The Colin McEnroe Show
The Colin McEnroe Show
The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of …Social links:
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The weird and fundamental idea that is zero
Zero is considered by many mathematicians to maybe be humanity’s greatest achievement. This hour, a look at the strange and essential concept of the number zero and how the human brain deals with it. Plus: the trend toward zero-sugar and zero-calorie sodas. And: 0 (and 00) as a uniform number in…
48:59
Why some women ‘boycott’ men, from Ancient Greece to the 4B Movement
Some women in the United States are adopting the 4B Movement from South Korea: no marriage, no childbirth, no dating, and no sex. This hour we take stock of that movement globally, and the history of other similar movements, including one depicted in an ancient Greek play, Lysistrata. GUESTS: Min…
48:59
All calls under the influence (of Novocain): Jethro Tull, making love courteously, Yeats, and more
This hour we take your calls about anything you want to talk about.
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An hour with Griffin Dunne
Note: This episode contains strong language. Griffin Dunne is Jack Goodman in John Landis’ classic horror-comedy An American Werewolf in Londonand Paul Hackett in Martin Scorsese’s After Hours and Loudon Trout in the Madonna-starring screwball comedy Who’s That Girl. He’s Uncle Nicky on This Is Us…
50:00
Brian Reed wants you to “Question Everything” about journalism
You probably know Brian Reed from his hit award-winning series "S-Town." Now, Brian has a new podcast, "Question Everything," where he is re-examining everything about journalism. Today Brian Reed joins us for the full show to talk about what he's discovered. GUEST: Brian Reed: Host and producer …
48:59
Kafka and his legacy, 100 years after his death
Franz Kafka died 100 years ago, but his work is still very much alive today in literature classes and, surprisingly, on social media. This hour, we look at Kafka’s life and legacy, discuss the “Kafkaesque,” and investigate why the author resonates so much today. Plus, we revisit his most famous w…
50:00
All calls: tables, Keri Russell, the election, and more
We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing. This hour, the conversation winds around to tables, Keri Russell, how much you should disengage from politics, Sapiens: A Brief Hist…
48:59
How algorithms shape our world, for better and for worse
We hear about algorithms all the time, but what is an algorithm exactly? This hour, we learn about how algorithms work, a bit about their history, and how they're impacting our culture. GUESTS: Ed Finn: Author of What Algorithms Want: Imagination in the Age of Computing, and founding director o…
49:00
Roommates wanted: How the people you live with impact your life
Roommates: can't live with them, can't (afford to) live without them. They're the people who use your dishes and don't wash them. They're the people who apparently have a huge influence on your career choice and drinking habits. This hour, we're getting to know them better! GUESTS: Ken Jennings…
49:00
OK. Well. The election is over
As I type this, four states remain uncalled, including two battlegrounds. It could take days or longer to determine the final popular vote tally. Control of the U.S. House of Representatives is still to be determined. But that’s nothing like the uncertainty we were expecting to reign over the day …
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