The Colin McEnroe Show

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.