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.
1851
Up With Eggheads
Are experts taking the fall for decisions made by people in power?
24 min
1852
What Happened to the Crack Epidemic?
In 100:1 The Crack Legacy, Christopher Johnson draws a line between the ’80s epidemic and overpolicing today.
21 min
1853
Ariel Levy Was Here
In her memoir, The Rules Do Not Apply, Levy ponders the price of her own plucky, third-wave feminism.
31 min
1854
The Gist Presents the Grift
A special presentation of Maria Konnikova’s new podcast, about long cons and the characters who perpetrate them.
26 min
1855
The Handmaid’s Fail
Is The Handmaid’s Tale really the most fitting dystopian novel we could be reading right now? Guest host Alexandra Petri talks to Slate’s Mallory Ortberg.
19 min
1856
Improv is Hard, Writing is Harder
Jake Johnson and Joe Swanberg on the hectic process behind the new poker comedy Win It All
29 min
1857
Why David Letterman Still Matters
In his book, The Last Giant of Late Night, reporter Jason Zinoman explains how The Late Show was like nothing else on TV.
25 min
1858
When Protesters Pull the Fire Alarm
Does your right to free speech entitle you to silence the speech of someone else? Mike Pesca debates Slate’s Osita Nwanevu.
26 min
1859
Shots Fired. What Now?
How does President Trump’s attack on a Syrian air base fit into U.S. policy toward the Assad regime?
24 min
1860
Lovable Losers With Scott Simon
The NPR host on the changing nature of his fandom for the Chicago Cubs
25 min
1861
A More Human Kind of Sci-Fi
Charlie McDowell imagines a world where the afterlife is scientifically proven in his film The Discovery.
27 min
1862
An Outsider’s Take on America’s Game
For 15 years, Tabitha Soren followed a group of baseball minor league draft picks with a camera. The results are stirring.
23 min
1863
Where Is the Republican Resistance?
GOP strategist Mike Murphy on why Democrats won’t get an “Aaron Sorkin moment” where the whole party righteously turns on Trump.
26 min
1864
The Return of Mystery Science Theater 3000
Creator Joel Hodgson and head writer Elliot Kalan on the return of the iconic movie-riffing show that changed comedy.
24 min
1865
Russia Doesn’t Have Any Friends
What are we missing in all the coverage of the Kremlin’s election skullduggery?
23 min
1866
What is Homeopathy, Exactly?
Resident myth-debunker Maria Konnikova returns to trace the spotty history of homeopathic remedies.
28 min
1867
How Political Parties Collapse
The Whigs were destroyed in the 1850s by divisions over nativism, free trade, and government spending. Sound familiar?
26 min
1868
Step Away From the Screen
Should your favorite video game or Netflix show come with a surgeon general’s warning?
29 min
1869
Feet off the Couch, Please
Alyssa Mastromonaco, who served as deputy chief of staff in Obama’s White House, on why mess ups like the Kellyanne Conway couch photo actually matter
24 min
1870
Slobs vs. Snobs
The Free Beacon’s film critic reviews the delightful romp that is our conservative vs. liberal political death match.
23 min
1871
Health Care! It’s Trump’s Problem Now
Slate’s Jordan Weissmann and Jim Newell look at Trump’s no-win situation, a day before the AHCA gets a House vote.
28 min
1872
James Comey’s Slow Drip
The president’s allies are being investigated for connections to Moscow. Are we making a big enough deal of this?
28 min
1873
Cold, Hard Facts with Wendy Zukerman
The Science Vs. host takes on everything from climate change to ghosts on her weekly podcast.
26 min
1874
What’s Next for Travel Ban 2.0
Typically, judges aren’t supposed to use campaign-trail speech to evaluate official policy. Slate legal correspondent Dahlia Lithwick says the travel ban case isn’t typical.
27 min
1875
Dangerous Times With Kelly McEvers
The host of All Things Considered and Embedded reflects on her career as a war reporter and the roots of her new podcast.
32 min