There are thought to be about 17 million living flies for every human alive on Earth.

They’re predators and parasites and pests, but they’re pollinators too. They help us solve crimes, heal wounds, and understand genetics and evolution. And they literally help at least one artist paint his paintings.

Also this hour: A look at David Cronenberg’s 1986 remake of, you guessed it: The Fly.

GUESTS:
Jonathan Balcombe: Author of Super Fly: The Unexpected Lives of the World’s Most Successful Insects
John Knuth: An artist
Gale Ridge: Associate scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Jacob Trussell: Author of The Binge Watcher’s Guide to The Twilight Zone; he published the piece “Only Jeff Goldblum Could Make Us Fall in Love with ‘The Fly’” at Film School Rejects

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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 19, 2021.

There are thought to be about 17 million living flies for every human alive on Earth.
They&rsquo;re predators and parasites and pests, but they&rsquo;re pollinators too. They help us solve crimes, heal wounds, and understand genetics and evolution. And they literally help <a href="https://www.instagram.com/knuthstudio">at least one artist</a> paint his paintings.
Also this hour: A look at David Cronenberg&rsquo;s 1986 remake of, you guessed it: The Fly.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Jonathan Balcombe: Author of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jonathanbalcombe.com/super-fly/">Super Fly: The Unexpected Lives of the World&rsquo;s Most Successful Insects</a></li>
<li>John Knuth: An artist</li>
<li>Gale Ridge: Associate scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station</li>
<li>Jacob Trussell: Author of The Binge Watcher&rsquo;s Guide to The Twilight Zone; he published the piece &ldquo;Only Jeff Goldblum Could Make Us Fall in Love with &lsquo;The Fly&rsquo;&rdquo; at Film School Rejects</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 and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired August 19, 2021.

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

The humble fly

Henry David Thoreau is a bit of a polarizing figure. He has been both celebrated and criticized for his writing. He’s considered an inspirational figure for retreating to the woods, but mocked for his reliance on his mother during that same period.

This hour, in celebration of the new PBS documentary about the writer, we look at the life and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, and ask what his example can teach us about who is remembered and celebrated.

GUESTS:


Laura Dassow Walls: Professor emeritus of English at the University of Notre Dame and the author of Henry David Thoreau: A Life


Alex Beam: Author, journalist, and contributor to The Boston Globe 


Tracy Fullerton: Director of the Game Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California and the designer and director of Walden, A Game 

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.

Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on April 27, 2022.

Henry David Thoreau is a bit of a polarizing figure. He has been both celebrated and criticized for his writing. He&rsquo;s considered an inspirational figure for retreating to the woods, but mocked for his reliance on his mother during that same period.
This hour, in celebration of <a href="https://www.pbs.org/show/henry-david-thoreau/">the new PBS documentary</a> about the writer, we look at the life and legacy of Henry David Thoreau, and ask what his example can teach us about who is remembered and celebrated.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Laura Dassow Walls: Professor emeritus of English at the University of Notre Dame and the author of <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/H/bo23013074.html">Henry David Thoreau: A Life</a>
</li>
<li>
Alex Beam: Author, journalist, and contributor to The Boston Globe&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Tracy Fullerton: Director of the Game Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California and the designer and director of <a href="https://www.waldengame.com/">Walden, A Game</a>&nbsp;
</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>.
Colin McEnroe and Cat Pastor contributed to this show, which originally aired on April 27, 2022.

Demystifying the life, and legacy, of Henry David Thoreau

On the morning of May 24, 2019, Jennifer Dulos dropped her kids off at New Canaan Country School. And then minutes later, she vanished.

Her presumed murder quickly became a national story.

This hour, Wall Street Journal columnist Rich Cohen joins us to talk about his book, Murder in the Dollhouse: The Jennifer Dulos Story.

Plus: a look at our ongoing obsession with these true crime stories.

GUESTS:


Rich Cohen: Writer at large at Air Mail and a columnist at The Wall Street Journal; his new book is Murder in the Dollhouse


Bethany Usher: A journalist and academic and the author of Journalism and Crime

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 and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on July 17, 2025.

On the morning of May 24, 2019, Jennifer Dulos dropped her kids off at New Canaan Country School. And then minutes later, she vanished.
Her presumed murder quickly became a national story.
This hour, Wall Street Journal columnist Rich Cohen joins us to talk about his book, <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374608064/murderinthedollhouse/">Murder in the Dollhouse: The Jennifer Dulos Story</a>.
Plus: a look at our ongoing obsession with these true crime stories.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Rich Cohen: Writer at large at Air Mail and a columnist at The Wall Street Journal; his new book is Murder in the Dollhouse
</li>
<li>
Bethany Usher: A journalist and academic and the author of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.routledge.com/Journalism-and-Crime/Usher/p/book/9781032022246">Journalism and Crime</a>
</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 and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on July 17, 2025.

‘Murder in the Dollhouse’: Jennifer Dulos and our fascination with true crime

Thousands of Americans gathered over the weekend for "No Kings" protests. So this hour, we take a look at kings around the world, from history to the present moment. Plus, why are we so interested in royalty? And, what is the role of the king in chess?

GUESTS:
Mauro Guillén: Vice Dean of Wharton’s MBA Program for Executives. He is the author of books including The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society. He has been named a Commander of the Royal Order of Civil Merit by King Felipe VI of Spain
Arianne Chernock: Professor in the Department of History and Associate Dean of the Faculty for the Social Sciences at Boston University. She is the author of books including The Right to Rule and the Rights of Women: Queen Victoria and the Women’s Movement
Jenny Adams: Professor and Department Chair of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is the author of books including Power Play: The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages

Music featured (in order):
It’s Good To Be King – Tom Petty
Brilliant Mistake (King of America) – Elvis Costello
Royals – Lorde
King of Nothing – Seals and Crofts
Her Majesty – The Beatles
Only a Pawn in their Game – Bob Dylan

Thousands of Americans gathered over the weekend for "No Kings" protests. So this hour, we take a look at kings around the world, from history to the present moment. Plus, why are we so interested in royalty? And, what is the role of the king in chess?
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Mauro Guill&eacute;n:&nbsp;Vice Dean of Wharton&rsquo;s MBA Program for Executives. He is the author of books including&nbsp;<a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250281340/theperennials/">The Perennials: The Megatrends Creating a Postgenerational Society</a>. He has been named a Commander of the Royal Order of Civil Merit by King Felipe VI of Spain</li>
<li>Arianne Chernock:&nbsp;Professor in the Department of History and Associate Dean of the Faculty for the Social Sciences at Boston University. She is the author of books including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/right-to-rule-and-the-rights-of-women/B0F2779E79836F04E83B7689BF516DB6">The Right to Rule and the Rights of Women: Queen Victoria and the Women&rsquo;s Movement</a></li>
<li>Jenny Adams:&nbsp;Professor and Department Chair of English at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is the author of books including&nbsp;Power Play: The Literature and Politics of Chess in the Late Middle Ages</li>
</ul>
Music featured (in order):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SF1iLXSQto">It&rsquo;s Good To Be King</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Tom Petty</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/SfICbSL6Vm0">Brilliant Mistake (King of America)</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Elvis Costello</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/LFasFq4GJYM">Royals</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Lorde</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/FhiCCcHkBVE">King of Nothing</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Seals and Crofts</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/Cj-w0641nbY">Her Majesty</a>&nbsp;&ndash; The Beatles</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSmkeb_7uq0">Only a Pawn in their Game</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Bob Dylan</li>
</ul>

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