The Gist

A spate of elections in Georgia are fascinating and important for the rest of us. Mike talks with Bill Nigut, host of Political Rewind on Georgia Public Broadcasting, about this year's field of candidates, which includes the University of Georgia's all-time greatest running back. Plus, a light sentence for a Minnesota Police Officer who shot and killed a motorist when she had meant to use her tase...

China has twisted Hollywood to suit its demands for years, and now things may be bottoming out. Erich Schwartzel, author of Red Carpet: Hollywood, China, and the Global Battle for Cultural Supremacy joins Mike to discuss how China uses access to its market to bend movie makers to their will. And in the Spiel, are we treating the tactics of Canadian truckers differently from similar tactics of BLM...

San Francisco has recalled three school board members, as voters found no comfort in their efforts to rename, re-paint, and rid schools of merit-based admissions…instead of just opening them. Plus, it's Vexillology Corner with Ted Kaye, and an eye-opening nugget of Disney Princess trivia. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: h...

Mike talks with Evan Hughes, author of Hard Sell: Crime and Punishment at an Opioid Startup , about his coverage of an out-of-control drug maker that destroyed lives and paid a price for doing so. Also, a judge, and later a jury, decide that it will take more than inaccurately linking Sarah Palin to murder to prove a defamation case. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mi...

If we pay Donald Trump less heed, will it diminish his words and deeds? Mike talks with David French from The Dispatch about how—and how much—to think about the Donald. Plus, using focus groups to help make mask-mandate decisions, and why Larry David is actually quite the embracer of innovations despite his Superbowl commercial. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepes...

We listen back to our 2019 interview with author Xiao Mina on the role of social media memes in social movements. And Mike Spiels about Mikaela Shiffrin's surprising early loss in the Olympics this past week. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc...

Consequence-free interviewing initiatives have not inspired more than a pair of NFL teams to currently employ a Black head coach. Law professor and Former Green Bay Packer executive, Andrew Brandt on what tools the NFL has to increase the number of black head coaches. Plus, it's an Antwentig, which means Lobstars are in the offing. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mike...

Nelson Wiseman of the University of Toronto says the truckers clogging up the Capital are out of step with the values of Canada, a country with greater social cohesion than the United States. In the Spiel, Trump's toilet-based filing system. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more abou...

Dina Temple-Raston of the new Click Here podcast uses narrative skills to take the threat of cybercrime from the obscure to the palpable. She tells the story of how a ransomware attack in Texas portends a future of cybercriminality that should have us all worried. And, speaking of cybercrime (plus hip-hop crime), Razzlekhan is alleged to have stolen billions in bitcoin and rapped about it. Badly....

Lindsey Graham is a cynic, Joe Manchin can still be reached on filibuster reform, Michael Bennett…that one still hurts. In the second part of his interview, Senator Al Franken discusses the failings of Betsy DeVos and explains his former colleagues' motivations. Plus, a Spiel about Best Picture Nominee "Don't Look Up" — a warning for everyone already heading the warning. Produced by Joel Patterson...

In Part 1 of a two-part interview, Al Franken, now a working standup comedian, analyzes politics and what made him such an effective questioner during Senate hearings. And Mike spiels about a visit from a boring German, and why Mike Pence's rebuke cannot be considered brave. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://adverti...

In this week's Best Of The Gist episode, Mike Spiels about Joe Rogan's most criticized interview, with insights on the Nuremberg Codes and the shocking accusation that Anthony Faucci conspired to quash evidence, which he definitely didn't do. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more abo...

A project to retell the 1975 film Dog Day Afternoon from a trans character's perspective almost tore Raja Feather Kelly's dance company apart. The Feat3r Collective is ambitious, daring, and, for his recent project Wednesday , embattled. Ultimately, art persevered. Plus, Olympic Parade of Nations oddities, and New York State gerrymanders to the Dems advantage. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey...

Jeff Maurer is a 5-time Emmy Award-winning writer for HBO's Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which he says never strayed from the POVs you'd expect, during the six years he wrote for the show. Jeff's proud of the show, but he also realized that there was little opportunity to tackle topics that weren't firmly in the liberal/progressive consensus. So he left. In the Spiel, Mike assesses critics...

Paul Butler examines how Axie Infinity, a "w3" online game sold as the future of work, is simply reinforcing drudgery. The game's makers say it's more than a game, it's a way to escape poverty. In reality, its part cynical hype and part pitiless grind. In the Spiel, Mike discusses how Jeff Zucker's resignation from CNN isn't a scandal of sex, it's a scandal of boundaries. Produced by Joel Patterso...

Part 2 of an interview with Professor Jonathan Gottschall who says Netflix is to narrative what the Golden Corral is to portion control. In the Spiel a listen to all 3 hours of Joe Rogan's most criticized interview, with insights on the Nuremberg Codes and the shocking accusation that Anthony Faucci conspired to quash evidence, which he definitely didn't do. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wa...

Mike talks to Professor Jonathan Gottschall, who speaks about the sheer tonnage of stories that we all absorb, and how this basic human function affects us like a drug. In the Spiel, Mike analyzes Boris Johnson's party proclivities, and addresses if defying Covid lockdowns is a tipple too far for the British public. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To adv...

In our debut Saturday Edition, we pull out a compelling segment you may have missed during the week. Produced by Joel Patterson Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist 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...

Suzanne Nossel, author of Dare To Speak: Defending Free Speech For All , and President of PEN, on her organization's never-wavering, but not-always-easy, commitment to defend expression. In a conversation recorded almost a year ago, and aired here for the first time, Nossel discusses with Mike the current atmosphere around censoriousness and the conceptions of what free speech means, who it harms...

Neil Young wants Joe Rogan to either burn out or fade away over Covid mis-info. Mike spiels about Neil Young's Criticisms of Joe Rogan's Covid pronouncements. And in the interview, the NYTimes Magazine's Emily Bazelon talks about how the nationwide rise in murders will affect the agendas of progressive prosecutors. Produced by Joel Patterson Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the sh...

Today on the Gist, The former President of Estonia on Russia's aggression and German obstruction. And news that SCOTUS's Breyer will retire inspires a Spiel about domestic obstructionism. Produced by Joel Patterson Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simpl...

Dartmouth professor Brendan J. Nyhan looks at polls showing Americans endorse violence and says those findings are off. But there's still a lot to worry about. And in the Spiel, a troubling but little-remarked-upon argument made in the Derek Chauvin defense resurfaces in the Federal trial of former Minneapolis Police Officers. Podcast production by Joel Patterson Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com...

On the Gist, America may be poised for revolution. Or not. We're certainly obsessed with talking about it. In the interview, Mike speaks with Stephen Marche, author of The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future . Marche sets the chances of a civil war at 67%. Mike challenges him by asking why this moment is so different from dozens of inflection points since the actual Civil War. In t...

The Gist Returns on Monday, January 24 for Season 2. Today, Mike recounts the guiding principles of Season 1 ( i.e. the first 1400 episodes), and delivers a promise of rigor and independence for Season 2. To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.c...

On the Gist, #TedFled. In the Interview, his new documentary has been called "jaw-dropping," "incendiary," "riveting," and "engrossing." Sam Pollard's new film MLK/FBI is about the bureau's surveillance and harassment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The film delves into new and declassified documents as well as restored footage to reveal the government's long past of targeting Black activists. Poll...