

The Colin McEnroe Show
Connecticut Public Radio
The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 24, 2023 • 49min
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.

Oct 23, 2023 • 49min
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.

Oct 20, 2023 • 49min
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! 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. Correction: This show has been updated to remove an incorrect reference to the rapper and singer Bad Bunny’s nationality. Bad Bunny is an American artist.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 19, 2023 • 49min
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.

Oct 18, 2023 • 49min
Take a seat and listen to our hour on chairs
What can we learn about ourselves from what we sit on? This hour, the history of chairs, their impact on our lifestyle and health, and what’s in store for their future. Plus, we celebrate the joy of a well-designed chair, talk with a chair maker, and discuss some of our favorite examples. GUESTS: Galen Cranz: Professor emerita of architecture at the University of California at Berkeley 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, and 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’s Toolbox, a project that provides free tools, education, and mentorship to increase equity and access in the field of chairmaking 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 is The Story of Architecture The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a 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.

Oct 17, 2023 • 49min
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 The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a 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 March 30, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 16, 2023 • 49min
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.

Oct 13, 2023 • 50min
‘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.

Oct 12, 2023 • 42min
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.

Oct 11, 2023 • 41min
Unburying the truth about pirates with Rebecca Simon
We imagine pirates to be the quintessential rule-breakers — but really, they had their own strictly-followed codes. How did 18th-century pirates dictate their own community standards? How did they create social mobility in an age when changing one's social status was nearly impossible? This hour, we join pirate historian Rebecca Simon to find out! GUEST: Rebecca Simon: Pirate historian with a doctorate in history from King’s College London; she’s the author of several books about piracy, including The Pirates’ Code: Laws and Life Aboard Ship The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show. 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.


