Podcast
The Colin McEnroe Show
Hosted by Connecticut Public Radio · EN
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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What is a revolution anyways? What the history of an idea can teach us
2w ago00:49:02Tap to summarizeToday, 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/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Benedict Arnold: Unscrupulous traitor or unsung hero?
2w ago00:49:00Tap to summarizeWhen you "pull a Benedict Arnold," you sell out your side to join the stronger side of a situation out of fear, not honor. Needless to say, that's not a compliment. More than 230 years after America secured independence from Britain, this skilled warrior and confidante of George Washington is remembered as a traitor and coward for defecting to the British side. But it's not that easy. The Revolution was a chaotic time. Some say America was in its first Civil War, when dangers greater than the British threatened our fledgling government. Congress was in constant battle with the military and feelings ran high over whether power should reside in the states or the federal government. And it took a toll on the men who fought this bloody and protracted war. Leadership was often ineffective, greed was rampant, and militias fought without pay, few provisions, and little training. Family farms were looted and destroyed, the economy collapsed, and the Native Americans usually fought for the British. Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country, fighting against friends and former comrades. He was impetuous and quick to anger. He also fought valiantly for the Revolution, often turning the tide toward America in decisive battles. Yet, he got little respect, less pay, and was a target of a politicized Congress. Is it time to take another look at Benedict Arnold and the Revolution that birthed America? GUESTS: Nathaniel Philbrick: Author of many books including In the Heart of the Sea; Mayflower; and Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution Eric Lehman: Director of Publications and an Associate Professor of English at University of Bridgeport; author of Homegrown Terror: Benedict Arnold and the Burning of New London Brad Meltzer: Author of many books including The Inner Circle; The Book of Fate; and The House of Secrets 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, Chion Wolf, and Greg Hill contributed to this show, which originally aired on June 16, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →All Calls: If Miss Piggy and Kermit had babies, what would they eat?
2w ago00:49:00Tap to summarizeWe’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 baby Muppets, the far side of the moon, frogs, reusable bags, primary elections, new words … 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): Garden of Hopes and Dreams - Deltarune OST Hand It Over – Keb’ Mo’, feat. Soweto Gospel Choir Lost Boys – Phoebe Bridgers Ego – Lauren Jauregui My Body Isn’t Ready – Sombr Just As Bad As You – Molly Johnson 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 Robyn Doyon-Aitken contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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The Nose looks at the new ‘Cape Fear’ and Boots Riley’s ‘I Love Boosters’
2w ago00:49:00Tap to summarizeApple TV’s new limited series version of Cape Fear is the third screen adaptation of the John D. MacDonald novel The Executioners. It is the second remake of the 1962 movie directed by J. Lee Thompson and written by James R. Webb. And it’s the first remake of the 1991 movie directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Wesley Strick. It’s executive produced by Scorsese and Steven Spielberg and stars Amy Adams, Javier Bardem, and Patrick Wilson. And: I Love Boosters is writer-director Boots Riley’s followup to his sci-fi comedy Sorry To Bother You. It is a sci-fi heist comedy and an adaptation of the song “I Love Boosters!” by Riley’s group The Coup. It stars Keke Palmer, Taylour Paige, Naomi Ackie, LaKeith Stanfield, Don Cheadle, and Demi Moore. GUESTS: Rebecca Castellani: The co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and the director of marketing at Washington Montessori School Illeana Douglas: The Official Movie Star of The Colin McEnroe Show and the author of three books, including the forthcoming Jungle Red! The Making of MGM’s The Women Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Fantasy Filmball podcast Lindsay Lee Wallace: A writer and journalist covering culture, health, technology, bats, and anything else people will answer her questions about Music featured (in order): The End – Elmer Bernstein Linger (2026 Stephen Street Stereo Mix) – The Cranberries Hi Ho – Tune-Yards Text Message Unsent – Keke Palmer And When I Die – Blood, Sweat & Tears Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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He Made A Hat: A look at the life and music of Stephen Sondheim
3w ago00:50:00Tap to summarizeStephen Sondheim was the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and lyricist who wrote Into the Woods, West Side Story, Sunday in the Park with George, Company, Assassins, and more. This hour, a look at the life and music of Sondheim. And, on the occasion of the new Hartford Stage/TheaterWorks Hartford co-production, we dig into the story and music of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. GUESTS: Daniel Okrent: Author of Stephen Sondheim: Art Isn’t Easy Wiley DeWeese: Music director, arranger, orchestrator, and conductor. He is currently Music Director for The Hartford Stage and TheaterWorks Hartford’s co-production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Music featured (in order): Prologue: Into the Woods – 2022 OBC and Disney Theatrical Instrumental Anyone Can Whistle – Bernadette Peters Our Time – 2023 Merrily We Roll Along New OBC I Know Things Now – Danielle Ferland, Into the Woods OBC Someone in a Tree – Pacific Overtures OBC CUT FOR TIME Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd – Sweeney Todd OBC Pretty Women – Sweeney Todd OBC Prelude: Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd – Sweeney Todd OBC Concerto Macabro (Excerpt) – Bernard Herrmann Johanna (Mea Culpa) – Sweeney Todd OBC Corn Puddin’ – Schmigadoon! The Worst Pies in London – Sweeney Todd OBC A Little Priest – Sweeney Todd OBC Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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From spiritual to practical: We could learn a lot from modern (and Sixteenth-century!) nuns
3w ago00:50:00Tap to summarizeWhat's it like being a nun today? Sister Monica Clare joins us to explain her path to the Community of St. John Baptist and why she is sharing her story on TikTok and in a new memoir. Plus, scholars Ana Garriga and Carmen Urbita explore the lessons about friendship, money, work, and more that we can learn from Sixteenth-century nuns in their podcast and their new book. They join us to explain that "anything you are going through right now has probably already happened to a nun living several hundred years ago.” GUESTS: Sister Monica Clare: Sister superior at the Community of St. John Baptist, an Episcopal convent based in New Jersey. She is also a spiritual counselor specializing in religious trauma, mental illness, and addiction. She is the author of A Change of Habit: Leaving Behind My Husband, Career, and Everything I Owned to Become a Nun Ana Garriga: Co-host of the 'Las Hijas de Felipe' podcast, and co-author of Convent Wisdom: How Sixteenth-Century Nuns Could Save Your Twenty-First Century Life. Ana received her PhD from Brown University Carmen Urbita: Co-host of the 'Las Hijas de Felipe' podcast, and co-author of Convent Wisdom: How Sixteenth-Century Nuns Could Save Your Twenty-First Century Life. Carmen received her PhD from Brown University MUSIC FEATURED (in order): Organ Symphony No 5 in F Minor Op. 42, No. 1 (V. Toccata) – Joseph Nolan, Charles-Marie Widor Dominique – Soeur Sourire (The Singing Nun) Calling All Angels – k.d. lang (ft. Jane Siberry) Maria – Sound of Music Let the Mystery Be – Iris DeMent Song of Bernadette – Jennifer Warnes 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 contributed to this show, which originally aired on November 19, 2025.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Exploring the landscapes and legacy of painter Frederic Church
3w ago00:50:00Tap to summarizePainter 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 new 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 in the Park with George OBC Everytime I See River – Van Morrison When I Paint My Masterpiece – Emmylou Harris Both Sides Now – Joni Mitchell Painter Song – Norah Jones 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/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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A look at human stupidity, from Socrates to today
3w ago00:50:00Tap to summarizeAre 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 Baka Mitai - Yakuza OST Idiot Wind – Bob Dylan 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, Dylan Reyes, and Isaac Moss contributed to this show, which originally aired on January 15, 2026.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Song of the summer, 2026
4w ago00:46:12Tap to summarizeWe have done a version of this show every single year since 2013. And we did it in 2011. We probably even did one in 2010. (We just can’t prove it.) So it’s a bit of a tradition. It’s a tradition that … makes some people angry, we realize. And that has a lot to do with how we define the term “song of the summer.” We use the Amanda Dobbins definition: Let’s be clear about how this works: There is no such thing as a “personal” song of summer. We do not anoint multiple songs of summer. There can only be one; the Song of Summer, by its very definition, is a consensus choice. It is the song that wrecks wedding dance floors. It is the song that you and your mother begrudgingly agree on (even though your mom has no idea what rhymes with “hug me” and won’t stop yelling it in public). It does not necessarily have to hit No. 1 on the charts, but it should probably be on the charts because it must be widely played. It must bring people together. It must be a shared enthusiasm. So it’s our job here to figure out what song from 2024 will get added to the long list of song of the summer classics like “Party Rock Anthem,” “Call Me Maybe,” “Despacito,” and “Blurred Lines.” And if we’re wrong, well, it really just won’t matter at all. GUESTS: Xandra Ellin: Produces The Global Story for the BBC Sam Hadelman: Director of public relations at Dark Matter Media Dylan Reyes: Technical producer of The Colin McEnroe Show Brendan Jay Sullivan: A writer, producer, and DJ best known for his work with Lady Gaga 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. Our programming is made possible thanks to listeners like you. Please consider supporting this show and Connecticut Public with a donation today.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Regional accents: Why we sound the way we do
4w ago00:42:01Tap to summarizeMillions of Americans speak English, so why do we all sound so different? And what might accents of the future sound like? This hour, we explore the past, present, and future of regional accents–from Carter to Colin. Plus, we discuss why hearing different regional accents might make us feel a certain way, and hear how international actors learn how to speak like Americans. GUESTS: Margaret Renwick is an associate Research Professor at Johns Hopkins University studying accents and how they change. Rebecca Gausnell is a dialect coach based in France, specializing in American accents. She has worked on shows including “The Boys”, “Industry”, and the upcoming “Anxious People”. 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/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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