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The 2020 Olympics began late last week in Tokyo, Japan. This hour: we look back at the opening weekend, and ahead at the rest of the games.

GUESTS:
Ben Waterworth - Australian journalist and radio host, and host of many podcasts, including "Off The Podium," a podcast about the Olympics
Rebecca Schuman - Writer who is covering Olympic gymnastics for Slate
Emily VanDerWerff - Critic at Large for Vox

The 2020 Olympics began late last week in Tokyo, Japan. This hour: we look back at the opening weekend, and ahead at the rest of the games.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Ben Waterworth&nbsp;- Australian journalist and radio host, and host of many podcasts, including "Off The Podium," a podcast about the Olympics</li>
<li>Rebecca Schuman&nbsp;- Writer who is covering Olympic gymnastics for&nbsp;Slate</li>
<li>Emily VanDerWerff&nbsp;- Critic at Large for&nbsp;Vox</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

Do The 2020 Olympics Deserve A Medal?

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Do we really need politicians? What would our politics look like without them? These are some of the ideas that Yale political scientist Hélène Landemore explores in her work, including in the Connecticut Citizens’ Assembly, taking place this summer. Landemore joins us for the hour.

GUEST:
Hélène Landemore: Professor of Political Science at Yale University. Her new book is Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule

Music featured (in order):
Hands Across The Sea – John Philip Sousa as performed by “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band
Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart – Stevie Wonder
People Have the Power – Patti Smith
Democracy – Leonard Cohen
Love Is Sweeping the Country – Chris Connor
Of Thee I Sing – Ella Fitzgerald

Do we really need politicians? What would our politics look like without them? These are some of the ideas that Yale political scientist H&eacute;l&egrave;ne Landemore explores in her work, including in the&nbsp;<a href="https://ct-citizens-assembly.org/">Connecticut Citizens&rsquo; Assembly</a>, taking place this summer. Landemore joins us for the hour.
GUEST:
<ul>
<li>H&eacute;l&egrave;ne Landemore:&nbsp;Professor of Political Science at Yale University. Her new book is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/730879/politics-without-politicians-by-helene-landemore/">Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule</a></li>
</ul>
Music featured (in order):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4x3LFlnfcg">Hands Across The Sea</a>&nbsp;&ndash; John Philip Sousa as performed by &ldquo;The President&rsquo;s Own&rdquo; United States Marine Band</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FWvHBodfoU">Can We Fix Our Nation&rsquo;s Broken Heart</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Stevie Wonder</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPR-HyGj2d0">People Have the Power</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Patti Smith</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU-RuR-qO4Y">Democracy</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Leonard Cohen</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYJ5Hhdmhs8">Love Is Sweeping the Country</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Chris Connor</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_hMdCzecDE">Of Thee I Sing</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Ella Fitzgerald</li>
</ul>

We don't need politicians. Hélène Landemore makes the case

The word "like" has been around for centuries, but it reached a new cultural prominence in the 1980s, partially thanks to Frank Zappa's song "Valley Girl." Since then, "like" has taken on a life of its own, inspiring strong emotions. This hour, we look at the meaning and evolution of "like." Plus, how movies like the now 30-year-old Clueless have impacted our language.

GUESTS:


Megan C. Reynolds: Former editor at Dwell and author of Like: A History of the English Language’s Most Hated (and Misunderstood) Word


Kory Stamper: Lexicographer and author of Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries


Veronica Litt: English Professor and author of Ugh! As If!: Clueless

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, Dylan Reyes, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, and Isaac Moss contributed to this show, which originally aired August 20, 2025.

The word "like" has been around for centuries, but it reached a new cultural prominence in the 1980s, partially thanks to Frank Zappa's song "Valley Girl." Since then, "like" has taken on a life of its own, inspiring strong emotions. This hour, we look at the meaning and evolution of "like." Plus, how movies like the now 30-year-old Clueless have impacted our language.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Megan C. Reynolds: Former editor at Dwell and author of <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/like-megan-c-reynolds?variant=43182606647330">Like: A History of the English Language&rsquo;s Most Hated (and Misunderstood) Word</a>
</li>
<li>
Kory Stamper: Lexicographer and author of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/530504/word-by-word-by-kory-stamper/">Word By Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries</a>
</li>
<li>
Veronica Litt: English Professor and author of <a href="https://ecwpress.com/products/ugh-as-if">Ugh! As If!: Clueless</a>
</li>
</ul>
The Colin McEnroe Show is available as a podcast on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-colin-mcenroe-show/id714179884">Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0AXtqrzWounIoJyIqz003p">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9b6b3cee-f69b-4729-a78b-181f851d80e8/the-colin-mcenroe-show">Amazon Music</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/The-Colin-McEnroe-Show-p1208473/">TuneIn</a>,&nbsp;<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&nbsp;The Noseletter</a>, an email compendium of merriment, secrets, and ancient wisdom brought to you by&nbsp;The Colin McEnroe Show.
Join the conversation on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
Colin McEnroe, Dylan Reyes, Robyn Doyon-Aitken, and Isaac Moss contributed to this show, which originally aired August 20, 2025.

Why does "like" bother us so much?

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 spousal knowledge, tree sperm, progressive candidates, tree sperm, hitpeople, tree sperm, sleepy bees … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.

These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we’re doing another one.
In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about whatever you want to talk about. 888-720-9677.‌

Music featured (in order):
thank u i guess – forrest nolan
Museum of Idiots – They Might Be Giants
Love Is Salvation – Jesca Hoop
I Don’t Know Anything – Alan Hsiao
Something’s Coming – Laura Anglade
Mary Singletary – Deer Tick
With New Eyes – Simon Lynge

We&rsquo;ve been doing these shows where we don&rsquo;t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls. And your calls have been interesting and surprising and amusing &mdash; This hour, the conversation winds around to spousal knowledge, tree sperm, progressive candidates, tree sperm, hitpeople, tree sperm, sleepy bees &hellip; Anything. (Seemingly) everything.
These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we&rsquo;re doing another one. In other words: Give us a call during the 1 p.m. EDT hour about&nbsp;whatever you want to talk about.&nbsp;<a href="tel:8887209677">888-720-9677</a>.&zwnj;
Music featured (in order):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9ZmP35jWFQ">thank u i guess</a>&nbsp;&ndash; forrest nolan</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHcWXRCsknE">Museum of Idiots</a>&nbsp;&ndash; They Might Be Giants</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bQkgF9rkyA">Love Is Salvation</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Jesca Hoop</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zIVr9dRFPY">I Don&rsquo;t Know Anything</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Alan Hsiao</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSUysarBS_g">Something&rsquo;s Coming</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Laura Anglade</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/oG5_PejyAVE">Mary Singletary</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Deer Tick</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQP5chmfiFg">With New Eyes</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Simon Lynge</li>
</ul>

Do The 2020 Olympics Deserve A Medal?

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