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.

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Our Editor's Take

The Colin McEnroe Show is a distinctive radio show available in podcast form. While it is a public radio talk show, it's also like a comedy series as well. This podcast defies convention when it comes to talk radio. Host Colin McEnroe discusses fascinating topics listeners won't find on other shows. Ideas ranging from time travel to religion are all topics for the show. McEnroe brings a unique combination of experiences to the podcast. Before this show, he was a writer, college instructor, and even a musician.

The dynamic format of The Colin McEnroe Show podcast makes it an engaging talk radio program. The show is a platform for a thought-provoking discussion of diverse topics. Even for listeners new to talk shows, the podcast is accessible and easy to understand.

In addition to unconventional topics, McEnroe examines politics, music, and popular film. McEnroe's quick wit and intellectual curiosity make simple topics interesting. The Colin McEnroe Show also features guests from diverse backgrounds. From artists to academics, many of the guests are influential in their fields. Commentators like Gene Seymour, Bill Yousman, and Irene Papoulis guest and keep the debates lively. In some broadcasts, McEnroe takes calls from listeners.

The dialogues on this podcast are unique and meaningful. McEnroe is an excellent interviewer, allowing guests the space to share their thoughts. The encouragement of critical thinking on the show creates an inclusive space. Diverse perspectives of guests yield constructive and stimulating discourse. However, the show avoids becoming stuffy or formal. McEnroe keeps discussions informal and easy to listen to.

The Colin McEnroe Show also explores how pop culture affects social commentary. Listeners may find a fascinating discussion every weekday. The lively format of the show makes it an excellent choice for fans of talk radio or those who haven't tried it. Anyone interested in fun discussions of a wide range of topics may want to listen to this show. New episodes drop each weekday.

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Episodes

A look at juries, from '12 Angry Men' to the Trump trial
Yesterday
A look at juries, from '12 Angry Men' to the Trump trial
It took almost a week to select the jurors and alternates for the Manhattan trial of former President Donald Trump. This hour is all about juries. We'll talk about jury selection, how to root out potential bias, and the process of choosing an impartial jury in this day and age. Plus, we'll look at depictions of juries in popular culture. And, some of the jury selection questions have to do with what media a person consumes, so we'll look at what the media we consume can say about us, and discuss media bias. GUESTS:  Renato Mariotti: Trial attorney and partner at the law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP. He is a former federal prosecutor, and host of the “It’s Complicated” podcastNancy Marder: Professor of Law, Director of the Justice John Paul Stevens Jury Center and Co-Director of the Institute for Law and the Humanities at the Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Tech. She is author of The Power of the Jury: Transforming Citizens Into JurorsVanessa Otero: Creator of the Media Bias Chart and the Founder and CEO of Ad Fontes Media Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.  Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Nose looks at ‘Civil War’ and ‘Manhunt’
4d ago
The Nose looks at ‘Civil War’ and ‘Manhunt’
In January, we did a show that wondered both how much the American Civil War speaks to the present American moment and how likely a new American Civil War might be. Well, movies and television have now, finally caught up with us. Civil War is the fourth film written and directed by Alex Garland. It tells the story of the end of a future second American Civil War as four journalists — played by Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson — move through it. Civil War is currently the No. 1 movie in the country. And: Manhunt is a seven-episode limited series on Apple TV+. It is based on the book Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson. It’s a conspiracy thriller that focuses on War Secretary Edwin Stanton (as played by Tobias Menzies) leading the chase and on John Wilkes Booth (Anthony Boyle) as he’s being chased. GUESTS: Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus TheatricalsXandra Ellin: A producer at Pineapple Street StudiosFrankie Graziano: Host of The Wheelhouse on Connecticut PublicMatthew Warshauer: Professor of history at Central Connecticut State University, and he’s the author of the forthcoming book Creating and Failing the 9/11 Generation: The Real Story of September 11 The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. 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.
Where does the idea of the tortured poet come from?
6d ago
Where does the idea of the tortured poet come from?
Taylor Swift’s newest album, The Tortured Poets Department, comes out Friday. So this hour, we are taking a look at the idea of the actual tortured poet. We talk about where the idea of tortured poets came from, learn about the nature of creativity, and hear from a poet about where their inspiration comes from. GUESTS:  Roland Greene: Professor of English and Comparative Literature and Director of the Humanities Center at Stanford University. He is editor in chief of the Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. His newest book is Five Words: Critical Semantics in the Age of Shakespeare and Cervantes James C. Kaufman: Professor of Educational Psychology at the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. He is the author or editor of more than 50 books, including The Creativity Advantage and The Cambridge Handbook of CreativitySandra Simonds: Writer, professor, and author of eight collections of poetry, the most recent of which is Triptychs. She is also the author of the novel Assia Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.  Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Nose looks at ‘Ripley’ and a new version of Scrabble
Apr 12 2024
The Nose looks at ‘Ripley’ and a new version of Scrabble
Ripley is an eight-episode limited series adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley novels. It is the first serialized screen version of those stories following five feature film adaptations, including the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley, starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jude Law. The Netflix series stars Adam Scott, Dakota Fanning, and Johnny Flynn. It is created, written, and directed by Oscar-winning screenwriter Steven Zaillian (who also created The Night Of) and shot — in black and white — by Oscar-winning cinematographer Robert Elswit. And: Scrabble Together is a new, forthcoming version of the classic board game that’s coming to Europe from Mattel. It’s a faster-paced, collaborative version of Scrabble that’s being billed as less “intimidating.” It will not be available in the U.S. GUESTS: Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College, and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can WriteLindsay Lee Wallace: Writes about culture, health care and health equity, and other stuff, too The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
‘Riding the line between art and pulp’: A look at cult classic cinema
Apr 11 2024
‘Riding the line between art and pulp’: A look at cult classic cinema
If I say “cult classic,” what do you think of? Probably an underground movie that built up an intense following over time, like The Rocky Horror Picture Show or The Room, right? Or maybe even something a bit more mainstream like The Big Lebowski? But where’s the limit here, if there is one? Is Blade Runner a cult movie? Or Pulp Fiction? Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Office Space? Slap Shot? (I mean: Slap Shot?!?) This hour, a look at a genre, a cross section of cinema history that seems to include everything from all-time classics like A Clockwork Orange to all-time terribles like Plan 9 from Outer Space and many, many weird and not-even-so-weird things in between: the cult classic. GUESTS: Millie De Chirico: Co-author of TCM Underground: 50 Must-See Films from the World of Classic Cult and Late-Night Cinema and co-host of the I Saw What You Did podcastDavid Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film CriticSam Hatch: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUHKevin O’Toole: Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on WWUH This show was produced with Sajina Shrestha. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Radical or relevant? How the Luddites can help us relate to today’s technology
Apr 2 2024
Radical or relevant? How the Luddites can help us relate to today’s technology
Today “Luddite” is used as a derogatory term for someone who doesn’t understand technology. But the original Luddites weren’t behind. They were technical workers who were concerned about the impact that technology would have on people. This hour, we look at the history of Luddites, how their philosophy applies today, and ask what our present would look like if they had won. Could we all gain something from thinking more like a Luddite? GUESTS: Miriam A. Cherry: Professor of law at St. John’s University and the author of Work in the Digital Age: A Coursebook on Labor, Technology, and RegulationBrian Merchant: Technology columnist at the Los Angeles Times and the author of Blood in the Machine: the Origins of the Rebellion Against Big TechGavin Mueller: Assistant professor of new media and digital culture at the University of Amsterdam and the author of Breaking Things at Work: The Luddites Are Right About Why You Hate Your Job The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired August 21, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.