
The Colin McEnroe Show
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.
Latest episodes

Apr 13, 2023 • 42min
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.

Apr 12, 2023 • 41min
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.

Apr 11, 2023 • 49min
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.

Apr 10, 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 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.

Apr 7, 2023 • 49min
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.

Apr 6, 2023 • 50min
‘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.

Apr 5, 2023 • 50min
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.

Apr 4, 2023 • 50min
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.

Apr 3, 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: 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.

Mar 31, 2023 • 49min
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.