The Colin McEnroe Show

The Washington Post, in The Fact Checker database they've kept since the 2016 election, notes an increase in the number of false or misleading claims the president has made in recent months while traveling the country to campaign for Republicans running in summer primaries.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colin's quite fond of this little piece of trivia: Tom Cruise was five years older during the production of Mission: Impossible -- Fallout than Wilford Brimley was during the filming of Cocoon. And it seems we're all okay with Tom Cruise as a 56-year-old action star. Fallout's opening weekend was the biggest for a Mission: Impossible movie and the second-biggest of Cruise's career.Fallout is the best-received movie in the M:I franchise too. If you had to pick the five best blockbusters of this decade, you could put together a totally reasonable list made just of Tom Cruise movies. (Here, look: Edge of Tomorrow, Jack Reacher, and the last three Mission: Impossibles. See?) In fact, at this point, if you like high-concept summer popcorn movies, but you don't like comic books/Star Wars/Star Trek/Harry Potter/etc.... what else even is there besides Tom Cruise movies anymore? Not much.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colin was diagnosed with melanoma several weeks ago. He had a few scary weeks between diagnosis and removal of the cancer. He's told he's clean but, what happens next? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kneeling has historically been an act of supplication. An act of reverence, of modesty. An act of submission, even.But then Colin Kaepernick started kneeling during the national anthem at football games, and eventually, the president of the United States called him and other players like him a "son of a bitch."And now a Haddam Selectman has started kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance, and people are calling her names too -- and calling for her to resign.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Take a look at at any early 20th century photograph and you'll see them: Hats! From Beavers and Bowlers to bonnets and baseball caps, for hundreds of years hats were the essential accessory for any fashionable and upstanding citizen.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Packer wrote in The New Yorker this weekend that the only obstacle left to prevent President Trump's full consolidation of power is public opinion. We must vote.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ariana Grande already had a top 10 hit from her forthcoming album, Sweetener. As of this week, she's got songs at numbers six and eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 with the debut of her single "God Is a Woman." The song and its video have become somewhat controversial in certain corners of the internet.And: Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl was a literary phenomenon in 2012. In its wake, film/television rights for her previous novels were snapped up. And now, six years later, HBO is airing an eight-episode (and only eight episodes, by the way) miniseries adapted in part by Flynn and starring Amy Adams.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Though country music is considered the most popular genre of music in America, its influence is profoundly regional. The style is known for appealing to the white working class, and is largely sequestered in southern and midwestern pockets of the country.Meanwhile, coastal elites tend to regard the genre with disdain. "I like everything but country" is a popular refrain.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The flu virus "Clade X"  is spreading rapidly around the world through respiratory droplets.  It was first detected in Germany and Venezuela but it has made students sick at a liberal arts college in Massachusetts. Officials are reporting the virus was created in a Swiss lab and deliberately unleashed by a terrorist group intending to sabotage the National Institutes of Health.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 eleven-year history. The other's dream stalled, his elaborate dance hall sitting idle for decades.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a 28-year-old Democratic socialist from New York who beat the fourth-ranked Democrat in the U.S. House in an upset primary victory in June. She won by unapologetically supporting Medicare for all and free college tuition. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hannah Gadsby is an Australian comedian and writer. Her new Netflix special is Nanette. There are certain ways it's a different sort of comedy special than you're used to. It's, for instance, more of an art history lecture than you'd probably expect. Its audience laughs much less than you're used to. And it'll probably make you cry more than other specials have. Those idiosyncrasies are just some of the reasons Nanette is "the most discussed comedy special in ages."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."Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Harris's Hannibal Lecter series. "Criminal Minds" on CBS. In the past year, there've been "Mindhunter" on Netflix and "Manhunt: Unabomber" on Discovery.It seems we're fascinated by forensic psychology, by criminal profiling, by... mindhunting.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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We had planned ("planned") to do a show today about how we're getting too familiar with our sinking feelings.And then that Trump-Putin press conference happened.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Logan Roy is the head of a major media conglomerate, much like Rupert Murdoch. Also like Murdoch, he's not sure if he wants any of his kids to take over when he decides to retire.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans are great at making a mess of things. So far, however, that mess has been confined to Earth. But as we develop into a spacefaring species, our capacity for destruction, pollution, and prejudice (towards aliens of earthly and unearthly origins) threatens to have cosmic consequences.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When The Simpsons started thirty years ago, no one thought it would last more than six weeks.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal regulatory requirements mandate* that all public media outlets occasionally devote significant airtime to the health and welfare of bees.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We enjoyed speaking with all of the people who called our show last Monday. We want to keep the conversation going. We want you to keep calling so that we can all talk or listen to one another - even when we disagree. Today, it's Colin and your calls. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They made a documentary about Mr. Rogers. Does The Nose really have a choice but to go see it? No. It does not. But then, it's "a vital doc," "a tearjerker with a purpose," and "the film we need right now" with "the hero 2018 needs." So we probably should've gone to see it regardless of whether the guy was a public broadcasting icon or not, no?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we dance? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Dancing has served a multitude of functions for various cultures throughout history, and there is even evidence to suggest we, as a species, are biologically hard-wired to dance.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Populism is on the rise from Europe to India to the United States.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump wants to "Make America Great Again," by turning back the clock to a time he believes was safer, purer, and removed from the dangers of modern society.He's not the first president to evoke nostalgia for the Rockwellian image of small town life where everyone knew one another, had a good job, and raised a family. The mental scene may vary but the nostalgia for something lost remains constant.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America has never been able to fully measure up to the ideals we embody. Yet, we could reasonably believe that we at least aspired to those ideals of equality, opportunity, and civility.  Today, we can no longer deny that those in power care little about the people they govern. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Believe it or not, Lorena and John Wayne Bobbitt (and their kitchen knife) entered the public consciousness 25 years ago last week.And this week, former UConn athlete Sue Bird and her girlfriend, Megan Rapinoe, became the first same-sex couple to appear on the cover of ESPN The Magazine's The Body Issue.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut will hold primaries on August 14 to determine which candidates get on the ballot in this November's midterm elections. Since Connecticut runs a closed primary system, only voters registered with a party get to vote in that party's primary. Unaffiliated and Independent voters are out of luck.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's SUMMER! And every year around this time, we gather up a few music mavens who help us analyze and celebrate the kind of music that gets us dancing and singing as soon as it comes on the radio.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1955, Connecticut experienced catastrophic flooding that killed more than eighty people. Two back-to-back hurricanes  - Connie and Diane - dropped over two feet of rain across Connecticut. The rains overwhelmed the Naugatuck, Farmington, and Quinebaug Rivers and their tributaries too quickly for many to escape its wrath. After the flood, Connecticut enacted flood control measures that led to several new dams. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we have no guests. Just a conversation between you and Colin about Stephanie Wilkinson's request that Sarah Huckabee Sanders leave the Red Hen restaurant Friday night. Wilkinson owns the Red Hen, where Sanders and her party were dining Friday night.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are three movies that deserve the credit (blame?) for the superhero/comic book movie renaissance/boom(/apocalypse?) that we've been living through now for nearly a decade and a half: Batman Begins (2005), Spider-Man 2 (2004), and Brad Bird's The Incredibles (2004).Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From his rapid-fire stand-up comedy riffs to his breakout role in Mork & Mindy and his Academy Award-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, Robin Williams was a singularly innovative and beloved entertainer. Dave Itzkoff's new biography is Robin.And: For the tenth anniversary of his death, a look back at the work of George Carlin.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly ninety-percent of Americans own a smartphone.On average, we spend more than four hours a day on our phones, which adds up to about 56 full days a year. That's like sealing yourself in a room on the first day of summer and not emerging until the kids head back to school. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the first Olympic games in 776 B.C. to the 2018 World Cup currently underway, referees have always played an integral part in competitive sports. But as technology advances and the means to make more accurate on-field calls improves, these men and women find themselves under increasing pressure to keep up.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite First Amendment protections separating the press from unchecked presidential power, President Trump is pushing limits beyond any president before him.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ocean's 8 is about as 2010s a movie as there's ever been. It's a reboot sequel of a series that started with a remake. The fun part, though, is that this movie (unlike the four that precede it) stars eight women. And the even funner part is that it's the number one movie in the country. Our all-star, all-lady (plus Colin) Nose has thoughts.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fast and Furious franchise includes eight feature films and two short films, and it looks like it's about to include a series of spinoff films. It's Universal Pictures's highest-grossing film franchise with a combined box office of more than $5 billion.Uhh, how did that happen?Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all regret and we should not regret that we regret.  I regret buying that pair of pink sneakers that I'll never wear. I can't take the sneakers back but I can call the brother that I regret not speaking to for several months. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You probably know Larry Wilmore as the host of the Black on the Air podcast or of Comedy Central's The Nightly Show. Or maybe you know him as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart's Senior Black Correspondent. Or you could know Wilmore as the co-creator of Insecure and The Bernie Mac Show or as a writer on The Office and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and In Living Color.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's lonely at the top.President Trump has a lot of acquaintances but not many close friends, according to those who know him best. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kim Kardashian rose to fame as a friend of Paris Hilton. She has a sex tape. She's been the subject of any number of reality TV shows. Kardashian is, for many people, the very definition of "famous for being famous."The Nose's charter includes a provision specifically requiring that we cover all things Kim Kardashian. But then, this week, we learned that she has the power to will presidential commutations into being. That's actually almost too much substance for The Nose to parse. Almost. But not quite.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Pesca is one of our very favorite guests -- on any number of topics. And he's got a new book out: Upon Further Review: The Greatest What-Ifs in Sports History.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.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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the penny press, to yellow journalism, to supermarket tabloids and beyond, sensationalized news has been around for centuries. But while this style of reporting may have its critics, it may also serve as an important reflection of American culture and democracy. This hour we speak with journalists and historians about the evolution and influence of tabloid journalism. We'll also discuss the alledged connection between President Trump and various tabloid publications, the true nature of which continues to unfold.GUESTS:Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There has been a lot of confusion about how many people died in Puerto Rico as the result of Hurricane Maria and its aftermath. Several publications reported last week that approximately five-thousand people may have died. They based their reports on a new study published in The New England Journal of Medicine that reflected more ambiguity than often reported.  Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Solo is the tenth feature-length, live-action Star Wars film. It is the fifth Star Wars prequel. It is the second Star Wars anthology film (following 2016's Rogue One), and it's the second Star Wars movie to come out in just the last six months (along with The Last Jedi).It is, though, a number of Star Wars firsts too: It's the first Star Wars picture to have its director(s) fired midway through production. It's the first to star Woody Harrelson. It's the first Star Wars movie that may well lose money.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've been trying to push this show out for quite a while now. It's been a bit of a strain, and we got kind of backed up.But, this hour, we let loose a long look at... constipation.It should be a big relief for everyone involved.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.Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I have traveled to three foreign countries since President Trump was elected. While I have always been proud to be American, even as I criticize much in my country, I was humbled by what people thought of America in the countries I visited. They were puzzled by our health care system, and appalled by our guns and voter apathy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.