh, and it's currently at 99% on the Tomatometer. So here's the question: Can a movie that's at 99% on the Tomatometer really ever be anything other than a letdown?And then: Is the English translation of the Lord's Prayer actually a mistranslation? The Pope thinks it might be.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/22/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Evolution Of Our Relationship To Machines
Siri, Alexa, Cortana, Google Assistant, etc. These are just the beginning of what experts believe will be a future filled with verbally interactive, digital and robotic assistants. And as we become more accustomed to interacting with machines, the machines are becoming more life-like.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/21/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Evolution Revolution: Women Call the Shots
The Argus Pheasant is a lifelong bachelor. He mates with multiple females but has no further contact with his mates or the baby pheasants he sires. By human terms, not much of a feminist.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/20/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Battle For Butter
We tend not to think much about that pat of butter we put on our morning toast, including how the store-bought sweet cream butter we're eating likely pales in comparison to the rich, nutty flavor of the cultured butter not found in many stores.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/19/2017 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The Scramble: The "Weinstein Effect" Comes To Public Media
Tom Ashbrook. John Hockenberry. Michael Oreskes. David Sweeney. Garrison Keillor. Tavis Smiley. Leonard Lopate and Jonathan Schwartz. Charlie Rose.There's no way around it: The sexual misconduct reckoning that's happening in media and politics and elsewhere has hit public television and radio particularly hard.This hour we wonder why, and we take your calls.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/18/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose Takes Its "Cat Person" Date To See 'The Last Jedi'
For once in our lives, it's actually kind of obvious what this week in pop culture has been all about.Star Wars's Episode VIII -- the ninth live-action Star Wars movie -- is out. The Last Jedi officially opens today, and it's projected to take in nearly half a billion dollars this weekend. The Nose stayed up late last night to catch a midnight showing. Or something like that.And this week saw what is quite possibly the world's first viral short story. The New Yorker's "Cat Person" happens to be about just the right topic at just the right cultural moment. Perhaps not surprisingly, some men are missing the point.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/15/2017 • 41 minutes, 40 seconds
Neither Snow Nor Rain Nor Heat...
When Alexis de Tocqueville toured America in the early 1830's to gather observations that he would later put on the pages of Democracy in America, he was impressed with the efficiency of our American Postal Service.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/14/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
An Hour With Geno
Geno Auriemma has been a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame since 2006, and he's coached the UConn Women's Basketball team since 1985.This hour, Coach Auriemma joins us to talk about anything and everything... Anything and everything except basketball.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/13/2017 • 42 minutes, 26 seconds
Child Labor In America And Abroad
Few things evoke such antipathy and condemnation from the western world than the idea of children toiling away for low pay in dangerous conditions. And while there are cases of child labor which truly warrant our concern, the broader truth is a bit more complicated.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/12/2017 • 41 minutes, 35 seconds
The Scramble: #MeToo; Roy Moore; Net Neutrality
Harvey Weinstein was vanquished from atop his powerful perch just over two months ago after an investigation by the New York Times uncovered allegations of sexual harassment and assault that lasted over three decades. The women were finally ready to talk - and they're still talking. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/10/2017 • 41 minutes, 38 seconds
An Evening With Patti Smith
Patti Smith wasn't seeking fame when she landed in Manhattan in 1969. She was a fan of the greats of the day - like Dylan, Mapplethorpe, Pollock, Ginsberg - who she followed and emulated, hoping to find her own creative space next to those she most admired. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/8/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Mmmm, Donuts
My mom would take me and my brothers to the beach on summer days when I was a little kid. I couldn't yet swim but I could stand in Long Island Sound when the tide was low and my brothers were close enough to save me if I fell. I loved it. On the way home, we'd pile into the back of our station wagon, roll down the windows and stop at the donut shop for a dozen sugar-coated jelly donuts. We'd eat them with our heads out the window and I'd end up with my hair stuck in the jelly on my face by the time I got home. Mmmm donuts.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/7/2017 • 48 minutes, 29 seconds
It's The Breast Day Of The Week!
Marie Antoinette's breasts were believed to inspire the design of the shallow French champagne coupes we see on the shelves of the local Pottery Barn. Mae West noted in her 1959 memoir, Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It, that she regularly rubbed cocoa butter on her breasts and spritzed them with cold water.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/6/2017 • 48 minutes, 29 seconds
Spielberg At 70
Jaws, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones. Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan. Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. And the list goes on.Steven Spielberg is very simply the most successful filmmaker in the history of filmmaking.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/5/2017 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
An Hour With John McPhee
John McPhee is a writer's writer. He's thought of as one of the progenitors of the New Journalism, of creative nonfiction or narrative nonfiction, along with people like Gay Talese and Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson. But his style is... quiter than those folks'. His writing is transparent. He tends to keep himself out of the narrative. He doesn't even, in fact, have an author photo.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/4/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Sucking Up
At President Trump's first full cabinet meeting in June 2017, we watched with some amusement while each member expressed over-the-top gratitude for the president's giving them the privilege to serve him and/or the American people. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/30/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nighttime Nose Doesn't Want To Sing "Baby, It's Cold Outside" Anymore
Martin McDonagh's Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri is probably the funniest movie you'll ever see about a mother trying to avenge the rape and murder of her daughter. And... that's pretty much all I need to say about it, don't you think? The Nose, though, has much more to say about it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/30/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Voodoo Unveiled
Voodoo is more than just a misunderstood religion, its practice draws on age-old beliefs, cultural elements, and folk traditions from a multitude of nations and ethnic groups.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/29/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Prog Rock: The Show That Never Ends
The bands Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Rush, Asia, and Styx have sold, literally, hundreds of millions of albums.And that's despite the fact that This Is Spinal Tap is a devastatingly accurate spoofing of, ya know... all those bands.This hour: a look at the rise and fall of progressive rock.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/28/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Has America Fallen Into A State Of Unreality?
Today's Scramble will be another all-call show. We won't have any guests - just you and your calls to Colin. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/27/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
JFK Assassination, 54 Years Later
Mistrust of the government's version of the facts... Paranoid conspiracy theories... Allegations of treason... Distrust of American institutions... Controversial governmental investigations...You might say that America's modern era started 54 years ago today in Dallas.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/22/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Radiation: Maybe Not As Bad As You Think
Radiation is everywhere. It's emitted by our sun, by cat litter, by bananas and occasionally by nuclear bombs. It's even emitted by you, and by me, and by every living (and dead) person in the world. So why are we so scared of something so prevalent in our everyday lives?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/21/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Tax Cuts; Nuclear Codes; Elephants
The House of Representatives passed a 440-page tax bill Thursday that was introduced two short weeks ago. Among other things, the bill would remove deductions important to people with big medical expenses and college tuitions and ultimately hit hardest those making $75,000 or less. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/20/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Is People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive
It's been a crazy week. (Of course, they're all crazy weeks.) As such, this week's crazy Nose tries to rapid-fire its way through as many crazy topics as possible in its crazy 49 minutes.Some of the crazy possibilities:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/17/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
America Through The Looking Glass
I have traveled to three foreign countries since President Trump was elected. While I have always been proud to be American, even as I criticize much in my country, I was humbled by what people thought of America in the countries I visited. They were puzzled by our health care system, and appalled by our guns and voter apathy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/16/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
A Deep Dive Into The World Of Insects
There are an estimated 10 quintillion insects living on the planet right now-- That's 1.4 billion insects for each human. If they decided to take over, there's nothing we could do to stop them. Fortunately, they seem relatively content to share their planet with us.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/15/2017 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Teaching An Old Fox New Tricks
In 1959, Soviet geneticist Dmitri Belyaev started an ambitious experiment to study the origins of domestication -- he would attempt to breed domesticated wild foxes by selecting on their behavior alone, a process he imagined our ancestors carried out with dogs thousands of years before.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/14/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble: Men Are Pinned With A Scarlet Letter
The 'Weinstein Ripple Effect' can be seen in the dozens of powerful men brought down by accusations of sexual misconduct in recent weeks by women who feel they put up and shut up for too long. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/13/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose's Celebrity Ragnarök Holiday Special
Thor: Ragnarok came out last weekend, and so this week The Nose celebrates with an old-fashioned, star-studded holiday special.There will be the singing of Ragnarök carols, there will be the imbibing of Ragnarök punch, there will be the exchanging of Ragnarök gifts....Or something.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/10/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Funerary Rituals Across Time And Culture
You're going to die. It's OK, so will I. In fact, everyone will. And so with that said the conversation turns to how we wish to go. For over a century the answer to that question has usually involved your loved ones paying large sums for a box and a plot.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/9/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Where's The Beef!??
The veggie burger is enjoying a renaissance! They've been in America since the Kellogg Brothers first fed their soy-based burger to guests at their Battle Creek Sanitarium in the 19th century, but they've never been as popular as with the newest iteration: a genetically engineered plant-based burger that tastes, smells, and looks just like - meat. It even drips blood. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/8/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Profiling Criminal Profilers
Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lecter series. "Criminal Minds" on CBS. Just in the last few months there've been "Mindhunter" on Netflix and "Manhunt: Unabomber" on Discovery.It seems we're fascinated by forensic psychology, by criminal profiling, by... mindhunting.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/7/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
All Cults Are Not Created Equal
All cults are not created equal. From the wide array of beliefs they teach, to the variety of people who are involved, cults are as different from each other as are officially recognized religions.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/6/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Invades Yale's Family Weekend
Netflix announced this week that it has suspended production on the sixth and final season of its award-winning drama series "House of Cards." Its lead actor, Kevin Spacey, apologized for an act of sexual misconduct with a 14 year old while simultaneously coming out as gay, and things have only gotten more complicated since.And then, a University of Hartford freshman, Chennel "Jazzy" Rowe, has allegedly suffered some truly nightmarish -- and racist -- bullying, harassment, and, I guess, vandalism at the hands of her roommate, Brianna Brochu. Brochu has bragged on Instagram about putting moldy clam dip in Rowe's lotion, rubbing used tampons on Rowe's backpack, and putting Rowe's toothbrush places "where the sun doesn't shine," among other things.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/3/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Agony And The Ecstasy Of Life In A Small Town
President Trump wants to "Make America Great Again," by turning back the clock to a time he believes was safer, purer, and removed from the dangers of modern society.He's not the first president to evoke nostalgia for the Rockwellian image of small town life where everyone knew one another, had a good job, and raised a family. The mental scene may vary but the nostalgia for something lost remains constant.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/2/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Journey To The International Space Station
The International Space Station is the most expensive thing ever built. It's about the size of a football field, it weighs a million pounds, and it's up there flying around in the sky at 17,000 mph, but... we don't really ever hear much about it, do we?Well, so, this hour we hear about it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2017 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Look Back At 200 Years Of Frankenstein (And His Monster)
There are few monsters more iconic or enduring than Frankenstein's. From Mary Shelley's 1818 novel, to the 1931 Hollywood film, to the countless plays, comics and other adaptations that have followed, Frankenstein continues to resonate with fans around the world.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/31/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Russia Probe; World Series; Your Calls
Paul Manafort and his former business associate Rick Gates surrendered Monday morning to special counsel Robert Mueller after he asked them to do so. The New York Times reports the charges are for money laundering, tax and foreign lobbying. The indictments come after CNN reported Friday night that a federal grand jury had approved the first charges in the Russia investigation led by special counsel and former FBI director, Robert Mueller. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/30/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Is Ready For Another Janet Jackson Halftime Show
Netflix's new 10-episode series "Mindhunter" tells the story of the beginnings of criminal psychology and criminal profiling at the FBI. As such, at its heart, it's really just a police procedural. But, with David Fincher as one of its producers, the show rises above a well-worn genre with its look and feel reminiscent of movies like Se7en and Zodiac.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/27/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
An Hour Of Reason With Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins is probably the best-known ethologist and evolutionary biologist in the world. And he's maybe the best-known atheist and secularist -- he would say "rationalist" -- in the world.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/26/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
It's Just Another Dam Show!
In 1955, Connecticut experienced catastrophic flooding that killed more than eighty people. Two back-to-back hurricanes - Connie and Diane - dropped over two feet of rain across Connecticut. The rains overwhelmed the Naugatuck, Farmington, and Quinebaug Rivers and their tributaries too quickly for many to escape its wrath. After the flood, Connecticut enacted flood control measures that led to several new dams. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/25/2017 • 49 minutes, 23 seconds
A Conversation With Stephen Schwartz
From his work on Wicked, to Pippin, to Godspell, to The Magic Show and more, few people have had such a hand in shaping the music of Broadway theater as Stephen Schwartz.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/24/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Stories From Puerto Rico; The Final Files On The Assassination Of JFK
The devastation left by Hurricane Maria on September 20 is overwhelming the millions of Americans who are still without power and unable to meet basic needs.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/23/2017 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
The Nose Suffers Through 'Gerald's Game'
I mean that verb a couple different ways. Some of The Nose suffered through Gerald's Game because they didn't like it. Some of The Nose suffered through it... because it's difficult to watch, like it or not. Regardless, following The Dark Tower and It, Netflix's small-screen, feature-length adaptation of the 1992 novel has been called "The best [Stephen] King adaptation of the year."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/20/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
An Hour With Kurt Andersen
Kurt Andersen's new book is Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire. It's a 500-year history "of America jumping the shark." The idea, largely, is that our present post-fact, fake-news moment is... nothing new.This hour, we look back at the history. We look at our present -- which is to say, we look at our present president: "To describe [Trump] is practically to summarize this book," Andersen says in Fantasyland. And we wonder if there's any way to regain and retain reality in America.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/19/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Hurricanes, Wildfires, Flooding -- Is The Apocalypse Upon Us?
Novelists have been writing for decades about worlds in which the climate is in crisis. Those stories are becoming increasingly realistic -- in a sense, the future is already here.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Live From Watkinson: The Great Democracy Suggestion Box
Everybody has this feeling that American Democracy isn't what we want it to be right now. It doesn't feel right, it doesn't feel like we're unified even about what the nature of our governance is. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/17/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Voter Data; Iran; NFL
President Trump decertified the internationally-supported Iran nuclear deal Friday but didn't walk away from it. Instead, he kicked it to Congress to determine whether to reimpose sanctions even though the International Atomic Energy Agency has verified Iran was in compliance with the deal.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/16/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Went To 'Blade Runner 2049' (Even Though No One Else Did)
That's not really true. LOTS of other people went to see Denis Villeneuve's "Blade Runner" sequel. It grossed almost $82 million in its opening weekend. But for a movie that cost going on $200 million to make -- and that's been anticipated on and off for 35 years -- those kinds of ticket sales mean it's probably headed toward box-office-flop status. Still, though: It's certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/13/2017 • 40 minutes, 26 seconds
The Secret Lives Of Numbers
Numbers are so fundamental to our understanding of the world around us that we maybe tend to think of them as an intrinsic part of the world around us. But they aren't. Humans invented numbers just as much as we invented all of language.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/12/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Atheist Quaker, A Jewish Christian, And A Christian Buddhist All Walked Into A Bar...
Until about 150 years ago, most people were born into a religion that carried them to adulthood. That's no longer the case. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/11/2017 • 41 minutes, 29 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's thing clear: Yodeling has been around for thousands of years and shows no signs of disappearing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/10/2017 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Contraception; Abortion; Harvey Weinstein
We talk to New York Times op-ed columnist Gail Collins about the Department of Health and Human Services decision Friday to give employers and corporations a reason to deny contraception coverage to their female employees. All they need is to hold a "sincerely held" religious or moral objection to birth control. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/9/2017 • 41 minutes, 34 seconds
The Nose Boldly Goes
It's a good time to be a Star Trek fan... inasmuch as there's a bunch of new Star Trek-related content, anyway. CBS has a real-live, brand-new Star Trek TV series... that you can't actually watch on CBS. And Seth MacFarlane a has real-live Star Trek parody series that's maybe more of an homage? Or it's a real-live Star Trek homage series that's maybe more of a parody? One of those. Or maybe both?The Nose weighs in on both Star Trek: Discovery and The Orville.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/6/2017 • 41 minutes, 25 seconds
October Baseball Is Here!
The American League Division Series start today. This afternoon, the lowly Boston Red Sox play in Houston, and then tonight, the 27-time world champion New York Yankees play in Cleveland.Tomorrow, we get fully four postseason baseball games, with both National League series starting.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/5/2017 • 41 minutes, 32 seconds
Deconstructing "Deconstructing 'Sgt. Pepper's'"
It was 50 years ago that The Beatles released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It's been called the beginning of the album era. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked it #1 on their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." It is the best-selling album of the 1960s.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2017 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
Fairies And Fairy Tales From Shakespeare, To Grimm's, To The Modern Age
Mischief and mirth abound in the magical realm of fairies. Whether it's Puck from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream or J.M Barrie's Tinkerbell, you never know quite what you'll get from these fictional creatures.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/2/2017 • 41 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble: Las Vegas; U.S. Missteps In Puerto Rico
A gunman opened fire on a crowd assembled for an outdoor concert festival Sunday night, killing more than 50 people and wounding hundreds, from a high floor within the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/1/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What's Your Problem? With Chion Wolf
I’m Chion Wolf and this is What’s Your Problem?!Since Colin McEnroe is away, I’m taking over with a radio version of my live advice show, What’s Your Problem? Here’s the idea: A lot of people love GIVING and GETTING advice. There’s a connection there, there’s a feeling that you’re LESS ALONE there.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/29/2017 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
An Hour With John McPhee
John McPhee is a writer's writer. He's thought of as one of the progenitors of the New Journalism, of creative nonfiction or narrative nonfiction, along with people like Gay Talese and Tom Wolfe and Hunter S. Thompson. But his style is... quiter than those folks'. His writing is transparent. He tends to keep himself out of the narrative. He doesn't even, in fact, have an author photo.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/28/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Nutmeg May Seem Pretty Harmless...
In the 1800s, Connecticut peddlers would travel south to peddle goods made in small factories around the state. The best way to increase their profit margin was to slip a few pieces of prized nutmeg -- and a few fake wooden ones to match -- in their bag. It didn't take long to expose the fraud, earning us the nickname of the Nutmeg State, known by all as clever, if ethically challenged, people. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/27/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Movies Get "Split Personalities" All Wrong
The movie "Split," by director M. Night Shyamalan, is the latest in a long line of movies that portray people with "split personalities" as either violent psychopaths or comic foils. They portray dramatic changes in identity that don't reflect the subtle transitions that usually take between six and twelve years to properly diagnose.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2017 • 49 minutes, 22 seconds
A Conversation With Sam Waterston
Sam Waterston says he's been been lucky to have good fortune in his career and personal life. He's been nominated multiple times for Emmy, Academy, and Tony Awards and he won Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards for performances playing men whose moral compass points north. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/25/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Cash Culture: The History (And Future?) Of Our Love For Paper Currency
As our society moves further away from paper currency, we pause to look back at the once predominant form of payment. Its look, its feel and its smell all hold a place in the collective consciousness of our nation's history.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/22/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Cannibalism: History Of A Taboo, From The Bible To The Box Office
Of the many strange behaviors we humans have engaged in, few seem more abhorrent than cannibalism. But the act of feasting on another human's flesh cannot be so easily dismissed as simply disgusting or deviant. Freud, in fact, believed cannibalism played a role in the birth of religion itself.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/21/2017 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
A Poet, A Limo Driver, And A Pastor Walk Into A Talk Show...
Colin McEnroe is taking a couple weeks off, so today Chion Wolf introduces you to three Connecticut residents who have careers in very different fields of expertise. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Spirit Is In The Music
Recently, I hopped into my car to go home after a long and grinding first day back to work. I had just returned the day before from a two-week vacation exploring the treasures of two foreign countries I had never seen before. The abrupt transition from play to work left me feeling quite blue, made worse by my receding memories of those weeks. Something in me needed music. So, I traded out my usual afternoon newscast for a "soul" song that caught my ear and brightened my heart. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/19/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Cost Of Health Care Is Killing Us
We spend over three trillion dollars on health care every year and we have worse outcomes than any other developed country - all of which spend on average about half of what America spends per person. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/18/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Has A Close Encounter With 'Close Encounters'
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" was originally released on December 14, 1977. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards and has gone on to gross more than $300 million worldwide. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/15/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Furries Among Us
Like just about anything else one delves into, the subculture known as furries is more nuanced, more varied and less sensational than mass media depictions of them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/14/2017 • 48 minutes
The Mysterious (And Misunderstood?) Melania Trump
Melania Trump is in many ways a first: The first First Lady to have arrived as an immigrant, the first to have been born in a communist country, and the first to be the 3rd wife of a president. She is not the first, however, to show signs of reluctance towards embracing the role of FLOTUS.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/13/2017 • 48 minutes, 30 seconds
The Amazons: Myth, Reality, And Modern Relevance
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the Amazons of ancient Greek mythology is that they were not entirely mythical. While many of the deeds and details ascribed to these women warriors were imagined, the Amazons themselves were inspired by a real-life horse-riding tribe of nomads called the Scythians.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Trumpocalypse, Amazon, Sloane Stephens
John Nichols, author of Horsemen of the Trumpocalypse: A Field Guide to The Most Dangerous People in America believes Donald Trump has put together the most dangerous cabinet in history. He says Trump has filled it with partisan ideologues or people with no government experience and/or unqualified to do the job of their department. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/11/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose Went To 'Wind River'
Taylor Sheridan's "Wind River" has been called "a thrilling, violent finale to the 'Hell or High Water' and 'Sicario' trilogy" (Sheridan wrote the first two entries and writes and directs this newest one). "River," starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen, is a character-driven murder mystery, more literary drama than genre thriller. The Nose renders its critique.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/8/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
One Leg At A Time: The History Of Women And Pants
According to mytho-historical accounts, the ancient Amazons wore pants while riding into battle. But the trend this tribe of warrior women set was short lived. For nearly two millennia after their demise, the notion of women wearing pants was steeped in controversy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/7/2017 • 47 minutes, 40 seconds
Why Do We Commemorate And Who Does It Serve?
The violence in Charlottesville last month over whether or not to remove a statue of Confederate soldier Robert E. Lee rekindled a heated debate that's more about national identity and race than about statues. But, it's easier to fight about statues than begin a long-overdue national discussion over how we remember our collective and complex national past - especially in the context of slavery.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/6/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Connecticut's Fiscal Crisis, North Korea, Walter Becker
Connecticut has become overconfident that money would always be found to pay the bills. For the first time, the state is realizing we can't pay the bills for pensions and retirement and infrastructure that we've put off for decades to spend on other things. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/5/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Women Who Served In America's Fields
Herbert Hoover realized early in the 20th century that food was as important as bullets to win a war. After witnessing Belgians starve under the harsh treatment of Germany before World War I, he determined to never let that happen in America. So, when the men marched off to war in both World War I and again in World War II, the women marched out to the fields. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/4/2017 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Doesn't Want To Quit Louis CK
For years, there have been rumors about things Louis CK may or may not have done to women. And for years, women have been saying that CK should address the rumors. He hasn't really, and so the rumors have stayed rumors so far.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/1/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Ultimate Glory Of Ultimate Frisbee
It's been called a "glorified game of toss" and "World of Warcraft for extroverts." But has Ultimate Frisbee quietly become a real sport?It is, apparently, a likely Olympic sport. Which would, apparently, maybe be bad for Ultimate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/31/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What's On The Other Side? What A World Without Walls Would Look Like
As the Department of Homeland Security collects plans for the US-Mexico border, the conversation is turning more towards how border walls don't work in keeping people out.This hour, we talk about what walls are effective in dividing: our psyches, our environments, and the populations around them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/30/2017 • 47 minutes, 45 seconds
You Can Tell A Lot By A Superhero's Costume
If it's the clothes that make the man, then it's the costume that makes the superhero. But for as much as these brightly colored onesies reveal about their wearer, they may in fact reveal more about us as a society.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/29/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble: Joe Arpaio; Houston Preparedness; Melting Alaskan Permafrost
President Trump pardoned former Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio Friday. Arpaio was not going to jail for his documented brutality against immigrants, failure to investigate complaints of sexual assault, or his arrest of journalists critical of his policies. He was going to jail for repeated contempt of a judicial order to stop illegally detaining immigrants. Arpaio and our president seem to both hold contempt for the laws they were elected to uphold. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/28/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Has Seen The Superhero Supergroup Series 'The Defenders'
Netflix's newest series is the first season of Marvel's "The Defenders." But the series is the culmination of a number of series, a sort of crossover superhero supergroup of a series. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/25/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Ode To Obituaries And Obituarists
On the one hand, obituaries are an amalgam of a bunch of different kinds of journalism: they're feature stories, they're profile pieces, they cover history, and they're hard news too.On the other hand, the subject is always... dead.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/24/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Human-Vehicle Hybrids, Robo-Cars, Jetpacks And The Future Of Transportation
At some point in the near future we will all drive our last drive. We will get into our normal car, drive to a dealership and ride out in our first self-driving car. And that's it: The end of driving as we know it, forever and ever, maybe.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/23/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
An Ode to the Sun (Listen, Don't Stare!)
We originally aired this show last August, a full year before the excitement over the solar eclipse. Enjoy!What can you say about the sun? It sits not only at the center of our solar system but has, over time, been at the center of religions, scriptures, songs, art and countless other aspects of our culture.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/22/2017 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
The Scramble: Cultural Leaders Are Retreating From Trump. Why Now?
Cultural leaders are beating a hasty retreat from President Trump. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/20/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Wonders If Smartphones Have Destroyed A Generation
Actually, it's The Atlantic that wonders "Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?" And, of course, the answer is, in a word: No. But then, high school kids are less interested in driving than they used to be. Or something. So there's almost a mental health crisis. Or something. The Nose gets into it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/18/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Solar Eclipse 2017: A 49-Minute Show About Two Minutes Of Darkness
Since the earliest humans gazed up at the sky, eclipses have been a common occurrence. But only in recent centuries have we come to understood the science behind them. Prior to that, eclipses were regarded as everything from Viking sky wolves to Korean fire-dogs, to African versions of a celestial reconciliation.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/17/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
How Much Do You Know About Guam?
Guam came into America's consciousness this past week as the war of words between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened the island of Guam with nuclear annihilation. The rhetoric has since cooled but America is more aware of how little they really know about Guam or how much the legacy of war is part of their daily life. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/16/2017 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Are You Cracking Under The Weight Of Your Political Stress?
The American Psychological Association says the 2016 presidential election was a major source of stress for a majority of Americans regardless of political affiliation. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/15/2017 • 49 minutes, 1 second
The Scramble: Terror In Charlottesville
Hundreds of followers of the white nationalist movement came to Charlottesville over the weekend to protest the planned removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. The City Council voted to remove it from a park whose name they changed from Lee Park to Emancipation Park.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/14/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The New Haven Nose Goes To 'Detroit'
Mark Boal is a journalist who has written for Rolling Stone and Playboy and who partnered with Serial on the podcast's second season. Kathryn Bigelow is the director behind movies like Point Blank and Strange Days. As writer and director, Boal and Bigelow have collaborated on three films.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/11/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Decimation Of The Osage Nation
Native Americans have been getting forced off their land for a long time. Thomas Jefferson forced them from their ancestral home in 1804 after he signed the Louisiana Purchase and promised they shall know the United States as only "friends and benefactors." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/10/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
An Ode To Ink
From ancient scrolls to modern toner cartridges, ink (in one form or another) has been around for millennia. And while we may take it for granted now, it was for much of that time a precious and coveted substance.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/9/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Electric Guitar Is Dead. Long Live The Electric Guitar.
Where have all the guitar heroes gone? Where has all the guitar music gone? Where have all the guitar sales gone?Are rumors of the electric guitar's death exaggerated or no?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/8/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Tries To Understand All Those Leaks
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Friday the Justice Department will aggressively pursue the leaking of classified information that undermines national security. This announcement was made following the release by the Washington Post of transcripts between Trump and leaders from Mexico and Australia. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/7/2017 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
The Nose On 'Ozark' And Sam Shepard
Netflix has marketed its new series "Ozark" as " 'Breaking Bad' plus Jason Bateman," which might make you picture... a funnier version of "Breaking Bad"? "Ozark" is not a funnier version of "Breaking Bad." If anything, it's a bleaker version of "Breaking Bad." And maybe even a more bingeable version of "Breaking Bad"? The Nose might just have an answer to that question.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/4/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Final Frontier Or The Glass Ceiling: The Legacy Of Women In NASA
As the men of Apollo 11 returned home to ticker tape parades, the women who made their journey possible worked quietly behind the scenes. Since its founding in 1958, NASA has been heavily reliant on the skills of such women, many of whom have gone unrecognized for their bravery and hard work.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/3/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Neonaticide Is An Act Of Desperation
Neonaticide is a hard concept for most of us to wrap our heads around. Yet, the CDC estimates that "a baby born in the United States is ten times more likely to be killed during its first day than at any other time of life. And for the first week, a baby's killer is likely to be its mother."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/2/2017 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Look At Independent League Baseball
Matt Iannazzo was a baseball star at Norwalk High School, pitching them to an FCIAC title in 2007. At the University of Pittsburgh, he was an All-Conference pitcher. Out of college, Iannazzo signed with the Chicago Cubs and played two seasons near the bottom of their organization. Then he pitched for the Bridgeport Bluefish in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/1/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble On The Chief Of Staff's Role, And The Sportsification Of American Policy
Last week, the "skinny" repeal of the Affordable Care Act died a buzzer-beating (and perhaps temporary) death on the Senate floor. The Ringer's Bryan Curtis notes that, "Minus the life-and-death part, it had the feel of an unexpectedly competitive Pac-12 football game that the country noticed in installments."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/31/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Goes To 'Dunkirk'
It's quite a trick Christopher Nolan has played on us over the course of a career that includes movies like Memento and Inception. His latest, Dunkirk, weaves together three storylines: One takes place on land over a week. One takes place on the sea over a day. And one takes place in the air over an hour. I walked out of the theater thinking, "That was a pretty straightforward narrative for a Christopher Nolan movie." The Nose has a lot to say about this new epic.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/28/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Trump Era: A Retrospective At Six Months
You might say that we’ve done a lot of coverage of The Trump Era.It began with a show sixteen months ago that imagined a Trumpian future. We didn't take it terribly seriously then. We do now.This hour, we've gathered a number of the people we've talked to along the way for a retrospective: Where have we been since last March, since Election Day, since Inauguration Day?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/27/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Teaching An Old Fox New Tricks
In 1959, Soviet geneticist Dmitri Belyaev started an ambitious experiment to study the origins of domestication -- he would attempt to breed domesticated wild foxes by selecting on their behavior alone, a process he imagined our ancestors carried out with dogs thousands of years before.This hour, we look at the history and progress of this more-than-50-year experiment: What can it tell us about our animal companions -- and ourselves?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/26/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Dire (And Sometimes Deadly) Consequences Of Video Game Addiction
It should be no surprise that video games have the potential to become addictive. But a spate of recent events has shown they can also be deadly: From young players dying of mid-game heart attacks to parents so immersed in their virtual environment that they forget to feed their children.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/25/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: How The Alt-Right Influenced The 2016 Election
Almost nine months after the 2016 election, there still isn’t one generally agreed-upon theory of what happened.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/24/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The New Haven Nose Won't Hate On Ed Sheeran
The Big Sick, written by Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani (who you know from "Silicon Valley"), tells the "awkward true story" of their courtship and stars Nanjiani as a version of himself. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie proves "the standard romcom formula still has some fresh angles left to explore." The Nose weighs in.And then: What's with all the hating on Ed Sheeran? No, like: Really. The Nose doesn't get it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/21/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Who Owns Antiquity?
Hobby Lobby recently paid a $3 million fee for illegally buying smuggled ancient Iraqi artifacts.This hour: What is the relationship between collecting antiquities and the looting of them in countries that are experiencing violent conflicts and societal breakdown? Do Western museums and collections have a role to play in saving at-risk antiquities?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/20/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Look At Late Night
Donald Trump is the most ridiculed president in the history of late night comedy.That's not hyperbole, and it's not just common sense either. There's actual data (PDF link) to back it up.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/19/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Bastards! A Look At Illegitimacy From Game Of Thrones To Hamilton And Beyond
The word bastard hasn't always been meant to offend. Used simply as an indication of illegitimate birth at first, the label bastard didn't bring with it shame or stigmatization until long after it first appeared in the Middle Ages.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/18/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Donald Trump Jr.; Connecticut Prison Reform; Doctor Who
Donald Trump Jr. thinks it's no big deal that he met with an emissary of the Russian government because the meeting didn't provide him with useful material.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/17/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Your Friendly Neighborhood Nose Went To 'Spider-Man: Homecoming'
Spider-Man: Homecoming is the sixth American Spider-Man feature film, and it's the 16th title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it's the first movie that's both a Spider-Man feature and part of the MCU all at once. Is that a milestone worth noting? I'm not sure. I barely even understood what all that meant. The Nose weighs in.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/14/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The President In Paris
President Trump is in France today, and he plans to hold a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris during the noon eastern hour.NPR will provide live special coverage of the press conference, which is expected to include questions about Russian efforts to influence the 2016 election and the ongoing investigation of Russian contacts with Trump campaign and administration officials.For whatever part of the 1:00 pm hour doesn't include a Trump/Macron press conference, we'll try to parse said press conference amid the rest of the news of the day.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/13/2017 • 24 minutes, 43 seconds
It's Hard To Be Black In America. Still.
Race is a myth; racism is not. I'm stealing this line from Gene Seymour, one of our guests on our show today. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/12/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
What Would Rorschach Tell You About You?
The Rorschach inkblots are ubiquitous throughout culture. They've inspired visual artists from Warhol to Alan Moore, from Gnarls Barkley to Jay Z, to the Watchmen comics. The inkblots have also become a perfect metaphor for today's polarized, relativist world. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/11/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: G-20 Summit; Donald Trump Jr.; Diaperless Infants
President Trump left a trail of confusion when he left the G-20 Summit this weekend. While the president thinks he gained concessions favorable to the United States, many feel he isolated America from longstanding consensus on issues that define liberal democracy. Instead, he sought consensus with Vladimir Putin, despite the certainty by U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose Takes A Ride With Baby Driver
Baby, played by Ansel Elgort, is a reluctant getaway driver in the latest Edgar Wright film, "Baby Driver." He's a good guy who's had some bad luck, like stealing the cash-filled car of a crime boss while coping with the death of his mom.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/7/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Argumentation Nation: America's Love Of War With Words
Americans like to argue, a lot. In politics, in media, and in society at large, arguing has (arguably) become the default means by which we handle disagreement. But is it the most effective way, and has our readiness to wage a war with words gotten out of hand?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/6/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Voter Data; Climate Denial; Geoff Fox Is Back!
This week, President Donald Trump's "Commission on Election Integrity," under the leadership of Vice-President Mike Pence and Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, sent a letter to all 50 states asking them to provide data on citizens that includes personal information like the last four digits of social security numbers and voting history. The request is unprecedented in its scope. As of today, 44 states are refusing to comply. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/5/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Benedict Arnold: Unscrupulous Traitor Or Unsung Hero?
When you "pull a Benedict Arnold," you sell out your side to join the stronger side of a situation out of fear, not honor. Needless to say, that's not a compliment.More than 230 years after America secured independence from Britain, this skilled warrior and confidante of George Washington is remembered as a traitor and coward for defecting to the British side.But it's not that easy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/3/2017 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
From Hartford, Almost Live, It's The Nose
We live in a post-"The Gong Show" world. Any TV that you've ever heard anyone use the word "Dada" to describe -- David Letterman's entire career, for instance -- owes something to Chuck Barris's creation.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/30/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What Can Hannah Arendt Teach Us About This Moment?
Hannah Arendt's 576-page magnum opus, The Origins of Totalitarianism, is a densely-written book about the rise of anti-Semitism up to the outbreak of World War I. The book sold out on Amazon within one month of the 2016 election in which America elected Donald Trump as their next president. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
A Show About Psychics! But You Already Knew That
There is perhaps no figure more emblematic of the paranormal than the psychic. Able to predict the future, see into the past, and even communicate with the dead, the psychic's awesome gifts are matched only by his or her ability to withstand skepticism and ridicule.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/28/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Hour With U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro
Colin has been covering politics in Connecticut since... well, since shortly before the development of the steam engine.And one thing he’s never done? Have a long conversation with New Haven’s Congresswoman, Rosa DeLauro.This hour, we fix that.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/27/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Obama's Struggle With Russia; Amazon; Campus Speech
President Obama has been criticized in recent days for his response to Russian intervention in the 2016 election as reported in this big Washington Post article from Friday. The former president and his defenders say he acted in the best interests of the nation in trying to maintain faith in the electoral process and protect state voting rolls. Others think he could have done more. We talk about it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/26/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose Live From The International Festival Of Arts And Ideas And Pancakes And Pumpkins
"What do festivals do?"Whether it's a film festival or Edinburgh or the Venice Biennale or New Haven, we wonder what happens when you get a lot of creative stuff in one place.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/23/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Mmmm, Donuts
My mom would take me and my brothers to the beach on summer days when I was a little kid. I couldn't yet swim but I could stand in Long Island Sound when the tide was low and my brothers were close enough to save me if I fell. I loved it. On the way home, we'd pile into the back of our station wagon, roll down the windows and stop at the donut shop for a dozen sugar-coated jelly donuts. We'd eat them with our heads out the window and I'd end up with my hair stuck in the jelly on my face by the time I got home. Mmmm donuts. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/22/2017 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Is Beauty In The Eye Of The Beholder?
I find great joy in walking in the dead of winter along the river trail near my house. Everything leaves my mind as I watch the Canadian geese take flight, their wings flapping together as they lift and swoop over my head. I'm in awe of their beauty.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/21/2017 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
What Happens When Autism And The Law Collide
Autism Spectrum Disorder is a social disability that leaves the autistic isolated and confused in a world in which they can't understand the social cues others take for granted. To compensate, some use the internet as a way to learn about sexuality that non-autistic people learn about through relationships. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/20/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Bill Cosby, Russian Cyberwarfare, Cuba
Bill Cosby's trial for alleged sexual assault of Andrea Constand in 2004 ended in a mistrial Saturday due to a hung jury. Despite the judge saying this was not a win for either side, Mr. Cosby's spokesperson declared, "Mr. Cosby's power is back!" Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/19/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose's Nobel Lecture Is Cribbed From CliffsNotes
This week in pop culture: Delta and Bank of America decide Shakespeare is in poor taste. Megan Kelly decides Alex Jones is worthy of a platform. Senators John McCain and Richard Burr decide that Senator Kamala Harris shouldn't get to finish her sentences. And Bob Dylan decides to troll the Nobel committees.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/16/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
All Cults Are Not Created Equal
All cults are not created equal. From the wide array of beliefs they teach, to the variety of people who are involved, cults are as different from each other as are officially recognized religions.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/15/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The 2017 Song Of The Summer Is...
Every year, we do a Song of the Summer show. It always makes people angry. There is no evidence that it has ever made people happy. A lot of it has to do with the way we define the term.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/14/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The End Of Advertising
TiVo. AdBlock. Ad-free subscription options. Cord cutting. The death of print.There seem to be a lot of signals pointing toward the end of an industry.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/13/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Can Another Civil War Happen In America?
In 2075, Florida and New Orleans are under water, South Carolina is under quarantine, and America is fighting a bloody and brutal Second American Civil War over the continued use of fossil fuels. This is where American War, a new novel by Omar El Akkad begins.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/12/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Women Watch 'Wonder Woman'
"Wonder Woman" isn't just the first big-budget, blockbuster movie about a female superhero (as if that isn't enough). It also had the biggest opening weekend for a movie directed by a woman (Patty Jenkins) in film history. Oh, and it's at 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, which puts it squarely in the territory of "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," and "Spider-Man 2." Our all-woman (plus Colin) Nose went to see it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/9/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Reacting To Testimony By Former FBI Director James Comey
Colin, along with WNPR's John Dankosky and former FBI special agent Michael Clark, will react to the testimony of former FBI Director James Comey, at Thursday morning's hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/8/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Treason!
Of all the crimes defined by law, only one is mentioned in the U.S. Constitution: Treason! This distinction, however, was not meant to deter dissent, but rather to protect it. Knowing well how England had levied the charge against those whose voices they found subversive, our founders sought to ensure the citizens of their newly formed nation would always be free to disagree with the government.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/7/2017 • 48 minutes, 31 seconds
The Reality, Controversy, And Efficacy Of Modern Homeschooling
The stereotypes around homeschooling have existed for decades. Since the modern homeschooling movement began in the late 20th century, those who favored this educational approach have largely been perceived as white, anti-establishment, radically Christian, and ultra-conservative.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/6/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble: Trump's Response To London And The Paris Accord
Seven people were killed and more than forty were injured in the third attack in London in a few months time. If you're like writer Yascha Mounk, you may have reacted not with the shock and disorientation you would expect to feel in response to a barbaric and random act of violence, but the calm clarity of someone who has seen this before and is resigned to see it again.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/5/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Our (Almost) Annual Show Live From BIFF
Hello. Hello? Anybody home? Think, McFly, think!Oh, wait. Not that Biff. This BIFF: The Berkshire International Film Festival.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/2/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Forget Google Maps, There's Still Lots To Explore
There's a set of steps and a big stone fireplace sitting in the middle of the woods where I used to walk my dog. I can envision the family living in the house that was part of the neighborhood that got washed away when the Farmington River overflowed its banks in 1955. My exploration led me to the origin of those steps. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Dark (And Not So Ancient) History Of American Eugenics
The eugenics movement of the early 20th century is a dark chapter in our nation's history. And while we may think of it as a practice we've long since abandoned, the truth is a bit more complicated.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/31/2017 • 48 minutes, 51 seconds
Which Dystopia Is It Anyway?
So, it turns out the world didn't end last week. Or the week before that. Or the week before that.And while it might seem like the events of the last year or so are the disease, maybe they're really just the symptoms; maybe they're really just signs of the dystopia around us.But, then: Which dystopia?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/30/2017 • 48 minutes, 10 seconds
The Nose Picks A Side In The Katy Perry / Taylor Swift Beef
The current production at Hartford Stage is a "grand, crisp and well-tailored yet ultimately unsettling" version of George Bernard Shaw's caustic comedy/drama, "Heartbreak House." The Nose went to see it and weighs in this hour.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/26/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Calls, Calls, And More Calls
It's been an interesting five or six months, don't you think?So, this hour, we're doing something we don't normally do: We aren't booking any guests.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/25/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Cannibalism: History of A Taboo, From The Bible To The Box Office
Of the many strange behaviors we humans have engaged in, few seem more abhorrent than cannibalism. But the act of feasting on another human's flesh cannot be so easily dismissed as simply disgusting or deviant. Freud, in fact, believed cannibalism played a role in the birth of religion itself.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/24/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Cost Of Health Care Is Killing Us
We spend over three trillion dollars on health care every year and we have worse outcomes than any other developed country - all of which spend on average about half of what America spends per person. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/23/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Trump's Trip, And The Alien Megastructure That's Coming To Kill Us All*
Over the weekend, President Trump spoke to leaders from Muslim countries in Riyadh. Today and tomorrow, he visits Israel and the West Bank. And Wednesday, it's on to Rome and The Vatican. The Scramble looks at the religious side of Trump's first presidential trip abroad.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/22/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Watched 'I Love Dick' And This Headline Is Paralyzed By The Plenitude Of Possible Wordplay
"I Love Dick" is Jill Soloway's second TV series for Amazon, after "Transparent." It's based on Chris Kraus's seminal feminist novel from the 1990s and stars Kevin Bacon as the titular character. Rolling Stone has called the show "the high-lit cowboy-lust TV show you need." The Nose weighs in.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/19/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
'Tis A Show About Castles, Me Lord
They're in the books we read, the shows we watch, and the art we hang on our walls. They conjure notions of might, magic, romance, and more. Castles, perhaps as much as any other architectural structure in history, define the landscape of our fantasy and imagination.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Facts Are Facts; Reality Is A Trickier Thing
There's a quote by journalist Ned Resnikoff in Brooke Gladstone's latest book, The Trouble With Reality: A Rumination on Moral Panic in Our Time. It's one of many quotes she cites that guide her through a meditation on whether the election of Donald Trump signals the worst existential crisis we've known.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/17/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Enduring Legacy Of Ayn Rand
There has been a surge of interest in the writings of Ayn Rand in the last decade, including from Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, President Donald Trump and several members of his cabinet.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/16/2017 • 48 minutes, 22 seconds
The Scramble: Trump Limits Access To Public Information; Why It Feels So Good To Swear. Related?
The Trump Administration is quietly limiting access to public information, especially as it relates to ethics and enforcement. We can no longer view disclosures about workplace violations, energy efficiency, or animal welfare abuses. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/15/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Goes To 'Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2' Obviously
Look. I don't like Guardians of the Galaxy, okay? I get it. I'm the only nerd on the face of the planet who isn't charmed by these movies. I know I have a cold stone where my heart should be. I understand that I'm totally devoid of a soul. It's fine. I've come to terms with it. You still get to love these movies. The Nose still gets to love these movies. And The Nose does love these movies.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/12/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Humanity's Golden Age: Long Gone Or Yet To Come?
Has the golden age of humanity passed? Can we, as a species, survive the next few centuries? As our climate warms, population grows, resources shrink, and means of self destruction become more deadly, these questions move from the realm of dystopian fiction to real world relevance.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/11/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Trump Fires Comey: Are We In Constitutional Crisis Yet?
President Trump fired FBI director James Comey on Tuesday in the midst of the FBI investigation into whether Russia influenced the 2016 election. The story from the White House is that the firing has little to do with Russia, and more to do with Comey's handling of Hillary Clinton's emails. One must ask: why now? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/10/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
It's A Sportsing Show!
We've been feeling like maybe all the serious politics coverage we've been doing has crowded out some of the nonsense sports coverage we like to do.So this hour: sports nonsense and nothing else.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/9/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Welcomes Adam Gopnik
The Most Beautiful Room in New York is a new play by The New Yorker essayist Adam Gopnik. It's about home and food and family, and is influenced by Gopnik's five years as a Paris correspondent discovering the meaning of food in his own life.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/8/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Praise Be -- The Nose Is Live At The Connecticut Library Association Conference
Margaret Atwood started writing her classic dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale in 1984. She set it in an imagined future America where the toxic environment has limited human fertility, a theocratic dictatorship has taken control, and women have been stripped of their rights. Atwood said the novel isn't a prediction, but the internet thinks Hulu's new TV version is.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/5/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Nutmeg May Seem Pretty Harmless...
In the 1800s, Connecticut peddlers would travel south to peddle goods made in small factories around the state. The best way to increase their profit margin was to slip a few pieces of prized nutmeg -- and a few fake wooden ones to match -- in their bag. It didn't take long to expose the fraud, earning us the nickname of the Nutmeg State, known by all as clever, if ethically challenged, people. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/4/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Life After Death: Science, Speculation And Skepticism
Life after death, in one form or another, has been examined by multiple disciplines for centuries: From theology, to physics, to philosophy, to medicine and more. But while the topic is taken seriously by some, it remains a focus of ridicule and skepticism by others.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/3/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Our Year Of Unexpected Outcomes
On May 2, 2016, with a 2-2 draw between Tottenham and Chelsea, Leicester City clinched the league title for the first time in their 132-year history. The BBC called it "one of the greatest sporting stories of all time." Leicester were 5,000-to-1 underdogs before the Premier League season started.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/2/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Climate Change Reporting, Gail Sheehy, Wax Worms
This weekend's Peoples Climate March against the Trump Administration's rollback of Obama era environmental policies coincided with more alarming news about arctic melt, rising oceans, and the EPA's removal of climate science information.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/30/2017 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose Has Seen Nine Concerts, One Lie, And '13 Reasons Why'
"13 Reasons Why" is the new Netflix series based on Jay Asher's book. In it, one of the main characters, a teenager, has killed herself before the narrative begins. As such, the show has been called, for one thing, "dangerous." The Nose weighs in.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/28/2017 • 42 minutes, 2 seconds
A Big, Dumb Paean To Big, Dumb Action Movies
The "Fast and Furious" franchise includes eight feature films and two short films, and it looks like it's about to include a series of spinoff films. It's Universal Pictures's highest-grossing film franchise with a combined box office nearing $5 billion.Uhh, how did that happen?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/27/2017 • 41 minutes, 39 seconds
The Mystery And Legend Of Gangsters
Al Capone told everyone who asked him what he did for a living that he was a "property owner and taxpayer in Chicago." He was really a powerful multimillionaire in 1920s Chicago who made money from the illegal sale of alcohol during Prohibition and the vices that usually accompanied it: gambling and prostitution.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/26/2017 • 39 minutes, 41 seconds
Cities That Changed The World: Mapping History's Hubs Of Innovation
In looking to our past, a curious trend appears. A vast amount of mankind's great accomplishments in art, music, science, technology and language seem to emerge from a relatively small number of cities: Athens, Hangzhou, Florence, Rome, Calcutta, Vienna, and Silicon Valley-- just to name a few.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/25/2017 • 41 minutes, 34 seconds
The Scramble Looks At The French Election And More
The world is riveted by the presidential election in France, which seems to be at the epicenter of clashing ideological forces vying to shape the future of Western democracy. All we know for sure after Sunday's first round of voting is that the May 7 winner will not be a Socialist. For the first time in 59 years, France chose two candidates outside the mainstream parties to advance to the final run-off in May. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/24/2017 • 42 minutes
The Nose Bids Adieu To Bill O'Reilly
Bill O'Reilly is out at Fox News. Serena Williams is pregnant. Melania Trump: photographer. And "Girls" is over.It's been another weird week, and The Nose is on it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/21/2017 • 41 minutes, 59 seconds
The Official Public Radio Guide To Polyamory
If there's one thing we've never been good at, it's limiting ourselves. We eat too much junk food, watch too much TV, and engage in all manner of self-indulgence. So why then, do we continue to adhere to the limitations of monogamy? If love is so grand, why not celebrate a lifestyle which encourages loving multiple partners?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/20/2017 • 41 minutes, 58 seconds
Live From Watkinson School: It's A Very Exciting Time To Be A Word!
When this forum was originally scheduled, it was intended as a conversation about how our language is changing. Example, the idiom "woke" or "#woke" has a very keen set of meanings to one group and flies by another. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/19/2017 • 41 minutes, 57 seconds
The Serious, Subversive (And Sometimes Shocking) History Of Cartoons
Its been over 100 years since the first cartoons were drawn by hand. Since then, the genre has delved into everything from sex and drugs to racial inequality and war crimes. Even the tamest, G-rated cartoons have often found ways of slipping in adult humor past the eyes of younger viewers.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/18/2017 • 41 minutes, 50 seconds
The Scramble: Taxes, The Trump Chicken, Sean Spicer
Presidential press secretaries usually keep a low profile. They don't typically try to control the room or get defensive or mean with reporters. They don't typically break news or become the butt of jokes on late-night TV. They don't typically perpetuate information proven to be untrue and then assume a threatening manner when asked to support the claim. In short, Sean Spicer is a press secretary like few we've seen before. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/17/2017 • 42 minutes, 13 seconds
The All-Star Nose Flies United
When Dr. David Dau "refused to volunteer" to give up his seat on United Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville earlier this week, aviation police forcibly "re-accommodated" him. And then we had what was maybe the first news cycle since the election that wasn't led by politics.The Nose finally gets to weigh in, and it's an all-star Nose at that: Rebecca Castellani, Kinky Friedman, and Mellini Kantayya make up the panel.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/14/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Are You Cracking Under The Weight Of Your Political Stress?
The American Psychological Association says the 2016 presidential election was a major source of stress for a majority of Americans regardless of political affiliation. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/13/2017 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
What's On The Other Side? What A World Without Walls Would Look Like
As the Department of Homeland Security collects plans for the US-Mexico border, the conversation is turning more towards how border walls don't work in keeping people out.This hour, we talk about what walls are effective in dividing: our psyches, our environments, and the populations around them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/12/2017 • 49 minutes, 40 seconds
Secret Governnment Mind Control Experiments (And Other Things Your Tax Dollars Paid For)
Over the years, our government has been involved in some pretty shady affairs. After eugenics and internment camps but before Watergate and Iran-Contra, came mind control. And just like the other ethically dubious projects mentioned, your tax dollars paid for it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/11/2017 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Scramble On Tyranny And Pandemics
Aspiring tyrants have long used disaster and terror to consolidate power and limit freedom. Hitler used the Reichstag fire to suspend the basic rights of all German citizens; more recently, Putin used the bombing of buildings in Russian cities to attack Russia's Muslim people in Chechnya.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/10/2017 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose Is In New Haven Today, You Hockey Pucks
It was kind of an odd week this week (as they all are). Kendall Jenner tried to save the world with a Pepsi. And then Barry Manilow came out at age 73. And then Don Rickles died at age 90.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/7/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Women Who Served In America's Fields
Herbert Hoover realized early in the 20th century that food was as important as bullets to win a war. After witnessing Belgians starve under the harsh treatment of Germany before World War I, he determined to never let that happen in America. So, when the men marched off to war in both World War I and again in World War II, the women marched out to the fields. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2017 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
The Multiplicity Of The Multiverse
There's a theory that ours isn't the only universe. That there are, actually, infinitely many universes.That there are, then, infinitely many yous.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/5/2017 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
Deconstructing 'Deconstructing "Sgt. Pepper's"'
It was 50 years ago today that The Beatles were in the studio working on the follow-up to their 1966 album, Revolver, and on June 1, 1967, they released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.Sgt. Pepper's has been called the beginning of the album era. In 2003, Rolling Stone ranked it #1 on their "500 Greatest Albums of All Time." It is the best-selling album of the 1960s.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/4/2017 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
The Scramble Talks To Cokie Roberts
The bad news is that the Trump Administration may be in for another rough week. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/3/2017 • 49 minutes, 36 seconds
The Nose Goes To S-Town
S-Town is the new, wimpily titled, seven-hour, non-fiction, southern gothic novel of a podcast that the folks behind Serial and This American Life released all at once this Tuesday, and The Nose has listened to the whole thing.Some of us even listened to it all at once this Tuesday.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/31/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Search For Civil Religion And America's Middle Ground
Tensions in America run deep. They exist between the right and the left, between the religious and the secular, and between the rich and the poor. And in recent years, tensions between the citizens at large and their elected officials -- which seem less responsive to the will of the people -- gave rise to a wave of populism like we've rarely seen before.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/30/2017 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Movies Get "Split Personalities" All Wrong
The movie "Split," by director M. Night Shyamalan, is the latest in a long line of movies that portray people with "split personalities" as either violent psychopaths or comic foils who exhibit dramatic changes in identity that don't reflect the subtle transitions that usually take between six and twelve years to properly diagnose. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/29/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Bracketology For Bookworms, 2017
This month, the nation turns its eyes to basketball, to college basketball, to its annual March Madness tournament.But... not quite all of the nation.Some of the nation is, well, nerdier than that.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/28/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: The Arts Are Essential
Conservative politicians love to cut funding for the arts: Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Newt Gingrich, and now, Donald Trump. The arts can't do anything tangible, like build a wall, or cure cancer. Too often, they fail the conservative litmus test for decency. Yet the arts are essential to our humanity, our hopes, and often, our healing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/27/2017 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The Nose Goes To 'Logan'
James "Logan" Howlett -- Wolverine -- is maybe the only X-Men character to appear in every adaptation of the franchise to date, including now nine feature films. Logan, though, is different from the eight movies that precede it in certain ways. It's R-rated. It contains many utterances of certain four-letter words. It's incredibly, and graphically, violent. It's maybe more of a neo-western set in the future than it's a comic book movie.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/24/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Cash Culture: The History (And Future?) Of Our Love For Paper Currency
As our society moves further away from paper currency, we pause to look back at the once predominant form of payment. Its look, its feel and its smell all hold a place in the collective consciousness of our nation's history.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/23/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Is Marijuana The Holy Grail Of Good Health?
Acceptance for medical marijuana is growing among people who swear by marijuana's power to relieve their ills. Older people are choosing marijuana for their aches and pains, parents are moving to states where marijuana is legal for children with seizure disorders, even pet owners are using pot to ease their pup's pain. It's currently legal in 28 states with several more on deck.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/22/2017 • 49 minutes, 34 seconds
The Scramble: Mayhem In The White House And Around The Globe
Donald Trump's White House is paranoid, tense and increasingly defined by turf battles between top advisors vying to promote their competing agendas. It has gotten so bad that Donald Trump has charged a group of senior aides with monitoring the loyalty of his Cabinet secretaries. The confusion shows and it's rattling America and our closest European and Asian allies.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/20/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Deals With 'Big Little Lies' And 'Feud'
David E. Kelley is the writer and producer behind "Picket Fences," "Ally McBeal," and "The Practice." Jean Marc-Vallée is the director of "The Young Victoria," "Dallas Buyers Club," and "Wild." Their new HBO show, "Big Little Lies," stars Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, and Laura Dern as feuding mothers in beautiful Monterey, California.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/17/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Our Eighth* Annual March Madness Show
Every year at this time, as you may have heard, there's a big-old basketball tournament that goes on. And every year at this time, people in offices and in firehouses and in Rotary Clubs and in Atlantic Cities and in Las Vegases enter bracket pools, where they try to win a big-old pile of ducats by predicting just exactly how said big-old basketball tournament will go.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Russia, Putin, And A War On Democracy
Mistrusting Russia is as American as apple pie. And as news breaks daily of Russia's ties to the Trump campaign, meddling in our recent election, and destabilization of democracies around the globe, that mistrust is growing even stronger.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/15/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The North Korea You Don't Know
Amidst the increasing concern over a nuclear armed North Korea, it's easy to forget the nearly 25 million citizens who live there. Their stories, while not matters of national security, do reveal valuable insights into the secretive nation they call home.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/14/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Asks What Really Happened In Yemen - And To Preet Bharara?
The Trump Administration said the January 29 raid in Yemen that left U.S. Navy SEAL Ryan Owens dead, along with ten Yemeni children and at least six women "was a very, very well thought out and executed effort."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/13/2017 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The Nose Is 'Crashing' New Haven
Here's a familiar formula: stand up comedian + television cameras = sitcom. And, ultimately, that's the math behind HBO's new series "Crashing" starring Pete Holmes and executive produced by Judd Apatow. This show is a little different, though, from things like "Louie" and "Seinfeld" (and a lot different from things like "Roseanne" and "Everybody Loves Raymond") in that it's actually about Holmes's (character's) fledgling stand up career.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/10/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What Would Rorschach Tell You About You?
The Rorschach inkblots are ubiquitous throughout culture. They've inspired visual artists from Warhol to Alan Moore, from Gnarls Barkley to Jay Z, to the Watchmen comics. The inkblots have also become a perfect metaphor for today's polarized, relativist world. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/8/2017 • 49 minutes, 34 seconds
Democracy in the Public Square
The Tragedy of the Commons follows the theory that people can't be trusted to take care of common property without degrading it or taking more than their fair share of resources. This idea was popularized by William Forster Lloyd, who published a pamphlet in 1833 using cow herders to prove that people couldn't be trusted to share our common resources wisely. He believed property should be owned privately.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/8/2017 • 48 minutes, 12 seconds
UFOs In American Culture: A History Of Intrigue And Denial
UFOs have been reported in America since the 1600s. And in all that time our government has largely dismissed the objects as being of Earthly origin. But this culture of dismissal in the U.S. is not indicative of how sightings are handled around the world. Some foreign governments readily discuss the possibility of extraterrestrials having visited Earth, and others go so far as to openly support the possibility.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2017 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble: Wiretapping And Reductions In Protective Regulations And EPA Budget
President Donald Trump claimed former President Barack Obama wiretapped Trump Tower during the 2016 presidential campaign in a series of tweets Saturday morning. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/6/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Gets Out
The number-one movie in America this week is a horror-comedy with a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This might be the first week that that's ever been true in the history of Rotten Tomatoes, horrors, comedies, and America. Jordan Peele's Get Out has been called "the satirical horror movie we've been waiting for, a mash-up of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? and The Stepford Wives that's more fun than either and more illuminating, too." The Nose weighs in.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/3/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Our World Of Faustian Bargains
The Faust myth comes from a German folktale that's centuries old. But does a day of your life go by where you don't hear someone invoking the "I'd sell my soul for x" cliche?Just look at coffee Twitter every morning.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/2/2017 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
Treason!
Of all the crimes defined by law, only one is mentioned in the U.S. Constitution: Treason! This distinction, however, was not meant to deter dissent, but rather to protect it. Knowing well how England had levied the charge against those whose voices they found subversive, our founders sought to ensure the citizens of their newly formed nation would always be free to disagree with the government.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/1/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
A Conversation With Sam Waterston
Sam Waterston says he's been been lucky to have good fortune in his career and personal life. He's been nominated multiple times for Emmy, Academy, and Tony Awards and he won Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards for performances playing men whose moral compass points north. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/28/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Frank Rich, The Underground Railroad and The Oscars
Culture icon Frank Rich joins Colin to talk about the subtle, or not-so-subtle war for our culture, from Trump's promise to avoid the White House Correspondents' Dinner to last night's Academy Awards. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/27/2017 • 49 minutes, 35 seconds
The Noscars! Live From Cinestudio
Join us on the Trinity College campus in Hartford Friday at 1:00 pm as The Nose picks apart this year's Oscar contest live at Cinestudio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/24/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Mysterious (And Misunderstood?) Melania Trump
Melania Trump is in many ways a first: The first First Lady to have arrived as an immigrant, the first to have been born in a communist country, and the first to be the 3rd wife of a president. She is not the first, however, to show signs of reluctance towards embracing the role of FLOTUS.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/23/2017 • 49 minutes, 23 seconds
Shyness Is Not For The Faint Of (Their Racing) Heart
I once took guitar lessons with a small group of people who met two nights a week in the basement of a local elementary school. We spent most of each lesson practicing in little nooks and crannies we each carved out in the old room. I enjoyed picking out tunes in my own little corner at my own pace. It was all going so smoothly until... the instructor mentioned the final "concert."I lost sleep by night, fretted by day, and practiced a lot before forcing myself to show up on the scheduled night. But a funny thing happened: no one else showed up beside me and the instructor. I'm not sure what made me happier - that I showed up, that I got off the hook, or that I had an otherwise pleasant experience that was calm and not rushed.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/22/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Goes To Russia
Republicans in Congress said little when Donald Trump's ban on immigrants led to chaos, they ignored widespread protest against his cabinet picks, and they still fail to call out statements that are untrue. Save for a scattered voice of dissent in Republican ranks, the GOP seems unruffled by Donald Trump's behavior as president - except when it comes to Russia. John McCain is turning into Trump's fiercest critic where most others fear to tread. Is this his moment to be a hero?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/21/2017 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
An Evening With Jon Meacham
Many Americans were surprised by the results of the presidential election last month. During the early morning hours of November 9, half of America celebrated the ascension of the man (and not the first woman) that championed the needs of Americans who felt betrayed by those in power. The other half feared the election of a man with no experience in government and a stated desire to dismantle much of President Obama’s legacy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/20/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose On 'O. J.: Made In America'
New York magazine's Will Leitch has called ESPN's documentary O. J.: Made in America a masterpiece, and now it's nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary -- Feature category. The Nose watched all seven hours and 45 minutes of it, and it's all we're going to be talking about this week.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/17/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Snip
Whether you're a man or a woman, if you're of reproductive age, vasectomies matter to you.Are you a man who can't wait to get your vasectomy? Or does the very thought make you cringe? Are you a woman urging your man to get one?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/16/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Live From Watkinson School: The Legacy Of Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson is, in many regards, the perfect musical artist for this moment. We need, for a dozen different reasons, the sweetness and sun of his best-known music. But what makes him more relevant is that undercurrent of melancholy which grew more and more prominent as his music grew less commercial. Who in 2017 does not identify with "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times," a song he wrote and recorded 51 years ago?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/15/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Do You Think Your Heart Is Healthy?
This is a rebroadcast of our February 17, 2016 show on hearts. February is heart awareness month.Heart disease is still the biggest killer in the United States, even though fewer people die from from heart attack and cardiac arrest than ever before.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/14/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
It's A Two-Egg Scramble!
Democracy is so deeply rooted in American life that it’s hard to imagine another way of governing. But we may be living through through one of the most dangerous challenges to our democracy in a very long time.The challenge won’t be obvious. We may not even know it’s happening because little will change...The economy will still grow, unemployment will stay low, we’ll still speak freely and hold elections.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/13/2017 • 49 minutes, 21 seconds
50 Years of Boldly Going
At 8:30 pm on Thursday, September 8, 1966, NBC aired the premiere of a new series called "Star Trek". The episode was "The Man Trap." The star date was 1513.1, in case you're interested in that kind of thing.I am not interested in that kind of thing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/10/2017 • 41 minutes, 57 seconds
An Hour With Ira (Glass)
Ira Glass -- host of This American Life, creator of Serial, professional dancer -- used our show as his prime example in "a principled defense of fun on public radio." And then he called the kind of failure that we aim for many days of each week "where you'll find the future."We want to know more about all that stuff.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/9/2017 • 40 minutes, 34 seconds
The Opposition Party
We've been told to keep our mouths shut. We're not gonna do that.But where it gets complicated is that The Colin McEnroe Show... has a point of view. Colin has a point of view, and the show has a point of view, in a way that the public radio universe around us maybe isn't used to.And in a world where objectively bad things happen side-by-side with subjectively bad things seemingly every day, our job just got a whole bunch more complicated.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/8/2017 • 48 minutes, 16 seconds
Is Beauty In The Eye Of The Beholder?
I find great joy in walking in the dead of winter along the river trail near my house. Everything leaves my mind as I watch the Canadian geese take flight, their wings flapping together as they lift and swoop over my head. I'm in awe of their beauty.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/7/2017 • 41 minutes, 26 seconds
The Scramble: How Close Are We To Constitutional Crisis?
On Friday night, U.S. District Judge James Robart ordered a nationwide stay on President Trump's week-old executive order barring refugees and immigrants from seven countries from entering the U.S. His ruling was broad and did not rule on whether the order was constitutional.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/6/2017 • 42 minutes, 6 seconds
The New Haven Nose Prays For Arnold's Ratings
"Sneaky Pete" is a new show on Amazon Prime created by Bryan Cranston and David Shore (who created "House M.D."). Giovanni Ribisi plays a con man (whose name is not Pete, you see) who gets out of jail and moves to Trumbull, Conn., to live with Pete's grandparents (who are not his own grandparents, you see -- even though they don't know that). And then it gets more complicated from there.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/3/2017 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
It's About Time We Talked About Time
Have you ever woken in the middle of the night, looked at the clock, and noticed that it's the same time you woke up the night before - and the night before that? How does your body know what time it is? You're not sure but the passage of minutes makes you worry that if you don't get back to sleep, you'll be too tired in the morning to get your work done on time. You can't get back to sleep. The minutes are ticking. You feel the pressure of the clock bearing down on you. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/2/2017 • 49 minutes, 34 seconds
The Romance Of The North
It's cold, snowy winter times like this that make us question why we choose to live in a place where snow, sleet, and wind define one-third of the year. It's a great excuse to complain, but does it also make us stronger and better people?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/1/2017 • 48 minutes, 20 seconds
The Dark (And Not So Ancient) History Of American Eugenics
The eugenics movement of the early twentieth century is a dark chapter in our nation's history. And while we may think of it as a practice we've long since abandoned, the truth is a bit more complicated.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/31/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Trump's Executive Orders on Immigration and Bannon
President Donald Trump issued an executive order Friday indefinitely barring Syrian refugees from entering the United States. He also suspended all refugee admissions for 120 days, and blocked citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen - from entering the country for 90 days. Chaos ensued, lawsuits were filed, and people protested nationwide against Trump for the second time since his Inauguration. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/30/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Goes To The Vatican With Jude Law
HBO's new limited series "The Young Pope" gives us Jude Law as the Pope. A young one, you see. On the face of it, and in its previews and trailers and such, the show seems... ridiculous? Is maybe the right word? Or maybe it just seems sort of Twin Peaksian, but set at the Vatican. Of course, ridiculous vs. Twin Peaksian is kind of a fine -- and super important -- distinction.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/27/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Enduring Legacy of Ayn Rand
There has been a surge of interest in the writings of Ayn Rand in the last decade, including from Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, President Donald Trump and several of his cabinet picks.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/26/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The White Disenfranchisement Narrative
The narrative goes like this: For decades, white America has increasingly been left behind. The nation's culture and politics have steadily shifted to favor minorities and immigrants over the hard working white folk struggling to stay afloat.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/25/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Which Dystopia Is It Anyway?
So, it turns out the world didn't end last week.And while it might seem like the events of the last year or so are the disease, maybe they're really just the symptoms; maybe they're really just signs of the dystopia around us.But, then: Which dystopia?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/24/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: President Trump Gaslights Us And Blames The Media; The Women's March
President Donald Trump made clear on the first day of his presidency that he intends to undermine the press. He sent Press Secretary Sean Spicer to use the power of his pulpit to deliberately deceive the public about the size of the crowd at Friday's Inauguration. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/23/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Philosophy and Psychology of A-Holery
Jerks. Jackasses. A-holes. Some people are just... the worst. Aren't they? But so: Why? And what do we do about it?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/19/2017 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
An Assessment Of Accessibility
"Accessibility" is a word that we maybe too quickly file away as having something to do with the disabled or something like that. But it's really about "designing all products and the built environment to be aesthetic and usable to the greatest extent possible by everyone, regardless of their age, ability, or status in life."It's about seeing the world around us as for everyone, all at once.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/19/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
We're In The Final Days of Sanity. Are You Ready?
Inauguration Day is here. In a few short days, President Obama will transfer what remains of his power to Donald Trump. Some are elated, others afraid.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/18/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
If You Hate Political Gridlock, Blame The Constitution
The plane that crashed in a Pennsylvania field on 9/11 was likely headed for the U.S. Capitol. Had it hit its intended target and disabled - not killed - multiple members of Congress, we wouldn't be able to look to the Constitution for answers on how to prevent the resulting chaos. It simply doesn't address it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/17/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Protest Music: Then and Now
Music can be a powerful, transformative tool in the quest for social change. Protest songs are the songs associated with a particular movement. Earlier this month, Janelle Monáe and Wondaland produced the searing protest song "Hell You Talmbout." Nearly seven minutes long, it's a tribute to a long list of black men and women lost, and has been performed alongside protesters at Black Lives Matter rallies.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/13/2017 • 49 minutes
The Nose Goes To 'La La Land'
Damien Chazelle's big musical La La Land won a record seven awards at this year's Golden Globes. The New York Times says the movie "makes musicals matter again." Colin, on the other hand, calls it "a really terrific, creative, big budget Prius commercial." The Nose gets into it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/13/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Spielberg At 70
Jaws, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones. Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan. Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. And the list goes on.Steven Spielberg is very simply the most successful filmmaker in the history of filmmaking.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/12/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Trump, Russia, And An Overdue Press Conference: A Deep Dive Into The Day's News
It's been over 160 days since Donald Trump last gave a press conference. On Wednesday, as he holds his first as President-elect, questions abound regarding the type of president he'll be.Certainly Trump's cabinet picks, promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and remarks on nuclear weapons will be among the many items asked about. But whether he gives clear, informed answers rather than the off-script, stream of consciousness he's become known for remains to be seen.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/11/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Human Guinea Pigs Are So Unappreciated
Do you ever think about the people who make sure the medicine you're taking is safe for you to take? If your like most of us, probably not. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/10/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Hitler, Michelle Obama, Trump's Cabinet
His followers were “impressionable voters” duped by “radical doctrines and quack remedies,” claimed The Washington Post. Now that Hitler actually had to operate within a government the “sober” politicians would “submerge” this movement, according to The New York Times and Christian Science Monitor. A “keen sense of dramatic instinct” was not enough. When it came to time to govern, his lack of “gravity” and “profundity of thought” would be exposed.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/9/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nighttime Nose Goes To 'Manchester By The Sea'
Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea just won three awards at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards (which Colin attended, because he's a big fancypants) on Tuesday night. And it's nominated for five Golden Globes, including Best Picture -- Drama. So The Nose went to see what all the fuss is about.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/5/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Virtual Reality: Big Business Or Empty Promise?
To say virtual reality is finally here is inaccurate -- it's been here for decades. What is finally here is the right combination of low cost, high powered computing necessary for the technology to shine. And with the stage set for a revolution in how we interact with the digital world, businesses and investors are taking notice.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/5/2017 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Vin Baker's Journey from Basketball to Barista
Vin Baker was an Olympic basketball player and four-time NBA All Star. The journey from University of Hartford to professional basketball got him rich quick, but it was a lifestyle he couldn't keep up with.Baker's struggle with alcoholism is well-documented, as is the fact he blew through $100 million. He lost his home and restaurant.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/4/2017 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble Exposes the Long Game of Putin
Molly McKew says the liberal world order of democratic values is unraveling. In its place, Vladimir Putin is building a new world order with the primary goal of weakening America and NATO. He's waging a quiet war of subversion rather than domination and we've been slow to catch on. Yet, we see it all around us in Americans loss of faith in its democratic institutions. Is a new Cold War what America needs? We're already in the war - whether we want it or not. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/3/2017 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Audacity of Hoop
While basketball didn't take up residence in the White House in January 2009, the game nonetheless played an outsized role in forming the man who did, according to Sports Illustrated's Alexander Wolff, author of The Audacity of Hoop: Basketball and the Age of Obama.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/2/2017 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Hour With Dick Cavett
Clive James called Dick Cavett one of the great intellectuals who shaped the 20th century. Cavett combined wit with serious discussion for ninety-minutes each night as host of The Dick Cavett Show, welcoming a staggering roster of cultural icons that spanned the worlds of art, culture, literature, music, and politics: Groucho Marx, Laurence Olivier, Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Richard Burton, Orson Welles, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Noel Coward, Salvador Dali, Ingmar Bergman, Mel Brooks, Mort Sahl, Angela Davis, Marlon Brando, Katherine Hepburn, Carol Burnett...the list goes on. Even today, no one comes close - not even Stephen Colbert.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/30/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
"Big Al" Anderson and Jim Chapdelaine's Rockin' 2016 Year-End Special!
For the third year in a row, "Big Al" Anderson and Jim Chapdelaine sing some songs and tell some stories as we usher out 2016. Anyone in the WNPR newsrooom who isn't still home for the holidays will become for one day only, the Dankosky Tabernacle Choir and sing their hearts out after such a tumultuous year.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Are You Smarter Than an Octopus?
The octopus has always been the stuff of spine-tingling legend, like that of the Kraken, the many-armed sea monster believed to drag ships to the bottom of the sea after dining on the crew. Or Gertie the Pus, the giant Pacific octopus that lives under the Narrows Bridge connecting Tacoma, Washington to Gig Harbor.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/28/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Who Created the Best Jazz of 2016?
Every year, an all-star panel of musicians and critics join the show to go through a painfully short list of the best jazz of the year. Will this year be vocalist-heavy? Any repeat winners, or any newcomers? Is there an overall sound to the year?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/27/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
How Likely Is An Asteroid Apocalypse?
Scientists say that the asteroid that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia four years ago was a rare event, unlikely to happen more than every 100 -200 years. But a research in the scientific journal Nature said the earth should expect and plan to get hit by Chelyabinsk-sized asteroids more often - maybe every decade or two! And we thought the election was rough. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/26/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
2016's Final Nose Goes Rogue (One)
Rogue One is the eighth live-action Star Wars movie. It's the first movie in the Star Wars anthology series, and its story happens between Star Wars Episodes III and IV, which is to say that it happens just before the very first Star Wars movie.Confused yet? That's okay. We'll explain.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/23/2016 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
Being Prepared: Boy Scouts in the 21st Century
Everybody knows the Boy Scouts. They're the scouts who don't sell cookies. (That's the Girl Scouts.) But for more than a century the Boy Scouts have been an organization devoted to, in their own words, keeping boys "physically fit, mentally awake, and morally straight."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/22/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
I Want To Follow Jesus But...Can You Hold the Religion?
Donald Trump's election last month was the culmination of a venom-filled campaign that was nastier than almost any in recent memory. The mean-spirited comments tossed to voters eager to "lock her up" fell just shy of the malicious rhetoric coming from Thomas Jefferson's presidential campaign in 1796. Jefferson's hatchet-man called John Adams a "hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/21/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
How Streaming Music Redefined an Industry
The way we listen to music has been changing for years: iPods replaced Walkmans, playlists replaced albums, and streaming services replaced shopping for music altogether. And as our listening habits have changed, so has the business of being a musician.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/20/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Trump, More Trump, and Zsa Zsa
The Voice of America is a U.S.- funded and independent source of news that airs in societies that don't have a free press. Last week, Congress decided to shift oversight from an independent board to one person chosen by the president. President Obama embraced the shift from an unwieldy part-time advisory board to a professional CEO. Do we trust Donald Trump, a man who has threatened to change libel laws to better control the U.S. press, with this responsibility?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/19/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
It's Up to The Nose to Deal With Donye
In case you missed it, there was a major summit in Manhattan earlier this week, a meeting of the minds at Trump Tower: Kanye West went to see the President-elect.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/16/2016 • 41 minutes, 12 seconds
The Official Public Radio Guide to Polyamory
If there's one thing we've never been good at, it's limiting ourselves. We eat too much junk food, watch too much T.V., and engage in all manner of self-indulgence. So why then, do we continue to adhere to the limitations of monogamy? If love is so grand, why not celebrate a lifestyle which encourages loving multiple partners?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/15/2016 • 41 minutes, 36 seconds
A Long Look at the Electoral College
Electoral College.There's a pair of words you've maybe heard once or twice recently.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/14/2016 • 42 minutes
A Conversation With Connecticut's Wally Lamb
Felix Funicello walks into the historic Garde Arts Center in New London to prepare for his Monday night film class. He takes a moment to appreciate the splendor of the old building and consider the talented performers who have played at the Garde. He then climbs the staircase lined with movie posters from films as far back as 1926 to enter the production room at the top of the landing. That's where Felix finds not one, but two ghosts. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/13/2016 • 41 minutes, 17 seconds
ALS as a Test of Faith: a Conversation with Nancy Butler
Nancy Butler was first touched by God while listening to bible stories at the Methodist bible camp she attended when she was nine-years-old. By the end of the week, she was ready to give her life to God, first through through daily prayer and bible readings, later by founding one of the first inclusive evangelical churches that welcomed everyone regardless of sexual orientation. God became the center of her life - but she kept it private from others. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/12/2016 • 41 minutes, 40 seconds
The New Haven Nose Beholds 'Moonlight'
My mom liked Moonlight. She compares it favorably to other movies she's liked like Brokeback Mountain. But she's not sure that she left the theater a different person from when she went in, that she was transformed by the movie, that it is transcendent.And so: Is it good enough to merely like a movie that the zeitgeist says is a masterpiece?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/9/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Multiplicity of the Multiverse
There's a theory that ours isn't the only universe. That there are, actually, infinitely many universes.That there are, then, infinitely many yous.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/8/2016 • 49 minutes, 8 seconds
Forget Gustave. There Was a Woman Behind the First Flight
Gustave Whitehead became a household name in Connecticut in 2013 when the editor of the highly-respected aviation magazine IHS Jane's All the World's Aircraft, declared Gustave Whitehead had been treated "shabbily by history." This comment came after Australian historian John Brown found a picture of a plane he alleged Gustave Whitehead flew in Bridgeport two years before the Wright brothers got their 1903 Flyer off the ground. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/7/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
A Show About Nothing (Really!)
Why is there something rather than nothing? This has been described as perhaps the most sublime philosophical question of all. Today, on The Colin McEnroe Show, we answer it. But as we do, we realize that it's not just a philosophical quandary; it's a scientific, cultural, and theological one as well.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/6/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Trump, Carson, and Standing Rock
Donald Trump will make an announcement on December 15 that he will leave his business "in total" to focus on the presidency. This will likely mean he is transferring management responsibilities to three of his five children: Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric. But a transfer may be nearly impossible, given the wide-ranging and deep entanglements Trump's children have in his business. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/5/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
An Evening With Jon Meacham
Many Americans were surprised by the results of the presidential election last month. During the early morning hours of November 9, half of America celebrated the ascension of the man (and not the first woman) that championed the needs of Americans who felt betrayed by those in power. The other half feared the election of a man with no experience in government and a stated desire to dismantle much of President Obama’s legacy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/2/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Beyond Words
Imagine if you couldn't speak and had no capacity for learning language as we know it. You couldn't choose words to communicate your feelings and desires and needs. You wouldn't know words that help others understand the world in which you live.This isn't like vacationing in a country that speaks a different language where the words are different but still convey universal concepts. It's so difficult to understand a world without words, that we block the signals sending us non-verbal cues every day. This is completely foreign to most of us. What would you do? How would you communicate? How would you survive? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/1/2016 • 48 minutes, 32 seconds
Adventures in Solitude: Two Tales of Life in Isolation
As social creatures we know that isolation can be emotionally difficult, but research shows that it can be psychologically damaging as well. So why then, would anyone live this way by choice? This hour, we hear two such cases of isolated living. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/30/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Philosophy and Psychology of A-Holery
Jerks. Jackasses. A-holes. Some people are just... the worst. Aren't they? But so: Why? And what do we do about it?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The Scramble Wonders: How Can We Respond to Hate Speech?
The charged language used by President-elect Donald Trump this election season may have emboldened people with open hostility toward blacks, gay people, Muslims, Mexicans, Jews, and women.How do we respond to incidents of hate and people who feel emboldened to hate? How do we teach our children to respond? How do we begin to see bigotry through a wider lens?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/28/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Starts to Come to Terms with a President Donald Trump
For the last 18 months, we've kind of all seen Donald Trump's possible presidency as, well, implausible. As funny on its face. But guess what. It's a real thing that's going to actually happen.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/23/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Visceral Voting: The Psychology Behind Picking a Politician
Why do we vote the way we do? The easy answer, of course, is that we pick the politician whose values, beliefs and opinions most closely resemble our own. But while that does play a part, there are other, less obvious influences as well.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/22/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble Has Some Questions About Our New Trumpian Reality
Colin is back, and we've got some questions, and we're guessing you do too.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/21/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Final Frontier or the Glass Ceiling: The Legacy of Women in NASA
As the men of Apollo 11 returned home to ticker tape parades, the women who made their journey possible worked quietly behind the scenes. Since its founding in 1958, NASA has been heavily reliant on the skills of such women, many of whom have gone unrecognized for their bravery and hard work.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/18/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Westerns: American Mythology or Cultural History?
There are few genres of entertainment more American than the Western. But for a genre so steeped in the iconography of our past, its accuracy in portraying historical event leaves much to be desired. Many argue that the Western is more myth than reality, and that this myth is akin to revisionist history.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/17/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Ode to the Sun (Listen, Don't Stare!)
What can you say about the sun? It sits not only at the center of our solar system but has, over time, been at the center of religions, scriptures, songs, art and countless other aspects of our culture.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/16/2016 • 49 minutes, 19 seconds
The Art of the Audiobook
What makes a great audiobook? What makes a great audiobook narrator? (And, for that matter, what makes a not-so-great audiobook and audiobook narrator?)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/15/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble: The Media and the Election, Chappelle Returns to TV, and R.I.P. Leon Russell
You may have heard there was an election last week. You may have heard that the outcome... surprised some people. You may have heard that the press made some mistakes, here and there, in its coverage.This hour, we look at this election season's media winners and losers.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/14/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
You Want Me to Eat What?! An Examination of Disgust
Okay, this show comes with a trigger warning.We talk about things people eat, and some of those things are not for the squeamish. This is a conversation about disgust, and specifically, how our reflexive response of disgust may get in the way of things we probably need to think about doing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/11/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
An Evening With Patti Smith
Patti Smith wasn't seeking fame when she landed in Manhattan in 1969. She was a fan of the greats of the day - like Dylan, Mapplethorpe, Pollock, Ginsberg - who she followed and emulated, hoping to find her own creative space next to those she most admired. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/10/2016 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Uh. Well. The Election Is Over.
The one thing we knew for sure was that by the time we got to today, yesterday would be over.And it is.And we have a new President-elect.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/9/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Election Day STILL Makes Me Happy
We're all a little tired of this election. I vacillate between excitement, fear, anger, fatigue - sometimes all in the same hour. What will become of the country after this election?Will we accept the results? Will there be 'revolution?' Will Congress come together to legislate in the best interests of the country? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/8/2016 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Scramble: Can America Recover Her Reputation?
American democracy is limping to the finish line this election week, dehydrated and injured from many stumbles during this race. Can it recover before Americans lose faith that America has the will or ability to help them? Can it recover before foreign friends and foes alike lose faith in America's sanity and stability? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/7/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Richard Dreyfuss, Live from TheaterWorks
He's an Academy Award winner, a Golden Globe winner, a BAFTA Award winner.He's the star of American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, What About Bob?, Mr. Holland's Opus, W., Madoff, and many more movies and TV shows.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/4/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
To Catch a Burglar
George Leonidas Leslie robbed the Manhattan Savings Institution of $3 million in 1878. At the time, it was considered one of the safest buildings in the world. He made detailed models of the bank and its vault from blueprints he charmed from a bank employee. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/2/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The North Korea You Don't Know
Amidst the increasing concern over a nuclear armed North Korea, it's easy to forget the nearly 25 million citizens who live there. Their stories, while not matters of national security, do reveal valuable insights into the secretive nation they call home.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: The End (of This Election) Is Near
FBI Director James B. Comey wrote in a Friday memo to Congressional leaders that "the FBI has learned of the existence of emails that appear to be pertinent to the investigation" of Hillary Clinton's use of a personal email server. The memo sparked a firestorm that rages hotter by the day, resisting all attempts to contain its damage. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/31/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose on the New Leonard Cohen and The Run-Up's Trump Tapes
Leonard Cohen's 14th studio album, You Want It Darker, dropped last Friday. Coupled with a new David Remnick profile of Cohen in The New Yorker, the reviews have been pretty gushing. The Nose's take isn't quite as one-note.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/28/2016 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
An Hour With Ira (Glass)
Ira Glass -- host of This American Life, creator of Serial, professional dancer -- used our show as his prime example in "a principled defense of fun on public radio." And then he called the kind of failure that we aim for many days of each week "where you'll find the future."We want to know more about all that stuff.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/27/2016 • 41 minutes, 28 seconds
The Mystery and Legend of Gangsters
Al Capone told everyone who asked him what he did for a living that he was a "property owner and taxpayer in Chicago." He was really a powerful multimillionaire in 1920's Chicago who made money from the illegal sale of alcohol during Prohibition and the vices that usually accompanied it: gambling and prostitution.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/26/2016 • 41 minutes, 29 seconds
Good Bulldozer, Bad Bulldozer
Everybody loves a bulldozer. In fact, we all grew up loving bulldozers, didn't we? From Benny the Bulldozer to Katy and her big snow, from all the Tonka toys to all the die cast model Caterpillars, the bulldozer is more of an icon in American popular culture than we maybe realize.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/25/2016 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Why Do We Do the Things We Do?
Against Everything is a book about self-improvement. Before you tune out, I ask you to challenge your notion of 'self-improvement.' Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/24/2016 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Is Glad It Wasn't Invited to the Al Smith Dinner
It's just by happenstance that we ran into three short films this week that are both remarkable and newly available online. One of them is really something, and because of that, you have to figure, it won this year's Oscar for Best Live Action Short. One of them is merely clever and well done. And the last is an animated short that will utterly defy your expectations of an animated short.And the best part is: You can watch all three of them in just 27 minutes.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/21/2016 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
The Debates Are Over!
Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump met in Las Vegas last night for their third and final debate before the November 8 election. "I will look at it at the time. I'm not looking at anything now...I'll keep you in suspense. Okay?" This was Donald Trump's response to Chris Wallace asking if he would honor the outcome of the election. His answer is unprecedented in the history of American politics. His answer dismisses the privilege Americans enjoy by the seemingly benign transfer of power that occurs with each presidential election. Stop for a moment and think about the violence in countries where people die to vote or where their vote doesn't matter because a leader won't step down. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/20/2016 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
Little House Libertarians
A lot of you reading this are familiar with the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder because you watched the popular "Little House on the Prairie" television show that ran from 1974-1983.But the television show came long after Laura Ingalls Wilder began sharing the story of her family's journey through the open frontier. She shared her memories in a series of beloved Little House books that spanned a life of pioneering both before and after the government declared the frontier closed. She speaks in simple and intimate prose of everyday life that fascinated millions of young readers who wanted to live like Laura. Fans today still want to believe in the absolute truth of every word. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/19/2016 • 41 minutes, 21 seconds
Jesters and Fools: A History of Wit and Whimsey
History and literature are filled with their antics. From the Renaissance's Triboulet to Shakespeare's Feste from "Twelfth Night," jesters and fools have delighted us for centuries with their subversive humor and quick wit. But while comedy was their brand, there existed hardships for these characters as well.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/17/2016 • 40 minutes, 59 seconds
The Scramble: Trump's Conspiracy Theories Threaten Democracy
Donald Trump spent the recent days creating an alternate reality filled with 'global conspiracies' against him he claims are led by Hillary Clinton and the global elite. This is in response to several women who came forward last week to accuse Donald Trump of sexually harassing and/or assaulting them after a 2005 tape was released on which Trump was bragging about how easy it was for him to "grab" women as he pleased. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/17/2016 • 41 minutes, 18 seconds
The Nose Goes to the Theater
We've never sent a Nose panel to a play before. So this week, we figured we'd try it out. So we've all gone to see Steve Martin's world premiere at the Long Wharf in New Haven: Meteor Shower.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/14/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Live From Watkinson: Honey, We Broke The Democracy
I wasn't sure anyone would show up for a live, on-stage discussion about this year's election. I mean, no one's starving for content about this. We're all bombarded. But show up, they did! We got about 200 people and packed the amphitheater, and I think that says something about our basic human need to be together as bodies, talking and relating in a very humanly embodied way, especially in these troubling days. I should tell you that we taped this right before the hot mic incident and all that followed. It was a more innocent time. But everything we said still holds.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/13/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Wonders and Curiosities of the Modern World
If Anthony Bourdain and Wes Anderson were to ever collaborate, chances are they'd end up creating something like Atlas Obscura. The founders of the website -- dedicated to strange, forgotten and hidden wonders around the world -- are now out with a new book featuring 700 of their most spectacular examples.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/12/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Trump Supporters Tell Us What We're Missing About Their Man
The job of the media is to inform voters on views and behaviors that relay how a political candidate will behave once elected to office. Fair and honest treatment does not necessarily lead to equal coverage. In the case of Donald Trump, it can lead to asymmetrical coverage of a candidate whose behavior appears to undermine the standards of democratic discourse. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/11/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Are Debates Still Relevant?
Everyone was wondering how Donald Trump would handle the 2005 tape of him talking with Billy Bush about sexually-assaulting women because "you can do anything" when you're a star. Republican support wavered this weekend under the strength of the video, with many Republicans in Congress calling for Trump to relinquish his spot at the top of the GOP ticket.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/10/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Goes to Kim and Kanye Westworld
HBO's new 10-episode western sci-fi thriller remake of the 1973 movie "Westworld" took an awfully long time and a big old pile of money to see the light of day. But it looks like it might've been worth it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Neonaticide Is an Act of Desperation
Neonaticide is a hard concept for most of us to wrap our heads around. Yet, the CDC estimates that "a baby born in the United States is ten times more likely to be killed during its first day than at any other time of life. And for the first week, a baby's killer is likely to be its mother."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/6/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Live (on Tape) From the Peabody!
In the more than six years that it's been on the air, we've never taken The Colin McEnroe Show to the Peabody Museum before. (Crazy, right?) And: In the more than six years that it's been on the air, we've never done a Colin McEnroe Show about dinosaurs before. (Crazy! Right!?)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/5/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
It's the Breast Day of the Week!
Marie Antoinette's breasts were believed to inspire the design of the shallow French champagne coupes we see on the shelves of the local Pottery Barn. Mae West noted in her 1959 memoir, Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It, that she regularly rubbed cocoa butter on her breasts and spritzed them with cold water.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble Is Being Audited
Donald Trump's horrible, terrible week got worse after the New York Times released three pages of Trump's 1995 tax return this weekend. They show he lost nearly $916 million in a year when the economy was thriving. But, that's another story. He may have used legal loopholes in the tax code to make more money off his loss and avoid paying federal income taxes for the next 18 years. Did he? He won't tell. But, he did note at last week's debate that he would be smart if he did. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/3/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Can't Stop Talking About Cargo Shorts
Everybody hates cargo shorts. Except the people who don't. And more than that, everybody keeps talking about whether or not they hate cargo shorts. It's even come up on our show in the past.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/30/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
David Ortiz Is Just the Worst Thing
So here's what happened. Lucy Nalpathanchil got a pitch from some PR person about covering David Ortiz's retirement at the end of this baseball season. And she forwarded it to Colin and me and said it sounded like our kind of show.And Colin (a Red Sox fan) said that I (a Yankees fan) "would [expletive] hate that." And he's right. I would [expletive] hate that.And so here we are doing that show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Twice-as-Nice Advice About Vice
Three guests, Peter Sagal of WWDTM, Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker, and Robert Evans of Cracked, take you on a tour of vice. They talk everything from casual sex to marijuana to greed and ostentation to coffee to beer to pornography. Peter and Colin also discuss what the next declared vice will be. Possibly sitting.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/28/2016 • 48 minutes, 54 seconds
Satanism: Religion, Philosophy, Lifestyle
Free will, individual responsibility, and the pursuit of happiness: Fundamental tenets of, wait for it... Satanism. While the word conjures up images of fire and brimstone, the truth is a bit more complicated. So why does a religion which celebrates so much what Americans profess to hold dear get such a bad rap?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/27/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble Mourns Jose Fernandez
This hour, we mourn the loss of 24-year-old Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, who died in a boat accident over the weekend. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The New Haven Nose Doesn't Want to Talk About Brangelexit
The biggest surprise about Oliver Stone's Snowden is probably how controversial it isn't. Which isn't to say that it isn't somewhat controversial -- anything about Edward Snowden is bound to be somewhat controversial. But for an Oliver Stone conspiracy thriller, The Nose finds Snowden to be pretty tame.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/23/2016 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
We Predict That The Amazing Kreskin Will Be on This Show
Colin's out today, and Julia Pistell returns as guest host. We devote the hour to two interesting guys and their interesting jobs.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/22/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Greatest Show on Radio Looks at The Greatest Show on Earth!
The modern circus has been thrilling audiences for over 250 years, but as times have changed, so has the circus. What began as little more than an equestrian performance has come to include clowns, trapeze artists and even lion tamers.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/21/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Remembering H.M.: The Man Who Couldn't Remember
H.M. is one of the most important and studied human research subjects of all time. He revolutionized what we know about memory today because of the amnesia he developed after a lobotomy in 1953 to treat the severe epilepsy he developed after a head injury sustained earlier in life. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble: Is That Really News?
How we make decisions is a thread that runs through today's Scramble.First, Donald Trump called a press conference in his new Trump International Hotel in D.C. this past Friday to announce, "President Obama was born in the United States. Period.” He was late to the press conference and used it to promote both a new lie about Hillary Clinton and his new hotel - which ‘coincidentally’ opened last week. How did certain media organizations choose to cover this non-news event instead of say, Hillary Clinton addressing the Black Women’s Agenda Symposium, where she was talking about the economic challenges faced by women of color. Will this episode of "sewer dwelling” prompt the media to re-examine the role and privilege of a free press?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/18/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Just Needs Some Time to Find Itself, Okay?
Normally by Friday morning we've got the first one or two topics for The Nose ironed out, and we maybe spend some time hashing out what the third and fourth might be.Not this week.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/16/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Are You Smarter Than a Raccoon?
Colin has a "pet" raccoon that visits his porch. The raccoon will press her tiny paw up against the outstretched palm of Colin's significant other, which rests on the indoor side of the glass. Eventually, the raccoon gets a bit of food because "she" is too cute to resist. The pleased raccoon now visits on a regular basis. Colin fears this cannot end well.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/15/2016 • 48 minutes, 37 seconds
The Future Is Now: Mr. Robot and Our Cyberpunk Reality
The cyberpunk subgenre of science fiction emerged in the '70s and '80s with books like Neuromancer and movies like Blade Runner set in the early 21st century in a world full of high tech and lowlifes, in a society divided and unequal, dominated by mega corporations, where the lines between actual reality and virtual reality have started to blur.Sound familiar?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/14/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Women Warriors
There is still a debate about whether women belong in combat. It's been more than a year since Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered all branches of the military in 2015 to allow women on to the front lines of combat and generations since women silently fought alongside men in the Civil War.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/13/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble Has a Charitable Foundation
Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have both been criticized in recent weeks for activities related to their respective foundations. Clinton is accused of using her position as a way to give special treatment to foundation donors. Trump used foundation money to support the re-election of Florida Attorny General Pam Biondi to allegedly stop her from investigating Trump University. As it turns out, Trump has been using his foundation for things that have nothing to do with philanthropy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Ponders Babs, 'Atlanta,' and Clowns
Barbra Streisand's new album dropped two weeks ago. It's an album of duets with . . . actors. Babs and her famous friends sing . . . show tunes. To my mind, that's the makings of a pretty huge disaster (or even a completely ignored disaster). Instead, Streisand's Encore: Movie Friends Sing Broadway is the number one album in the country.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/9/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
50 Years of Boldly Going
At 8:30 pm on Thursday, September 8, 1966, NBC aired the premiere of a new series called "Star Trek". The episode was "The Man Trap." The star date was 1513.1, in case you're interested in that kind of thing.I am not interested in that kind of thing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/8/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scary Truth Behind Our Love for Horror
Horror films have been scaring audiences for over a hundred years. And in all that time, some things have never changed: Year after year, the collective fears of society have been reflected in gruesome detail on the big screen and women -- usually blond women -- scream bloody murder as their knife-wielding killers approach.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/7/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble on Politics, Football and Immigration
The presidential debates are scheduled to begin this month with the first scheduled for September 26 at Hofstra University in Long Island. Donald Trump announced this weekend that yes, he would participate -now that he approves of the moderators chosen to referee the debates. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/6/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
U.S. Intelligence Dabbles in Forecasting the Future
The participants are average citizens: school teachers, waiters, pharmacists, perhaps even your neighbor. By day they work and pay their bills, but when they return home, things change. These elite individuals go to work forecasting the outcomes of global events (sometimes years into the future), all at the direction of a little-known government intelligence agency called IARPA.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/2/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
What About Bill? Author Robert Schnakenberg Discusses Actor Bill Murray
Bill Murray has been involved with some of our favorite movies of all time: Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Moonrise Kingdom, and so many more. He doesn't like managers or agents and rumor has it, once agreed to play Garfield because he thought it was a Coen Brothers film.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/1/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Endangered Language: How Technology May Replace Braille and Sign
A transcript of this show is available here.It's hard to think about language as being endangered or replaceable. But as our culture and means of communication evolve, certain languages find their utility in decline. Braille and sign language are in just such a predicament.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/31/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Obsolescence: Novelty Versus Nostalgia in the Age of Mass Production
In an era awash in the rollout of brand new gadgets, gizmos, fashions, and fads, it's easy to think of obsolescence as part of the natural order -- remember popped lapels, pay phones and laserdisc players? But the idea that an object should quickly fall from favor, lose functionality, and find itself in a landfill somewhere is quite new -- and it didn't come about by accident.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/30/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Goes to War on Climate Change and Donald Trump
We're losing about 22,000 square miles of Arctic ice every week, the Great Barrier Reef - which dates back to the start of civilization - is rapidly dying, fires from heat and dryness are burning in Canada and California, and recent floods in Baton Rouge, Louisiana killed thirteen people and damaged the homes of 40,000 and counting. And let's not forget that our last three summers have been the hottest on record - EVER. Is it time for America to mobilize our collective force into halting climate change with the same collective force we used to halt Hitler in World War II? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Live From the Ivoryton Playhouse: All the Nose Wants Is Nikes, But the Real Ones
After a four-year gestation period, and more than a year's worth of delays, Frank Ocean's second studio album dropped last weekend. There are two different versions of the album: a physical version that was only available in pop-up shops in four cities last Saturday and the currently iTunes-exclusive digital version. The album is called Blonde, but the cover says "Blond." And there's a separate, different video album, Endless, that was released last Friday. It's all very complicated. The Nose gets into it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/26/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Microbiome: Friend, Foe, or Both
For most of time, microbes ruled the planet alone. Microbes have been around for billions of years - long before people ever began to inhabit the earth. Am I giving you a good picture of how small humans are in this grander view of life? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/25/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
A Look at Independent League Baseball
Matt Iannazzo was a baseball star at Norwalk High School, pitching them to an FCIAC title in 2007. At the University of Pittsburgh, he was an All-Conference pitcher. Out of college, Iannazzo signed with the Chicago Cubs and played two seasons near the bottom of their organization. Now he pitches for the Bridgeport Bluefish in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/24/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble is Scrambled Over This Election
Donald Trump canceled his big speech on immigration scheduled for Thursday. It could have something to do with the comments he made to his new Hispanic advisory council suggesting he'd like to find a more "humane" approach to dealing with the undocumented immigrants he has - up to now - wanted to deport. Up to now, his supporters have been loyal despite policy pronouncements contrary to their views. Immigration may be the one area they won't tolerate a back-pedal. We talk about this and more news in politics.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/23/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Colin's Call-In Show: Election 2016
There's lots to talk about in the news right now -- including the presidential election that just keeps giving. Giving stress, giving insults, giving the non-stop news cycle a lot to talk about. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/22/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Bids Adieu to "The Nightly Show," Gawker, and NPR's Comments Sections
Comedy Central's "The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore" came to its hasty conclusion last night, still more than two months before the election. Gawker will shut down next week. And as of next Tuesday, NPR's website will no longer have comments sections.Brian Williams, on the other hand, is getting a new show on MSNBC. And Jonah Lehrer's got a new book out.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/19/2016 • 49 minutes, 21 seconds
An Hour With Dick Cavett
Clive James considered Dick Cavett one of the great intellectuals who shaped the 20th century. He did it primarily as the host of The Dick Cavett Show, combining playfulness and serious discussion for ninety-minutes each night with a roster of cultural icons that spanned the worlds of art, culture, literature, music, and politics.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/18/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Petula Clark Was 'A Sign of the Times'
Petula Clark has been singing since 1942, when as a nine-year-old child, she answered a request from a BBC producer to sing to a British theater audience unnerved by an air raid that delayed the BBC broadcast they came to hear.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/17/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Final Frontier or the Glass Ceiling: The Legacy of Women in NASA
As the men of Apollo 11 returned home to ticker tape parades, the women who made their journey possible worked quietly behind the scenes. Since its founding in 1958, NASA has been heavily reliant on the skills of such women, many of whom have gone unrecognized for their bravery and hard work.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/16/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Checks in on Two Stories Out of Wisconsin
The ten-part Netflix documentary "Making a Murderer" covers the 2007 conviction in Manitowoc County, Wisc., of Steven Avery for the murder of Teresa Halbach. A secondary story in the film is the interrogation, confession, and later conviction of Avery's nephew, Brendan Dassey, as an accessory to the crime.In a turn of events that forces to mind Adnan Syed and "Serial," a federal judge on Friday overturned Dassey's conviction on the grounds that his confession was coerced and unconstitutionally obtained. (Read the decision here.)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/15/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Has Seen "Stranger Things"
Start with four parts "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial." That's your base. Then you'll need two parts "The Goonies," two parts "Poltergeist," and two parts "Alien." Mix in one part each of "It," "Stand by Me," "Firestarter," "Explorers," "Carrie," and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Add a Winona Ryder-shaped dollop of "Beetlejuice," and top off with a dash of the covers of classic '70s and '80s horror novels.That's the recipe for the newish Netflix series "Stranger Things."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/12/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Ode to the Sun (Listen, Don't Stare!)
What can you say about the sun? It sits not only at the center of our solar system but has, over time, been at the center of religions, scriptures, songs, art and countless other aspects of our culture.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/10/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Art of the Audiobook
What makes a great audiobook? What makes a great audiobook narrator? (And, for that matter, what makes a not-so-great audiobook and audiobook narrator?)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/10/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble Takes on Two Potential Disasters: Trump and the Olympics
You might think all is going well at the Olympics if you enjoyed the glossy opening ceremony or heard the inspirational stories of athletes, many of whom have made it to the games against all odds. We should be inspired by these athletes. And, we do want to believe in the Olympics.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/9/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Drew Magary Takes a Hike
Drew Magary is an interesting guy.You might have one impression if you know him from his irreverent and wildly popular commentary in Deadspin, where he defends things like cargo pants and writes columns called "Why Your Team Sucks" and "Why Your Children's Television Program Sucks." Or, if you follow him in GQ, where he recently shared his wry observations on the Republican National Convention and strident views on Donald Trump. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/8/2016 • 49 minutes
The Understudy Studies the Understudies
Colin's out today. He got vocal nodes while moonlighting as Mariah Carey’s backup singer, and he's seeing his otolaryngologist. Or he sprained an ankle during a performance with The Rockettes, and now he's in traction.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/5/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Pulling Back the Curtain on Political Stagecraft
During Connecticut's 2014 gubernatorial election, Republican candidate Tom Foley chose a failing paper mill in Sprague as the "stage" upon which he'd blame the Malloy administration's economic policies on the mill's demise. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/4/2016 • 48 minutes
The 2016 Olympics From A to Zika
From Brazil's political unrest to its water pollution to the viral pandemic plaguing its streets, this year's Olympics in Rio De Janeiro are off to a rough start -- and they haven't even begun yet!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/3/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Joss Whedon: His Work, His Life, He's Here!
Originally, we planned on doing a show about Joss Whedon -- without Joss Whedon. We invited a scholar of his work to talk about his television and film resume, and a close friend, professor and mentor to speak on his directorial style. However, Joss was interested enough in what we're planning to join the show! So now, it's a show about Joss Whedon -- with Joss Whedon. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/2/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
A Long Look at Losing and Lovable (and Loathsome) Losers
As we were preparing for our show on underdogs a few months ago, I kept saying that we shouldn't overlook the fact that, often, to be an underdog in the first place, you have to be really bad at the thing you're an underdog about.The more we talked about it, the more I found myself making the case that losers and losing are fascinating.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/1/2016 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 58 seconds
The Nose Scratches Itself with a Chopstick
HBO's new limited series "The Night Of" is, we're pretty sure, the first psoriasis noir masterpiece.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Nerding Out About Clouds
No one likes a cloudy sky. A cloud on the horizon is seen as a harbinger of doom. We feel like clouds need to have silver linings.But here's our thesis: Clouds are unfairly maligned.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/27/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Goes To Philly
It's the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia - and the ride has been almost as wild as last week's Republican National Convention in Cleveland.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/27/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Live (on Tape) from Shakespeare and Company!
When we did our show on Romeo and Juliet a few months ago, Tina Packer invited us to come up to Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, Mass., to see her new production of The Merchant of Venice this summer. Colin said we'd love to; we'll come up there and do a show!It seemed like the sort of niceties that people often toss off on the radio.But it turns out they meant it. And so, so did we! So we went up and taped a show in the Berkshires with Tina and her Shylock, Jonathan Epstein.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/26/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Ralph Nader Weighs in on the Election
Ralph Nader is not happy with either the Republican or Democratic candidates for president. He says Republicans tolerating Donald Trump will look back and be ashamed and that Democrats chose a "deeply-rooted corporatist" and "militarist." In fact, he thinks the "two party tyranny" reduces the "voices and choices" of the people and we should all consider a third-party. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/24/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The All-Girl Ghostbusters Nose Ain't Afraid of No Reboots
In January 2015, when it was announced that a planned new Ghostbusters movie would feature four female leads, internet fanbros went crazy. And then, this March, when the first Ghostbusters trailer came out, the internet fanbros went crazy all over again.And now the movie is finally out. (And guess what the internet fanbros did.)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/22/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Republican War on Hillary Clinton
The Republican National Convention in Cleveland wraps up today following a speech by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/20/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Sepsis Is the Killer You Probably Don't Know About
Sepsis is always an emergency. But I bet many of you reading this don't know what it is. The CDC says there are over one million cases of sepsis in America annually -- many more globally -- and about 258,000 of those people die from it. It's the ninth leading cause of disease-related deaths and more people are hospitalized for sepsis every year than for heart disease and stroke combined. It's a major driver behind higher health costs.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/20/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Alternative History as a Literary Genre With Author Ben Winters
Author Ben Winter's latest work of alternative History, Underground Airlines, has been getting lots of attention in the short time since its release. Taking on themes such as institutional racism, social responsibility and personal redemption, the novel's relevance to today's top issues can't be denied.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/18/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Ready, Set...We're Going to Cleveland
The Republican National Convention kicks off in Cleveland today after several days of pre-convention fireworks, including efforts by anti-Trump delegates to change the rules, Trump's agonizing indecision on his VP, and a changing list of speakers that will include more Trump family members than seasoned politicians. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/17/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The New Haven Nose Catches, Well, a Few of Them, Honestly, We're Kind of Tired
As you may have heard, Pokemon is back (are back?) with the release last week of a new game. Pokemon Go is an augmented reality app that, through the magic of GPS on your phone, adds Pokemon to your surroundings, or, at least, to your surroundings as represented on your phone's screen, so that you can catch them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/15/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
We Did a Show About Circumcision
Last fall, Colin saw The Bloodstained Men and Their Friends demonstrating in New Haven.They wear white coveralls with red stains on the crotches.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/14/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Westerns: American Mythology or Cultural History?
There are few genres of entertainment more American than the Western. But for a genre so steeped in the iconography of our past, its accuracy in portraying historical event leaves much to be desired. Many argue that the Western is more myth than reality, and that this myth is akin to revisionist history.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/13/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Tribute to Cereal: Kid Tested, Mother Approved
We once did a show about beer jingles, which is a great example of how a product becomes a culture. Cereal as a culture, is off the charts. There's the box, there's the prize, there's the character, there's the jingles, there's the commercials. Most of us can probably sing some jingles and discuss favorite cereal personae from our childhoods, which makes it kind of weird when marketing experts tell us that cereal consumption is in decline.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/12/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Donald Trump Up Close and Personal
Donald Trump wants to advance his business interests in Russia - and Vladimir Putin couldn't be happier. Putin's geopolitical interests rely on weakening the West. To that end, he has supported right-wing populists in Europe for more than a decade. Donald Trump may be the perfect tool to help Putin destroy the West. He supports many of the goals of Putin and has openly admired him. He's cultivated ties to Russia for a long time, including with a Russian gangster once jailed for slashing a man's face with a broken margarita glass. To make it worse, Trump has surrounded himself with advisors with shady ties to Russia.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Nose Go See Tarzan Movie
There's a new entry in the long, long canon of Tarzan stories and adaptations and shows and movies and musicals and Happy Meals toys or whatever. This time around, True Blood's Alexander Skarsgård stars as the bare-chested, animal-whispering titular character. The Nose went to see "The Legend of Tarzan," and we can't help but recognize its troubles of race and unending violence in this week's news.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/8/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Nerding Out About Clouds
No one likes a cloudy sky. A cloud on the horizon is seen as a harbinger of doom. We feel like clouds need to have silver linings.But here's our thesis: Clouds are unfairly maligned.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/6/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Is America Still a Democracy?
Many Americans feel their vote no longer carries much clout in determining the decisions that most affect their lives -- whether it's about immigration, health care, gay rights, or gun control. The list goes on. The elected representatives they send to Congress as their voice are unable or unwilling to speak.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/6/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Private Emails and Driverless Cars
FBI Director James Comey recommended no criminal charges against Hillary Clinton for her use of a personal email server while she was Secretary of State. His judgment came on the heels of the FBI's more than three hour interview with Hillary Clinton on Saturday. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/5/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Show About Infomercials. Operators Are Standing By!
The Thighmaster, the Chop-O-Matic, the George Foreman Grill and the Clapper: Products which are all part of American consumer culture and which were all introduced through infomercials. But as online shopping increases and traditional television watching decreases, are we beginning to see the end of these high-energy, late-night shows?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/1/2016 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Imagining Aliens: A Conversation in Science, Fiction, and Theology
From scientists to fiction writers, conspiracy theorists to theologians, aliens have captured the imagination of us all. But as we ponder the possibilities let us pause to ask ourselves why.Why do these yet to be found creatures from space occupy such a central role in the musings of so many? And should their existence be confirmed, what will it mean for us on Earth?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/30/2016 • 49 minutes, 16 seconds
Adrenaline: America's Favorite Hormone
Since its discovery in 1900, adrenaline and pop-culture have gone hand-in-hand. From extreme sports, to the latest energy drinks, to pulse pounding Hollywood blockbusters, the rush of this hormone is portrayed in countless ways.But these portrayals seldom tell the whole story. So what exactly is adrenaline, and why does our society seem so keen on celebrating it?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Love Letter (and Tomatoes) to the Usual Gang of Idiots
Before Stephen Colbert and John Oliver, before Jon Stewart and Conan O’Brien, before "The Simpsons," before David Letterman, before "Saturday Night Live," before The National Lampoon… before all the great subversive American satirists that we’ve all grown… used to — before all that, there was MAD magazine.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/28/2016 • 40 minutes, 30 seconds
Holy Smokes, Batman! You're a Star!
My Batman story begins with a crime. I was in third grade. I went to the barber shop in West Hartford Center where there were comic books to read while you waited.I had never seen any superhero comic before and I started reading a Batman story. It was great but I didn't have enough time to finish it. So, when my haircut was done, I took it home with me. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/27/2016 • 48 minutes, 53 seconds
The Nose Is Exiting the Rest of Its Face
The British voted to leave the European Union yesterday. Let that sink in for a minute. This decision will likely cause geopolitical and economic turmoil and uncertainty for years to come as the world negotiates how to separate Britain from our global economy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/24/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Cinderella Doesn't Want to Marry the Prince
Most of us know Cinderella as the poor servant girl who stuck it to her mean stepmother and stepsisters by proving she was good enough to marry the rich and handsome prince. She had a little help from a fairy godmother, a pumpkin coach, and a foot small enough to fit into the glass slipper.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/23/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Borders: A look at The Lines That Divide Us
It's easy to think of borders as fixed, almost sacrosanct lines, so rooted in the natural order of things that it often doesn't occur to us to question them. But borders were not always thought of this way. In fact, the notion of well understood, and agreed upon boundaries between nations is somewhat new.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/22/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Unreliability of the Unreliable Narrator
Earlier this year at the Golden Globes, the top TV honor, Best Television Series -- Drama, went to USA's hacker technothriller series "Mr. Robot." Last year, the trophy went to Showtime's "The Affair."Between those two new shows, there are three point-of-view characters, three narrators. And you can’t really trust, you can't fully believe a one of them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/21/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble Crashed After We Talked Trump
Donald Trump has had a really bad few weeks. His poll numbers are dropping to the lowest point for any general election candidate in the last three years. He's coming under fire for his response to last week's shootings in Orlando, and for saying U.S. District Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel -- who is the judge overseeing the fraud case against Trump University -- may be biased against him because of his Mexican heritage.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/20/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Benedict Arnold: Unscrupulous Traitor or Unsung Hero?
When you "pull a Benedict Arnold," you sell out your side to join the stronger side of a situation out of fear, not honor. Needless to say, that's not a compliment.More than 230 years after America secured independence from Britain, this skilled warrior and confidante of George Washington is remembered as a traitor and coward for defecting to the British side.But it's not that easy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/16/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Is Prepared to Sit Comfortably in Its Seats for One Hour and No Longer
I swear we almost never pick the Nose panelists based on the topics we plan to discuss. (We barely ever even plan in the first place, to be honest.) I asked Mr. Dankosky -- former Vice President of News for WNPR, current Executive Editor of the New England News Collaborative -- weeks ago to make his Nose debut this Friday.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/16/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Sea Change: Transforming Attitudes and Ethics Towards Marine Life
Animal rights have come a long way over the last century, providing, of course, we're not talking about fish. While other vertebrates have slowly been recognized as social, feeling, even sentient beings, fish remain good for three things: owning, catching and eating.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/15/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
A Look at Weiner, The Lobster, and Probably Some Other Movies with Odd Titles Too
America's Greatest Living Film Critic David Edelstein has called "Weiner," the new documentary about former Congressman Anthony Weiner's ill-fated 2013 run for mayor of New York City, "one of the most provocative [docs] of its kind" that he's seen.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/13/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: The Shooting in Orlando
Orlando, Florida was the scene of a mass shooting Sunday that left 50 people dead and dozens more injured. We've heard the story before: a shooter walks into a crowded room with multiple weapons to kill large numbers of people in an astonishingly small amount of time.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/13/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose on O.J.: Made in America
New York magazine's Will Leitch has called ESPN's new documentary "O.J.: Made in America" a masterpiece, and he thinks it'll be "the only thing this country's going to be talking about" as it airs next week. The Nose has already seen it, and it's all we're going to be talking about this week.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/9/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The 2016 Song of the Summer Is...
Every year, we do a Song of the Summer show. It always makes people angry. There is no evidence that it has ever made people happy. A lot of it has to do with the way we define the term. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/8/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Bringing Musical Theater Center Stage
"Hamilton," the wildly popular musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, will likely win several Tony Awards this weekend for changing the form of musical theater from what most of us perceive it to be. He uses rap lyrics that challenge what we think we know about the founding of our nation.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/8/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Get to Know the Jehovah's Witnesses
Between orthodoxy and cultism exists a narrow divide; a proving ground of public opinion where spirited groups vie for entry into the hallowed halls of true religion. Few are more firmly planted in this place than the Jehovah's Witnesses.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/7/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Wonders If We're Ready for a Libertarian President
There has never been a time in the last ten presidential cycles when voters have disliked two presidential front-runners as much as they dislike Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Yes, the country is becoming increasingly polarized, but that doesn't explain why the candidates aren't well-liked by their respective parties.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/6/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The New Haven Nose's Tattoo Says Wall-to-Wall Fun
Paul Simon's 13th solo studio album, Stranger to Stranger, is out on Friday. It has apparently been gestating for going on four years, and it's full of Harry Partch's microtonal instruments like cloud chamber bowls and the chromelodeon. Dean Drummond's zoomoozophome even makes an appearance. At the same time, the album is pretty rockin' and fun.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/3/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Understanding Intelligence: From Social Science to Computer Science
How do we define intelligence? Where does it come from, and what roles do genetics and environment play in its development? We live in a world that values different types of intelligence subjectively -- and we watch as those values shift in accordance with changing cultural attitudes. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/2/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
It's a Magazine of Sports, of Sorts: Baseball, Basketball, Scrabble, and the Spelling Bee
Ron Darling won a World Series. He was a Major League All-Star and a Gold Glove winner. He pitched a record-setting eleven hitless innings in an NCAA playoff game at Yale Field. He threw 2,742 and one-third professional innings over 15 professional seasons, winning 157 professional games.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Krista Tippett On Being Human
Krista Tippett must know something. After all, she's been hosting a show -- originally called Speaking of Faith and now called On Being -- for about 15 years. She talks to the wisest of the wise and the sagest of the sage, about matters of existence, transcendence, and, you know, what does it all mean? What kind of universe is this anyway?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/31/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Watched Lady Dynamite (So You Don’t Have To?)
Comedian Maria Bamford's new Netflix single-camera sitcom, "Lady Dynamite," premiered last Friday. And it's... odd. It's surreal. It's sad. It's a comedy that's very much about mental illness and loneliness and anxiety. And it's a comedy that's very much about itself too.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/27/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
How Much Water Do You Need?
Most of us have heard that our bodies need eight cups of water every day to stay healthy and hydrated. Some think that's the minimum we should drink to prevent the chronic dehydration that doesn't trigger the usual warnings of dryness, like thirst. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/26/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Live (on Tape) From the Peabody!
In the more than six years that it's been on the air, we've never taken The Colin McEnroe Show to the Peabody Museum before. (Crazy, right?) And: In the more than six years that it's been on the air, we've never done a Colin McEnroe Show about dinosaurs before. (Crazy! Right!?)Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/24/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Buzz Aldrin on the Past, Present and Future of Space Exploration
The man who once walked on the moon, and helped America define itself as a leader in space travel is now out with a new book. It reads half as a memoir, and half as a motivational speech to the next generation of explorers who he hopes will carry on America's legacy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/24/2016 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The Scramble: The GOP, Offhand Comments, MLB
Former Governor Lowell Weicker says the Republican Party no longer embraces the ideals of prudent financial governance and social conscience that once defined them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/23/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
According to the Uniform Prior, The Nose Has an 82 Percent Chance of Happening
The Rio 2016 Olympics are set to start in less than three months’ time. But Brazil’s Zika outbreak is worse than we thought. And there’s ongoing political unrest. And Rio’s water supply comes with an extra helping of “trash and contamination.” What to do? Postpone the games? Move them? Both?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/20/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Evolving World of Flash Fiction
Flash fiction goes by many names: micro-fiction, nano-fiction, short-shorts, and with the emergence of Twitter-fiction; twiction and twisters have also entered the fray. Whatever you choose to call it one thing's for sure: these pint-sized tales often punch way above their weight.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/19/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Are You Smarter Than a Raccoon?
Colin has a "pet" raccoon that visits his porch. The raccoon will press her tiny paw up against the outstretched palm of Colin's significant other, which rests on the indoor side of the glass. Eventually, the raccoon gets a bit of food because "she" is too cute to resist. The pleased raccoon now visits on a regular basis. Colin fears this cannot end well.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
You Want Me to Eat What?! An Examination of Disgust
Okay, this show comes with a trigger warning.We talk about things people eat, and some of those things are not for the squeamish. This is a conversation about disgust, and specifically, how our reflexive response of disgust may get in the way of things we probably need to think about doing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/17/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble Pretends to Be The Nose
Reporters at The Washington Post noted that Donald Trump has a history of calling reporters under the guise of phantom spokespersons named John Barron and John Miller. He uses the guise to share the wonderful things he's been up to, or depending on how you look at it, to spin his bad press into something more golden, especially his relationships with women he believes are attracted to him. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/16/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Is #TeamCaptainBudweiser
Last Friday, "Captain America: Civil War" debuted in theaters. It is the inaugural film in 2016's summer movie season. It's also the third Captain America picture. And people are calling it The Avengers 2.5. It is the first movie in Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, of which it is the thirteenth film. Some people are choosing sides, declaring allegiance to one "team" or another. Some people just want to know if Bucky got his plums.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/13/2016 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Contributions of Wilhelm Reich
Wilhelm Reich was a once promising psychoanalyst and scientist under the guidance of Freud in pre-World War II Europe. He promoted "sexual revolution" to support his belief that sexual repression was linked to the bodily and societal ills of neurosis and fascism.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/12/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Can Forgetting the Past Be a Good Thing?
David Rieff isn't against the lessons of remembrance, but he believes it shouldn't be the only morally-sanctioned option. Forgetting may be the better choice.David Rieff isn't against the lessons of remembrance, but he believes it shouldn't be the only morally-sanctioned option. Forgetting may be the better choice.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/11/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble Scrambles the Steves Metcalf
Rather than me ham-handedly trying to summarize Stephen Metcalf's Slate cover story, "Donald Trump, Baby Boomer," read his thesis below.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/9/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Truth About Ugliness (It Ain't Pretty)
What does it mean to say that someone, or something, is ugly? For a label that gets tossed around so often, its meaning is hard to pin down. Perhaps that's because, throughout history and around the world, our notions of ugliness have shifted considerably.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/9/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Is a Low-Flying Panic Attack
This hour, the Nose does its best to tackle four full topics.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/6/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Conservative Talk Radio: The Past, Present, and Future
It's easy to see how this year's polarized political climate has split conservatives, but how has it affected conservative talk radio? Those that listen can tell you: The once unified voices of these daytime talkers are beginning to show signs of a deep divide.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/5/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Politics Has Always Been Nasty
It is not so well known, as it should be, that this federal gem [John Adams], this apostle of the parsons of Connecticut, is not only a repulsive pedant, a gross hypocrite, and an unprincipled oppressor, but that he is, in private life, one of the most egregious fools upon the continent. It is not so well known, as it should be, that this federal gem [John Adams], this apostle of the parsons of Connecticut, is not only a repulsive pedant, a gross hypocrite, and an unprincipled oppressor, but that he is, in private life, one of the most egregious fools upon the continent. He went on to "enquire by what species of madness America submitted to accept, as her president, a person without abilities, and without virtues."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/4/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Backstage Look at Political Stagecraft
During Connecticut's 2014 gubernatorial election, Republican candidate Tom Foley chose a failing paper mill in Sprague as the "stage" upon which he'd blame the Malloy administration's economic policies on the mill's demise. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/3/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: President Obama's Stand-Up
There’s a kind of idiocy about the way the White House Correspondents Dinner is, conceptually, a Feast of Fools with a comedian as Lord of Misrule, a night when decorum is suspended, comedy rules, etc. And then D.C. never goes all-in. The crowd doesn’t laugh, and then there’s this post-mortem in which interested parties pull organs out of the comedy set and weigh them on political scales and try to make something out of them. The whole city should sign a disarmament pact or just stop doing this thing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/2/2016 • 49 minutes, 19 seconds
The Nose Better Call Becky With the Good Hair
We plan to spend upwards of half of this hour unpacking Beyonce's new visual album, Lemonade. And we will barely have gotten the wrapper off by the time we're done.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Democracy in the Public Square
The Tragedy of the Commons follows the theory that people can't be trusted to take care of common property without degrading it or taking more than their fair share of resources. This idea was popularized by William Forster Lloyd, who published a pamphlet in 1833 using cow herders to prove that people couldn't be trusted to share our common resources wisely. He believed property should be owned privately.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/28/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Imagining Aliens: A Conversation in Science, Fiction, and Theology
From scientists to fiction writers, conspiracy theorists to theologians, aliens have captured the imagination of us all. But as we ponder the possibilities let us pause to ask ourselves why. Why do these yet to be found creatures from space occupy such a central role in the musings of so many? And should their existence be confirmed, what will it mean for us on Earth?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/27/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Voters Weigh in On Primary Day in Connecticut
It's Primary Day in Connecticut and I'm excited about it.For the first time in a long time, Connecticut voters feel they have a say in which candidate moves on to the general election in November, most of whom spent time speaking to voters in Connecticut this weekend.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/26/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Inequality Is Our Most Pressing Problem
The effect of a declining middle class is everywhere -- the medically uninsured or underinsured, the heroin epidemic, declining life expectancy for middle-aged white men, flat wages, weakened unions -- the list goes on and on.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/25/2016 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
2day Is the First Day of the Rest of The Nose's Life
His Royal Badness died yesterday. He was 57.This hour, an appreciation of Prince.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/22/2016 • 41 minutes, 26 seconds
Good Bulldozer, Bad Bulldozer
Everybody loves a bulldozer. In fact, we all grew up loving bulldozers, didn't we? From "Benny the Bulldozer" to Katy and her big snow, from all the Tonka toys to all the die cast model Caterpillars, the bulldozer is more of an icon in American popular culture than we maybe realize.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/21/2016 • 41 minutes, 33 seconds
Poetry: Give It a Try
Washington Post columnist Alexandra Petry wrote a column a few years ago asking if poetry was still vital enough to change anything. Poets and poetry lovers reacted strongly, sending recommendations to enlighten her and encourage her to "get out more." Petry says that column haunts her more than anything she’s ever written, enough to follow it up with a defense - and an olive branch.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/20/2016 • 41 minutes, 21 seconds
Live From Watkinson: If You Build It, Will They Come? Sports in Hartford
Most cities would be thrilled to have a major or minor-league sports franchise come to town. It will bring crowds and new business and prosperity, right? Colin talks with panelists about the benefits, history, and costs of professional sports in Hartford.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/19/2016 • 41 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble: Politics and Kimmy Schmidt
This year's presidential race is exposing the vast disconnect between candidates and voters, the inadequacy of the two-party system, and the overall breakdown of our political system. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/18/2016 • 40 minutes, 58 seconds
The Nose Has Its Girlfriend Experience
Last weekend, the new Starz series "The Girlfriend Experience" premiered on cable and dropped in its entirety online. The always grumpy Richard Brody called it "an artistic as well as an epistemological disaster," but he blamed all of that directly on "the rigid format of serial television."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/14/2016 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
Spoiler Alert! It's a Discussion About Spoilers
Do you like spoilers? Hate them? Whether it involves sports, television, books or movies, has a spoiler ruined something for you? Enhanced it? Do you practice spoiler etiquette?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/14/2016 • 41 minutes, 26 seconds
Jesters and Fools: A History of Wit and Whimsy
History and literature are filled with their antics. From the Renaissance's Triboulet to Shakespeare's Feste from "Twelfth Night," jesters and fools have delighted us for centuries with their subversive humor and quick wit. But while comedy was their brand, there existed hardships for these characters as well.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/13/2016 • 41 minutes, 26 seconds
Pondering Modern Love
It's hard to improve on the poet, Rilke, who wrote, "Love consists of this, that two solitudes meet, protect, and greet each other." But did Rilke have to deal with Angry Birds and Snap Chat? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/11/2016 • 41 minutes, 4 seconds
Meet 2016 Democratic Presidential Candidate Rocky De La Fuente
Donald Trump was considered untouchable on his way to winning the nomination to represent the Republican Party in the 2016 election -- until establishment forces let go an unrelenting assault on his candidacy.Now there's talk of revolution at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this summer, where the votes of superdelegates, or party loyalists, get the last word on who moves forward. The Trump campaign is warning against it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/11/2016 • 41 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Is Done With American Idol
And after 15 seasons and 555 episodes and more than 345 Billboard chart toppers, "American Idol" is done with us. Love it or hate it, the show changed the American television business, the American reality television business, the American music business. It gave us Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson and Ryan Seacrest. And it gave us Taylor Hicks and William Hung. And Ryan Seacrest. We unpack the whole thing, the good and the bad.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/8/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
It's Our Secular(ish) Isms Bake Off!
It's Yale and New Haven Humanism Week in New Haven, and so we thought: Hey, wait. Just what the heck is a humanism exactly anyway?And so then we thought: And what about, uh, agnosticism? Unitarianism? Universalism? Unitarian Universalism? Maybe even atheism?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/7/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Placebo Effect
Placebo treatments have been making people feel better for a long time. They've been working since long before Franz Mesmer was run out of 18th-century Vienna for "mesmerizing" a young pianist into regaining her eyesight, after all hope for a medical cure had been lost. Doctors have long dismissed the placebo effect as inferior to conventional medical treatments that sometimes fail where placebo works well, including in surgical procedures like arthroscopy, a popular procedure that relieves the pain of arthritic knees. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Tough Course Ahead for the Game of Golf
As golf season begins again there are some troubling signs for the sport's future. The game of presidents past and country-clubbers around the nation is in fast decline according to analysts. With a decrease in participation, television ratings, equipment sales, rounds played and courses being built, are we seeing the end of golf?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/5/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Don't Believe Everything You Hear About Polls
The polling industry is in transition. Fewer people consider it their civic duty to participate -- less than ten percent today compared to 80 percent two decades ago -- and pollsters haven't yet figured out how to effectively capture public opinion using cell phones and online surveys. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/4/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Is Sad for Sad Ben Affleck
I get that it's stupid April Fools' Day, and so you can't trust anything you see on the stupid Internet. Except for the Trump quotes. The Trump quotes are just as legitimate today as they are on all the other days.But so let me just make it clear right now that I'm totally serious when I say that on this edition of The Nose we talk about...Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/1/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Strange Brilliance of Buckminster Fuller
Richard Buckminster Fuller may not be a household name. Nevertheless, his contributions to society and to sustainable living through technology and design were both vast and transformative. By the time of his death in 1983, Fuller had patented 25 inventions, published over 30 books and had chronicled nearly his entire career through a series of papers knows as the "Dymaxion Chronofile."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/30/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Living Life While Dying of ALS
Jon Imber was at the peak of his career as an accomplished artist and teacher when he was diagnosed with ALS in the fall of 2012. "Imber's Left Hand," a documentary about Jon's life as ALS claimed the use of his dominant right hand, will air on April 5 at the Hartford Jewish Film Festival. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Every Coin and Stamp Tells a Story
In 2013, over 1,000 gold coins were found by a couple walking their dog on their property in Sierra Nevada, California. A rainstorm exposed the rusted can holding the gold coins. They soon found additional rusted cans, all holding gold coins dating from 1847 to 1894. The face value of the coins was just under $28,000. Today's market value is about $10 million.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Trump Likes the Idea of Torture More Than He Likes the Idea of Reporters
Reporters describe Donald Trump events as frightening and unsettling for those in the media. Trump relegates the media to rectangular pens they're not allowed to leave, singles out reporters with personal insults and refuses entry to those he doesn't like, and whips up his crowds against reporters he says are "very dishonest people." Will there be a free press under a President Trump?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/27/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Brings Its Kids to Work
Chicago White Sox first baseman Adam LaRoche abruptly retired from baseball last week with a year and $13 million left on his contract because the team's front office told him he had to stop bringing his 14-year-old son Drake into the clubhouse so much. Then the actual team rallied behind both LaRoches. But it turns out it all happened 'cause Adam's teammates complained about Drake. But so anyway: Aren't people who bring their kids to work with them just the worst?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/25/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Should Alcoholics Anonymous Be a First Choice for Treatment?
Pre-prohibition research into alcohol use and consumption was wiped out when the country dried out in the 1920s. In response, American "alcohol science" was created in the post-prohibition era to bring alcohol abuse into the medical realm, triggering a cultural explosion between advocates on each side of the wet/dry divide. It was in this arena that Alcoholics Anonymous was born. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/24/2016 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Holy Smokes, Batman! You're a Star!
My Batman story begins with a crime. I was in third grade. I went to the barber shop in West Hartford Center where there were comic books to read while you waited.I had never seen any superhero comic before and I started reading a Batman story. It was great but I didn't have enough time to finish it. So, when my haircut was done, I took it home with me. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/23/2016 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
A (Somewhat) Serious Look at Donald Trump's (Possible) Presidency
For a normal show, on a normal day, in a normal time, we'd usually put two or three experts in a room with Colin and ask them to hash out whatever it is we're interested in for that hour.For this show, by the time it's over with, we'll have corresponded with dozens of people and recorded interviews with seven or eight experts from ten or eleven different disciplines: a philosopher, an ethicist, a futurist, a speechwriter, a comedy writer, an author of speculative fiction, a politician, an 'investigative humorist,' a Muslim, an expert in international affairs, and an expert in... manners.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/21/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Why Trump Now?
There is no doubt that Donald Trump has taken the country by storm, defying all expectations that his candidacy would implode after the initial infatuation wore off last summer. Why Trump now?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/21/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Has A Copyright On Its Name
First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off the next phase of her and President Obama's Let Girls Learn campaign to educate the #62milliongirls globally who don't have access to education at this week's SXSW festival. She combined her keynote address on female empowerment with a panel discussion including Queen Latifah, rapper Missy Elliott, actress Sophia Bush and songwriter Diane Warren, and the release of Warren's single "This is for My Girls," to raise money for her cause. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/18/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Endangered Language: How Technology May Replace Braille and Sign
A transcript of this show is available here.It's hard to think about language as being endangered or replaceable. But as our culture and means of communication evolve, certain languages find their utility in decline. Braille and sign language are in just such a predicament.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2016 • 24 minutes, 45 seconds
What Do We Really Want From Our Leaders?
Donald Trump is closer to locking up the Republican nomination for president after big wins in Tuesday's primaries. He has incredible support from a party that's grown increasingly disappointed in their established leaders, yet still seeks the traits we have traditionally sought in a leader. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Donald, Hillary and Yale
It's Monday. Remember last Monday when we had a somewhat long and somewhat anguished conversation about Donald Trump? Well, we're planning to have another one toward the end of today's show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/14/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Our Seventh Annual March Madness Show
Every year at this time, as you may have heard, there's a big-old basketball tournament that goes on. And every year at this time, people in offices and in firehouses and in Rotary Clubs and in Atlantic City enter bracket pools, where they try to win a big-old pile of ducats by predicting just exactly how said big-old basketball tournament will go.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/14/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Panelists Rock Their Stilettos LOL
I once slipped on a banana peel in my crowded high school cafeteria when I was sixteen years old. I was navigating the busy lunch room in my almost six-inch platform shoes and my breezy spring dress, when the peel sent me flying - before ungraciously landing me on my back with my dress over my face. I was never so embarrassed - or uncomfortable in a pair of shoes.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/11/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Bracketology for Bookworms
Starting next week, the nation will turn its eyes to basketball, to college basketball, and its annual March Madness tournament.But... not quite all of the nation.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Why Is So Much Publicly-Funded Research Unavailable?
Laura McKenna went looking for information on a medical condition that would help her care for her child. Unfortunately, she couldn't access most of the articles she located without paying as much as thirty-eight dollars for an eight-page report. She never read it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Show About Infomercials. Operators Are Standing By!
The Thighmaster, the Chop-O-Matic, the George Foreman Grill and the Clapper: Products which are all part of American consumer culture and which were all introduced through infomercials. But as online shopping increases and traditional television watching decreases, are we beginning to see the end of these high-energy, late-night shows?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Millennials in the Cycle of Trump
Steve Almond says he's rooting for Donald Trump to win the nomination, even though he doesn't want him to be our next president. He says the GOP has been riling up their base voters for so long, it's no surprise that Trump is now overtly channeling all the "racist and nativist rhetoric" that has been covertly promoted by the party for decades. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Listen To The Music
One of the first things I did with the money I made from my part-time job as a teenager was to buy the next album on my wish list of new music. All my friends did the same, knowing that our growing collection was as much about who we were and what we wanted to be as it was about the music. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/4/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Sharing Economy: From Idle Assets to Billion-Dollar Businesses
It goes by many names: the sharing economy, the collaborative economy, the peer economy, just to name a few. Whatever you want to call it, one thing's for sure: this new way of doing business -- where idle assets equal big profits, and the hard-earned currency of trust comes through user reviews -- is changing the economic landscape of our country.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/2/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Vin Baker's Journey From Basketball to Barista
Vin Baker was an Olympic basketball player and four-time NBA All Star. The journey from University of Hartford to professional basketball got him rich quick, but it was a lifestyle he couldn't keep up with. Baker's struggle with alcoholism is well-documented, as is the fact he blew through $100 million. He lost his home and restaurant.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/2/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Woman and Her Store: Remembering Beatrice Fox Auerbach and G. Fox and Co.
This hour, a panel of experts and historians gives us an in-depth look at the life and legacy of Beatrice Fox Auerbach, owner and CEO of Connecticut's most beloved department store, G. Fox and Co. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/1/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Up-Close Look Behind the Glass of… Dioramas
When I hear the word "diorama," the first thing I think of is Mr. Mack’s fifth grade class and painting hills and grass and clouds and a fence into a shoebox and making little cardboard cut outs of Lassie and the boy she loved. God, I hated that stuff.The second thing I think of is a place like the Peabody Museum in New Haven and their incredibly, obsessively, over-the-toply detailed dioramas of the plant and wildlife of Connecticut.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Everybody's a Critic!
It's Friday night and I want to go to the movies. But, I don't know how to choose from fifteen or so movies before me. I can quickly knock out a few I don't want to see, leaving me with the final gems. How to decide? I check the reviews of my favorite critics. Not everyone feels that way. Actor Samuel L. Jackson of "Avengers: Age of Ultron" once took issue with New York Times film critic A.O. Scott. Jackson encouraged his Twitter followers to help Scott find a new job after Scott wrote the following in his review of the movie:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/25/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Noscars! A Nose in New Haven
The show moves to the Elm City for its annual snort of/at The Oscars, this time from the lobby of The Study at Yale in front of a live audience numbering in the dozens!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/25/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Myth of the Underdog
Jules Feiffer wrote that in the early days the fans of either Superman and Batman could be separated out in terms of how neurotic or secure they felt. If you felt downtrodden and insecure, you liked Superman, the realization of all your hopes and dreams. If you were a little more sure of your place in the world, you'd root for Batman, who took his lumps but typically bounced back.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/24/2016 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Adrenaline: America's Favorite Hormone
Since its discovery in 1900, adrenaline and pop-culture have gone hand-in-hand. From extreme sports, to the latest energy drinks, to pulse pounding Hollywood blockbusters, the rush of this hormone is portrayed in countless ways.But these portrayals seldom tell the whole story. So what exactly is adrenaline, and why does our society seem so keen on celebrating it?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/22/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble Finds a Throughline: Trump, Apple, and Conspiracies
Donald Trump's win in this weekend's South Carolina primary was bigger than most establishment Republicans, and the media, want to admit. It comes after a week that would have sunk the other candidates; he tangled with the Pope, said the Bush administration didn't protect us from 9/11, and almost supported Obamacare's health care mandate, before he took it back. Are his supporters irrational, or do they just not care about his gaffes? Can anyone really still stop him?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/22/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Walks Into a Bar and Sees Louis CK
If there is a through line to this week's Nose, I would have to call it trespass.In the remarkable third episode of Louis C.K.'s from-out-of-nowhere filmed theater web series thing "Horace and Pete," the two characters (and there are very nearly only two) played by Laurie Metcalf and C.K. are working out the nature of trespass, as it appears in the Lord's Prayer. As adulterers, they are each trespassers. (But then, we are all trespassers.) And they are both aware that, in trespassing in order to seek pleasure, they create their own hells.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/19/2016 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
Juliet and Shakespeare's Women
Hartford Stage's current production is maybe Shakespeare's most popular play. This hour, Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak joins us to talk about his neorealist version of "Romeo and Juliet."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/18/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Do You Think Your Heart Is Healthy?
Heart disease is still the biggest killer in the United States, even though fewer people die from from heart attack and cardiac arrest than ever before.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/17/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Scalia and the Future of SCOTUS
The 2016 presidential election took a dramatic turn this weekend with the sudden death of Antonin Scalia, the Supreme Court's most divisive, yet colorful justice. Revered for his brilliance, quick wit, and lively writing, he was equally reviled for a mean streak and his refusal to recognize the subjectivity in his objectivity in adhering to the original intent of the constitution. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/16/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Keeps Hot Sauce in Its WNPR Tote Bag
This week, the universe chirped... and we heard it! Samantha Bee's new politics-lampooning late-night show debuted to a ton of buzz. The primary debates continued, and debate Twitter was watching.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/12/2016 • 41 minutes, 19 seconds
Wait, Wait! It's Paula Poundstone!
Paula Poundstone and I started out with a plan for a short chat about her upcoming appearance in Connecticut, and then the conversation sprawled all over the place: from the comedy records of our nerdy youths, to the time she lived in Timothy Leary's guest room.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/11/2016 • 40 minutes, 51 seconds
It's Elementary, My Dear Watson That I Owe My Life To William Gillette
Sherlock Holmes is the most recognizable character in the world. According to the Sherlock Holmes Society, the famous detective has been portrayed by seventy-five actors in more than 260 films, making him the most portrayed character on film. This could explain why a significant percentage of the British think Sherlock Holmes was a real person who lived at 221B Baker Street - a view supported by the Sherlockians, a loyal group of scholars dedicated to keeping his memory alive.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/10/2016 • 41 minutes, 14 seconds
A Conversation With Elizabeth Alexander
Ficre Ghebreyesus and Elizabeth Alexander were born two months apart in 1962, he in Eritrea, she in Harlem. They didn’t meet until 1996. He was an artist and a chef at a New Haven Eritrean restaurant he owned with his brothers. She was a poet and professor. She had been teaching at the University of Chicago, where she had also met a senior lecturer named Barack Obama. She married Ghebreyesus. She delivered Obama’s 2009 inaugural poem. In 2012, a few days after her husband’s 50th birthday, he died abruptly. Her new book, “The Light of The World,” tells that story.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/9/2016 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
We Just Watch for the Commercials
You may have heard there was some big football game on Sunday. You may have heard that the Denver Broncos won, 24 to 10. You may have heard that Beyoncé upstaged Coldplay's halftime show or that Lady Gaga’s national anthem was "fabulous."But our guess is you've also probably now heard of something called a, um, puppymonkeybaby.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/8/2016 • 41 minutes, 20 seconds
The Nose Cautions Women Not to Drink or SHOUT in the Presence of Men
The CDC this week recommended women between the ages of 15 and 44 not drink alcohol unless they're on birth control. Why run the risk to the baby if there's a chance you could be pregnant and not yet know it? Some question whether the caution against any alcohol instills a fear that outweighs the risk, while others chafe at the condescension that targets only women, and not the men who get them pregnant. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/5/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Audacity of Hoop
While basketball didn’t take up residence in the White House in January 2009, the game nonetheless played an outsized role in forming the man who did, according to Sports Illustrated’s Alexander Wolff, author of The Audacity of Hoop: Basketball and the Age of Obama.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/4/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
It's My (Political) Party and I'll Switch If I Want to
Our deepest convictions shape how we see the world from a very young age. Our parents, community, and religion deeply influence our beliefs and ultimately, the political identity we choose to adopt.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/3/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Live From Watkinson: What's So Funny About Connecticut?
Recently, a group of us gathered on stage at Watkinson School for a conversation about humor and comedy. The conversation had two fields on inquiry. The first was the very strange business of trying to be funny as a way of putting food on the table. It's a weird job. It's not so much a matter of trying to be funny as it is of trying to figure out what's funny about the thing sitting in front of you. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/2/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble on Politics: Presidential, UConn, Conard High School
The eyes of the nation turn to Iowa. But, why? The caucus process doesn't really resemble voting as we do it the rest of the time in this nation. And, the Iowa caucuses aren't really binding in terms of national delegate selection. Iowa doesn't look like the rest of the nation, by which I mean, way whiter, but this in the words of Bruce Hornsby, is "just the way it is."We also talk about the New York Times endorsement of Hillary Clinton and reactions to her candidacy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/1/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose "Likes" Michael Jackson and #FlatEarth
Joseph Fiennes will play Michael Jackson in a new British made-for-TV movie about a fictional road trip taken by Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, and Marlon Brando from New York to California after 9/11. We might applaud the casting of a white actor to play one of the most iconic black entertainers in American culture if we lived in a post-racial society. But that's fiction, too.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/29/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Tribute to Cereal: Kid Tested, Mother Approved
We once did a show about beer jingles, which is a great example of how a product becomes a culture. Cereal as a culture, is off the charts. There's the box, there's the prize, there's the character, there's the jingles, there's the commercials. Most of us can probably sing some jingles and discuss favorite cereal personae from our childhoods, which makes it kind of weird when marketing experts tell us that cereal consumption is in decline.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/28/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Surviving Unbearable Heartache
Dr. Bill Petit spent Sunday, July 23, 2007 playing golf with his father. The day was sunny and hot and a great day to be outside. His wife and two daughters spent the day at the beach. Life was good - until it wasn't.Within 24 hours, his wife and daughters would be murdered, his home burned, his belongings gone. The trauma would render him unable to return to his medical practice. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/27/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Unreliability of the Unreliable Narrator
At this year's Golden Globes, the top TV honor, Best Television Series -- Drama, went to USA's hacker technothriller series "Mr. Robot." Last year, the trophy went to Showtime's "The Affair."Between those two new shows, there are three point-of-view characters, three narrators. And you can’t really trust, you can't fully believe a one of them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/26/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Trump, X-Files, We Love Phil Collins!
The Republican establishment is wringing its hands over the rise of Donald Trump. On Friday, National Review, one of the leading and oldest voices for conservatism, dedicated its latest issue to the war "Against Trump." But it didn't have the effect they were hoping for. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/25/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Ain't Right Wingin' and Bitter Clingin'
Warning to listeners: the audio contains some information about "The Revenant" that slipped out of one of the guests during the discussion. It could be considered "a spoiler." It seems only natural that Sarah Palin and Donald Trump would find one another. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/22/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Daniel Dennett on Free Will and Consciousness
Quick! Name a living philosopher. Chances are if you can do it at all, you're going to say Peter Singer, Martha Nussbaum, Shelly Kagan, or Daniel Dennett. Dennett is probably the best bet because he plays the game at several different levels. He was known until the death of Christopher Hitchins as one of the four horseman of the atheist apocalypse. But his work on free will and consciousness have conferred a kind of celebrity on him. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/21/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Barbra Streisand: The Last Great American Showwoman
One thing we can all agree on regarding Barbra Streisand; she provokes strong reactions. Or, she used to. I don't think Millennials or Generation X and Y completely understand what Streisand was like when she was a central part of the American cultural conversation. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/20/2016 • 48 minutes, 57 seconds
Marching in Mississippi for Dr. King
This all started with a scratchy phone message from a guy named Bobby Duley. He had been making regular visits to his mother convalescing at a rehab facility in Old Saybrook. Down the hall in one of the public rooms, he discovered a woman who was intimately involved in the civil rights marches that began in 1966 in the south.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/19/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
And The Nose Goes to... Sean Penn in Gringada
The Academy is supposed to nominate the best actors, directors and writers for Hollywood's most prestigious Oscar awards; instead, they see only whites worthy of these lofty levels of achievement this year.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/15/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Can a Con Artist Con You?
Dr. Joseph Cyr, a surgeon with the Royal Canadian Navy, had to think quick when his ship came upon a rickety boat with mangled and bloody bodies. at the height of the Korean War in 1951. As the only doctor on board, he quickly moved to operate on 19 men, all of them his enemies in this war. All survived, making the young doctor a hero.Except he wasn't really a doctor. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/14/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Gregg Easterbrook: In Defense of Football
How disgraceful was last weekend's Cincinnati Bengals/Pittsburgh Steelers game? Well, Boomer Esiason, a former Bengals quarterback, used that word - disgraceful - to describe his old team and its fans. Rush Limbaugh, not a noted opponent of violence, used the word "disgrace" twice to describe the flagrant thuggery on the field. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/13/2016 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Illeana Douglas Blames Dennis Hopper
Life changed dramatically for Illeana Douglas in 1969 when her parents fell in love with the two Harley-riding hippies in the Dennis Hopper - Peter Fonda classic, "Easy Rider." They decided to trade in their middle-class life for a wild ride filled with free spirits, free love and Hollywood.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/12/2016 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Remembering David Bowie
In "A Knight's Tale," Heath Ledger is invited to a dance among the nobles. He is a peasant, impersonating a noble and is anxious because he doesn't really know how to dance. His rival sneeringly asks him to show everybody a dance from Heath's homeland. What happens next is a breath-taking dance sequence in which pre-Renaissance music morphs into Golden Years by David Bowie .Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/11/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An X-Chromosome Nose Takes on "Making a Murderer" and Gender
People can't get enough of the new Netflix story "Making a Murderer," a depressing story about Steven Avery, the son of troublesome auto-salvage dealers in the heart of an eastern Wisconsin farming community. He was erroneously sent to prison for 18 years for a crime he didn't commit. Upon his release after a long legal battle, he was put back in jail for a murder -- you guessed it -- he may not have commit. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/8/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
You Want Me To Eat What?!
Okay, this show comes with a trigger warning.We're going to talk about things people eat, and some of those things are not for the squeamish. This is a conversation about disgust, and specifically, how our reflexive response of disgust may get in the way of things we probably need to think about doing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/7/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
That's Shocking!!
When the photographs of Robert Mapplethorpe were exhibited at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford in 1989, there were protesters on the street and lines around the block as thousands queued up to pay an extra fee to look at these pictures, which lay at the heart of a heated debate about public funding for the arts.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/6/2016 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Scramble: Natalie Cole, George R.R. Martin, Oregon
Natalie Cole struggled to step out of the shadows of R&B icon Aretha Franklin and the longer shadow of her father, singer Nat King Cole. But she did it with her stellar voice and lasting, if under-appreciated, contributions to R&B, soul, and jazz. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/4/2016 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Truth About Ugliness (It Ain't Pretty)
What does it mean to say that someone, or something is ugly? For a label that gets tossed around so often, its meaning is hard to pin down. Perhaps that's because, throughout history and around the world, our notions of ugliness have shifted considerably.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/4/2016 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Reminisces on 2015
I assembled seven Nose panelists and asked them to pick a topic we used during 2015 from my list of twelve. Of the five left over, four of them were connected to the modern cycle of internet shame: Rachel Dolezal, the NAACP official who was pretending to be black, the drunk profane kid demanding jalapeno bacon mac and cheese at UConn, the aunt who sued her nephew for jumping on her, and the dentist who sued Cecil the lion.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/31/2015 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Historical Fiction Is Not All Made Up
Many of our ideas about history are drawn from historical fiction. Who, for example, is Thomas More? Is he the tragic hero of the play and movie, "A Man For All Seasons"?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/30/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Sharing Economy: From Idle Assets to Billion-Dollar Businesses
It goes by many names: the sharing economy, the collaborative economy, the peer economy, just to name a few. Whatever you want to call it, one thing's for sure: this new way of doing business -- where idle assets equal big profits, and the hard-earned currency of trust comes through user reviews -- is changing the economic landscape of our country.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/28/2015 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
The Scramble: Steve Collins on Resigning from Bristol Press and the Mysterious "Edward Clarkin"
On the surface of things, there would seem to be little connection among the following: two small daily newspapers in central Connecticut, the wealthy owner of a multinational casino and resort chain, the Chinese crime gangs known as triads, and the sale of the largest newspaper in Nevada to an undisclosed owner. But they do all fit together somehow. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/28/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Why Coincidences Happen: The Psychology and Mathematics Behind Rare Events
Coincidences happen to everyon, wwhether it's hearing a song you've been thinking about all day on the radio, or running into an old acquaintance whose name recently came up in conversation. For events so seemingly unlikely, coincidences certainly have a way of happening quite often. And now, after much study, psychologists and mathematicians think they know why.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/24/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Look Back at the Best Jazz of 2015
It's a yearly tradition: Jazz critic Gene Seymour releases his list of the best jazz albums of the year, and musicians Jen Allen and Noah Baerman gather 'round the table with their own picks. If you're buying a last-minute gift for a finger-poppin' hep cat, this episode will solve your problem.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Technological Unemployment: The Facts, Fears, and Future
To the list of things you can't avoid -- death and taxes -- we now add losing your job to a machine. A worry typically reserved for those in manufacturing, automation in the workplace is now a reality of nearly all occupations, and it's only getting worse... or is it?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Wrapping Up 2015 With "Big Al" Anderson and Jim Chapdelaine
For the second year, we welcome singer/songwriter extraordinaire "Big Al" Anderson and Emmy Award-winning producer and musician Jim Chapdelaine in studio for songs and stories.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/21/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Force Is With The Nose
Fans are flocking to J.J. Abrams's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in droves. The film is set to break box office records. It drew $14.1 million in Europe when it opened this week, and is expected to post world record sales of $600 million this opening weekend. Is there anyone out there who doesn't love "Star Wars"? You might be surprised. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/18/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Vin Baker's Journey from Basketball to Barista
Vin Baker was an Olympic basketball player and four-time NBA All Star. The journey from University of Hartford to professional basketball got him rich quick, but it was a lifestyle he couldn't keep up with. Baker's struggle with alcoholism is well-documented, as is the fact he blew through $100 million. He lost his home and restaurant.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/17/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Problem of Evil
For most shows, I’d use these first paragraphs to explain why we’ve chosen to spend an hour on its particular topic. I’d remind you of events in the news. I’d site a publication date. I’d point out a trend that we’ve maybe noticed that you maybe haven’t.For today’s show, for instance, I could type a list of towns here — international towns, domestic towns, Connecticut towns — and you’d recognize them all as spots on a map that share a wound, as place names that represent a raw, unhealed sore in our shared memory.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/16/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What About Bill? Author Robert Schnakenberg Discusses Actor Bill Murray
Bill Murray has been involved with some of our favorite movies of all time: Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Moonrise Kingdom. He doesn't like managers or agents and rumor has it, once agreed to play Garfield because he thought it was a Coen Brothers film.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/14/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Scramble: Serial, SCOTUS, and Jesus
Last week, the Supreme Court heard arguments on whether the University of Texas at Austin can consider race when deciding who can come to their school. It's the second time the high court will decide this case. But like the rest of the country, the court is having a hard time talking about race without shouting at each other. Justice Scalia is making what some say are racist comments.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/13/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose's Person of the Year is Mx...
The New York Times and Washington Post are adding new forms of address and pronouns for people who haven't chosen a single gender. Research indicates that ending a text with a period seems insincere. Dictionaries are throwing open their doors and letting in all kinds of slangy words that have been living on the internet. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/11/2015 • 43 minutes, 58 seconds
A Love Letter (and Tomatoes) to the Usual Gang of Idiots
Before Stephen Colbert and John Oliver, before Jon Stewart and Conan O’Brien, before "The Simpsons," before David Letterman, before "Saturday Night Live," before The National Lampoon… before all the great subversive American satirists that we’ve all grown… used to — before all that, there was MAD magazine.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/10/2015 • 41 minutes, 9 seconds
Walking With Dante
"Dante's Inferno" is the most famous section of "The Divine Comedy," poet Dante Aligheri's, 14,000 line epic poem. It's where Dante must face his sins before moving beyond an eternity in hell, where the doomed can still find redemption in the acceptance of their humanity. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/9/2015 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
A Conversation About Russia, the Cold War, and Espionage With a Once Aspiring Spy
Justin Lifflander wanted nothing more than to become a spy for the CIA. Growing up during the Cold War, he practiced spying on friends, family, and schoolmates in preparation for what he thought would be a career full of high-tech gadgetry and secret rendezvous. When Lifflander was finally assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow in 1987, he thought his dream was coming true.What followed was something Lifflander could never have predicted. He was a mechanic at the embassy, then an inspector of Soviet missile sights, and then a suspected American agent followed at every turn by the KGB. Lifflander found himself living in a world which very much resembled his childhood dream -- but he was never a spy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/8/2015 • 41 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble Reacts to Terror
Dozens of reporters rushed the apartment of the San Bernardino shooters on Friday. They live-streamed their tour through the home for 15 minutes, holding up everyday items that included personal photographs and private documents. They were roundly condemned on social media and by neighbors concerned by the frenzy. Where is the line between what people need to know and voyeurism? How does the drive for speed and ratings affect journalistic integrity?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/7/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Prays for Sensible Gun Policy
Two married shooters with a six-month-old baby rushed a social service agency this week in San Bernardino, California. They killed 14 people and injured another 21. It's an all-too familiar scene, including the heartfelt prayers that followed. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/4/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Cartoonist's Mother's Love Affair With a Cartoonist
I first met cartoonist Bill Griffith back in the 1980s. I arranged for us to tour a Boston-area Hostess Twinkie plant, which sounds like a weird first date but makes perfect sense if you're familiar with his creation "Zippy the Pinhead," an unwitting surrealist who swims happily through a sea of taco sauce, processed cheese and, well, Twinkies. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Can Evangelicalism Be Progressive?
Long before evangelicalism became associated with the mostly white, conservative followers aligned with the Republican Party, a long line of progressive evangelicals led reforms to abolish slavery, give women the vote and improve public schools.But the history of evangelicalism is complicated. It has a rich history of social activism on behalf of the marginalized, mixed with deep discomfort with the very people it seeks to help.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/2/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Placebo Effect
Placebo treatments have been making people feel better for a long time. They've been working since long before Franz Mesmer was run out of 18th-century Vienna for "mesmerizing" a young pianist into regaining her eyesight, after all hope for a medical cure had been lost. Doctors have long dismissed the placebo effect as inferior to conventional medical treatments that sometimes fail where placebo works well, including in surgical procedures like arthroscopy, a popular procedure that relieves the pain of arthritic knees. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/1/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble Is Fundamentally Indistinguishable From All Other Scrambles
Here’s a question: If the things we’re made of — the particles, the fundamental elemental irreducible bits, the most basic littlest chunks of us — if those things are literally, actually indistinguishable from one another, from the tiniest simplest bits of everyone else, from the tiniest simplest bits of everything else… then what makes us us?What even makes us anything at all, really?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/30/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Trouble With Changing Your Mind
Changing our mind on an issue is something we're all free to do. But that doesn't mean it comes without a cost. What would it cost a lifelong liberal to suddenly turn conservative, or a career scientist to suddenly start denying climate change? As we typically associate with others of like mind, chances are the costs could be high.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/25/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Up-Close Look Behind the Glass of… Dioramas
When I hear the word "diorama," the first thing I think of is Mr. Mack’s fifth grade class and painting hills and grass and clouds and a fence into a shoebox and making little cardboard cut outs of Lassie and the boy she loved. God, I hated that stuff.The second thing I think of is a place like the Peabody Museum in New Haven and their incredibly, obsessively, over-the-toply detailed dioramas of the plant and wildlife of Connecticut.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/24/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Lawrence Lessig, Peanuts, and Adele's 25
Lawrence Lessig recently ended his pursuit of running for president as a Democrat. But his mission to take money out of politics and fix corruption is not over. He recently slammed Connecticut Democrats who proposed suspending the state’s Citizens Election Program. He joins us to discuss his experience and struggles in running for president and Connecticut’s campaign finance laws.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/23/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose: A Word is a Word is... an Emoji?!
Speaking on NBC's "Today" show Tuesday, actor Charlie Sheen revealed he is HIV-positive and has spent millions trying to hide it. This hour, we take a closer look at the words Sheen used in discussing his actions and illness. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/20/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
New Book Examines Muslim-American Life and "War on Terror Culture"
In his latest book, author and scholar Moustafa Bayoumi takes a critical look at what it means to be Muslim-American in post-9/11 society.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/19/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Re-Emergence of Socialism in America
After decades of being dismissed as a radical movement, socialism in America is back in the spotlight. What's fueling the newfound attention? Some point to Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign, while others say it's an increasing public distaste for the economic inequality our capitalist system has lead to. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/18/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Obsolescence: Novelty Versus Nostalgia in the Age of Mass Production
In an era awash in the rollout of brand new gadgets, gizmos, fashions, and fads, it's easy to think of obsolescence as part of the natural order: Remember popped lapels, pay phones and laserdisc players? But the idea that an object should quickly fall from favor, lose functionality, and find itself in a landfill somewhere is quite new -- and it didn't come about by accident.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/17/2015 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
The Scramble: Moving Forward After the Paris Attacks
The Paris bombings and shootings are the latest in a string of attacks by the Islamic State. Mourners around the world have gathered to show support for the victims and world leaders are responding politically and militarily. This hour, national security expert and Connecticut native Scott Bates discusses what the appropriate response should be.We also hear from a University of Connecticut student responding to racist graffiti on his friend Mahmoud's door.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/16/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Weighs in on Yale
Events this past week at Yale and the University of Missouri have sparked intense debate about the boundaries of free speech, and whether that debate is diverting the conversation away from a culture of racism at both schools that is not easily understood by those who don't live it.Can we separate the fight against racism from the freedom to speak openly about it? Are we hurting students on the brink of adulthood if we protect them from exposure to the cruelties of life?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/13/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What Do You Really Know About Prosthetics?
It's not uncommon to see someone wearing a prosthesis, especially after wars in Iraq and Afghanistan sent many veterans home minus a limb. While losing a limb is a life-changing event, a good prosthetist can "carve" a prosthesis with just the right fit. It's a long process that can take years to perfect. Limbs today vary from simple body-powered prostheses moved by cables to a "fully robotic arm that has 26 joints, can curl 45 pounds and is controlled by the wearer's mind." As the stigma of a prosthesis lessens, amputees are seeking enhancement over replacement, opting for limbs that transcend what's biologically possible, even if lacking the aesthetic of a natural limb.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/12/2015 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
To Speak or Not to Speak: What Philosophers Have to Say About the Day's Top Stories
According to Yale Philosophy Professor Shelly Kagan, many of today's political issues are actually philosophical ones. Kagan says no one ever asks philosophers to weigh in.Wouldn't a deeper understanding of the day's news -- including why people think what they think and hold the positions they hold -- be beneficial?One reason for the lack of philosophical commentary in the media might be the relatively short attention spans many Americans have for absorbing information. Who has time for philosophy? And are political debates real outlets for philosophical argument?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/11/2015 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
A New Look Through "Rear Window" at Hartford Stage
In 1954, Alfred Hitchcock directed two movies. They both star Grace Kelly. They’re both murder mysteries involving a married couple and a boyfriend and a girlfriend. They both take place almost entirely in one room. They both look like plays.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/10/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Scramble: Ana Gasteyer Sings; Recognizing a Hero; Demands on Campus
You may best remember Ana Gasteyer eating Alec Baldwin's Schweddy Balls as Margaret Jo, the NPR co-host of The Delicious Dish on "Saturday Night Live." She was also a real-life Broadway actor and cabaret singer, and she just released her new album of jazz standards, I'm Hip. We talk about her upcoming appearance at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center on November 24, part of CPTV's new national music series, The Kate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/9/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
It's an All-Star "Star Wars" Nose
Star Wars fans are anxiously awaiting the release of "Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens," the seventh film in the Star Wars franchise, and first one without George Lucas at the helm. Will J.J. Abrams live up to the challenge? And where is Luke Skywalker?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/6/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Two Great Authors Share Their Latest Works
Colum McCann was assaulted in New Haven last summer while attending a conference on empathy. He was knocked unconscious and suffered physical and emotional injuries that lingered long after the attack.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/5/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Protest Music: Then and Now
Music can be a powerful, transformative tool in the quest for social change. Protest songs are the songs associated with a particular movement.Earlier this month, Janelle Monáe and Wondaland produced the searing protest song "Hell You Talmbout." Nearly seven minutes long, it's a tribute to a long list of black men and women lost, and has been performed alongside protesters at Black Lives Matter rallies.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Why Coincidences Happen: The Psychology and Mathematics Behind Rare Events
Coincidences happen to everyone -- whether it's hearing a song you've been thinking about all day on the radio or running into an old acquaintance whose name recently came up in conversation. For events so seemingly unlikely, coincidences certainly have a way of happening quite often. And now, after much study, psychologists and mathematicians think they know why.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Storytelling With Matthew Dicks
Caroline Jacobs is a grown woman with children of her own. But by all accounts, she's a wimp. She would prefer to suffer in silence than stand up for herself or anyone else -- until she couldn't stand it anymore. One night, while at a public meeting and in a crowded room, she stood up, pointed her finger at the one she loathed, and shouted "F%$# You" to her nemesis. With that one phrase, she was ready to face her past. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/2/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The World According to Atlas Obscura
Atlas Obscura considers itself a "friendly tour-guide to the world's most wondrous places" -- a number of which can be found right here in Connecticut. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/30/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Other Connecticut: The Southeastern Region
Connecticut might mean clapboard homes, leafy suburbs, and town centers that show off their roots to our colonial past. Unless you're thinking of southeastern Connecticut.The southeastern part of our state conjures images of casinos, submarines, and a blue-collar vibe that's just a little different from the rest of the state. It probably doesn't help that the Connecticut River literally cuts the state in half, separating southeastern sections from their wealthier brethren. Wally Lamb describes it as "more feisty than fashionable, more liverwurst than pate."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/29/2015 • 49 minutes, 23 seconds
Is It Time to Take Chinese Medicine More Seriously?
This year's Nobel Prize went to three Chinese scientists. It was the first time China won a Nobel in science. The committee emphasized it was not giving the award to traditional Chinese medicine, just the scientist who applied her knowledge of it to her research.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/28/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
As Another World Series Starts, How is Baseball Changing?
Tonight the Kansas City Royals and the New York Mets face off in game one of the 2015 World Series. A lot has changed in the 29 years since either of these clubs won the Series: a tenfold increase in the average player's salary, the commercialization of fantasy baseball, and four new expansion teams. And 'America's pastime,' has become increasingly multi-cultural with players coming from around the world.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/27/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Sloane Crosley Pays Homage to Guy de Maupassant
We had a great show planned for you today with two great authors. But, sometimes life is crazier than the fiction we talk about and today, we ended up with two great authors, but only one we expected. Sloane Crosley pays homage to Guy de Maupassant in her debut novel about three old friends searching for an elusive necklace as a way out of their quarter-life crisis, yet unable to share their deepest thoughts with their closest friends. Colum McCann was supposed to join us but was unable at the last minute. Instead, you'll hear from him next week. But, that left Colin with a lot of time on air by himself. He got to vamp for the last half hour like he hasn't been able to do since he started working at WNPR. He kind of liked it, especially when author David Mitchell dropped in for a surprise chat. You can't make up this stuff.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/26/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Is Making a Trailer For Today's Show
This week, movie trailers lost their way when someone advocated boycotting Star Wars VII because they believe the trailer advocated white genocide. Why? Because a black man, a woman and a Latino were prominently featured in the trailer to the detriment of you guessed it, white men. What does this say about the level of diversity in science fiction fans?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/23/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Don't Let The Bed Bugs Bite!
Humans are used to being the predator, not the prey. But when it comes to our relationship with bed bugs - well, these little critters have been making a meal of us for thousands of years.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Not-So-Secret Book Club: Purity
Jonathan Franzen has become that rare American author whose life and moods and sulks make news. From his friendship with David Foster Wallace to his fractious encounter with Oprah Winfrey, Franzen may have become America’s most visible intellectual. All that puts a lot of pressure on Purity, his newest novel. We’re experimenting on the show with a new book club format, asking three Connecticut literati to read and discuss the book.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/20/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Celebrating 100 Years of Arthur Miller
More than a decade after his death, Arthur Miller’s plays continue to resonate with readers and audiences across the world. This October marks his 100th birthday, and theaters from Los Angeles to London are staging Miller productions in celebration of his centennial. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/20/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
All The Scramble's Men
Bob Woodward thought he knew everything about Watergate. Then Alexander Butterfield, now in his late 80's, told him there were other stories never spoken of. Woodward focuses on these stories in his latest book on the Watergate scandal called The Last of the President's Men. This hour, we hear from the legendary Washington Post journalist.Also, the Wesleyan Argus faces an uncertain financial future. In September, the paper published an op-ed criticizing the "Black Lives Matter" movement. The backlash now threatens funding for The Argus next year.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/19/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Says Lincoln Chafee Won the Democratic Debate
This past week brought us the long-awaited first of six Democratic candidate debates, held at the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas. The tone was substantive, exposing a few stark differences between the candidates and their Republican opponents. They offered nuanced and complex views -- overall, a good night for voters who want to know the candidates. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/16/2015 • 41 minutes, 26 seconds
Are You Prepared for Disaster?
Three years ago, Hurricane Sandy hit the shores of Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey, killing 71 people and causing damages worth $50 billion. We suffer from a kind of amnesia: we know it happened, but we hesitate to change much about the way we prepare for future events. New York invested nearly $20 billion in new protective measures, simultaneously allowing 900 new housing units to be constructed next to the water.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/15/2015 • 40 minutes, 53 seconds
Is College Worth the Cost?
There's a debate over whether college should prepare kids with specific skills that will prepare them for jobs, or give them a wide-ranging but more general liberal arts education. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/14/2015 • 41 minutes, 56 seconds
The Scramble: Hard Slides and Fantasy Sports
Public radio is one of the few places where you can avoid ads for daily fantasy football companies like DraftKings and FanDuel. If you go anywhere else on the radio dial or turn on the TV, you'll probably encounter at least a few commercials. Now the industry is under intense scrutiny after an employee at DraftKings won $350,000 at FanDuel using insider information.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/12/2015 • 41 minutes, 31 seconds
A Poet of a Certain Age and Playwright Paula Vogel
I could have called myself a Stradivarius, for though I, of course, was just an ordinary violin, waiting, ready to be held for the first time in a musician’s hands, primed to be played, mobilized by all my busy genes to become music – when first I felt the quiver of its stirring sound, I became, imparadised, the most priceless stringed instrument on the face of the earth. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/12/2015 • 8 minutes, 6 seconds
The Nose Just Wants Some Mac 'n Cheese
In 24 hours, UConn freshman Luke Gatti became a viral video sensation. By now, millions have turned on their computers to watch the apparently-intoxicated 19-year-old taunting and shoving a UConn food court manger. Over what? Mac 'n cheese, of course. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/9/2015 • 40 minutes, 43 seconds
A Conversation About Russia, the Cold War, and Espionage With a Once Aspiring Spy
Justin Lifflander wanted nothing more than to become a spy for the CIA. Growing up during the Cold War, he practiced spying on friends, family, and schoolmates in preparation for what he thought would be a career full of high-tech gadgetry and secret rendezvous. When Lifflander was finally assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow in 1987, he thought his dream was coming true.What followed was something Lifflander could never have predicted. He was a mechanic at the embassy, then an inspector of Soviet missile sights, and then a suspected American agent followed at every turn by the KGB. Lifflander found himself living in a world which very much resembled his childhood dream -- but he was never a spy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2015 • 41 minutes, 6 seconds
Philippe Petit's "Perfect Crime"
Philippe Petit made his walk between the towers of the World Trade Center over 40 years ago. He stayed up on that wire for 45 minutes, made 8 passes between the towers, got down on his knees, and he even laid down on it! But it's more than that one feat - it was a placeholder for a much broader philosophy of risk and creativity, and evidence of who the man really is.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2015 • 41 minutes, 29 seconds
What's In a Title?
The opening credits of your favorite movies and television shows set the mood, tone, and characters for what's to come, and allow you to relax and get ready for the show. Some fast-forward through the opening credits to avoid distraction from the main performance. Others say title sequences are supposed to be more like a score: felt, but not noticed. The film industry first fell in love with titles in the 1950s, when iconic opening sequences from Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo and Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone were etched deep in our memories. The opening notes are still recognizable half a century later. The same can be said for the well-known HBO series Game of Thrones. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/6/2015 • 41 minutes, 2 seconds
The Scramble: Changing the Gun Conversation
Our weekly Monday afternoon "Scramble" continues the conversation arising from last week’s school shooting in Oregon. As the number of mass shootings continues to rise, the nationwide discussion has reached a stalemate. Is there a different, more effective way to talk about guns? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/5/2015 • 41 minutes, 17 seconds
Shhh... The Nose Met Secretly With the Pope
This week, Pope Francis was the biggest thing to hit America since the British Invasion. You could buy Pope-themed dolls, cookies with the Pope's face, hats, coffee mugs, backpacks, and even a Pope Bobblehead. It was the pope's first visit to the U.S., and he seemed eager and happy to be here. He spoke passionately about the poor, climate change, and the migrant crisis, and cautioned against religious extremism. It has left some people wondering why he met privately and secretly with Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refuses to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/2/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Alan Doyle: From Small Town to Great Big Sea... and Beyond
Alan Doyle is best known as lead singer of the Canadian band Great Big Sea. Recently, however, he's been touring with a different act: Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/1/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
U.S. Intelligence Dabbles in Forecasting the Future
The participants are average citizens: school teachers, waiters, pharmacists, perhaps even your neighbor. By day they work and pay their bills, but when they return home, things change. These elite individuals go to work forecasting the outcomes of global events (sometimes years into the future), all at the direction of a little-known government intelligence agency called IARPA.While this all sounds ripped from the latest Hollywood thriller, the truth is that this is happening right now in America. The "superforecasters," as they are known, are all volunteers. They are Americans like you and me who signed up to take part in a long-running experiment put together by U.S. intelligence officials and several university professors.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/29/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
What Does It Mean to Be a Man?
We've been talking a lot over this last year about problems like misogyny and violence in football, rape on college campuses, mass shootings, and increasing rates of suicide and addiction. What we don't say is that men are the victims of these behaviors as much as women, albeit in different ways. We often look for explanations in mental health, failed policy, or lax laws. But men overwhelmingly engage in these behaviors. Why are we reluctant to discuss what society expects from men, and whether those expectations are realistic? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/29/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Walking With Dante
"Dante's Inferno" is the most famous section of Dante Aligheri's 14,000 line epic poem, The Divine Comedy. But it's only the first part of Dante's long pilgrimage through the afterlife. He first enters the circles of hell, filled with beasts and sinners doomed to the Inferno for crimes like gluttony, lust, and treason. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/28/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Doesn't Cheat On Emissions Tests
Volkswagen is having a moment. Not a good moment, but it's certainly a moment. VW owners are glaring at their vehicles with suspicion after it was revealed the automaker's diesel vehicles were designed to cheat on emissions tests.Hopefully, VW is not capturing its moment with a selfie because that could be deadly. Plus, selfies are so easy to take, a monkey can do it and maybe even make some money from it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/25/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Cartoonist's Mother's Love Affair With a Cartoonist
I first met cartoonist Bill Griffith back in the 1980s. I arranged for us to tour a Boston-area Hostess Twinkie plant, which sounds like a weird first date but makes perfect sense if you're familiar with his creation "Zippy the Pinhead," an unwitting surrealist who swims happily through a sea of taco sauce, processed cheese and, well, Twinkies. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/24/2015 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Is America Losing Its Bearings?
There was a time when hard work brought most Americans a decent wage, a secure life, and opportunities to aim for a better life. George Packer says that's no longer the case for too many Americans.Institutions that once anchored middle-class Americans are either collapsing or morphing into faceless institutions that benefit the wealthy, Packer says. Health and educational outcomes are significantly lower for the poor, who are also incarcerated at higher rates. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Scientists Confirm Existence of Woo-Woo. Woo-Woo Declares Results Inconclusive
Between all we know to be true, and all we know to be false, lies a world of woo. Woo-Woo, to use the official term, refers to ideas considered irrational or based on extremely flimsy evidence, or that appeal to mysterious occult forces or powers.But who decides what's woo-woo, and what gets accepted into the hallowed halls of scientific truth?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Emmys Start the Week, Pope Closes It
There's a lot of great TV. We already knew that, but the Emmy Awards reiterated that we live in a golden age of television. "TV is where you meet people who are recognizably people, people with whom you are willing to spend your time — either once a week, or in intense hours-long bursts," said Alexandra Petri from the Washington Post. This hour, we recap the Emmys.We also preview Pope Francis' trip to the United States this week. His visit comes at a time of political divide and presidential politics.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/21/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose: Clock Debacle and GOP "Crazy Talk"
Ahmed Mohamed is a 14-year-old Texas student who likes to tinker. He was arrested for bringing a home-made clock to school, because school officials thought it was a bomb. What followed was an outpouring of support for Mohamed, who many said was targeted because of his Muslim faith. President Obama invited him to the White House, Mark Zuckerberg invited him to Facebook HQ, and he even got a scholarship to space camp. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/18/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The World According to Atlas Obscura
Online guidebook Atlas Obscura considers itself a "friendly tour-guide to the world's most wondrous places" -- a number of which can be found right here in Connecticut. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/17/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Hour With Song-and-Dance Man Ben Vereen
Ben Vereen was plucked from the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn to go to the prestigious Performing Arts High School because somebody thought he had talent. Influenced by song and dance men like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr., Ben Vereen garnered accolades for groundbreaking roles in "Pippin," "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Roots," in which he challenged us to think about race, religion and who can make art.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/16/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Checking In With a Physicist and a Filmmaker
This hour, we get updates from a few of our favorite former guests. UConn physicist Ron Mallett is looking to fund a feasibility study to pay for the first steps of his time machine. We’ll catch up with him.And New Haven-based filmmaker Gorman Bechard is working on two documentaries – one about animal cruelty, and the other on the New Haven pizza wars.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/15/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
How Can We Help the Syrian Refugees?
Ever since a photo of a Syrian boy dead on a beach made the rounds of the internet, there has been a new focus on the refugee crisis. The United Nations reports more than four million registered Syrian refugees and the country's neighbors are taking the brunt of the strain. Now Europe is struggling to handle a flood of migrants to that continent. Germany is among the countries imposing border controls in response to the flood of refugees who survived the long and dangerous journey away from war.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/14/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Late Show With The Nose
It was a rocky start to Stephen Colbert's Late Show debut. He admitted he went way over time, and barely got it on the air. But days later, his emotional interview with Vice President Joe Biden reminded us why we just love him so. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/11/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Storytelling With Matthew Dicks
Caroline Jacobs is a grown woman with children of her own. But by all accounts, she's a wimp. She would prefer to suffer in silence than stand up for herself or anyone else -- until she couldn't stand it anymore. One night, while at a public meeting and in a crowded room, she stood up, pointed her finger at the one she loathed, and shouted "F%$# You" to her nemesis. With that one phrase, she was ready to face her past. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/9/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Conversation With Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates has been writing since before she could read, making "books" by drawing and coloring characters in her tablet. She preferred upright chickens and cats in confrontational poses and tried hard to make her books look like the ones read by adults. She's wanted to be a writer since inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Those books changed her life and by extension, ours. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/9/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Christopher Shinn Taps Local Roots for Play at Hartford Stage
Born in Hartford and raised in Wethersfield, playwright Christopher Shinn pays homage to Connecticut in a new play called "An Opening In Time."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/8/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Making The Nose Great Again
This hour we'll talk Evan Osnos' in-depth look at the nationalist movement behind presidential candidate Donald Trump. How much power lies with the fringe? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/4/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Black Holes: How an Idea, Hated By Einstein, Became Loved
This hour, we celebrate the hundredth anniversary of Einstein's general theory of relativity with author and scholar Marcia Bartusiak. Bartusiak's latest book is called Black Hole: How an Idea Abandoned by Newtonians, Hated by Einstein, and Gambled on by Hawking Became Loved.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Inner Circle of Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson was one of those writers whose lives start to matter more than their art. From almost the beginning, life and art were intentionally interwoven. Thompson's outsized appetites for drugs and food and stimulation were set into his hyperbolic prose. The story of the wrier was the story of the story. He was hardly the first to do it, but he did it in a fashion that made both the lifestyle and prose of Norman Mailer seem comparatively restrained. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/2/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Bears, Blumenthal, and Boastful Americans
Does it seem like there are a lot of bears in Connecticut? It's hard to have a conversation this summer without someone mentioning they spotted a bear. While most of us are in awe of the size and majesty of these animals, most of us don't know much about bears. In light of this weekend's closing of Sessions Woods, now might be a good time to talk about what's already on everyone's minds.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/31/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Obsolescence: Novelty Versus Nostalgia in the Age of Mass Production
In an era awash in the rollout of brand new gadgets, gizmos, fashions, and fads, it's easy to think of obsolescence as part of the natural order: Remember popped lapels, pay phones and laserdisc players? But the idea that an object should quickly fall from favor, lose functionality, and find itself in a landfill somewhere is quite new -- and it didn't come about by accident.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/31/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What Makes a Word a Word?
If you know how to read, you're probably pretty good at recognizing words. But, new words like "egg corn," "crema" and "slendro" are challenging our concept of what makes a word. Yet these very words were recently added to Merriam-Webster's unabridged online dictionary.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/28/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Getting to Know Our Iranian-American Neighbors
America and Iran have not had an easy relationship since 1979, when 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days by students supporting the Iranian Revolution. The resulting rise of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini further weakened the relationship.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/27/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Are You Smarter Than an Octopus?
The octopus has always been the stuff of spine-tingling legend, like that of the Kraken, the many-armed sea monster believed to drag ships to the bottom of the sea after dining on the crew. Or Gertie the Pus, the giant Pacific octopus that lives under the Narrows Bridge connecting Tacoma, Washington to Gig Harbor.In reality, the octopus is more benign but equally fascinating. Did you know the octopus has two-thirds of its brain neurons distributed throughout its eight arms? Or, that the severed arm of an octopus can walk independently toward a food source and move it to where its mouth should be? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/26/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Protest Music: Then and Now
Music can be a powerful, transformative tool in the quest for social change. Protest songs are the songs associated with a particular movement. Earlier this month, Janelle Monáe and Wondaland produced the searing protest song "Hell You Talmbout." Nearly seven minutes long, it's a tribute to a long list of black men and women lost, and has been performed alongside protesters at Black Lives Matter rallies.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/25/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: So Wait, What Should You Do in a Terrorist Attack?
Officials in France and the United States are celebrating the actions of three brave passengers aboard a train who thwarted an attack. Did these passengers do what you're supposed to do in that situation? This hour, we hear from a retired FBI special agent who will tell us how bystanders should respond to violence.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/24/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Another Supposedly Fun Nose We Will Never Do Again
“Every journalist who is not too stupid or too full of himself to notice what is going on knows that what he does is morally indefensible. He is a kind of confidence man, preying on people's vanity, ignorance, or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without remorse.'' Those, of course, are the immortal opening words of Janet Malcolm’s book-length essay, “The Journalist and the Murderer.” Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/21/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Dragons Rule!
She who controls the dragon controls the world.Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion are the most recent dragons to capture our attention, thanks to "Game of Thrones," the wildly popular HBO hit that's placed dragons front and center in our imagination.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/20/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Getting Graphic With Roz Chast
In her graphic memoir Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, cartoonist Roz Chast brings humor to the difficult topic of aging parents. Last year, the book earned her the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Kirkus Prize for nonfiction. Now, it's being featured alongside some of her other work as part of the Distinguished Illustrator Exhibition Series at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/19/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Talking With Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch
Colin spent the last few weeks speaking with each of the Bridgeport mayoral candidates likely to qualify for the September 16 primary. First, Joe Ganim. Last week, Mary Jane Foster. Today, we talk to incumbent Bill Finch.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/18/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Song of The Summer? Not This Year
Earlier this summer, we spent a full hour listening to candidates for "song of the summer." Now that summer is winding down, we’re still trying to figure out the winner. Was there a song you just couldn’t get enough of recently? We talk to someone who says for the first time in a long time, there was no "Call Me Maybe," "Blurred Lines," or "California Gurls" (for better or worse).Also, one popular retailer for music (and everything else) is under harsh criticism. The New York Times reported on the working conditions at "The Everything Store."In the final segment, we address tall person guilt. Should they feel obligated to stand in back?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/17/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose: Cuckie Monster and Crimson Tide
Last week's Republican debate created chaos on the internets: Trump insulted Fox's Megyn Kelly, which naturally led to ladies live tweeting their periods at the wanna-be President. And a new slang was born: "Cuckservative." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/14/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
It's a Left-Handed Show
Lefties have been scorned as evil, and celebrated as superior. But, like so many things in life, being a southpaw is not so easily defined. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/13/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
We're Having a Poo Party!
Today, our show about poo.First, the 'no-poo' movement. Before the last century, people washed their hair a lot less often than we do today. A little Castille soap, an egg yoke for extra shine, and one hundred strokes with a boar bristle brush would do the trick. It wasn't until John Breck introduced his golden shampoo that everyone wanted to have the long lustrous locks of a Breck Girl. Today, 'no-poo' converts are going back to the basics and they say they're hair has never looked so good.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/12/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Will Mary-Jane Foster Be Bridgeport's Next Mayor?
Candidate Mary-Jane Foster is hoping to qualify for the Bridgeport mayoral primary on September 16. She thinks she's got a pretty good chance.Foster is in a tight race with both incumbent Bill Finch and challenger Joe Ganim, the popular former mayor who spent seven years in prison for crimes he committed while in office.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/11/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: There's an Atheist in the Huddle
Athletes have always used their elevated platform to advance products and ideas. After a game winning play, it's almost expected to hear the star thank either God, the Lord, and/or Jesus. But you won't hear that from Houston Texan running back Arian Foster. He just came out as an atheist playing football for a NFL team in the bible belt. How will that play out?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/10/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Has Its Moment of Zen
So we know that everyone in the world is covering the end of Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show today. We know that you’ve probably already listened to an hour or two of radio about Jon Stewart on this very station today.But the thing is, we’re gonna miss Jon Stewart too.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/7/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Brrr... Turn Off the Air Conditioner
It's summer and 90 degrees -- so why am I freezing at the office?A recent New York Times article on air conditioning has sparked a debate on whether air conditioning is a necessity or an indulgence. Some say air conditioning has been a part of our lives for less than a century, yet we increasingly rely on it as soon as the weather makes us feel the slightest bit uncomfortable. We're not only losing our ability to adapt, the resulting green-house gas emissions are contributing to climate change. And public buildings are way colder than they need to be for comfort.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/6/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Talk to the Hand: The Puppet Show
Who doesn't love puppets?From the Muppets to Edgar Bergen to the Thunderbirds, they defined our childhoods. Today they're taking over the theater with "Hand to God," "Avenue Q" and "The Lion King." Many people don't know it, but Connecticut has long been a center of puppetry in the United States.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/5/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Does Your Dog Really Know How You Feel?
Our show is all about "man's best friend." Dogs are, generally, cute and cuddly and many of us adore them. But what's the science behind our puppy love? We talk with researchers and reporters who study whether or not our dogs are as intuitive as we sometimes think they are or whether they are just "dumb as a dog."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/4/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Can We Say %&!* On-Air?
Internally, NPR has debated when and where it is appropriate to swear. If the President of the United States says the N-word, should it be bleeped on the radio? Can a public radio host swear on a podcast? There are lots of questions about offensive language in 2015, with so many different mediums and changing social norms.We also discuss news that Vice President Joe Biden might be looking for a promotion to the Oval Office.Finally, is Yelp in a "death spiral"?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose: The Revenge of Cecil and Amy
This past week, a Minnesota dentist and father of two shocked us out of our complacency. Desensitized by the weekly shootings this summer of African Americans by white policemen, moviegoers in theaters and African American churchgoers by a young white racist, his ambush of Cecil the lion was a visceral blow to our collective gut. Yes, we're still horrified by the way human beings treat each other. Our outrage over Cecil doesn't change that horror, but animals are somehow out-of-bounds of our cruelty to one another. In some ways, they're like civilians in a war - innocent victims in a world outnumbered by humans with the power to destroy all that is natural in this world.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/31/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Is Bridgeport Ready for Joe Ganim's Return?
No one can argue the charisma of former Bridgeport mayor Joe Ganim. He served five terms as a beloved leader in a city long plagued by crime, poverty, and corruption, much of the corruption under the Ganim administration.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/30/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Martin Short Is On, I Must Say!
Two funny men. Two funny books. I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend follows the life of Martin Short, a funny man who spent his childhood staging elaborate one-man variety shows in his attic bedroom before bringing us enduring and endearing characters like Ed Grimley, Irving Cohen and Jimmy Glick. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/29/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Marriage in Our Modern World
Across the United States, partners still hold the institution of marriage dear. Yet as time moves on, there are significant changes in the way Americans approach marriage. Many years ago, the idea of marrying for love was ludicrous. Now, the love match is the heart of a modern marriage.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/28/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble Kisses Its Chickens*
The CDC recently announced that kissing or cuddling your chickens is a health hazard. Because… Well, because people kiss or cuddle their chickens, apparently. Some people probably kiss and cuddle their chickens. But you shouldn’t kiss or cuddle your chickens. Because your chickens are basically just waddling featherballs of salmonella, it turns out. So, ya know. Don’t kiss or cuddle your chickens.But before we get to that, two other stories:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/27/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Refuses To Talk About Sharknado
This hour, the Nose will definitely NOT talk about Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!But they will cover Gawker's horrible week. After lots of backlash, the online site retracted a story in which they outed a married executive who solicited a male prostitute. They've now made the pledge to be "20% nicer." Or maybe just 10%.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/24/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Woman and Her Store: Remembering Beatrice Fox Auerbach and G. Fox and Co.
This hour, a panel of experts and historians gives us an in-depth look at the life and legacy of Beatrice Fox Auerbach, owner and CEO of Connecticut's most beloved department store, G. Fox and Co. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/23/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Flap Over Flags
Flags have been in the news a lot lately. South Carolina removed the Confederate flag from its Statehouse this month and one Missouri county threatened to lower the flags at their courthouse for one full year to mourn the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Backstory of Advice
What makes advice good or bad? When and why do we listen to what others have to say? It is human nature to turn to others for advice when the going gets tough; we seek the wisdom of loved ones, lawyers, doctors, therapists, and advice columnists. But even when presented with good advice, we don't always take it. This hour, we get down to business about advice.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/21/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: The Education of a Mass Murderer
In 2011, Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people in Norway, most of them teenagers. He's serving a 21-year prison term, which can be extended. But in the meantime, he'll study political science at Oslo University from his prison cell. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/20/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Talks Race, Politics, and Pluto
This hour, we'll talk about Ben Rothenberg's Serena-driven body image piece, and the stir it caused. Mark Leibovitch's peice on Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/17/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
What Happened to the Great American Songbook?
This hour, author Ben Yagoda joins us as we explore the rise, the fall, and the rebirth of the Great American Songbook. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/16/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Allure of Gold Throughout History and the Modern Age
The history of gold is a history of beauty, bloodshed and obsession. Gold has been fought for, worn ornamentally, traded as tender and at times even worshiped. This hour, we continue to mine it, covet it, and find uses for it even King Midas himself would never have imagined.But why has the allure of this precious metal endured for so long? Investors will say its rarity ensures its worth. Numismatists will point to its ancient uses as currency to justify the appeal. And scientists may point to its uses in electronics and space travel as a means of explaining its value.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/15/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Stalin's Ghost
Joseph Stalin's only daughter grew up the beloved pet of a man responsible for a decades-long campaign to arrest, torture, execute or forcibly imprison millions of Soviet citizens, including children and members of his own family. That's what we know now.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/14/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Big Week in the Book World
This week, the long-awaited sequel to Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird hits bookshelves. Since it was announced, questions were raised about Lee's involvement in the release of this book. But now the conversation has changed to the content of the book. A New York Times review reveals the much beloved character of Atticus Finch was a racist during the Brown v. Board of Education era of the 1950s.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/13/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Takes a Selfie With Donald Trump
Univision and NBC cut ties to Donald Trump and he won't be returning to The Apprentice, his long-running television show, because of the inflammatory comments he made about Mexican immigrants last week. But, he doesn't seem to care. Despite the comments, or maybe because of them, his appeal seems to rise with his belligerence.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
You Have How Many Kids?
When I was a child in the 1960's, it was not uncommon to have friends with 5 or 6 siblings. I was one of 4.But, times have changed. For all sorts of reasons - economic, work, personal preference, religion - the majority of parents are having fewer children today than was common in the previous generation. And, as family size has decreased, societal attitudes about larger families have become increasingly negative. The usual reaction goes something like this: "Why would you want to have so many kids?" Or, people might not ask at all and assume insanity or religious zealotry. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/8/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The (Sort of) Growth of the Podcast
Podcasts weren't born last year with the arrival of Serial, the wildly successful story of an unsolved 1999 murder that you could hear solely on podcast.Serial likely provided the first encounter with podcasts for a lot of listeners, but podcasts first entered the consciousness and our iPods ten years ago last weekend, when early adopters saw in them the next great media revolution. The New Oxford American Dictionary even named "podcast" the word of the year in 2005. What wasn't to love?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/8/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Which Writers Get Museums?
Mark Twain has many literary sites; yet Henry James has none. You can visit Edith Wharton's house but not Shirley Jackson's. You can walk where Wallace Stevens walked but you can't buy a ticket to go through his front door. And can you believe there's no single museum devoted to all American writers-- yet?New England is about to get two great new writers’ museums: The Dr. Seuss museum in Springfield, Massachusetts and-- if we're lucky-- the Maurice Sendak Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Today we look at who gets a writer's house and why-- and what sort of experience we’re looking for when we make pilgrimages to the desks of our literary heroes. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/7/2015 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Think You Can Write a Broadway Song?
So, you think it's easy to write a Broadway song? I say not so fast. The four aspiring writing teams that attended Goodspeed's Festival of New Musicals this past January say it's plenty hard. They spend a lot of time kicking around ideas, most of which never see the light of day. But, really, they have no choice. "If you can do anything else, you do do anything else," says Marcy Heisler, one half of one of our amazing teams. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/6/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Innovation in the Arts: The Search Continues
It's hard to imagine: the idea that the arts, the grand bastion of our creative genius, may soon be bankrupt. But are new ideas really an unlimited commodity, or wont we one day exhaust them all? Some say we already have; that the bulk of what's being churned out by today's filmmakers, musicians and writers, are simply re-imaginings of the ideas of their predecessors.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/2/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Life, Death, Church, and ALS: a Conversation With Nancy Butler
Once upon a time Nancy Butler lived in the Beltway and used her MBA to secure a high paying job with a defense contractor. But Butler had considered herself a devout Christian since the age of 9, and something about a job with a company that made torpedoes started to bother her. So she left and embarked on a journey that included mission work in Asia and enrollment at Yale Divinity School. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/1/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
A Portrait of the "Bro" as a Young Man
In some ways, the 'bro' is not new. He's there, for example, in Philip Roth's "Goodbye Columbus" as Ron Patimkin, the big athletic empty-headed brother of Brenda. What's different is that in the 1960s, it seemed fundamentally untenable to be Ron for an extended period of time. Ron only really made sense as a college athlete, and now he's stuck with a bunch of mannerisms and interests that seem vaguely out of place.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/30/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Recovering From a Brain Aneurysm With the Power of Cooking
At 28, Jessica Fechtor suffered a life-threatening brain aneurysm that knocked out some of her senses. Now she has written Stir: My Broken Brain and the Meals that Brought Me Home. She'll be our guest today as we talk about life, death, food, and healing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/29/2015 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose: Did Clarence Thomas Watch "GWTW" One Too Many Times?
The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the right of gays and lesbian to marry, as a matter of equal protection. In New York City, the cops were closing of Christopher Street, so people could party. Similar pop-up public parties are happening all over the nation, including here in Connecticut. But some hearts are heavy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/26/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
I'm "Tryin" to "Take It Easy" But Everyone's Fighting Over The Eagles
The Eagles first album touched a cultural nerve in 1971, with songs like "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and "Witchy Woman," a prelude to the hits to come. And, the music never stopped. Despite mounting criticism from critics and fans alike, within five years they rolled those hits into one of the biggest selling Greatest Hits albums of all time. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/25/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Fighting Climate Change Could Involve Changing Your Lifestyle
In 1997, more than 180 nations signed the Kyoto Protocol. The idea was clear and ambitious: Begin the process of saving the planet from global warming. The Kyoto protocol outlined what were thought to be realistic guidelines for reducing greenhouse gas emissions among developed nations. In the nearly 20 years since the protocol was signed, climate change has showed few indications of slowing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/23/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Insidiousness of Propaganda
We usually think of propaganda as a tool used by autocrats eager to manipulate minds and limit rights we take for granted in the West. Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong-un or King Salman bin Abdulaziz wouldn't have a chance with us.But Western culture is steeped in propaganda that's more insidious and less blatant.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/23/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Continuum of Racism in America
In the wake of another mass shooting, President Barack Obama took the podium in the White House press briefing room to address reporters. The shooting in a black church brings up a "dark part" of United States history. "This is not the first time that black churches have been attacked, and we know the hatred across races and faiths pose a particular threat to our democracy and our ideals," Obama said.This hour, we explore several threads of the post-Charleston shooting, from the symbols of racism to the use of mental health to explain tragedy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Nose: Live From The 2015 Festival of Arts and Ideas
We're taking The Nose, our weekly culture round table, to The Study at Yale in New Haven, joining the International Festival of Arts, Ideas, and Pancakes. We'll be adding one of the performers to our round table, too! We've all seen the Brian Wilson film, "Love and Mercy", and we're all aware of the changes to the ten dollar bill. We'll talk about that and more, live from The Study! Join us!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/19/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Song of the Summer 2015
How do you define “The Song of the Summer?” DJ Brendan Jay Sullivan likens it to a summer romance: Fresh faces only (no repeat artists), love at first sight (or first three seconds of the song), and you don’t want to be anyone’s summer fling (it lasts a while!). With that in mind, what’s your song of the summer so far? On this show, we’ll narrow down and try to define the winners and losers.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/18/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Write the Future: Women in Speculative Fiction
For some readers, it's hard to imagine speculative fiction without female writers. After all, Margaret Cavendish and Mary Shelley practically created the genre. More recently there are authors like Octavia Butler and Ursula LeGuin. Not to mention J.K. Rowling - who you may have heard of if you've been alive in this century.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/17/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Stage Fright Feels Awful
Oh no! It's my turn to speak. My throat is tight, my mouth is pasty and the butterflies are eating at my stomach. My mind feels blank, what if my voice cracks? My heart is pounding so hard I feel lightheaded. This is how I felt before speaking in front of an auditorium filled with over 300 teachers and administrators in the town in which I live. I made it - but there was a moment when I wasn't sure I would. In the end, I liked it more than I thought I could. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/16/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Will RSVP "No" To Any Westeros Wedding
You get that Facebook invite. You think to yourself, "Yeah, that could be fun." You get reminders in the days leading up to the event. As the clock ticks down, you think yourself, "I like the person who invited me, but that dinner starts at 8pm on a Tuesday night. Do I really want to go?" No, you don't want to go but the RSVP says yes. You did what Henry Alford refers to as an "aspirational RSVP."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/15/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Has a Problem With Women
Elinor Burkett, citing Summers' speech and asking if men and women have different brains.We'll talk about the controversy surrounding one of the Inland Northwest's most prominent civil rights activists. The family of Rachel Dolezal says the local leader of the NAACP has been falsely portraying herself as black for years.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/12/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Is Technology Getting Too Smart?
Wendell Wallach predicts that crises in public health and our economy will increase dramatically in the next 20 years, likely a result of our rush to adopt new technologies before we've prioritized the risks we're willing to tolerate against the benefits we might gain.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/11/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Esperanto In The Internet Age
Esperanto was first published in 1887 by Polish-Jewish ophthalmologist L.L. Zamenhof. His goal was to create a neutral language; one that would foster peace and harmony across national borders. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/10/2015 • 49 minutes, 6 seconds
What Makes a Word a Word?
If you know how to read, you're probably pretty good at recognizing words. But, new words like "egg corn," "crema" and "slendro" are challenging our concept of what makes a word. Yet these very words were recently added to Merriam-Webster's unabridged online dictionary.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/9/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: In New York, Tonys and Crowns
Lots of awards were handed out in New York this weekend. The annual Tony Awards were given to the best Broadway productions of the year. But no amount of theatrical showmanship could top what happened in the Belmont Stakes.American Pharoah completed horseracing's elusive Triple Crown. Finishing a few lengths behind him in third place was Keen Ice, who is part-owned by two Connecticut residents. This hour, we speak with one of the local owners.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/8/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose is Talking About Caitlyn Jenner Too
Way back -- I don't know -- a week ago, the story of Caitlyn Jenner was pretty amazing.The gender transition of one of America's most acclaimed male athletes was, all by itself, a watershed.And how much of a watershed?Is this like an Ellen DeGeneres moment, when a mass audience suddenly gets comfortable with a new idea?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/5/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Order From Chaos: Why Patterns Prevail in the Physical World
Patterns are everywhere: both in the wonders of nature and in the man-made world. They exist in the formations of crystals and clouds, in art and music, and in math and science. It is therefore no surprise that we, as inhabitants of this pattern filled world, are wired to find them.And it's not only humans that have this ability; pattern recognition is a skill shared by all mammals. Since the first primates learned that certain weather patterns meant a storm and others meant it was time to hunt, life on this planet has both created and responded to patterns for survival. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Dragons Rule!
She who controls the dragon controls the world.Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion are the most recent dragons to capture our attention, thanks to "Game of Thrones," the wildly popular HBO hit that's placed dragons front and center in our imagination.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: a Visit to the 2015 Berkshire International Film Festival
Last week, we went up to do our annual live show from Great Barrington, Massachusetts at the Berkshire International Film Festival. Our usual host, The Triplex, had technical problems, so we pulled the plug with a few minutes left to go, which is why you heard a re-run about movie trailers. Meanwhile, we recorded this show so you could hear it today. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2015 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
I'm Having a *$#%! Miserable Day
All of us know what it feels like to have a bad day - the pain, the regret, the sheer misery. We also know how one bad decision can spiral into a day(s) filled with misery. Sometimes, misery stems from really bad events that are out of our control, like the loss of a loved one. But, too often, we're quick to blame misfortune on chance, the toss of the dice, bad luck. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/1/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
This Trailer Show is Rated G for Great
This hour, we talk about movie trailers. Maybe you wonder what a movie critic thinks of them. Actually, critics don't see as many as you do because they often go to special screenings.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/29/2015 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
I'm So Tired! At Least, That's What My Head Is Telling Me
In 1954, Roger Bannister did the previously unthinkable. He ran a mile in under four minutes. Six weeks later, his chief rival John Landy, did the same thing, and bettered Bannister's performance. Thirteen months later, three other runners broke four minutes. Bear in mind that this had been considered impossible for as long as there had been time-keeping at track meets.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/28/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Exploring What It Means To Be Jewish
Jews make up 2.2 percent of the population although it fluctuates depending on who gets counted. The U.S. Jewish population is roughly the same size, north of 6 million, as the Jewish population of Israel. And, since there are about 14 million Jews in the whole world, an astonishingly high percentage of them live in those two countries. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/27/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Many Moods of Hartford Stage's Darko Tresnjak
Connecticut has been incredibly lucky in the directors who have made its regional theaters their basis of operations. Don't miss this full-length conversation between Colin and Darko Tresnjak, Hartford Stage's Tony Award-winning Artistic Director, about Shakespeare, his acceptance speech at the Tony's, moodiness in the theater world, and of course, his current production of "Kiss Me Kate".Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/25/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Goes Crazy Over Mad Max
Setting into your movie theater seat for "Mad Max Fury Road" you are treated a series of trailers that remind you how many movie screens this year will be taken up with new iterations of old franchises. There's a new Jurassic Park movie coming and a new Terminator. But Mad Max is a little different. The franchise had lain dormant since and the movies are the work of a single auteur, George Miller, who begot Mad Max and, at age 70, has reimagined parts of it for this latest installment. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
From Mozart to Radiohead: Sybarite5
From Mozart to Radiohead, Sybarite5’s eclectic repertoire and dynamic performance style is turning heads throughout the music world: “…that impassioned playing, those hard-driving rhythms, the blissed-out faces of the mostly young audience…Genuine, spontaneous…excitement” (The Washington Post). Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/21/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Understanding Hierarchies in Nature and Society
Social structures, in almost all cases, are defined by some form of hierarchy. Whether in academics, sports, religion, business, or politics, there's usually someone at the top and others whose goal it is to get there. But while it's easy to think that we've designed our world to be this way, the truth may be that we had no choice.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/20/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
A Serial Scramble: Podcast's Co-Creator Julie Snyder
If you listen to public radio, you probably know her name. If you don’t listen to public radio, then you probably know her name from the massively popular Serial podcast. Julie Snyder is the senior producer of This American Life and she’s the co-creator of that show’s spinoff podcast, which told the story of Hae Min Lee's murder in 1999 and the conviction of her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Transcending Gender Roles Across Cultures
As our culture continues to progress, one elephant in the room that seems to be growing harder to ignore is our views on human sexuality. The traditional model of two mutually exclusive gender identities, male and female, is becoming increasingly outdated as we hear about people in our communities and around the world who fall somewhere in between the two (or outside the boxes entirely). Despite the threat of social exclusion and sometimes deadly persecution, stories of those who dare to embrace their own identity continue to increase in number.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/18/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Wonders Why Canned Hams Are Funny
David Letterman reinvented television. He's irreplaceable. He was a comedic revolution. According to President Obama, Letterman is "a part of all of us."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/15/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Was The American Revolution a Riot?
Hartford is one of the poorest cities in America. While there is lots to love about this city, like the fact that poor minorities are not subject to the police brutality seen in Baltimore and Ferguson, people of color who live in Hartford and who also happen to be poor share the same high levels of unemployment and urban decay seen in those cities. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/14/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Healing Power of Music: Colin McEnroe at Watkinson School
A lot of interconnected things were happening in the 1990s, an oncologist and hematologist named Mitchell Gaynor discovered through a Tibetan monk, the so-called singing bowls and began incorporating them into the guided meditation and breathing work he did with his patients. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/13/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Nudism: No Shoes, No Shirt... No Problem!
There are many kinds of nudism - or naturism. There are people who just like doing stuff while not wearing clothes. And there are those who believe there are hygiene benefits. And people who link nudism with various utopian movements that break down barriers among people.And there are people who believe in de-stigmatizing the parts of the human anatomy ordinarily covered by a bathing. The way this plays out in life, therefore, is that some naturists just want the chance to live in the raw in fairly private settings.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/12/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: "Shoveling While Black" Leads Doug Glanville to State Capitol
The discussion about race and police started long before the recent events in Baltimore, Ferguson, Staten Island, and many other communities. Last year, former Major League Baseball player and current ESPN analyst Doug Glanville was questioned by West Hartford police in his own Hartford driveway while shoveling snow. That led to his widely distributed and discussed piece, "I Was Racially Profiled in My Own Driveway." This year, Glanville took it a step further and became a vocal supporter of legislation that would limit the jurisdiction of police when enforcing local ordinances.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/11/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Gets All Dressed Up To Eat a Big Mac
This hour on the nose: Sports! Did you know it’s a mistake to include content that makes light of domestic violence? Damn, why didn’t WE know about it here at the Cleveland basketball office place? Like eight or nine of us watched the video and we thought it was totally fine, but now we can kind of see what people object to. Also...Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/8/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Practice of Forgiveness Shown to Help Victims Heal
Think back to a time you felt wronged by someone. Does the memory of the injury still make you upset or cause you stress? Considering the amount of minor and major trauma we sustain throughout our lives, we are given surprisingly little information about how to process these unpleasant experiences to help minimize long-term negative effects.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/6/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Think You Can Write a Broadway Song?
So, you think it's easy to write a Broadway song? I say not so fast. The four aspiring writing teams that attended Goodspeed's Festival of New Musicals this past January say it's plenty hard. They spend a lot of time kicking around ideas, most of which never see the light of day. But, really, they have no choice. "If you can do anything else, you do do anything else," says Marcy Heisler, one half of one of our amazing teams. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/6/2015 • 49 minutes, 18 seconds
Living the Freelancer Life
We all know that the days of punching our clock for exactly forty hours is over. One of the alternatives that has risen in its place is what's called the "gig economy": Americans are casting off the traditional full-time job to freelance, moonlight, and temp their way to financial success.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/5/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Psychology Behind Branding and the Changing Soda Industry
When was the last time you enjoyed a sugary soft drink? If it's been a while, it may be because health movements have begun to turn consumers away from sodas. But the sugar content in juices, iced teas, and energy drinks is also very high. It begs the question: why are some connoisseurs now trying to break only their soda habits, and what makes others remain dedicated to their favorite carbonated drink?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/4/2015 • 49 minutes, 47 seconds
The Nose Misses Howard K. Smith
Which side are you on?In the mammoth PEN Awards kerfuffle, that is. Table captains have walked out over the award being given to the survivors from Charlie Hebdo. And now 145 writers, including six table captains and such notables as Junot Díaz, Lorrie Moore, Joyce Carol Oates, Eric Bogosian and Michael Cunningham, have signed a letter protesting the award to Hebdo. As LBJ apparently never said regarding Vietnam and Walter Cronkite (but we'll come to that): Once you've lost Joyce Carol Oates, you've lost America. Francine Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/1/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Which Writers Get Museums?
Mark Twain has many literary sites; yet Henry James has none. You can visit Edith Wharton's house but not Shirley Jackson's. You can walk where Wallace Stevens walked but you can't buy a ticket to go through his front door. And can you believe there's no single museum devoted to all American writers-- yet?New England is about to get two great new writers’ museums: The Dr. Seuss museum in Springfield, Massachusetts and-- if we're lucky-- the Maurice Sendak Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut. Today we look at who gets a writer's house and why-- and what sort of experience we’re looking for when we make pilgrimages to the desks of our literary heroes. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/30/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Are We Predisposed to Believe in Religion More Than Science?
University of Kentucky Biology professor James Krupa is frustrated with the resistance of his non-biology students to accept the theory of evolution as established fact, despite what he calls an "avalanche of evidence" supporting its validity.Krupa says that evolution is the foundation of our science, and just as we accept germ theory, cell theory, quantum theory, and even game theory, we must understand the significance of evolution even if it challenges long-held religious beliefs.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/29/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Life, Death, Church, and ALS: a Conversation With Nancy Butler
Once upon a time Nancy Butler lived in the Beltway and used her MBA to secure a high paying job with a defense contractor. But Butler had considered herself a devout Christian since the age of 9, and something about a job with a company that made torpedoes started to bother her. So she left and embarked on a journey that included mission work in Asia and enrollment at Yale Divinity School. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/28/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Tale of Two Leakers: Punishment Discrepancies in the Military
Former general and CIA director David Petraeus will not go to jail for leaking classified information to his biographer and mistress. Last week, he was sentenced to two years probation and a fine. Meanwhile, other leakers without the stars or stature are spending years behind bars. There are other discrepancies in military justice too. This hour, we talk to journalist Peter Maass from The Intercept.Also we check in on local Nepalese residents who are grappling with this weekend's earthquake in their home country.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/27/2015 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
The Nose: Ben Affleck Owned My Grandma
One of the unwritten rulers of a weekly culture show like The Nose is that, if you're willing to "go low," as they say, you could probably alternate between Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck every week. They're both wonderfully talented, but they're also kind of useful idiots, reliably causing some kind of spectacle we can go after. And they used to be a couple.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/24/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
How Do We Even Know What Time It Is?
There was a time when almost everyone wore a watch. There was a time when almost everyone had a mechanical clock in their home. There was a time when almost no one had any kind of timepiece at all.There was also a time when pretty much everyone had a VCR that blinked 12:00 AM twenty-four hours a day.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/23/2015 • 41 minutes, 28 seconds
The Science of Snake Oil
We like to think of health care as an exact science: established guidelines, uniform practices, rigorously tested treatments vetted through extensive lab trials. Unfortunately this was neither the case in the early days of medicine, nor is it the case today. It's shame that nearly 2500 years after the writing of Hippocrates' famous oath we'd still be wrestling with the ethics of best practice.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Conversation With Elizabeth Alexander
Ficre Ghebreyesus and Elizabeth Alexander were born two months apart in 1962, he in Eritrea, she in Harlem. They didn’t meet until 1996. He was an artist and a chef at a New Haven Eritrean restaurant he owned with his brothers. She was a poet and professor. She had been teaching at the University of Chicago, where she had also met a senior lecturer named Barack Obama. She married Ghebreyesus. She delivered Obama’s 2009 inaugural poem. In 2012, a few days after her husband’s 50th birthday, he died abruptly. Her new book, “The Light of The World,” tells that story.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/21/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: America's Marathon Is Back in Boston
Patriots' Day is a time for celebration in Boston and across the nation. The biggest event held on this day every year is the Boston Marathon, which has turned it into a day for remembrance as well. The second race since the 2013 bombings is underway and this hour, we check-in with a public radio reporter at the finish line.Also, the UConn Foundation has been under increased scrutiny both in the media and at the state capitol where a bill that would open up the non-profit to the state's Freedom of Information laws, was defeated.Finally, we talk Star Wars with someone who actually took a ride in a X-Wing! Really. Ok - kind of really.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/20/2015 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose: Me and You and a Van Named Scooby
We don't usually talk politics on The Nose, but that's OK, because Hillary Clinton isn't really talking politics (much) yet either. Instead, she's just trying to, you know, hang out with all 235 million voting age Americans at once. How does one do that? That's the kind of thing that interests the Nose. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/17/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Remembering the Black Panthers in New Haven
Forty-five years ago, the attention of the nation and much of the world swung toward New Haven, where the murder trial of Bobby Seale and Ericka Huggins had made the city a magnet for Black Panther outrage and pushed New Haven to the brink of anarchy.It's an amazing story with a cast of characters that includes not only the Panthers, but future black leaders like Kurt Schmoke, a Yale student who would become mayor of Baltimore, and J. Edgar Hoover, Jerry Rubin, Allen Ginsberg, Archibald Cox, Spiro Agnew, Kingman Brewster and Tom Hayden.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/16/2015 • 48 minutes, 59 seconds
Live From Watkinson: A Conversation With David Edelstein
Everybody's a film critic, right? I mean, who walks out of a theater with no opinion about it? Also, nobody's a film critic. By that, I mean that most people resist deep analysis of a film. A frequent refrain is "Hey! It's just a movie."For a film critic like David Edelstein, the key word is engagement.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/15/2015 • 41 minutes, 31 seconds
The Death of President Lincoln
To mark the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, we look back the event and how it changed America with two local historians who are experts on the 16th President of the United States. As part of this look back, we hear from actors who will commemorate the anniversary with a staged reading to recreate the final days of the Civil War, the assassination, and the search for and death of John Wilkes Booth.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/14/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Urban Violence: The People Behind the Statistics
Governor Dannel Malloy last month announced he'll bring together a panel of community leaders and experts for the first time today to take a look at ways to reduce the urban violence that takes the lives of young men, mostly minority and poor, in often random and senseless acts of violence. While those numbers are decreasing in some urban areas around the nation, including in Connecticut, they remain higher than would be tolerated in more affluent communities.A focus on the numbers ignores the lives behind the statistics, including the families that love victims. Nor do numbers get to the root of the problems behind the violence. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/13/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose: Does This Fat Make Us Look Dressed?
“Let me just come right out and say it: I am fat.”We're not even sure when it started, but Candice Bergen, who was always perfect and who is still perfect, really went there in her current memoir and book tour.“Let me just come right out and say it: I am fat.”Mostly, it feels like someone opening the window and letting the fresh air in, right? And it lets us know that everybody eats and some of us eat too much. I mean, it turns out that the FBI -- which is being held to new fitness standards -- is full of stress-eaters.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/10/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Untold History Between the U.S. and Puerto Rico
The United States has a long and complex relationship with Puerto Rico that changes dramatically depending on who is telling the tale. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/9/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Unraveling the Web of Deception
We fool people all the time. Whether with bad intent or not, deception has become a common practice in today's society. While modern tools such as texting, social media and the internet at large have all made the practice easier, deception in its most basic form goes back to Man's beginning. Some believe it to be an assertion of power while others claim it's in our blood- a practice born out of our species' need to cooperate in order to survive.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/8/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Anything to Get Ahead: How Cheating is Becoming a Standard Practice
Cheating can be found everywhere these days. Whether in school, sports, business, politics or taxes, cheating it seems, is as much a part of our culture as baseball or apple pie. But it's not just in our culture that cheating abounds. Around the world, the practice appears to be reaching epidemic levels.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/7/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble Hates Duke (But Isn't Sure Why)
The stage is set for the national championship in men's Division I college basketball. Sure, your team might not be there, but you know who to root against in Monday night's game: Duke. Why? This hour, we ask that question of a filmmaker who produced a film on one of Duke's biggest villains.Also, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy is everywhere on the cable news circuit lately. Is his national star rising, or does it just seem that way in Connecticut?Finally, what are the takeaways from a review of a retracted Rolling Stone report on campus sexual assault?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/6/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose: Can You Be POTUS and Not Like Dogs? Can You Host TDS After a History of Rough Tweets?
The only people who might have had a wilder roller coaster ride than Trevor Noah this week were the owners of Memories Pizza in Walkerton, Indiana. (That's the place that announced Wednesday morning they would not be willing to service the burgeoning market for breadsticks and nacho cheese dip at gay weddings. By Friday, they had been forced to close temporarily because of all the harassment and had seen half a million dollars raised for them on the site gofundme.com.)Anyway, we're not talking about Indiana on The Nose today. We promise.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Case Against Owning Exotic Pets
It's official: owning a dog or a cat is just not as cool as it used to be. Nowadays, anybody who's anybody owns a monkey, or a leopard, or a slow loris... Whatever that is. Indeed in today's age, with the desire to stand out leading us to make ever more questionable decisions, owning a creature everyone else is smart enough (or ethical enough) not to own is a true mark of distinction.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/1/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Smiling Will Get You Everywhere
On the series "NewsRadio," the character played by Phil Hartman once said, "Experience once taught me that behind every toothy grin lies a second row of teeth."Smiling is a universal way to show happiness. But not all smiles are happy. In reality, we smile less for happiness than for social reasons that have nothing to do with happiness. That said, few things are more ingratiating and calming as another person's genuinely warm smile. But, maybe it's because a genuine smile is such a great thing that we're always looking for the false one. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/31/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Waking Up To The Morning Zoo
You're probably no stranger to the Morning Zoo if you were in your teens or twenties in the 1980's. Developed after the death of disco left Top 40 stations with a big hole to fill, the Morning Zoo revitalized early morning radio with a fast-paced improvisational style that for the first time broke down barriers between news and entertainment.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/30/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Goes Clear
This weekend, HBO premiered a documentary about the Church of Scientology that has been generating headlines and controversy for months. What new information was learned from the film? This hour, we talk with someone who has written extensively about the church.Also, a "religious freedoms" bill was signed into law by Indiana Governor Mike Pence. Some businesses in the state are already receiving backlash from customers who won't do business in the state because of the law. Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy is expected to announce an executive order that will ban state-funded travel to Indiana. However, Connecticut is one of 19 other states with similar religious freedom laws on the books.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/30/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose: "Footloose" in China; Sexy in South Windsor; Obsequious in Oklahoma
Our topics today involve censorship, transgression, and reconciliation. Earlier in the week, The Nose panelists started talking about China's "dancing grannies" problem. This sounds like a Monty Python sketch, but it's real. In China's public squares, droves of people --most of them women and most of them with a little snow on their roofs -- assemble and dance, in various styles, to various kinds of music. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/27/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What's In a Name?
Author Michael Erard is interested in how and why we name things - especially non-human objects and animals - and how naming affects our perceptions and behaviors toward those objects.He spent a lot of time researching how different subcultures name things - including rock musicians, scientists and Maine lobstermen, because naming tells you a lot about what's going on in a particular culture. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/26/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Combating Corrosion: America's War on Rust
Rust is all around us. It's in our cars, our homes, our infrastructure. It's also the subject of Jonathan Waldman's first book, Rust, which introduces us to the people who fight it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/25/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Lewinsky Shames the Shamers; Art Gets Painted; and Lamar's On-Top of the Music World
Before cyber-bullying was even a term, one person was experiencing it from the internet world mercilessly: Monica Lewinsky. Nearly 20 years after her affair with President Bill Clinton was discovered and she became the internet's target, she is returning to public life. Last week, she gave a TED Talk and addressed the scandal and its aftermath directly.Also, the City of Hartford is restoring damage to a well-known sculpture that was unknowingly marked by work crews with orange paint.Finally this hour, a look at the new album by Kendrick Lamar, which has been the talk of the town among rap fans and critics alike.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/23/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
When Does a Medical Condition Become a Disease?
Doctors have been treating the symptoms of their patients, often before they know the cause, for centuries. But as medicine has gained sophistication and precision, we've slowly demanded more of our doctors. We want them to treat us, but also to know what we have, and why we have it, and how to treat and cure it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/23/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Talks Race While Sipping Starbucks
Starbucks is trying to start conversation about race relations in America, led by baristas across the nation. The effort has had mixed reviews. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/20/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Countering Extremism: Dismantling an Ideology Through the Power of Ideas
Here in America we're taught to celebrate ideas, to think outside the box and to fan the flames of innovation whenever possible. But what do we do when an idea becomes destructive? And even worse; when that idea becomes an ideology?This is the prospect we're facing with extremism around the world. Now America, a nation well adapted to win wars by conventional means, is being forced onto a battlefield it's less accustomed to-- one where social media, propaganda and targeted messaging are the weapons of choice.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/19/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Madness of the NCAA
It's that time of year again when productivity slides, sleep is lost and frustration runs high. No, there's not another financial crisis - just March Madness! Join our favorite bracket watching team of Julia Pistell and Bill Curry, as they share their top-secret strategies to pick the winning NCAA bracket, the logic of which stuns even seasoned sports reporter Mike Pesca.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/17/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Connecticut Grown Tobacco
Shade tobacco came to Connecticut in 1900 from the island of Sumatra, which was beginning to dominate the world of cigar wrappers. The leaf had a light color, delicate texture, and mild flavor that cigar lovers love. So it seemed like a good idea to grow it somewhere besides Sumatra and the artificial shade concept developed in Florida in the 1890s. Connecticut growers tried it on one-third of an acre in Windsor in 1900, and the result was so good that farmers, in an un-Yankee-ish burst of headlong passion, planted 50 acres in 1901. The industry grew like shade tobacco -- that is, fitfully -- and woven into its life were the stories of the latest set of immigrants willing to work in cheap and concentrated bursts. We tell you as many of their stories as we can. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/17/2015 • 48 minutes, 36 seconds
What's It Like to Be a Pediatrician in the Internet Age?
Sixty years ago, patients rarely questioned the authority of their doctors. Like the doctors portrayed on television, these older, wiser, and usually white male doctors would dispense sage advice to trusting parents desperate to make their children well in an age of polio and measles.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/16/2015 • 10 seconds
A New Haven Nose: College Kids Behaving Badly
Mark Oppenheimer hosts an All-Star New-Haven Nose Panel from New Haven.For as long as fraternities have acted poorly, adults have quietly tolerated and even gloried in it. Who can forget John Belushi and Animal House? Too often, parents and college administrators have excused the all-night parties, destruction of property, and drunken brawls as the rude, yet benign acts of those on the brink of entering adulthood, the last gasp of carefree youth. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/13/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Bring Back the Beaver
Today, we take a deeper look at the beaver.Beavers are sophisticated eco-engineers, one of few animals capable of broadening biodiversity and currently considered of the keys to reversing climate change. They build sophisticated dams and deep-water ponds that stem erosion of riverbanks, create cooler deep-water pools that support temperature-sensitive plant and fish species, and increase the water table, a big deal for Western states suffering the impact of worsening drought.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/11/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Plight of the Composeress
For centuries, female composers have often found themselves overshadowed by their male counterparts. Take Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Anna Magdalena Bach, and Alma Mahler, for example. Their names don't roll off the tongue quite as easily as Felix Mendelssohn, J.S. Bach, and Gustav Mahler's do. But why?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/10/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Reopening "The Jinx"; Women on $20 Bills; Reaction From Selma
A new HBO series raises new questions about murder suspect Robert Durst. He was found not guilty of one murder but remains on law enforcement's radar for others. The HBO series "The Jinx" is not helping his case. We speak with a New York Times reporter about the latest on evidence presented against Durst on the show.Also, there is a new push to replace Andrew Jackson with a woman on the face of the $20 bill. The executive director of "Women on 20s" joins us to discuss the process and some of the candidates to replace Jackson.And finally, this weekend President Barack Obama delivered a speech in Selma, AL to mark the 50th anniversary of "Bloody Sunday." We'll speak to a local professor who was there with her family.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Achieving Immortality: How Science Seeks to End Aging
The dream to live forever has captivated mankind since the beginning. We see this in religion, literature, art, and present day pop-culture in a myriad of ways. But all along, the possibility that we'd actually achieve such a thing never quite seemed real. Now science, through a variety of medical and technological advances the likes of which seem as far fetched as immortality itself, is close to turning that dream into a reality.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/9/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Has Been Reading So Many Books
In a couple of weeks the nation will be transfixed by a competition in which basketball teams advance through a tournament laid out as a series of brackets.Can the same process get people more interested in literary fiction? For a decade, the Morning News has been testing that theory. They year we decided to attach ourselves, like remoras, to their enterprise. We asked three super-readers to blow through as many of thoe 16 novels as they could; and today, on a special edition of the Nose, they'll talk their way through the brackets. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/6/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Romance of the North
It's cold, snowy winters like this that make us question why we choose to live in a place where snow, sleet, and wind define one-third of the year. It's a great excuse to complain, but does it also make us stronger and better people?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/5/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
What Will We Name It: The (Gulp) Hartford River Hogs?
On Wednesday we find out the finalists for Hartford's new minor league baseball team. Will it be the Hartford Blue Frogs? How about the Hartford Honey Badgers? Do you like the Hartford Yard Goats better? I got it! How about the Hartford Huckleberries! What do you mean it's not on the list? This hour, lots of people call and tweet with their favorites. Take a listen. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/4/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Open Wide! The Story of Our Teeth
This hour, we sink our teeth into, well, teeth! We find out why oral hygiene is so important to our health, and why Americans are so obsessed with straight, white smiles.A little later, Canadian writer Michael Hingston tells us the fascinating history of the tooth fairy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Our Past, Police, and Progressives
Arthur Chu argues that Andrew Jackson is the worst president we've ever had, and his face should be removed from the $20 bill. For starters, Andrew Jackson removed about 46,000 Native Americans from their established homelands to make way for White settlement leaving a "Trail of Tears" of starvation, disease, and death. That's just the beginning of a long line of horrors: he annexed Florida, executed militia members after the War of 1812, and dismantled the central bank to push wildcat banks. Maybe America has never been a paragon of the ideals we hold dear, and maybe America would rather forget our past than deal with it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/2/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Tackles #llamas, the Robin Thicke Trial and the Dress That Broke the Internet
What did we talk about before there was the dress? The dress was made for the Nose and vice versa. The Nose is our Friday session when we get smart, funny people together for a fast-moving conversation about culture. The dress -- an otherwise unremarkable striped number that popped up on the internet Thursday afternoon -- took over social media and people’s lives simply because people who were otherwise similarly rooted in reality could not agree on what color(s) it was.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/27/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Understanding the Human Microbiome
We’re finally going to do a show about you! And when I say this, I’m not talking to the people listening, but to the microbes living in their armpits and belly buttons. This hour, we tell the humans what you little guys have been doing for them all along -- and how much more you might be able to do with a few tweaks from science. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/26/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Isn't It Time to (Really) Talk About Iraq?
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a newspaper column about the Brian Williams debacle, except it really wasn't about that. It's about the way a relatively small story about a lie told by a news anchor seems to be the only national conversation we can have about our role in Iraq.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/25/2015 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
Who Killed the King?
One of the things you will learn this hour is how close New Haven came to being a possession of Spain. Even if you think you know the story of the New Haven Regicides, the men who fled to the New World rather than face punishment, by which I mean death, for their complicity in the execution of Charles I, we probably have some surprises for you. By we, I mean Lord Charles Spencer, who joins me in studio to talk about his new history, Killers of the King. Spencer writes a very brisk and compelling style of history. To put it another way, if you like "Game of Thrones," it's a pretty easy leap from there to this story. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/24/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Oscars, Baseball and Coventry Market
I totally get the case against the Oscars and I look forward to hearing our friend Steve Almond make it on the show today. The case is that the creative arts and zero-sum games to not belong together because art is fluid and not hierarchical. How can one performance or movie lose when another wins? It's absurd right? Wrong.For example, we all know it was appalling in 1995 when "Forrest Gump" won Best Picture over "Pulp Fiction," "Quiz Show," and "Shawshank Redemption." Or, in 1981 when "Ordinary People" bested "Raging Bull." Whether we want to cop to it or not, we have internal standards and we know when they've been violated. This hour on the Scramble, Almond and I will debate that. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/23/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose: 2015 Oscar Edition!
The Academy Awards are almost upon us! It's hard to focus on the best movies of 2014 when you're already looking forward to the next SpongeBob movie, "Fifty Shades of Yellow."We don't care! It's time for Vivian Nabeta's Rockin' Pre-Oscar Special Edition of The Nose, our culture roundtable.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/20/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Unlocking the Mysteries of Alzheimer's Disease
My mother was an Alzheimer's patient. I think it's fair to say the disease killed her although like a lot of people in their 80's with serious illnesses, she got caught in a whirlpool of problems that made it hard to pin the blame on any one thing.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/18/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Has Our View of Corruption Been Corrupted?
There's a new anti-corruption task force in Connecticut replete with billboards asking the public to report the corrupt. This hour, we explore the history of corruption and our complicated attitudes toward it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/18/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Innovation in the Arts: The Search Continues
It's hard to imagine: the idea that the arts, the grand bastion of our creative genius, may soon be bankrupt. But are new ideas really an unlimited commodity, or wont we one day exhaust them all? Some say we already have; that the bulk of what's being churned out by today's filmmakers, musicians and writers, are simply re-imaginings of the ideas of their predecessors.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/17/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Weeps at the Loss of Jon Stewart
Washington is rigged for the big guys - and no person has more consistently called them out for it than Jon Stewart. Good luck, Jon!On the next Nose, is there any way we can spin the departure of our favorite truth teller as a good thing?It might be pretty tough. How do we put this in context at the end of a terrible week for the news industry, with Brian Williams being suspended from NBC News for six months, and the death of CBS News correspondent Bob Simon?Washington is rigged for the big guys - and no person has more consistently called them out for it than Jon Stewart. Good luck, Jon!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/13/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Exploring What It Means To Be Jewish
Jews make up 2.2% of the population although it fluctuates depending on who gets counted. The U.S. Jewish population is roughly the same size, north of 6 million, as the Jewish population of Israel. And, since there are about 14 million Jews in the whole world, an astonishingly high percentage of them live in those two countries. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/12/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Gastromusicology: Exploring the Flavor of Sound
In his book Classical Cooks, Hartt professor Ira Braus explores the link between musical and culinary taste. This hour, he joins us to explain the relationship that composers had with food, and the impact this had on their musical output. Were some of your favorite symphonies and operas inspired by some fatty meats or tasty sweets? Join us to find out.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/11/2015 • 41 minutes, 28 seconds
Visceral Voting: The Psychology Behind Picking a Politician
Why do we vote the way we do? The easy answer, of course, is that we pick the politician whose values, beliefs and opinions most closely resemble our own. But while that does play a part, there are other, less obvious influences as well.It turns out that much of why we make the voting decisions we do comes from our subconscious: biases we hold towards things like a candidate's height, weight, looks, tone of voice, and even choice of clothes. Campaigns have known this for years and, with every vote being fiercely sought, have employed a variety of tactics to make their candidate appeal to parts of our psyche we're not even aware of. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/10/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble's Memory Betrays It
There is a lot of news about the fallibility of memory. Brian Williams is currently out of the NBC Nightly News anchor chair because of problems with some of his war stories. Coincidentally, Maria Konnikova wrote about "flashbulb memories" for the NewYorker.com, which is what Williams' problems may be attributed to.This weekend, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals granted a request to review the case of Adnan Syed. His conviction of murdering his ex-girlfriend was the subject of the podcast Serial, but in many ways was also about memory.In many high schools over the last few decades, students have been introduced to author Harper Lee through her debut and only novel To Kill A Mockingbird. Many people never expected a follow-up book but last week, it was announced that Go Set A Watchman will be released later this year.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/9/2015 • 41 minutes, 26 seconds
The Nose Remembers Broadcasting From the Alamo
Our plan, from the beginning, for today’s episode of The Nose had been to ask the panelists to see “American Sniper” and then discuss this unusual movie – unusual because director Clint Eastwood’s intention was to make an anti-war statement but the movie has been embraced far more ardently by boosters of the Iraq conflict.By the numbers, it’s a surprising story. “American Sniper” grossed a quarter of a billion dollars in the month of January. Released on December 25, it’s capable of becoming 2014’s highest grossing film, although it would have to catch the latest “Hunger Games” iteration.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/6/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Eggstrordinary Eggs!
Just about all of us eat eggs and when we say that, we mean chicken eggs. But, there are all kinds of other eggs you can eat. I cook occasionally with duck eggs and I've tasted goose and quail. Today on the show, we talk to a farmer who ranches exotic eggs, including emu, and a chef who cooks with them. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/5/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Beyond Mark Twain: A Conversation With Hal Holbrook
I get to talk to a lot of remarkable people and still I tell you that you're about to hear a conversation with one of the most remarkable people I've encountered in five years. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/4/2015 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Is the Television Sitcom Dead, Hurting, or Thriving?
People have been predicting the death of the sitcom since at least 1999, but the current TV season has been so toxic towards them that some observers have wondered whether the sitcom, which has been around since the birth of television, has anything left to say to us. But then again, what is a sitcom? Do sitcoms have to air on network television? Do they have to have a laugh track? Or fill a half-hour time slot? Do they even have to be comedies?This hour, we consider the art form of the sitcom with producers and critics of the genre. What is your favorite sitcom and what makes it your favorite?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/3/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The M.B. Show: Mike Birbiglia and Mark Bittman
I know what you're asking yourself. You're thinking, I know the Colin McEnroe staff is amazing, but how do they manage to book two big celebrities with the same initials?Well, you're right. They are awesome. but we did not actually hatch a plan to have guests with the initials M.B. Anyway, we already did a long interview with Michael Bolton. At the end of last year, I had a conversation with food writer Mark Bittman, whom I've known since the earliest days of his career. We've been looking for a chance to share that interview with you.Then we got a chance to talk to Mike Birbiglia, a comedian and teller of monologues who has been on with us twice before.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/1/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Only Watches the Super Bowl for the Commercials
On the Nose this hour: pre-watching Super Bowl ads.Super Bowl advertisers have forced us (conned us?) to live in their world, not just for Sunday, but for days spreading in either direction. This piece explains how, in 2011, a VW ad was released on the YouTube's days in advance of the game and went viral, setting the stage for what we have now: a protracted debate about various ads. You probably have to, on YouTube, sometimes watch an ad so you can watch an ad.Today, that 2011 ad has 61 million views on YT. Those are people volunteering to watch it, as opposed to people waiting for the game to resume.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/30/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Giving Wings to Flight
This hour: the story of Cameron Robertson and Todd Reichert's incredible journey to make "impossible flight" possible. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/29/2015 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Overconfidence Is Overrated
Here's my favorite one. Eighty-four percent of Frenchmen rate themselves as above average lovers. Ninety-three percent of young drivers in another survey said they were above average. And, 68% of the faculty at the University of Nebraska place themselves in the top 25%. All of those numbers reflect misplaced confidence. It seems to be genetically wired into us in certain ways. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/28/2015 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Puzzles: The Joy of Being Perplexed
People have been puzzled since the beginning. And while that might sound like a problem, it may in fact be our preferred state of being. Since the first fires needed to be lit with tinder too damp to kindle, we've been problem solving. When one problem was solved, another was found. And when seemingly, we could no longer find enough problems to satiate our appetites, we created puzzles: problems in a box; food for our minds.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/27/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
This Is How You Survive the Storm
We decided to bow to reality, and make this hour all about getting ready for the storm. You’ve heard about the storm, right? We begin today with NBC Connecticut meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan, and find out why this particular storm has his profession in such a lather.Then we move on to what most -- ideally all -- of you will be doing from Monday night through Wednesday morning: staying put.Culture critic Linda Holmes and I will discuss some viewing recommendations. Watch them until the power goes out. If and when that happens, maybe you’ll still be able to read. You’ve still got time to add to your e-reader or physically pick up some of the books our final guest John Warner and I will be discussing. Warner is one of the commentators in a March tournament of literary fiction.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/26/2015 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
Dancin' in the Moonlight: Connecticut Dance Halls
This hour, we talk about two Connecticut dance halls, each springing from the vision of two very different men who took their respective dance halls down very different paths. One's dream soared, bringing thousands of concert-goers to over 3,000 acts over an eleven-year history. The other's dream stalled, his elaborate dance hall sitting idle for decades.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/23/2015 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
An Ode to Opera
In 2012, the New York City Opera -- what Mayor LaGuardia called "the People's Opera" -- declared bankruptcy. This is/was the opera that introduced Americans to Placido Domingo and Beverly Sills. Make what you will of the fact that the bankruptcy announcement coincided with the presentation of a new opera about Anna Nicole Smith.This is either a problem very specific to the New York Opera, or part of a virus that has been taking down opera companies all over the U.S. and maybe all over the world. In Italy, where opera receives much more public and government support, one fourth of all major opera companies were in a version of bankruptcy as of 2008.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/22/2015 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
Live From Watkinson School: Can a Song Change the World?
If you want to reach people, sing to them, and make them sing. Experience tells us that singing changes people's relationships to reality, maybe even getting them ready to experience pain in a protest march.Here's a term that was new to me anyway: "Collective Effervescence". It was coined by the sociologist Emile Durkheim to describe a lot of things, including the state we might achieve if we all got together and sang a song about our political aims. You see this in times of protest, from the streets of Ferguson to the streets around Tahrir Square. When people sing, or hear someone else sing, it activates them.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/21/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Word of the Year, Football, and "The Nightly Show" Premieres
The Oxford Dictionary word of the year for 2014 is vape. I can get behind that. It's a word that describes something a lot of people are doing and it really did come of age in the last 12 months. The American Dialect Society, not so much. Their controversial word of the year is #blacklivesmatter, which is not a word or even close to being one word.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/20/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose is Still Waiting for its Oscar Nomination
Academy Awards are not intrinsically important; therefore, Academy Award nominations are not intrinsically important, but these things are great moments for starting conversations and taking stock. They work pretty well as mass cultural Rorschach blots, and as is the case with many things, the ways in which they make us unhappy are probably the greatest source of interest. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/16/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The History and Influence of Soap Operas
Earlier today, Julianne Moore got an Oscar nomination for "Still Alice." She is by far the betting favorite to win the best actress award. But you may remember her better as Franny Hughes Crawford on "As The World Turns." And four or five years before Ellen said "I'm gay," Bill Douglas came out as a gay teenager on One Life to Live. That character was played by Ryan Philippe. In fact, Leo DiCaprio, Maria Tomei, Tommy Lee Jones, Parker Posey, Kevin Bacon, Meg Ryan, they all worked on soaps before they moved on. Now there are only four soap operas left – drawn out, dramatic stories that used to be sponsored by soap manufacturers, and now are struggling to maintain relevance to house wives who have a lot more options in the middle of the day. We'll talk about this slice of Americana with those in the industry, and a professor who co-directs “Project Daytime.”Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/15/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Fire: Sparking Imagination Since Two Million B.C.
Things burn: Our environments, resources, and all forms of monument to self. And since the beginning, so too has our imagination. The inspiration humans have drawn from fire throughout the millennia is as impressive as it is immeasurable. Why fire occupies such an elemental place in the creative wellsprings of our consciousness is certainly a debate to had.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/14/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Spice of Life
The word spice has a kind of urgency. You don't need spice but historically, it's something people wanted enough to travel long, unfamiliar routes to find and bring back. We're going to talk about the lust for spice that helped open up trade and colonization. It's not just the taste or the smell - it was status and a class marker. One was either the sort of family that had turmeric or one was not.Today on the show, we talk about the history of spice and about its present. It hasn't stopped, in certain quarters, being a luxury item and a status marker.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/13/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Cartoonist's Psyche, D'Angelo, and "Transparent"
Today on the Scramble, we talk to two cartoonists about the road ahead from the Charlie Hebdo massacre. I'm still wrestling with some of my own questions about what this story means to the world of satire, which I consider vitally important to the health of the world.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/12/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Wraps its Head Around Satire
Later in the show, we discuss this essay in praise of the conventional office life, but first, Colin writes: Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/9/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Mystique of "Jeopardy!"
What is it we salute when we salute the flag of Jeopardy? I really don't know the answer nor do I know how to put it in the form of a question. There are some obvious answers. Jeopardy celebrates competence. It acknowledges the idea there are things worth knowing and that people who know them deserve a slightly different status than people who don't. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/8/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
I'm So Tired -- At Least, That's What My Head Is Telling Me
In 1954, Roger Bannister did the previously unthinkable. He ran a mile in under four minutes. Six weeks later, his chief rival John Landy, did the same thing, and bettered Bannister's performance. Thirteen months later, three other runners broke four minutes. Bear in mind that this had been considered impossible for as long as there had been time-keeping at track meets.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/7/2015 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Historical Deletion and Censorship
There's a mostly forgotten story by the mostly forgotten sci-fi writer, R.A. Lafferty. It's called, "What's The Name of That Town." We meet a team of scientists and an amusing sentiant computer examining clues that suggested something existed once upon a time and has now been erased.It turns out to be the city of Chicago which has been obliterated in an accident so traumatic that the city's existence has been wiped from all records and from peoples actual memories. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/6/2015 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: NYPD vs. deBlasio and Remembering Icons and Institutions
The year is off to a tumultuous and sad start. Some New York Police Department officers continued their protest of Mayor Bill de Blasio at a funeral for a fallen colleague and reducing arrests for minor offenses. The protest is entering what Matt Taibbi described as "surreal territory." We also remember the iconic ESPN sportscaster Stuart Scott, who died Sunday. Finally, we discuss the news out of New Haven that The Anchor served its last drink this weekend.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/5/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Agony and Utility of Ecstasy
"Molly" is the nickname for MDMA, or Ecstasy, and it's short for "Molecule", meaning you're getting the "real thing", chemically speaking. Except you almost never do. On this show, we'll talk about the dangers of Molly, the medical uses of MDMA, and the curious romance between the drug and the form of music known as EDM, Electronic Dance Music.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/2/2015 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Round Out the New Year with "Big Al" Anderson and Jim Chapdelaine
If you've ever watched "Nashville," you've heard the songwriting of "Big Al" Anderson. If you've ever listened to the band NRBQ (The New Rhythm and Blues Quartet), you've heard him loud and clear. And if you tune into this show, you'll hear this Windsor native and Jim Chapdelaine perform live, talk about the craft of songwriting for himself and for other people, defining an era with "No Good to Cry" with his band, Wildweeds, and more!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/31/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Best Jazz of 2014
It’s so hard to keep up on jazz, especially for the person with only a casual interest. That’s why, every year, critic Gene Seymour and some musicians get together on our show to talk about what they liked and why. On this show, pianists Noah Baerman and Jen Allen round out the panel.SONGS (in order of appearance):Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/30/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
America's Greatest Living Film Critic Scrambles 2014
One nice thing about the holidays is that David Edelstein, America's Greatest Living Film Critic, comes back to his hometown and joins us for a conversation about movies. Recently on Fresh Air, he told Terry Gross that 2014 was a "very, very depressing year for film because none of the great material came from Hollywood studios."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/29/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Instant Replay! The Nose Is All Serial All the Time
Which are you? The kind of person who can't wait to talk about Serial? Or the kind of person who doesn't do it, doesn't get it, and dreads having other people bring it up? The former sort of person was summed up by a recent New Yorker cartoon that showed a woman on a city sidewalk, flagging down a fellow pedestrian and saying "Excuse me, do you have a minute to talk about the latest episode of 'Serial'?" Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/26/2014 • 47 minutes, 42 seconds
Holiday Songs to Perk You Up and Settle You Down
It's just unthinkable to me that "Why Can't It Be Christmas Time All Year" is not a classic, and a staple of holiday music. But it's not. In fact, you've probably never heard of it or Rosie Thomas, who recorded it. And that helps explain why it has been 20 years since any song became a mainstream hit. "All I Want For Christmas Is You", released by Mariah Carey in 1994, did what is now impossible - it survived its first season, and became a song that is played every year during the holidays, and performed by other people. It got a big boost, of course, from the movie "Love Actually", but that's not the only reason it stuck around. But 20 years is a long time to go without another success in that department. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/24/2014 • 2 minutes, 2 seconds
Unraveling the Web of Deception
We fool people all the time. Whether with bad intent or not, deception has become a common practice in today's society. While modern tools such as texting, social media and the internet at large have all made the practice easier, deception in its most basic form goes back to Man's beginning. Some believe it to be an assertion of power while others claim it's in our blood- a practice born out of our species' need to cooperate in order to survive.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/23/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Michael Price Says Goodbye to Goodspeed
It doesn't really even make any sense what has happened at the Goodspeed Opera House every since Michael Price took over the late 1960s. East Haddam, which is conveniently located near absolutely nothing, has played host to Mike Nichols, Idina Menzel, Jerry Herman, Mark Hamill, Kristin Chenoweth, Sutton Foster, Julie Andrews...I could go on.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/22/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Is All Serial All the Time
Which are you? The kind of person who can't wait to talk about Serial? Or the kind of person who doesn't do it, doesn't get it, and dreads having other people bring it up? The former sort of person was summed up by a recent New Yorker cartoon that showed a woman on a city sidewalk, flagging down a fellow pedestrian and saying "Excuse me, do you have a minute to talk about the latest episode of 'Serial'?" Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/19/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Cracking the Code of Alan Turing
Let me set the stage a little: A movie called "The Imitation Game" will be released nationwide Christmas day, the latest of several attempts to tell the story of Alan Turing. That story is so big, it can only be told in little pieces.The piece most people focus on is Turing's work as the single most important code breaker in World War 2, the man who built a machine that broke apart the deeply encrypted Nazi code, and then gave the Allies an advantage that they were forced to conceal.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/18/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Hartford Convention: 200 Years Since We Started the Fight Over States' Rights
Legend holds that years after the the Hartford Convention, a visitor from the South was touring the Old State House and asked to be shown the room where the Convention met. Ushered into the Senate chamber, the southerner looked at the crimson in the face of George Washington in the Gilbert Stuart portrait hanging here and said, "I'll be damned if he's got the blush off yet." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/17/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Thomas Moore on "A Religion of One's Own"
Thomas Moore was, for 13 years, a Servite monk. In 1992, he burst onto the national scene with "Care of the Soul", which combined the psychotherapeutic of Jung and James Hillman with ancient and contemporary religious and spiritual ideas. It was number 1 on the New York Times best seller list, and stayed on the list for a year.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/16/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Hacks, Lawsuits, and "Sacred Journeys"
Hollywood sometimes has an image problem and recently leaked emails from Sony executives are not helping that image. Responses from some of those executives, including filmmaker Aaron Sorkin, may actually be making it even worse. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/15/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose: The Pope's Pups, Sports in the Court, and The Lawyer Who Paid Too Much
Pope Francis changed our plans for The Nose today when it was revealed informally that the souls of animals may go to heaven. In fairness, the Pope was consoling a boy whose dog had died but nonetheless, the pronouncement kicked off a larger conversation that ranged from the outreach Christian wing of PETA - who knew there was one - to the National Pork Producers Council. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/12/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Botox Isn't Just for Faces Anymore
Botox was first approved for medical use 25 years ago. It's famous as a quickie cosmetic fix but new uses pop up all the time.Today, Botox applications are being tried for MS, Parkinson's Disease, migraines, bladder problems, profuse sweating and TMJ.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/11/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Little Jealousy is Good for Us All
In his new book, Jealousy, Peter Toohey explores the less talked about side of the green-eyed monster. That is, he takes a look at some of the ways that jealousy can actually be good for us. This hour, Peter joins us for a panel discussion about jealousy's impact on creativity. We take a look at how the emotion has fueled some of society's greatest books, plays, songs, and paintings -- and discuss what these works, in turn, tell us about ourselves. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/10/2014 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
Elizabeth McGovern's Sadie and the Hotheads, and Winterpills
Casting is an underrated art. There used to be an Academy Award for it, and there probably still should be. We honor actors, but not the people who pick the perfect actor for the role, so that actor doesn't have to act quite so much."Downton Abbey" is immaculately cast, and the choice of Elizabeth McGovern to play Cora, the Countess of Grantham, seems especially nuanced and inspired. Cora is an American Jew, a transplant to English nobility, who wears all the status and tradition comfortably without fully buying into it. McGovern herself is a transplant, married to a British director for 22 years, long enough to slip effortlessly into Cora's skin.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/8/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Journalism Gone Awry, and Northern Racism
The Scramble reacts to new developments in the University of Virginia case of alleged sexual assault and Rolling Stone’s concern about some its reporting. Then there's a second magazine story: what’s behind the mass -- and we do mean mass -- resignations at The New Republic. Most of its full-time staff and stable of contributing editors quit on the same day. Why?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/8/2014 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose Is Obsessed!
We. Are. Obsessed. When you watch the news, scroll through Facebook, check in on Twitter, everybody always seems to be talking about the same things: From Peter Pan to Bill Cosby, from cronuts to Kardashians, from Michael Brown to Serial, we are increasingly collectively obsessed. What's behind that? Speaking of obsessions, we'll also take a long look at hate-watching last night's live Peter Pan on NBC, and how they dealt with Native American stereotypes.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/5/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Inflammation Can Kill You
I got interested in this topic last year when the Yale Medical School got a $10 million Blavatnik grant for more work in the specific area of Immunobiology.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/4/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Why We'll Always Need New Books
In a recent essay in the New York Review of Books, Tim Parks contrasted E.L. James, who wrote "50 Shades of Grey," with Haruki Murakami, a more critically-acclaimed literary novelist. Parks wrote that both addressed "the individuals need to negotiate the most intimate relationships in order to get the most from life without losing independence and selfhood." Wow.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/3/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Plight of the Composeress
For centuries, female composers have often found themselves overshadowed by their male counterparts. Take Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Anna Magdalena Bach, and Alma Mahler, for example. Their names don't roll off the tongue quite as easily as Felix Mendelssohn, J.S. Bach, and Gustav Mahler's do. But why?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/2/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Athletes Who Don't Stick To Sports; Wally Lamb Enters TV; and Twitter Philosphy
First and foremost, we're really sorry about the Wally Lamb cell phone connection. Do not adjust your radio (or streaming device).It's the usual three-ring circus on the Scramble today starting with the five players for the St. Louis Rams who put their hands up in a "Don't Shoot" gesture during their introductions for Sunday's game. That gesture, of course, has become part of the iconography of the Ferguson Missouri story, and we talk to ESPN the Magazine's Howard Bryant about the role athletes play in raising consciousness and defying conventional news narratives.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/1/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Would You Survive a Life-Threatening Disaster?
John Aldridge, a 45-year old lobster fisherman from Long Island, flew off the back of his boat when a plastic handle supporting a box hook snapped with the power of his pull. He grabbed at the side of the boat, missing it by inches before landing in the water at 3:30 am, alone and stunned, as the boat sped away with his partner sleeping in his cabin. They were 40 miles off the coast of Montauk, Long Island. First, yelling, then panic, then silence before he allowed himself to think he was going to die. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/26/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Discovering Deliciousness!
Food is so personal. You put it in your mouth. You probably even have very specific ways of putting it in your mouth.One of our guests today, Dan Pashman, would want to know for example, whether when you get your movie popcorn you maybe eat a piece or two just dipping your head down to the container popcorn while you're walking from the snack bar to the screening room and if so, do you snare it bullfrog style, sticking it to your tongue as you lift it away.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/25/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Scramble: Neil Gaiman and Amanda Palmer Prepare You for a Long Car Trip
On the Monday Scramble, we're all about helping you survive the holidays. Let's say you've got a long -- maybe eight hours! -- drive ahead of you. God forbid you should talk. So what will you listen to? Audiobook? Podcast? Music? We know this married couple, Amanda and Neil. She's mostly a musician. He's mostly a writer. This hour, we imagine that eight-hour drive and let each of them program four hours of it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/24/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose: Cosby, Nichols, Peter Pan and Family
You've probably heard, seen and read a lot about Bill Cosby this week, but I think today's Nose panel tears into the topic in some interesting ways. I hope you'll listen and maybe even comment down below. Later in this show, you'll hear us talk about Mike Nichols, a disagreement about how many people can live as a family in a one-family house, and whether Allison Williams can forbid us from live tweeting her live NBC appearance as Peter Pan.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/21/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
You're a Yellow-Bellied Coward!
We're talking about cowardice today and it makes me think of two people - Hector and Dr. Bones McCoy.We claim to despise cowardice and to exalt bravery but in real life, I think we value balance a little bit more.Hector, in the Iliad, is a much debated figure. He seems on occasion to lose his nerve. He also on occasion seems to do something brave mainly because he could not live down the dishonor of not being brave. I've always liked Hector.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/20/2014 • 49 minutes, 2 seconds
Bring Back the Beaver!
Today, we take a deeper look at the beaver. Beavers are sophisticated eco-engineers, one of few animals capable of broadening biodiversity and currently considered of the keys to reversing climate change. They build sophisticated dams and deep-water ponds that stem erosion of riverbanks, create cooler deep-water pools that support temperature-sensitive plant and fish species, and increase the water table, a big deal for Western states suffering the impact of worsening drought. In addition, they're social animals who live much like humans, with mates, two kits per year, and an active social life. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/19/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
On Your Marks, Get Set, Math!
In high school the math teacher who broke my spirit was also the head football coach. When he handed back your tests he called out the position you'd play on the team based on your number. So End was good. You didn't want him yelling halfback as he tossed your test paper towards you; that meant a score in the 40's or worse. I was dragging along miserably in his course so my mother hired a tutor through a local college. His name was Hare and he was newly arrived from India. His accent was so dense that I often could not understand what was being said to me so we communicated through numbers and I started to understand math. I think I wasn't all that bad at it. I got a great S.A.T. score in math but I was a struggling C student because the only man who ever communicated with me was the man who couldn't reach me with words.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/18/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble Got Stuck In a Wormhole
Let's play a game. I'm going to name five things and you tell me what they are - "An Unnecessary Woman," "All the Light We Cannot See," "Redeployment," "Station Eleven," "Lila." They are the five fiction finalists for this year's National Book Award which will be given out this week. Don't feel bad if you didn't get the answer - I wouldn't have either. My connection to the nominees begins and ends with having picked up one of the five books from a table at - of all places - Whole Foods.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/17/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
From Lovelace to Jobs: Talking Innovation with Walter Isaacson
We live in amazing times. But where did all this stuff come from? And by stuff, I mean computers and the internet, and all the amazing platforms like Wikipedia, that exist on the internet. There are many answers to those questions. A common theme is, people who were very good at math. But that includes a woman, crippled by measles, living in the nineteenth century as the daughter of one of the most famous poets of all time, and a man living a hidden homosexual life in an era when that was a criminal offense, leading a team of code-breakers in England during WW2. Those were two of the most famous innovators investigated by Walter Isaacson.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Psychopath Show
You know lots of sociopaths right?It could be anyone from your ex-spouse to the guy who cut you off on your drive to work today. It's a term we throw around loosely to refer to anyone whoever lied to us or didn't follow the rules. But, if we use it that way, it's not a very useful term. A sociopath is not the same thing as a jerk. In fact, the person you know who strikes you as a jerk is probably not a sociopath because it's not in the best interests of sociopaths to let you know what kind of people they are and sociopaths are usually pretty good about acting in their own best interests.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/13/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Conversation with Kara Sundlun on "Finding Dad: From 'Love Child' to Daughter"
If you know the name Kara Sundlun, you probably associate it with an especially sunny form of T.V. journalism. She co-hosts the show, Better Connecticut, and as the name suggests, it's about 98% dedicated to positive experiences.Kara's own life has been more problematic. She grew up aware that her biological father was a man who refused to raise her or even have contact with her.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/12/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Impulse Society
One of the biggest American myths is limitlessness. You'd think by now we'd understand our own limitations but the American myth - and you can hear it on Rush Limbaugh every day - is one where the horizon goes on forever and more growth is always possible and any failure from Vietnam to the 2008 crash that we've ever had is just a case of failing to fully exert our exceptional American qualities. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/12/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Is America Still Awash in a Sea of Twee?
This is one of those shows where you may start by saying, "huh?" But with any luck, 30 minutes from now, you'll start to say, "Oh!" I got interested in the word "twee" and in the idea that it's a mostly undocumented cross-platform artistic movement.There is no question that, in the 1990s, a musical movement called "twee pop" arose, first in England, spearheaded by a label called Sarah Records. Acts like The Field Mice and Talulah Gosh were embraced as twee by fans who wore their twee-ness with pride.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/11/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Go Ahead And Talk To Yourself. You're Not Crazy!
Do you talk to yourself? Is it a silent inter-narrative or do you talk aloud? What form of address to you use to yourself?When I'm mad at myself I sometimes address myself as Colin. But, I sense that when LeBron speaks to himself as LeBron, it's more affirming. I talk aloud quite a bit. A hangover, I think, from growing up as an only child.The Spanish and Argentine novelist Andres Neumann has a new work, "Talking to Ourselves," in which he explores the solitary inner narrative that each of us conducts either silently, aloud, or writing a diary. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/6/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
What's Next for Republicans?
There are so many plots and subplots emanating from yesterday. Republicans had a good night around the country. They extended their control in the U.S. House of Representatives and took control of the U.S. Senate. It was one of the worst blows dealt to a mid-term administration since World War II, putting President Obama in the company of Richard Nixon in 1974 and Bill Clinton in 1994.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/5/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Is Social Studies to Blame for Voter Apathy?
Ever since 1778 when Thomas Jefferson, revising the laws of Virginia, wrote something called a Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge, there's been an ongoing debate about how to make sure people know what they need to know to participate fully as citizens of this democracy.As is so often the case with Jefferson, his ideas and words seem visionary and eternal until you poke around in them a little bit and then it gets more complicated especially vis-a-vis who he thought was really fit to lead the American people.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/4/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Automation, Visconti, Movie Cinemas
First up on the Scramble today, writer and thinker Nicholas Carr, whose new book, "The Glass Cage" is about our blind surrender to automation. Most tellingly about the way we surrender (unthinkingly) control to sophisticated computer tools. You'll hear for instance, the story of a luxury cruise ship that ran aground on a sand bar because the GPS was spitting out wrong information and the entire crew ignored visual evidence that should have been a dead giveaway.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/3/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Tricks AND Treats
Here are the three stories going up the Nose today.In August Shoshana Roberts took a walk through the streets of New York City followed by a hidden camera. Over 10 hours she was verbally harassed 108 times by men yelling stuff. That doesn't even count the whistles and other nonverbal noises - one guy walked right next to her for five minutes. It's not exactly news but it captured something. The video has been watched more than 22.4 million times. But, some people have issues with the way race is shown in it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/31/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Achieving Immortality: How Science Seeks To End Aging
The dream to live forever has captivated mankind since the beginning. We see this in religion, literature, art, and present day pop-culture in a myriad of ways. But all along, the possibility that we'd actually achieve such a thing never quite seemed real. Now science, through a variety of medical and technological advances the likes of which seem as far fetched as immortality itself, is close to turning that dream into a reality. This hour we talk with experts who are on the cutting edge of this research about the science and implications of ending aging.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/30/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Third-Party Candidates Get a Say
According to the latest Q-poll, a lot of Connecticut voters don’t like any of the candidates running in the upcoming gubernatorial election. But, they don’t have much choice in that race or any of the other state races that generally have 2 candidates -- maybe three if we’re lucky -- on the menu.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/29/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Connecticut Grown Tobacco
Shade tobacco came to Connecticut in 1900 from the island of Sumatra, which was beginning to dominate the world of cigar wrappers. The leaf had a light color, delicate texture, and mild flavor that cigar lovers love. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/28/2014 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble is Scandalous
Scandal is a theme today. One of our guests today is Anne Helen Petersen, who left academia to write full-time about celebrities and television and celebrity gossip. One of the themes her first book, "Scandals of Classic Hollywood," is the history of Hollywood scandal so lets get my own theory out of the way. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/27/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Didn't Get a Nose Job... Yet
"The uncanny valley is a hypothesis in the field of human aesthetics which holds that when human features look and move almost, but not exactly, like natural human beings, it causes a response of revulsion among some human observers." (Wikipedia)Some version of the uncanny valley phenomenon is tangled up in the national freak-out this week over actress Renee Zellweger’s post-nip & tuck coming out party. Of course, the uncanny valley usually flows in the other direction — from the artificial toward the almost-natural. Cosmetic surgery can work in reverse. We almost recognize Renee. It’s so close — but also indubitably the result of manufacture — that we are unsettled by it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/24/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Salute to Hamlet
Whenever I see a production of Hamlet, I am newly floored by its impact on language, no matter how many times you tell yourself that a lot of our spoken language is in this play, you're freshly assaulted by how many things people say all the time that come from Hamlet. It's crazy.But then there are all sorts of questions about staging Hamlet. There can be, and there have been many theories about what to emphasize in the play. Themes of sex, politics, indecision, suicide, and reality testing are either brought to the fore, or pushed to the back. No matter what happens on the stage, it's a really, really good story.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/23/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Hangings in America: The Past and Present of The Noose
From Nathan Hale to John Brown to lynchings to executions of accused witches, the hangman's noose has played a grim role in American history.While its usage has declined and changed over time, just in the past week, articles have surfaced about a political flier using a noose as the background that was circulated in a church parking lot in South Carolina, and nooses hanging in rival high schools in California. A police officer in the latter article, Sgt. Martin Acosta, stated, "A noose in itself is not making any correlation to anything." Is that true? Isn't a noose in 2014 an explicit evocation of lynching? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/22/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Connecticut's Nasty Campaign Ads
You know campaign commercials, those things you fast-forward through whenever you can. Despite your best efforts, you've probably seen more of them than you intended to this season and heaven knows, campaigns and outside interest groups have shown no interest in cutting back on them.Ad spending in this election cycle is poised to break $1 billion dollars, according to the Wesleyan Media Project. In Connecticut, most of the advertising is focused on the highly competitive gubernatorial race with occasional excursions into the 5th Congressional District.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/21/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
We're Scrambling to Insert Our DNA Into MRSA
Okay, I'm warning you. You're going to have to adjust the band on your thinking cap. Christian Bok, our first guest, is an experimental poet with some fascinating ideas, some of which will strike you as unfamiliar and maybe dissimilar to any other ideas you ever heard. In a nutshell, Bok is part of a small movement of thinkers and writers who want to revolutionize the way literature is produced, stored and consumed. For example, Bok has spent years trying to encode a poem into the DNA of a bacterium able to survive extreme conditions, like vacuums.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/20/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose: Against Football, Petty Debates, and Frozen Eggs
Here on The Nose today, we're at least potentially talking about high-tech employers who offer egg freezing as a benefit for female employees, a proposal to get rid of high school football, the sinking sensation that it's time - or too late - to fight back against Amazon, and the Florida debate that almost broke down because of a candidate's use of a fan at the podium.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/17/2014 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Pssst...We Need To Talk About Sanitation
Our show today is a long-planned look at human waste. In other words... Poop. It has taken on a slightly more somber cast now that Connecticut is monitoring the possibility of its first case of Ebola.But, in some ways, we've got the perfect guests, especially Rose George, whose book about sanitation begins in a small town in Ivory Coast "filled with refugees from next door Liberia." Rose is looking for a toilet and eventually succumbs to the reality that there is no such place. There's a building where people do their business on the floor.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/16/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Live From Watkinson: The Perils of Teaching and Learning
If I had my way, we would do this whole show without the "E" word. That's "education." Somehow, the "E" word has come to symbolize, for me at least, debates about government policy, instead of teaching and learning. I wanted to talk about those other two things: teaching and learning. So I rounded up a public school teacher, a private school principal, a public school superintendent, and one of the nation's most outspoken commentators on teaching and teachers.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/15/2014 • 41 minutes, 44 seconds
The Threat of a Post-Antibiotic Era
The notion of drug-resistant bacteria has gone from an exotic problem to a common one. If you have even a medium-sized circle of acquaintances you probably know somebody - or an older parent of somebody -battling an infection that ignores standard antibiotics. It's a big problem and today we're going to focus on one chunk of it, the connection between antibiotics given to farm animals and the rise of these diseases.If we treat ourselves the way we treat pigs, cattle and chickens, we'd be put on antibiotics at birth and pretty much never go off them until we die.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Pondering Modern Love
It's hard to improve on the poet, Rilke, who wrote, "Love consists of this, that two solitudes meet, protect, and greet each other." But did Rilke have to deal with Angry Birds and Snap Chat? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/13/2014 • 41 minutes, 49 seconds
Ready, Set... NOSE!
Why do opposing political candidates so often wind up disliking each other? I get that there are forces in motion against one another, but does that have to turn into animus? Wouldn't we all like to think that we could keep things on a certain humanistic level if we were running? Say things like "Ralph is a great guy, even if he's dead wrong about everything. I really enjoyed getting to know him during this campaign, and I admire his commitment to his vision, even though I think the rest of you would be nuts to embrace it."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/10/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Deliberating Political Debates
The notion of a political debate embedded in a campaign for office is a younger idea than you might think. It became codified as a result of a 1960 debate between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Prior to that, debates were rare. Okay, now you're thinking about the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Those were really unusual for their day, and it's worth noting that in 1858, senators were elected by state legislators. So those debates - conducted before huge crowds - weren't really held for the same reasons that they're done today. The history of debates is really the history of television.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/9/2014 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Kids Today Are SO Spoiled!
Kids today are so spoiled! Alfie Kohn says politicians, academics, and the media spend a lot of time instilling in parents the fear that they're ruining their children with too much love. But, Kohn says wait a minute! Instead of assuming we're spoiling kids who don't show grit, motivation, and a competitive spirit, maybe we should instead question those values we hold dear. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/8/2014 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
An Interview With Steven Pinker
Why should we care about writing when texting is quicker and easier to bypass inflexible grammar rules that perplex even the most seasoned writers? Mixed metaphors, split infinitives, passive sentences, ugh!!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2014 • 28 minutes, 49 seconds
Let's Lavish a Little Love on Language
A few times a year we like to do shows about words and language.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2014 • 5 seconds
The Scramble: Staying Single, and Genius Grants
Talk to any demographer. Marriage is in irreversible decline. According to Isabel Sawhill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of "Generation Unbound," 40% of young people are unmarried. Now, that doesn't mean people will stop getting married. You've been to a bunch of weddings this year. What it means is that marriage as a precondition to parenthood is no longer the established norm from which everything else is a deviation. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/6/2014 • 44 minutes, 26 seconds
The Nose: Slasher Films by Principals, "Post-Racial America," and Bummer TV
One way to think of this is, a middle school principal should not be making blood-spattered slasher films. Another way is, it's kind of amazing that every middle school principal doesn't go home and make blood-spattered slasher films.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/3/2014 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
Consciousness and the Soul
It has been nearly 400 years since Descartes wrote his famous declaration “Cogito ergo sum”, or, more commonly “I am thinking, therefore I exist”. But, in all that time, we still haven't answered the basic question: who are we?In this hour, we explore the concepts of consciousness, the self, and the soul. What do today's top scientists, philosophers and spiritual leaders say about these topics and how have they arrived at their conclusions? Are we ready to accept the brain as the be-all and end-all of who we are or is there more to us than that?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/2/2014 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
This Trailer Show is Rated G for Great
This hour, we talk about movie trailers. Maybe you wonder what a movie critic thinks of them. Actually, critics don't see as many as you do because they often go to special screenings.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/1/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Dancin' in the Moonlight: Connecticut Dance Halls
This hour, we talk about two Connecticut dance halls, each springing from the vision of two very different men who took their respective dance halls down very different paths. One's dream soared, bringing thousands of concert-goers to over 3,000 acts over an eleven-year history. The other's dream stalled, his elaborate dance hall sitting idle for decades.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/30/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Warning: The Scramble Will Automatically Download to Your iTunes
We're back today after a one-week hiatus. Ben Nadaff-Hafrey is also back, this time as our Scramble SuperGuest.We start today with a conversation about the embrace of U2 by Apple, and end with a chat about embraces in general.So, leading off earlier this month, Apple had one of its special events. When people stop what they're doing to watch a big company roll out a new product, in this case the iPhone 6, Don Draper would be drooling in envy, right?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/29/2014 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Bringing Back the Woolly Mammoth
Science writer Carl Zimmer names the Dodo and the Great Auk, the Thylacine and the Chinese River Dolphin, the Passenger Pigeon and the Imperial Woodpecker, the Bucardo and Stellar Sea Cow among the species that humankind has driven into extinction. What's notable about that list is that most of us would recognize maybe three or four of those names.Think about that. We have obliterated entire species whose names we don't even know.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Anatomy of a Villain
A couple of weeks ago, I was sick with the April flu, lying in bed in a New York apartment, and trying to distract myself by watching one of the film adaptations of "Nicholas Nickleby." I found myself repeatedly moved to tears, especially when anything good or kind happened. Okay, part of this was that I felt a little vulnerable, and may have over identified with poor tubercular Smike. But another part, I'm convinced, was the excitement generated by pure moral language, which you don't encounter so much in modern culture.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/25/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Tribute to Twins!
Identical twins are just like us - and then they're not! From Ann Landers and Dear Abbey, from the Castro brothers, one of whom might be our first identical twin president one day, carbon-copy twins live lives that the rest of us cannot fathom.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/24/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Please Don't Take My Stuffed Animal Away!
Take a few seconds to reminisce about your childhood "best friend." Maybe it was a boy, a girl, an imaginary friend, or perhaps a stuffed toy. This stuffed toy was your childhood confidant that you dragged everywhere, from the local supermarket to the preschool sandbox, a transitional object that temporarily stood between you and your relationship with your parents. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/23/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Evolving Damnation: The American History of Hell
If you were dreaming up a new religion, maybe you wouldn't include the idea of hell. But in traditional forms of Christianity, even as they evolve, hell seems almost grandfathered in. They can't quit hell. Or can they? A 2013 Harris poll found that while 74 percent of U.S. adults believe in God, and 68 percent believe in heaven, only 58 percent believe in the devil and in hell, down four percentage points from 2005. Still, 58 percent! That seems like a lot.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/22/2014 • 49 minutes, 21 seconds
The Nose Is Fading, fadin, fad, fa, f...
Getting ready for The Nose, we're all poring over stories about regional preferences for "uh" versus "um," about the new Miss America's performance with a red plastic cup, and about songs and relationships that fade out instead of coming to a dead stop. You have to join us to know what we decide but the picture is a good clue to one of our topics.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/19/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Open Wide, This Won't Hurt a Bit: The Discovery of Anesthesia
Living in Hartford almost all my life I've known for years the story of Horace Wells. At least, I know the story I know, which is that Wells was a Hartford dentist who introduced anesthesia. He may have been the first but I've always known there were other pretenders to that crown. I also knew that Wells became addicted to one of those products and died a horrible, tragic and ignominious death.But, that's all I knew and I wondered how widely known that story was. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/18/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Harriet Jones's Rockin' Scottish Independence Eve Special
On the eve of a vote that could trigger independence after 307 years, Scotland has become a hot topic in the media. What would happen if the vote swings "yes"? Or what would be the consequences if a "no" vote rules?It's interesting to listen to Americans try to explain tomorrow's Scottish vote to each other. We don't even have a common, settled understanding of the nature of the existing union, and therefore we have a hard time judging what is being proposed. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/17/2014 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Gig-ecticut Is Coming
The number one lesson with infrastructure is build more than you think you need. If you don't, you spend forever catching up. In Connecticut, this is especially true about mass transit. We didn't build any for decades and now we're so far behind that even becoming semi-respectable is going to take decades. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/16/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble on the Middle East, Child Abuse Laws, and The Roosevelts on PBS
On Sunday, the New York Times ran an article full of President Obama's behind-the scenes reflections and conversations about ISIS and the Middle East. From that article: "He was acutely aware that the operation he was about to embark on would not solve the larger issues in that region by the time he left office. 'This will be a problem for the next president,' Mister Obama said ruefully, 'and probably the one after that.'"Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/15/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Refuses to Grow Up
"Comic book movies, family-friendly animated adventures, tales of adolescent heroism, and comedies of arrested development do not only make up the commercial center of 21st century Hollywood, they are its artistic heart." So writes critic A.O. Scott in a somewhat controversial essay from this week. We will discuss cultural immaturity on this episode of The Nose.Then, we'll probe the delicate subject of "Fingerprint Words". The premise is that each of us has a word or two - a perfectly good word which we use correctly - that we use a lot. One of mine, I happen to know, is "warranted". I also know where I got it, and to whom I have spread it.Finally, we'll explore reports that eating cereal is in steep decline. An entire civilization of elves and leprechauns now teeters at the edge of extinction. How about you? Has your perfectly warranted retreat from maturity caused you to give up cereal?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2014 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
America's Love-Hate Relationship with Football
I root for the Green Bay Packers...and not casually. As I speak, there's a Green Bay Packers mug nearby, on weekends I wear a Packers cap and use Packers shopping bags. Most disturbingly, in the long, long off-season, I subscribe to services which provide me with daily obsessive updates on anything going on in Packers land. And, I read them even though nothing really is going on. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/11/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
JFK Conspiracy Theories: American As Apple Pie
The JFK assassination is like the Maine coastline: craggy, uneven, full of serration, points, inlands, islands, amenable to endless exploration and quickly obscured by sudden fogs. There are so many side trips and any one of them is a potential life's work.Let me give you some examples.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/10/2014 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Beyond Conjunction Junction: A Conversation with Bob Dorough
You're about to meet a very special guy. There's a good chance you already know him, if you were in the generational cohort whose lives were enriched by Schoolhouse Rock. More than any other person, Bob Dorough put his unique musical stamp on that show and its offerings. But Bob Dorough is so much more.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/9/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Interview With Sir Tom Stoppard
Life is full of peculiar ironies and thus, Tom Stoppard, quite possibly the most most dizzyingly proficient writer of the English tongue did not grow up speaking English. to college. He is, to use his old joke, a bounced check. He grew up in Czechoslovakia and spoke that language until the age of three-and-one half, or perhaps five. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/8/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Sumptuous Silence
Imagine having no capacity for language acquisition. Imagine developing a language with grammars that are completely independent from the spoken language of the surrounding hearing culture. Imagine being unable to engage in any of the thought processes I'm using right now: Choosing words, and bundles of words, to convey meaning, and pausing to ponder the interesting similarities between deafness and deficit; or grabbing for a phrase like "language acquisition" and appreciating the neat little package it represents. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/5/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: From Comics to CGI
Let me begin with a confession. I'm part of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle valley. I was too old for them when they made their debut in the mid-1980's and my son, born in 1989 missed their big wave and went straight to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the kid craze that finally bumped the turtles out of the spotlight. But, those Rangers are gone. And, for that matter, so is Pikachu.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/4/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Surviving a Suicide
If things had gone according to his plan, Kevin Hines would have been dead for the last 14 years and therefore, not appearing on today's show. In September 2000, he jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, the second most popular suicide site in the world. Somewhere around 1,600 people have jumped to their deaths from that bridge since it opened in 1937. The rate seems to be rising.But, this isn't really a show about that location. It's about what we learn from a person who survives a very serious suicide attempt.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/3/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Scramble: What's Wrong with Connecticut Besides John Rowland
Today's Scramble leads off with Annie Lowrey, who tackles a subject that's been dominating a lot of conversations around here lately. What's the matter with Connecticut? is the question Annie Lowrey asks in her weekend essay for New York Magazine. Is there a collective malaise and is it based on economic factors? Annie notes that Connecticut has somehow managed to become both the richest and poorest economy in America--at the same time.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/2/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Walks Out on Its Own Show
What would Aristotle say about knees and seat backs? There's a device you can buy that makes it impossible for the person sitting in front of you on an airplane flight to recline. That's caused at least one fight during a mid-air flight that we know about. Is using this device going too far? Or is the lack of space in the first place the real problem?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/29/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Vibrations All Around Us
You live in an invisible ocean of vibrations caused by the sounds around you. On this show, an almost-creepy experiment shows how the physical changes caused by vibrations can be reverse-engineered to discover the sounds that caused them.Then, an oncologist, a sonic therapist, and a world-renowned deaf percussionist give their unusual perspective on vibrations.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/28/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Sex and Intimacy When You're Fat
According to statistics, one in every three Americans is obese and two of every three are overweight.While we know that extra fat may set us up for heart disease, diabetes, and musculoskeletal problems, we don't really know how fat affects sex and love.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/27/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Out With the Windmills: Miniature Golf Goes Pro
Mini-golf was created for children but today's children are less and less interested in playing because of video games. Nintendo Wii for example, makes mini-golf video games. Now, that seems so wrong. You should go somewhere to play mini-golf. That's kind of the idea, or is it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/26/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Social Media News Reporting, the Primary Process, and the Emmy Awards
Mark Coddington from the School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin joins us to talk about how events like Ferguson are reported on social media. Facebook and Twitter are not equal in what and how they cover news. Assuming Twitter is the best place to get breaking news, how does Twitter change the way it's reported? How does it affect the work of the journalist trained to see the big picture but forced to focus on smaller, always breaking details? Does the urgency of Twitter discourage them from carefully checking facts? How should Twitter handle graphic images, such as last week's beheading?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/25/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Faked Its Own Wedding to Avoid Death
Presidents and their vacations are a chronic paradox. The job is way too hard and pressure-laden to do without occasional breaks. The job is also so important, that breaks always seem a little self-indulgent, and they're barely even breaks. The nuclear football is never far from the basketball hoop, and all the other duties of office follow you right onto the sailboat. President Obama taking some heat right now for playing golf while on vacation, right after processing and speaking about the tragic murder of James Foley. This is a little bit about a presidential vacation, and a little bit about this particular president, who frequently stands accused of having a peculiarly icy set of emotional reactions. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/22/2014 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Compumanities: Technology's Foray into the Arts
Poetry, prose, sculpture, painting and music composition: Humanity's final frontiers beyond which no computer will ever go... right? Perhaps not. As technology advances and the dawn of true A.I. draws near, Machines are usurping creative domains once thought to be solely the province of man. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/21/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Happy 25th, Seinfeld!
Pop culture is ephemeral.People eventually lose interest in music and television shows once a new fad surfaces and piques their interests. Not so for Seinfeld. It is still relevant after 25 years for a whole new generation of viewers.But, it wasn't always that way. In the beginning, it didn’t test well with audiences. It had weak ratings, bad scheduling and creative differences. It survived under the wing of a lone NBC executive who believed in the show's emphasis on characters who felt like family.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/20/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Cupcakes, Cronuts, and the Future of Food Trends
Here's my theory just in case I don't get a chance to say it during the show: I think food has become more like sports. People kind of root for things. Ted Allen and Anthony Bourdain are more like sport stars than people whom you would seek out for actual cooking information. People go to Chelsea Market just because they know the Food Network is somewhere upstairs. And, because of that, there's a lot more pressure on food to be exciting. When you pick up the sports pages you want news, not just the same old same old. So, driven by that pulse and a group of media engines that flow alongside it, we always have new things to cheer for. Yay bacon salt! Go gastropubs! Today on the show: where food trends come from and why they succeed, or fail. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/19/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Unfolding Evolution of Origami
How do you make a 100 meter telescope that folds down to 3 meters so you can tuck it inside a space vehicle? How do you make a heart stent that folds out inside the human body? In each case, researchers have turned to masters of origami, the thousand year-old art of paper folding.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/18/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose is Fatigued with Goodbyes, Comments, and Challenges
It has been a busy week in culture. There were the deaths of Lauren Bacall and Robin Williams, and the latter death brought up questions about how people behave on social media when an icon passes. Also, he who is tired of sharks is tired of death. But we might be getting tired of sharks!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/15/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Psychopath Show
You know lots of sociopaths right?It could be anyone from your ex-spouse to the guy who cut you off on your drive to work today. It's a term we throw around loosely to refer to anyone whoever lied to us or didn't follow the rules. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Ugh! I Can't Remember My Password!
Once upon a time you opened your first email account and picked out a password. You probably don't know what it was now but let's assume you weren't the type of person to pick out "password" or "123456." So, maybe it was the name of a dog or a kid or two dog and kid names mushed together. Easy to remember, right?Today, you probably have passwords tied to multiple email accounts, a few social media platforms, a few credit cards and banks, and an unclassifiable hodgepodge of other stuff from Dropbox to Airbnb.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/13/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Living Small and Smart: The Tiny House Movement
I live in a small house on a street of big houses. And when I say big, some of the houses on my street are 7,000 and 8,000 square feet. A big house signifies an important person, right? The governor lives in a mansion. The Archbishop of Hartford lives down the street from him in a house that's even bigger.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/12/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Working Less, Misandry, and Violence in Auto Racing
We cover a lot of the ground on The Scramble this hour. We starting with Maria Konnikova, a New Yorker writer, who’s going to lead me through a conversation about proposals for a drastically reduced work week, about ways in which having more choices may actually reduce our sense of happiness and fulfillment, and about the illusion that we can taste something—wine, in this case —in a state of pure isolation and detachment from outside influences. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/11/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Remembers Its Boyhood
Watching Richard Linklater's "Boyhood", you keep waiting for the car crash, or the random act of violence that puts one of the characters into Intensive Care. Not because he gives you any reason to expect that, but because watching a lot of movies and television conditions us to anticipate a rhythm of plot points and dramatic upheavals, and then they don't come. Because one of Linklater's points is that time itself is a series of upheavals. Just growing up and growing old is a harrowing, exciting, and mind-blowing process. It turns out that the best way to make a movie about everything is to make a movie in which not much happens. We'll talk about the wildly original "Boyhood" on The Nose.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/8/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
A Salute to Accordions!
Here are some songs from your life, "Backstreet Girl" by the Rolling Stones, "Joey" by Bob Dylan, "Road to Nowhere" by the Talking Heads, "Boy In The Bubble" by Paul Simon, "July Fourth, Asbury Park", better known as "Sandy" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by the Beach Boys. They all rely heavily on the accordion. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/7/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Memories of Watergate
It's been 40 years since former President Richard Nixon resigned the presidency over Watergate. But, the story of Watergate is almost impossible to tell. It's too big and too murky. It's full of files that were burned and a tape that was erased. It's full of characters named McCord and Magruder and Mitchell, who are hard to keep track of. With each passing year, it becomes more of an inert thing and less of a breathing, wriggling, writhing creature. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/6/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Why Imagination Matters in Childhood
What happens in our early childhood has a lot to do with how we develop as humans. Dr. Paul Harris researches the role the imagination plays in helping children grow into healthy adolescents. He says we tend to think of the imagination as something divorced from reality, when in fact it is deeply intertwined with how we determine reality from fantasy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/5/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Diversity, Death, and Relatability
There are ways today in which our topics are interconnected. Actress and writer Mellini Kantayya, wants to talk about the issues of diversity in casting. One of our other topics involves the fallout from Ira Glass's recent tweet that "Shakespeare sucks." New Yorker writer Rebecca Mead joins us to discuss her article deploring the modern vogue forSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/4/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose of the '90s Is Alive in Hartford
Can you ever make sense of a whole decade? That's what the National Geographic Channel tries to do with its three-part documentary on the '90s. So we get Bill Clinton, the building of the internet, Waco, O.J., the Oklahoma City bombing, Prozac, Starbucks, Tanya Harding, Kurt Loder, In Living Color, Rodney King and Reginald Denny, Anna Nicole Smith, the rise of SUVs and NMA, the fall of the Walkman and Tamagotchis, the Great Gretzky... This is starting to sound like a Billy Joel song.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/1/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Handwriting Is So Yesterday
The death of handwriting could be viewed as the end of a tyranny. Especially for those of us who were unable to learn penmanship. That includes me. I’m pretty sure that no teacher I ever had got training in how to teach cursive to a left handed person for whom the process really is radically different. I arrived at college to find halls full of desks from which a small writing area protruded from the right side. I often took two hour exams at those desks, scrawling essay question answers in a blue book with my body twisted around uncomfortably.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/31/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Evolving Damnation: The American History of Hell
If you were dreaming up a new religion, maybe you wouldn't include the idea of hell. But in traditional forms of Christianity, even as they evolve, hell seems almost grandfathered in. They can't quit hell. Or can they? A 2013 Harris poll found that while 74% of U.S. adults believe in God, and 68% believe in heaven, only 58% believe in the devil and in hell, down 4 percentage points from 2005. Still, 58%! That seems like a lot.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/30/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Mid-Summer Music Merriment!
The Avett Brothers are riding the crest of the modern Americana music wave. John Hall, after a stint in Congress, is back leading Orleans and singing a song so catchy that simply to mention it would glue it to your eardrums for the rest of the day. Glen Phillips is leading Toad The Wet Sprocket after a long layoff and successful Kickstarter campaign that launched their latest album, New Constellation.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/29/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: How to Be a Guest on a Talk Show with David Rees
This hour's Scramble starts fun and gradually grows darker. We begin with David Rees, host of a television show in which he layers expertise onto simple acts like opening a door or making ice cubes. Its motto is "de-familiarizing the ubiquitous so as to increase our appreciation and wonder thereby." We can get behind that.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/28/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose is Getting Weird (Al)
Breathes there a man with soul so dead that he has never written a song parody?Everybody does right? They get passed around on the schoolyard from the time we're little. Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, etc.And, you might knock one out for a co-workers retirement party.And, the internet is one big old song parody farm. In between last week's Nose on which we talked about a really terrible Comcast users service call and now, somebody on YouTube has set that call to music. No kidding.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/25/2014 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Please Don't Take My Stuffed Animal Away!
Take a few seconds to reminisce about your childhood "best friend." Maybe it was a boy, a girl, an imaginary friend, or perhaps a stuffed toy. This stuffed toy was your childhood confidant that you dragged everywhere, from the local supermarket to the preschool sandbox, a transitional object that temporarily stood between you and your relationship with your parents. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/24/2014 • 48 minutes, 56 seconds
Songs of the Summer: 2014
The song of the summer is not always pretty, but there always is one, and unless something is done quickly, this year's will be "Fancy" by Iggy Azalea, which will make you nostalgic for last year's "Blurred Lines."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/22/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Are Middle Initials a Thing of the Past?
Imagine two people. One of them is named Betsy Kaplan, the other, Betsy F.P.R. Academic studies suggest people, on average, would infer a higher intellectual capacity for Betsy F.P.R. Kaplan and be more likely to admire her and think she made more money than plain old Betsy Kaplan. A middle initial, says the scholarly literature, is basically a free ticket to higher status. Which makes it odd that each successive generation is less likely, overall, to use them. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/22/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Who Will Take the Kids?
I was reading a story about some refugees who cabled the President asking for asylum. The President never responded. The federal government had decided not to take extraordinary measures to permit the refugees to enter the United States. A state department telegram stated that the passengers must await their turns on the waiting list and qualify for and obtain immigration visas before they may be admissible into the United States.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/21/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Ran Off The Tracks
We've never done this before but last night the three Nose panelists and I gathered at my house so we could all watch Snowpiercer, a sci-fi summer action movie with a brain. Snowpiercer is a meditation on leadership, climate change and socioeconomic inequality and it manages to tackle all of those topics without skimping on the bloody axe fights. It's based on a French graphic novel and it stars the actor who played Captain America in two movies and we're going to spend a lot of time today in that universe.What with the death of Archie and the news that the new movie Captain America will have a black actor and the new Thor will be a woman. Also, on our topic list will be the viral audio of a guy trying to cancel his cable subscription against spirited resistance from a comcast rep on the other end. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/18/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Prodigy Paradox
In a society which rewards brains over brawn, who better than a prodigy to place your bets on? The answer may surprise you. Bobby Fischer was terrible at everything except chess. His entire life was punctuated by extreme paranoia, bouts of seclusion, and cascading, erratic behavior. Ted Kaczynski, a child math and science prodigy… I don’t have to tell you how that one worked out. Thomas Chatterton was writing publishable poetry by the age of 12, and in the immediately ensuing years, wrote work that left its mark on the literature and influenced the romantic movement. He took his own life with arsenic three months shy of 18. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/17/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Eating 69 Hot Dogs in Ten Minutes is a Piece of Cake
Competitive eating has grown far beyond the popular event at local fairs where winners won blue ribbons for eating the most pies.Today, it's a global sport with its own league, dedicated fans, and professional competitors who train to eat more food than seems humanly possible. Major League Eating, the sports governing body, is largely responsible for the change. Public relations executives Richard and George Shea professionalized the sport, attracting larger crowds every year for more than a decade. This July 4, Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Championships, the Olympics of competitive eating, drew 40,000 fans to the Coney Island contest.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/16/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Germany: Who Are You Now?
Two snapshots: The first from the publication American Bazaar, right after the German World Cup win. "In the city of Leipzig, a solitary car scuttled along, with the flag attached to the roof. Waving the flag has yet to catch on. Jan Hoffman, who works in Frankfurt, was in New York when 9/11 happened. 'I had never seen so many flags in my life. Here, there are hardly any, although we won football's greatest tournament.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/15/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Death, Sex, and Money with Anna Sale
I'm excited about today's Scramble. WNYC podcaster Anna Sale, host of Death, Sex & Money, is our superguest, which means she gets to pick three topics for her conversation with me. Her choices are LeBron James and the notion of going home, a new Jenny Lewis song about a ticking biological clock, and the long agonizing death of the husband of NPR broadcaster, Diane Rehm. At least on paper, that's a perfect combination for the Scramble.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Emojis Make The Nose :)
It's time for our cultural roundtable, The Nose! Insert smiling cat face with heart-shaped eyes. With 250 new emoji coming to a phone near you, we think it's time to give these tiny additions to our written language a face with stuck-out tongue and winking eye. Don't go all Hear No Evil Monkey on us!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/11/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
70 Years Later, the Hartford Circus Fire Still Burns
On July 6, 1944, a circus tent in the North End of Hartford caught fire. The tent covered three blocks. It was gone in six minutes. Roughly 170 people died. You'll understand my imprecision as we go along. Five employees of the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter, and served minimal prison sentences. One of them, James Haley, was so unscarred by this that he later served for 24 years in Congress.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/10/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Philippe Petit's "Perfect Crime"
Philippe Petit made his walk between the towers of the World Trade Center 40 years ago. He stayed up on that wire for 45 minutes, made 8 passes between the towers, got down on his knees, and he even laid down on it! But it's more than that one feat - it was a placeholder for a much broader philosophy of risk and creativity, and evidence of who the man really is.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/8/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Phoniness: From Resume Fraud to Fake Identities
Maybe Holden Caulfield was onto something when he ranted about "phoniness." This June, Michael Sharpe resigned as CEO of FUSE, a Hartford-based charter school management company, when it came to light that he was not, in fact, a doctor, as his biography might have you believe.That got us thinking about faking it: Why do people commit resume fraud? What is with our obsession with titles? What happens when someone adopts a whole new identity?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/8/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
It's Not Easy to Find a Good Comedy at the Movies These Days
I'm pretty sure that in the summer of 1992, somebody tried to tell me about Monty Python's Flying Circus. I didn't get it, and there weren't that many chances to break in as a Python fan. Their actual television show didn't begin airing on public TV in America until October of 1974. Then, in the space of about two years, they changed the face of American comedy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/7/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Got Blown Off By an Errant Roman Candle
This hour, we lead off with a quick discussion of a term floated on Fox News this week. "Beyonce voters," according to one commentator, are single women who depend on the government because they don't have a husband. You know, just like Beyonce.Is he for real or a democratic plant? He does get one thing right. The New York Times reports that "the decline of marriage in this last generation has created an emerging bloc of unmarried women that is profoundly reshaping the American electorate."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/3/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
This Trailer Show is Rated G for Great
This hour, we talk about movie trailers. Maybe you wonder what a movie critic thinks of them. Actually, critics don't see as many as you do because they often go to special screenings.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/2/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Can Technology Save the World?
Let's take the most dire problem facing humankind: Climate change has so many negative implications it would take all day to list them. Meanwhile, there's the possibility of a sudden acceleration of a problem caused by the melting of Arctic ice, which exposes more ocean water to warming, which causes more melting, which causes more...well, you get the picture.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/1/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Court Contradictions and Conservative Consternation
It's that time of year when nine people who were never elected decide all manner of questions about how we live. Monday marked the last round of Supreme Court decisions. By now, you probably know that in a five-four decision, they sided with Hobby Lobby in affirming the rights of employers to invoke their religious principles to opt out of the requirement to provide certain contraceptives otherwise mandated by Obamacare. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/30/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose Bit First
This week on The Nose, our culture roundtable, we'll tackle "Columbusing," the act of believing that something never existed before you discovered it. Also, this week's biting episode in the World Cup makes us wonder if vampires are setting a bad example.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/27/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Evolution of Game Shows
What's become of game shows in America? Since their television debut in 1938 we've seen everything from microwave ovens to million dollar payouts awarded to lucky contestants.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/26/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Pickleball, Tai Chi, and World Extreme Pencil Fighting? Exploring Sports on the Rise
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America, and for one good reason: that 77-million-person wave of boomers headed into their 60s and beyond. Pickleball is what you play when your knees and shoulders start saying "no" to tennis. We talk about the game and its sudden surge.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/24/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Is Proud of June Thomas
On Monday, we do The Scramble. And on the Scramble, we always start with a SuperGuest, which means that in defiance of public radio logic, we pick the person first and then figure out what the topics will be. This week we started with June Thomas, one of my favorite Slate.com writers and talkers, and someone I assumed would want to riff at least a little bit about pop culture. Instead, her top two choices are Gay Pride month and dentistry.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/23/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Is Live From the Yale Writers' Conference
Jeff VanderMeer is one of the hottest writers in the science fiction and fantasy genre. MG Lord is a humorist and recovering political cartoonist who has written books about Elizabeth Taylor and Barbie. Louis Bayard writes historical fiction who specializes in detective novels, but his new book features Teddy Roosevelt stalking a mysterious beast through the Amazon. That's the river and jungle, not the book dealer.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/20/2014 • 48 minutes, 28 seconds
A Salute to Banjos!
Maybe you think of the banjo as primarily a bluegrass instrument, but try not to forget that prior to about 1830, it was played pretty much exclusively by African-Americans, and it seems to have as ancestors several African instruments. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/19/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Pencils: What's the Point?
Why pencils? Here's an answer from PencilRevolution.com, one of the many pencil blogs and websites we uncovered while prepping for this show: "The first and best reason to use pencils is because you like them, and enjoy writing, drawing with them. Because you feel better connected to the paper you're writing on (or the wall, etc.), and the earth, from which the clay, the graphite, and the wood all came. Because they smell good. Because sharpening them can be sort of a meditative process. Because you can chew on them. Or for reasons we can't explain."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/18/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The CMS at the International Festival of (Pancakes) and Arts and Ideas, 2014
New Haven's International Festival of Arts and Ideas is back! The theme of this year's festival is "Transformation and Tradition," and runs from this past Saturday through June 28. You don't want to miss it.John Dankosky and Where We Live will brighten your breakfast with a performance of a "comic-rap-scrap metal musical." They're just getting started. You also hear about corsets, bicycles, and hunter-gatherers.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/17/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Henry Alford on Garrison Keillor, Cash Frenzies, and Reworking the Reservation
Henry Alford is a very funny writer. I've been laughing at his writing since about 1990, when he erupted in Spy Magazine, with hilarious speculative pieces like, "What If The Pope Were A Dog?"Not long ago, he was asked to review a collection by another funny writer, Garrison Keillor. He did it, keenly aware that many people who find him funny are the kinds of people who find Keillor tiresome. And, maybe a bigger problem, Keillor had written some columns about gays and atheists that riled up not just Alford's fans, but people he knows pretty well. So what's a critic to do? Alford actually admired some things about the book, and said so. There was pushback. We'll talk about that today on The Scramble. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/16/2014 • 41 minutes, 22 seconds
The Nose: Hillary vs. Terry and Opera vs. Robots
It has been a strange week for mixing gay right, media, and politics. Texas Governor Rick Perry surprised a San Francisco audience when he said, "I may have the genetic coding that I'm inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that, and I look at homosexual issues the same way." Anderson Cooper had an edgy conversation with a Texas -- what is it about Texas? -- state rep who supports the so-called "conversion therapy."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/13/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Lure of Letters
Tab Hunter and Joyce DeWitt, Elizabeth Taylor and James Earl Jones, Sigourney Weaver and Jeff Daniels, Samantha Bee and Jason Jones from "The Daily Show," Timothy Hutton and Elizabeth McGovern: I could go on and on. These are all couples who have acted together in A.R. Gurney's play, "Love Letters."The play is amazingly elastic. Do you want to see Larry Hagman and Linda Gray together one more time post-Dallas? Well, they did "Love Letters." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/12/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Young Black Men Pay a Hefty Price
President Obama announced a five-year, $200 million initiative to help young black men succeed. It's called "My Brother's Keeper," and aims to work with non-profits and foundations to search for solutions to the problems of young black men. Leaders cite school and job readiness, discipline, and parenting as a few of the problems they'll tackle, but it's mostly the bone-crushing poverty and low expectations that hold them back. This well-intended initiative put forth to help young black men succeed will help a few beat the odds at the expense of the masses. The success feels good but may not change much.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/11/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Oh, Canada! How'd You Get So Funny?
David Steinberg, Martin Short, Mort Sahl, Rick Moranis, Lorne Michaels, Jim Carrey, John Candy, Kids in the Hall, Samantha Bee, Jason Jones, Howie Mandel, Rich Little, Norm Macdonald, Katherine O'Hara, Russell Peters, Leslie Nielsen - They are all Canadians. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/10/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Freakonomics, Tony Awards, and Rock Cats in Hartford
Freakonomics god Stephen Dubner is our SuperGuest for today's Scramble, and he talks about how to think more rationally and creatively, the upside of quitting, and the latest studies on happiness. Then, we chat with sports economist Andrew Zimbalist, and WNPR's capital region reporter Jeff Cohen, on the value of publicly-funded sports arenas. What's the status on the possible building of a baseball stadium in Hartford? Is it a done deal? What else have we learned and expect to understand about what a business like that may do to the city?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/9/2014 • 28 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Talks About... Nevermind, It Takes Too Long
Today on The Nose, we begin with an essay, "Faking Cultural Literacy." Writer Karl Taro Greenfeld said, "It's never been so easy to pretend to know so much, without actually knowing anything." We pick topical, relevant bits from Facebook, Twitter, or emailed news alerts, and then regurgitate them. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/6/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Jerry Adler and Richard Kline Let The Sunshine In
Richard Klein and Jerry Adler are veteran actors and directors on stage, television, and film. You might know Klein as Dallas on Three's Company, and Adler as "Hesh" on The Sopranos. On this show, they'll visit the WNPR studios to tell their stories, and reminisce with Colin about his years as Ed the Handyman on Charles In Charge.That's not true, Colin wasn't in Charles In Charge, but we'll explore the nuances of theater acting, the history of their time on television, and get a sneak peek at their latest work together, "The Sunshine Boys" at the Jorgensen Theater at UConn.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/5/2014 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
Digging Deep Into Connecticut's Underground History
Connecticut's history is well documented throughout Connecticut museums and historic villages, but there's much more that we have yet to discover, much of it underground. Today, we're partnering with Connecticut Explored, Connecticut's history journal, to tell a series of underground stories. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/4/2014 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Connecticut Is the Land of Plenty, for Some
If you're like me, you'll have a lot of thoughts about food today but they won't be about how to get some. It will be about what you want for lunch and what you feel like having for dinner.You might have an argument with yourself about whether you can afford to eat a snack or dessert, but to you the word "afford" has to do with your weight and your waistline.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/3/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: Liberal Arts, Carbon Emissions and Of Course, Jeopardy!
Is college worth it? The news about higher education is mostly bad. Student loan debt is now $1 trillion and climbing. Underpaid, demoralized, and harassed adjunct faculty are taking on more and more of the teaching load. By many measures, college isn't doing its most important job: providing a ladder that young people with fewer advantages can climb.College right now seems to be reinforcing class structure rather than loosening it up. Into all of the above steps an optimist: Wesleyan president Michael Roth, who doesn't deny the problems, but insists that a liberal education is essential, and worth it. Despite the shift towards specialized courses of study, a liberal arts education is more important than ever. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/2/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Live From the 2014 Berkshire International Film Festival
Why go to a film festival? Because you might see the guy who plays Jaime Lannister on "Game of Thrones" in a Norwegian film also starting Juliette Binoche about a photojournalist on a dangerous assignment in Kenya. Or you might see a documentary about the American roots music dynasty, the Carters and the Cashes. Or maybe you'll bump into an acting legend like Karen Allen or Mary Kay Place on the street or in a seat next to yours. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/30/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Every Day I Write the Book: Luanne Rice and David Handler
Luanne Rice has written 31 novels, five of which have been made into movies or mini-series. Her work has been featured in playhouses across the country, including Connecticut's own Hartford Stage. Her latest book, The Lemon Orchard, uses her signature themes of family and loss to tackle the difficult path of illegal immigrants in America.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/29/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Geek Is Chic: How Comic Con Became a Pop Culture Phenomenon
People who attend Comic Con and Star Trek conventions -- or nerds in general -- used to be the butt of jokes, including a famous "Saturday Night Live" skit by William Shatner, where he tells "Trekkers" to get a life.Now "fandom" is a huge industry. It generates more than $500 million by one estimate, and is growing in both revenue and attendance. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/28/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Conversation With Joe Muto On FOX Holes, Gawker, and Media Machines
On any given day, it's pretty easy to find all the ways in which modern media has substituted politicization for truth and/or serious reflection. Today, you could take the so-called Santa Barbara killing spree by Elliot Rodger. After the usual first round of back and forth sniping about the availability of weapons. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/27/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The "World's Strongest Librarian" On Tourette Syndrome, Weightlifting, and Mormonism
The story of Josh Hanagarne isn't necessarily funny. He was born with Tourette Syndrome, a poorly understood neuropsychiatric disorder which inflicts on Josh a blizzard of tics, flinches, whoops and yelps. Most disconcertingly, he frequently hits himself in the face.Josh's first refuge was books, and that led to a career as a librarian. His second refuge was playing the guitar, which somehow distracted his mind from the triggers producing the tics. And his third refuge was exercise, specifically strength and weight training. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/26/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose is Wary of Marrying Harry
Can the culture of one nation ever understand that of another? Critics say Fox's newest reality show in which 12 witless contestants believe their in a fight to the near death for the attention of England's Prince Harry. "I Wanna Marry Harry" is said to represent a new low in reality television.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/23/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Meteorologists Talk Climate Change
When President Obama introduced the National Climate Assessment a couple of weeks ago, he asked eight special people to help him. They were national and local weather casters including Al Roker.It was an interesting choice. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/22/2014 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Bringing Back the Woolly Mammoth
Science writer Carl Zimmer names the Dodo and the Great Auk, the Thylacine and the Chinese River Dolphin, the Passenger Pigeon and the Imperial Woodpecker, the Bucardo and Stellar Sea Cow among the species that humankind has driven into extinction. What's notable about that list is that most of us would recognize maybe three or four of those names.Think about that. We have obliterated entire species whose names we don't even know.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/21/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Filling You In On the World of Taxidermy
Taxidermy stops time. Creatures are born, they live they die, they decay into dust. But taxidermy catches the wolf or the woodpecker in the middle of the cycle and keeps it there. That's why there's something unsettling and a little creepy about taxidermy. Never forget, the most memorable taxidermist in cinema history was Norman Bates.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/20/2014 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
Bob Garfield is Off the Media and On The Scramble
Bob Garfield, host of WNYC's On The Media, kicks off this edition of The Scramble. Something tells us The New York Times' Jill Abramson saga isn't over...Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/19/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Is Looking to Hire Jill Abramson
You'd think that the New York Times, after covering so many sackings, would know how to fire its own editor without having it become one of the biggest, ugliest stories of the week. On today's show, we'll explore the presumption that the Great Gray Lady is run by sexist pork faces.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/16/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
If You Give a Kid a Book They Want, They'll Read It
The first children's room in a public library may have been in Hartford, Connecticut. The head librarian here, Caroline Hewins was an early advocate for taking seriously the reading needs of children starting in the late 19th century. Prior to that children's lit wasn't really treated as a genre that could stand on its own two feet. Today, of course, it's massive and diverse. Its themes range from light to darkness, its language may be mannered or naturalistic, its art may be glorious or crude. And, there really seems to be a readership for all those possibilities. But, some would say we need more diversity.Today on the show, we talk about children's books, first from the perspective of two authors and then with a scholar and a librarian.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Navigating Our World: Maps to GPS
When friends say they're going to Paris I make them promise to get a Plan de Paris, which is a pocket-sized book of little maps and one big, huge fold-out map which you never use because it makes you look like a befuddled tourist and it's really hard to fold back into the little book. But the Arrondissement maps and Plan are essential. If you have them, you'll understand where you are and where you're going. If you don't, not so much. My point is this-it's just not true that we don't need or use maps anymore. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/13/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
NPR's Eric Deggans on the Changing Face of Television
We start today's show with Eric Deggans, NPR's first full-time TV critic. Eric and I have talked before about the issue of diversity in late night comedy programming and lo and behold, the very intriguing Larry Wilmore has been given his own show. So, we talk about that but Eric's main focus right now is a kind of television agrarian ritual, the unveiling of this year's crop of network shows, most of them to be harvested in the fall. A short description if you've been missing Matthew Perry, Patricia Arquette, Scott Bakula, Tea Leone and Katherine McPhee, just watch CBS.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/12/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose Tangos With Monica Lewinsky
You may have forgotten Monica Lewinsky, but she has not forgotten you. She's back with a Vanity Fair interview that re-ignites the whole debate about her.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/9/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
What's The Best Job For Your Personality?
You probably wonder sometimes if you chose. Growing up, I was pretty sure I'd be a novelist and sometimes even now I wonder why I'm not. Why am I not sitting in a cabin at the McDowell Colony banging out my 24th book. No kidding, I really feel pretty bad about that. But the reality is, I'm not wired that way. My mind needs constant stimulation and constant feedback. This is a really good job for me even though my self-image is radically different.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/8/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Murder of Joseph Smith
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the religious version of recession food. Since the end of the Civil War, the Mormon membership numbers have grown every single year, and quite often they've grown at an astonishing pace. In the late 1970's and 80's, they added members at a rate of 5-6% a year. Today, their worldwide membership is around 15 million. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/7/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Tribute to Black and White
We crave color. Think of the Spring trip you make to the park, that has beautiful tulips or multicolored roses in the Summer. Think of the enormous travel industry that springs up around fall foliage every year. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/6/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: David Folkenflik, Smart Guns, and Bearden
This hour on The Scramble our superguest is David Folkenflik. I don't have to tell you who David Folkenflik is, do I? I mean, you're public radio listeners. The superguest always sets the agenda, and David wants to talk about new journalism start-ups like Vox, Five-Thirty Eight, First Look, and about what middle-aged digital brand names like Slate are doing to survive. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/5/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Leaves Connecticut to Get Over Donald Sterling
This hour on The Nose, we lead off with a Gallup poll in which Connecticut ranked second, just a tick behind Illinois, as one of the states people are most eager to leave. Half of the Connecticut people polled said they'd like to move out.Now, it would be a mistake to ascribe this to any one thing. Property taxes, job market, unfriendly people, dormant cities, and cold weather all play a role, but I can't help but wonder whether Connecticut temperament itself also plays a role. People from Wisconsin would be less likely to say a bad word about the place, even if they had all their belongings packed. That's just now how they talk about life.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/2/2014 • 51 minutes
Will Connecticut Be the Next Gig City?
Okay, here's a borrowed analogy. My grandmother talked about the light bill to refer to what you call the electricity bill. And, that's because she lived at a time when literally, that's all electricity did-power the lights. And now, all sorts of things run on that same power. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/1/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Anatomy of a Villain
A couple of weeks ago, I was sick with the April flu, lying in bed in a New York apartment, and trying to distract myself by watching one of the film adaptations of "Nicholas Nickleby". I found myself repeatedly moved to tears, especially when anything good or kind happened. Okay, part of this was that I felt a little vulnerable, and may have over identified with poor tubercular Smike. But another part, I'm convinced, was the excitement generated by pure moral language, which you don't encounter so much in modern culture.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/30/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
There's More to Bees Than Just a Stinger
For people with really bad arthritis the idea of intentionally suffering bee stings is an easier sell than it is with the rest of humankind. Sometimes my knees hurt so bad, a bee sting would be a welcomed distraction. I mean, it couldn’t make things any worse and there’s something intuitive about the idea that our body’s natural response to the venom might actually counteract other problems. So, this hour, we talk about apitherapy.First, we explore the world of long-haul bee truckers. The nation’s farm depends on these peripatetic pollinators who cross the country and travel up and down the coasts. It’s a lot like other kinds of trucking and then it’s totally different.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/29/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Salon.com's Editor-in-Chief Scrambles With Colin McEnroe
We cover a lot of ground on this hour's Scramble. We begin with the editor of Salon.com in a conversation about a story that dominated the headlines this weekend, the racist remarks attributed to Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. Dave Daley sees Sterling and Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy as part of a pattern. I don't. Not exactly, anyway. Dave also talks about Thomas Piketty, the first rock star economist in, well, a really long time.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/28/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Has a Master's Degree in Being Caught On Tape
This was a week when Connecticut professors got rambunctious, when pine tar was discovered in places it shouldn't have been, and when President Obama played soccer with a robot. I can't guarantee which of these things will make its way onto our weekly pop culture roundtable, The Nose, except definitely the professors.This one from UConn mocked and challenged the arguments of a creationist, and this one from Eastern was caught railing against Republicans, calling them "racist, misogynistic, money-grubbing people" and saying colleges will close if the GOP takes over the Senate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/25/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Eastern Hemlock is Dying
You have to trust us. Because I realize that a show about the Eastern Hemlock doesn't sound that sexy. In fact, we've done tree shows in the past after which I have said, "Let's not do any more tree shows." But we think we've got something here. First of all, this our third show working with Bob Sullivan, a writer who, in the past, has been able to make just about any topic exciting. Second, this is a story with a villain, a cottony, crawling, feeding life form called the wooly adelgid. You want something you can hate without the tiniest tremor of remorse? We're going to give it to you. Third, this little villain is striking right at a major player in the natural cycles that can either slow or accelerate climate change. Fourth, we're going to be talking about the souls of trees. Trust us. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/24/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Scramble: Fact-Checking, the "Rape Scene" and the NYT Op-Ed Page
The more I read about The Dallas Buyers Club, the less I like it, which is too bad because I really like that movie.First, I read the that film's portrayal of Ron Woodruff, the hard-bitten homophobe who gradually softens is wrong. Woodruff was, according to friends and family, comfortably bisexual. He never had to go through the transition you see in the film.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/23/2014 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
Pondering Modern Love
It's hard to improve on the poet, Rilke, who wrote, "Love consists of this, that two solitudes meet, protect, and greet each other." But did Rilke have to deal with Angry Birds and Snap Chat? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/22/2014 • 41 minutes, 49 seconds
How Do We Get Back to the Field of Dreams?
Is there a connection between what happens in youth sports and the locker room bullying of Richie Incognito or the steroid-spattered reputations of Alex Rodriguez and Lance Armstrong?And, we all know that major college sports have become engines of commerce allowing a lot of people, although not the athletes who drive those engines, to get rich.But, is there any way in which those dollar signs are sliding down into youth and high school sports.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/21/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Agony and Utility of Ecstasy
"Molly" is the nickname for MDMA, or ecstasy. It's short for "molecule," meaning you're getting the "real thing," chemically speaking. Except you almost never do.This hour, we talk about the dangers of Molly, the medical uses of MDMA, and the curious romance between the drug and the form of music known as EDM, Electronic Dance Music.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/18/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Forty Years, in Search of a Zipless F---
The zipless f---- was more than a f----. It was a platonic ideal. Zipless, because when you came together, zippers fell away like rose petals. Underwear blew off in one breath like dandelion fluff. Tongues intertwined and turned liquid. Your whole soul flowed out through your tongue and into the mouth of your lover.Jong recenly defined the phrase on NPR's Weekend Edition:The zipless f---- was more than a f----. It was a platonic ideal. Zipless, because when you came together, zippers fell away like rose petals. Underwear blew off in one breath like dandelion fluff. Tongues intertwined and turned liquid. Your whole soul flowed out through your tongue and into the mouth of your lover.So how does the world of 2013 look to the writer who gave us Isadora Wing?We talk with Jong about feminism and gender in American pop culture and politics.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/16/2014 • 41 minutes, 40 seconds
The Scramble: Mad Men, Blood Moons, and Racism
Our SuperGuest on today's Scramble is Jen Doll, who has three topics that she wants to discuss:The first is the return of "Mad Men," a show in its final season and perhaps more than any other TV show, a driver of the phenomenon that utilizes the talents of many, many cultural commentators to analyze and debate the underlying themes in each episode. If you visited a site like Slate or Salon on certain Monday mornings, you might make the mistake of thinking this was a publication mainly, or entirely about, "Mad Men."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Boston Marathon Bombing and the Road to Resilience
Consider America from 1985 to 2000. You wouldn't say nothing happened in those 15 years but America was a fairly calm place to be most of the time.Now consider the period that came next. It began with a presidential election so riddled with such uncertainties that the effort to confirm the result dragged on for days and went to the Supreme Court.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Replaces Colbert, Marries Jesus, and Has No Love For the Gov
Scientists say the papyrus that mentions a wife of Jesus is not a forgery. Stephen Colbert will take over when Letterman leaves. I'm not saying the two things are connected, but maybe our weekly culture roundtable The Nose will find a common thread.It might seem like a small thing - the departure of Stephen Colbert from his late night role in which he depicts a strutting, preening, right-wing media star. In the last analysis, who cares who takes over the Letterman show? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/11/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
We've Only Just Begun: Carpenters Remembered
If you are a person of a certain age, you probably remember the moment when you were first seized by Karen Carpenter's voice. For me, it was getting into my mother's Pontiac LeMans after a commencement ceremony at Kingswood School in 1970. I was a sophomore at an all-boys school, and nobody wanted to be "Close To" me. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/10/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Thomas Moore on "A Religion of One's Own"
Thomas Moore was, for 13 years, a Servite monk. In 1992, he burst onto the national scene with "Care of the Soul", which combined the psychotherapeutic of Jung and James Hillman with ancient and contemporary religious and spiritual ideas. It was number 1 on the New York Times best seller list, and stayed on the list for a year.Moore's central premise is that part of ourselves cannot be fully nourished through purely rational modern thought. We have needs that cannot be met by science and social theory. His new book is kind of a toolkit for people who have that sense - that they need something they're not getting. They may not be comfortable sitting in a pew to get it, so can they make it themselves?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/9/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Does Spite Advance Survival of a Species?
Spite is everywhere. It's as fresh as today's sports headlines as UConn readies to play Notre Dame for the women's basketball championship. Fighting Irish coach Muffet McGraw has acknowledged that there is hate between the two teams.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/8/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Peeps Veep With Frank Rich
Today on the Scramble, we get to spend some time with Frank Rich. Frank wears a lot of hats these days as both editor-at-large at New York Magazine and Executive Producer of VEEP on HBO. We're going to chat with him in both capacities and there is an interesting bridge between the two realms.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/7/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Enjoys Neil deGrasse Tyson's Cosmos on the Rocks
The original Carl Sagan "Cosmos" was at least partly a response to the Cold War. Its message: "We're such little specks, can we embrace our common destiny and get along?"You could look at the movie "Noah" and the remake of "Cosmos" as two manifestations of an odd phenomenon. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/4/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Celebrating the Ninth Annual Trinity Hip Hop Festival
When I say "hip hop," do you think about an art form the exalts bling, consumption, excess, decadence, and vulgarity? What about all the other hip hop artists, exploring other kinds of truths?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/2/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Race for the Higgs Boson
Scientists made an announcement on July 4, 2012 to little fanfare outside the world of scholarly physicists that ended a 50-year search to explain the existence of life as we know it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/2/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
April Fool's! Exploring Pranks and Practical Jokes
I'll be honest: I hate April Fools' Day, and I'm not a big fan of practical jokes. I hate it the way that some people hate Valentine's Day or New Year's Eve. I think merriment and foolishness should be spread across the year. That's why most of our shows, even pretty serious ones, start with a comedy sketch, because life is so much better when you think of it as a comedy.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/1/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Meets Charla Nash, Talks Politics With David Plotz
The Scramble, our Monday episode, is a wrap-up of the weekend's news, and a look at the week ahead. This hour, we have a conversation with Charla Nash, who is seeking the right to sue the state of Connecticut over the chimpanzee attack in 2009 that left her badly mutilated.We also feature our SuperGuest, Slate Political Gabfest panelist, David Plotz. He's been thinking a lot about the high-budget involved in anti-technology films like the upcoming movie, Noah, and whether or not Hillary Clinton is too old to run for president.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/31/2014 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
The Nose Travels to the Grand Budapest Hotel
A hilariously fussy hotel manager with a taste for the high life is wrenched from his gay surroundings by the specter of war and a false murder charge. That doesn't sound terribly funny, but it's the premise for "The Grand Budapest Hotel," the latest Wes Anderson movie. Our Nose panelists all went to see it, and it will be one of our topics on this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/28/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What It's Like to (Try to) Make Cartoons for The New Yorker
I'll tell you one of the big thrills of my writing career: I was a contributing editor to Mirabella Magazine in the 80's. I'd written an essay about getting bitten (sort of) by a dog in New Hampshire. The magazine had a huge art budget in those days, and I had already had one of my pieces illustrated by Ed Koren. But they told me this one was being illustrated by George Booth. George Booth! I worship George Booth! And so it came to pass that my article ran with a classing Booth dog cartoon.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/27/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Secrets of the Sea
I get way too much of my information from movies and this year large container ships played a role in two major films.The first was Captain Phillips, an account of piracy in the Indian Ocean. The problem with that movie is that it didn't ask any fundamental questions about the method of moving stuff around.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/26/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Hearing Voices
Teresa of Avila very unambiguously reported hearing voices. She's a saint. John Forbes Nash heard voices. He won a Nobel prize. Robert Schumann heard voices that spurred him to write great music.Philip K. Dick was guided by one inner voice, specifically female, that he would hear for much of his life. He probably holds the record for most film adaptations for words written of any author ever.Mahatma Gandhi described a voice he could hear; not a metaphorical inner conversation, but a voice.I could go on. Hearing voices is not that unusual. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/25/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Intelligence Gathering, the History of Missing Airplanes, and the Book of Mormon
Today on The Scramble, we'll talk about a system run by the Navy that keeps track of, among other things, parking tickets and field information cards filled out by police, even when no crime has occurred - is this data collection crossing a line?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/24/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
WARNING: The Nose May Contain Trigger Warnings
here are the topics for the Nose today:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/21/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Comics, From Niche to Mainstream
Once upon a time, comic books were a niche for kids and nerds. Now they are mainstream culture. "The Avengers" is the number three all-time worldwide grossing movie.I would like to pause, and say that I owned, as a kid, issue number one of The Avengers. I remember distinctly where I got it, and how I felt about it. I do not remember distinctly what happened to it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/20/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Salute to Irish Music with Martin Hayes
The musician Christy Moore said Ireland could never have the equivalent of a folk revival because it never let its traditions lapse. And that's very true. The are probably other places in the world as deeply attached to their traditional music, but I don't know where they are. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/19/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
March Madness 2014
Where is Wofford College? What is a shock of wheat, and what does it have to do with Wichita State's scary mascot? For that matter, what's a Chanticleer?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/18/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble on Agunuah, Vaccinations, and More
Mark Oppenheimer writes about religion and a whole bunch of other things. Today, he'll be talking about the difficulty Orthodox Jewish women face in obtaining a certain form of cooperation from their husbands and how that difficulty spawned a black market in coercion and violence.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/17/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Lurks Behind the Backdrop of "Between Two Ferns"
President Obama has consistently refused to be a panelist on The Nose, but his appearance this week on "Between Two Ferns" with Zach Galifianakis has given us new hope!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Hartford Was the Typewriter Capital of the Country
In the second season of the Netflix series, House of Cards, the protagonist Frank Underwood, played by Kevin Spacey, pulls out an old family typewriter, an Underwood of course, to write a pseudo-heartfelt letter to the President.Frank's father gave him the typewriter saying this Underwood built an empire. Now you go build another.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/11/2014 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Scramble: Losing at Jeopardy, Finding Lost Dogs, and Winning Back Lost Freedom of Information
Amanda Hess is one of our favorite social critics. She writes for Slate and lately, well always, she's thinking about the depiction of women in mass media, including a statistical disparity between the performances of men and women on Jeopardy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/10/2014 • 49 minutes, 11 seconds
The Nose Explores True Entertainment and "Normcore"
Can great television be as satisfying as great literature? On today's Nose, we'll apply that question to HBO's True Detective. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/7/2014 • 49 minutes, 32 seconds
The Psychology and Sociology of Coming Out of the Closet
In the space of a lifetime, the status of gay and lesbian people in the United States and Western Europe has been transformed. So to watch a play like "A Song at Twilight," written by Noel Coward in 1966, is to journey back in time and then wonder how far, really one has traveled.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/6/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Raising the Minimum Wage
Minimum wage in Connecticut is higher than the federal minimum, $8.70 an hour instead of $7.25. In fact, the federal minimum is so ridiculously low that not many people are earning it. Maybe as few as 1.5 million, according to one study. So, what happens if it goes up to $10.10 an hour here, or less likely, nationally. Some minimum wage workers will tell you that is still ridiculously low, $15 an hour is more like it. And, there are movements to help fast food workers bargain collectively for that kind of raise.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/5/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
It's Grammar Day! Is My Exclamation Point Wrong?
It's National Grammar Day, a time to take stock of the current status of the English language, and possibly get into bitter fights.I'm old school. I'm the kind of person who will only use "not only" if I intend to follow it with "but also." That's probably a convention that died the quiet death of a feverish sloth many years ago. But I know what's right, and sometimes it feels like I'm helping to hold the language together even as it drifts into chaos.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/4/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Scramble: Are A.J. Jacobs, Lupita Nyong'o, and John Rowland Related?
Today on The Scramble, one of our favorite writers, A.J. Jacobs takes us deep inside the world of modern ancestry research where websites are all too happy to tell you that you're distantly related to Gwynyth Paltrow, Michael Bloomberg, Quincy Jones, and King David. Those are all actual examples of people A.J. was told are his relatives. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3/3/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Nose Predicts High Drama at the Academy Awards
We have a question: Where does Adam Sandler watch the Oscars? Does he sit there with all the people who are actually up for awards, or is he home alone, with his baseball cap on backwards? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/28/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Broccoli is Best!
Somehow, kale has become trendy in the last few years, although its moment in the sun seems to be almost over. How did a thing like that happen? Would it be possible to infuse an old standby like broccoli with a similar hip panache? Broccoli is the warmest vegetable, and the coolest.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/26/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Get the Popcorn. Take Your Seat. We're Talking Remakes
Remakes are easy. Money-makers are hard. We live in a sloshing sea of those movie remakes but it's rare for one of them to out gross the original. An exception, oddly enough, was the remake of "Clash of the Titans," which significantly outperformed its 80s predecessor. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/26/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Women Speak Out on the State of Sports
Four women join us to talk about sports, mostly football. Two of them are sports journalists. A third is a journalist specializing in legal issues, and a fourth is a scientist and engineer.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/25/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble Talks TV, Drones, and Big Changes in Sports
There's something exciting about a critic who challenges your perceptions in a compelling way. I love the movie American Hustle but when I read Willa Paskin's take-down of it in Slate, she really got me thinking. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/24/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose Wipes Its Eyes, Blames the Fame, and Explores the Radio Dial
Last Sunday, we took a road trip into New York City, but before we left, I read Beth Boyle Machlan's New York Times essay about the joys she sometimes gets driving with her kids, and surrendering their collective eardrums to the serendipities of commercial radio. She learns some of their songs, they learn some of hers... Everybody gives up some of the fierce control we all maintain these days over what we call our "playlists."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/21/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Conversation With Ingrid Newkirk, Co-Founder of PETA
The debate over animal rights is as old as Voltaire, as old as Aristotle. But as you'll hear today, it turned some kind of modern corner in 1975 with the publication of "Animal Liberation: Towards an End to Man's Inhumanity to Animals" by the Australian philosopher, Peter Singer. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/20/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Connecticut in the Civil War
Here's a little bit of Civil War history that seems to have started here in Connecticut. It was in this month of February in 1860 that Cassius Clay, a Kentucky planter turned anti-slavery crusader spoke in Hartford not far from where we're doing this show today. He was accompanied by a torch-bearing honor guard in capes and caps. The Hartford Courant called these young men "wide-awakes." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/19/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble "Likes" Douglas Rushkoff
We're starting out today with a segment about "Generation-Like," the media term media theorist Douglas Rushkoff uses for the generation of Millennials who live huge chunks of their lives on social media where they subsist on a form of metered approval. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/18/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Questions God and Atheists; Judging the Morality of Athletes
I was still digesting some of the lessons of the play "Freud's Last Session" -- a 90 minute conversation between Freud and C.S. Lewis -- when I stumbled upon Adam Gopnik's New Yorker essay about rise of polemical atheism -- that is atheism that takes an openly contemptuous tone toward faith. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/14/2014 • 41 minutes, 36 seconds
Pondering Modern Love
It's hard to improve on the poet, Rilke, who wrote, "Love consists of this, that two solitudes meet, protect, and greet each other." But did Rilke have to deal with Angry Birds and Snap Chat? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/13/2014 • 41 minutes, 49 seconds
Living With Multiple Sclerosis
The actresses Teri Garr and Annette Funicello, the television hosts Montel Williams and Neil Cavuto, the writer Joan Didion, Ann Romney, the wife of the presidential candidate Mitt Romney, the comedian Richard Pryor. These are some of the people that you quote-unquote know that have, or in Pryor's case had, Multiple Sclerosis.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/12/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Passion of Pickling
In 2030 B.C., somebody brought cucumbers from India to the Tigris Valley, and they said, "We can pickle that!" And so it began, from the first stirrings of civilization, to modern-day Brooklyn artisan pickles: we've found ourselves up to our eyes in brine, looking for the next object we can pickle.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/11/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Scrambling to Make Sense of Russia, Woody Allen, and the Westminster Dog Show
While visitors watching the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, enjoy spectacular feats of athletic ability from the world's most accomplished athletes, those in Russia's LGBT community anticipate laws that punish Russians for even suggesting that it's okay to be gay, let alone live openly as a gay adult.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/10/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Hacks Jeopardy!, Inspects Reality TV, and Flinches at Russian Controversies
While tying together all the stories for today's session of the Nose, I keep hearing (in my mind) Charlie Seen say, "Winning!" We have a lot of stories about how people who try to win, often by following the logic of a game out to its extremes.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/7/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Seeking the Truth in Secret Societies
The first secret society, according to Theodore Ziolkowski, a Princeton-based scholar on the literature of cults and conspiracies, "consisted of Eve and the serpent and then it just kept going," Ziokowski writes.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/6/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
50 Years of The Beatles!
In February of 1964, the Beatles appeared not once, but on three consecutive Sunday nights on "The Ed Sullivan Show," attracting what was the the largest audience in television history, and still might be the largest percentage of all possible viewers. To some of us, the whole thing is still kind of exciting 50 years later. But why?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/5/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
An Ode to Opera
Last fall, the New York City Opera -- what Mayor LaGuardia called "the People's Opera" -- declared bankruptcy. This is/was the opera that introduced Americans to Placido Domingo and Beverly Sills. Make what you will of the fact that the bankruptcy announcement coincided with the presentation of a new opera about Anna Nicole Smith.This is either a problem very specific to the New York Opera, or part of a virus that has been taking down opera companies all over the U.S. and maybe all over the world. In Italy, where opera receives much more public and government support, one fourth of all major opera companies were in a version of bankruptcy as of 2008.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/4/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble: The Famous Are Human Too
On Sunday, two people named Dylan made news. So much so that you had to be careful on Twitter. If you tweeted "Dylan sold out" about Bob Dylan's Super Bowl commercials, you might offend people who thought you meant Dylan Farrow who broke 20 years of silence to talk about her memory of childhood molestation by Woody Allen. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2/3/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose Does the Guilt Pose, Spoils Superbowl Commercials, and Survives Anxiety
Today on the Nose, we'll discuss one of those eruptions that happen in the digital world -- a frenzy of discussion and expressions of outrage over an essay on the site xojane, by a writer who tried to describe her reactions, as a skinny white woman, to the way she thought a heavyset back woman was reacting to her in yoga class.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/31/2014 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
Adjuncts in Academia
Imagine a day without adjunct faculty. Many colleges and universities would effectively shut down. Somewhere between 70-75% of the academic workforce in higher education is not tenured or on track for tenure. Most of those people fall into the category of adjunct. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/30/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Healing Power of Music: Colin McEnroe at Watkinson School
A lot of interconnected things were happening in the 1990s, an oncologist and hematologist named Mitchell Gaynor discovered trough a Tibetan monk, the so-called singing bowls and began incorporating them into the guided meditation and breathing work he did with his patients. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/29/2014 • 49 minutes, 43 seconds
The Conjuring Arts
Led by Harry Potter, the last 20 years have unleashed a new wave of enthusiasm for the fantasy side of magic. But, we've also seen an undeniable re-engagement with stage magic. In 2006 alone, there were two movies about magicians, "The Prestige" and "The Illusionist." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/28/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Scramble Shares Limited Information About Today's Show: FOI and Football
It's Monday. That means our show is The Scramble, where we make a lot of decisions on a last minute basis. We asked our super guest, Marc Tracy of The New Republic, to pick three topics about which Colin would quickly get up to speed. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/27/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose: Bieber's Bust, Casting Peter Pan, and Scapegoating Maureen McDonnell
It was a fertile week for topics, but here at The Nose, we've boiled them down to four.First, the decision by NBC to capitalize on its live Sound of Music ratings hit with a revival of the live TV Peter Pan. No cast has been announced yet, so that allows us to do some "dreamcasting. "Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/24/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Talking About HIV/AIDS in 2014
"Dallas Buyer's Club" covers a lot of the same ground as an Oscar-nominated documentary about AIDS from last year, "How To Survive A Plague." Each film covers the time from mid-to-late 1980s when the disease struck, when there was no accepted or effective medical treatment, when the patients themselves had to push for better research and faster tracks to bring drugs to market. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/23/2014 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
Asteroid Apocalypse: How Likely Is It?
Scientists say that the asteroid that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia this past February was a rare event, unlikely to happen more than every 100 -200 years. But a recent paper in the scientific journal Nature said the earth should expect and plan to get hit by Chelyabinsk-sized asteroids more often-- maybe every decade or two.This news sparked a flurry of talk about what that means for us on earth. How vulnerable are we and are we doing enough to detect and deflect asteroids?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/22/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble Is on the Scrimmage Line
Through no act of overarching planning, all three of our segments today will deal directly, or otherwise, with sports.In our first segment, we talk with Linda Holmes from the NPR culture blog, Monkey See. We also delve into the controversy over a recent New York Times column by former executive editor, Bill Keller. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/21/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Living in Interpolitical and Interfaith Marriages
I spent one night in the company of James Carville and Mary Matalin, in the course of being their onstage moderator at the Bushnell. My lasting impression was that these were two people whose primary loyalty was to each other. To an unusual degree, when there was down time, they wanted to be alone, together, door closed. I don't know how they sort out their extreme political differences, but I think the answer lies somewhere in what I just said.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/20/2014 • 48 minutes, 1 second
The Nose Falls in Love With Its Operating System
The Nose panel went to the movies this week to see the critically-acclaimed Spike Jonze film, "Her," about a future world in which it's not unusual for a man to fall in love with his artificially-intelligent operating system. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/17/2014 • 49 minutes, 33 seconds
The Complications of Comedy
Dying is easy, comedy is hard. But, why is comedy so hard, especially on the stage, and what makes something funny?The premise for a famously funny plot could easily sound like a tragedy. An out of work actor is so desperate for employment that he dresses up like a woman and then falls in love with a beautiful co-star whom he deceives and betrays on several levels. That doesn't sound that hilarious. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/15/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Why Compost?
You may think that composting all your kitchen waste sounds like a good idea, but you probably don't realize how many things really can be composted, what services are available if you can't get yourself organized to do it, and if you do have a compost pile, which animals visit it at night, and for what purpose?This hour, a heap of information about compost!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What's It Like To Be Republican in Connecticut?
When I first started writing about politics in Connecticut, I can honestly say that there were many more Republicans who excited my admiration than there were Democrats. It was 1979, the wave of interesting new progressive Democrats was coming, including that Bill Curry guy you hear so much about, but the entrenched Democratic leadership was anything but progressive. It was calcified, blinkered, and in too many cases, dirty. They'd had too much power for too long. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/14/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble Catches Up with Gene Demby and Roger Catlin
Today is Monday. That's when we do the show on the fly. We call it The Scramble and one of the twists we're trying is the reverse of ordinary public radio guest booking. Usually, we start with a topic and try to find the best possible guests. But, for one segment of The Scramble each week, we pick a guest we want to talk to and then ask him or her what the topic should be. The idea is to pick an interesting person and then find out what's on that person's mind right now. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/13/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose is Stuck in Traffic
Governor Chris Christie's administration is under fire for ordering lane closures that blocked access to the George Washington Bridge for four days last September, indulging in an egomaniacal fantasy of vengeance against a political foe who refused to recognize the Christie administration's self-professed superiority.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/10/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Cinema Scuffle! With David Edelstein and A. O. Scott
My two favorite film critics, A.O. Scott and David Edelstein, appear on the show today, and we've got a longer list of topics than we can possibly get to. I'm interested in the way a lot of the recent hit movies take little bites of our recent past: "Inside Llewyn Davis" tackles 1961. "American Hustle" bestrides the end of the 70s and beginning of the 80s. "The Wolf of Wall Street" started with the Crash of '87 and pans forward into the 1990s. Suddenly, for Baby Boomers, the stretch of our living memory is a series of period pieces and costume dramas.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/9/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
A Tribute to Twins!
Identical twins are just like us - and then they're not! From Ann Landers and Dear Abbey, from the Castro brothers, one of whom might be our first identical twin president one day, carbon-copy twins live lives that the rest of us cannot fathom.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/8/2014 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Remembering the Collapse of the Hartford Civic Center Roof
For many years, Ralph Nader has pushed the idea of an American Museum of Tort History which would be located somewhere in Connecticut, probably Winsted. The exhibits would concern tort cases from all over the U.S. but you have to think the Hartford Civic Center roof collapse would merit a special diorama.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/7/2014 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Scramble: Insider Trading, Anxiety, and David Brooks Best Friend
Today on The Scramble we lead off with some reporting that will be featured this week on a PBS' "Frontline" story, To Catch a Trader. It's the story of a federal probe into insider trading and the specific role of Connecticut's Steve Cohen, and his SAC hedge fund. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/6/2014 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose: Originality, Subarus and Sexuality, Anonymity, and Grand Exits
Today on The Nose, we'll talk about this relatively insignificant bit of Rush Limbaugh peevishness, and the degree to which each of us thinks he or she has (informally speaking) patented something: a word, a phrase, a style we've made our own.Also, Adam Platt's decision to dispense with the fiction that he, as a restaurant critic, is anonymous. It's not exactly the same as claiming to create, but Platt is talking about the anxiety of influence in a different way. How can one do "pure" work? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/3/2014 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Enjoying the Randomness of Miscellanea
Wandering the vast labyrinth of useless information, you might encounter some people having a debate about the last person who knew everything. This is a great, and also pretty hopeless debate, because it requires a judgment about what all the useful information in the world might have been and who was capable of knowing it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1/2/2014 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
The Final Report on Sandy Hook
There are a lot of people who, for understandable reasons, would like the story of the Sandy Hook shootings to fade away. But, of course it never will. It's part of our molecular structure, especially here in Connecticut. This hour, we touch on some of the questions answered by the release of the state's so called final report on the murders. We also talk about some of the questions that haven't been answered and the peculiar, to some of us, reluctance by the state to release this report. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/30/2013 • 48 minutes, 40 seconds
The Nose Gets Inside Llewyn Davis
The Nose panelists explore the hidden mysteries of the Coen Brothers' new film, Inside Llewyn Davis, based on the early folk movement of 1960's Greenwich Village and one of its early pioneers, Dave Van Ronk. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/27/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
2013 Jazz Picks By Jazz Fanatics
You loved jazz in college, but these days, do you really have time to follow it? Maybe I'm only talking about myself. The jazz scene I loved so much in my early twenties begins to recede unless I make an affirmative effort to go charging toward it. So at this time of year, every year, we consult with jazz savants and musicians and ask them about the best music they heard all year.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/26/2013 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Christmas Songs That We Love to Love and Hate
There are some holiday songs that should banned. I'm sorry, Burl Ives, but there's really no reason for anybody to have to hear "Holly Jolly Christmas" ever again.And Little Drummer Boy? There's almost no way to describe the sinking feeling that tune gives me. Except, well, to call it a sinking feeling. On the other hand, I don't mind Mariah Carey singing "All I Want for Christmas Is You," but my producers are pretty much coming though the glass of the control booth at me for saying that.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/25/2013 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Scrambling Toward Christmas With Sad Songs, Oscar Isaac, and Tight Flights
A couple of weeks ago, we did a whole show about blood pressure only to have an article in The Journal of the American Medical Association blow a lot of the current thinking about blood pressure right out of the water. We talk to UConn's hypertension expert, Dr. Billy White, about new guidelines saying people over 60 may not need to keep their blood pressure as low as previously thought. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/23/2013 • 49 minutes, 24 seconds
The Nose Blows for Duck Dynasty, Netflix Adultery, and More
Here are the topics for The Nose today -- and this week we had to throw out a lot of perfectly good ones because there were so many:We pretty much have to tackle the controversy around Duck Dynasty. One of the real life characters in the reality TV show gave an interview in which he aired his strong religious views, which included multiple denunciations of homosexuality as a sin.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/20/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Paying Homage to Pigs!
Behold! The unique dilemma of the pig: There is nothing that smart that tastes that good. Is it true they're as smart as dogs? Why do some religions require people abstain from eating pork? What's it like raising pigs, and what parts of the pig are overlooked when it comes to eating them?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/19/2013 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Daniel Menaker's Journey Through the Hallowed Halls of The New Yorker
If you read magazines and live on the North half of the East Coast there is a good chance that you believe that The New Yorker is the ne plus ultra of magazine writing and if you believe that there's a good chance you run around using phrases like ne plus ultra.With The New Yorker's Olympian status goes a certain preciousness One of the reasons there's nothing else quite like The New Yorker is The New Yorker deeply believes that to be true and communicates it to us in subtle ways. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/18/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
How Do We Determine the Value of Art?
A Francis Bacon triptych, "Three Studies of Lucian Freud" sells for $142.4 million.Jeff Koons work sells for $58.4 million, making it the most expensive art by a living artist to sell at auction.Is any art really worth this much or do a few wealthy investors artificially drive up the market to divert the rest of us from the reality of overall declining sales. If art is not worth as much as certain vested interests want us to believe, how do we determine the real worth of art?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/17/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Monday Scramble: Peter O'Toole, Jameis Wilson, and Joan Fontaine
This is the Monday Scramble, the show we assemble on very short notice to challenge ourselves and keep things fresh.Two film icons died over the weekend, Peter O'Toole and Joan Fontaine. Attention gravitated to O'Toole because of his larger than life roles and his larger than life off-screen behavior. We'll be talking about O'Toole with one of his co-stars and with a director but we didn't want to ignore Fontaine, famous for her Oscar-winning role and for her decades-long feud with her sister, Olivia DeHaviland. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/16/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Sniffs Out the Controversy Surrounding Housework, Smarm, and More
After a two-week hiatus, The Nose, our weekly cultural panel, is back on with discussions of a controversial New York Times essay about who does housework, a contemplation of smarm versus snark, a nod to all the messiness around Nelson Mandela's funeral, and some second-guessing of Time's Person of the Year, Pope Francis or Ed Snowden.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/13/2013 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
A Swig of "Christmas on the Rocks"
Today we're talking about the afterlife of characters from classic Christmas stories. What happened, in later years, to Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" or Susan Walker from "Miracle of 34th Street" or Charlie Brown or Clara from "The Nutcracker?"Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/12/2013 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Singing Away the Blues
I suppose you could say that today's show is about a fairly obvious truth--singing with other people feels good. But, it's a little bit more complicated than that. When you go to a church and pick up a hymnal and sing what everybody else sings, it feels okay. And, a fairly complex set of activities takes place in your brain, and that's nice, but it pales in comparison to really singing with others. That is, getting together with other people and rehearsing and working toward a truly successful blend of voices.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/11/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Tuesday Tumble: Eddie Perez, "Rent" in Trumbull, Snowy Owls and the Ivory Trade
The Connecticut town of Trumbull, and especially its thespian society, has become a familiar name in the theater world, but maybe for the wrong reasons. When the high school principal decided to cancel the thespian society's production of "Rent," the story went national. It has bubbled along for weeks and as of today, we may have news about a compromise that would allow it to be staged.Meanwhile, former Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez has been awarded not one, but two new trials. We'll have an expert here to explain how that's likely to play out. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/10/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Naked, Afraid, and at the Mercy of Producers
"Reality TV" is perhaps the biggest misnomer in the entertainment industry today. A better name would probably be "scripted unscripted television." It's not catchy, but at least it's accurate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/9/2013 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Bringing Back Boy Bands: Did They Ever Really Leave?
The Monkees were the first group to exhibit all or most of the qualities we now associate with the term "boy band." They were assembled through auditions. They had a set of visual styles imposed on them. They were incredibly popular with tween-aged girls. They were plagued by the accusation that there was less to them than meets the eye. That last accusation was false, by the way.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/6/2013 • 41 minutes, 31 seconds
Preserving the Moon and Protecting Its Rocks
Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon, but the first man to urinate there was Buzz Aldrin, just a little ahead of Neil. The two astronauts relieved themselves into bags within their suits, then removed those bags and left them on the lunar surface. When you gotta go, you gotta go. It was time to go. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/5/2013 • 38 minutes
Blood Pressure is One Measure of Future Cardiovascular Disease
Long before we knew how the cardiovascular worked, ancient doctors may have recognized what we call hypertension. It seemed like maybe there was too much blood, so they treated it with leeches. Even today, high blood pressure is a little bit mysterious. The way it's typically measured may be the wrong way. And, it's not caused by one single factor so no single drug treats all the things that cause high blood pressure. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/4/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Colin Quinn Takes On The Constitution
There aren't that many jokes in the US Constitution. Either that, or there are too many, and they're all on us. Comedian Colin Quinn says most of you have never even read it. Who's gonna read something four pages long in this day and age?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/2/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Scramble: Metro-North, the "Globalization of Indifference," and Kurt Weill
Metro-North has had a tough year. Yesterday's derailment in the Bronx follows the May derailment in Bridgeport that injured more than 70 people, the death of a rail worker repairing tracks in West Haven one week later, the July derailment of a freight train that occurred about 1,700 feet from Sunday's derailment, and a nearly two-week power outage in September that severely disrupted rail traffic.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/2/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Will the Real Norman Rockwell Please Stand Up?
Norman Rockwell. It's the day before Thanksgiving. Who else are we gonna talk about? Deborah Solomon (the same one who invented the "Questions for" format in the New York Times magazine) will spend the whole show talking about her new comprehensive biography of Rockwell.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/26/2013 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Dark Side of Zen
Here in the West, Zen Buddhism is often where you go when you've concluded the religion you grew up with is marred by venality, hypocrisy, misogyny, patriarchal structure, and an insufficient commitment to peace and love. Buddhism seems to have less hierarchy and more commitment to pure enlightenment and oneness. So, what do Buddhists do when Buddhism falls down on the job?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/26/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Catching Fire, Culture, Condoms, and the Law
Why should sex feel bad? It shouldn't, and Bill Gates is offering $100,000 to the inventor of a condom that puts the pleasure back in sex. And, it isn't just about pleasure. Scientists at the University of Manchester's National Graphene Institute say a "redesigned condom that overcomes inconvenience, fumbling, or perceived loss of pleasure would be a powerful weapon in the fight against poverty."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/25/2013 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose Pays Tribute to Melodrama
Today, on The Nose, well we can't entirely ignore the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, but the subject is so vast we can only break off one little part. We're going to focus on an essay by Adam Gopnik and published in The New Yorker a couple of weeks ago. Gopnik probes the question of exactly what changed as a result of the crime and its murky aftermath. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/22/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Harmonica Heroes Take Over WNPR
Are there countries where harmonica players are BIG stars? Why don't more women play it? How many different musical styles can you squeeze out of one of these things? Guests include a lot of the pros: Howard Levy, Don DeStefano and Chris DePino whose odd career arc has taken him from railroad conductor to chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party to professional harmonica player. Also, Wolfie gets an on-air harmonica lesson from these gods of the harp.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/19/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Dealey Plaza, Same-Day Voter Registration, and Chess
Why do we visit historical sites? Commentator Mike Pesca wants to talk about the value of seeing a place, especially one like Dallas' Dealey Plaza about which arguments have raged for decades. Mike says there's a difference between watching a NOVA special and walking through the place with your own eyes open.Paul Bass, from the New Haven Independent, will bring us up to speed on three stories, including one from the weekend about a stretch limo that transported women to and from a drug and alcohol treatment center so they could vote on Election Day. You can link to it here.And, we'll connect with Susan Polgar, the chess Grandmaster who broke the game's gender barrier. She's in Chennai, India, covering the match between Carlsen and Anand, the first chess championship in decades to cross-over and ignite the players. You can leave your comments below, email us at colin@wnpr.org, or tweet us @wnprcolin.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/18/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
The Nose is (Really) Not Racist
Here's the plan for The Nose today. We'll begin with a widely discussed column by Richard Cohen of The Washington Post who took an odd detour from a discussion of Chris Christie's national electoral profile and suggested that conventionally-minded people have to repress a gag reflex when confronted with the sight of an inter-racial couple, specifically the new first family of New York City. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/15/2013 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Are We Born Moral?
In 1965, the Yale psychologist Stanley Milgram, spread stamped and addressed but un-mailed letters around public locations in New Haven. Most of the letters were picked up and mailed by strangers who could not possibly derive any material reward for doing the right thing. The strangers also lived out their values based on the address.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/14/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Tribute to the Proud and Peaceful Pigeon
B.F. Skinner thought pigeons were so smart they could be used to guide missiles during WWII. He proposed a system in which pigeons would essentially pilot the missile. Skinner said pigeons could be trained to peck at a screen to adjust the trajectory of a missile toward its target. Project pigeon was funded but never used. It's one of the many reasons I could talk about pigeons all day. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/13/2013 • 49 minutes, 38 seconds
When Will CBS Do More Than Apologize?
Once again we start the week with a show that we planned on the fly based on stories that grabbed us over the weekend. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/12/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Tackles Racism, Past and Present
As my friend Alex Beam said today, 12 Years a Slave has a way of taking things that were abstractions and making them real. It's one thing to talk about abolition, another to see the essential need for it. Even a figure like John Brown, says Alex, looks different when you see the true carnage of slavery. We're talking about this astonishing new Steve McQueen movie today on The Nose and we'll find it pretty easy I predict. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/8/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Can The Humanities Be Saved?
This show originally aired on July 2nd, 2013. When considering what show we wanted to re-run, we found this recent article from the New York Times, As Interest Fades in the Humanities, Colleges Worry. The debate is still being discussed and on this show, it gets heated!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/7/2013 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
An Ode to Opera
Last month, the New York City Opera-- what Mayor LaGuardia called "the People's Opera" -- declared bankruptcy. This is/was the opera that introduced Americans to Placido Domingo and Beverly Sills. Make what you will of the fact that the bankruptcy announcement coincided with the presentation of a new opera about Anna Nicole Smith.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/6/2013 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Narrative in the Age of Distraction
Okay, this is sad. Like a lot of people, I have trouble achieving the deep focus needed to enjoy long fiction. And, like a lot of people, I have trouble finding time to read novels.Recently, I came up with a solution. I go to the gym, get on a recumbent bike, and I read while I pedal for an hour, so yes, I kill two birds with one Robert Stone. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/5/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Mystery Surprise Monday Theater 3000 (Ep. 2)
This is one of our new Monday shows where right up to show time, I'm not 100% sure what we're talking about. I know for sure we'll discuss the time change you experienced over the weekend and the ever-swelling choir of voices suggesting that its harms outweigh its advantages, assuming there are any real advantages.I'm also dying to discuss the attempt by Saturday Night Live to address on this weekend's episode another ever-swelling choir, the voices of people who say the show is not diverse enough. It's not, and the show pretty successfully made a joke out of that this weekend without really committing to doing anything about it. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/4/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose: Selfies at Funerals and Other Assorted Opportunists
On today's Nose we're stuffed into the facade of the XL Center in Hartford on Trumbull Street. Come on over and join the live audience.We got interested in funeral Selfies, the practice more common than you might think among young people taking smart phone pictures of themselves at a funeral or memorial service. You can well imagine our first reaction. Is there any basis on which this practice is defensible.We're always interested in public relations disasters, and this week they happened to Senator Rand Paul, in an odd case of plagiarism, Jay-Z , caught in a collaboration with Barney's. The upscale clothing store. Another public relations disaster is brewing a few blocks from where we sit as civil rights attorney Gloria Allred sets up yet another UConn press conference today. All this and more.Leave your comments below, email us at colin@wnpr.org, or tweet us @wnprcolin. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11/1/2013 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Connecticut Legends & Lore
Ok, Ok, you're a super-rational public radio listener but you live in a place drenched in supernatural legend. In fact, historians like David Hall and David Hackett-Fischer have argued that the new world was imbued with notions of magic and superstition from Jumpstreet. One of the paradoxes of the Puritan migration was that even as they imported a belief system that rejected popish superstition in favor of what they saw as leaner, cleaner Calvinist faith, they somehow also brought all kinds of magical nuttiness. And, you could say it never left. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/31/2013 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Is Work the Best Place to Work?
I've been writing a newspaper column for The Hartford Courant since 1982. For my first 15 years or so, I tended to write the column at The Hartford Courant. In the last ten years, I have written columns in the following places: a sports bar in San Francisco; a boat moving along the Rhine; the famous Brasserie Balzar in Paris; an outdoor clearing in the Yucatan jungle where, bizarrely, there was WiFi; and a living room in Kobe, Japan.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/30/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
A Scrutinization of Salt
Salt! It's the only rock we eat!That gets us into some touchy territory. Some say that salt is a major factor for high blood pressure, and some say that it's more complicated than that. We can't NOT eat salt, but in the grand scheme of things, are we eating more now than ever, or way less?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/29/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Mystery Surprise Monday Theater 3000
What do Lou Reed, President Taft, and this past weekend's violence in New Haven have in common? They're all part of our first episode of Mystery Surprise Monday Theater on today's Colin McEnroe Show, where we'll bring you up-to-the minute and interesting bits of cultural news, some from Connecticut, some much bigger. The news will be so new that we won't even know what we're going to air until we do it.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/28/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Runs...to New Haven
On The Nose this week, a viral video musical tribute to Chinese food triggers cries of racism, a father welcoming his fourth daughter into the world, and opens up a can of complicated thoughts about that. And we talk about the time we walked in the shoes of the opposite sex. Listen to our weekly culture panel live from New Haven on WNPR.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/25/2013 • 49 minutes, 31 seconds
Why You Should Be Really Afraid of the American Power Grid Going Dark
The electrical grid has been described as the glass jaw of American industry. According to some reports, we’re just one solar flare or cyber-attack away from massive, cascading power failures. This has happened before. In 2012, a cascading power failure in India plunged around 680 million into darkness. And in 2011, some Connecticut residents found themselves without power for more than a week thanks to a freak October snowstorm. We’ll chat with energy experts about how to strengthen the electrical grid.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/24/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Hop on the Troubadour Train!
Today you're going to meet the new State Troubadour, Kristen Graves, and renew your acquaintance with three former troubadours.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/22/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
We're Swimming in Garbage
It's hard to believe that each one of us throws away over seven pounds of trash every day, adding up to about 102 tons over a lifetime. In part, that's because we're used to having our garbage whisked away while we sleep, waking to an empty barrel and a license to buy some more.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/22/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Evolution of Animal Research
Almost every cure and treatment of diseases exists thanks to medical research on animals. Through animal research, we can understand the addictive nature of Oreos like in a study from Connecticut College recently, and Macaques are crucial for the development of AIDS vaccine strategies. We’ll find out why certain animals work best for certain studies, some big challenges in finding the healthiest control subjects, and more.GUESTS:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose: Why We Love It When Actors Break Character
A popular video this week was a highlight reel of Stephen Colbert being unable to stay in character as a pompous, self-pleased right wing blowhard. Instead, Colbert is swept up in the hilarity of the material. One of his adorable tricks is to hide the lower half of his face behind something, allowing us to see only his laughing eyes.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/18/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
America's Greatest Living Film Critics Round Up Fall Movies From "Gravity" to "Rush"
Watching the movie "Captain Phillips" -- in which Tom Hanks plays a commercial freighter captain kidnapped by Somali pirates -- I had a sense of deja vu. Movies like this are becoming a type. They're about the interaction between the U.S. and people who don't like us. In "Zero Dark 30" and "Captain Phillips," a crack Seal team shows up, so much better equipped and trained than our adversaries that the whole thing feels like an overmatch.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/16/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Something Wicked This Way Comes: A Salute to Macbeth
It's probably an accident that there are so many ways to experience the story of Macbeth right now.We seem to be living in a moment where ambition has gone mad.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/15/2013 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
Here's How to Feel Less Guilty When You Buy Stuff
Consumer activism is older than the nation. The colonists’ rejection of British imports started a tradition of voting with your knife, fork, teacup and credit card. But it’s complicated! Whole Foods isn’t perfect. And maybe you should reward Wal-Mart for at least trying to improve. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/14/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
What Urinals, Jock Straps, Flip Shades and Eye Black Teach Us About Baseball
It's become a cliché to say everything has a story, but in baseball, you could make the argument that everything really does. Even the baseball itself is a story -- one of geography and symbolism -- an almost holy relic of American culture. Sportswriter Steve Rushin tells the story of these objects in his latest book, The 34-Ton Bat.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/14/2013 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
The Nose Goes to New Haven to Sniff Out the Poopetrator
We're in New Haven today, and The Nose, our weekly culture panel, wants to talk about the hazards of 3D movies and the increasingly competitive world of Halloween costumes. And because we're in New Haven, we'll turn our attention to a couple of prominent stories down here. One of them -- not for the squeamish -- is the Poopetrator, a laundry prankster who has created such a national stir that even the official account for Clorox bleach is tweeting about him.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/11/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
I Wish I Hadn't Done That!
I really meant to donate to the NPR fund drive. I just forgot. Well, actually I didn't. But still, I should have donated. I feel so guilty! Guilt is a funny thing. It's a pervasive emotion with the power to both motivate--and oppress.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/10/2013 • 41 minutes, 30 seconds
"The System" of College Football and the NFL's Concussion Crisis
At the heart of a new Frontline documentary is a simple question - does playing football expose you to life-threatening brain damage?It's a question putting America's most popular sport on notice - raising concerns for moms, players' wives, and all of us who love football. Today we talk with Jim Gilmore, producer for Frontline's new documentary "A League of Denial: The NFL's Concussion Crisis." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/9/2013 • 41 minutes, 29 seconds
Forty Years, in Search of a Zipless F---
Fear of Flying sold 18 million copies worldwide and helped tip feminism into a new focus on fulfilled sexuality. But it also introduced a meme so pervasive that the book's author, Erica Jong, worried the phrase "zipless f--k" would appear on her tombstone.Jong recenly defined the phrase on NPR's Weekend Edition:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2013 • 41 minutes, 40 seconds
Third Party Candidates We Won’t Call Fringe
With the November municipal elections approaching there have been some nasty battles involving alternative parties fighting their way onto the ballot. There’s something about local politics that leads to hand to hand combat. We’ll be looking at East Hampton, Middletown, Westport and any other town with a feisty third party.Leave your comments below, email us at colin@wnpr.org or tweet us @wnprcolin.Guests: Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/7/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Why Beauty and Politics Are So Hard To Marry
As Slate embarks on a quixotic search for the "most beautiful woman in the world," The Nose will examine how feminine beauty plays a role in American politics. Earlier this week, a U.S. Representative from Indiana dissed a CNN anchor saying, "You're beautiful, but you have to be honest." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Naked, Afraid, and At The Mercy of Producers
"Reality TV" is perhaps the biggest misnomer in the entertainment industry today. A better name would probably be "scripted unscripted television." It's not catchy, but at least it's accurate.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/2/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Leaning Left
David Wolman visited a Scottish castle designed for left-handed sword fights, and a Paris museum to inspect 19th century brains. He observed chimps with a primatologist who may help unravel the mysteries of handedness. He met with a left-handed satanist, an amputee whose left hand was reattached to his right arm. He's part of a left-handed episode of The Colin McEnroe Show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/1/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Breaking Bad and the Chemistry Classroom
Now that we're reeling at the prospect of life after "Breaking Bad," let's find out about the real lives of chemistry teachers! Hear from Dr. Donna Nelson, the consultant "Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan hired to make sure the on-screen science was correct, and then go beyond the test tubes, and meet some chemistry teachers to hear about what actually goes on in the classroom.What did you learn in the chemistry classroom? What's the future of understanding and harnessing the power of chemistry? Remember to wear your safety goggles for this Colin McEnroe Show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/1/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Tales From A Thousand And One Stand-Up Shows
You could say that most of the live comedy done by young performers in cities around the United States is just one big feeder system for Saturday Night Live, which launched a new season this weekend.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/27/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Nose Will Not Woo You With A Sandwich
What can a sandwich say about a relationship? It turns out, a lot. What very well may have been an inside joke between a young couple turned into a controversial essay by New York Post writer Stephanie Smith this week. Smith's tips on wooing her man via meat and bread featured such gems as:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Why Playing 'The Dating Game' Adds To A Rose-Bowl-Sized Pile Of Trash
Maybe you've heard the numbers. An estimated 40 percent of food in the United States never gets eaten. Americans waste 160 billion pounds of food a year. Every day, that amounts to enough food to fill the Rose Bowl. Twenty-five percent of America's freshwater use goes into the production of food that is then wasted.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/26/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Catholics Perk Up To Pope Francis
As a shot in the dark, this week I asked my rather large Facebook audience whether any of them were lapsed Catholics thinking about tiptoeing back to the church based on the recent comments of Pope Francis, who talked about rebalancing the church's priorities with possibly less emphasis on what he called an obsession with abortion, contraception and same-sex marriage.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/25/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Ebb and Flow Of Dada
It's an art form that came out of the chaos of World War One, when times were desperate, yet the art world was still celebrating still lifes, landscapes and nudes. In protest, artists began rebelling with politically aware ironic work, making bold, sometimes vicious points with their art. Times have changed, and Dada resurfaces periodically, like in the exhibition at the Pump House in Hartford.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/23/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
What Happens When Private Groups Save Public Parks?
New Havenites reclaiming a beautiful park in their city got us thinking about urban parks in general. Frederick Law Olmsted is the undisputed father of American city parks, including Central Park itself. He came from Hartford, and he is buried here.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2013 • 49 minutes, 25 seconds
More on Mascots
We first got interested in the people inside sports team mascots back in 2010 but that was before we knew about Kelly Frank. Kelly Frank has done time inside several major league mascot costumes and she's a very funny human being with a lot of stories to tell about the abuse heaped on mascots-- as you're about to discover. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/20/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Crash Course On How Infinity Works
Infinity is weird. It's neither even nor odd. It's not a number. Really, it's just a concept we use to summarize that which we can't understand.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/19/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Conversation with Eric Deggans on Race & Media
You can read a lot into media depictions of minorities.Richard Pryor was hilarious at it. One time he said he had just seen a movie called "Logan's Run." It was set in the future, and there were no black characters in it. "That means white folks ain't planning for us to be there," he said.Media critic Eric Deggans joins us today, and one of his major theses is that extremism and division make for a bad public discourse and great television. Big media, says Deggans, thrive on division and tension, whether it's on cable news shows or reality TV.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/18/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Joe Manganiello Stars In 'A Streetcar Named Desire'
It just goes on and on. We're in New Haven today where the Yale Rep is getting ready to mount a production of "A Streetcar Named Desire," but there's already one playing in Dublin at the Gate. There probably hasn't been one year in the last 50 when there wasn't a significant staging of this play.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/17/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Who's Afraid of Gilbert and Sullivan?
"This is worse than that time we did that Gilbert and Sullivan parody.” That was a Tina Fey line from 30 Rock, and it was a devastating punch at a similar show, Aaron Sorkin's "Studio 60," in which a fictional late night comedy show attempted to wow its audience with a song about itself set to the music of "A Modern Major General." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/16/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Goes Shirtless
This week's New York City primaries featured a an intern-groper, a Scrabble harasser, a hooker user and, of course, a Weiner tweeter. And guess what? All of them lost! And a continent away, the Filner Headlocker got out of the mayor's office too.So does that mean that pervy politicians are experiencing a temporary lull? We talk about that on The Nose, our weekly culture roundtable.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/13/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Tipping the Scales Away From Tipping
You may eat out a lot, but do you really have tipping figured out?Or do you stress about whether you left the right amount?Would you be happier with an 18 percent service charge added on and no obligation to tip?These are the shifting restaurant rules we'll talk about today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/12/2013 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
For Roommates, Unexpected Challenges, and Joys
A roommate will either get on your last nerve or change your life for the better. In my freshman year, I was assigned to live with two football players, one of whom dropped out at Christmas. I roomed with the other, Ken Jennings, for three years. He was African-American, from right outside D.C. and much more of a straight arrow than I was in those days. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/11/2013 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Breasts In The Sports World
You could argue that two trends are in a state of modern collision. Women are hitting puberty earlier than they used to, and their breasts are arriving in larger sizes. There's a complex matrix of factors making this happen.Average bra size in the fifties was a B. A British bra manufacturer now makes an L cup. Meanwhile, we're watching an explosion in women's sports driven here in the U.S. at least partly by Title IX.Why are these two things on a collision course?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/10/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
How Asexuals View The World
If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, asexuals seem like brothers and sisters from a distant solar system. Western societies are gradually growing accustomed -- with varying degrees of comfort -- to the initials in LGBT, but what about A? On our show today we explored the idea that some people have no sexual orientation -- not because of a hormonal deficiency or a position on the autism spectrum or some buried childhood sexual trauma -- but because they don't have a discernable sex drive.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/9/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Nose Outlines Its Outrage With Chappelle, Line Cutters, And Always Following The Rules
Come on, you must be outraged about something! These are the headlines: "Rich Manhattan moms hire handicapped tour guides so kids can cut lines at Disney World." "Dave Chappelle's Hate-On For Hartford Called 'Sad,' 'Asinine.'" "No Exception For Newington Veteran Being Evicted For Smoking." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/6/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
The Compelling Life Of Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton has reinvented himself many times. A few years ago, he cut off his trademark hair. He put out an album of opera arias and another of American Songbook Standards. But probably his biggest challenge was dealing with his image as a romantic icon so permanently rooted in the dead center of the mainstream that poking fun at him became an easy way for people who really weren't all that cool to prove they were at least cool enough to reject Michael Bolton.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/4/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Searching For J.D. Salinger In A New Biography
If you seek parallels between J.D. Salinger and Thomas Pynchon they're easy to find. Both were literary geniuses. Both were publicity-shunning recluses. Both men were psychosexually arrested by God knows what primal wound. Salinger seemed able to bond only with very young women and girls. Pynchon had a pattern -- somehow linked to inability to form normal alliances -- of hijacking the wives and partners of his friends.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
9/3/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
In A World Of Voice Overs... "In A World" Is The Tip Of The Iceberg
Thirteen years ago, I wrote an amusing but fairly ignorant op-ed piece for The New York Times triggered by watching a planetarium movie narrated by Tom Hanks. I wrote: "I miss the days of the anonymous, nobody-special narrator. Playing next door to Mr. Hanks at the museum was a Mount Everest Imax movie narrated by Liam Neeson. Take a cab to get there, and Isaac Hayes tells you to take your stuff when you get out, and don't forget your receipt." Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/29/2013 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Maybe Disco Doesn't Suck ...
Through the lens of time, the anti-disco backlash looks a little ugly. What was disco, really? It started as an underground dance movement propelled by blacks, gays, and Puerto Ricans. It was a liberating and hedonistic music of the oppressed, and people from those groups gathered and mixed in the early downtown clubs.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/28/2013 • 49 minutes, 26 seconds
Prenatal Massage, Hypnobirthing, And Other Ways To Manage Having A Baby
Home birthing? Doulas? Midwives? Hypnobirthing? Prenatal massage? Today, we’re talking about alternative birthing.Fifty years ago, it was pretty simple: you went to the hospital, they knocked you out, and you had your baby — while dad smoked a cigar in the waiting room. Or if no hospital was nearby, you gave birth at home and hoped a savvy neighborhood lady could to help out. In later years, the question became home birth versus hospital birth.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/30/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
The Life & Times Of Broadcast Legend Ivor Hugh
Let me tell you, in the bluntest possible manner, why we're doing a show with Ivor Hugh today.Last year, I had the idea of doing a show that would have been a gathering of some of the voices from the era when radio was king. One of the names in my head was Ivor's. The other one was my friend and former colleague Arnold Dean. Arnold started in radio within a year of Ivor; and, like almost everybody doing radio in the 1950s, both men then dabbled in the early days of television, because the early tv talent was radio talent.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/25/2013 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Summer Songs 2013 With Wally, Joan, And Eric!
You know who needs this show today?Me.I'm having a musically starved summer, at least in terms of modern recorded music. I've made it out to some live shows, but I really have no idea what's being released these days.I can sum up my relation to music his summer in the following way: I was going to order the new Laura Marling CD, but I didn't. That's it. Meanwhile to force myself to do bicycle training runs every night, I've been playing an obscure 1978 Todd Rundgren song called "Determination." Sad, really.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
7/24/2013 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A Conversation With Peter Tork
John Lennon said they were the greatest comedy team since the Marx Brothers.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4/25/2013 • 47 minutes, 33 seconds
The Comeback Of Pipe Smoking
If you're not a hobbit or a college professor, smoking a pipe is a differentiator. It's a signal to the world that your tastes run in a slightly unusual direction. The character played by Chion Wolf's brother Michael Gladis in the early seasons of Mad Men was one of those people. Always looking for a way to be different. Hence the ever present pipe. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12/12/2012 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
Punch Brothers Break Through
Today, hear a live, in-studio performance by and conversation with the Punch Brothers, before their performance at Jorgensen Theater at UConn, Storrs. They are a five-piece band enjoying an explosion of critical esteem and new popularity over the past few years. Its leader, Chris Thile, just won a MacArthur Genius Grant, and has been working with giants from other genres, including cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, and jazz great Brad Mehldau.See all the photos by Chion Wolf here.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/4/2012 • 26 minutes, 43 seconds
Live From A Forest: Discussing Hiking, Archaeology, Invasives & Connecticut's Trails
There are more than 800 miles of Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails in Connecticut. Today we're doing our show from one of them. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
8/9/2012 • 49 minutes, 29 seconds
Attack Of The Invasive Species
The problem with invasive species is, of course, that they compete for resources with local species, and sometime they're a lot better at it. and sometimes they just incidentally wipe something out. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/18/2012 • 41 minutes, 27 seconds
Jill Sobule Live!
[Featured on the Audio to the left: A one-hour conversation and performance with and by Sobule in which she sings "Jetpack" and "Heroes" and some rarities.]Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6/14/2012 • 49 minutes, 28 seconds
Exploring Prom Night In America
It's just a dance, right?Actually, maybe that's the last thing the prom is. Maybe the photo is even more important, because it freezes you. It's your chance, as high school trickles away, to say "This is who I am. This will be who I was."We've been looking at prom photos by Mary Ellen Mark, who will be on our show today, and they're striking in the range of emotional states they convey. We see joy, hesitation, confidence, detachment and some flat-out haunted looks.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5/10/2012 • 49 minutes, 27 seconds
The Life Of Languages
There are a lot of made-up languages with big fans. You may have heard of Na'vi from the movie Avatar, or Elvish from Lord of the Rings. Among fans, many of these languages have found a home on the web, where they continue to be developed and studied.At the same time, thousands of real languages around the world are facing extinction.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10/12/2011 • 49 minutes, 30 seconds
A History of Connecticut's Death Penalty
Thirty-four states use the death penalty. Sixteen do not. Connecticut does, but most of its neighboring states -- New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Maine and Vermont -- do not. New Hampshire does, but the state has had no executions since 1939 and currently possesses no means of executing anyone. Only recently did the ranks of its death row swell to one.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.