The Gist

Following yesterday's conversation with David Zweig about the known and unknown risks associated with how we dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic as a society, today Mike drills down on masks and vaccines with two public health communicators. First up, science writer Michael Schulson, author of the recent article "Do Masks Work? It's A Question of Physics, Biology, and Behavior" in the digital magazin...

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we limited contact with other people, we wore masks, and we closed public schools. These actions saved lives. Sort of, says David Zweig, a New York-based writer who became a voice of informed opposition to these sacrifices, stating that we may be saving some lives, but at what cost? His Substack is Silent Lunch . We broke our normal format this episode to give you a l...

In this installment of Best Of The Gist, with 2023 March Madness underway, we listen back to Mike's 2022 critique of the instinctive, and backward, admonishment so many announcers issue as time is winding down, "You don't need a 3!" Then we listen to this past week's Spiel on whales. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show: https://adver...

We're joined this episode by Ted Kaye for another installment of Vexillology Corner, wherein we discuss the big survey of city flags ( check them out ), the winners and losers, and the difference between a good and bad flag. Plus, attacking TikTok. And in the Antwentig, the Cochrane study questioning masks. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on...

Former diplomat Ethan Chorin joins us to talk about his book Benghazi! A New History of the Fiasco that Pushed America and its World to the Brink. Plus, San Francisco proposes reparations for black residents which has a price tag in the hundreds of billions of dollars. And the Congressional art of asking a questioning and doing everything you can to suppress an answer. Produced by Joel Patterson a...

Matthew Desmond's story in the New York Times Magazine, "Why Poverty Persists in America" contradicts Mike's understanding, past coverage, and narrative of progress in America. But that doesn't make it wrong. Plus, Dr. Judith Herman discusses her new book Truth And Repair: How Trauma Survivors Envision Justice. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertis...

Reporter Ken Vogel was a lead reporter on the NYT series " A Risky Wager: How online sports betting took America by storm ." He's here to discuss what some states got wrong, while others hit the jackpot on legalized sports wagering. Plus, the international criminal court is reportedly bringing war crimes charges against Russia for kidnapping Ukrainian children. And the ratings are up (Oscars) but...

Whale Watch! Brendan Fraser's acceptance speech for his Best Actor Oscar in The Whale was larded with whale references, and today's Spiel is given over to examining Unusual Mortality Events among whales. Plus, an analysis of netting Mafia bosses ... and possibly Donald Trump. Elie Honig, CNN analyst and author of Untouchable: How Powerful People Get Away With It, discusses prosecuting figures at t...

In this installment of Best Of The Gist, whales abound. We start by listening back to a Gist "Whale Watch" segment from February 24, 2016, then we revisit our most recent Monday Spiel, in which Mike talks high seas treaties. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Subscribe to our ad-free and/or PescaPlus versions of The Gist: https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To...

Kevin Goetz is the movie business' most influential market researcher. He joins us to discuss his new book Audience-Ology: How Moviegoers Shape The Films We Love. Plus, White Drivers are Polluting BIPOC air in LA. And The Whale vs. Cocaine Bear. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Subscribe t...

An Inquisition of Dave Stassen, Executive Producer of the new Hulu Series History Of The World Part II. What a show! Plus, why there are zero Black women in the U.S. Senate. And $31,000,000,000,000 of debt actually is a bad thing ... and its weird that we have to say that. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertise...

George Beebe is Director of Grand Strategy at the Quincy Institute, he was formerly the director of the CIA's Russia analysis unit, and he worked as a staff advisor on Russia matters to Vice President Cheney. He joins us to analyze the progress of the war in Ukraine with special emphasis paid to the threat of nuclear weapons ... a threat he worries is being ignored. Plus, the Turkish strongman get...

Admitted excessive-talker Dan Lyons researches a cure for his propensity for prolixity—STFU: The Power of Keeping Your Mouth Shut in an Endlessly Noisy World is the result. Plus, California Governor Gavin Newsome suspends all non-existent state business with Walgreens. And Tucker Carlson's January 6th Film Festival is a bust. Big shock. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist...

Then-Congressman Ron DeSantis did a moderate Republican a favor in 2013, when he "lit up" the head of the Parks Department. But it was the kind of lighting up that even Smokey wouldn't have stressed over. Plus, Lichtenstein and 190 other countries have tentatively agreed to a United Nations treaty protecting the high seas. And They Knew Which Way To Run is a fascinating self-produced seven-part se...

In this installment of Best Of The Gist, to compliment our Friday show, which featured an interview with sisters Nora and Lilla Zuckerman—show runners (and writers of Episode 109) of the hit Poker Face on Peacock—we are listening back to Mike's 2015 interview with Leslye Headland, the producer of Russian Doll. What's the connection? Both shows star Natasha Lyonne, of course. And then we listen bac...

Lilla and Nora Zuckerman drop in to discuss how unusual it is to make a NON-serialized streaming show like Poker Face. We discuss if Natasha Lyonne's powers work underwater or while masked. Also, the U.S. Senate is unfairly constructed, but its not as if all the sparsely populated states are conservative. And the president of Zoom is let go … on Zoom. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Emai...

Insulin is getting cheaper, weight-loss drugs really work, and school-lunch programs are bringing childhood obesity down. This all should be universally applauded, but there is a growing counter argument that the real problem is seeing obesity as a problem at all. Plus, the Ivy League takes aim at the SAT. And we're joined by the authors of Thrive With A Hybrid Workplace, business psychologist Jul...

The philosophy of Effective Altrusim took a hit due to its close association with Samuel Bankman-Fried. New Yorker staff writer Gideon Lewis-Kraus profiled one of the movement's leaders, Will MacAskill, and followed up in a piece titled "Sam Bankman-Fried, Effective Altruism, and the Question of Complicity." Plus, the East Palestine Crash is a headache, but maybe not much more. And … a new survey...

Carol Anderson, Professor of Black History at Emory University, is here to discuss The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America. Plus, Meet Mohela. And, crossing the experiential threshold. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Subscribe to The Gist Subscribe: https://subscribe.mikepe...

A big new study about the ineffectiveness of mask mandates is being denounced and rejected as disinformation by some who've branded themselves as the most pro-science. Who's right? Plus, the Department of Energy now endorses the Lab Leak hypothesis. Also, Anne Alvergue and Debra McClutchy, the co-directors of The Martha Mitchell Effect are here to discuss their Oscar-nominated film. Produced by Jo...

In this installment of Best Of The Gist, we're listening back to Mike's 2018 interview with Jimmy Carter's once Chief Domestic Policy Advisor, Stuart Eizenstat. Though he was sometimes mischaracterized as an ineffective President, Eizenstat argues that Carter fought for America's energy independence, doubled the size of the national park system, and appointed "more minorities and women to judgeshi...

Representative Doug Mann of Missouri is here to talk about his bill, one of several introduced by democrats across the country to push back against the spate of book bans. Plus, Putin gets ethnicity wrong, and rolling up the windows on Four-Legged Floridians. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGi...

That headline rhymes, but reporters from right-wing outlets don't know, or care, as they tear into the Transportation Secretary. Plus, Rick Scott's Social Security plans are deadly politics, but, dare we say, worth pondering? And the return of Andrew Weiss for the second half of our discussion of his graphic novel Accidental Czar: The Life and Lies of Vladimir Putin . Learn more about your ad choi...

Andrew S. Weiss, former NSC Russia expert and current VP of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, takes on the person and psychology of Vladimir Putin in a new way. Accidental Czar: The Life and Lies of Vladimir Putin is a graphic novel, and it's a really insightful one at that. Plus, Emily Kohrs sure is enjoying her post-grand jury media tour. And, running on "anti-wokeness" all the way...

On this, the debut of Gist Premium Membership , we're joined by actor and author Tim Blake Nelson, whose new novel City Of Blows is about the movie industry and the rot it gilds over. Plus, Alec Baldwin's prosecutor insults his fancy pants lawyers … who happen to have been right. And, why the media must occasionally upset the audience. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@...