The Colin McEnroe Show

Today, the sea chantey is something people listen to while having a good time in bars or at festivals, but its roots are more complex, stretching into the hard labor performed by sailors on 19th century merchant vessels and having ties to Black work songs. During the first year of the pandemic, there was a sea chantey craze on TikTok as people found joy and connection in the songs. This hour, we treat you to the joy of the chantey form and some of the history that lies behind it. GUESTS: The Jovial Crew: A group of musicians and historians that’s been performing chanteys, forebitters, and other traditional old songs in Essex, Connecticut, since its founding in 1986; on the show today are Joseph Morneault, Rick Spencer, Michael Hotkowski, and the group’s founder, Cliff Haslam Maya Angela Smith: Associate professor of French at University of Washington who wrote the essay “A People’s Song Upon the Waters” The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a 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 Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 2, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christopher Nolan’s movies have grossed more than $6 billion, earned 49 Academy Award nominations, and won 18 Oscars — including seven wins this year for Oppenheimer. His Dark Knight films helped spark the comic book movie renaissance we’re still experiencing, and his seventh feature, Inception, is the highest-grossing totally original, totally standalone movie ever made. This hour — and in the wake of Oppenheimer’s Best Picture-winning Oscar weekend — a look at the filmmaker behind Batman Begins, Dunkirk, Interstellar, Memento, and more: Christopher Nolan. GUESTS: Kayleigh Donaldson: A pop culture writer and critic James Hanley: Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Nobody Asked Shawn podcast Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance Tom Shone: The author of The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries, and Marvels of Christopher Nolan The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Rebecca Castellani, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, parts of which originally aired September 2, 2021, and July 28, 2023, in a different form.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 9, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dune: Part Two is the third film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel. It is the second part of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation and the first of his Dune films released exclusively in theaters. It has grossed $204 million in its first week at the worldwide box office, making it the highest grossing American movie of 2024 so far. Dune: Part Two stars an ensemble cast that includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem, and … Christopher Walken? And: The Greatest Night in Pop is a Netflix documentary about the recording of “We Are the World.” It features new interviews with Sheila E., Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis, Kenny Loggins, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Bruce Springsteen, and Dionne Warwick. GUESTS: Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers John Dankosky: Director of news and audio for Science Friday, event and podcast host for The Connecticut Mirror, and co-owner of Lam Yoga in New Hartford, Connecticut Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College and she’s the author of The Essays Only You Can Write Pedro Soto: President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Doobie Brothers. Christopher Cross. Steely Dan. Kenny Loggins. Toto. Michael McDonald. Ambrosia. Supertramp. (The Eagles? Uh, Michael Jackson?) Something was happening in the music world out there on the West Coast in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Something with electric pianos and slower tempos and jazz and R&B influences and hi-fi, almost crystalline production. This hour, we take a deep dive into the smooth, soft sounds of … yacht rock. GUESTS: Hollywood Steve Huey: A music critic and a cohost of the Beyond Yacht Rock and Yacht or Nyacht? podcasts Charly Kay: Lead and backing vocalist in the Yacht Lobsters David Mendelsohn: Vocalist and guitarist in the Yacht Lobsters Scout Raimondo: Production intern at Connecticut Public Gaston Raimondo: Scout’s dad Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio This show was produced with Scout Raimondo. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. 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.

This hour is all about America’s 21st president, Chester A. Arthur, who took office after President James Garfield was assassinated. We look at Arthur’s life and legacy and at what happens when someone unexpectedly takes over the highest office in the land. GUESTS:  David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic. Scott S. Greenberger: Executive editor of Stateline, and author of The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur Victoria Sample: Historic Sites Section Chief for the State of Vermont Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.  Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When was the last time you read a short story? This hour, we talk about why short stories are so popular in the classroom, but why adults don’t seem to read them much once they’re done with school. And we make the case for why you should. Plus, a look at the art of the short story with some masters of the craft.   You can read Rebecca Makkai’s Substack post that inspired this show here.    Here is the story that is discussed in the final segment, “How I Became a Vet” by Rivka Galchen.    As part of this show we asked each of our guests to recommend a short story, a collection, or an author. Here are those recommendations: Rebecca Makkai: “The Dinner Party” by Joshua Ferris George Saunders: “The Stone Boy” by Gina Berriault, “The Conventional Wisdom” by Stanley Elkin Deborah Treisman: Liberation Day by George Saunders, After the Funeral by Tessa Hadley, “The Haunting of Hajji Hotak” by Jamil Jan Kochai Amy Bloom: “The Dead” by James Joyce, stories by Edward P. Jones, essays by Samantha Irby Irene Papoulis: “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere” by ZZ Packer Brian Slattery: “Hell is the Absence of God” by Ted Chiang Colin McEnroe: “The Hole on the Corner” and “What’s the Name of That Town?” by R.A. Lafferty GUESTS:  Rebecca Makkai: Author of the Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-finalist The Great Believers, among other books; her newest book is I Have Some Questions For You, and she is artistic director of StoryStudio Chicago George Saunders: Author of twelve books; his most recent is Liberation Day, a collection of short stories Deborah Triesman: Fiction editor for The New Yorker and the host of their Fiction Podcast Amy Bloom: Author of four novels and three collections of short stories; her most recent book is the memoir In Love Irene Papouli: Teaches writing at Trinity College Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.   Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.   The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.    Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on August 7, 2023.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour: lunch — from the hungry judge effect to the sad desk lunch. We’ll look at the history of our mid-day meal, talk about school lunches, and get tips for packing lunch. And we want to hear from you. Do you love lunch? Hate it? Eat the same lunch every day? Never eat lunch? Call us: 888-720-9677. GUESTS:  Megan Elias: Historian, Director of the Food Studies Program, Associate Professor at Boston University, and author of Lunch: A History Aviva Wittenberg: Author of Lunchbox: 75+ Easy and Delicious Recipes for Lunches on the Go Erin Feinauer Whiting: Professor of Multicultural Education at Brigham Young University Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poor Things is the eighth feature film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. It is written by Tony McNamara and based on the 1992 novel Poor Things: Episodes from the Early Life of Archibald McCandless M.D., Scottish Public Health Officer by Alasdair Gray. Poor Things is a fantastical comedy that deals with some pretty dark ideas, and it’s nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Lanthimos), Best Actress (Emma Stone), Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo), and Best Adapted Screenplay. And: After a year without a permanent host, The Daily Show has finally filled its vacancy! Or one-quarter of its vacancy, at least. But anyway: Jon Stewart is back! But just on Mondays. But Jon Stewart has returned! At least through the election. And then Tuesdays and Wednesdays and Thursdays are hosted by a rotating group of correspondents. For now, anyway, it sounds like. GUESTS: Raquel Benedict: The most dangerous woman in speculative fiction … and she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode! Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everything's felt like, and been called, a "crisis" lately. This hour, we talk about the overuse of the term "crisis," and crisis fatigue. Plus, we'll talk with a crisis communicator about how to manage a crisis. And, finally, a look at the midlife crisis. GUESTS:  Eliah Bures: Historian of modern Europe and a Senior Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley’s Center for Right-Wing Studies  Christian Paz: Senior Politics Reporter for Vox Molly McPherson: An expert in crisis communications and emergency management. She is the author of the book Indestructible: Reclaim Control and Respond with Confidence in a Media Crisis Barbara Bradley Hagerty: Contributing writer to The Atlantic, and author of Life Reimagined: The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.