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.
2026
Type A Anonymous
Maria Konnikova sizes up the old saw: “I’m a little Type A.”
24 min
2027
Art That Makes You Angry
This is your brain on political ads.
24 min
2028
A Kamikaze Mission to Jupiter
Scientist Summer Ash explains the interstellar choreography of the Juno spacecraft mission and what we hope to learn from it.
26 min
2029
The Life and Death of Aaron Swartz
Author Justin Peters on the impatient child prodigy of the free-culture movement.
26 min
2030
It Was the Best of Timesheets, It Was the Worst...
For novelist J. Bradford Hipps, the modern office space is rich territory when it comes to human drama.
27 min
2031
Mister Postman, Lower Your Price Points for Me
Your trusty postal service used to traffic in children and politicians’ dirty laundry.
25 min
2032
Reduce, Reuse, and Re-Evaluate
Recycling: It’s the dominant moralism of our time. Is it bull?
24 min
2033
Fantastic Negrito Returns
Xavier Dphrepaulezz has had a good year.
29 min
2034
Wyatt Cenac Wants Kermit the Frog’s Job
The comedian’s stand-up showcase aspires to be the next Muppet Show. Without the puppets.
23 min
2035
Poll Analysis From a Spiritual 60-Year-Old
Harry Enten explains the new 2016 election prediction from FiveThirtyEight.
25 min
2036
Do the Dead-Cat Bounce
Looking for a silver lining in the Brexit vote.
26 min
2037
Brittle England
The Brexit vote let supporters of the “Leave” campaign stick it to the elites. What’s the value of their collective primal scream?
25 min
2038
Billboard Hits From 1964
On a day of British retreat, we ponder the British Invasion.
28 min
2039
The Character Actor’s Studio
Coping with Star Trek makeup and other tips from René Auberjonois.
30 min
2040
If You Build It, Alonzo and Alie Will Come
Alonzo Bodden and Alie Ward explain "How to Build … Everything."
26 min
2041
Can Boris Fool Britannia?
Tracing the parallels between Boris Johnson’s calls for the Brexit and Donald Trump’s rise.
27 min
2042
Brexit Stage Right
Is this the best you got, Team Leave?
26 min
2043
Charmed and Disgusted With Dave Hill
You might say he saw the whole Trump phenomenon coming.
25 min
2044
We Are Never Ever Joining Quail Forever
Probing the limits of Quail Unlimited.
30 min
2045
Against All Owls
Maria Konnikova delves into the research on chronotypes.
23 min
2046
You’re Not the Real Trump
Impersonating the most imitated man in America.
25 min
2047
Shut Your Lie Hole
Interrogation expert Lena Sisco is on to you.
27 min
2048
The Good, the Bad, and the Ali
The consummate boxer, Muhammad Ali stood alone in the ring, alone when he converted to Islam, and alone when he denounced the Vietnam War.
30 min
2049
Hoping Tevye Gets a Cold
The man who plays Mordcha the Innkeeper (and subs for Tevye) in Fiddler on the Roof followed in his late father’s footsteps when he joined the cast of the Broadway musical.
26 min
2050
The Gangbanger Who Switched Sides
He went from dealing crack to busting dealers.
29 min