The Gist
For thirty minutes each day, Pesca challenges himself and his audience, in a responsibly provocative style, and gets beyond the rigidity and dogma. The Gist is surprising, reasonable, and willing to critique the left, the right, either party, or any idea.
1476
Saving Civilians, and the Mission
Minimizing “collateral damage” isn’t just morally laudable. It can help win wars.
24 min
1477
Out Like a Champ
Even in defeat, Jeopardy! king James Holzhauer managed to make a brilliant calculation.
28 min
1478
The Impeachment Tree of Possibilities
Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley thinks impeachment is a good idea. Slate’s Mike Pesca doesn’t.
28 min
1479
Enemies in Eurasia
America’s military edge on Russia and China—on the battlefield, in cyberspace, and in actual space—shouldn’t be taken for granted.
29 min
1480
The Mueller Dud
The special counsel’s statement gave us nothing new. So why did it lead prominent Democrats to board the impeachment train?
26 min
1481
Impeach a President
We learned a lot about impeachment the first time our country tried it.
35 min
1482
The Impeachment Special
With impeachment on the table, The Gist rounds up previous interviews on what booting Trump from office might look like.
30 min
1483
The Real Crimes of the TV Show Cops
Cops tricks viewers into thinking it’s not exploitation.
31 min
1484
Life After Parkland
A new documentary follows the family and friends of those killed in the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
27 min
1485
Planned Parenthood Plans for Action
The organization’s president, Leana Wen, on the sorry state of abortion rights even before the recent state legislation.
30 min
1486
What Basketball Gave Felipe Lopez
The “Dominican Michael Jordan” didn’t dominate the NBA like his nickname promised—but hoops gave him joy, an education, and an incredible New York story.
28 min
1487
The First “Welfare Queen”
Linda Taylor was one-of-a-kind. But her fraud was presented as typical, and proof that America’s social safety net needed burning.
33 min
1488
A Very Grumpy Death
How do we mourn such a curmudgeonly creature? Via song, of course.
37 min
1489
The Personal Is Geopolitical
Jared Diamond’s new tome, Upheaval, compares individuals’ crises with those of nation states.
31 min
1490
Have a Job? Thank Yourself, Not Trump.
Just look at the U.K., where similarly ultra-low unemployment rates coexist with a political circus.
31 min
1491
“No War” Is the Best Trump Can Do
The Iraq War was worse—by measure of blood, treasure, and geopolitical consequences—than anything our current president has done so far.
32 min
1492
Decoding the Bliss Gene
The brain chemistry isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
28 min
1493
Comedy Is No Revolution
Larry Wilmore says professional jokesters aren’t supposed to change the world. They’re supposed to make you laugh.
30 min
1494
Bigger Than Titanic
Avengers: Endgame has sunk Titanic at the box office. Is the Russo brothers' latest as good as that makes it sound?
38 min
1495
Who Makes The Gist?
A roundtable discussion from Gist producers past and present.
34 min
1496
The Retro Hits and Repeats of 2014
Meghan Trainor and Iggy Azalea really lucked out.
35 min
1497
The Gist of the Past Five Years
Mike Pesca on what he’s learned about digital journalism from doing the longest-running daily news podcast.
32 min
1498
Bird City
Lisa Hanawalt’s new animated comedy Tuca & Bertie is for the birds.
26 min
1499
“I’ll Take Second Place for $2,000”
Adam Levin had the best performance of any runner-up in the game show’s history. But it wasn’t enough against trivia ace James Holzhauer.
29 min
1500
Derby or Die?
This year’s Kentucky Derby is overshadowed by high death rates among horses at a California track, which may do lasting damage to the industry.
28 min