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.
1951
Centrists Won’t Save Health Care
Conservative writer Philip Klein says compromise won’t lead to better health policy. It has to be all or nothing.
26 min
1952
Chris Christie’s Biggest Mistake
No, it wasn’t Bridgegate. Or Beachgate.
24 min
1953
The Incredible Eddie Izzard
A conversation with the famed comedian, author, runner and one-day-only concert pianist
31 min
1954
Invisibilia Questions Your Emotions
The hosts of NPR’s hit podcast say there’s been a quiet revolution in the way we understand our feelings.
27 min
1955
Writing Cop Fiction in the Age of Black Lives M...
Crime writer Don Winslow on the deep research that goes into writing modern crime fiction
20 min
1956
I Hate This, Don’t Quote Me
In one paragraph, Washington Post reporter Marc Fisher held the line against anonymous sources and “outright awfulness.”
28 min
1957
Big Turmoil in Big Sky Country
Anne Helen Petersen returns to discuss her new posting—covering politics in Montana for BuzzFeed.
27 min
1958
The Rise and Reign of Unruly Women
In her new book, author Anne Helen Petersen on how our culture treats women defying norms.
26 min
1959
Do Radicals Change the World?
Author Jeremy McCarter on the five people who changed the course of America in 1917.
31 min
1960
Scaachi Koul on Surviving the Trolls
It helps to stay off Twitter.
25 min
1961
The Musings of Wallace Shawn
The playwright and actor on the struggle of making a creative statement in the face of political chaos.
28 min
1962
Is Terrorism Coverage Racist?
A few problems with the recent study suggesting white terrorists get less media play than Muslim terrorists.
29 min
1963
Lies vs. BS
A handy guide to parsing the president’s tweets.
25 min
1964
Jon Ronson on Writing the Year’s Wildest Movie
The Welsh journalist on his new movie, the meat-is-murder fantasy adventure Okja.
26 min
1965
The Delicate Art of Political Persuasion
Robb Willer on how to reframe debates in a way the “other side” will understand.
25 min
1966
He Ate Human Flesh for Science
Bill Schutt on his comprehensive new book, Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History
27 min
1967
Awk-ward!
Why does awkwardness make us so uncomfortable?
28 min
1968
Autocrats Can’t Take a Joke
Comedian Bassem Youssef satirized two Egyptian presidents. They were not amused.
23 min
1969
Larry Wilmore is Black on the Air
The comedian talks about his new podcast and why satire can’t change minds.
32 min
1970
What We Get Wrong About Mass Incarceration, Pt. II
Criminal justice quant John Pfaff says to bring down the prison population we must rein in prosecutors. Can that be done?
22 min
1971
What We Get Wrong About Mass Incarceration, Pt. I
Hint: It’s not about the feds, it’s about local prosecutors.
25 min
1972
Why So Morose About Lactose?
Our resident debunker, Maria Konnikova, on the truth and the fiction about nondairy milks.
26 min
1973
O Great Confessor Google
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz combs internet search data to uncover secrets that elude pollsters.
29 min
1974
You Can’t Say That, Mr. Senator
Guest host Zoe Chace talks to Al Franken about jokes you can’t say out loud in Washington.
35 min
1975
The Path of Most Resistance
New Republic editor Jeet Heer on how the election of Donald Trump has remade the Democratic Party.
27 min