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The Colin McEnroe Show

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Nov 17, 2022 • 49min

A look at the philosophy, ethics, science, and emotion of time travel

Countless books, movies, and TV shows explore time travel. This hour, we talk about the hold that time travel has on pop culture and the philosophy, ethics and science of time travel. And, we hear from an author about how to create and utilize rules of time travel in fiction and the idea of memory as time travel. GUESTS:  Sara Bernstein: The R.L. Canala College Professor of Philosophy at The University of Notre Dame Amanda Gefter: Science writer, MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellow, and author of Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn Emma Straub: Novelist and bookstore owner, whose newest book is This Time Tomorrow 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! Colin McEnroe, Taylor Doyle, Jacob Gannon, Dylan Reyes, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 16, 2022 • 50min

What’s in a word? A look at the ways words change

This hour we investigate the ways words change when they enter our discourse and how they acquire new meanings, or sometimes even lose their meanings. We look at specific examples, discuss how the internet is influencing language, and learn about how dictionaries interact with the evolving nature of words. GUESTS: Sylvia Sierra: A linguist and the author of Millennials Talking Media: Creating Intertextual Identities in Everyday Conversation Peter Sokolowski: Editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster and co-host of the Word Matters podcast Kory Stamper: A lexicographer and the author of Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries 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! Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired May 16, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 15, 2022 • 49min

It's a vibe! A look at what makes a vibe a vibe

You must have heard the term “vibe” by now, right? We’ve heard about the vibe of the election, the vibe of the economy, the vibe of a music playlist, the vibe of a season, the vibe of a party … Plus there are vibe shifts and vibe checks. This hour: vibes. We learn what the word really means, where it comes from, and how the internet has given it new life. GUESTS:  Kyle Chayka: Contributing writer for The New Yorker covering technology and culture on the Internet Robin James: Editor for philosophy and music at Palgrave Macmillan Eda Uzunlar: Freelance journalist and student at Yale University Ben Zimmer: Linguist, lexicographer, and the “Word on the Street” columnist for The Wall Street Journal 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! Colin McEnroe, Taylor Doyle, Jacob Gannon, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 14, 2022 • 53min

The art of the ringtone

Ringtones went from uniform to a million dollar industry to the unconscious soundtrack of our lives. They’re pieces of music that are designed to get you to react. They’re sounds that often carry emotions and memories with them. But we tend not to give them much thought. This hour, the art of the ringtone. We look back at their history, investigate their rise and fall, discuss the appeal of a well-composed one, and talk to someone who designed his own. Warning: This show contains the default iPhone alarm tone. GUESTS: Sumanth Gopinath: Associate professor of music theory at the University of Minnesota and the author of The Ringtone Dialectic: Economy and Cultural Form Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn Paula Matthusen: Composer and a professor of music at Wesleyan University Steve Metcalf: Founder and director of the Garmany Concert Series at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School Ernie Smith: Editor of Tedium and a contributor to Vice’s Motherboard Brian Slattery: Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio 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! Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Gene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired May 12, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 11, 2022 • 49min

The Nose looks at the Taylor Sheridaniverse: ‘Yellowstone,’ ‘1883,’ and ‘Mayor of Kingstown’

There’s no gentlemen where we are and none where we’re going. This week’s Nose is worried it’s not fair. Taylor Sheridan is an actor and film- and television-maker. You might recognize him from Sons of Anarchy or Veronica Mars. You might have seen some of his movies, like Sicario or Wind River or Hell or High Water. But it’s more likely you’ve seen some of the five TV series he’s created. This week’s Nose looks at three of them: Yellowstone, the most-watched scripted show on television; the Yellowstone prequel, 1883; and the standalone Mayor of Kingstown, starring Jeremy Renner. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Aaron Carter Has Died At 34 Police were called to his home in Lancaster, California, Saturday. Gallagher, Watermelon-Smashing Comedian, Is Dead at 76 He called himself “The Wizard of Odd” for his outrageous stage act, making him one of the most recognizable comedians of the 1980s. Douglas McGrath, Playwright, Filmmaker and Actor, Is Dead at 64 His one-man Off Broadway show, “Everything’s Fine,” directed by John Lithgow, had opened just weeks ago. Mimi Parker, vocalist and drummer of the minimalist rock band Low, has died HBO cancels the sci-fi series ‘Westworld’ Stressed Out? Grab a Shovel and Dig a Hole Scientists spend a lot of time unearthing what it all means, but park rangers say fill them in when you’re done, please When Was HBO’s Best Sunday Night? HBO has owned Sunday for almost 25 years. But when did its Sunday lineup peak? The Ringer investigates. The Polymath Film Composer Known as “the Third Coen Brother” Carter Burwell’s spare, haunting scores make audiences uncomfortable. Judd Hirsch, in Medias Res The eighty-seven-year-old actor, who plays Steven Spielberg’s great-uncle Boris in “The Fabelmans,” traipses around his old Bronx stomping grounds and recounts stories (Colin Powell! Robert Moses!) without beginnings or endings. A Mets Fan Grows in Italy My young son loves the Mets from afar, but does he understand baseball heartbreak? Rainn Wilson Changes Name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson to Highlight Melting Arctic Ahead of the COP27 summit, the star of ‘The Office’ has changed his name to bring attention to the climate crisis, “which amplifies global risks, including extreme weather events around the globe.” ‘Airplane!’ Director Says Hollywood Is ‘Destroying Comedy’: My James Bond Parody Got Dinged for ‘Mild’ Breast Reduction Joke Netflix Takes Bold Bet on Theatrical With ‘Knives Out’ Sequel — But Don’t Expect ‘Glass Onion’ Box Office Numbers GUESTS: Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals 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! 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.
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Nov 10, 2022 • 50min

Why we’re still mesmerized by the myth of Rasputin

In the century since Russia’s “Mad Monk” was poisoned, we’ve come to believe a lot of things: he was mystical, he was evil, he was the world’s greatest lover. This hour: Rasputin — the all-too-human peasant who found his way to friendship with the Romanovs and the comical, absurd version of him that just won’t die. GUESTS: Chris Roberson: Co-writer of the Hellboy comic Rasputin: Voice of the Dragon Douglas Smith: Historian and author of Rasputin: Faith, Power, and the Twilight of the Romanovs 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! Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, Dylan Reyes, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 3, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 9, 2022 • 49min

At long last, Election Day is behind us

The one thing we knew for sure was that by the time we got to today, Election Day would be over. And it is. This hour, we regroup after a long night and try to figure out what we’ve figured out by today. And we do our best not to start immediately talking about 2024. Hopefully. Listen live Wednesday, November 9, at 1 p.m. GUESTS: Dan Barry: Longtime reporter and columnist for The New York Times; his most recent book is This Land: America, Lost and Found Matt Grossmann: Director of the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research and professor of political science at Michigan State University and he hosts The Science of Politics podcast Bethany Teachman: Professor of psychology and director of clinical training at the University of Virginia 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! Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 8, 2022 • 49min

‘Citizen Observers’ share their voting stories from around the state

On Election Day we do a show where we ask people across Connecticut to do a simple thing: Go vote in your town before 1 p.m. Then call us between 1 and 2 p.m. and tell us how it felt, what you saw, whom you spoke to. Say whatever you want to say about the experience of voting. This hour we hear from Citizen Observers about their experiences at the polls. GUESTS:  Charlie Barber: Nonfiction author and Writer in Residence at Wesleyan University Barry Blitt: Cartoonist and illustrator for The New Yorker and other publications Susan Clinard: Owner of Clinard Sculpture Studio Jack French: Research Associate in the Yale Program for Financial Stability at the Yale School of Management Lara Herscovitch: Singer-songwriter, poet, performer, advocate, former CT State Troubadour, and children’s book author Iman James: Competitive boxer and a New Haven Public School Teacher 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! Colin McEnroe, Jonathan McNicol, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 7, 2022 • 49min

Some people are considering whether it’s time to leave the United States

Some Americans are considering whether this country is a place where they want to live in the future. This hour is all about leaving the United States. We talk to someone who made the move about what inspired her and her new life in Portugal. Plus, we learn more about the process of actually moving out of the country. And we talk to someone who has considered leaving, but ultimately decided to stay here, for now at least. GUESTS:  Wajahat Ali: The Daily Beast columnist, public speaker, and author of Go Back To Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on Becoming American; he recently wrote “Is It Time for Me to Leave America?” DeNeen Brown: Local enterprise reporter at The Washington Post and an associate professor at the University of Maryland; she recently wrote “The Case for Leaving America to Escape Racism”  Caryl Hallberg: Moved from the United States to Portugal in 2020   Jennifer Stevens: Executive editor of International Living 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! Colin McEnroe, Jacob Gannon, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Nov 4, 2022 • 49min

The Nose looks at Taylor Swift, ‘Don’t Worry Darling,’ and more

This week’s Nose is energy unfocused, innovation hindered, hope strangled, greatness disguised. Taylor Swift currently occupies the entire top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. That’s the, uh, new record. She’s also got 10 other songs in other spots on the Hot 100. Fully one-fifth of the entire Hot 100 is Taylor Swift songs right now. Federal law requires that we cover this phenomenon. (No it doesn’t.) And: Don’t Worry Darling is the second movie directed by Olivia Wilde. It’s kind of a feature-length Black Mirror episode starring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, and Wilde. Its reportedly troubled production and promotion have been the focus of much scrutiny and spawned the word, uh, “spitgate.” Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Remembering Takeoff, The Best Rapper in Migos He was “the quiet” member of the Atlanta rap group, but his demeanor belied a commanding presence The Decline of Etiquette and the Rise of ‘Boundaries’ For centuries, strict social norms dictated what people could politely talk about. Now we have to figure it out for ourselves. Grading Taylor Swift’s ‘Karma’ With a Buddhist-Studies Professor A Mom Who Tweeted About Throwing Out Her Kids’ Halloween Candy Said She Was Accused Of Abuse After It “Escaped The Orbit” Of Her Followers Meet this week’s Bean Dad. What do users want from their TV streaming? A new NPR/Ipsos poll has some answers ‘Non-binary’ Romeo and Juliet set in Nazi Germany apologises for omitting Jews from casting callThe Icarus Theatre production shows the hero as being a member of the Hitler Youth Pack Your Bags, We’re Moving to ‘Roku City’ Instead of streaming a new TV show or movie, some Roku users are in it for the screen saver. The Eerie Comfort of Liminal Spaces Why we’re compelled by images of abandoned shopping malls, waiting rooms, and corridors The Original E.T. Model From The Movie Is Going Up For Auction, And You’ll Just Need A Couple Million Bucks Martin Luther King Jr. paid the bill for Julia Roberts’ birth. Here’s the backstory Professional Cornhole Has a Cheating Scandal Called BagGate Officials talk of new regulations to root out illegally sized bags. Fans are reeling: ‘The dirty underbelly is being exposed.’ Netflix’s ‘Blockbuster’ and Hollywood’s Greatest Spite Projects The new workplace sitcom is the ultimate flex by Netflix after Blockbuster refused to buy the streamer in the early 2000s. But this isn’t the first time egos in Hollywood decided to be petty… Who Is Jennifer Lawrence Now? The Oscar-winning “Hunger Games” actress is free from her franchise commitments. But after a brief hiatus from acting, what will she do next? Aubrey Plaza and Joe Locke Are Conjuring a WandaVision Spinoff The Best Movies of 2022 (So Far) Comedy’s Crowd-Work Clip Civil War The Best Comedy Specials of 2022 (So Far) Netflix has (probably) ordered a second season of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman A since-deleted tweet from the official DC Comics account seemed to confirm that the Tom Sturridge-starring show would be coming back for a second season WWE Closes Book On Vince McMahon Investigation; Says Probe Complete, Special Committee Disbanded  Jeff Knows Bo …and Magic, and Sweetness, and the ‘86 Mets and pretty much every other legendary athlete and outrageous sports story you’ve ever heard of but were afraid to ask more about. NBC revives Golden Globes telecast after HFPA racial exclusion scandal The network did not air a Golden Globes ceremony in 2022 as the HFPA attempted to rehabilitate its image and overhaul its membership. Academy promises ‘great legacy surprises’ in 2023 Oscars preview CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang previewed the 95th Oscars ceremony at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. Adele, Florence Pugh, And 23 Other Celebs Whose Names You’ve Unknowingly Been ButcheringLittle did I know “Adele” could be pronounced any other way… GUESTS: Theresa Cramer: A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn Irene Papoulis: Teaches writing at Trinity College 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! 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.

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