Connecticut Public

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Channel • 23 Shows

Society & Culture

Society & Culture

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Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated Weekly
News

News

Updated Daily
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Weekly Series
News

News

Updated Weekly
Society & Culture

Society & Culture

Updated Weekly
History

History

Updated Weekly

3d ago

The Nose looks at ‘Coyote vs. Acme,’ ‘Widow’s Bay’ and ‘The Pitt’

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 nominations in 15 Emmy categories, including Outstanding Drama Series. GUESTS: Sam Hadelman: Director of public relations at Dark Matter Media Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Fantasy Filmballpodcast Irene Papoulis: Taught writing for a long time at Trinity College 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. Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 31

All calls: Depression is a flat circle

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 wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show. Colin McEnroe, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4d ago

Every weirdo in the world: A look at Thomas Pynchon

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 film critic Brian Slattery: A writer and musician Music featured (in order): Don Giovanni, K. 527: Overture – W.A. Mozart as performed by Claudio Abbado and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe The most referenced piece of music in Pynchon’s catalogue. Gravity’s Angel – Laurie Anderson The Royal Scam – Steely Dan Mentioned in Bleeding Edge. Run Straight Down – Warren Zevon Zevon attributed this song to overdosing on Pynchon — the opening words are just carcinogenic chemicals. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) – Bonzo Dog Band Pynchon put out his own playlist for Inherent Vice. This was on it. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – Gil Scott-Heron 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 on April 15th, 2026. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
5d ago

What do rising measles cases say about public health and trust?

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 omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
6d ago

When it comes to immigration policy, what do Americans want?

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 (The Hamilton Mixtape) Carwasheros / Lava Coches – Los Jornaleros Del Norte Immigration Man – Graham Nash, David Crosby City of Heroes – Billy Bragg Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
4d ago

A trip to Brimfield Antique Flea Market, where old things find new people

Welcome to the Brimfield Antique Flea Market! Thousands of buyers and sellers descend on a small Massachusetts town three times a year, filling fields with furniture, vintage clothes, tools, art, oddities and things you didn’t know existed five minutes ago. We spend the day roaming the country’s largest outdoor antiques show, meeting serious collectors, first-timers, lifelong dealers and shoppers operating almost entirely on instinct. Along the way: haggling advice, the difference between an oar and a paddle, clown art, a singing bowl sound bath and one important lesson: if you love it, somebody else probably does too. So grab it (preferably using cash). Suggested episodes: The Big E: What it takes to create 17 days of magic Audacious at sea: Wisdom from strangers on a cruise ship Audacious Scotland: CT’s Highland Festival & Games, plus quarrelsome dames seek justice for witches The minds, hearts (and stomachs) of competitive eaters Welcome to the Punderdome! We're entering NYC's punniest pun competition It’s A Brand Nude Day! GUESTS: First segment: Lois Shelton, Jacey Bradshaw, Mike Vojnich, Monica Pedroso, Sarah Gray, and Emily Cahill, Ram Limbu, Bruce Baier, Sam Sutner Second segment: Jen Davidson, Jen Weckbacher, Deborah Baird, Mary Smith, Collin and Kari McCaffery, Robert Simas, Kate Corriveau Third segment: James Enders, Shiree Cole, Tonya Cameron, Mo Benzriouil, Sarah Baroud, Luke Davis, Ross and Laura Bonner, Garett Eisele Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 27

Colin and Dylan tell you what the song of the summer should have been

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.
Aug 26

Selfies, Zoom, facial recognition... Our faces are everywhere and it's changing us

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.
Aug 28

'I Will Always Love You': Jada Star’s musical bond with her aunt Dolly Parton

In honor of Dolly Parton, we’re rebroadcasting a conversation with her niece, singer/songwriter Jada Star. Jada shares what it was like growing up with Aunt Dolly, watching the rest of the world fall in love with her, and learning from her example of kindness, faith, hard work, and generosity. For a transcription of this episode, click here. Original air date: January 6, 2024. GUEST: Jada Star: Singer-songwriter whose debut album is called Tell Me I'm Your Angel. She also starred in the ABC reality series Claim To Fame. You will also hear the voice of Heather Ream, author of "Lunchladies Bought My Prom Dress," East Tennessee native, and Dolly Parton fan. She was a guest on the Audacious episodes about super smellers and nostalgic childhood scents. Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 24

All Calls: We hear Colin’s Boy Scout torture story

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.

Connecticut Public is Connecticut’s only state-wide, community-supported public media service. We are a member station of national public media services PBS and NPR, and parent company for three television stations: Connecticut Public Television (CPTV); CPTV Spirit; and PBS Kids 24/7; and Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR). We serve one million people each month through our television, radio and digital platforms.

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