The Colin McEnroe Show

Last week's violence at three spas in Georgia, followed a year of escalating violence against Asian Americans, some of it captured on videos that went viral. Despite visual evidence, New Yorker writer Hua Hsu, writes that this current moment stresses the "in-between space Asian Americans inhabit." It's hard to prove bias when we lack a historical understanding of what Asian American racism looks like.  The 21-year-old man who killed eight people last week, six of whom were Asian women, told investigators that he attacked the spas because he was struggling with a “sex addiction” and wanted to eliminate the “temptation” of buying sex. Psychologist Joshua Grubbs writes that religion is deeply intertwined with perceptions of sexual behavior and moral beliefs about sexuality.  GUESTS:  Hua Hsu is a staff writer at The New Yorker and the author of A Floating Chinaman: Fantasy and Failure Across the Pacific. He is an associate professor of English at Vassar College (@huahsu) Joshua Grubbs is an assistant professor of psychology at Bowling State University. His research is primarily concerned with the scientific study of addiction, personality, and morality (@joshuagrubbsphd) Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It might just be that the pandemic is starting to wind down. Advertisers are anxious to act like it is. We're all maybe anxious to get some hugs back into our lives, or maybe we'll all just always be anxious about hugs. And: How does this all work for half-vaccinated couples? Plus: The Nose sees some parallels in the sexlessness of superheroes. And: Promising Young Woman is Emerald Fennell's feature-film debut as a writer, director, and producer, and it's made her an Academy Award-nominated writer, director, and producer. The movie is nominated for five Oscars overall, including Best Picture and Best Actress for Carey Mulligan. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Yaphet Kotto, Bond Villain and 'Alien' Star, Dies at 81Well known for playing hardened personalities, he was also seen in movies like "Midnight Run" and the TV show "Homicide: Life on the Street." Boxing great Marvelous Marvin Hagler dies at 66 Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez Announce They Are Still TogetherLess than a day after E! News confirmed reports that Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez were going their separate ways, the music superstar and actress and retired MLB star issued a joint statement How Hollywood Is Complicit in the Violence Against Asians in AmericaReducing Asians, women and sex workers to flat punchlines isn't just degrading -- it's dangerous 'Avatar' Overtakes 'Avengers: Endgame' As All-Time Highest-Grossing Film Worldwide; Rises To $2.8B Amid China Reissue 2021 Oscar Stats: Two Female Filmmakers Are Up for Best Director for the First Time; Plus Historic Nods for Viola Davis, Riz Ahmed, Steven Yeun, More The Winners and Losers of the 2021 Oscar NominationsThe good: 'Minari' and 'Nomadland' leading a far less local slate. The bad: Delroy Lindo getting snubbed. Razzie Awards 2021: Robert Downey Jr., Adam Sandler, Anne Hathaway Among Nominees Movies That Would Have Been Better with Richard Kind in Them The Mound Is Too Damn CloseFor nearly 130 years, the distance between pitchers and batters has remained the same. But as pitchers get better and bigger -- and balls in play become increasingly rare -- MLB could benefit from giving hitters some space. Prominent NCAA tournament players launch '#NotNCAAProperty' protest as March Madness begins Why Channel 37 Doesn't Exist (And What It Has to Do With Aliens)Since the advent of analog TVs, channel 37 has always been static. Here's why. '60 Songs That Explain the '90s': The Ugly Beauty of ToolUp next on our trek through the decade: "Stinkfist," one of the hardest, crudest songs from one of rock's hardest, crudest bands Sanitary CultureExperts brightly offer to help create a society so safe, clean, inoffensive, and nontoxic art disappears. Show them the door. Teen Vogue Editor Resigns After Fury Over Racist TweetsThe hiring of Alexi McCammond, who was supposed to start at the Condé Nast publication next week, drew complaints because of racist and homophobic tweets she had posted a decade ago. Topps removes Garbage Pail Kids collectible sticker card featuring bruised BTS after backlash NYC man sells fart for $85, cashing in on NFT craze If You Look at Your Phone While Walking, You're an Agent of ChaosAn experiment by Japanese researchers revealed how just a few distracted walkers really can throw off the movements of a whole crowd. Is This Going To Be The Horniest Summer Of All Time? GUESTS: Tracy Wu Fastenberg - Development officer at Connecticut Children's Bill Yousman - Professor of Media Studies at Sacred Heart University Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Catie Talarski contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer and essayist Lauren Oyler, joins Colin to talk about Fake Accounts, her new novel on internet culture. They'll also talk about literary fiction, cultural criticism, ghostwriting, and her staunch defense of semicolons, among other things. Lauren Oyler will be at the Mark Twain House & Museum, Tuesday, March 23, 7-8 pm. The event is free. You can register at marktwainhouse.org GUEST: Lauren Oyler’s essays have appeared in the London Review of Books, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Harper’s, Bookforum, New York Magazine’s The Cut, and elsewhere. Her first novel is Fake Accounts. (@laurenoyler) Find us on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Gene Amatruda contributed to this show. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every year around this time, there's a big-old college basketball tournament. So every* year around this time, for every* year that this show has been on the air, we've put together a big-old hour of radio about said big-old college basketball tournament. Until last year, of course. Last year, we were right in the middle of getting this show together when quarantines started, when we closed our building to the outside world, when sports seasons were suspended and canceled, when we all suddenly switched to working remotely. Last year, the NCAA basketball tournaments were canceled, so we had to cancel this show. And so we're very excited to be doing this show again this year. We're still working from home, but that's no reason not to do an hour of radio about basketball with an improv comic and an ex-politican-turned-political-pundit. There are a bunch of other reasons not to do that, but we don't care about any of them very much. *Our best guess is that this is the 11th version of this show we've done. It might be the 10th, maybe the ninth. But we're going with 11th. It could be that one of the 11 was a show more about birds than it's about basketball, but whatever. GUESTS: Bill Curry - Playing the part of Bill Curry Julia Pistell - A founding member of Sea Tea Improv, among a number of other things Gregory S. Woodward - President of the University 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.

On the one hand, obituaries are an amalgam of a bunch of different kinds of journalism: they're feature stories, they're profile pieces, they cover history, and they're hard news too. On the other hand, the subject is always... dead. This hour, a look at the art of obituaries and obituarists. GUESTS: Kate Cimini - A reporter for The Salinas Californian and CalMatters Vanessa Gould - Produced and directed the documentary Obit. Heather Lende - Obituarist for the Chilkat Valley News in Alaska and the author of Find the Good: Unexpected Life Lessons from a Small-Town Obituary Writer Bruce Weber - Retired New York Times obituarist Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 24, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeopardy! has been part of the fabric of American TV, in a couple different forms and across a couple different breaks, since 1964. It is the longest-running nationally-televised game show in U.S. television history. At the 2015 Emmys, John Oliver quipped, "The sun could burn out, humanity could flee to another galaxy, time as we know it could cease to exist, but Alex Trebek will still be there scolding librarians from Ames, Iowa, to answer in the form of a question." Except, of course, Alex Trebek died last year. And before that, Jeopardy!'s long-time executive producer and its long-time contestant coordinator both left at the end of last season. So what's in store for this quiz show institution? The Nose is off, but that doesn't mean some other stuff didn't happen this week, give or take: 'Phantom Tollbooth' Author Norton Juster Dies At 91 The Best Movie Performances of the Century So Far 'Nomadland,' 'Rocks' Lead 2021 BAFTA Awards Nominations Steven Spielberg to Direct a Movie About His Own Childhood; Michelle Williams to Star People are Using Dating Apps to Find Doctors, Drugs, and ProtestersAs the world gets weirder, dating apps are expanding from attracting horny singles to even being a marketplace for everything but love. The Internet Is Making Lots Of Jokes At The News That Instagram Is Launching A "Lite" Version Of Its App"Does Instagram Lite have less calories than the other competitors?" GUESTS: Sherri Cohen - Former Jeopardy! contestant Claire McNear - Staff writer at The Ringer and the author of Answers in the Form of Questions: A Definitive History and Insider's Guide to Jeopardy! Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer, and founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired November 18, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Criminal Minds. Mindhunter and Manhunt. Cracker and Profiler. Nearly the whole of the Hannibal Lecter universe: Manhunter, The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal (the movie and the TV series), Red Dragon, and now Clarice. It seems we're fascinated by forensic psychology, by criminal profiling, by... mindhunting. This hour, we look at three different criminal profilers: James Brussel, the psychologist who helped catch the Mad Bomber of New York in 1957; James Fitzgerald, the forensic linguist who caught the Unabomber; and Bill James, the father of sabermetrics, turns his data analysis on a century-old serial killer mystery that no one had even realized was a serial killer mystery before he and his daughter figured it out. GUESTS: Michael Cannell - Author of Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber, and the Invention of Criminal Profiling James Fitzgerald - Retired FBI agent, criminal profiler, and forensic linguist; he's the author of a series of memoirs, A Journey to the Center of the Mind Bill James - Former Senior Advisor on Baseball Operations for the Boston Red Sox; co-author of The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery Rachel McCarthy James - Co-author of The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired November 7, 2017.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The southeastern part of our state conjures images of casinos, submarines, and a blue-collar vibe that's just a little different from the rest of the state's image of leafy suburbs, clapboard homes, and town greens that show off Connecticut's colonial past. The southeastern corner has its own allure, challenging writers and artists mystified by this place that time left alone. It's quirky, a little unruly, and special in ways we can't fully define. Wally Lamb describes it as "more feisty than fashionable, more liverwurst than pate." We talk to three writers, including Wally Lamb, who have tried to capture the essence of this unique region of Connecticut. GUESTS: Wally Lamb - The author of I Know This Much is True, She's Come Undone, We Are Water, and I'll Take You There John-Manuel Andriote - A reporter and the author of Victory Deferred, Wilhelmina Goes Wandering, and Tough Love: A Washington Reporter Finds Resilience, Ruin, and Zombies in his ‘Other Connecticut' Hometown Stephen Dobyns - Poet of 13 volumes including Winter's Journey and Velocities and the author of Is Fat Bob Dead Yet? Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired October 29, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we talk about two Connecticut dance halls, each springing from the vision of two very different men who took their respective dance halls down very different paths. One's dream soared, bringing thousands of concert-goers to over 3,000 acts over an 11-year history. The other's dream stalled, his elaborate dance hall sitting idle for decades. Thrall Hall in East Windsor is a lot of things. By most accounts, it's a fascinating example of vernacular or folk architecture. Ed Thrall built the dance hall from materials he recovered from demolition projects, sometimes salvaging pieces of historical interest. He built it his own way following his own idiosyncratic ideas about architecture. Thrall Hall contains some engineering marvels including the use of recycled tractor trailer tires under the dance floor to give it adjustable bounce. What Thrall Hall is not is usable.  Ed is a peculiar and troubled man. He didn't work and play well with others, and you'll hear today an occasionally hair-raising account of his battles with the town. Catie Talarski shares this heartbreaking story of lost dreams, betrayal, and redemption. Thrall Hall was just about the only thing that could make the wild 11-year run of the Shaboo Inn in Mansfield seem pale by comparison. That's the second story we tell today.  Connecticut’s Shaboo Inn, a legendary 1970s and 1980s blues and rock concert dance hall, attracted over 100 top artists, including Bonnie Raitt, Miles Davis, The Police, Aerosmith, and Tom Waits, to the former silk mill in Mansfield. David "Lefty" Foster started Shaboo at the age of 19 when he wasn't yet old enough to be inside the building. He joins us to share stories from this long and storied Connecticut icon.  Read and listen to Catie Talarski's feature here. GUEST: David Foster - Co-founder of Shaboo Productions and the leader of the Mohegan Sun Shaboo All-Stars; he was inducted into the New England Music Hall of Fame in October, 2020 Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Betsy Kaplan, Catie Talarski, and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired September 30, 2014.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We reair Colin's 2016 interview with Patti Smith at the Immanuel Congregational Church in Hartford when she was in town for a Mark Twain House event. The church was filled to the rafters with a capacity crowd of 700 people who remained enraptured by her presence throughout the entire evening. If you don't know her, you may come to love her after hearing this very funny and endearing interview.  She looked back over her life as an artist, a lover of Robert Mapplethorpe, a wife and a mother, and as a person she says is a better friend in the abstract than in reality. Again, she's really funny.  GUEST: Patti Smith - Singer, songwriter, poet, and visual artist; she's released almost a dozen albums and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007; she won a National Book Award for her memoir Just Kids; her second memoir is M Train Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired November 10, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Week (or so) in Reassessing Not-Necessarily-Current Bits of Culture: Seuss enterprises pulled six mostly early Dr. Seuss books from future publication. Disney+ added content warnings to certain episodes of The Muppet Show. Amazon tweaked its app logo to look less like, uh, Hitler. Turner Classic Movies launched a new series called Reframed Classics that will, well, frame movies like Gone with the Wind and Breakfast at Tiffany's with discussions of their problematic aspects. And: Allen v. Farrow is a four-part HBO documentary series that chronicles the sexual assault allegation against Woody Allen by Dylan Farrow. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: "Degrassi" Actor Jahmil French Has Died At 29, And The Cast Is Sharing Emotional Memories Of Him"Bhandurner forever in my heart." Bunny Wailer, Reggae Pioneer With the Wailers, Dies at 73He was the last surviving original member of the group, which also featured Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. Together they helped spread the music of Jamaica worldwide. Inside Joss Whedon's 'Cutting' and 'Toxic' World of 'Buffy' and 'Angel' The Marilyn Manson Reckoning From Britney Spears to Janet Jackson, the Era of the Celebrity ReappraisalMonica Lewinsky. Janet Jackson. Lindsay Lohan. Whitney Houston. We are living in an era of reappraisals. Opinion: Do we even need the Golden Globes? Rosamund Pike Says Body Was Photoshopped for Johnny English PosterThe "I Care a Lot" star said she was photoshopped on the poster for "Johnny English." The 101 Greatest Endings in Movies HistoryGood finales offer catharsis. The best deny us closure altogether. Critics Poll: 'Do the Right Thing' Named Best Film of the 1980s By Over 200 Critics, Filmmakers and Programmers E-mail Is Making Us MiserableIn an attempt to work more effectively, we've accidentally deployed an inhumane way to collaborate. First-ever space hotel slated to be operational by 2027 Disney CEO Bob Chapek Thinks Shorter Theatrical Windows May Be Here to Stay 'Soul' and 'Wolfwalkers' Lead the 2021 Annie Awards With 10 Nominations Each Reese's New Peanut Butter Cup Is (Almost) All Peanut ButterAfter decades of touting the taste of two flavors together, Hershey's will release a version without chocolate. 'Playing With Power' Tackles the Unique Enigma That Is Nintendo GUESTS: Jacques Lamarre - A playwright and director of client services at Buzz Engine 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.

We produced our first show on masks in the spring of 2020. It was when most of us were isolated at home to sidestep the life-threatening illness we've come to call "COVID." The show was about how rapidly masks had become a statement of political identity. The intensity of the mask battles has begun to calm as we've acclimated to the pervasiveness of masks in our lives. Like them or not, they're here to stay, and they've begun to leave a lasting imprint on our culture. This hour, we take a longer view of how these objects that cover half of our faces have changed the way we perceive ourselves, how we interact with others -- and what masks might look like in the future. GUESTS: Kim Adrian is the author of Sock, The 27th Letter of the Alphabet, and, most recently, Dear Knausgaard Henry Alford is a humorist, journalist, and author; his most recent book is And Then We Danced: A Voyage Into the Groove Mollie Ruben is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Maine Elizabeth Segran is a senior staff writer at Fast Company and the author of The Rocket Years: How Your Twenties Launch the Rest of Your Life 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.

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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a theory that ours isn't the only universe. That there are, actually, infinitely many universes. That there are, then, infinitely many yous. That there are infinitely many different yous reading infinitely many different versions of this show synopsis. That there are infinitely many universes that don't even bother to include you. Or this show synopsis. Or even reading. Also, there's a theory that The Berenstain Bears prove the theory that ours isn't the only universe. So, this hour, in this universe, a show about all that. Or (at least) one version of a show about all that. GUESTS: Amanda Gefter - A physics and cosmology writer and the author of Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn: A Father, a Daughter, the Meaning of Nothing and the Beginning of Everything Mack Lamoureux - Night editor at Vice Canada Eugene Lim - Senior lecturer in theoretical physics at King's College London Alicia Lutes - Managing editor of The Nerdist Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Katie Glass, Cat Pastor, Chion Wolf, and Alan Yu contributed to this show, which originally aired December 8, 2016.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The theme of election fraud ran through this weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference. We talk about how "The Big Lie" is becoming a way for Republican leaders to rationalize the voter suppression measures making their way through state legislatures. Also this hour: In the short term, there seems to be a mortality gap between wealthier and poorer countries when it comes to COVID-19, with wealthier countries, such as the U.S., experiencing significantly more deaths than the least developed countries. But the long-term economic and public health toll on poorer countries could get much worse if wealthier countries don't step in to help. Lastly, what Rep. Deb Haaland's nomination to lead the Department of the Interior means to the Native American community. GUESTS: Ari Berman - A senior reporter at Mother Jones covering voting rights and the author of Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America Mushfiq Mobarak - Professor of economics at Yale University with concurrent appointments in the Department of Economics and in the School of Management; he’s the founder and faculty director of the Yale Research Initiative on Innovation and Scale Jenni Monet - A journalist and media critic reporting on indigenous affairs; she's the founder of the weekly newsletter Indigenously 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 Thursday, Hasbro announced that its Mr. Potato Head brand would drop the "Mr." in a move toward inclusiveness. But they also made clear, in a move toward not being yelled at by the internet, that the Mr. Potato Head character (and the Mrs. Potato Head character, for that matter) would continue. Also this week, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a new design for its mail trucks. The internet yelled about that some, too. And: Nomadland is Chloé Zhao's third film as writer and director. It is nominated for four awards at this weekend's Golden Globes, including two for Zhao (Best Director and Best Screenplay) and one for Frances McDormand (Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama). Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Daft Punk Break UpThe legendary dance duo has called it quits 28 years after forming in Paris Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Poet Who Nurtured the Beats, Dies at 101An unapologetic proponent of "poetry as insurgent art," he was also a publisher and the owner of the celebrated San Francisco bookstore City Lights. Kim Kardashian Broke Her Social Media Silence After Officially Filing For Divorce From Kanye WestAfter two days of radio silence, Kim returned to Instagram on Sunday night. Olivia Rodrigo's 'Drivers License' Is The New Longest-Running No. 1 Hit On The Global Chart, Beating BTS And Mariah Carey Justice League: The Shocking, Exhilarating, Heartbreaking True Story of #TheSnyderCutA demoralizing battle with Warner Bros. A devastating personal tragedy. A fan base he couldn't control. Zack Snyder tells V.F. why he quit Justice League, and why he’s returned to complete a cut that’s reached near-mythical status. Farewell Cinefex, you unlocked the magic of VFX for everyoneAfter 40 years, the legendary journal is shutting down. How Hollywood Is Beating Its Final Boss: Video Game AdaptationsWith 'Mortal Kombat,' 'Uncharted,' 'Halo,' and 'The Last of Us' leading an adaptation deluge, video game IP has finally leveled up Look upon Chuck's works, E. mighty, and Cheesepair 8 Comedians Break Down Their Favorite Stand-up Closers Ever Paramount+ TV Shows: 'The Italian Job,' 'Fatal Attraction,' and More Are Becoming Streaming Series Post Malone Covers Hootie and the Blowfish for Pokémon Day CelebrationArtist will perform his rendition at Pokémon anniversary virtual concert this Saturday 'Baseball Bugs' at 75: How a Looney Tunes classic wham-bammed America's pastime I found the Bay Area hill in Windows XP's iconic wallpaper Biden Revokes Trump-Era Executive Order On Brutalist Federal Architecture GUESTS: James Hanley - Co-founder of Cinestudio at Trinity College Elizabeth Keifer - Professor emerita of English at Tunxis Community 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.

Ghostwriting evokes an image of the writer who toils away in obscurity, secretly penning books credited to another. In reality, ghostwriters are just good at turning someone's undeveloped vision into a story that others want to read. Their services are in demand from people wanting help writing everything from celebrity memoirs to Instagram captions and online dating profiles. Self-publishing is on the rise as our fixation on the solitary author and the stigma of ghostwriting recedes. Even rap and hip hop artists are getting on board. This hour, we pull back the curtain on ghostwriting. GUESTS: Lisa Dickey - A book collaborator and the ghostwriter for 20 books, nine of which became New York Times bestsellers; she's the author of Bears in the Streets: Three Journeys Across a Changing Russia and a storyteller on stage, appearing at The Moth's GrandSLAM, among other shows Dan Gerstein - The founder and CEO of Gotham Ghostwriters; he was a speechwriter and communications director for former U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman, and he has been a contributing columnist to several publications including Forbes and Politico Khaiim the RapOet (also known as Self Suffice) - Performs internationally, is co-host of the SoundMinds podcast, and leads Make It Full Time, career coaching for professional artists; his use of hip Hop to educate was awarded by President Obama and recognized by The New York Times and NPR, among others 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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The octopus has always been the stuff of spine-tingling legend, like that of the kraken, the many-armed sea monster believed to drag ships to the bottom of the sea after dining on the crew. Or Gertie the Pus, the giant Pacific octopus that lives under the Narrows Bridge connecting Tacoma, Washington, to Gig Harbor. In reality, the octopus is more benign but equally fascinating. Did you know the octopus has two-thirds of its brain neurons distributed throughout its eight arms? Or that the severed arm of an octopus can walk independently toward a food source and move it to where its mouth should be? The octopus was the only invertebrate included in The Cambridge Decision of Consciousness, a 2012 declaration by scientists expressing consensus on animal consciousness. But what does consciousness mean in an octopus and how does it drive the relationships Sy Montgomery and Dr. David Schell have with these alien beings? Scientists wonder if humans can even begin to understand the intellect and mystery of the octopus. So, should we be eating octopus? GUESTS: Sy Montgomery - The author of nearly 20 books for adults and children, including The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness David Scheel - A marine biologist and behavioral ecologist at Alaska Pacific University; he has a forthcoming book on the behavioral ecology of marine animals Silvia Killingsworth - Managing editor at The New Yorker Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Chion Wolf contributed to this show, which originally aired August 26, 2015.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. is about to surpass 500,000 deaths from COVID-19. That said, new cases are declining, hospitalizations and deaths are trending down, and vaccination rates are picking up, though inequities remain. We talk vaccines, variants, messaging, and more. Also this hour: A new study finds that House members who hold extreme views receive far more airtime on cable and broadcast news than their moderate counterparts. Changes in the media have incentivized elected officials such as Marjorie Taylor Greene to build a national brand at the expense of legislating for their local constituents. Last, welcome to Elizabeth Ann, a baby black-footed ferret cloned from Willa, who died more than 30 years ago. GUESTS: Leana Wen - An emergency room physician and visiting professor at George Washington University School of Public Health; she's a contributing columnist at The Washington Post and a medical analyst for CNN Joshua Darr - An assistant professor of political communication at Louisiana State University; his book is Home Style Opinion: How Local Newspapers Can Slow Polarization co-authored with Matthew P. Hitt and Johanna L. Dunaway Ben Novak - A de-extinction biologist and the lead scientist at Revive and Restore; he leads The Great Passenger Pigeon Comeback 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.

In a new essay for Harper's, filmmaker Martin Scorsese criticizes the current state of the movie business and all these new fangled streaming platforms and their algorithms. "We can’t depend on the movie business, such as it is, to take care of cinema," Scorsese says. And: Judas and the Black Messiah is a biopic of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton. It is director Shaka King's studio feature film debut, and it's nominated for two Golden Globe Awards. It is one of two movies nominated for Golden Globes this year that portray Hampton (along with The Trial of the Chicago 7). Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: If you use this emoji, Gen Z will call you old The First "Cruella" Trailer Is Here, And The Internet Already Has A Ton Of ThoughtsIs this Disney's Joker??? Failing Britney SpearsIt shouldn't have taken ten years to realize the discourse about her had been a hurtful, unhealthy constant. Buffy Deserves Better Than Joss WhedonHe wasn't the only person who made Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and he shouldn't be the one to take it down. Taylor Swift Misses the Old Taylor Swift, TooThe artist's first release from her re-recording project is much more than a nostalgia play. It's a love letter. Hockey Has a Gigantic-Goalie ProblemNever before in the NHL's history has the tail so wagged the dog. Why Is Everyone Talking About Clubhouse?The new social media app is tapping into the public's desperate need to connect -- and it's becoming a flashpoint in the culture wars So, you’ve been subtweeted by Turner Classic Movies. What do you do next? 'Paddington 3' Officially in the Works The Story of the DuckTales Theme, History's Catchiest Single Minute of MusicA woo-hoo heard around the world. 'You can smell the sweat and hair gel': the best nightclub scenes from cultureWriters and artists including Róisín Murphy, Tiffany Calver and Sigala on the art that transports them to the dancefloor during lockdown I have an important pop culture theoryYou will now read it and share it with others online as you see fit GUESTS: Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks Lucy Gellman - Editor of The Arts Paper and host of WNHH radio's Kitchen Sync 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.

Cartoonist Bill Griffith based his legendary character Zippy the Pinhead on Schlitzie, a real life sideshow 'pinhead' who appeared in Todd Browning's 1932 film Freaks. Early audiences were appalled by Browning's use of real sideshow characters to seek revenge on those who treated them cruelly. Griffith's graphic novel is his effort to understand Schlitzie and the sideshow family who cared for him. We talk to Griffith and a member of Schlitzie's sideshow family. Also this hour: the man who saved thousands of premature infants by exhibiting them in incubators at the Coney Island sideshow. GUESTS: Bill Griffith - Creator of the syndicated daily comic strip Zippy and author of two graphic memoirs, including, Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead Wolf Krakowski - Yiddish singer whose CDs are on Tzadik Records; Wolf has videotaped testimonies of Holocaust survivors for the Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation Claire Prentice - Freelance journalist, editor, and writer; She's the author of two non-fiction books, including Miracle at Coney Island: How a Sideshow Doctor Saved Thousands of Babies and Transformed American Medicine Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Jonathan McNicol contributed to this show, which originally aired May 2, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We live in an "Everything Should Take Twenty Minutes" world. Movies are too long. SundanceTV has a show that airs in 10-minute episodes. Tierra Whack has a 15-minute album made of fifteen 60-second songs. Todd Rundgren's memoir has 183 one-page, three-paragraph chapters. So today, we turn our hour over to five short, little shows about short, little things. Here's a Spotify playlist of the albums reviewed on today's short, little episode of The Sam Hadelman Show. GUESTS: Carmen Baskauf - Produces Where We Live on Connecticut Public Radio Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks Sam Hadelman - Host of The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn Brandy Jensen - An advice columnist and editor at The Outline Jacques Lamarre - A playwright, and director of client services at Buzz Engine Vince Mancini - Senior film and culture writer for Uproxx Chion Wolf - Host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio Bill Yousman - Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Eugene Amatruda, and Matt Farley contributed to this show, which originally aired July 18, 2019.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Senate voted to aquit Donald Trump Saturday after falling shy of the two-thirds majority required to convict him. Fifty-seven senators, including seven Republicans, voted to convict him for "incitement of insurrection" and 43 Republicans voted to acquit Trump for a variety of reasons.  Reliving the January 6 insurrection during last week's Senate impeachment trial has left many of us sorting through a gamut of emotions along with a lack of closure on the last four years. 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 of Monday morning, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are still working out the details for the Senate impeachment trial scheduled to begin this Tuesday, February 9. Forty-five senators say it's not constitutional. Conservative lawyer Charles Cooper says it is. We talk to Connecticut U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal on impeachment, intelligence, and more.  Also this hour: Fox News has been scared into silencing popular commentator Lou Dobbs, after Smartmatic filed a $2.7 billion defamation suit against Fox News over election fraud claims made on their shows. Fox News Media hosts Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo and Jeanine Pirro were named, along with lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell. Will it take a massive lawsuit to force them to confront the lies and harm perpetuated on their broadcasts? Lastly, a quick look at the tone of this weekend's Super Bowl ads.  GUESTS: Richard Blumenthal is a US senator from Connecticut David Folkenflik is NPR’s media correspondent and the author of Murdoch’s World: The Last of the Old Media Empires  Melinda Fakuade is a fellow for The Goods by Vox, covering culture and entertainment Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WandaVision is a Disney+ miniseries that's part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and that's set, like, inside the history of television? It follows Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany as Vision as they try to conceal their superhero powers and blend into a generic sitcom neighborhood. Episodes so far have taken on the look and feel of American sitcoms from the 1950s, '60s, '70s, and '80s. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Hal Holbrook, Actor Who Channeled Mark Twain, Is Dead at 95He carved out a substantial career in television and film but achieved the widest acclaim with his one-man stage show, playing Twain for more than six decades. Dustin Diamond, 'Saved by the Bell' star, dead at 44 Jamie Tarses, Pioneering Television Executive, Dies at 56 Tony Bennett Reveals Alzheimer's Battle Golden Globes 2021: A Full List of NomineesHere are the films, television shows, actors and directors chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Ella Emhoff Isn't a Nontraditional Model!Please stop praising her for having armpit hair and tattoos. Evan Rachel Wood Alleged Her Ex-Fiancé Marilyn Manson "Horrifically Abused" And "Manipulated" Her"He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years. I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission." Of course the GameStop stock market frenzy is already being turned into a movie Steven Spielberg Writes For Empire About Why Cinema Will Never Die The Wayne's World Super Bowl Ad Is Even More Depressing Than That Wonder Years TweetThe Generation X staple vanishes a little more each year Even Jodie Foster Is Still Trying to Figure Jodie Foster Out Six arrested after changing Hollywood sign to 'Hollyboob' Outlander star Sam Heughan hints he will be next James Bond on Instagram post The Accidental Sex Couch Tearing Facebook Mom Groups Apart Sarah Silverman just wants to make things rightThe potty-mouthed comic isn't done talking trash, but it's no longer her first instinct, or her job. GUESTS: Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks 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.

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.

We have a complicated relationship with our food. We need food to live; yet, we've become removed from the food we eat and how it's grown and processed.  Even with the best of intentions, today's ultra-processed foods make it hard for us to know exactly what we're eating or how the methods used to mass produce our food are affecting our environment and our health. And I haven't even touched on how food has led to war, famine, poverty, and enslavement.     Today, we talk about the history of agriculture, where it went wrong, and how we might begin to cultivate food that is kinder to our bodies, our earth, and our fellow humans.   GUEST:  Mark Bittman is the author of 30 books, most recently, Animal, Vegetable, Junk: A History of Food From Sustainable To Suicidal. He was a food columnist and writer at the New York Times for 30 years. He’s currently Special Advisor on Food Policy at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colin interviewed Hal Holbrook on February 3, 2015, in advance of Holbrook's performance of Mark Twain Tonight in Hartford on his 90th birthday on February 17, 2015. Colin wrote at the time that Holbrook was one of the most remarkable people he's encountered of all the remarkable people he's interviewed over the years. Holbrook was so passionate and fun to speak with that Colin never got to ask him all the many questions about the love of his life, his difficult childhood, or his time spent at Suffield Academy. He hoped for a second interview. Holbrook died on January 23. This hour, we reair our 2015 interview with him. GUEST: Hal Holbrook was an American film, television, and stage actor famous for his portrayal of Mark Twain in the solo show he created, Mark Twain Tonight, for which he won a Tony Award. His movies include All the President's Men, Lincoln, and Into the Wild, for which he was nominated for an Oscar in 2008. He won five Primetime Emmy Awards, and he's the subject of a documentary by Scott Teems and Laura D. Smith, Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe contributed to this show, which originally aired February 4, 2015. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some say the press continues to portray the Republican Party as a "mainstream, center-right entity," long after their words and deeds reflect something more ominous. Is the media failing to convey the extreme behavior of the GOP out of fear they will be accused of liberal bias? It's not the first time the media has been accused of bias or been too slow to see something for what it is instead of what they want it to be. Also this hour: Five members of former President Trump's impeachment team departed Saturday, a little over a week before the Senate trial is set to begin on February 9. On Sunday, Trump hired lawyers David Schoen and Bruce L. Castor Jr. to take over. Will they be ready by next week? GUESTS: Eric Boehlert - A media critic and the founder and editor of Press Run; he has been a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, a media critic at Daily Kos, and a staff writer at Rolling Stone, and he's the author of three books, including Lapdogs: How The Press Rolled Over For Bush (@EricBoehlert) Ross Garber - Principal at The Garber Group, specializing in political investigations and impeachment; he's also a legal analyst for CNN, and he teaches at Tulane Law School (@rossgarber) 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.

Olivia Rodrigo's "drivers license" is in its second week as the No. 1 song in the country, having debuted there last week. It is the first debut single by any artist to hit the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1 in history. And: Pretend It's a City is Martin Scorsese's seven-part Netflix documentary series about Fran Liebowitz that's actually also kind of about New York City. And finally: How To with John Wilson is John Wilson's six-part HBO documentary series of advice and tutorials that's actually also kind of about New York City. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Cicely Tyson, groundbreaking award-winning actor, dead at 96 Cloris Leachman, Emmy and Oscar Winner, Dies at 94 Bruce Kirby, Veteran Character Actor and 'Columbo' Cop, Dies at 95 Walter Bernstein, Oscar-Nominated Screenwriter on 'The Front,' Dies at 101 Freddy the Great Dane, the world's largest dog, has died The Jokes About GameStop And The Stock Market Keep Coming, So Here Are The 50 Funniest Ones"Siri, what is a 'stock'?" There's a Metallica/Huey Lewis Mashup Now, Because San Francisco The Oscars Are a Mess. Let's Make Them Messier.Nothing has been normal about the last year, including the movies. The academy shouldn’t try to pretend otherwise. It should see this as an opportunity. These are the movies to watch before Oscars night The 50 Best Cult MoviesFrom 'The Room' to 'Eraserhead' to 'Rocky Horror,' these are the best movies to ever inspire deep obsession 'Tenet' Is Destined to Become a Cult MovieWith a failed release due to the pandemic, a muted critical reception, and a twisty narrative that demands multiple viewings, Christopher Nolan's 2020 film has all of the elements that eventually lead to niche fandom 2021 BBWAA Voting Results Yield No Electees Kraft Is Releasing A Pink Candy-Flavored Mac And Cheese For Valentine's Day, And The Internet Is Losing Its Mind The Pandemic Has Erased Entire Categories of FriendshipThere's a reason you miss the people you didn't even know that well. Here's What It Was Really Like to Work at a Women's WebsiteI felt nothing. So I headed to my desk for another busy day of browsing online sales and waiting to die. Carey Mulligan Responds to Variety's Apology for 'Promising Young Woman' Review Subway's tuna is not tuna, but a 'mixture of various concoctions,' a lawsuit alleges A Reformed Late Person's Guide to Being on TimeTime has become fluid in the pandemic. Except when there's a Zoom meeting. GUESTS: Jacques Lamarre - A playwright and director of client services at Buzz Engine 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.

Applications to nursing schools spiked during the pandemic from those who wanted 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.  We talk to two nurses, a kidney donor, and a psychologist about 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  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.

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.

Moderna announced today they were making new versions of their vaccine that can be used as boosters against variants seen in South Africa, Brazil, and the U.K. The vaccine should be effective against variants but it seems to create fewer antibodies against the one that has emerged in South Africa. Either way, vaccines alone will not be enough. We talk about mutations and vaccines.  Also this hour: The Biden inauguration was the most Catholic inauguration in history. Is a more liberal Christianity on the rise?  Lastly, a tribute to John McDonough, actor, singer, and a Connecticut native. GUESTS:  Paul Turner - An evolutionary biologist and virologist; he’s the Rachel Carson Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University and a microbiology faculty member at Yale School of Medicine Michael Sean Winters - Writes the Distinctly Catholic blog for the National Catholic Reporter, and he is the author of two books including Left At the Altar: How Democrats Lost The Catholics And How Catholics Can Save The Democrats 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.

The House will transmit its Article of Impeachment charging former President Trump with "incitement of insurrection" to the Senate on Monday. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell asked the House to wait two weeks to let the former president work on his defense. The House chose not to wait any longer , possibly influenced by more than a dozen Republican senators trying to dismiss the impeachment trial before it begins, based on the disputed claim that it's unconstitutional to try an ex-president. And House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's walking back his prior claim that Trump incited the riot at the Capitol. Today, we look at what's required to prove "incitement" and we look back on the fashion legacy of Trump. We also bring you factoids with Chion Wolf and our first second-season AccuFrankie dispatch from reporter Frankie Graziano. GUESTS: Vanessa Friedman - Fashion director for The New York Times Frankie Graziano - A reporter for Connecticut Public Radio Catherine J. Ross - Professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and the author of a forthcoming book, Presidential Lies, The First Amendment, and Democracy Chion Wolf - The host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of the Western world is organized by alphabetical order, which is so much more than the 26 letters that make up the alphabet. Alphabetical order is an organizing principle that allows us to save, order, and access thousands of years of humankind's most precious documents and ideas. Without it, we'd never know what came before us or how to pass on what's with us. It's ubiquitous, yet invisible in daily life. This hour, a conversation about how we order our world and why we do it.  GUESTS: Nicholson Baker - A novelist and essayist; he's the author of 17 books, including, most recently, Baseless: My Search for Secrets in the Ruins of the Freedom of Information Act; he's currently the Jennifer Jahrling Forese Writer-in-Residence in Creative Writing at Colby College Judith Flanders - A social historian and senior research fellow at the University of Buckingham; her new book is A Place For Everything: The Curious History of Alphabetical Order Peter Sokolowski - A lexicographer and editor-at-large at Merriam-Webster and co-host of the podcast Word Matters; he's also a musician and public radio jazz host at NEPR and the author of a chapter in The Whole World in a Book 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.

Yale University's Dr. Nicholas Christakis explores what it means to live in a time of pandemic. He looks at historical epidemics and current medical and social research to help us understand the potential long-term impact COVID-19 will have on people and culture.  Greek mythology holds that the arrows of plague Apollo shot down upon the Greeks led to great death and suffering. The plague that has brought death and pain over this past year was not brought by an angry god, but an infinitesimal virus that has wreaked global havoc and exposed the best and worst of human behavior.  We spend an informative and insightful hour with Nicholas Christakis.  GUEST: Nicholas Christakis - A physician and sociologist; he directs the Human Nature Lab at Yale where he is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science, and he's the author of Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Cruise's seventh Mission: Impossible installment has been one of the few huge Hollywood productions trying to to figure out how to film during the pandemic. Cruise has been in the news lately for blowing up at his crew for breaking COVID protocols, and now he's back in the news for… buying COVID enforcement robots? And: Could front porches be just the right "magical intermediate zone" to keep communities connecting during a time of social distancing? And finally: Nicolas Cage is hosting a documentary series on Netflix called History of Swear Words. Normally I'd try to give you a little more context here, but I feel like that first sentence pretty much covers it. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: Michael Apted, 'Coal Miner's Daughter' Director and 'Seven Up' Documentarian, Dies at 79 Jessica Campbell, 'Election' and 'Freaks and Geeks' Actor, Dies at 38 Oscars' International Feature Race: Has 'Parasite' Ushered in a Broader Acceptance of Genre in the Category? Why a Vogue Cover Created an Uproar Over Kamala HarrisThe vice president-elect is on the cover of the U.S. fashion magazine. Many people were not happy with the result. Are Armie Hammer's leaked DMs fake? Actor's alleged 'cannibal sex fantasy' shocks Internet: 'This can't be real'The actor allegedly stated 'I am 100% a cannibal' to a woman who shared the Instagram DMs and the Internet is shocked Armie Hammer calls online attacks 'spurious,' will still exit Jennifer Lopez rom-com Sex And The City revived at HBO Max—yes, without Kim Cattrall Welcome to ZollywoodAt 24 she's already conquered the Disney thing—and Marvel. She even won an Emmy for Euphoria. Next up for Zendaya? Figuring out who she really is when the cameras aren't rolling. Alec Baldwin Delivers Final Trump Performance With Spoof 'Farewell Address' Audiobook Bill Belichick says he won't accept Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump Hollywood Prepares to Delay Another Slew of Blockbusters Netflix teases massive 2021 film slate with plans to release new movies every week Gov. Cuomo outlines plan to accelerate return of theater and the arts Chuck Norris' Manager Insists Actor Wasn't at the Capitol Insurrection The Case for Ted Danson As the TV GOATNearly 40 years after he stepped behind a Boston bar, Danson is still going. And by the time he's finished, no one may be able to top his run. Chris Rock Re-Edits a Special, and the Result Is FascinatingWith "Total Blackout: The Tamborine Extended Cut," the comic effectively erases the stamp of the original director, Bo Burnham, and turns in a less intimate show. Bruce Willis asked to leave store for 'refusing' to wear a mask 'The Office' Was by Far the Most-Streamed TV Show in 2020, Nielsen Says David Fincher: The Rolling Stone InterviewThe boundary-pushing filmmaker behind 'Mank' reflects on his career, his journey into Hollywood's past and the industry's uncertain future Noah Baumbach Adapting Don DeLillo's White Noise; Adam Driver & Greta Gerwig to Star A History of the Trump Era Through Stories About Toilets 'Human foot' in Gateshead field turns out to be potato GUESTS: Carolyn Paine - An actress, comedian, and dancer; she is founder, director, and choreographer of CONNetic Dance 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 Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Previously on Pardon Me (Another Damn Impeachment Show?): House Democrats voted to impeach President Trump on two Articles of Impeachment: "abuse of power" and "obstruction of Congress." He was later acquitted promptly after Senate Republicans voted against calling witnesses or admitting new evidence. Now (less than 48 weeks later), on Season Two of Pardon Me: House Democrats, along with 10 Republicans, voted to impeach President Trump Wednesday on one Article of Impeachment: "incitement of insurrection." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., promptly responded that there'll be no trial while he's Senate leader. The more things change, the more they stay the same. This hour, we talk about the constitutional gray zone of impeaching a president no longer in office, co-opting historically significant language, and a musical response to this political moment. And, we bring back Factoids with Chion Wolf. GUESTS: Joanne Freeman - The Class of 1954 Professor of History & American Studies at Yale University and the co-host of the American History podcast Backstory; her most recent book is The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War Michael Gerhardt - The Burton Craige University Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill and the author of seven books; his most recent is Lincoln's Mentors: The Education of a Leader Jill Sobule - An award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitarist; her most recent album is Nostalgia Kills Chion Wolf - The host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio Cat Pastor contributed to this show. Pardon Me is a production of The Colin McEnroe Show on Connecticut Public Radio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you talk to yourself? Is it a silent inter-narrative or do you talk aloud? What form of address to you use to yourself? When I'm mad at myself I sometimes address myself as Colin. But, I sense that when LeBron speaks to himself as LeBron, it's more affirming.  I talk aloud quite a bit. A hangover, I think, from growing up as an only child. The Spanish and Argentine novelist Andres Neumann has a new work, "Talking to Ourselves," in which he explores the solitary inner narrative that each of us conducts either silently, aloud, or writing a diary.  Some form of talking to ourselves is universal. You could argue that without it life would be unsupportable, would be lived unconsciously. So, let me ask you again, do you talk to yourself? Yes, you do.  GUESTS: Professor Ethan Kross is Director of the Emotion and Self-Control Laboratory at the University of Michigan Andres Neuman is an author of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and criticism. He’s the author of several award-winning novels including “Traveler of the Century” and most recently, “Talking To  Ourselves” Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.  Jon Franois produced this show with help from Betsy Kaplan and Chion WolfSupport the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wednesday's insurrection by Trump supporters at the Capitol was the culmination of months of Trump perpetuating the lie that the election was stolen from him. The fire he built might have sputtered without oxygen from Republican colleagues and right-wing media intent on capitalizing on his lies. House Democrats introduced an article of impeachment Monday. It charges President Trump with "inciting violence against the government of the United States," after House Republicans objected to a resolution calling on Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment. The House will consider the impeachment resolution on the floor if the vice president refuses to intervene "within 24 hours" or if the president refuses to resign. The boundaries between democracy, autocracy, and fascism have blurred in America over the last four years. Is impeachment or the 25th Amendment the best way to put out the fire of Trumpism? We want to hear from you. Call us at 888-720-9677. GUEST: Yascha Mounk - A contributing editor at The Atlantic, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and a senior adviser at Protect Democracy; his most recent book is The People Vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is In Danger and How To Save It, and he recently founded the newsletter Persuasion 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.

Last weekend, a little girl asked her father for help opening a can of beans. Rather than help her, Bean Dad left his daughter to figure it out for herself. For six hours (supposedly). And tweeted about it. It was peak internet. Also: This will come as a shock (it probably won't), but Kim Kardashian is rumored to be divorcing Kanye West. Or she's rumored to be about to be divorcing Kanye West. Or she's rumored to be considering divorcing Kanye West. Or something. And finally: Bridgerton is a period drama series on Netflix produced by Shonda Rhimes. It's set in Regency London during "the social season," and you're either super interested in a show with that premise or you aren't. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: The Nirvana of Ben AffleckWe want our stars to be just like us, but ultimately, we want them to be themselves even more Influencers Feuding After Both Naming Their Babies 'Baby' We Need to Bring Back Clowning On Some Guy What's Entering the Public Domain in 2021: The Great Gatsby & Mrs. Dalloway, Music by Irving Berlin & Duke Ellington, Comedies by Buster Keaton, and More 'Calvin and Hobbes' said goodbye 25 years ago. Here's why Bill Watterson's masterwork enchants us still. McDonald's will debut new chicken sandwich Feb. 24New platform will be offered in three versions: crispy, spicy and deluxe What On Earth Happened Here? Grammys Postpone 2021 Ceremony Over COVID-19 ConcernsOrganizers set March 14th as new date, citing "thoughtful conversations with health experts, our host and artists scheduled to appear" Rapper Dr. Dre hospitalized after brain aneurysm"I will be out of the hospital and back home soon," the 55-year-old Beats co-founder posted on Instagram. The Forever Legacy of Alex TrebekThe longtime 'Jeopardy!' host’s final episodes are airing this week. They're a testament to Trebek's profound impact -- on the show he defined, the world it created, and the lives of those who crossed his path. Simon & Schuster Cancels Plans for Senator Hawley's BookThe publisher faced calls to drop the Missouri Republican's upcoming book, "The Tyranny of Big Tech," following criticism of his efforts to overturn the presidential election. Shakespeare, Swing and Louis Armstrong. So What Went Wrong?Three theaters are exploring "Swingin' the Dream," which tanked on Broadway in 1939, but opens a window on the racial and artistic dynamics of its time. Wrestler Mick Foley asks Vince McMahon to boot Donald Trump from the WWE Hall Of Fame GUESTS: Theresa Cramer - A freelance writer and editor and the co-founder of Quiet Corner Communications 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.

President Trump has gotten away with bad behavior since long before he was elected to the presidency. When faced with an election loss that he couldn't change, he instigated his followers to fight for him. They obeyed his command. He may not be able to get out of the consequences of the actions they took on his behalf.  We talk about the implications of what happened yesterday. And we take your calls. You can reach us at 888-720-9677. GUEST: Ruth Ben-Ghiat - Professor of history and Italian studies at New York University and a frequent contributor to CNN opinion; her new book is Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present 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 our show starts today, the U.S. Congress will begin the process of officially tallying the Electoral College votes in the 2020 elections for president and vice president. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris received 306 votes, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence received 232 votes, and this should be a pretty pro forma exercise. Should be. Instead, scores of congressional Republicans are expected to object to the certified votes from a number of swing states. The president thinks the vice president has the power to pick and choose which votes to count. The vice president reportedly disagrees. In any case, the objections are expected to gum up the works -- probably for hours. All this while House Democrats consider censuring the president, while there are rumors the president is planning to travel to Scotland on the eve of Inauguration Day, while the countdown to Inauguration Day has ticked down to t-minus just two weeks. Oh. And there were two runoff elections in Georgia yesterday to decide control of the U.S. Senate. In other words, all kinds of craziness going on all at once. And so: We want your calls. Join us during the 1 p.m. ET hour. 888-720-WNPR. 888-720-9677. GUEST: Ross Garber - A lawyer specializing in political investigations and impeachment and a legal analyst for CNN Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nietzsche called Richard Wagner "a volcanic eruption of the total undivided artistic capacity of nature itself," and Thomas Mann said he was "probably the greatest talent in the entire history of art." More than a thousand movies have Wagner on their soundtracks, including classic scenes from Apocalypse Now, The Blues Brothers, Bugs Bunny cartoons, and Charlie Chaplin. But, there's a reason Woody Allen says too much of Wagner's music gives him "the urge to conquer Poland." Wagner is nothing if not a problematic figure. As the new book Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music puts it, "An artist who might have rivaled Shakespeare in universal reach is undone by an ideology of hate." This hour, a look at Wagnerism with New Yorker music critic Alex Ross. GUESTS: Steve Metcalf - Director emeritus of the University of Hartford's Presidents' College Alex Ross - Music critic at The New Yorker and the author of Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired September 30, 2020.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump kept Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on the phone for an hour Saturday, using a combination of cajoling, lies, and threats to encourage him to “find” enough votes to overturn the election.   All 10 living former defense secretaries stressed in an op-ed for the Washington Post published yesterday that: “The time for questioning the results has passed; the time for the formal counting of the electoral college votes, as prescribed in the Constitution and statute, has arrived.” Yet, eleven Republican senators and senators-elect and 140 House Republicans plan to vote against the joint session of Congress scheduled for Wednesday where President-elect Joe Biden’s victory is expected to be certified. Has the Republican Party lost its soul?  Lastly, how will the political power dynamics in Washington play out in 2021? GUESTS: Peter Wehner is a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center and a contributing writer at The Atlantic and The New York Times. He’s the author of The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump. He served in the three previous Republican Administrations.  John Harris is the co-founder of Politico and the author of The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House. He writes the Altitude column for Politico. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

To round out the year, we round up the best jazz of the year. We've done this every year for at least the last seven years. Here are our 2020 picks: "Kurinji" by Jen Allen featuring Kris Allen, Marty Jaffe, and Kush Abadey, from Sifting Grace "The Sidewinder" by Artemis, from Artemis "Dream Without Me" by Noah Baerman & Friends, from Love Right "Inner Child" by Chris Dingman featuring Linda May Han Oh and Tim Keiper, from Embrace "The Well" by Endless Field, from Alive in the Wilderness "AKA Reggie" by Wayne Escoffery, from The Humble Warrior "I Can't Remember Love" by Anna Hauss, Robert Wienröder & William Horberg, from Music from the Netflix Limited Series The Queen's Gambit "La Mesha" by Jimmy Heath featuring Wynton Marsalis, from Love Letter "Spiral" by Dan Liparini, from Tessellations "Data Lords" by Maria Schneider Orchestra, from Data Lords "More?" by Joel Ross, from Who Are You? "Piggy Bank for Charity" by Sax & Taps, from Intersplosion! (Live at Dizzy’s Club) GUESTS: Jen Allen - A pianist, composer, arranger, and educator; her new album is Sifting Grace Noah Baerman - A pianist, composer, and educator; his new album is Love Right Gene Seymour - A film, television, and music critic 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.

2020 was … not great. But, from a pop culture point of view, it wasn't so bad either. I mean, we got the Hamilton movie, The Queen's Gambit, the final season of Schitt's Creek, David Byrne's American Utopia, the Borat sequel, "WAP," I May Destroy You, Tiger King, two new Taylor Swift albums, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom… The list goes on. This hour, The Nose looks back at the year in pop culture that was 2020. Some other stuff that happened this week, give or take: French designer Pierre Cardin, licensing pioneer, dies at 98 What the Hole Is Going On?The very real, totally bizarre bucatini shortage of 2020. This Lawsuit Goes to 11The creators of This is Spinal Tap, the most influential mockumentary ever made, have been paid almost nothing. The rock gods are angry. Wait, What's Going on With Hilaria Baldwin? The 16 Best Ambient Albums of 2020Whether offering solace, transport, or simple numbness, these albums perfectly suited a year of lockdown. The 15 Best Crime Movies of 2020Heists, embezzlement attempts, and temporally-warped espionage will help end the year on a good note. The 39 Most Anticipated Movies of 2021 GUESTS: Rebecca Castellani - Handles social media marketing and event planning for Quiet Corner Communications Taneisha Duggan - Artistic producer at TheaterWorks Sam Hadelman - Host of The Sam Hadelman Show at Radio Free Brooklyn Irene Papoulis - Teaches writing at Trinity College Mercy Quaye- Founder and principal consultant for The Narrative Project and a columnist with Hearst Connecticut Media Group 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.

We tend not to think much about that pat of butter we put on our morning toast, including how the store-bought sweet cream butter we're eating likely pales in comparison to the rich, nutty flavor of  the cultured butter not found in many stores. Nor, do we think about butter sculpture, butter bogs, pleasure dairies, or the dairymaids, those once respected and well-paid artisans and economic powerhouses of our nations earliest days.  We definitely don't think about the nationwide 'war' between butter-loving dairy farmers and the margarine industry. It led to smear campaigns, state laws against margarine, and a ruling by the Supreme Court that led to pink margarine. You may not even know it's okay to eat butter again after decades of being told to stay away from the death-inducing fats found in butter. So, go ahead and eat that toast with butter.  Today, a show about butter.  GUESTS: Elaine Khosrova - Author of Butter: A Rich History, a former pastry student at Culinary Institute of America and a former test kitchen editor at Country Living magazine Doug Moe - Wisconsin-based author and journalist who has written for newspapers and magazines for almost 40 years Adeline Druart - President of Vermont Creamery. Adeline brings her knowledge of butter-making to Vermont from her home country of France You can 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.

Toward the end of every year since 2014, we've picked a day and put "Big Al" Anderson, Jim Chapdelaine, and Colin in a room together, sung some songs, told some stories, and wound up with some sort of a holiday special. The "in a room together" part of that is essential… and just not going to happen in 2020. So, in lieu of doing a new show with Al and Jim, this year we've gone through all six of the previous shows we've done and pulled out some of the best songs -- 11 of them, no less -- and some of the best guest appearances and some of the other best bits and bobs and we've added a brand-new version of an age-old Big Al song that Al and Jim sent along special. And we've wound up with this sort of best-of edition of our annual holiday spectacular. Just 'cause we can't all get in a room together doesn't mean you can't have an hour of our nonsense to put on in the background on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve or whatever Eve you want. Happy holidays from us to you. GUESTS: Al Anderson - Vocals, guitar, songwriter Jim Chapdelaine - Guitar and vocals Lorne Entress - Drums and vocals Paul Kochanski - Bass guitar and vocals Nekita Waller - Connecticut's 17th state troubadour Chion Wolf - Host of Audacious with Chion Wolf on Connecticut Public Radio Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. Colin McEnroe, Gene Amatruda, Betsy Kaplan, and Cat Pastor contributed to this show.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.