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: An 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 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&nbsp;Clueless&nbsp;have impacted our language.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Megan C. Reynolds:&nbsp;An editor at&nbsp;Dwell&nbsp;and author of&nbsp;<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:&nbsp;Lexicographer and author of&nbsp;<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:&nbsp;English Professor and author of&nbsp;<a href="https://ecwpress.com/products/ugh-as-if">Ugh! As If!: Clueless</a></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

Why does "like" bother us so much?

As we were preparing for this show, we started to realize that there maybe just isn’t that much good pop culture stuff about the American Revolution.

There’s Hamilton, of course. The John Adams HBO miniseries. Maybe the musical and movie 1776?

And that’s maybe it?

There’s fun junk like The Patriot or National Treasure.

But what else?

Think about all the great movies and TV series and plays and whatever else there are about World War II. Or Vietnam. Or the American Civil War.

I mean, there’s a newish movie (based on a play) about THE WEATHER leading up to D-Day … and it’s pretty good!

So what is it about the story of the American Revolution that makes it especially hard to tell well on the stage or screen?

The Nose has thoughts.

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
Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers
Joanne Freeman: The Alan J. Boles Jr. Professor of History and American Studies at Yale and the host of two podcasts, History Matters (…& so does coffee) and A Few Thoughts for Those Who Can’t Sleep
Rich Hollant: Founder and principal of CO:LAB, a hall of fame designer, and a co-partner at CENTER
Carolyn Paine: An actress and comedian, she’s the founder and director of CONNetic Dance and the creative producer and choreographer for The Bushnell’s Digital Institute
Gene Seymour: A “writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek,” and he writes the That Gene Seymour Substack
Lindsay Lee Wallace: A writer and journalist covering culture, health, technology, bats, and anything else people will answer her questions about
Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University

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 Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.

As we were preparing for this show, we started to realize that there maybe just isn&rsquo;t that much good pop culture stuff about the American Revolution.
There&rsquo;s Hamilton, of course. The John Adams HBO miniseries. Maybe the musical and movie 1776?
And that&rsquo;s maybe it?
There&rsquo;s fun junk like The Patriot or National Treasure.
But what else?
Think about all the great movies and TV series and plays and whatever else there are about World War II. Or Vietnam. Or the American Civil War.
I mean, there&rsquo;s a newish movie (based on a play) about THE WEATHER leading up to D-Day &hellip; <a href="https://secure.ctpublic.org/page/email/message/view?templateId=477114&amp;_gl=1*1iggnps*_gcl_au*ODUyOTU0MDQ4LjE3ODIwODIwODc.*_ga*MTUzODQ3OTU1OC4xNzgyMDgyMDg3*_ga_V646Y22D94*czE3ODMwMTQ0MzIkbzI4JGcwJHQxNzgzMDE0NDUxJGo0MSRsMCRoMA..">and it&rsquo;s pretty good</a>!
So what is it about the story of the American Revolution that makes it especially hard to tell well on the stage or screen?
The Nose has thoughts.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>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</li>
<li>Jim Chapdelaine: An Emmy-winning musician and a patient advocate for people with rare cancers</li>
<li>Joanne Freeman: The Alan J. Boles Jr. Professor of History and American Studies at Yale and the host of two podcasts, History Matters (&hellip;&amp; so does coffee) and A Few Thoughts for Those Who Can&rsquo;t Sleep</li>
<li>Rich Hollant: Founder and principal of CO:LAB, a hall of fame designer, and a co-partner at CENTER</li>
<li>Carolyn Paine: An actress and comedian, she&rsquo;s the founder and director of CONNetic Dance and the creative producer and choreographer for The Bushnell&rsquo;s Digital Institute</li>
<li>Gene Seymour: A &ldquo;writer, professional spectator, pop-culture maven, and jazz geek,&rdquo; and he writes the That Gene Seymour Substack</li>
<li>Lindsay Lee Wallace: A writer and journalist covering culture, health, technology, bats, and anything else people will answer her questions about</li>
<li>Bill Yousman: Professor of media studies at Sacred Heart University</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 Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.

The America250 Nose looks at the American Revolution in pop culture

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Today, revolution is a catch-all term used by people across the political spectrum. There's a sense that revolutions are transformational, and even improving. But people haven't always thought that way. This hour, we trace the history of the idea from ancient Rome to the present, and look at what it can tell us about the revolutions of the past.

GUESTS:
Dan Edelstein: Professor of French, History and Political Science at Stanford University. His most recent book is The Revolution to Come: A History of an Idea from Thucydides to Lenin
Alan Williams: Writer, musician, singer, and professor emeritus of Music at UMass Lowell

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

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

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!

Colin McEnroe, Katie Servas, and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.

Today, revolution is a catch-all term used by people across the political spectrum. There's a sense that revolutions are transformational, and even improving. But people haven't always thought that way. This hour, we trace the history of the idea from ancient Rome to the present, and look at what it can tell us about the revolutions of the past.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Dan Edelstein:&nbsp;Professor of French, History and Political Science at Stanford University. His most recent book is&nbsp;<a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691231853/the-revolution-to-come?srsltid=AfmBOopm9nPc-UOfwldsyI5LmeC9aG-rNeyDGVy3qJkmwZoF35BHGuc9">The Revolution to Come: A History of an Idea from Thucydides to Lenin</a></li>
<li>Alan Williams:&nbsp;Writer, musician, singer, and professor emeritus of Music at UMass Lowell</li>
</ul>
Join the conversation on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
<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.
The Colin McEnroe Show&nbsp;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!
Colin McEnroe, Katie Servas, and Eugene Amatruda contributed to this show.

What is a revolution anyways? What the history of an idea can teach us

When you "pull a Benedict Arnold," you sell out your side to join the stronger side of a situation out of fear, not honor. Needless to say, that's not a compliment.

More than 230 years after America secured independence from Britain, this skilled warrior and confidante of George Washington is remembered as a traitor and coward for defecting to the British side.

But it's not that easy.

The Revolution was a chaotic time. Some say America was in its first Civil War, when dangers greater than the British threatened our fledgling government. Congress was in constant battle with the military and feelings ran high over whether power should reside in the states or the federal government.

And it took a toll on the men who fought this bloody and protracted war. Leadership was often ineffective, greed was rampant, and militias fought without pay, few provisions, and little training. Family farms were looted and destroyed, the economy collapsed, and the Native Americans usually fought for the British.

Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country, fighting against friends and former comrades. He was impetuous and quick to anger. He also fought valiantly for the Revolution, often turning the tide toward America in decisive battles. Yet, he got little respect, less pay, and was a target of a politicized Congress.

Is it time to take another look at Benedict Arnold and the Revolution that birthed America?

GUESTS:


Nathaniel Philbrick: Author of many books including In the Heart of the Sea; Mayflower; and Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution


Eric Lehman: Director of Publications and an Associate Professor of English at University of Bridgeport; author of Homegrown Terror: Benedict Arnold and the Burning of New London


Brad Meltzer: Author of many books including The Inner Circle; The Book of Fate; and The House of Secrets

Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

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

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!

Colin McEnroe, Chion Wolf, and Greg Hill contributed to this show, which originally aired on June 16, 2016.

When you "pull a Benedict Arnold," you sell out your side to join the stronger side of a situation out of fear, not honor. Needless to say, that's not a compliment.
More than 230 years after America secured independence from Britain, this skilled warrior and confidante of George Washington is remembered as a traitor and coward for defecting to the British side.
But it's not that easy.
The Revolution was a chaotic time. Some say America was in its first Civil War, when dangers greater than the British threatened our fledgling government. Congress was in constant battle with the military and feelings ran high over whether power should reside in the states or the federal government.
And it took a toll on the men who fought this bloody and protracted war. Leadership was often ineffective, greed was rampant, and militias fought without pay, few provisions, and little training. Family farms were looted and destroyed, the economy collapsed, and the Native Americans usually fought for the British.
Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country, fighting against friends and former comrades. He was impetuous and quick to anger. He also fought valiantly for the Revolution, often turning the tide toward America in decisive battles. Yet, he got little respect, less pay, and was a target of a politicized Congress.
Is it time to take another look at Benedict Arnold and the Revolution that birthed America?
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Nathaniel Philbrick: Author of many books including In the Heart of the Sea; Mayflower; and Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution
</li>
<li>
Eric Lehman: Director of Publications and an Associate Professor of English at University of Bridgeport; author of&nbsp;Homegrown Terror: Benedict Arnold and the Burning of New London
</li>
<li>
Brad Meltzer: Author of many books including&nbsp;The Inner Circle;&nbsp;The Book of Fate; and&nbsp;The House of Secrets
</li>
</ul>
Join the conversation on&nbsp;<a href="https://facebook.com/ColinMcShow">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/colinmcshow">Twitter</a>.
<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.
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!
Colin McEnroe, Chion Wolf, and Greg Hill contributed to this show, which originally aired on June 16, 2016.

Why does "like" bother us so much?

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