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.
2251
What Michael Did on His Summer Vacation
On The Gist, Mike chats with the interesting attendees at his friend’s destination wedding in Montenegro. Our audio version of a wedding guestbook includes: John W. Frehse from Core Practice explains what millennials really want; Phil Hochberg...
32 min
2252
Serial for the Truly Obsessed
On The Gist, a new podcast unravels the case against Adnan Syed one complex detail at a time. We’ll speak with the podcast’s three hosts, Rabia Chaudry from Split the Moon; Colin Miller of EvidenceProf; and Susan Simpson, who writes for...
28 min
2253
Dog Show
Notice anything different about your street today? Just ask a dog. On The Gist, Alexandra Horowitz from the dog cognition lab at Barnard talks us through a dog walk. She’s the author of Inside of a Dog and On Looking: Eleven Walks With...
23 min
2254
Yes! Oh God!! Yesss!!!
Why is the female orgasm notoriously difficult to study? On The Gist, guest host Andrea Silenzi avoids tarnishing her browser history by asking Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker about new research into the effects of la petite mort on...
24 min
2255
Bobcat Goldthwait Stands Up for a Fellow Comic
On The Gist, comedian Bobcat Goldthwait reflects on how his career in comedy led him to chose the path of a filmmaker. His new documentary tells the story of fellow comic Barry Crimmins and explores the role of politics, anger, and activism in his...
25 min
2256
Don’t Say Cheese
On The Gist, Colin Atrophy Hagendorf tells us why he decided to eat a slice from every pizzeria in Manhattan. Unlike Super Size Me or Julie & Julia, sometimes ambitious food-related projects aren't life-changing experiences. But they can produce...
35 min
2257
The Year Disco Became a Dirty Word
On The Gist, our regular guest Chris Molanphy returns to explore Billboard chart hits from 1980, including rock songs, adult contemporary tracks, and lots of elements stolen from disco. It was a great year for dentists’ offices. For the...
29 min
2258
The “March to Zero” Veers Off Course in Kansas
On The Gist, a look at how Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and fellow Republicans are scrambling to preserve the state’s troubled zero-tax policy. Our guest Chris Suellentrop made politics personal in his New York Times Magazine feature "The Kansas...
23 min
2259
Raising a Trans Kid
On The Gist, Mike responds to the tragic news of the WDBJ7 shooting. Then, we debut a new segment we call Analogy Emergency. Can you help? Join the conversation on our Facebook page. Plus, Dr. Robert Garofalo joins us to discuss the difficult...
30 min
2260
Garlic: The Secret to a Long Life With No Friends
On The Gist, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker presses her knife down on a clove of wisdom and minces apart the research. Should we believe the hype about garlic, the miracle food? For the Spiel, a story of slobs vs. snobs as told...
24 min
2261
My Disease Became Your Fad Diet
On The Gist, Slate’s Laura Bennett explains what it’s like to be gluten-free since the ’90s. She recently wrote “I Was Gluten-Free Before It Was Cool.” Plus, what should we do with all our RadioShack gift cards?...
29 min
2262
Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer Ride the Glass Bus
On The Gist, we debut a new financial news segment called MarketScope with correspondent Sebastian Sinclair. Plus, comedians Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer explain why they paid $400 million to bring a bus from New York City’s Times Square to...
31 min
2263
A Horse Is a Horse, Unless It’s a Nazi
On The Gist, the latest chapter in Germany’s ongoing struggle with the legacy of the Third Reich. The Wall Street Journal’s Mary M. Lane tells us about the outcry over a Nazi-era bronze horse that stands outside a boarding school in...
28 min
2264
When Comedy Podcasts Were Still in Beta
On The Gist, comedian Jimmy Pardo recalls lessons learned from the dawn of podcasting and alt-comedy, and takes pride in the complexity of his new game show inspired by the room-escape zeitgeist. He hosts the podcast Never Not Funny and the...
26 min
2265
The Sons and Daughters Lost to ISIS
We’re all familiar with news stories about radicalized Western kids who join the terrorist group ISIS. Today on The Gist, Julia Ioffe tells the story of the mothers those kids leave behind, and how many turn to activism in their grief....
26 min
2266
Simon Rich, the Premise Keeper
An article in the Guardian once asked, “Is Simon Rich the funniest man in America.” We ask him, “Are you?” His new book Spoiled Brats explores why the so-called millennial culture is easy to mock, especially by baby...
33 min
2267
Warning: This Episode Contains Singing
Mike Pesca has no plans to stop singing on the podcast. For this special episode of The Gist, we bring in vocal coach Dr. Jan Douglas to help him find the key. Will he declare our host a lost cause? For the Spiel, the tart-tongued Buckeye John...
22 min
2268
How Economists Define Poverty
On The Gist, we examine a historically very loose measure—the poverty line. When we hear about the “supplemental poverty measure” in the news, is that a more valuable number? We ask our regular guest Adam Davidson to explain....
28 min
2269
Where to Find the Best Stories
Today on The Gist, professional storyteller Matthew Dicks returns to share a daily exercise for every aspiring storyteller. He’s the author of Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend. For the Spiel: Mike Pesca may not vocal-fry, but he sure hears...
26 min
2270
Mike Pesca's Origin Story, as Told by His Parents
On The Gist, an unusual episode about an unusual coincidence among our staff. Both Mike Pesca and managing producer Joel Meyer were born in cars in the 1970s. First up, Neila Pesca and Joe Pesca tell the story of the ultimate driveway moment, when our...
29 min
2271
Summer BS Edition
On The Gist, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker addresses the burning questions of the summer season, including the truth about SPF and the weirdness of ice cream headaches. Plus, filmmaker Jennifer Nelson explains how new research...
29 min
2272
That's Just Sand In My Eye!
In 1997, the deaths of Notorious B.I.G. and Princess Diana left America looking for musical catharsis. The Gist, our regular guest Chris Molanphy explores how tribute songs came to dominate the Billboard chart from 1997, with a sprinkling of a few...
27 min
2273
How to Survive Mark Sanford
Today on The Gist, Barton Swaim gives us a glimpse inside the world of a certain former governor of South Carolina. Swain’s new book is called The Speechwriter. Plus, Dr. Jeffrey Lewis responds to lingering criticisms of the Iran nuclear...
30 min
2274
Debt Ratings Are Like The Emmys
Four years ago today, the U.S. debt rating by Standard & Poor’s was downgraded from AAA to AA+. An assortment of politicians and rich people warned us this would be a day we’d never forget. We forgot. On The Gist, Adam...
28 min
2275
BPA! BPS! Are They BS?
When you drink from a BPA-free water bottle, is it still safe from "leeching" plastics? On The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker to examine the research into BPA plastics for a game we...
19 min