From fueling some of mankind's most violent events to inspiring your daughter's latest pop star obsession, mania has become an indispensable force in shaping our collective story. This hour we explore a centuries-long flower frenzy and modern-day fanaticism to uncover why we are so drawn to being "totally obsessed."

GUESTS: 
Daniel Durbin: Professor of Communication and Director of the Institute of Sports, Media and Society at the University of Southern California Annenberg School
Sarah Bilston: Professor of English at Trinity College and author of the forthcoming book, The Lost Orchid: A Story of Victorian Plunder & Obsession
Paul Barnes: Pianist and Professor of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Glenn Korff School of Music

From fueling some of mankind's most violent events to inspiring your daughter's latest pop star obsession, mania has become an indispensable force in shaping our collective story. This hour we explore a centuries-long flower frenzy and modern-day fanaticism to uncover why we are so drawn to being "totally obsessed."
GUESTS:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Daniel Durbin:&nbsp;Professor of Communication and Director of the Institute of Sports, Media and Society at the University of Southern California Annenberg School</li>
<li>Sarah Bilston:&nbsp;Professor of English at Trinity College and author of the forthcoming book,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674272606">The Lost Orchid: A Story of Victorian Plunder &amp; Obsession</a></li>
<li>Paul Barnes:&nbsp;Pianist and Professor of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Glenn Korff School of Music</li>
</ul>

The Colin McEnroe Show is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called The Nose for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/the-colin-mcenroe-show/about">The Colin McEnroe Show</a> is public radio’s most eclectic, eccentric weekday program. The best way to understand us is through the subjects we tackle: Neanderthals, tambourines, handshakes, the Iliad, snacks, ringtones, punk rock, Occam’s razor, Rasputin, houseflies, zippers. Are you sensing a pattern? If so, you should probably be in treatment. On Fridays, we try to stop thinking about what kind of ringtones Neanderthals would want to have and convene a panel called <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/tags/the-nose">The Nose</a> for an informal roundtable about the week in culture.

The Colin McEnroe Show

A look at cultural manias from Liszt and orchids to the Beatles and beyond

Marty Supreme is the first movie written and directed by Josh Safdie without his former filmmaking partner, his brother Benny Safdie. It is a sports comedy-drama-thriller about a professional ping pong player played by Timothée Chalamet, who just won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy.

And: Good Night, and Good Luck.: Live on Broadway is the recorded version of the live television broadcast of the stage version of the 2005 film mostly about the production of a live television show. Like the movie, it is written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, with Clooney this time starring as Edward R. Murrow. The play was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Actor in a Play for Clooney.

GUESTS:
Xandra Ellin: Produces The Global Story for the BBC
Shawn Murray: A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the Fantasy Filmball podcast
Irene Papoulis: Taught writing for a long time at Trinity College

MUSIC FEATURED (in order):
I Have the Touch – Peter Gabriel
Change – Tears for Fears
When I Fall In Love - Georgia Heers
How High The Moon - Georgia Heers
See You On The Radio – Grayson Hugh

Marty Supreme&nbsp;is the first movie written and directed by Josh Safdie without his former filmmaking partner, his brother Benny Safdie. It is a sports comedy-drama-thriller about a professional ping pong player played by Timoth&eacute;e Chalamet, who just won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture &mdash; Musical or Comedy.
And:&nbsp;Good Night, and Good Luck.: Live on Broadway&nbsp;is the recorded version of the live television broadcast of the stage version of the 2005 film mostly about the production of a live television show. Like the movie, it is written by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, with Clooney this time starring as Edward R. Murrow. The play was nominated for five Tony Awards, including Best Actor in a Play for Clooney.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Xandra Ellin:&nbsp;Produces&nbsp;The Global Story&nbsp;for the BBC</li>
<li>Shawn Murray:&nbsp;A stand-up comedian, writer, and the host of the&nbsp;Fantasy Filmball&nbsp;podcast</li>
<li>Irene Papoulis:&nbsp;Taught writing for a long time at Trinity College</li>
</ul>
MUSIC FEATURED (in order):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/hqCwZ0rE8Yg">I Have the Touch</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Peter Gabriel</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/-kU-jz8rVzw">Change</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Tears for Fears</li>
<li>When I Fall In Love - Georgia Heers</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAn7cSvaifw">How High The Moon</a>&nbsp;- Georgia Heers</li>
<li><a href="https://soundcloud.com/swampman-1/ill-see-you-on-the-radio">See You On The Radio</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Grayson Hugh</li>
</ul>

The Nose looks at ‘Marty Supreme’ and ‘Good Night, and Good Luck.: Live on Broadway’

Are we as a population getting dumber? How would we know if we were? This hour: stupidity. We’ll look at the history and philosophy of stupidity, and explore how it shows up in our daily lives and politics.

GUESTS:
Lane Brown: Features writer for New York Magazine, who recently wrote "A Theory of Dumb"
Stuart Jeffries: Journalist and author. His new book is A Short History of Stupidity
Shannon Mancus: Teaching Professor and Associate Department Head in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Department at the Colorado School of Mines. You can follow Dr. Shan on Instagram and Substack at “Pop Smart Media”

MUSIC FEATURED (in order):
Able Sisters – Animal Crossing New Leaf OST
Manchild – Sabrina Carpenter
Dumb All Over – Frank Zappa
Get Stupid – Aston Merrygold
How Sweet to Be an Idiot – Neil Innes
Idiot Wind – Bob Dylan

Are we as a population getting dumber? How would we know if we were? This hour: stupidity. We&rsquo;ll look at the history and philosophy of stupidity, and explore how it shows up in our daily lives and politics.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Lane Brown:&nbsp;Features writer for&nbsp;<a href="https://nymag.com/author/lane-brown/">New York</a>&nbsp;Magazine, who recently wrote "<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/american-adult-lower-iq-scores-cognitive-decline-technology-flynn-effect.html">A Theory of Dumb</a>"</li>
<li>Stuart Jeffries:&nbsp;Journalist and author. His new book is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?book_slug=a-short-history-of-stupidity--9781509563494">A Short History of Stupidity</a></li>
<li>Shannon Mancus:&nbsp;Teaching Professor and Associate Department Head in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences Department at the Colorado School of Mines. You can follow Dr. Shan on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/popsmartmedia/">Instagram</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://popsmartmedia.substack.com/">Substack</a>&nbsp;at &ldquo;Pop Smart Media&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
MUSIC FEATURED (in order):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/ZJZX0AzS6WA">Able Sisters</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Animal Crossing New Leaf OST</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSugSGCC12I">Manchild</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Sabrina Carpenter</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8TKiRo-W4U">Dumb All Over</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Frank Zappa</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/uIJDD1Cldgc">Get Stupid</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Aston Merrygold</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weu6RozXb78">How Sweet to Be an Idiot</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Neil Innes</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex05XUddWMk">Idiot Wind</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Bob Dylan</li>
</ul>

A look at human stupidity, from Socrates to today

Touch, grip, read, dance, gesture — what can’t they do? Our fingers are so vital to our everyday life, sometimes it seems they have minds of their own.

This hour, a look at the hidden language of finger gestures, the future of Braille, and the joys and challenges of animating fingers for the movies.

GUESTS:
Kensy Cooperrider: Cognitive scientist, writer, and host of the Many Minds podcast
Jonathan McNicol: Producer of The Colin McEnroe Show
Sile O’Modhrain: Professor at the University of Michigan studying sound and touch and the ways in which they interact
Carlos Fernandez Puertolas: Animator with DreamWorks

The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!

Subscribe to The Noseletter, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 31, 2022.

Touch, grip, read, dance, gesture &mdash; what can&rsquo;t they do? Our fingers are so vital to our everyday life, sometimes it seems they have minds of their own.
This hour, a look at the hidden language of finger gestures, the future of Braille, and the joys and challenges of animating fingers for the movies.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Kensy Cooperrider: Cognitive scientist, writer, and host of the&nbsp;<a href="https://manyminds.libsyn.com/">Many Minds</a>&nbsp;podcast</li>
<li>Jonathan McNicol: Producer of The Colin McEnroe Show</li>
<li>Sile O&rsquo;Modhrain: Professor at the University of Michigan studying sound and touch and the ways in which they interact</li>
<li>Carlos Fernandez Puertolas: Animator with DreamWorks</li>
</ul>
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-mcenroe-show/id714179884">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0AXtqrzWounIoJyIqz003p">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9b6b3cee-f69b-4729-a78b-181f851d80e8/the-colin-mcenroe-show">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Colin-McEnroe-Show-p1208473/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-colin-mcenroe-show-connecticut-public-lXR08dxQSM5/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!
<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/newsletters">Subscribe to The Noseletter</a>, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on <a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
Colin McEnroe, Cat Pastor, and Lily Tyson contributed to this show, which originally aired May 31, 2022.

A look at cultural manias from Liszt and orchids to the Beatles and beyond

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