The Colin McEnroe Show

This hour, comedian and The New Yorker columnist Andy Borowitz on his new book, Profiles in Ignorance, which explains how our nation’s elected leaders have grown dumb — dumber. GUESTS: Andy Borowitz: Writes The Borowitz Report; his new book is Profiles in Ignorance: How America’s Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber 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.

Bumper stickers are everywhere. They range from funny to informative to political to provocative and beyond. This hour: bumper stickers — the philosophy of bumper stickers, the evolution of political bumper stickers, and so much more. GUESTS: Jack Bowen: Author of If You Can Read This: The Philosophy of Bumper Stickers Henry Hoke: Author of Sticker Claire Jerry: Curator of political history for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History 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 March 16, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s Nose will not sit here and suffer crows that come to feast on their corpses. Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon is the second show in the Game of Thrones franchise and a prequel to the original series. It is based on parts of George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, and it starts about 200 years before the events of the original series. Its first episode was the most-watched series premiere in the history of HBO, according to HBO. House of the Dragon has been renewed for a second season. And: The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is the first television series in the Lord of the Ringsfranchise. It is a prequel to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings set thousands of years before them, during the Second Age of Middle-Earth. The Rings of Power is based mostly on the appendices of The Lord of the Rings. Amazon has made a five-season production commitment worth at least $1 billion. This would make it the most expensive television series ever made. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Queen Elizabeth in Pop Culture: A History The long-reigning monarch has been referenced in everything from banned music videos and Beatles songs to Hannah Montana. 21 Unexpected And Surprising Twitter Accounts Paying Tribute To The Queen From Legoland to Crazy Frog. Explaining Olivia Wilde’s celebrity dumpster fire ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ SFGATE columnist Drew Magary parses the gossip of the day What on Earth Happened With Barack Obama’s White House Portrait? [Ed. note: I completely disagree with Dan Kois’ take here. Completely.] Kids Yell “Poop” At Alexa, And These Musicians Profit “Alexa, play ‘Poopy Stupid Butt’ again.” ‘Saturday Night Live’: Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor & Aristotle Athari Not Returning For Season 48 If There’s Still Such a Thing as the ‘Song of Summer,’ This Year’s Would Be … How Sneakers Aged Better than Almost All Computer Thrillers 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 Bill Yousman: Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University 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.

This hour is all about historical reenactments. We look at the role reenactments play in helping us understand or experience history. We talk with reenactors about what draws them to this and what their experiences are like. Plus, reenactments aren’t just about the acting but the costumes and the props. We hear from a tailor who creates custom clothing using traditional materials and methods to create true-to-history costuming. We also talk about experimental archeology and the stone-aged tools used by our predecessors. How were those tools made? And by recreating them, what can we learn about history, evolution, and psychology? GUESTS:  Brad Keefer: Professor of history at Kent State University, who is also an active Civil War and colonial period living historian Metin Erin: Associate professor in the department of anthropology at Kent State University and co-director of The Kent State University Experimental Archaeology Laboratory  Michelle Bebber: Associate professor in the department of anthropology at Kent State University and co-director of The Kent State University Experimental Archaeology Laboratory  Ian Graves: Tailor and owner of Royal Blue Traders, who specializes in American Revolutionary War clothing J.R. Hardman: Associate producer at PBS Utah, and a Civil War reenactor, who is directing and producing the documentary Reenactress 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.

Schadenfreude, the German idea for taking pleasure in others’ misfortune, seems like an ugly human emotion. But psychologists and philosophers argue that schadenfreude is baked into the human condition and actually is kind of good for us. This hour, we explore why it’s okay to laugh when someone slips on a banana peel. GUESTS: Scott Dikkers: Founding editor of The Onion and the author of How to Write Funny Lauren Ober: Hosted the Spectacular Failures podcast John Portmann: Professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia and the author of When Bad Things Happen to Other People 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, Eugene Amatruda, Jonathan McNicol, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired March 7, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back from the long weekend and, in a way, from the summer! We figured you might have some things to say on a day like today, and 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 commercial creep on public radio, “The Purple People Eater” and Nope, defenders and detractors of our new radio promos, the Cary Grant movie People Will Talk(which we carelessly left out of our rom-coms show), the circular economy (and Amazon taking its damn boxes back), legendary Connecticut broadcaster Bob Steele, and legendary march maker John Philip Sousa. 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! Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s Nose gets the Oprah shot. Britney is back. Over the last week, Britney Spears released a 22-minute ‘audio statement’ covering her conservatorship and its long-awaited ending, and she dropped her first new music since 2016, a single with Elton John. And: Nope is Jordan Peele’s third film as writer/director/producer, his followup to Get Out and Us. It’s a kind of mashup of horror, sci-fi, and neo-Western with some notes of Spielberg thrown in, too. Peele has acknowledged the influence of Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Jaws, but there’s clearly some War of the Worlds going on here as well. Domestically, Nope is the highest-grossing horror film of the year so far. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Richard Roat, Character Actor Known for Friends and Seinfeld, Dead at 89 Why ‘She-Hulk’ is getting review bombed Fans and experts see a link between negative online reviews, primarily from male users, and the Marvel show’s exploration of gender. The Alarming Prospect of NBC Clocking Out at 10 p.m. Supporters Attempt to Redeem Legacy of Hollywood Legend Fredric March, Canceled Over Racism Allegations: “This Was a Rush to Judgment” As Turner Classic Movies gets ready to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Oscar winner’s birth, host Ben Mankiewicz is among those calling it a “misconception” that the long-time civil rights champion once supported the Ku Klux Klan. “He couldn’t have done what he’s accused of doing,” adds actor Glynn Turman. America Is Trying to Make the Moon Happen Again NASA is ready to give an ambitious lunar program its first real test. Winnie The Pooh: Blood and Honey — First Trailer Reveals the Horrors in 100 Acre Wood Oh, bother. Anti-Aging Ambassador Leonardo DiCaprio Breaks Up With 25-Year-Old Girlfriend Camila Morrone has hit the glass ceiling of being one-fourth of a century old and must now pack her bags. This Is How the Hollywood Comeback Cycle Works Johnny Depp’s appearance at MTV’s Video Music Awards was at once bizarre and frustratingly predictable. The Alleged Celeb Civil War Between Olivia Wilde, Florence Pugh, and Shia LaBeouf, ExplainedThe gossip includes conflicting accounts, a leaked video, and an on-set romance, but how much is just in fans’ imaginations? Taylor Swift Is The Queen Of Easter Eggs And Hidden Messages. Here’s Everything That Fans Have Theorized About “Midnights” So Far. As soon as Swifties had finished screaming, crying, and throwing up over the Midnights announcement on Sunday, they got to work. Did My Cat Just Hit On Me? An Adventure in Pet Translation Entrepreneurs are aiming to put A.I.-powered pet translation tools into our pockets. The Cult of A24 The iconoclastic studio has bred superfans, dropped swag, and perfected a house style. It’s also teetering on the verge of self-parody. Every A24 Movie, Ranked Neon lights, creepy birds, white people rapping — the studio spawned an aesthetic universe. Here are the good, bad, and vibe-y. Breaking Down That Infamous E.T./Star Wars Fan Theory 2022 Fall Movie Preview: 34 Films to Watch Out For With the Venice Film Festival kicking off this week, the race is on to rule over the best season of the year for moviegoing. 25 TV Shows We Can’t Wait to See This Fall Television’s signature season offers a bounty of new series and returning favorites. ‘House of the Dragon’ Shake-Up: Co-Showrunner Miguel Sapochnik Leaving Hit Series Emmy-winning ‘Game of Thrones’ veteran Alan Taylor will join the team for season two. The Guilt-Free Pleasure of Airplane Movies Amid the endless tiny indignities of air travel, only one true retreat remains. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s Quest to Become America’s Favorite Superheroes Unpacking Kimye’s obsession, pre- and post-divorce, with Disney, “The Incredibles,” the nuclear family, and spandex. Getting Away From It All in Mark Zuckerberg’s Metaverse Reality reality was terrible. Would virtual reality be any better? You Don’t Really Want a Twitter Edit Button Our chaotic public square will lose a lot more than typos. Pumpkin spice won. It’s time to accept it and move on. GUESTS: Raquel Benedict: The most dangerous woman in speculative fiction (and she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast) Taneisha Duggan: Associate producer at Octopus Theatricals Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian and 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! Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tuberculosis has been around for thousands of years and still infects millions per year. This hour, we look back at how tuberculosis has shaped history and how it is still impacting health today. Plus, a look at the history of tuberculosis treatment, how tuberculosis has shaped modern architecture, and the impact of tuberculosis on art and artists. GUESTS:  Heran Darwin: Professor in the Department of Microbiology at New York University, whose lab studies Mycobacterium tuberculosis Kyle Harper: Chair in the History of Liberty, professor of classics and letters at the University of Oklahoma, and the author of Plagues Upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History Beatriz Colomina: Professor of the history of architecture at Princeton University and the author of X-Ray Architecture Tara Knapp: Vice president of external affairs at Gaylord Specialty Healthcare Carolyn Day: Associate professor of history at Furman University and the author of Consumptive Chic: A History of Beauty, Fashion and Disease Elizabeth Lee: Associate professor of art history at Dickinson College and the author of The Medicine of Art: Disease and the Aesthetic Object in Gilded Age America 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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his book, Seven Games, Oliver Roeder says that games are a “slice of life.” This hour we look at three games: chess, Scrabble, and Monopoly. We investigate why these games have endured in popularity through history, and we discuss what each one of them can teach us about life. GUESTS: Jenny Adams: Author of Power Play: The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages Mary Pilon: A journalist and screenwriter and the author of The Monopolists: Obsession, Fury, and the Scandal Behind the World’s Favorite Board Game Oliver Roeder: A journalist and the author of Seven Games: A Human History Lindsay Shin: A competitive Scrabble player; she organizes an annual tournament in New Orleans 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 March 15, 2022.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we wrap our heads around clapping — its history, its varied permutations, and the kinds of occasions on which people applaud. GUESTS:  Gavin Witt: Professor of theater history at Towson University and a long-time dramaturg Erin Elstner: Percussionist and professor of percussion at Webster University Frank Rizzo: Theater critic for Variety and other publications Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.