The Colin McEnroe Show

Connecticut Public
  • 4.4 (216)
  • 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. All calls: This whole thing is a screwjob

    18h ago

    All calls: This whole thing is a screwjob

    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 ticks, the electoral college, nursing, bird doulas, and ambidextrous presidencies … 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): Tomorrow, Again – FATHERS (Nate Smith, Kiefer, CARRTOONS, & Kenny Beats) Yes – Lucy Woodward Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea – Bria Skonberg Candle Box – The Mountain Goats Past the Veil – Shannon Lay Just for a Moment – Sophia Galate, Dende Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    50 min
  2. ‘Love’s in need of love today’: A look at Stevie Wonder

    3d ago

    ‘Love’s in need of love today’: A look at Stevie Wonder

    In 2025, Stevie Wonder turned 75, and our friend the jazz pianist Noah Baerman put out an album of covers of Wonder’s “message music.” This hour, a look at Stevie Wonder as musical icon, as important civil rights figure, as utterly timeless songsmith. Plus: some in-studio performances of Stevie Wonder classics. GUESTS: Noah Baerman: A pianist, composer, and educator; his newest album is Right Now Volume 4: Visions of Steveland Kevin Gaines: The Julian Bond Professor of Civil Rights and Social Justice at the University of Virginia Erica Tracy: A vocalist, songwriter, and arts curator MUSIC FEATURED (in order): You Haven’t Done Nothing – Stevie Wonder Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours) – Stevie Wonder Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) – Stevie Wonder Higher Ground – Noah Baerman Happy Birthday – Stevie Wonder Big Brother – Stevie Wonder Black Man – Stevie Wonder Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart – Stevie Wonder 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 and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired December 12, 2025. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    53 min
  3. If you're bored, are you boring? A look at boredom in all its forms

    4d ago

    If you're bored, are you boring? A look at boredom in all its forms

    How often are you bored nowadays? This hour we take a look at the psychology of boredom to learn what's happening in our minds when we're bored, and if there's any benefit to it. Plus, a look at boredom through history and literature. And, what makes a movie boring? GUESTS: James Danckert: A Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Waterloo. He is co-author of Out of My Skull: The Psychology of Boredom Peter Toohey: A Professor of Classics at the University of Calgary, and author of books including Boredom: A Lively History Mary Mann: The College Archivist at The Cooper Union, and the author of Yawn: Adventures in Boredom David Edelstein: America’s Greatest Living Film Critic Music featured (in order): No Rain – Blind Melon Bored – Billie Eilish One More Day – Todd Rundgren Still I Dream Of It – The Beach Boys Grand Ennui – Mike Nesmith I’m Bored – Iggy Pop Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  4. Who wants to live forever? A look at the quest for immortality

    5d ago

    Who wants to live forever? A look at the quest for immortality

    Is it possible to live forever? And if so, should we even want to? This hour, we discuss the search for immortality, from ancient philosophers to the elixir of life. Plus, a look at immortalizing public figures through obituaries. Guests: Tushar Irani is a Professor of Philosophy at Wesleyan University studying Ancient Greek and Roman Philosophy. Philip Ball is a freelance science writer and the author of “Alchemy: An Illustrated History of Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science” William McDonald recently retired as the obituaries editor for the New York Times, a position that he held for the past 20 years. Music featured (in order): Galahad – Aoife O’Donovan You Only Live Twice – Nancy Sinatra If We Were Vampires – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Alchemy – Cam Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven (But Nobody Wants to Die) – Ellen McIlwaine CUT FOR TIME I Don’t Want to Die (In the Hospital) – Connor Oberst Fame – Irene Cara 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 and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  5. What counts as 'classical music'?

    6d ago

    What counts as 'classical music'?

    The term "classical music" includes a wide variety of music and artists. This hour we take a look at what that category really means. We celebrate the form and help you figure out how to start listening to the genre. Plus, how video game music is bringing new listeners to classical music and live orchestras. GUESTS: Matthew Aucoin: American composer, conductor, writer, pianist, and a 2018 MacArthur Fellow. He is author of “The Impossible Art: Adventures in Opera” and is co-founder of the American Modern Opera Company. His opera “Euridyce” was produced by the Metropolitan Opera in 2021, making him the youngest composer in nearly a century to have an opera produced by The Met Arianna Warsaw-Fan Rauch: Author of “Declassified: A Low-Key Guide to the High-Strung World of Classical Music”. She is also a violinist who has performed in venues around the world Carolyn Kuan: Music Director of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. In 2025, she led the acclaimed world premiere of Huang Ruo’s "The Monkey King" at San Francisco Opera. Her recording of Huang Ruo’s "An American Soldier" with the American Composers Orchestra received a 2026 Grammy nomination J. Aaron Hardwick: An internationally active professional conductor, professor of music at Wake Forest University, and Director of the Wake Forest University Symphony Orchestra, recognized for his work in classical and contemporary repertoire and innovative orchestral programming, including video game music 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 contributed to this show, which originally aired February 5, 2026. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    50 min

  6. Jul 6

    All calls: The tenuous connection between the separation of powers and cheese

    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 humanoid foodstuffs, The World Cup, climate change, cheese … Anything. (Seemingly) everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one. 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, Eugene Amatruda, Jonathan McNicol, and Isaac Moss contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  7. The America250 Nose looks at the American Revolution in pop culture

    Jul 2

    The America250 Nose looks at the American Revolution in pop culture

    As we were preparing for this show, we started to realize that there maybe just isn’t that much good pop culture stuff about the American Revolution. There’s Hamilton, of course. The John Adams HBO miniseries. Maybe the musical and movie 1776? And that’s maybe it? There’s fun junk like The Patriot or National Treasure. But what else? Think about all the great movies and TV series and plays and whatever else there are about World War II. Or Vietnam. Or the American Civil War. I mean, there’s a newish movie (based on a play) about THE WEATHER leading up to D-Day … and it’s pretty good! So what is it about the story of the American Revolution that makes it especially hard to tell well on the stage or screen? The Nose has thoughts. GUESTS: RS Benedict: A writer and bureaucrat whose fiction and non-fiction has been published in the New Haven Review, Fangoria, Current Affairs, and a bunch of other places Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers Joanne Freeman: The Alan J. Boles Jr. Professor of History and American Studies at Yale and the host of two podcasts, History Matters (…& so does coffee) and A Few Thoughts for Those Who Can’t Sleep Rich Hollant: Founder and principal of CO:LAB, a hall of fame designer, and a co-partner at CENTER 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 Gene Seymour: A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek,” and he writes the That Gene Seymour Substack Lindsay Lee Wallace: A writer and journalist covering culture, health, technology, bats, and anything else people will answer her questions about Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University 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 and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  8. What is a revolution anyways? What the history of an idea can teach us

    Jul 1

    What is a revolution anyways? What the history of an idea can teach us

    Today, revolution is a catch-all term used by people across the political spectrum. There's a sense that revolutions are transformational, and even improving. But people haven't always thought that way. This hour, we trace the history of the idea from ancient Rome to the present, and look at what it can tell us about the revolutions of the past. GUESTS: Dan Edelstein: Professor of French, History and Political Science at Stanford University. His most recent book is The Revolution to Come: A History of an Idea from Thucydides to Lenin Alan Williams: Writer, musician, singer, and professor emeritus of Music at UMass Lowell 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, Katie Servas, and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show. 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
216 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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