The Colin McEnroe Show

It's the final day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia -  and the ride has been almost as wild as last week's Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No one likes a cloudy sky. A cloud on the horizon is seen as a harbinger of doom. We feel like clouds need to have silver linings. But here's our thesis: Clouds are unfairly maligned. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we did our show on Romeo and Juliet a few months ago, Tina Packer invited us to come up to Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, Mass., to see her new production of The Merchant of Venice this summer. Colin said we'd love to; we'll come up there and do a show! It seemed like the sort of niceties that people often toss off on the radio. But it turns out they meant it. And so, so did we! So we went u...

Ralph Nader is not happy with either the Republican or Democratic candidates for president. He says Republicans tolerating Donald Trump will look back and be ashamed and that Democrats chose a "deeply-rooted corporatist" and "militarist." In fact, he thinks the "two party tyranny" reduces the "voices and choices" of the people and we should all consider a third-party.   Support the show: http...

In January 2015, when it was announced that a planned new Ghostbusters movie would feature four female leads, internet fanbros went crazy. And then, this March, when the first Ghostbusters trailer came out, the internet fanbros went crazy all over again . And now the movie is finally out. (And guess what the internet fanbros did .) Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/li...

The Republican National Convention in Cleveland wraps up today following a speech by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sepsis is always an emergency. But I bet many of you reading this don't know what it is.  The CDC says there are over one million cases of sepsis in America annually -- many more globally -- and about 258,000 of those people die from it. It's the ninth leading cause of disease-related deaths and more people are hospitalized for sepsis every year than for heart disease and stroke combined. It'...

Author Ben Winter's latest work of alternative History, Underground Airlines , has been getting lots of attention in the short time since its release. Taking on themes such as institutional racism, social responsibility and personal redemption, the novel's relevance to today's top issues can't be denied. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

The Republican National Convention kicks off in Cleveland today after several days of pre-convention fireworks, including efforts by anti-Trump delegates to change the rules , Trump's agonizing indecision on his VP , and a changing list of speakers that will include more Trump family members than seasoned politicians.  Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener f...

As you may have heard, Pokemon is back (are back?) with the release last week of a new game. Pokemon Go is an augmented reality app that, through the magic of GPS on your phone, adds Pokemon to your surroundings, or, at least, to your surroundings as represented on your phone's screen, so that you can catch them. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Last fall, Colin saw The Bloodstained Men and Their Friends demonstrating in New Haven. They wear white coveralls with red stains on the crotches. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are few genres of entertainment more American than the Western. But for a genre so steeped in the iconography of our past, its accuracy in portraying historical event leaves much to be desired. Many argue that the Western is more myth than reality, and that this myth is akin to revisionist history. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

We once did a show about beer jingles, which is a great example of how a product becomes a culture. Cereal as a culture, is off the charts. There's the box, there's the prize, there's the character, there's the jingles, there's the commercials. Most of us can probably sing some jingles and discuss favorite cereal personae from our childhoods, which makes it kind of weird when marketing experts tel...

Donald Trump wants to advance his business interests in Russia  - and Vladimir Putin couldn't be happier. Putin's geopolitical interests rely on weakening the West. To that end, he has supported right-wing populists in Europe for more than a decade.   Donald Trump may be the perfect tool to help Putin destroy the West. He supports many of the goals of Putin and has openly admired him. He...

There's a new entry in the long, long canon of Tarzan stories and adaptations and shows and movies and musicals and Happy Meals toys or whatever. This time around, True Blood's Alexander Skarsgård stars as the bare-chested, animal-whispering titular character. The Nose went to see "The Legend of Tarzan," and we can't help but recognize its troubles of race and unending violence in this week's news...

No one likes a cloudy sky. A cloud on the horizon is seen as a harbinger of doom. We feel like clouds need to have silver linings. But here's our thesis: Clouds are unfairly maligned. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many Americans feel their vote no longer carries much clout in determining the decisions that most affect their lives -- whether it's about immigration, health care, gay rights, or gun control. The list goes on. The elected representatives they send to Congress as their voice are unable or unwilling to speak. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

FBI Director James Comey recommended no criminal charges against Hillary Clinton for her use of a personal email server while she was Secretary of State. His judgment came on the heels of the FBI's more than three hour interview with  Hillary Clinton on Saturday .  Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Thighmaster, the Chop-O-Matic, the George Foreman Grill and the Clapper: Products which are all part of American consumer culture and which were all introduced through infomercials. But as online shopping increases and traditional television watching decreases, are we beginning to see the end of these high-energy, late-night shows? Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.co...

From scientists to fiction writers, conspiracy theorists to theologians, aliens have captured the imagination of us all. But as we ponder the possibilities let us pause to ask ourselves why. Why do these yet to be found creatures from space occupy such a central role in the musings of so many? And should their existence be confirmed, what will it mean for us on Earth? Support the show: http://www....

Since its discovery in 1900, adrenaline and pop-culture have gone hand-in-hand. From extreme sports, to the latest energy drinks, to pulse pounding Hollywood blockbusters, the rush of this hormone is portrayed in countless ways. But these portrayals seldom tell the whole story. So what exactly is adrenaline, and why does our society seem so keen on celebrating it? Support the show: http://www.wnpr...

Before Stephen Colbert and John Oliver, before Jon Stewart and Conan O’Brien, before "The Simpsons," before David Letterman, before "Saturday Night Live," before The National Lampoon … before all the great subversive American satirists that we’ve all grown… used to — before all that, there was MAD magazine. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

My Batman story begins with a crime. I was in third grade. I went to the barber shop in West Hartford Center where there were comic books to read while you waited. I had never seen any superhero comic before and I started reading a Batman story. It was great but I didn't have enough time to finish it. So, when my haircut was done, I took it home with me.  Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org...

The British voted to leave the European Union yesterday. Let that sink in for a minute. This decision will likely cause geopolitical and economic turmoil and uncertainty for years to come as the world negotiates how to separate Britain from our global economy. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us know Cinderella as the poor servant girl who stuck it to her mean stepmother and stepsisters by proving she was good enough to marry the rich and handsome prince. She had a little help from a fairy godmother, a pumpkin coach, and a foot small enough to fit into the glass slipper. Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.