The Colin McEnroe Show

Healthcare, and the Affordable Care Act, is poised to play a major role in the upcoming midterm elections. But how did it get its start here in the US? And what might major healthcare reform look like nowadays? This hour, we'll explore the origins of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. Plus, a look at the state of employer-provided health insurance. GUESTS: Elisabeth Rosenthal: Senior contributing editor at KFF Health News and the author of An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back. Ian Coss: Host of “The Big Dig” podcast from GBH News. Its most recent season is “Mitt & Ted, a healthcare story”. Music featured (in order): Doctor Wu – Steely Dan Pills – Bo Diddley I Need a Doctor – The Nields Rock and Roll Doctor – Little Feat Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu – Huey “Piano” Smith Don’t Let Us Get Sick – Warren Zevon Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour we talk with experts in ballot design about how to put together a ballot that's accessible to everyone, and all of the things to keep in mind, from font size to the length of candidate's names. Plus, a look at the evolution of ballots throughout history. GUESTS: Whitney Quesenbery: Chief program officer of the Center for Civic Design Alicia Cheng: Head of Design at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and author of This is What Democracy Looked Like: A Visual History of the Printed Ballot 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, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe, Frankie Devevo, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on October 31, 2024. Our programming is made possible thanks to…

We’ve been doing these shows 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 lanternflies, international travel, election monitoring, Brazil, rude tourists, healthcare costs … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Music featured (in order): Choro – Vince Guaraldi, Bola Sete DJs com Lula (Lula Lá no Funk (O Pai Tá On) / Sem Medo de Ser Feliz) – DJ Mam, Lucio K, DJ Fábio ACM, Felipe Cordeiro, Waldo Squash, Vinimax, et al. Being Honest (Acoustic) – Jamestown Revival Confused – Ensemble MidtVest, Teitur Lassen Casual Crime – Lyn Lapid Go-To Girl – Vanisha Gould As Time Goes By – Bruce Cockburn Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Note: This episode contains spoilers for You Can See Everything. You Can See Everything is a three-hour experimental documentary (quasi-documentary?) directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim. It is Fielder’s feature directing debut and the second feature directed by Oppenheim that premiered the weekend of September 5, 2026 (the first was Primetime). It ostensibly follows Elizabeth Holmes and her partner, Billy Evans, in the last days before Holmes reported to federal prison in May, 2023, to serve her 135-month sentence for her convictions on three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. It opened in limited theatrical release last weekend and grossed $15.6 million. It is the second-best opening weekend for a documentary in history (after Fahrenheit 9/11 in 2004). You Can See Everything expands to a wide theatrical release in the U.S. today. GUESTS: David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian and writer, and he claims to be the…

News outlets and opinion writers have called it: The traditional dinner party is dead. But are dinner parties really so bad? Or are we just bad at hosting them? This hour, the history of dinner parties and some advice from people who turn party-hosting into an art form. GUESTS: Rand Richards Cooper: Fiction writer, contributing editor at Commonweal, and the restaurant critic for the Hartford Courant Nandita Godbole: Author of several cookbooks including Masaleydaar: Classic Indian Spice Blends; she also writes the blog Curry Cravings Julia Skinner: Culinary historian and food writer whose work includes the book Our Fermented Lives The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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,…

Do you share a name with someone more famous then you? Is it impossible to look yourself up on the internet? Are you the least famous "Alexa"? Then you have a “name doppelgänger”! This hour, we explore cases of shared names, from the many Dan Sullivans dotted across Alaska to the federal “no fly list”. GUESTS: Laura Wattenberg: Naming expert, author of The Baby Name Wizard, and the creator of namerology.com. Matt Viser: Staff writer at The Atlantic. Darryl Campbell: Aviation correspondent at The Verge and author of the book “Fatal Abstraction: Why the Managerial Class Loses Control of Software”. Music featured (in order): You and I – Stevie Wonder 27 Jennifers – Mike Doughty Call Me By Your Name – Sophie Castillo 3 Dan’s – Starboi Ebrima North to Alaska – Johnny Horton I’m Not That Guy – David Saint Val Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Painter Frederic E. Church was born in 1926 on Temple Street, Hartford. In the 200 years since then, his paintings have travelled the world and helped define American art. This hour, we'll speak with Victoria Johnson, author of a biography all about Church. Plus, we’ll be joined by Betsy Kornhauser, former curator at the Wadsworth Atheneum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to explore Church’s current legacy. GUESTS: Victoria Johnson is a professor of urban policy and planning at Hunter College and the author of “Glorious Country: How the Artist Frederic Church Brought the World to America and America to the World”. Elizabeth Kornhauser is Senior Curator and Chair of the Frederic Church Bicentennial Committee at The Olana Partnership. She is Curator Emerita at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and former Chief Curator at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. Music featured (in order): String Quartet No. 12, “American”: IV. Finale – Antonin Dvorak, as performed by the Cleveland Quartet Color and Light – Sunday…

We’ve been doing these shows 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 parenting, poison ivy, papal missives, lake scum, oligarchy, cerebral atrophy … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Music featured (in order): Water – Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band Click Clack Symphony – RAYE, Hans Zimmer Dreamer’s Holiday – Champian Fulton Coyote Summer – Aesop Rock, Blockhead, Hanni El Khatib The Music Never Stopped – Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble Lasso the Moon – Ashe The Greatest Show on Earth – U2 The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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 Social Reckoning is the fourth movie written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. It’s his follow-up to The Social Network, and it stars Jeremy Allen White, Mikey Madison, and Bill Burr, with Jeremy Strong this time playing Mark Zuckerberg. And: War is a legal drama anthology series created by George Kay, who also created Hijack and Lupin, among other things. Its first season covers a high-stakes celebrity divorce, and it stars Dominic West, Sienna Miller, Pip Torrens, Nick Mohammed, Celia Imrie, and more. GUESTS: Mercy Quaye: Founder and president of The Narrative Project Lindsay Lee Wallace: A writer and a noted chiropterology journalist, among other things Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University Music featured (in order): In the Hall of the Mountain King (from The Social Network) – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross Why Are You on Facebook? – Van Morrison The Sharing Song – Jack Johnson oh baby (edit) – LCD Soundsystem The End – Nancy Sinatra See You On The Radio – Grayson Hugh Support…

This hour, we’re joined in studio by seven-time Grammy Award-winning local musician Paul Winter. Winter is known for his annual solstice concerts and his “earth music," which features music from around the world, as well as the sounds of animals like wolves, whales, or wood thrushes. You can find details about his Winter Solstice Celebrations around New England here. GUEST: Paul Winter: Saxophonist, composer, and bandleader of the Paul Winter Consort The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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, Dylan Reyes, and Isaac Moss contributed to this show, which originally aired on November 21, 2025. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…

You may know the Schuyler sisters, Angelica and Elizabeth (and Peggy!), from Hamilton. But the musical just scratches the surface of their fascinating lives. This hour, Amanda Vaill joins us to talk about her new book, Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution. GUEST: Amanda Vaill: Author, journalist and screenwriter. Her newest book is Pride and Pleasure: The Schuyler Sisters in an Age of Revolution MUSIC FEATURED (in order): Symphonie en ré (Presto) – André-Modeste Grétry The Schuyler Sisters – Hamilton Burn – Hamilton Helpless – Hamilton Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story – Hamilton 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, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes…

Samuel Moyn joins us to talk about how older people are hoarding political power and resources, what that means for all of us, and how we could forge a new path with better representation for people of all ages. GUESTS: Samuel Moyn: Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University. His latest book is Gerontocracy in America: How the Old Are Hoarding Power and Wealth — and What to Do About It Music featured (in order): End Of The Line – The Traveling Wilburys Old Folks Boogie – Little Feat It Was a Very Good Year – Frank Sinatra Ballad of the Sad Young Men – Shirley Bassey When You Are Old – Gretchen Peters NEW BLOOD – ZAYDE WOLF Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve been doing these shows 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 oil prices, land acknowledgements, cybernetic limbs, blank checks, talking to strangers … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Music featured (in order): Save Your Love For Me – Steven Feifke Big Band, Alita Moses My Life Story of Love – Steve Wonder Proof of Love – Lau Noah, Michael League Hear Me Now – Wynonna, Iron & Wine Champagne – Remi Wolf Feels Like Forever – Evangeline, Vulfmon TOGIAIM – Joy Oladokun The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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…

This hour, The Nose looks at two current bits of pop culture with men’s names that start with the letter T: Tony is the fifth movie co-written and directed by Matt Johnson and the second released commercially this year. It is kind of vaguely a biopic, coming-of-age dramedy about Anthony Bourdain. It stars Dominic Sessa, Emilia Jones, Stavros Halkias, Leo Woodall, and Antonio Banderas. And: The fourth season of Ted Lasso just ended this week. It is a reboot/refresh/restart of the Apple TV sports dramedy that originally ran for three seasons from 2020 to 2023. The Season Four premiere was the biggest launch for an Apple TV series. GUESTS: Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian and writer who claims to be the rightful heir to the Murray’s Hair Pomade fortune Carolyn Paine: An actress and comedian; she’s the founder and director of CONNetic Dance and the creative producer and choreographer for The Bushnell’s Digital Institute Irene Papoulis: Taught writing for a long time at Trinity College Gene Seymour: A “writer,…

John Steinbeck considered East of Eden to be his magnum opus. And it’s now thought of as one of the great American novels. Netflix’s new seven-part limited series adaptation is created by and co-written by Zoe Kazan. Kazan’s grandfather, Elia Kazan, directed the classic big-screen adaptation starring James Dean. This hour, a look at Steinbeck’s epic novel, the original movie, and the new series adaptation of East of Eden. GUESTS: Joel Baden: Professor of Hebrew Bible at Yale Divinity School Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Fantasy Filmball podcast Susan Shillinglaw: Professor emerita of English at San Jose State University, where she was director of the University’s Center for Steinbeck Studies for 18 years; she was also director of the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas from 2015 to 2018 Lindsay Lee Wallace: A writer and journalist whose latest work includes the cover stories for the four most recent issues of Bat Conservation International’s Bats magazine Music featured (in…

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…

We’ve been doing these shows 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 Connecticut gubernatorial election, nostalgia, praying mantises, heavy metal, healthcare … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Music featured (in order): Sympathy – LUCA Oh Love – Kingfishr Skim a Stone – This Is the Kit Someone You Love – Tiny Habits How Come – Charlotte Dos Santos Season of the Witch – Alanis Morissette Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you know about silversmith Paul Revere besides that he borrowed a horse to warn American colonists that the British troops were coming? If Revere had help, why is he the only rider taught in History classes throughout America? We talk with Kostya Kennedy about his book, ‘The Ride,’ and learn the story behind a man—and an act on horseback—that was, “deeper and richer than previously assumed.” Plus, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow scholar Christoph Irmscher joins with an appreciation of Longfellow’s famous poem, ‘Paul Revere’s Ride.' And we learn what it's like to retrace Revere's route from journalist, Jenna Russell. GUESTS: Kostya Kennedy: Author of ‘The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night that Saved America’ Christoph Irmscher: Distinguished Professor of English at Indiana University. He is a 2026 Guggenheim Fellow and the author of The Poetics of Natural History and Longfellow Redux Jenna Russell: New England bureau chief for The New York Times. Jenna documented her drive of Paul Revere's route, which took…

This month marks the 40th anniversary of the last time the New York Mets won the World Series. The Mets came in last in the National League East this season, but Mets fandom seems to have taken on a bit of an uncharacteristic “Wait ’til next year!” sort of an attitude. With the hated Red Sox eliminated from the postseason and the New York Yankees on an off day between series, we take a look at that other local baseball team: the Mets. GUESTS: Philip Bump: Senior data editor and columnist for Hearst Connecticut Media Group A. M. Gittlitz: An organizer and writer; his new book is Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle, and the People’s Team Frankie Graziano: Hosts The Wheelhouse on Connecticut Public Steve Metcalf: Founder and director of the Garmany concert series at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School Mike Pesca: Editorial director for news and politics podcasts at CBS The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever…

George Orwell's novels 1984 and Animal Farm feel especially prescient in this moment, as surveillance technologies continue to expand, and history and language are weaponized. We take a look at the life and literature of George Orwell. And ask: what does the term "Orwellian" really mean? GUESTS: Laura Beers: Professor of History at American University, and the author of Orwell’s Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the Twenty-First Century D. J. Taylor: Writer, critic, and author of many books, including Orwell: The New Life and Who is Big Brother? A Reader's Guide to George Orwell Sandra Newman: Author of Julia: A Novel, among other books Music featured (in order): Welles Raises Kane (I. Overture) – Bernard Herrmann, as conducted by himself, leading the London Philharmonic Orchestra Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four) – Eurythmics One Brick – Aesop Rock Keep the Aspidistra Flying – Ivan Waters and the Citadel Piggies – The Beatles 1984 – Anais Mitchell The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple…

Do you have a place where everybody knows your coffee order? Your cat's name? How you like your eggs? Then congrats! You're a regular! This hour, we explore the value of becoming a regular (and how to do so) in our ever disconnected society. Plus, we hear about the regulars of Claire's Corner Copia in New Haven. GUESTS: Gillian Sandstrom: Associate Professor in the Psychology of Kindness at the University of Sussex. Mark Alan Burger: Social Media Editor at Esquire, and the author of “The Lost Art of Being a Regular”. Claire Criscuolo: Owner of Claire’s Corner Copia in New Haven. Music featured (in order): Feelin’ Good Again – Robert Earl Kleen Where Everybody Knows Your Name (Cheers Theme) – Gary Portnoy Here Comes a Regular – The Replacements Violetta’s – Dave’s True Story Bobo’s – Liza Minnelli Eggs And Sausage (In A Cadillac With Susan Michelson) – Tom Waits Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today “Luddite” is used as a derogatory term for someone who doesn’t understand technology. But the original Luddites weren’t behind. They were technical workers who were concerned about the impact that technology would have on people. This hour, we look at the history of Luddites, how their philosophy applies today, and ask what our present would look like if they had won. Could we all gain something from thinking more like a Luddite? GUESTS: Miriam A. Cherry: Professor of law at St. John’s University and the author of Work in the Digital Age: A Coursebook on Labor, Technology, and Regulation Brian Merchant: Author of Blood in the Machine: the Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech Gavin Mueller: Assistant professor of new media and digital culture at the University of Amsterdam and the author of Breaking Things at Work: The Luddites Are Right About Why You Hate Your Job The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get…

We’ve been doing these shows 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 Lonesome Dove, the public intellectual, how to talk in more complex sentences, tragedy and tragic figures today, quilting, the music of 1976… Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Music featured (in order): Pizza – Eitan Kenner, Natalie Tenenbaum Bite Your Tongue – Duncan Sheik Hudson – Henry Jamison (feat. Lady Lamb) A car wash and a new pair of pants – Lizzy McAlpine I Will Be Blowing More Jazz in the Future – Dan Reeder Waters of March – Cassandra Wilson Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This special edition of The Nose — guest hosted and co-hosted (!) by comedian and writer Shawn Murray and journalist and noted bat expert Lindsay Lee Wallace — looks at: Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is a satirical surrealist psychological romance slasher film with a film-within-a-film narrative. It’s the third feature film written and directed by Jane Schoenbrun and their followup to I Saw the TV Glow. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma stars Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson. And: Lanterns is the third TV series and fifth entry overall in Chapter One: Gods and Monsters of the DC Universe. It is created by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof, and Tom King, and it’s meant to tell a Green Lantern story kind of in the style of TV shows like True Detective and Slow Horses. Lanterns stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart. The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe…

You’ve likely heard the Greek myth of Cassandra, a woman given the gift of prophecy who was cursed never to be believed. This hour, a look at the Cassandra story and its relevance today, including some real-life Cassandras, like the diplomat who tried to stop World War II and the public health official who tried to warn us about the COVID-19 pandemic. GUESTS: Joel Christensen: Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at the CUNY Graduate Center; author of The Many-Minded Man: The Odyssey, Psychology, and the Therapy of Epic Charity Dean: CEO, founder, and chairman of the Public Health Company Steve Kemper: Author of Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor Amanda Rees: Historian of science at the University of York and the author of Human 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…

People have been preoccupied with the end of the world for a very long time. And that preoccupation isn’t going anywhere. As AI experts warn about potential catastrophic scenarios and the Doomsday Clock continues to move closer to midnight, a look at how we imagine the world ending and what that says about us. GUESTS: Dorian Lynskey: Journalist and author of multiple books, most recently Everything Must Go: The Stories We Tell About the End of the World. He is also co-host of the Origin Story podcast. Brian Slattery: Freelance writer and editor. He is the author of four novels. His latest short story is “Clouds” which appears in the anthology Shadow Lab 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…

How has our national discourse and our perception of national identity shifted in the 25 years after 9/11? And how can we heal from those traumatizing events? This hour, we talk about what we can learn from our response to 9/11 with a local psychiatrist who helped shape New York City's mental health response for its children. Plus, we look at how journalists coped with covering that day. GUESTS: John Woodall: Psychiatrist whose clinic is in Newtown. He is a former Harvard Medical School faculty, and founder of Healing the Heart of America. Sam Martin: Frank and Bethine Church Endowed Chair of Public Affairs at Boise State University. Dr. Anthony Feinstein: Professor of Psychiatry at University of Toronto and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. He specializes in the psychological effects of covering war and violent conflict on journalists. Music featured (in order): Listen to the Heroes Cry – Christian McBride Loose Ends – Sergio Mendes, Justin Timberlake, Pharoahe Monch Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Nina…

We’ve been doing these shows 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 — helmed by our old pal Chion Wolf! — winds around to “Crossing Muddy Waters” by I’m With Her, Phoebe Bridgers, The Shipping News by Annie Proulx, follow ups, paper routes and summer jobs for kids, loss … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Official Movie Star of The Colin McEnroe Show Illeana Douglas’ brand new book is Jungle Red! The Making of MGM’s The Women. Early this week, Colin went down to The Kate in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, to help launch the book. This hour, a recorded version of that onstage conversation about the women of Hollywood’s golden age and about golden age Hollywood’s The Women. GUEST: Illeana Douglas: An actress and author; her new book is Jungle Red! The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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, Robin Andreoli, Jacob Kaufman, and Wes Swan contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next week marks 250 years since Connecticut's Nathan Hale was executed by British soldiers. This hour we look back at the life of Nathan Hale, and the local historian who kept his legacy alive. Plus, we'll learn about spying during the Revolutionary War, and discover another Connecticut spy who escaped Hale's fate. GUESTS: Alexander Rose: Author of books including Washington's Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring. His last two books have been on American secret intelligence. He is also a writer and producer on the television series Turn: Washington’s Spies Michael Morand: Director of Community Engagement at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. He is also the City Historian of the City of New Haven Claire Bellerjeau: Co-author of Espionage and Enslavement in the Revolution: The True Story of Robert Townsend and Elizabeth and the founder of Remember Liss, a nonprofit sharing this story in schools and communities Music featured (in order): The Girl I Left Behind Me – The Norman Luboff Choir…

Laura Nyro’s most famous compositions — “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Stoney End,” “When I Die,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Eli’s Coming” — are jewels of mainstream music, and her covers of songs like “Jimmy Mack” and “Gonna Take a Miracle” are legendary. But she was uncomfortable under the spotlight and withdrew from it to become the Belle of Danbury, Connecticut. This hour: a night of singing, reflecting, and celebrating recorded in front of a live audience at Watkinson School in Hartford. GUESTS: Jim Chapdelaine: Guitar and vocals Latanya Farrell: Vocals and tambourine Steve Metcalf: Piano and vocals The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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 contributed to this show, which originally…

What happens when the people reshaping our world don't believe in introspection? This hour, a look at looking inward. And, we explore the spectrum of mental imagery. GUESTS: Elizabeth Lopatto: Senior reporter for The Verge Maja Spener: Associate Professor in Philosophy at the University of Birmingham. She is the author of Introspection: First-Person Access in Science and Agency Reshanne Reeder: Lecturer in Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience at the University of Liverpool Music featured (in order): Who Knows – Daniel Caesar What Kind of Fool Am I – Sammy Davis Jr. Man in the Mirror – Michael Jackson There’s No Telling – Duncan Sheik I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry – Cassandra Wilson Pretty Little Picture – Zero Mostel (Original Broadway Cast) The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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…

We’ve been doing these shows 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 oil prices, jetpacks, AI apocalypses, musicals, moving fast and breaking things … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Music featured (in order): Everything I’ve Got Belongs To You – Kate Kortum Act Like You Know (feat Muni Long) – Master Peace Vente – Solveig Slettahjell Quartet lamb (feat Kellin Quinn) – Julia Wolf Two Coats – Robert Plant one good thing – Lyn Lapid Let’em Know – Shaboozey Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does 9/11 mean, 25 years later? This hour, we are joined by Dan Taberski, host of the podcast "9/12", which explores how 9/11 went from a day to an idea, to talk about the failure of imagination, humor and tragedy, and how we remember well. GUEST: Dan Taberski Documentary podcaster, writer, director, and producer. His podcasts include “Manifesto”, “Hysterical”, “9/12”, “Running from Cops”, and “Missing Richard Simmons,” among others Music featured (in order): Where or When (Live) – Sonny Rollins Beautiful Day – U2 Safe As Houses – The Weepies I Don’t Wanna Be Funny Anymore – Lucy Dacus The Rising – Bruce Springsteen American Tune – The Jellyman’s Daughter Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kurt Andersen co-created Spy magazine, which published its first issue 40 years ago next month. And he hosted and co-created Studio 360, which ran on public radio stations for nearly 20 years. His new novel, The Breakup, follows the unraveling of a marriage … in 2045 … in a version of America that is also splitting apart after a second civil war in the 2030s. Kurt Andersen joins us for the hour. GUEST: Kurt Andersen: The author of 12 books; his latest, The Breakup, is his fourth novel Music featured (in order): (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes – Elvis Costello I Get Along Without You Very Well – Nina Simone Suspicious Minds – Elvis Presley Was That The Human Thing To Do – The Boswell Sisters Breaking Up Is Hard To Do – Neil Sedaka Why Should We Try Anymore – Hank Williams Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ten years ago, we aired an episode commemorating the 50th anniversary of Star Trek. Ten years later, the show has stuck around—and six more shows have come out in the franchise. So: 60 years after the first episode of Star Trek aired, we take a look back at its rocky start–and what the future of the series might be. Plus, a look at Star Trek’s fandom and some of the first ever fan conventions!–and what the future of the series might be. GUESTS: Stephen Dyson: professor of Political Science at University of Connecticut and is ½ of “The Pop Culture Professors” on YouTube. Baz Greenland: author and a podcaster based in Cardiff, UK. Francesca Coppa: professor of English at Muhlenberg College and one of the founders of the website Archive of our Own. Music featured (in order): The Nearness of You – Jonathan Frakes So Fragile, So Blue (Live Version) – William Shatner, Ben Folds, National Symphony Orchestra Status Report – Strange New Worlds OST Captain Picard (as time goes by) – Thornbird Star Trekkin’ – The Firm…

We’ve been doing these shows 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 new musicals, Connecticut trails, politics, June bugs, colonoscopies … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Music featured (in order): [1.20pm] Journey Beat (from the game “Big Walk”) – aksfx happiest day of my life – paris jackson Peace to Make – Ruth B. Just a Little Lovin’ – Laura Anglade Liminal Space – Zach Gill Get Away From Me (I Think I’ll Love You Soon) – Julia Jacklin Every Step of the Way – Keb’ Mo Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week’s Nose — guest hosted by the writer and noted bat expert Lindsay Lee Wallace — looks at: Coyote vs. Acme is the fifth original, theatrically released feature film in the Looney Tunes franchise. It is based on the classic New Yorker humor piece by Ian Frazier about Wile E. Coyote suing the Acme Corporation over the continuing catastrophic failure of their products. The movie’s road to the big screen was, let’s say, a bit rocky, but it got there, and it’s now the No. 2 movie in the country. And: Widow’s Bay is a comedy-horror series on Apple TV about a quaint island town off the coast of New England that may or may not be cursed. (Spoiler: It’s cursed.) Widow’s Bay has 19 nominations in 16 categories at this year’s Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. And finally: The Pitt is an HBO Max medical drama. Each episode covers one hour, basically in a real time, of a shift in the emergency department at the fictional Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. The Pitt currently has 25…

On September 26, 2025, last year’s Best Picture Oscar winner, One Battle After Another, a loose adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland, hit wide release in theaters. And then 11 days later, on October 7, Pynchon published what might be his final novel, Shadow Ticket. Not a bad year for an 89-year-old writer. This hour, a look at the (maybe) reclusive Pynchon and the novels and stories he’s published, from Gravity’s Rainbow to Mason & Dixon and more. Plus: a look at the two Paul Thomas Anderson movies that Pynchon’s work has inspired, Inherent Vice and One Battle After Another. GUESTS: David Cowart: Distinguished professor emeritus of English language and literature at the University of South Carolina and the author of a number of books, including Thomas Pynchon: The Art of Allusion and Thomas Pynchon and the Dark Passages of History Ana Gavrilovska: A writer; you can find her work in Current Affairs, Uncut Magazine, Maggot Brain, and her Substack, Sick Sad Motherslug Leonardo Goi: A journalist and…

South Carolina. The clinic offered MMR vaccinations as the South Carolina Department of Health reported 876 cases of measles earlier in the week, most centered in Spartanburg County. This hour, we look at the spread of measles in the United States. We also talk to health and science communicators who are working to tell the story of that disease in new ways. GUESTS: Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo: Director of the Pandemic Center at the Brown School of Public Health, and a Professor of Epidemiology Brinda Adhikari: Award-winning executive producer, showrunner and journalist, who is Co-Host of the "Why Should I Trust You?" podcast Teri Mills: Retired nurse educator, grandmother, and Board member and Vice President of Media for Grandparents for Vaccines Music featured (in order): Sickness – runo plum Contagious – Ani DiFranco Cat’s Got the Measles – The New Lost City Ramblers Catch My Disease – Ben Lee Soul Vaccination – Tower of Power Grandma’s Hands – Bill Withers Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See…

This hour we take a look at the state of immigration policy, after a week of ICE activity in Connecticut. We discuss what Americans actually want when it comes to immigration, the challenges of keeping track of immigration enforcement data, and a look at how the history of immigration policy in the United States is informing this present moment. GUESTS: Sister Mary Ellen Burns: Executive Director and Attorney at Apostle Immigrant Services in New Haven Sarah Pierce: Director of Social Policy at Third Way David Hausman: Assistant Professor at Berkeley Law who co-directs the Deportation Data Project Nancy Foner: Distinguished Emerita Professor in the Department of Sociology at the Hunter College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. She is author or editor of over 20 books, most recently Immigration: How the Past Shapes the Present Music featured (in order): One Body, One Blood – Tigran Hamasyan Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) – Dolly Parton Immigrants (We Get The Job Done) – K'Naan…

We’ve been doing these shows 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 detestable Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park, Brandi Carlile, Declan the Dog, the pronunciation of Pupienus, frustration with the Hartford region … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Music featured (in order): The Tom And Jerry Show – Hiromi To Love Somebody – Robin McKelle and the Flytones, Lee Fields Peg – Nerina Pallot Obvious Child – I’m With Her Just the Two of Us – Stacey Ryan Until You Come Back to Me – Aretha Franklin Ain’t Nobody – Jen Allen The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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…

As the you sit contemplating the end of long summer days, you might find yourself wondering: what was the song of the summer? And what should have been? To help fill that void in your life, Colin sits down with technical producer Dylan Reyes to form the public radio supergroup CG/WLM (cranky guys who like music) and talk about what they’re listening to and what song they think should have won the season. GUEST: Dylan Reyes: Technical producer, assistant director of radio operations at Connecticut Public Music featured (in order): Bet on U – CHUNG HA, Anderson .Paa King James – Anderson .Paak Silk Sonic Intro – Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) Miss Mango – Laila! Red Shoes – Maggie Rose It’s A Beautiful Life – Francis of Delirium Illusion – Leon Bridges Waiting – Beth Orton If I Let You – The Womack Sisters side slider – Isaia Huron Sirius – Katherine Priddy Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are now looking at our own faces more than ever before, thanks to mirrors, selfies, Zoom, and social media. This hour, we explore how our relationship with our faces has changed. Plus, a look at the rise of facial recognition technology, from your phone to security cameras. And we talk with an artist about what it means to paint faces. GUESTS: Cal Revely-Calder: Writer and Literary Editor of The Telegraph Kashmir Hill: Journalist at The New York Times and author of Your Face Belongs to Us Jessica Helfand: Artist and writer. She is the author of Face: A Visual Odyssey Music featured (in order): Put On A Happy Face – Dick Van Dyke (Bye Bye Birdie OBC) Look at That Face – Sammy Davis Jr. My Smile Is Just a Frown (Turned Upside Down) – Carolyn Crawford I’ve Just Seen A Face – The Beatles Smiling Faces Sometimes – The Undisputed Truth I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face – Andrew Bird, Alan Hampton Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you know your neighbors? This hour, we take a look at the role of our neighbors in our lives. We explore the psychological and social benefits of neighbors, hear listener stories, and discuss the role of neighbors in times of crisis. Plus, a look at "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" and how he thought about neighbors and community building. GUESTS: Julie Beck: Staff writer at The Atlantic and the creator of “The Friendship Files” Tricia Wachtendorf: Director of the Disaster Research Center and a Professor of Sociology at the University of Delaware. She is also co-author of American Dunkirk: The Waterborne Evacuation of Manhattan on 9/11 Daniel Cueto-Villalobos: Sociologist and doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota Maxwell King: Author of The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers. His new book is Fire in the Night Sky: The Steel Mill Paintings of Aaron Gorson The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you…

We’ve been doing these shows 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 William Shatner's music career, scouting, Canadians, water snakes, technological materialism... Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. Music featured (in order): Brixton Underground – Cory Wong, Joshua Redman Masks – William Shatner, Brad Paisley In the Still of the Night – Lauren Henderson Early One Mornin’ – Ekep Nkwelle As You Lie There – Paul McCartney THINK OF YOU – Tyreek McDole Stuff – Bella White Feel the Cold – Foy Vance Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lost Weekend is Phoebe Bridgers’ third solo studio album and fifth studio album overall. It dropped on August 14, and it’s expected to debut at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated August 29, which would make it Bridgers’ highest-charting album to date. And: My Brilliant Career is a Netflix limited series and the second screen adaptation of the 1901 novel by Miles Franklin. It is an Australian production with a largely Australian cast, and it’s set in Australia around the turn of the 20th century. Philippa Northeast stars as Sybylla, a young woman desperate to become a writer as her family tries to find her a husband. GUESTS: Rebecca Castellani: Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and the director of marketing at Washington Montessori School Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers Xandra Ellin: Produces The Global Story for the BBC Music featured (in order): The Outside – Phoebe Bridgers Lost Boys – Phoebe Bridgers Haunted – Phoebe Bridgers Still…

The Statue of Liberty gets the CMS treatment. First, Colin talks with Dennis Mulligan from the National Park Service. He’s been Lady Liberty’s caretaker for almost 30 years and walked to her crown approximately 5,000 times (he did the math). Colin also talks about the improbable logistics of her creation with the journalist Elizabeth Mitchell, author of Liberty's Torch: The Great Adventure to Build The Statue of Liberty. And, scholar and poet Esther Schor joins to shine a light on the Emma Lazarus poem that gave the statue meaning that has both endured and changed over time. You know the lines, “Give me your tired, your poor…” but what else do you know about the “Mother of Exiles?” GUESTS: Dennis Mulligan: Supervisory Park Ranger for the National Park Service, The Statue of Liberty's caretaker for almost 30 years Elizabeth "Biz" Mitchell: Jounalist and author of Liberty's Torch: The Great Adventure to Build The Statue of Liberty Esther Schor: Scholar, biographer, poet, essayist and Chair of the Humanities…

What's a dew point? Why is my weather app wrong all the time? Should I be worried about a Super El Niño? This hour, we explore the mysteries of the weather while checking in on the state of modern meteorology. Plus: How does literature teach us about the changing weather? GUESTS: Kristine Harper: Meteorologist, oceanographer, and science educator turned historian of science at the University of Copenhagen Matthew Cappucci: Senior Meteorologist at MyRadar and Meteorologist at CapitalWeather.com Amy Brady: Author of Ice: From Mixed Drinks to Skating Rinks – A Cool History of a Hot Commodity. She is also the former executive director and publisher of Orion magazine, a contributing editor for Scientific American, and coeditor of the anthology The World as We Knew It: Dispatches from a Changing Climate. Music featured (in order): Teen Town – Weather Report Storm Warning – Bonnie Raitt Pennies from Heaven – Emilie-Claire Barlow Isn’t This a Lovely Day? – Dana Lauren Heatwave – Martha Reeves and the Vandelas After…

There is perhaps no figure more emblematic of the paranormal than the psychic. Able to predict the future, see into the past, and even communicate with the dead, the psychic’s (supposed) awesome gifts are matched only by his or her ability to withstand skepticism and ridicule. But are our misgivings towards these intuitives justified? Is it merely smoke and mirrors which they’ve learned to master, or are they, in fact, possessed of powers beyond our comprehension? This hour, we speak with believers, skeptics, and self-proclaimed psychics to find out. GUESTS: Daryl Bem: Emeritus professor of psychology at Cornell University and the author of Feeling the Future: Experimental Evidence for Anomalous Retroactive Influences on Cognition and Affect Allison Dubois: A psychic medium and profiler and the author of several books, including Into the Dark: How the Dead Help Us Heal Benjamin Radford: Deputy editor for Skeptical Inquirer and co-host of Squaring the Strange Emily Stroia: An ituitive medium, the founder of…