The Colin McEnroe Show

Connecticut Public
  • 4.4 (206)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED DAILY

The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

  1. The Nose looks at ‘Song Sung Blue’ and ‘Merrily We Roll Along’

    2D AGO

    The Nose looks at ‘Song Sung Blue’ and ‘Merrily We Roll Along’

    Song Sung Blue is a musical biopic written and directed by Craig Brewer and based on a documentary of the same name. It tells the true story of a Neil Diamond tribute act, Lightning & Thunder. Hugh Jackman plays Lightning, and Kate Hudson was just nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her turn as Thunder. And: Merrily We Roll Along is a filmed version of the 2023 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s 1981 problem musical. It stars Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez, and the Broadway production won four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. GUESTS: Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers Jacques Lamarre: A playwright, and chief communications officer at Buzz Engine 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 Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University MUSIC FEATURED (in order): Soolaimón / Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show – Hugh Jackman Cherry Cherry – Hugh Jackman ft. Kate Hudson Merrily We Roll Along – From the Movie (2023 version linked, very similar) Old Friends – From the Movie (2023 version linked, very similar) See You On The Radio – Grayson Hugh Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  2. Kalaallit Nunaat: An exploration of Greenland

    3D AGO

    Kalaallit Nunaat: An exploration of Greenland

    Greenland is the largest island in the world. Its landmass accounts for 95% of the Kingdom of Denmark, but it’s 80% covered in ice sheet. Greenland takes up roughly the same area as Alaska and California combined, while its population is roughly the same size as the population of … West Haven, Connecticut. Oh, and you may have noticed that Greenland has been in the news a bit lately. This hour: an exploration of Greenland. GUESTS: Elizabeth Buchanan: The author, most recently, of So You Want To Own Greenland? Lessons from the Vikings to Trump Simon Lynge: A Greenlandic-Danish singer-songwriter MUSIC FEATURED (in order): Asaneqarneq – Julie Berthelsen We Are the Arctic – Small Time Giants Tider (edit) – Nuuk Posse Kalaallit Nunaat, Kalaallit Pigaat – Kalaallit The Future (performed live for the show) – Simon Lynge Age of Distraction – Simon Lynge 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. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    50 min
  3. All calls: Fear and present danger: Listeners react to Trump’s obsession with Greenland

    4D AGO

    All calls: Fear and present danger: Listeners react to Trump’s obsession with Greenland

    We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls, calls about anything, everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. This hour, the conversation winds around to politics, Greenland, President Trump, hope, fear … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. MUSIC FEATURED (in order): United States of Whatever – Liam Lynch Eyeball – They Might Be Giants RIP Romeo – Mariachi el Bronx My Very Own Ride – Kurt Elling, WDR Big Band Pass Me Not – Ron Carter, Ricky Diller Michael – Alison Brown, Steve Martin (ft. Aofie O’Donovan, Sarah Jarosz) Lift Every Voice And Sing – Kirk Franklin Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  4. From totes to Birkins, handbags hold the keys to the world (along with your wallet and phone)

    5D AGO

    From totes to Birkins, handbags hold the keys to the world (along with your wallet and phone)

    For many of us, handbags are an essential part of our lives. They allow us to leave the house with everything we need, and they also can be another place to show off our status or style. This hour, we look at the evolution of the handbag. We'll talk about famous "It Bags", how handbags contributed to human development, and the impact of the Walmart "Birkin." GUESTS:  Nancy MacDonell: Fashion journalist and fashion historian. She writes the Wall Street Journal column "Fashion with a Past.” Her new book is Empresses of Seventh Avenue: World War II, New York City, and the Birth of American Fashion Hannah Carlson: Senior Lecturer in the Apparel Department at the Rhode Island School of Design. She’s also the author of Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close Audrey Wollen: Book critic and writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's, The New York Review of Books and other outlets. Her article “A Unified Theory of the Handbag” recently appeared in The Yale Review Aarushi Bhandari: An Assistant Professor of Sociology at Davidson College. Her new book is Attention and Alienation Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. 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. Colin McEnroe and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on June 4, 2025. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    50 min
  5. The Nose looks at ‘Marty Supreme’ and ‘Good Night, and Good Luck.: Live on Broadway’

    JAN 16

    The Nose looks at ‘Marty Supreme’ and ‘Good Night, and Good Luck.: Live on Broadway’

    Marty Supreme is the first movie written and directed by Josh Safdie without his former filmmaking partner, his brother Benny Safdie. It is a sports comedy-drama-thriller about a professional ping pong player played by Timothée Chalamet, who just won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy. And: Good Night, and Good Luck.: Live on Broadway is the recorded version of the live television broadcast of the stage version of the 2005 film mostly about the production of a live television show. Like the movie, it is written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, with Clooney this time starring as Edward R. Murrow. The play was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Actor in a Play for Clooney. GUESTS: Xandra Ellin: Produces The Global Story for the BBC Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Fantasy Filmball podcast Irene Papoulis: Taught writing for a long time at Trinity College MUSIC FEATURED (in order): I Have the Touch – Peter Gabriel Change – Tears for Fears When I Fall In Love - Georgia Heers How High The Moon - Georgia Heers See You On The Radio – Grayson Hugh Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  6. A look at human stupidity, from Socrates to today

    JAN 15

    A look at human stupidity, from Socrates to today

    Are we as a population getting dumber? How would we know if we were? This hour: stupidity. We’ll look at the history and philosophy of stupidity, and explore how it shows up in our daily lives and politics. GUESTS: Lane Brown: Features writer for New York Magazine, who recently wrote "A Theory of Dumb" Stuart Jeffries: Journalist and author. His new book is A Short History of Stupidity Shannon Mancus: Teaching Professor and Associate Department Head in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Department at the Colorado School of Mines. You can follow Dr. Shan on Instagram and Substack at “Pop Smart Media” MUSIC FEATURED (in order): Able Sisters – Animal Crossing New Leaf OST Manchild – Sabrina Carpenter Dumb All Over – Frank Zappa Get Stupid – Aston Merrygold How Sweet to Be an Idiot – Neil Innes Idiot Wind – Bob Dylan Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  7. Two thumbs up: A show all about fingers

    JAN 14

    Two thumbs up: A show all about fingers

    Touch, grip, read, dance, gesture — what can’t they do? Our fingers are so vital to our everyday life, sometimes it seems they have minds of their own. This hour, a look at the hidden language of finger gestures, the future of Braille, and the joys and challenges of animating fingers for the movies. GUESTS: Kensy Cooperrider: Cognitive scientist, writer, and host of the Many Minds podcast Jonathan McNicol: Producer of The Colin McEnroe Show Sile O’Modhrain: Professor at the University of Michigan studying sound and touch and the ways in which they interact Carlos Fernandez Puertolas: Animator with DreamWorks 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, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 31, 2022. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    50 min
  8. All calls: Boomy babers are the ones who worry about the mail

    JAN 13

    All calls: Boomy babers are the ones who worry about the mail

    Touch, grip, read, dance, gesture — what can’t they do? Our fingers are so vital to our everyday life, sometimes it seems they have minds of their own. This hour, a look at the hidden language of finger gestures, the future of Braille, and the joys and challenges of animating fingers for the movies. GUESTS: Kensy Cooperrider: Cognitive scientist, writer, and host of the Many Minds podcast Jonathan McNicol: Producer of The Colin McEnroe Show Sile O’Modhrain: Professor at the University of Michigan studying sound and touch and the ways in which they interact Carlos Fernandez Puertolas: Animator with DreamWorks 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, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 31, 2022. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
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4.4
out of 5
206 Ratings

About

The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

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