One Night Only is an R-rated dystopian sci-fi sex comedy rom-com. But then, what movie isn’t an R-rated dystopian sci-fi sex comedy rom-com, really? It is directed by Will Gluck (who also directed Anyone but You and Easy A and other things). It has grossed $7.4 million over its first six days in theaters, and it’s in danger of becoming a box office bomb.

And: “Two People Exchanging Saliva (Deux personnes échangeant de la salive)” is a black-and-white French-language absurdist comedy-drama short film written and directed by Alexandre Singh and Natalia Mistreata. It won this year’s Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

And finally: The Atlantic says there’s an “eroticism shortage.” And that feels right. Right? And so what’s that all about?

GUESTS:
RS Benedict: A writer and bureaucrat whose fiction and non-fiction has been published in the New Haven Review, Fangoria, Current Affairs, and a bunch of other places
Irene Papoulis: Taught writing for a long time at Trinity College
Lindsay Lee Wallace: A writer and journalist whose latest work includes the cover stories for the four most recent issues of Bat Conservation International’s Bats magazine

One Night Only&nbsp;is an R-rated dystopian sci-fi sex comedy rom-com. But then, what movie isn&rsquo;t an R-rated dystopian sci-fi sex comedy rom-com, really? It is directed by Will Gluck (who also directed&nbsp;Anyone but You&nbsp;and&nbsp;Easy A&nbsp;and other things). It has grossed $7.4 million over its first six days in theaters, and it&rsquo;s in danger of becoming a box office bomb.
And: &ldquo;Two People Exchanging Saliva (Deux personnes &eacute;changeant de la salive)&rdquo; is a black-and-white French-language absurdist comedy-drama short film written and directed by Alexandre Singh and Natalia Mistreata. It won this year&rsquo;s Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.
And finally:&nbsp;The Atlantic&nbsp;says there&rsquo;s an &ldquo;<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/family/2026/07/eroticism-esther-perel-the-invite/687872/">eroticism shortage</a>.&rdquo; And that feels right. Right? And so what&rsquo;s that all about?
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>RS Benedict:&nbsp;A writer and bureaucrat whose fiction and non-fiction has been published in the&nbsp;New Haven Review,&nbsp;Fangoria,&nbsp;Current Affairs, and a bunch of other places</li>
<li>Irene Papoulis:&nbsp;Taught writing for a long time at Trinity College</li>
<li>Lindsay Lee Wallace:&nbsp;A writer and journalist whose latest work includes the cover stories for the four most recent issues of Bat Conservation International&rsquo;s&nbsp;Bats&nbsp;magazine</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

The Nose looks at ‘One Night Only’ and ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’

If you ask an AI chatbot what its favorite color is, chances are it’ll say blue. What’s going on? This hour, we look at why so many people love the color blue, and what blue means in art and culture and our lexicon. Plus: Why are Democrats blue and Republicans red? And, the universe is getting less blue?

GUESTS:
Kory Stamper: Lexicographer, and author of True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color–from Azure to Zinc Pink
Kushin Mukherjee: Postdoctoral scholar in the Cognitive Tools Lab at Stanford University
Einav Rabinovitch-Fox: Historian, Visiting Professor of History at Case Western Reserve University, and Managing Editor at the Cleveland Museum of Art
Ivan Baldry: Professor of Astrophysics at Liverpool John Moores University

Music featured (in order):
Blue (Da Ba Dee) – Eiffel 65
Am I Blue – Dinah Washington
Blue – Joni Mitchell
Blue Skies – Eva Cassidy
Blue Money – Van Morrison
I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues – Alessia Cara

If you ask an AI chatbot what its favorite color is, chances are it&rsquo;ll say blue. What&rsquo;s going on? This hour, we look at why so many people love the color blue, and what blue means in art and culture and our lexicon. Plus: Why are Democrats blue and Republicans red? And, the universe is getting less blue?
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Kory Stamper:&nbsp;Lexicographer, and author of&nbsp;<a href="https://korystamper.com/true-color/">True Color: The Strange and Spectacular Quest to Define Color&ndash;from Azure to Zinc Pink</a></li>
<li>Kushin Mukherjee:&nbsp;Postdoctoral scholar in the Cognitive Tools Lab at Stanford University</li>
<li>Einav Rabinovitch-Fox:&nbsp;Historian, Visiting Professor of History at Case Western Reserve University, and Managing Editor at the Cleveland Museum of Art</li>
<li>Ivan Baldry:&nbsp;Professor of Astrophysics at Liverpool John Moores University</li>
</ul>
Music featured (in order):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68ugkg9RePc">Blue (Da Ba Dee)</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Eiffel 65</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/azNlAVUNNf0">Am I Blue</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Dinah Washington</li>
<li><a href="https://youtu.be/Nu7aOan-lds">Blue</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Joni Mitchell</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axfNDZXkUOY">Blue Skies</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Eva Cassidy</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dECPWpAlgaU">Blue Money</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Van Morrison</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcOLhcz-tEQ">I Guess That&rsquo;s Why They Call It the Blues</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Alessia Cara</li>
</ul>

The sky, a mood, a color, a political affiliation... This hour we've got the blues

Billboard

In April, 2010, we did a segment on the concept of the mesofact, a certain kind of data point that feels fixed even though it’s actually always slowly changing. And we’ve gone back to the idea every now and again ever since.

This hour, a look at three things about the world that changed pretty dramatically while you were thinking about other stuff.

Hey, did you know there’s a fifth ocean now? Hey, did you know that you can put hot food right into your fridge now? Hey, did you know that goldfish are actually pretty smart?

Those kinds of things.

GUESTS:
Andrea Barnes: A writer at Wirecutter covering large cleaning appliances and laundry
Liam McCabe: A writer at Wirecutter covering home improvement
Cait Newport: An associate professor at the University of Oxford, where she leads the Animal Perception and Cognition Group
Alex Tait: The Geographer at the National Geographic Society

Music featured (in order):
Things Change – Venus
It Ain’t Necessarily So – Jaimee Paul
Rock the Boat – Hues Corporation
Washing Dishes – G. Love and Special Sauce
Money for Nothing – Dire Straits
Goldfish – Fionn

In April, 2010, we did a segment on the concept of the mesofact, a certain kind of data point that feels fixed even though it&rsquo;s actually always slowly changing. And we&rsquo;ve gone back to the idea every now and again ever since.
This hour, a look at three things about the world that changed pretty dramatically while you were thinking about other stuff.
Hey, did you know there&rsquo;s a fifth ocean now? Hey, did you know that you can put hot food right into your fridge now? Hey, did you know that goldfish are actually pretty smart?
Those kinds of things.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Andrea Barnes:&nbsp;A writer at&nbsp;Wirecutter&nbsp;covering large cleaning appliances and laundry</li>
<li>Liam McCabe:&nbsp;A writer at&nbsp;Wirecutter&nbsp;covering home improvement</li>
<li>Cait Newport:&nbsp;An associate professor at the University of Oxford, where she leads the Animal Perception and Cognition Group</li>
<li>Alex Tait:&nbsp;The Geographer at the National Geographic Society</li>
</ul>
Music featured (in order):
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H36FEJSKnGA">Things Change</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Venus</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxQnE6Zd7Fk">It Ain&rsquo;t Necessarily So</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Jaimee Paul</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKr9wZpjBqE">Rock the Boat</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Hues Corporation</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Na5m-M6H_oQ">Washing Dishes</a>&nbsp;&ndash; G. Love and Special Sauce</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTP2RUD_cL0">Money for Nothing</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Dire Straits</li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIpdwApgJS0">Goldfish</a>&nbsp;&ndash; Fionn</li>
</ul>

Even a fact has a half-life

A study shows that AI chatbots often engage in sycophantic behavior. Just like some humans. This hour, we take a look at sycophants in literature and in politics. And we talk about sycophancy and artificial intelligence.

GUESTS:


Mark Parker: Professor Emeritus of English at James Madison University and co-author of Sucking Up: A Brief Consideration of Sycophancy


Virginia Heffernan: Writes a regular column for The New Republic and the Substack “Magic + Loss.” She is co-host of the podcast “Omnishambles”


Malihe Alikhani: Assistant Professor at Northeastern University’s Khoury College of Computer Sciences, and a resident Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution with a focus on AI policy

Music featured (in order):


Overture to Rigoletto – Giuseppi Verdi, Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmoniker


I Believe in You – Peggy Lee


Don’t Cry – Seal


You Fascinate Me So – Mabel Mercer


What You Want To Hear – Sub-Radio


Flattery – Rosemary Clooney, Jose Ferrer

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 April 8, 2026.

A study shows that AI chatbots often engage in sycophantic behavior. Just like some humans. This hour, we take a look at sycophants in literature and in politics. And we talk about sycophancy and artificial intelligence.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Mark Parker: Professor Emeritus of English at James Madison University and co-author of <a href="https://www.upress.virginia.edu/title/5030/">Sucking Up: A Brief Consideration of Sycophancy</a>
</li>
<li>
Virginia Heffernan: Writes a regular column for <a href="https://newrepublic.com/authors/virginia-heffernan">The New Republic</a> and the Substack &ldquo;<a href="https://virginiaheffernan.substack.com/">Magic + Loss</a>.&rdquo; She is co-host of the podcast &ldquo;<a href="https://virginiaheffernan.substack.com/podcast">Omnishambles</a>&rdquo;
</li>
<li>
Malihe Alikhani: Assistant Professor at Northeastern University&rsquo;s Khoury College of Computer Sciences, and a resident Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution with a focus on AI policy
</li>
</ul>
Music featured (in order):
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE7UPz66MQY">Overture to Rigoletto</a> &ndash; Giuseppi Verdi, Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmoniker
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt93_qGMntY">I Believe in You</a> &ndash; Peggy Lee
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_geeaWHt5zk">Don&rsquo;t Cry</a> &ndash; Seal
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGjWEsmfOOo">You Fascinate Me So</a> &ndash; Mabel Mercer
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVe4qEowsrQ">What You Want To Hear</a> &ndash; Sub-Radio
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1hsks6lv1I">Flattery</a> &ndash; Rosemary Clooney, Jose Ferrer
</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 and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show, which originally aired on April 8, 2026.

The Nose looks at ‘One Night Only’ and ‘Two People Exchanging Saliva’

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