The Colin McEnroe Show

Over just six years, from 1954 to 1960, Alfred Hitchcock made four movies -- Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960) -- that are routinely mentioned among the very best movies ever made. It's maybe an unparalleled run in the history of cinema. And that's just those four movies. Hitchcock's filmography is full of classics: Notorious (1946), Strangers on a Train (1951), The 39 Steps (1935), The Wrong Man (1956), The Birds (1963). The list goes on. At the same time, Hitchcock's relationship with his actors has been the subject of much discussion and debate for many decades. He's said to have thought of them as "cattle" and "animated props." He's said to have sexually harassed at least one of them. At the same time as that, Hitchcock's films earned eight of his actors nine Academy Award nominations and produced many more all-time-great screen performances, from Joan Fontaine in Rebecca (1940) to Tippi Hedren in Marnie (1964) and many others. This hour: a look at the work of Alfred Hitchcock... and his actors. GUESTS: Tom Breen - Managing editor of the New Haven Independent and the host of Deep Focus on WNHH radio Dan Callahan - Author of The Camera Lies: Acting for Hitchcock Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired March 3, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dust is everywhere, but we rarely see it. We shed it from our skin, hair, and nails, leaving little bits of DNA wherever we roam.  More than 100 tons of cosmic dust fall to Earth each day, leaving an archive of every "geochemical" substance that has fallen - at least some of it into our homes. All of history is recorded in the dust we create: the pollution we make, the fires we start, the chemicals we use, the volcanos that erupt. Scientists can learn about the Roman Empire through the dust that has been compressed each year for thousands of years into layers of ice sheets in Greenland.  Today, we talk about the science, politics and ephemeral nature of dust. GUESTS:  Jay Owens - Geographer and research director at Pulsar Platform. She writes a newsletter about dust she calls, “Disturbances.” (@hautepop) Jolie Kerr - Cleaning expert and advice columnist for The Inventory and the host of the podcast “Ask a Clean Person.” She’s also the author of My Boyfriend Barfed in My Handbag...and Other Things You Can't Ask Martha. She’s the resident cleaning expert for the New York Times. (@joliekerr) Suzanne Proulx - Artist, sculpture and Assistant Professor, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.  Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.  Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show. This show first aired on January 15, 2019Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The word "bastard" hasn't always been meant to offend. Used simply as an indication of illegitimate birth at first, the label "bastard" didn't bring with it shame or stigma until long after it first appeared in the Middle Ages. Today, while its original meaning has not been forgotten, its use is largely reserved for insult. Yet, ironically, the underdog status once associated with a person of illegitimate birth is now something our modern culture celebrates. From Alexander Hamilton to Game of Thrones's Jon Snow, the bastard's ability to rise above his or her unfortunate circumstances to achieve greatness has become something to root for. This hour, a look at the origin, evolution, and pop culture triumph of the bastard! GUESTS: Scott Andrews - Science fiction reviewer for The Philadelphia Enquirer, columnist for Winter Is Coming, and the author of The Guild Leader's Handbook Joanne Freeman - Professor of history and American studies at Yale University and the editor of The Essential Hamilton: Letters & Other Writings Sara McDougall - Associate professor of history at John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York and the author of Royal Bastards: The Birth of Illegitimacy, 800-1230 Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Jonathan McNicol, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired July 18, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beavers build sophisticated dams and deep-water ponds that slow erosion of riverbanks, create cooler deep-water pools for temperature-sensitive plant and fish species, and increase the water table, a big deal for Western states coping with drought. And they're social animals who have mates, kits, and an active social life.  But centuries-old myths and fables about the beaver have led to their destruction and prevented us from recognizing their charms and value to the ecosystem. We fear them, dislike them, and use them for all the wrong reasons, like killing them for their pelts. Let's celebrate the beaver! GUESTS: Jim Robbins - freelance journalist based in Montana and a frequent contributor to the New York Times. He’s the author of several books including, “The Man Who Planted Trees: Lost Groves, Champion Trees, and An Urge To Save the Planet.” Rachel Poliquin - freelance writer and curator. She’s the author of “The Breathless Zoo: Taxidermy and the Cultures of Longing,” and “Beaver,” for the Reaktion Books’ Animal Series. Heidi Perryman - child psychologist and the founder of Worth-A-Dam Sherri Tippie - the top live-trapper of Beaver in North America. She rescues beaver in Colorado and rehabilitates and relocates them to areas where there ponds are needed. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.  Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adrian Lopez is a high school kid from East Vale, California. He had planned a high school kid's birthday party at some fire pits for last weekend. But then the TikTok flyer for the party went viral, thousands of people showed up to two different locations, and the whole thing has been described as a "zombie apocalypse" of "17 to 19 year olds." And: Hacks is a half-hour sitcom from HBO Max. It stars Jean Smart as a late-career Vegas comedian, and it's written and created by three people who wrote for Broad City on Comedy Central. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Eric Carle, Author of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar,' Dies at 91A self-described "picture writer," he wrote and illustrated more than 70 books for young children, selling more than 170 million copies. Samuel E. Wright, The Voice Behind The Beloved "Little Mermaid" Character Sebastian, Has DiedThe actor was also nominated for two Tony awards for his performances in The Tap Dance Kid and The Lion King. 'Simpsons' writer (opinion): Why I love to make fun of Connecticut How Girls5Eva Is Making Up for 30 Rock's PastThe Tina Fey-verse has finally outgrown Liz Lemon. This Was the Week That Movie Studios Finally Lost Control of the IndustryIn a world where the theatrical release is an option, not a necessity, movie studios are no longer in charge of Hollywood. Fresh Off A Viral Library Gig, The Linda Lindas Get A Record Deal The Whole Parade: On the Incomparable Career of Nicolas Cage Johnny Knoxville's Last RodeoAs he prepares to release his final Jackass film, the stuntman takes stock of a surprisingly long, hilariously painful, and unusually influential career. J.J. Abrams Reflects on 'Star Wars' and When It's Critical to Have a Plan"I do think that there's nothing more important than knowing where you're going." Broadway's Tony Awards, Delayed by Pandemic, Set for SeptemberMost of the prizes will be announced on the Paramount+ streaming service, followed by a starry concert celebrating Broadway on CBS television. James Bond, Meet Jeff Bezos: Amazon Makes $8.45 Billion Deal for MGMMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer, while diminished, commanded a premium price, with Amazon seeking to bolster its crucial Prime membership offering. Streaming TV Costs Add Up as Americans Add More Services Vanessa Redgrave no longer set to appear in Kevin Spacey filmActor had been linked to her husband Franco Nero's Italian drama, set to be Spacey's comeback after sexual misconduct accusations New York's Hyphenated HistoryIn Pardis Mahdavi's new book Hyphen, she explores the way hyphenation became not only a copyediting quirk but a complex issue of identity, assimilation, and xenophobia amid anti-immigration movements at the turn of the twentieth century. In the excerpt below, Mahdavi gives the little-known history of New York's hyphenation debate. The Mesmerizing Pull of Plastic Surgery VideosProcedures used to be done in secret, but in the post-Kardashian world, transparency is just part of the process. GUESTS: Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Francisco Goldman made a big choice as a young man. He chose to spend a year in Guatemala living with his uncle instead of pursuing the master’s degree he could have had from a prestigious school offering him a full scholarship. It turned out to be one of the most consequential decisions of his early life. This hour, Colin talks with Goldman about his new novel, Monkey Boy, a story about the legacy of violence on a family and much more, including how his decision to go to Guatemala has shaped his life. GUEST: Francisco Goldman - Author of seven books; his most recent is the novel Monkey Boy Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Life is a self-sustained chemical system capable of undergoing Darwinian evolution." That's the so-called "NASA definition of life." Or there's Russian-born geneticist Edward Trifonov's take: Life is "self-reproduction with variations." Or there's "Life is an expected, collectively self-organized property of catalytic polymers." Or "Life is a metabolic network within a boundary." It's said that, "There are as many definitions of life as there are people trying to define it." And yet, none of those definitions is quite right. Science writer Carl Zimmer says that's strange behavior for scientists: "It is as if astronomers kept coming up with new ways to define stars." Plus: Linguist Ben Zimmer (no relation to Carl*) on what it means to be human. Or, at least, as much as we can tell about what it means to be human by looking at Dr. Fill, the artificial intelligence that just won a national crossword puzzle tournament. *No relation beyond that they're brothers, I mean. GUESTS: Ben Zimmer - A linguist, lexicographer, and the language columnist for The Wall Street Journal Carl Zimmer - The science columnist for The New York Times; his new book is Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means To Be Alive Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thornton Wilder's Our Town debuted more than 80 years ago. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and, over the decades since, it has continuously been one of the most produced of American plays. It is known for its spare set -- just some chairs and tables, perhaps some ladders -- and lack of props and sometimes even costumes. It's known for its metatheatricality and its Stage Manager character, who addresses the audience directly and rarely participates in the action of the play, as much as there really is any. It is known as old-fashioned, sentimental, nostalgic and, simultaneously, obviously and intentionally not old-fashioned, sentimental, and nostalgic. This hour, a look at perhaps the quintessential American play: Our Town. GUESTS: Howard Sherman - The author of Another Day's Begun: Thornton Wilder's Our Town in the 21st Century Kate Powers - A stage director and the founder of The Redeeming Time Project; in 2013, she directed a production of Our Town at Sing Sing Correctional Facility Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired February 24, 2021.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Cancel culture' has become a phrase that means so much that it means nothing at all. It originated in Black culture as a way to hold the powerful accountable, but was eventually appropriated as a political weapon for (mostly White) conservatives and liberal progressives, each group using it in very different ways. Cancel culture has brought much-needed attention to societal inequities, but also toppled careers - some justifiably, others more questionably. In the end, the most powerful scalawags seem too big to cancel. We parse out the nuance of 'cancel culture' with three thoughtful people, including one who has been canceled and who now counsels the canceled.  GUESTS: Gene Seymour is a film and jazz critic and a cultural critic for CNN.com, the New Republic, and the Nation.  Clyde McGrady is a Style features writer for the Washington Post focusing on race and identity. Alice Dreger is a writer, historian, journalist, and local news publisher with Ph.D in History of Science. Her best known book is Galileo’s Middle Finger: Heretics, Activists, and One Scholar’s Search for Justice, and her bylines include the New York Times, WIRED Magazine, and the Atlantic. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a long absence from Twitter, Donald Glover last week, in a series of since-deleted tweets, blamed boring culture on cancel culture. After a long absence from the popular culture, Sinéad O'Connor has a memoir coming out. And: The Underground Railroad is a 10-part limited series on Amazon Prime. It's Barry Jenkins's adaptation of Colson Whitehead's 2016 novel. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Paul Mooney Dies: Trailblazing Comedian, Writing Partner Of Richard Pryor Was 79 Charles Grodin, Star of 'Beethoven' and 'Heartbreak Kid,' Dies at 86A familiar face who was especially adept at deadpan comedy, he also appeared on Broadway in "Same Time, Next Year," wrote books and had his own talk show. Inside the All-hands Meeting That Led to a Third of Basecamp Employees QuittingThe company's senior leadership wanted to quell employees' concerns, and only made things much, much worse Jon Bon Jovi, Don Henley Called Antitrust "Co-Conspirators"An outfit representing some 10,000 radio stations wants to depose star musicians in a heavyweight legal battle. Oregon Trail Gets A Makeover With More Accurate Native American Representation Ellen DeGeneres' Farewell Tour Is Already a Whiny, Tone-Deaf DisasterWhile DeGeneres complains about the reports of her behavior and toxic workplace, it's even harder to remember what it was about the show that changed history -- and was so good. I'll Take 'White Supremacist Hand Gestures' for $1,000How hundreds of "Jeopardy!" contestants talked themselves into a baseless conspiracy theory -- and won't be talked out of it. Only Shooting Stars Break the Mold: The Massive Musical Footprint of 'Shrek'Thanks to 'All Star' to 'Hallelujah,' the animated blockbuster’s soundtrack has maintained a quietly rich legacy. The people behind the film -- and musicians behind its songs -- break down how it came together and why it still matters, even as the years started coming and didn’t stop coming. The New 'Right Stuff' Is Money and LuckRich people are heading to space, and they're changing what it means to be an astronaut. Goop Responds to "Frivolous" Lawsuit Claiming That Its Vagina Candles Explode After LightingThis class action filing comes after another customer claimed at the beginning of the year that the candle turned her living room into an "inferno." How a Review Changed Both Sarah Silverman and Our CriticA.O. Scott critiqued her approach to comedy in a 2005 movie. Now they sit down to talk about what he got right and wrong, and why owning up to mistakes is freeing. GUESTS: Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks Rich Hollant - Principal at CO:LAB, founder of Free Center, and commissioner on cultural affairs for the city of Hartford Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Dylan turns 80 years old on May 24. His first album, 1962's Bob Dylan, is in its 60th year on record store shelves. We're at a point where, for most of us, there has simply never been a popular culture in which Dylan wasn't a towering figure whose influence seems to touch, well, everything. This hour, a look at Bob Dylan at 80. GUESTS: Noah Baerman - A pianist, composer, and educator Fred Bals - Hosted the Dreamtime podcast, covering Theme Time Radio Hour with Your Host, Bob Dylan Sean Latham - Director of the Institute for Bob Dylan Studies, editor of The World of Bob Dylan, and the writer and narrator of It Ain't Me You're Looking For: Bob Dylan at 80 Gayle Wald - Professor of American studies at George Washington University; her most recent book is It's Been Beautiful: Soul! and Black Power Television Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Using our private bathrooms while working from home opened our eyes to how uncomfortable it can be to use public bathrooms at the office - especially when you have a digestive issue. Also this hour: "Familect" are the invented nicknames, references, and jokes shared by people who live together. For example, my husband calls me "diller," because I remind him of the hard-headed armadillo that kept crashing into our tent on our honeymoon.  Lastly, the semiotics of unmasking.  GUESTS:  Angela Lashbrook is a health, tech, and books writer. Her work has appeared in OneZero, Refinery29, The Atlantic, Vice, Vox, The Outline, and other places.   Dr. Neil Parikh is a gastroenterologist for Hartford Healthcare and Connecticut GI   Kathryn Hymes is a computational linguist and the co-founder of Thorny Games, a game studio out of Washington DC Mignon Fogarty is the founder of the Quick and Dirty Tips network and creator of the Grammar Girl website and podcast. She’s the author of Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. Glynnis MacNicol is a writer and the author of No One Tells You This: A Memoir. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Cut, and the New York Daily News among others.  Emily Gardner Xu Hall is a musical theatre writer, composer and actor. Born in Tokyo and raised in London, she now lives in Harlem, New York City.  Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who's afraid of the Bix bad Beiderbecke? Hartford has an amazing jazz history, and Colin has a lot of jazz musician friends. This hour, a little onstage jazz party recorded in front of a live audience long before the pandemic put a pause on live audiences as a thing. Colin and the panel look to make jazz accessible to mere mortals. They talk about what makes jazz jazz, invite the audience to sing, and teach the audience to scat. GUESTS: Steve Davis - Trombone Atla DeChamplain - Vocals Matt DeChamplain - Piano Henry Lugo - Bass Jocelyn Pleasant - Drums Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. This show originally aired February 8, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees have been announced. Artists like Foo Fighters, Jay-Z, Todd Rundgren, Tina Turner, LL Cool J, Kraftwerk, and Gil Scott-Heron got in. Folks like Iron Maiden, Chaka Kahn, Rage Against the Machine, Devo, and Dionne Warwick did not. And: Mare of Easttown is a seven-episode HBO limited series starring Kate Winslet. The fifth episode airs Sunday. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Norman Lloyd, Associate of Welles, Hitchcock and Others, Dies at 106He was seen in movies and on TV shows like "St. Elsewhere" and worked with some of the biggest names in show business, even though his own name was little known. 1980s siren Tawny Kitaen of music videos and 'Bachelor Party' dies at 59 Ellen DeGeneres to End Talk Show: "I Need Something New to Challenge Me"DeGeneres gets candid about her decision to wrap up the show in 2022, the allegations that nearly sent her packing and the parts that she'll miss most -- and least -- about her daily platform. NBC Will Not Air Golden Globes in 2022 Due To Ongoing HFPA Controversy Ummm, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck Were Spotted Hanging Out Together at a Resort in Montana Gen Z Is Bringing Emo Back, But This Time It's Not Just A Bunch Of White Dudes The Jean War between millennials and Gen Z cannot be won The Squandered Promise of Chet Hanks's White-Boy SummerPerhaps, in the end, we weren't nearly as ready for it as we might have wanted to be. Cinemark Signs Deals With 5 Major Hollywood Studios for Shorter Theatrical Windows STAR WARS Answers the Mystery of Luke's Missing Hand Reddit just realized that Jerry Seinfeld's TV apartment defies the laws of science Is rewatching old TV good for the soul? Andrew McCarthy Revisits the Brat PackIn a new memoir, the actor reflects on being typecast in his twenties, his struggles with addiction, and learning to like John Hughes movies. David Chase and The Sopranos writers break down 'Pine Barrens', 20 years onThe Sopranos creator and two of his closest collaborators, Terence Winter and Tim Van Patten, discuss the origin of 'Pine Barrens' -- the greatest TV episode of all time -- and why the glorious ambiguity that permeated the show keeps it relevant today The State of Baseball: Inside the biggest questions MLB is facing with the future of the sport at stake Gal Gadot Confirmed Reports That Joss Whedon "Threatened" Her While Shooting "Justice League""I handled it on the spot." Cut the intermission, please. Why I hope the pandemic ends a theatrical tradition Who Should John Mulaney Be Now? Just 12 People Are Behind Most Vaccine Hoaxes On Social Media, Research Shows GUESTS: Mercy Quaye - Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Profanity used to be about someone swearing insincerely to God. Then the Reformation came along and made profanity about sex and the body.  Today, our most unspeakable words are slurs against other groups at a time when BLM, #MeToo, and cancel culture are driving our cultural narrative. We talk about the past, present, and future of profanity.  GUEST: John McWhorter teaches linguistics, American studies, and music history at Columbia University. He’s a contributing editor to The Atlantic and host of Slate’s Lexicon Valley podcast. His new book is Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2017, The New York Times uncovered a program at the Defense Department which investigated unidentified flying objects. This year, the former chair of Harvard's astronomy department published a book arguing that we may recently have been "visited by advanced alien technology from a distant star." This week, The New Yorker has a long piece on changing attitudes and fading taboos around UFOs. What does this all mean? Does it matter that these acknowledgements are coming from The New York Times, The New Yorker... the astronomy department at Harvard? Could it be that the concept of UFOs has finally escaped the crackpot fringe? GUESTS: Leslie Kean - An investigative journalist and the author of UFOs: Generals, Pilots, and Government Officials Go on the Record Avi Loeb - Former chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University and the author of Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond the Earth Mike Panicello - Mutual UFO Network CT state director Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired June 6, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Semiotics is the study of sign process, which is to say: it's the science of the search for meaning. And then, part of the underlying premise of semiotics -- which just happens to be part of the underlying premise of The Colin McEnroe Show, itself -- is that there's meaning... everywhere. Why do people smoke cigarettes even though everyone knows they're terribly harmful? Why do women wear terribly uncomfortable high-heeled shoes? Could it simply be because those things are... interesting? This hour: a crash course in the study of meaning-making, in the science of semiotics. GUEST: Marcel Danesi - The author of Of Cigarettes, High Heels, and Other Interesting Things: An Introduction to Semiotics Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired September 6, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alex Trebek’s imprint as the host of "Jeopardy" looms large over the show, making it hard for anyone else to live up to the impeccable standard he demanded during his 37 seasons as the show's iconic host. But more than a dozen guest hosts have tried, from big winner Ken Jennings to Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Who will the next host be and what will the next iteration look like? Also this hour: two-time Grammy Award winner Van Morrison is best known for the volumes of soulful love songs he's written over his five decade career. So, why did the 75-year-old musician release a 28-song album filled with paranoia, antisemitic rants, and grievance against well, just about everyone.   Lastly, people are showering less during the pandemic - and loving it!   GUESTS: Amanda Hess is a critic-at-large for the New York Times. She writes about the internet and culture. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, ESPN the Magazine, and Wired, among others. Louis Keene is a staff reporter at The Forward Maria Cramer is a breaking news reporter for The New York Times. She previously covered legal affairs for The Boston Globe Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk will host tomorrow night's Saturday Night Live. It is, if nothing else, an odd choice. Speaking of choices, Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Sitcoms of All Time is out this week. Finally, This Is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist is a four-part Netflix docuseries about the 1990 robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The burglary was the largest museum heist in history in terms of value (thought to be as much as $600 million) until 2019. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Jeff Goldblum's a movie star, jazz pianist and an inescapable meme. What's behind his enduring appeal? On That Bombshell Billie Eilish Cover for British VogueThe pop star known for defying gender stereotypes got a glamour makeover with a corset. Not everyone is happy about it. Broadway Is Reopening. But Not Until September.Even as New York City begins to reopen this summer, Broadway will not resume performances until Sept. 14. Here's why. I'm Not Ready to PerformA great rock-and-roll show means openness, confrontation, and a kind of danger, and those ideas right now feel too heavy to lift. Jason Concepcion Is Still Working Through His Early-Pandemic Pasta Purchase"I've always had an affinity for the cuisine of the Italians" Eww, That's Gross. And We Like It That Way.Why the tasteless humor of "Bad Trip," starring Eric Andre, is a feat to be celebrated. Few can pull off transgression so skillfully. German Gymnasts Cover Their Legs In Stand Against Sexualization Prince's epic "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" guitar solo has a new director's cut Ethan Hawke Waits for Godot, or for the Zoom Screen to UnfreezeAfter a rehearsal for a virtual production of the play, Hawke and his co-star John Leguizamo ponder how all dialogue now sounds like Beckett. Prancer, the 'demonic' Chihuahua who went viral, finds his forever homePrancer has adjusted to both his new life and his viral celebrity status quite well. Here Are The First Official Photos From HBO's "House Of The Dragon"The show will debut on HBO and on its streaming platform HBO Max in 2022. Heads Up! A Used Chinese Rocket Is Tumbling Back to Earth This Weekend.The chances of it hitting a populated area are small, but not zero. That has raised questions about how the country’s space program designs its missions. GUESTS: Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Numbers are so fundamental to our understanding of the world around us that we maybe tend to think of them as an intrinsic part of the world around us. But they aren't. Humans invented numbers just as much as we invented all of language. This hour, we look at the anthropological, psychological, and linguistical ramifications of the concept of numbers. And we look at one philosophical question too: Are numbers even real in the first place? GUESTS: Brian Clegg - Author of Are Numbers Real? The Uncanny Relationship of Mathematics and the Physical World Caleb Everett - Professor and chair of anthropology at the University of Miami and the author of Numbers and the Making of Us: Counting and the Course of Human Cultures Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired October 12, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newsletters have become a great way for journalists and others to dive deep into less-covered topics and engage directly with their readers in ways not always possible in the mainstream media ecosystem. The platform Substack is making it easy for them. The subscription-based model offers writers more editorial control and the ability to offer free content and earn a sustainable salary at a time when public trust in media is low, local news is thinning and media content is often driven by social-media algorithms. We talk about newsletters with people who write them and critique them. GUESTS: Heather Cox Richardson - Professor of history at Boston College; she writes the Letters from an American newsletter Gabe Fleisher - Student at Georgetown University and the author of the Wake Up To Politics newsletter Isaac Saul - A journalist and the author of the Tangle newsletter Ben Smith - Media columnist for The New York Times and the founder and former editor-in-chief of Buzzfeed News Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

to help. They chose to be nurses at a time when the risk to their own health was never greater. Why are some people willing to run toward the fire when others are running away from it? Most of us fall somewhere on a spectrum of altruistic behavior. We might adopt a stray pet, donate a liter of blood, or check on an older neighbor. Others pursue a career based on helping others, and, at the extreme end of the spectrum, some choose to donate their kidney to a stranger or rush into traffic to save a stranger's life. We talk to two nurses, a kidney donor, and a psychologist about nursing and the nature of altruism. GUEST: Kelly Chevalier - Interim director of emergency services at Trinity Health of New England/St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center  Tracy Gordon Fox - A former journalist for the Hartford Courant; she’s currently a staff nurse on the general surgery floor at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Lauren Herschel - An anonymous kidney donor who lives in Calgary, Alberta Abigail Marsh - A professor of psychology and a neuroscientist in the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program at Georgetown University; she directs their Lab on Social & Affective Neuroscience, and she’s the author of The Fear Factor: How One Emotion Connects Psychopaths, Altruists, and Everyone In Between  Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aaron Rodgers leaked his dissatisfaction with the Green Bay Packers just before last week's NFL opening round. The NFL draft drew about 2 million people and has become something of a cultural event. In essence, he made himself the story within the story. So, what's going on with Aaron Rodgers? Does he have a future with the Packers, another NFL team, or will he head to Jeopardy and date Shailene Woodley? Also this hour: a story about cows who love classical music. Lastly, an ode to the reviled wasp. It's time we learn to love the wasp.  GUESTS:  Ben Shpigel is a sports reporter for The New York Times, covering the NFL since 2011. (@benshpigel) Lisa Abend is a journalist based in Copenhagen and the author of The Sorcerer's Apprentices: A Season in the Kitchen at Adria's Elbulli. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, TIME magazine, and The Atlantic, among other publications. (@LisaAbend) Seirian Sumner is professor of Behavioral Ecology at University College London. She's the co-founder of Soapbox Science and The Big Wasp Survey. (@WaspWoman) Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we were preparing for our show on underdogs, I kept saying that we shouldn’t overlook the fact that, often, to be an underdog in the first place, you have to be relatively bad at the thing you’re an underdog about. The more we talked about it, the more I found myself making the case that losers and losing are fascinating. And they are. There’s a whole podcast about political candidates who lost. We romanticize losers in movies and TV and songs and stories. And think just about the phrase “lovable losers.” In a culture where we focus seemingly entirely on the positive half of the zero sum, where we endlessly exalt WINNING, it’s kind of interesting that we love the losers too, isn’t it? This hour, a long look at losers and losing. GUESTS: Jason Cherkis - Political reporter for The Huffington Post and the co-host of Candidate Confessional Josh Keefe - An investigative reporter at the Bangor Daily News; in a piece for Slate’s Sports Nut, he claimed that he was the worst high school quarterback ever Jonathan McNicol - Producer at Connecticut Public Radio Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College Brian Slattery - Arts editor for the New Haven Independent and a producer at WNHH radio Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show, which originally aired August 1, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seriously: a show about towels. There's the history of towels, towels in Christianity, Terrible Towels, Towel Day. Oh, and there are actual towels too. Because when has a bad idea ever stopped us before? GUESTS: Marcel Danesi - The author of Of Cigarettes, High Heels, and Other Interesting Things: An Introduction to Semiotics John Dankosky - Host of The CT Mirror's Steady Habits podcast and news and special projects editor for Science Friday Jackie Reeve - Bed and bath writer for Wirecutter; her blog about quilting and crafting and cooking and traveling and things is The Orange Room Jem Roberts - Comedy historian and the author of The Frood: The Authorised and Very Official History of Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired December 6, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're so caught up in fetishizing (mostly) female breasts in film, literature, art, and in the anatomy-defying breasts of comic book heroines, that we overlook the breast as a vital source of food and and as a body part vulnerable to cancer, including young women under forty. How often should we get that mammogram? To breastfeed - or not? Lastly, how come men can go topless in America but women can't? Florence Williams - Author of Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History and The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, which will be published in February and her Audible podcast Breasts Unbound, debuts in December  Dr. Christine Rizk - Breast surgeon, director of the Comprehensive Women’s Health Center at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center Lina Esco - Actress, producer, activist, director of the documentary, Free the Nipple and leader of the Free the Nipple movement. You can join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.  Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show.  This show originally aired on October 4, 2016. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No one likes a cloudy sky. A cloud on the horizon is seen as a harbinger of doom. We feel like clouds need to have silver linings. But here's our thesis: Clouds are unfairly maligned. Consider this: From almost any vantage point (literally -- any vantage point in the universe), clouds are planet Earth's defining characteristic. They're what changes, what moves. They're what's going on on our pale blue dot. Clouds are, after all, the vehicle that spreads the sun's energy across the planet, an "expression of the atmosphere's moods." This hour, an appreciation of clouds. GUESTS: Gavin Pretor-Pinney - Founder of The Cloud Appreciation Society, author of The Cloudspotter's Guide and The Cloud Collector's Handbook David Romps - Assistant professor of Earth & Planetary Science at the University of California, Berkeley; runs The Romps Group, which studies clouds and climate Karolina Sobecka - An interdisciplinary artist and designer whose work has focused repeatedly on clouds Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Betsy Kaplan contributed to this show, which originally aired July 6, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

André Gregory has directed and acted in the theater for more than 50 years. He has appeared in a number of movies, including Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ, Woody Allen's Celebrity, Brian De Palma's The Bonfire of the Vanities, Peter Weir's The Mosquito Coast, and many more. He has starred in three movies about the theater with the playwright, actor, and comedian Wallace Shawn: A Master Builder, Vanya on 42nd Street, and the iconic My Dinner with Andre. Gregory's memoir is This Is Not My Memoir. He joins us for the hour. Note: I apologize for the flagrant hackiness of the "joke" of the headline here. I feel your scorn and must suffer through my shame. There are times when a work is so iconic one doesn't have a choice but to make reference to it. And so here we are. GUEST: André Gregory - An actor, writer, director, teacher, and painter; his new book, written with Todd London, is This Is Not My Memoir Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're not the same people today that we were before covid upended our lives last spring. We found ways to survive a deadly and invisible virus, even as it threatened our survival. We learned to work from home, sew masks, Zoom, and create new words to describe our unique situation. And scientists developed vaccines so we could adapt faster than the virus could mutate.  Now, we're realizing that we don't want to leave behind all of our new "normal" as we prepare to return to the routines of our pre-pandemic "normal." We talk about that and play some of your essays.  GUESTS:  Devon Powers is an associate professor at the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University and the author of On Trend: The Business of Forecasting the Future. (@devjpow) Olga Khazan is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World. (@olgakhazan) Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hartford native Sol LeWitt was one of the giants of conceptualist and minimalist art. As an artist, he abandoned the long histories of painting and drawing and sculpture in favor of his Wall Drawings and Structures. And as an art figure, he abandoned the conventions of celebrity and resisted ever even having his picture taken. This hour, a look at Connecticut's own Sol LeWitt. GUESTS: David Areford - Associate professor of art history at the University of Massachusetts Boston Lary Bloom - The author of Sol LeWitt: A Life of Ideas Andrea Miller-Keller - Was the Emily Hall Tremaine Curator of Contemporary Art at the Wadsworth Atheneum from 1968 to 1998 Cary Smith - An artist who makes abstract paintings Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired May 9, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Americans like to believe we live in a meritocracy but the odds are stacked in favor of the already lucky and fortunate. We congratulate the "winners" and humiliate the "losers," who are told to better themselves or carry the burden of their failure.  The 2016 election of Donald Trump was decades in the making.  Like other populist leaders around the world, Trump gave voice to the resentment directed toward “elites” who devalue the hard work and dignity of workers without college degrees. Ronald Reagan was the first president to tell every American they could "go just as far as their dreams and hard work will take them." Yet, his administration's economic policies made it hard for those without college degrees to get ahead, no matter how hard they worked. Little has changed.   GUEST:  Michael Sandel teaches philosophy at Harvard University. His most recent book is The Tyranny of Merit: What’s Become of the Common Good? His BBC Radio 4 series, The Public Philosopher, explores the philosophical ideas behind the headlines. You can join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired October 8, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The jury will begin deliberations later today on whether George Floyd's death was caused by his inability to breathe under the weight of Derek Chauvin. Breathing is so automatic that we don't think about it until lung disease, dirty air, poor breathing habits and, now, COVID-19 and police brutality make it hard to do. We take breathing for granted; we don't breathe deep enough, we breathe too much, and we often breathe through our mouths instead of our noses.  We can't take all the blame. The tradeoff of humans evolving to have bigger brains is that our larger brains squeezed our noses, sinuses, tongues, and jaws into smaller spaces. That's why humans are the only species of 5,400 mammals to have misaligned jaws, overbites, underbites, and crooked teeth.  This hour, the science, art, and politics of breathing. GUESTS: James Nestor - A journalist and author; his most recent book is Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art Dahlia Lithwick - A senior editor for Slate and the host of Amicus Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired June 18, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Taylor Swift has announced plans to re-record six of her previous albums in order to own master recordings of her older catalogue. Fearless (Taylor’s Version), which came out last Friday, is the first of these six re-recordings to be released. Fittingly, this would appear to be the sixth Nose that is substantively about Taylor Swift. And: If you're socially anxious (and who isn't, really?), you're gonna miss Zoom when it's gone. Oh, and speaking of social anxiety, meet Prancer, the Chihuahua who hates almost everyone. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Frank Jacobs, Mad Magazine Writer With a Lyrical Touch, Dies at 91He deftly mocked pop culture, politics and more for 57 years. He also wrote new lyrics for familiar songs, which led to a lawsuit from Irving Berlin and others. Phoebe Bridgers' smashed 'Saturday Night Live' guitar is up for auctionOrganised by the 2021 GLAAD Media Awards, which had nominated Bridgers as Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist LeVar Burton steps up his Jeopardy! campaign: "It just makes sense" Catherine Zeta-Jones Is Enjoying Herself Hollywood loves making excuses for bullies. Here are some of the most damaging George Clooney did some of his best work in Steven Soderbergh's reviled Solaris Adam McKay on How To Be Political and Entertaining and Not Destroy the World 'Dune' Director Denis Villeneuve Blasts HBO Max Deal ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theatres to Close Why Are Women on TikTok Asking to Get Peed On?On PissTok, memes about golden showers and accidental-on-purpose jellyfish stings abound You Can Be a Different Person After the PandemicOur personalities are not set in stone. They are more like sand dunes. Pure perfection: North Texas pitcher Hope Trautwein strikes out all 21 batters in perfect game In the minors, a major change as the Atlantic League plans to move the mound back a foot The Long Tail of Aphex Twin's 'Avril 14th'A song released 20 years ago continues to inspire curiosity and covers by classical, experimental and pop artists. 'NCIS' Renewed for Season 19 With Mark Harmon to Return Colorful coffins lighten mood at New Zealand funerals GUESTS: Gorman Bechard - Novelist and filmmaker Rebecca Castellani - Co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications and a freelance writer Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof recently wrote a column proclaiming that "America Is Not Made for People Who Pee." It hit a nerve. People responded with stories that all seemed to agree with him. So, why don't we complain about locked doors, long lines (for women), or the lack of a public toilet where one should be? Lezlie Lowe might say that we don't like to talk about bodily functions that are perceived as kind of, well, gross. This hour, we talk about public toilets, including one that people like. GUESTS: Lezlie Lowe - Teaches journalism at the University of King's College and is the author of No Place To Go: How Public Toilets Fail Our Private Needs Evan Madden - Sales manager for The Portland Loo Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Popeye. The World According to Garp. Good Morning, Vietnam. Dead Poets Society. Awakenings. The Fisher King. Aladdin. Mrs. Doubtfire. Jumanji. The Birdcage. Good Will Hunting. What Dreams May Come. One Hour Photo. Death to Smoochy. Insomnia. Night at the Museum. And that's just a super-abbreviated version of Robin Williams's filmography. And it completely ignores his career as one of the all-time great standup comedians. And it ignores Mork & Mindy. And Comic Relief. And so much more. This hour: A look at Robin Williams, who would've turned 70 this year. GUESTS: Dave Itzkoff - A culture reporter for The New York Times and the author of Robin Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer, and she is the founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Betsy Kaplan, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired in a different form June 21, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During his remarkable career with the Boston Red Sox, Ted Williams earned many nicknames: The Kid, The Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame... but the only nickname that he ever wanted was "the greatest hitter who ever lived." And maybe he really was? He's baseball's all-time leader in on-base percentage, and he's second behind only Babe Ruth in both slugging and on-base plus slugging percentages. He's the last guy to hit .400, and that was 80 years ago. And on top of all that, he lost close to five full seasons (and three of them in the prime of his career) to serve in two different wars. This hour, a look at the man, the hitter, and the pitchman (you see what I did there) that was Ted Williams. GUESTS: Jim Baumer - A Maine-based writer and the author of Moxie: Maine in a Bottle Nick Davis - Produced and directed Ted Williams: "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived" Sam Miller - National baseball writer at ESPN Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, which originally aired July 19, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fox News broadcast the first episode of Greg Gutfeld's new late-night show, Gutfeld!, earlier this month. They're betting that Gutfeld can turn his talk show format into a successful late-night comedy show for conservatives. The problem is that conservatives don't do political satire any better than liberals do opinion talk radio. Dannagal Young believes that opinion talk is political satire for the right and political satire is opinion programming for the left. They serve the same purpose; both formats are responses to a lack of trust in mainstream media. Which one appeals to each of us depends less on how "smart" we are and more on how we process information. GUEST: Dannagal Young - Professor of communication and political science at the University of Delaware and the author of Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Fear, Outrage and Comedy in the United States Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Connecticut Public, there's a smallish corner conference room thing that we think of as The Crying Room. I, personally, haven't ever seen anyone cry in there, but I've had my suspicions. In any case, where people go to cry is part of the essential geography of the modern office. On the other hand, do we even have offices anymore? And: Hemingway is a three-part PBS documentary directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. It premiered this week, and all 5½ hours are streamable now. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Gary Bimonte, owner of Pepe's Pizza in New Haven has died R.I.P. SNL writer and Square Pegs creator Anne Beatts Prince Philip, Husband of Queen Elizabeth II, Is Dead at 99The Duke of Edinburgh, who married the future queen in 1947, brought the monarchy into the 20th century, but his occasional frank comments hurt his image. What Will Happen to Friendships When We Crawl Out of Our Pandemic Hidey Holes?A year of isolation has left our lives strewn with carcasses of friendships once held sacred -- but can reopening revive them? In Computero: Hear How AI Software Wrote a 'New' Nirvana SongComputer-generated artificial tracks by Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse and Jim Morrison highlight a new project that helps bring attention to mental illness Yahoo Answers Is Ending, So Here Are 31 Of The Funniest Posts To Ever Exist ThereYahoo Answers, you will be missed. 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' has ruined Marvel movies forever -- and that's a good thing Low-rise jeans are back. Don't panic.Millennials are terrified of the return of low-rise jeans and Y2K fashion. But what if they looked different this time around? Long-Awaited Muon Measurement Boosts Evidence for New PhysicsInitial data from the Muon g-2 experiment have excited particle physicists searching for undiscovered subatomic particles and forces An Interview With the Man Who Keeps Uploading My Feet to WikiFeet Taylor Swift Drops 'Mr. Perfectly Fine'From the Vault: Why Fans Think It's About Joe Jonas or Jake Gyllenhaal With "Mr. Perfectly Fine," Taylor Swift Got Ahead Of Her Least Original CriticsThere doesn't have to be drama. There can just be bops. Pino Palladino, pop's greatest bassist: 'I felt like a performing monkey!'One of the world's most celebrated bass players has worked with everyone from Adele to Elton John, the Who and D'Angelo. But the Welsh musician has hidden from the spotlight -- until now Why Are Furio's Shirts So Good on The Sopranos?An appreciation of the most intoxicating silk tops to hit prestige TV. An Interview With the Guy Who Yells "Mortal Kombat" in the Theme for Mortal KombatNearly three decades later, he's still got it. I Work in a Bookstore. Why Am I Still Shelving "Mein Kampf"?There are historical and scholarly reasons to preserve Hitler's manifesto -- but that doesn't mean anyone needs to own it Aaron Rodgers Could Actually Be the Next Host of Jeopardy!He has no right to be as good at this as he is. "Everyone Just Knows He's an Absolute Monster": Scott Rudin's Ex-Staffers Speak Out on Abusive BehaviorEven as other Hollywood bullies are being sidelined, the uber-producer behind 'The Social Network' and Broadway’s 'To Kill a Mockingbird' has been given a pass for his volcanic temper. Now, former employees open up about a boss who left many traumatized: "It was a new level of unhinged." This man is looking for the friends who shipped him overseas in a crateThe book The Crate Escape details how Brian Robson's scheme almost killed him America is facing a ketchup packet shortage GUESTS: Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joni Mitchell's album Blue turns 50 this year. It may not have the artistic sophistication of her later albums, but Mitchell's vulnerability endeared her to fans, if not early critics unused to such intimate storytelling. That was okay with Mitchell. She said her "music is not designed to grab instantly. It's designed to wear for a lifetime, to hold up like a fine cloth." She was right. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Blue the third-greatest album on its 2020 list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time," a move up from No. 33 in 2017. We talk with musicians and critics about the album Blue and more. GUESTS: Peter Kaminsky - Professor of music theory and associate department head of undergraduate studies at the University of Connecticut Steve Metcalf - A journalist, music critic, pianist, and composer, and director emeritus of Presidents' College at the University of Hartford Carolann Solebello - A singer-songwriter, a founding member of the Americana trio Red Molly, and a member of the Jack Hardy Songwriters Exchange; she tours with the folk quartet No Fuss and Feathers Join us on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elvis left two legacies. Musically, he pulled several American musical traditions out of the shadows, braided them together, and made them mainstream. Personally, he created a far darker template for the way a musical celebrity could be devoured by the very fame he avidly sought. Recorded live in front of an audience -- long before the pandemic hit -- as part of Colin's Freshly Squeezed series at Watkinson School, an hour about the artist who defined the birth of rock and roll and was the genre's first superstar. GUESTS: Jim Chapdelaine - Guitar and vocals Latanya Farrell - Vocals Steve Metcalf - Piano and vocals Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. This show originally aired February 20, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

humor = tragedy + time OK, but then the logical next question is: How much time? If it's OK, at this point, to joke about, say, The Spanish Inquisition... what about, for instance, the Holocaust? Or AIDS? September 11th? The #MeToo movement? ...Derek Chauvin? There's a line there somewhere, right? Or are some topics just never going to be funny? GUESTS: Mike Bent - Teaches writing in the Comedic Arts program at Emerson College, and he’s a performing comedian and magician Shawn Murray - A stand up comedian and writer and a host of Fantasy Filmball Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer Ferne Pearlstein - A documentary filmmaker who directed The Last Laugh Caleb Warren - Assistant professor of marketing at the University of Arizona Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Catie Talarski, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired February 21, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We'll be taking your calls during this hour -- and during more of our Monday shows moving forward. We'll still invite guests when we think it's important. Otherwise, we want to talk to you. Call us today at 888-720-9677 between 1 and 2 p.m. EDT. I'm not sure what you want to talk about today, but consider this: Nicholas Kristof, opinion writer for The New York Times, complained that "America Is Not Made for People Who Pee." It's great that President Biden wants to rebuild highways, fix aging schools, and upgrade our electrical grid, but what about public toilets? Have you had to search for a public toilet, especially during the pandemic? If so, you're not alone. Talk to you soon. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So celebrities and their giant water bottles: It's a thing, I guess. And then there's the ABC Carpet couches email thread. Plus: Netflix's dwindling, dying DVD library. And then: Godzilla vs. Kong is the fourth movie in Legendary's MonsterVerse. It's a direct sequel to both Kong: Skull Island and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019), and it's the 12th King Kong movie and the 36th Godzilla movie, overall. Godzilla vs. Kong's theatrical opening (both internationally and domestically) has been the largest of any movie's during the pandemic. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Lil Nas X, Clapback ChampThe rapper's new single, video and sneaker were merely the prelude to a brilliantly orchestrated main event: a virtuosic performance on Twitter. Unpacking Chet Hanks' Complex 'White Boy Summer' TaxonomyHe calls out prejudicial beliefs against anyone from a different background than you, while encouraging his viewers to "keep suck-a-duckin." G. Gordon Liddy, undercover operative convicted in Watergate scandal, dies at 90 'Game of Thrones' Play in the Works for Broadway, Will Revive Iconic CharactersGeorge R.R. Martin is developing a live stage spectacular for Broadway, West End and Australia that will bring fan-favorites like Ned Stark and Jaime Lannister back to life while dramatizing a legendary event in Westeros history Volkswagen of America lied about rebranding to 'Voltswagen'From the company that brought you Dieselgate... The Timeless Fantasy of Stanley Tucci Eating Italian FoodIn CNN's culinary travel series, Italy is beautiful and the food of Italy is beautiful. Not insignificantly, Tucci is beautiful, too. Comic-Con Unveils Fall Dates For In-Person Convention; Confab Returns To San Diego For First Time Since 2019 I Like That The Boat Is StuckIt's bad that the boat is stuck. It's bad for lots of people and for lots of reasons. I know that. Please don't think that me liking the stuck boat is an ideological stance. This is not an opinion I have about boats, or about canals, or about things generally being stuck. How "A Drive Into Deep Left Field by Castellanos" Became the Perfect Meme for These Strange TimesThe infamous on-air apology derailed by a Nick Castellanos home run has found life beyond Weird Baseball Twitter -- and it may be here to stay A new energy drink will debut in New Haven. It was developed by 3 Yale students. I Am Obsessed With Anthony Hopkins' Truly Bizarre Social Media PresenceI love him? Nickelodeon Removes SpongeBob Panty-Raid Episode for Being Too Horny for Kids GUESTS: Rebecca Castellani - Handles social media marketing and event planning for Quiet Corner Communications Sam Hatch - Co-hosts The Culture Dogs on Sunday nights on WWUH Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Dunton started the first advice column in 1690. He called it the Athenian Mercury. John, a bookseller, and his four "experts" wanted to answer "all the most Nice and Curious Questions proposed by the Ingenious of Either Sex." One person wondered why they would trouble themselves "and the world with answering so many silly questions." But it was a hit. People have always been drawn to advice columns. They're a public forum for private thoughts; they're communal, yet anonymous; they reveal human strength, yet vulnerability. Despite their popularity, until recently, most readers in the recent decades have been white women. That's changing. Are you an advice junkie? Join us. GUESTS: Jamie Fisher - A writer and researcher with The New York Times Danny M. Lavery - Slate's Dear Prudence, co-founder of The Toast, and the author of Texts From Jane Eyre, The Merry Spinster, and Something That May Shock and Discredit You Christine Pride - A writer, book editor, and content consultant; her advice column, Race Matters, is on A Cup of Jo, and her debut novel, We Are Not Like Them, is available for preorder Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you get enough sleep last night? If you're like most Americans, probably not. You might feel pretty good after six hours of sleep and a strong cup of coffee, but the physical and mental toll of sleep deprivation is high. We become more impulsive and less mentally agile, and we make more mistakes. Long term, lack of sleep (six hours or less per night) can mess with mood, hormones, and immune systems, and it can increase our risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. There are lots of things we can't control that keep us up too late, such as crying babies and shift work. But there are lots of things we can control, like how much caffeine we consume and whether we take our phone to bed. But somewhere along the way, our culture made less sleep a matter of personal virtue and moral judgement. Even naps are frowned upon for all but the youngest and the oldest among us. GUESTS: Maria Konnikova - A journalist, professional poker player, and the author of The Confidence Game and Mastermind: How To Think Like Sherlock Holmes Dan McNally - A doctor with the Sleep Disorders Center at UConn Health Todd Pitock - Journalist Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Catie Talarski contributed to this show, which originally aired March 18, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a period of about 50 years, many of America's top cartoonists and illustrators lived within a stone's throw of one another in the southwestern corner of Connecticut. Comic strips and gag cartoons read by hundreds of millions were created in this tight-knit group -- Prince Valiant, Superman, Beetle Bailey, Hägar the Horrible, Hi and Lois, Nancy, The Wizard of Id, Family Circus... I could keep going. This hour, a look at the funny pages, and at Connecticut's cartoon county. GUESTS: Bill Griffith - The creator and author of the daily comic strip Zippy Henry McNulty - A writer and editor who worked for the Hartford Courant for more than 25 years Cullen Murphy - Editor-at-large for Vanity Fair and the author of Cartoon County: My Father and His Friends in the Golden Age of Make-Believe Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Kevin MacDermott, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired January 11, 2018.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A number of media critics gave poor grades to reporters questioning President Biden at his first formal press conference last week. Is there a disconnect between what the media cares about, such as the filibuster and the 2024 election, and what people care about? Also this hour: An Amazon executive set off a firestorm after boasting on Twitter that Amazon was the "Bernie Sanders of employers." Workers weighed in on whether a company was progressive if workers felt they had to urinate in a bottle in order to meet production quotas. How will all this attention influence whether workers at an Alabama Amazon warehouse decide to unionize? Lastly, the first dogs are home, sweet home. GUESTS: Dan Froomkin - The editor of Press Watch Ken Klippenstein - An investigative reporter for The Intercept focusing on national security Rachel Treisman - A production assistant on NPR's Digital News Desk Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As with all weeks, it's been a strange week. First there were the Cinnamon Toast Crunch shrimp tails. And then an enormous container ship got stuck in the Suez Canal. And now there might be another toilet paper shortage. Which would be bad for the Amazon drivers who have to poop in their trucks. Maybe it's been an especially strange week. Separate from all that: For All Mankind is Ronald D. Moore's alternate history of a world where the space race never ended. It's six episodes into Season Two on AppleTV+. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: George Segal, Veteran of Drama and TV Comedy, Is Dead at 87He is best remembered for his Oscar-nominated dramatic role in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and was later a familiar comic actor. "Arrested Development" Star Jessica Walter Has Died At 80Walter was best known for playing Lucille Bluth on Arrested Development and voicing Malory Archer in Archer. R.I.P. Talladega Nights actor Houston Tumlin Ronnee Sass, Veteran Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Publicist, Dies at 72 The Extended Universe: What the Snyder Cut Means for the Future of FandomThe campaign demanding the release of Zack Snyder's 'Justice League' got its payoff with the release of the four-hour movie last weekend. Does it mean anything for similar movements for 'Suicide Squad' and 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'? Justice League's Epilogue Is Its Messiest, Most Dangerous Indulgence 5 widescreen videos to watch instead of the 4:3 Snyder Cut of Justice League'That's no moon' High school baseball: How Juab beat Provo 29-28 in the highest-scoring game in state history Dr. Oz is hosting Jeopardy! and everyone hates it Every DC Comics Movie, Ranked How Beeple Crashed the Art WorldAn N.F.T., or "non-fungible token," of the digital artist's work sold for sixty-nine million dollars in a Christie's auction. It's good news for crypto-optimists, but what about for art? 'Black Widow' Will Hit Disney+ and Theaters on July 9, 'Shang-Chi' Delayed, and More Disney Release Date Changes An Interview With Mike Birbiglia About Pizza And Only Pizza 'Superstore' Was the Perfect Comedy for Less-Than-Funny TimesThis week's series finale closes out a delightful sitcom that didn't shy from the challenges faced by America's low-wage workers, including the current pandemic. Dave Chappelle to perform at Foxwoods with rapid COVID testing at the door The Definitive Ranking of Ducks Beyond Peak TVIt's no longer enough to flood the zone with new television in general. Now, the zone is flooded with specific individual brands -- over and over again. Oscar Producers Facing Backlash And Logistical Headaches After Requiring Nominees To Attend Ceremony In Person, Not On Zoom Not-So-Special Characters: The Biggest Grifters, Frauds, and Outright Nobodies on Today's Typographical Scene Johnny Depp denied appeal in case that found 'wife beater' article about him 'substantially true' Here's Why Taylor Swift Is Re-Releasing Her Old Albums Is the guitar solo dead in the 21st century? GUESTS: Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance Pedro Soto - President and CEO of Hygrade Precision Technologies Coach Catie Talarski - Senior director of storytelling for Connecticut Public Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On March 6, Lou Ottens died in Duizel in the Netherlands. He was 94. I don't think I had ever heard of Ottens before, but the news of his death quickly filled my social media feeds. Ottens, you see, invented the compact cassette in the 1960s. There's a certain romance to the cassette tape, right? They're more fun than mp3s, for sure. And it turns out they're having a little mini resurgence right now. Last year, cassette sales hit their highest mark since 2003. Some old, hard to find tapes sell for crazy prices. Blank tapes still sell well. There are cassette-only record labels. There are even podcast episodes out on tape. This hour, a look at the long past and surprising present of the cassette tape. GUESTS: Joe Carlough - Runs This And That Tapes Lory Gil - A writer in the tech industry Sommer McCoy - Founder of The Mixtape Museum Zack Taylor - Director of Cassette: A Documentary Mixtape Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a year of pandemic, we're all itching to break from the restrictions of the pandemic. We want to travel and explore. It makes sense; we're hard-wired to explore. Our ancestors would not have survived absent the drive to seek food and safety from the dangers of the day. Safe and satiated, they later sought new lands to conquer and later still, to escape the constraints and cruelties of rapid industrialization. If the recent pandemic left you yearning to explore, you might be inspired by this show we first aired in 2017.  GUESTS: David Grann - Staff writer for The New Yorker, author of The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon and most recently, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI Hugh Thomson - Writer, filmmaker and author of many books including The White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland and A Sacred Landscape: The Search for Ancient Peru Kathryn Schulz - Staff writer for The New Yorker and author of Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.