The Gist

On the Gist, accusing people of writing eulogies. In the interview, Slate's Lizzie O'Leary and Justin Peters talk with Mike about Jeopardy! 's "Greatest of All Time" tournament. With Justin as a previous Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? contestant , and Mike and Lizzie both as Jeopardy! alums, the three discuss how this tournament stacks up to the standard fare, who they think will win, and what the...

On the Gist, the Iran story isn't over yet. In the interview, Slate's Jim Newell is here to talk with Mike about John Bolton. They discuss why Bolton has announced he's available to be subpoenaed by Congress, how this might play out, and where the Senate and the House stand. In the spiel, Jim Acosta's commentary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simple...

On the Gist, Trump's letters to Iraq. In the interview, journalist Lauren Chooljian is here to talk about her podcast series Stranglehold . It focuses on the New Hampshire primary, how it continues to be first primary in the nation, and what long-running New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner has to do with it. In the spiel, trying to get paid to leave Iraq. Learn more about your ad choi...

On the Gist, Kellyanne Conway and unnecessary clarifications. In the interview, New Yorker writer Adam Davidson is here to talk about Trump's business dealings in Iran. Based on his past reporting , Davidson discusses with Mike how Trump became financially involved with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, a military force in Iran, and what impact that has had on recent events. In the spiel, movies an...

On the Gist, the Quds force. In the interview, Slate's Fred Kaplan is here to talk with Mike about the recent action the Trump administration has taken against Iran. They discuss what impact the death of Qasem Soleimani will have on the Middle East, the United State's relationship with Iran and Iraq, and why this appears to be an act of war. Kaplan writes the War Stories column for Slate. In the s...

On the Gist, guns in Louisiana and New York. In the interview, the second part of our Zero Blog Thirty interview where Mike talks to Chaps and Kate about Chaps being a dog handler in the Marines and all the ways it's different than we think it is. In the spiel, Castro is out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adsw...

On the Gist, Mike makes predictions about what happened the week of Christmas. In the spiel, Mike reflects on 2019. He shares a rundown of what he didn't cover, and a few particular standout moments from this year's episodes. 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 us...

On the Gist, John Bolton. In the interview, Mike talks to the hosts of Zero Blog Thirty, a podcast about the military from those who've lived it. They discuss the recent news about the Afghanistan papers, how Trump handled all the recent war criminals, and finding a space to talk about the inside baseball of the armed forces. Zero Blog Thirty is a podcast from Barstool, which you can listen to her...

On the Gist, Pete Buttigieg and wine bars. In the interview, Mike talks to actor Rhea Seehorn and creator Mike Sacks about their new Audible original Passable in Pink , a satire of John Hughes films. They discuss their shared love of Hughes' movies, how films like 16 Candles have held up in 2019, and the behind-the-scenes audio wizardry that made Passable in Pink come to life. In the spiel, Julian...

On The Gist, impartial jurors for impeachment. In the interview, Pat Garofalo, managing editor of TalkPoverty.org is here to discuss his new book The Billionaire Boondoggle: How Our Politicians Let Corporations and Bigwigs Steal Our Money and Jobs . He and Mike the actual economic impact of things like the Super Bowl, and why cities might want to reconsider offering so many subsidies to companies....

On the Gist, the third impeachment in U.S. history. In the interview, Mike talks to reporter Dan Weissmann about the cost of healthcare, the horror stories of people navigating the complicated system, and what at all can be done to fix it. Dan's healthcare podcast is An Arm and a Leg . In the spiel, Jesus and Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Sim...

On the Gist, how government should work. In the interview, Mike talks to economist Branko Milanovic about the various forms of capitalism that exist in the world today, the role of higher education signaling in American society, and the ways to reduce the negative effects of inequality. His new book is Capitalism, Alone: The Future of the System That Rules the World. In the spiel, the case for Mik...

On the Gist, impeachment and partisanship. In the interview, Mike talks to Jonathan Metzl, Vanderbilt University professor and the research director of The Safe Tennessee Project . They discuss the latest Supreme Court case that examined a person's right to bear arms in New York City, how the justices ruled, and what this case means for the second amendment in the future. Jonathan's latest book is...

On the Gist, birds and Debird. In the interview, Mike talks to journalist and CNN correspondent Peter Bergen about Trump's national security team, the internal feuds, and why the key players of this team have all left, three years later. His new book is Trump and His Generals: The Cost of Chaos . In the spiel, the Republicans need all the noise to continue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

On the Gist, trade symbols. In the interview, Mike talks to Dannagal Goldthwaite Young about satire, irony, and humor in a politically divided world. They discuss successful and not-so-successful examples of conservative political satire, how humor differs on the right and left, and the psychology behind comedy. Her new book is Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Rage, Fear, and Laughter...

On the Gist, the problem with democracies. In the interview, Benjamin Wittes of the Brookings Institution and Lawfare is on the phone with Mike today to talk about Devin Nunes' memo from 2017 in light of the recent Inspector General's report. What did Nunes get right and wrong? And was it enough to let us stop calling him a nincompoop? In the spiel, McKinsey and Pete Buttigieg. Learn more about yo...

On the Gist, William Barr and malfeasance. In the interview, comedians Drennon Davis and Mike Phirman are here to talk about their podcast Bandtastic , a sci-fi musical for the family. They talk with Mike about how the project came about, adult and child humor, and DJ Yeah. In the spiel, impeachment and history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplec...

On the Gist, fighting Biden. In the interview, Mike talks to sports journalist and author Joe Posnanski about the elusive Houdini. They talk about how Erik Weisz became the great Harry Houdini, how the man transformed himself from failing magician to famous escape artist, and the myths shrouding his mysterious death. Joe's book is The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini. In the spiel, points of or...

On The Gist, Chuck Todd. In the Interview, former The Wall Street Journal reporter and Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson is here to talk with Mike about the Steele dossier, the infamous pee tape, and his regrets and hopes around the dossier's coverage. His new book with co-author Peter Fritsch is Crime in Progress: Inside the Steele Dossier and the Fusion GPS Investigation of Donald Trump. In th...

On The Gist, UNESCO. In the Interview, Mike talks to Bina Venkataraman, The Boston Globe editorial page editor. They talk about the best ways to tackle climate change, how to encourage people to think long-term, and whether or not humanity will make it past the year 2200. Her new book is The Optimist's Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age. In the Spiel, Joe Biden confronting an 83-year-old...

On The Gist, unpopular opinions. In the Interview, Mike talks to actor Kal Penn about his sitcom Sunnyside . They discuss how he came up with the idea for the show, his time working for the Obama administration, and the Easter eggs hidden throughout the season. You can watch Sunnyside on Hulu , Amazon , and other streaming platforms. In the Spiel, the rebuttal to impeachment. Learn more about your...

On The Gist, Kamala Harris. In the Interview, Mike talks to Slate writer Julia Craven about Kamala Harris' decision to end her White House bid, the internal crises that broke out within her campaign, and why, after a promising start, she struggled to stand out in the crowded Democratic race. In the Spiel, a sperm whale and straws. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice...

On The Gist, Chuck Todd did good. In the interview, documentarian Alex Gibney is here to discuss his newest film, Citizen K , about former Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Putin's Russia. They discuss what led to Khodorkovsky's exile, and the way his story reveals the current state of Russian affairs. In the Spiel, Mike's Thanksgiving weekend. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-...

On The Gist, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Maria Konnikova is back for another "Is That Bullshit?" In the Interview, she talks to Mike about DOGTV, a cable network made for dogs. Maria breaks down whether or not DOGTV helps dogs feel a little less lonely while their owners are away and if DOGTV programming is truly relaxing for dogs. Maria's latest book is The Confidence Game . In the Spiel,...

On The Gist, beavers. In the interview, Mike talks to The Sporkful host Dan Pashman about Washington State University's latest creation—the Cosmic Crisp apple. Pashman explains the birth of this new apple, how it compares to other varieties, and quizzes Mike in a game called "Apple Variety or New England Town." Listen to The Sporkful episode, " A New Apple Is Born ," wherever you get your podcasts...