The Gist

On The Gist, Slate correspondent Justin Peters on the life and death of free-culture crusader Aaron Swartz and the history of copyright in the United States. Peters wrote The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet . In the Spiel, reflecting on recent shootings of black men by police and of police by a black man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.co...

On The Gist, a case for the modern office as a subject of high literature. J. Bradford Hipps discusses finding more than mockery in the anonymous office park where he set his novel, The Adventurist . For the Spiel, an economical five minutes on the five hours the FBI director spent testifying at a congressional hearing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by...

On The Gist, Devin Leonard returns with the last installment of our postcard series to discuss the evolving economics of the U.S. Postal Service. Leonard's book is Neither Snow nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service . Plus, Bruce Shapiro ponders the best way to cover mass shootings if the goal is to limit future massacres. Shapiro is executive director of the Dart Center for Journ...

On The Gist, are you really saving the planet with your recycling? New Yorker writer Maria Konnikova, takes on what may be our most controversial round of "Is That Bulls--t?" Konnikova is the author of The Confidence Game. On the Spiel, porn on the Juno spacecraft's hard drive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.ad...

On The Gist, Xavier Dphrepaulezz, aka the Fantastic Negrito, returns to reflect on his second career in music, Prince's influence, and the gentrification of America's greatest cities. His new album is The Last Days of Oakland. For the Spiel, it's time for another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company....

On The Gist, Wyatt Cenac explains the thinking behind his comedy showcase series Night Train With Wyatt Cenac, premiering on NBC's comedy streaming service Seeso on Thursday. For the Spiel, Borisexit: the fanfare and drama of Boris Johnson's thanks-but-no-thanks speech. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.co...

On The Gist, senior political writer and analyst Harry Enten explains FiveThirtyEight 's 2016 Election Forecast . For the Spiel, a forewarning about forearms: Are we ready for our Army men and women to roll up their sleeves? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use...

On The Gist, author Sloane Crosley on writing characters who are smarter than you, literary witch hunts, and borrowing Spider-Man's ethos when writing. Her novel, The Clasp , is now out in paperback. For the Spiel, will we remember the Brexit as an argument against direct democracy? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See p...

On The Gist, Financial Times journalist Edward Luce returns to discuss the Brexit vote and its imminent consequences. Luce's latest book is Time to Start Thinking: America and the Spectre of Decline (though the American title is the more pointed Time to Start Thinking:America in the Age of Descent ). For the Spiel, what's the value of a cri de coeur ? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcas...

Seems as good a day as any to talk about the British Invasion. On The Gist, we listen back to the Billboard hits of 1964, the beginning of Beatlemania in the states. Regular guest Chris Molanphy explains how other groups rode the Beatles' coattails to the top of the pop charts. Molanphy writes Slate 's " Why Is This Song No. 1? " column. Plus, Chad Millman's big lesson after the betting markets go...

On The Gist, René Auberjonois shares his tips for defying typecasters and enjoying a varied acting career. He plays a minister in Blood Stripe , the psychological thriller about a female Marine adjusting to life after the military . In the Spiel, one unifying theory for all the day's news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company...

Why don't we all have jetpacks? Who's the weirdest docent at your local natural history museum? On The Gist, comedian (and former airplane mechanic) Alonzo Bodden and science communicator Alie Ward explain. Their new show, How to Build … Everything , airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Eastern on the Science Channel. For the Spiel, trying to summon up some concern for the Donald Trump of North Korea. Learn...

Would Donald Trump by any other name be Boris Johnson? On The Gist, Financial Times columnist Ed Luce , author of Time to Start Thinking: America and the Spectre of Decline , traces the parallels between Brexit supporters and Trump fans. For the Spiel, how gun laws are like insulin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See p...

On The Gist, teetering on the brink of a Brexit, a scrutiny of Team Leave's propaganda. And a futile attempt to find out if Big Freedia goes through with her wedding. The answer lies in Season 5 of her Fuse TV show, Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce . For the Spiel, editing the transcript of the Orlando shooter's 911 calls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by...

On The Gist, performer, musician, and comedian Dave Hill reflects on his contribution to the Donald Trump empire: ringtones. His new book is Dave Hill Doesn't Live Here Anymore . For the Spiel, all dogs go to heaven—copycats, however, take the "Stairway to Heaven." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for...

On The Gist, Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins talks about being more than the guy from the band. His latest movie is The Last Heist . Jesse Armstrong explains satirical string-pulling in his book, Love, Sex, and Other Foreign Policy Goals . For the Spiel, lovers of quail, unite! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm....

On The Gist, New Yorker writer Maria Konnikova takes a gimlet eye to explanations for sleepy eyes: Are owls and larks bulls--t? Konnikova is the author of The Confidence Game . For the Spiel, Donald Trump's sanest line is crazier than Mitt Romney's biggest gaffe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for i...

On The Gist, impressionist John Di Domenico discusses embodying The Donald. Plus, another installment of our "postcard" series: Devin Leonard talks about the U.S. postal service and how early visionaries thought it might topple slavery. Leonard is the author of Neither Snow Nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service. For the Spiel, have you noticed something different at Mets games? L...

On The Gist, former military interrogator Lena Sisco on deception detection. Her book is called You're Lying: Secrets From an Expert Military Interrogator to Spot the Lies and Get to the Truth. For the Spiel, a few thoughts on the shooting in Orlando. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information a...

On The Gist, Dave Zirin calls in from Muhammad Ali's funeral procession in Louisville. Zirin is sports editor at The Nation, host of the Edge of Sports podcast , and author of the Muhammad Ali Handbook . For the Spiel, questioning the assumptions in the Stanford rape case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz...

On The Gist, actor Michael C. Bernardi is Mordcha the Innkeeper in Fiddler On The Roof , now on Broadway. His father, Herschel Bernardi, was the third man to play Tevye in the musical. For the Spiel, who will be remembered with as much veneration as Muhammad Ali? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for i...

On The Gist, former Corey Pegues wanted to stop being a drug runner in his Queens neighborhood. So he enlisted in the military and joined the top brass of the NYPD. His new book is Once a Cop: The Street, the Law, Two Worlds, One Man . For the Spiel, pretty much a direct appeal for angry emails from Bernie Sanders supporters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hos...

On The Gist, a postcard with Devin Leonard on the origins of the phrase "going postal." Leonard's new book is Neither Snow Nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service. Plus, Stephen Teret on smart guns. For the Spiel, Hillary Clinton's cinch of a clinched nomination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.a...

On The Gist, Chuck Klosterman imagines how time erodes common ideas, like what counts as a great American novel and how we decide who's smart. His new book is But What If We're Wrong? For the Spiel, tyrants and their cats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use o...

On The Gist, comedian and musician Tim Heidecker . He attracted a cult following with Adult Swim television hits such as Decker and Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Some of the same deadpan observations can be heard in his music. Heidecker's first solo album is In Glendale . For the Spiel, elections make us all relativists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Ho...