The Colin McEnroe Show

What would it mean if we treated rivers as alive? That's the question that nature writer Robert Macfarlane wrestles with in his latest book. What would happen if we took that aliveness seriously? How would we know what a river would want? Who would speak for it? These are questions that communities around the world are dealing with as they work to figure out how to protect rivers and the ecosystems that re...

Biblical scholar James Tabor says that Mary – the mother of Jesus – is “the best known, least known woman in history.” This hour, we’ll get to know Mary a little better and talk about why some people are obsessed with preserving her purity at the expense of her humanity. And, we talk with (The Reverend) Amey Victoria Adkins-Jones from Emory University about Mary mythology, Bla...

We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls, calls about anything, everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.

This hour, the conversation winds around to musicians, politics, jobs, journalism, planning for the future … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.

MUSIC FEATURED (in order):

• The World Is A Gh...

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is the third series in the A Song of Ice and Fire television franchise. It is set about 90 years before Game of Thrones and almost 80 years after House of the Dragon. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is created by Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin and based on the Tales of Dunk and Egg series of novellas by Martin.

And: Hamnet is the fifth feature film written and directed by Chloé Zhao. The scr...

Whistles have become a protest symbol, from the streets of Minnesota to the Grammys red carpet. This hour, we look at how whistles are being used by organizers across the country to alert communities about ICE presence. Plus, we discuss ancient whistles and talk about whistleblowers, why they step forward, and the costs of doing so.

GUESTS:

• Trevor Mitchell: Senior Metro Reporter for "MinnPost"
• Sean Hollister: Senior ...

Nobody likes termites. They get into the wood in our homes and can lead to infuriating and expensive repairs. What’s to like?

It turns out, there’s a lot to like about termites. Scientists study how they build their mounds for clues to solving some of the world’s most pressing problems, like mitigating the effects of drought, building colonies on Mars, and creating biofuels.

Plus, their ability to adapt to the har...

On February 1, President Trump announced that The Kennedy Center would close for two years for “Construction, Revitalization, and Complete Rebuilding” (capitalization sic). Washington Post art and architecture critic Philip Kennicott sees this as an existential threat to the Center.

And: New York Times fashion critic Vanessa Friedman thinks everyone has been misunderstanding the Melania documentary from the get go. It&r...

We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls, calls about anything, everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.

This hour, the conversation winds around to the rule of law, the Epstein files, the economy, the Green Bay Packers, Gilmore Girls … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.

MUSIC FEATURED (in order):

Whatever your politics, the last month or so has been … a lot.

This hour, The Nose looks at how we’re all using pop culture (or not) to deal with all the news — to cope, to escape, to process.

Plus, a look at how well (or not) our pop culture has been meeting the moment lately.

GUESTS:

• RS Benedict: A writer and bureaucrat whose fiction and non-fiction has been published in the New Haven Review, Fangoria, Cur...

The term "classical music" includes a wide variety of music and artists. This hour we take a look at what that category really means. We celebrate the form and help you figure out how to start listening to the genre.

Plus, how video game music is bringing new listeners to classical music and live orchestras.

GUESTS:

• Matthew Aucoin: American composer, conductor, writer, pianist, and a 2018 MacArthur Fellow. He is author of...

We’ve been doing these shows where we don’t book any guests, where we fill the hour with your calls, calls about anything, everything. These shows are fun for us, and they seem to be fun for you, too. So we did another one.

This hour, the conversation winds around to Vice President JD Vance, making “gift” a verb, space launches, homeschooling, making friends across political lines, social media … Anyt...

Lately the ancient philosophy of Stoicism is having a bit of a resurgence. This hour we learn about the philosophy, why people are drawn to it, and how to live like a Stoic. Plus, we look at how Stoicism appears in music.

GUESTS: 

• Massimo Pigliucci: The K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. He is the author of books including Beyond Stoicism: A Guide to the Good Lif...

The Night Manager is a British spy thriller TV series based on the novel by John le Carré and adapted by David Farr. The first season aired in 2016. And the second season, which premiered nearly 10 years later in early 2026, is expected to conclude this weekend. The Night Manager stars Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie, and Olivia Colman.

And: Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! is a two-part HBO docuseries d...

Earlier this month, Yale historian Joanne Freeman began a nightly video series called "A Few Thoughts for Those Who Can't Sleep." Most nights she goes live on YouTube and talks about the news of the day, historical context for it, and the value of building community, as the comments swell in around her. This hour, Freeman joins us to share a few thoughts about the latest news, empathy, history, and America...

Protest music is taking over TikTok. This hour we look at what's going on, and we hear from an artist about why she writes and performs protest songs. Plus, a discussion about what counts as a protest song and a brief look through the history of the genre, from "Strange Fruit" and "This Land is Your Land" to today.

GUESTS:

• Renee Koma: A musician who goes by Renee Christine. Her latest album is “Appalachia"
• Isabella ...

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 Minneapolis, Greenland, the late Bob Weir, cool names among public radio’s on-air talent, AI overview on Google and elsewhere … Anything. (Seemingly) everything.

These shows are fun for us, and they s...

It's cold, snowy winters like this that make us question why we choose to live in a place where snow, sleet, and wind define one-third of the year. It's a great excuse to complain, but does it also make us stronger and better people?

This hour, we explore the idea of "northmanship." We talk about what it means to be from the north and to be inspired by the north. Is there a connection that we make to truth...

Song Sung Blue is a musical biopic written and directed by Craig Brewer and based on a documentary of the same name. It tells the true story of a Neil Diamond tribute act, Lightning & Thunder. Hugh Jackman plays Lightning, and Kate Hudson was just nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her turn as Thunder.

And: Merrily We Roll Along is a filmed version of the 2023 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondhei...

Greenland is the largest island in the world. Its landmass accounts for 95% of the Kingdom of Denmark, but it’s 80% covered in ice sheet.

Greenland takes up roughly the same area as Alaska and California combined, while its population is roughly the same size as the population of … West Haven, Connecticut.

Oh, and you may have noticed that Greenland has been in the news a bit lately.

This hour: an exploration of Greenl...