The Colin McEnroe Show

On the one hand, calling something “medieval” carries with it negative connotations of outdated times. But lately there has almost been a nostalgia for life in the Middle Ages. This hour, we look at what life was really like in that time period and why we remember it the way we do. Plus, a look at the medieval origin of environmental anxiety and student debt. GUESTS: Jenny Adams: Associate professor of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Courtney Barajas: Author of Old English Ecotheology: The Exeter Book Martha Bayless: Director of folklore and public culture at the University of Oregon; her books include Sin and Filth in Medieval Culture: The Devil in the Latrine and A Cultural History of Comedy in the Middle Ages 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.

Your strength breaks men’s bones. This week’s Nose has the cunning to break their minds. We Own This City is a six-part HBO miniseries developed by David Simon and George Pelecanos and based on the book by Baltimore Sun reporter Justin Fenton. It chronicles the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force and corruption within and around it. Simon told NPR’s Eric Deggans that “this is the closest thing you’re going to get to a sequel” to The Wire. And: The Northman is director Robert Eggers’s third feature and his first big-budget film. It is based on the Viking legend of Amleth, a prince who tries to avenge the murder of his father. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: John Aylward Dies: ‘ER’ & ‘The West Wing’ Actor Was 75 Hannah Gadsby Stays Sunny by Any Means Necessary George Carlin narrator edits make Thomas The Tank Engine even more blue Genius editor combines Carlin’s Thomas & Friends narration with foul-mouthed clips from his audiobook readings Hollywood Has No Idea What to Do With the Erotic Thriller Streamers are struggling to reboot a genre that died too young. The Untold Story of the White House’s Weirdly Hip Record Collection Jimmy Carter’s grandson is unlocking its mysteries Attack of the Clones is underrated — and it’s crucial to the current state of Star Wars George Lucas’ maligned prequel chapter deserves reconsideration as it sets up the Obi-Wan series [Ed. note: Links ≠ endorsement.] The Believer, a Beloved Literary Magazine, Goes Home After a Risqué Detour The magazine, bought by a marketing company, briefly hosted clickbait content. Scandal ensued. After a flurry of negotiation, it is now back with its first publisher, McSweeney’s. Can You Remember the Plot of Avatar? We asked a semi-random assortment of smart and funny people who were alive in 2009—from Broti Gupta to Brandon Wardell to Marianne Williamson—if they could recall the plot of the highest-grossing movie ever. The Puzzle That Will Outlast the World One move down, 1,298,074,214,633,706,907,132,624,082,305,022 to go. Star Wars: The Rebellion Will Be Televised An exclusive look at the master plan for Obi-Wan Kenobi with Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen, Andor with Diego Luna, Ahsoka with Rosario Dawson—and a fleet of new shows. Squid Game Season 2 Likely Won’t Release Until End Of 2023 Or 2024 Taylor Swift’s NYU Commencement Speech Was About Cats, Cringe, And Getting Canceled The star’s NYU commencement speech was completely apolitical. Marvel Studios is licensing Stan Lee’s likeness from the company he sued before his death Lee sued POW! Entertainment in 2018 Tom Cruise Is Being Boring at Cannes ‘Doctor Who’ has its first Black lead. Will the show contend with race? GUESTS: Taneisha Duggan: A director, producer, and arts consultant Sam Hadelman: Works in music public relations and hosts The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn Irene Papoulis: teaches writing at Trinity College Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the long timeline of long-distance communication technology that starts with the telegraph and leads all the way to the iPhone and beyond, there’s a particular, once-ubiquitous device that seems to have left an indelible mark on the culture while also disappearing nearly completely from it. This hour, the history and present? (and future??) of the fax machine. GUESTS: Jonathan Coopersmith: Professor of history at Texas A & M University and the author of Faxed: The Rise and Fall of the Fax Machine Troy Kreiner: Design director at Use All Five, the firm that organized Artifax Kay Savetz: A tech historian; they co-host Antic: The Atari 8-Bit Podcast and run a number of websites, including Fax Toy and FaxZero Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francisco Goldman made a big choice as a young man. He chose to spend a year in Guatemala living with his uncle instead of pursuing the master’s degree he could have had from a prestigious school offering him a full scholarship. It turned out to be one of the most consequential decisions of his early life. This hour, Colin talks with Goldman about his novel Monkey Boy, a story about the legacy of violence on a family and much more, including how his decision to go to Guatemala has shaped his life. GUEST: Francisco Goldman: Author of seven books; his most recent, the novel Monkey Boy, is now out in paperback 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 27, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The humble tambourine is the underrated, understated, unsung hero of contemporary music. This hour we shake our assumptions about this surprisingly enduring and ubiquitous instrument. GUESTS: Erin Elstner: Percussionist and Professor of Percussion at Webster University Ira Elliot: Percussionist best known as the drummer for the band Nada Surf Tim Kubart: Musician, songwriter, and performer known world-wide as “The Tambourine Guy” for his performances with Postmodern Jukebox Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour we investigate the ways in which 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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the end of an era. Apple announced this week that it has ended production of the last iPod-only device it was still making, the iPod Touch. Apple debuted the original iPod in October, 2001, and has sold an estimated 450 million iPods since. Existing stock of the iPod Touch is available while supplies last. And: The Staircase is an HBO Max miniseries based on the 2004 French docuseries of the same name and the true story it tells. Colin Firth plays Michael Peterson, a man accused of murdering his wife. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: George Pérez, Who Gave New Life to Wonder Woman, Dies at 67 Working for both Marvel and DC, he created comic book series that brought superheroes together, and was co-creator of The New Teen Titans. Ric Parnell, Real Drummer in a Famous Fake Band, Dies at 70 The central characters in the mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap” were comic actors, but Mr. Parnell was an actual professional musician. In Conversation: John C. Reilly The actor thinks audiences just want to be surprised. He’d do (almost) anything to oblige. Fred Savage is fired from ‘The Wonder Years’ over allegations of misconduct ‘Sex Education’ actor Ncuti Gatwa will be the first Black lead in ‘Doctor Who’ ‘A Strange Loop’ earns a leading 11 Tony Award nominations Warhol’s ‘Marilyn,’ at $195 Million, Shatters Auction Record for an American Artist At Christie’s sale for charity, the glamorous silk-screen beat out Basquiat’s skull painting that had set a record in 2017. Elizabeth Olsen: ‘Throwing Marvel under the bus takes away from the talented crew’ The reluctant star is returning as the witchy Wanda in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’. She talks to Jacob Stolworthy about superhero film flak, her famous sisters’ advice, and why she rarely watches herself on screen Marty Friedman on why streaming listeners are skipping guitar solos: “Solos often have an obligatory existence – they must be there for a deeper reason” The former Megadeth man says guitar solos are often included to meet a quota, rather than because the song actually requires one FIFA and EA Sports End Decades-Long Video Game Partnership The demise of a relationship that produced one of the most popular games of all time will mean risks for soccer’s governing body but few changes for consumers. “Succession” actor James Cromwell super-glued himself to a Starbucks counter as part of PETA’s vegan milk protest The PG-13 Rating Has Become Meaningless Marcelo dropped from Lyon first team for “farting and laughing” in dressing room - sources I Toot, Therefore I Am A new philosophy paper attempts to answer a crucial question: What makes a fart a fart? Bad Special Effects Are A Choice Percy Jackson creator Rick Riordan rips complaints about casting the TV series The Strange Afterlife of George Carlin Nearly 14 years after his death, his provocative humor has been embraced by people across the political spectrum. What happens when comedy outlasts the era it was made for? New York Times Changes Today’s Wordle #324 Answer Amid Abortion Controversy What might reverse late-night TV’s decline? “If someone’s already watching something on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, why would they set their DVRs for 1:30 a.m.?” Traipsing Through the Vaster Wasteland On Netflix, HBO Max, and thirst in the desert. Christopher Walken To Play The Emperor In Dune 2 Disney Copyrights Targeted in Bill Proposed by Sen. Josh Hawley The company would lose its copyright to the original design of Mickey Mouse if the law is passed. This Is Spinal Tap sequel confirmed for 2024 with original cast Double ’Tap! Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls are set to return to cinema screens for one final show GUESTS: Raquel Benedict: Claims to be the most dangerous woman in speculative fiction, and she’s the host of the Rite Gud podcast Carolyn Paine: An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance 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!Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phone 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 don’t often 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 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, Gene Amatruda, Cat Pastor, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Occam’s razor states that “entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity.” This hour is all about Occam’s razor: where the principle came from, how it impacts science, its role in medicine, and how it shapes our daily lives. GUESTS: Kurt Andersen: Co-founder of Spy magazine, the host and co-creator of Studio 360, and the author of Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire — A 500-Year History Johnjoe McFadden: Author of Life Is Simple: How Occam’s Razor Set Science Free and Shapes the Universe Lisa Sanders: Clinician educator in the Primary Care Internal Medicine Residency Program at the Yale School of Medicine and the author of the Diagnosis column for The New York Times Magazine 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 contributed to this show, which originally aired November 17, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour we look back at the history of the Supreme Court and the rules surrounding it. Plus, we discuss how the Supreme Court shares information with the public, and we talk about ideas for reforming the Court. GUESTS: Akhil Reed Amar: Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science at Yale University, and author of The Words That Made Us: America’s Constitutional Conversation, 1760-1840, among other books. David Folkenflik: NPR’s media correspondent. Emily Bazelon: Lecturer in Law, Senior Research Scholar in Law, and a Truman Capote Fellow at Yale Law School, a staff writer at the New York Times Magazine, and a co-host of the Slate Political Gabfest.  Tara Leigh Grove: Professor at the University of Alabama School of Law, who was a member of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.