Synopsis
Slate's The Gist with Mike Pesca. A daily afternoon show about news, culture, and whatever else you'll be discussing with friends and family tonight.
Episodes
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Dylan’s 14-Month Miracle
21/05/2015 Duration: 24minIn a span of just 14 months, Bob Dylan wrote, recorded, and released three of the greatest albums of all time. Today on The Gist, David Kinney explains how it happened. He’s the author of The Dylanologists: Adventures in the Land of Bob. For the Spiel, you can’t find a better man than David Letterman. Today’s sponsor: Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Right now, get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer by going to Stamps.com and using the promo code THEGIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Nine out of 10 Germs Agree
19/05/2015 Duration: 28minToday on The Gist, what does the looong campaign mean for 2016’s candidates? Annie Lowrey from New York magazine joins us for a reasonable amount of time. She’s part of a new Panoply podcast called Podcast for America, which debuts Tuesday on Soundcloud and iTunes. Then, in another installment of “Is That Bulls--t?” Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker if hand sanitizer is a reasonable use of purse space. Her new book The Confidence Game is now available for preorder. For the Spiel, Mike explores the growing popularity of the breastaurant—and does it partly in rhyme. Today’s sponsor: Harry’s, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Why We Lost It Over Beanie Babies
18/05/2015 Duration: 35minToday on The Gist, we remind you of what’s in that crate in the back corner of your basement. Author Zac Bissonnette tells the tale of Ty Warner and the craze that launched e-commerce. He’s the author of The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute. For the Spiel, a Gist-vestigation into college diploma mills. Today’s sponsor: Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Right now, get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer by going to Stamps.com and using the promo code THEGIST. And: QuickBooks. If you work for yourself, try QuickBooks Self-Employed. See what QuickBooks Self-Employed can do for you with a free thirty-day trial at tryselfemployed.com/thegist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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It’s Letterman’s World, We Just Critique It
15/05/2015 Duration: 22minToday on The Gist, Mike Pesca and Slate senior editor Laura Bennett reflect on the unique career of David Letterman, and the new breed of late-night hosts. His last show will be on May 20th, and Slate’s Last Laugh features include many looks at the end of an era in late-night TV. For the Spiel, lots of death. Sorry. But, the middle part has fun, great blues names! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Eating Chinese Food Out of the Carton
15/05/2015 Duration: 29minToday on The Gist, Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg are called out for making a notorious cliché on their hit FX spy drama, The Americans. They recently hosted a Slate podcast following Season 3 of their show, available in iTunes, or as an RSS feed. Plus, we discuss the importance of diversity in children’s literature with Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and NFL Hall of Famer Alan Page, and his daughter, educator Kamie Page. They are the authors of the children’s book The Invisible You, available on the Page Education Foundation website, page-ed.org. For the Spiel, please take your political commentary out of the Amtrak tragedy. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Another Blow to Bipartisan Spirit
13/05/2015 Duration: 25minA new trade bill has split Senate Democrats and united Obama with Republicans. Today on The Gist, we speak with BuzzFeed’s congressional reporter Kate Nocera from the Senate press gallery. For the Spiel, a simple solution to the Amtrak crash. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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On Twitter, TV Follows You
12/05/2015 Duration: 26minToday on The Gist, Jared Feldman from Canvs explains how social media is supplanting the old-fashioned focus group for media buyers and TV shows. For the Spiel, how American elections could benefit from candidates with less information. Today’s sponsor: Casper, the online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/gist and using the promo code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Are Artificial Sweeteners Bullshit?
11/05/2015 Duration: 29minToday on The Gist, does the Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev feel remorse? Seth Stevenson has been reporting for Slate on the trial and shares the latest insight into how the defense is attempting to humanize. Plus, are there adverse health effects that come with artificial sweeteners? For a game we call “Is That Bulls--t?,” we take Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker out for lunch to see what she sprinkles in her iced tea. For the Spiel, was the research into Deflategate a worthwhile expense? Today’s sponsor: QuickBooks. If you work for yourself, try QuickBooks Self-Employed. It helps separate your business and personal expenses, estimate your federal quarterly taxes, and more. See what QuickBooks Self-Employed can do for you with a free 30-day trial at tryselfemployed.com/thegist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Restaurants These Days!
08/05/2015 Duration: 21minOn Day Three of Mike's vacation, guest host David Plotz of Atlas Obscura and Slate's Political Gabfest welcomes Wesley Morris to air a few grievances about the state of American fine dining, including his dislike of pre-clearing, gratuitous cluster seating, restaurant uniforms, and being ignored. Wesley is a staff writer at Grantland and co-host of the film podcast Do You Like Prince Movies? For the Spiel, there's something fishy going on at Gettysburg. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. Email: thegist@slate.com Twitter: @slategist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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He's Not God, but He Plays Him on Twitter
07/05/2015 Duration: 26minOn Day Two of Mike's vacation, Sean Rameswaram guest hosts the show. He's the host of Sideshow, a podcast from Studio 360 about pop culture and the Internet. Today Sean sets out to prove his theory that creative ideas, no matter how bonkers or inconsequential, will find a home online. First he talks with the creators and curators of the Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan 1994 Museum in Brooklyn. Before you ask: Yes, it's in Williamsburg and, yes, it ran a Kickstarter campaign. Later he talks with David Javerbaum, the comedy writer who tweets as @TheTweetOfGod and wrote the new Joe Mantello-directed Broadway show An Act of God. In previews now, it stars Jim Parsons and opens on May 28 at Studio 54. For the Spiel, some pushback on push notifications. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. On Friday, David Plotz of Atlas Obscura and Slate's Political Gabfest sits in for Mike. His guest will be Wesley Morris, Gran
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The Podcast Fight Takes Its Troll
07/05/2015 Duration: 27minWith Mike spending his first vacation day on TV talking about the Deflategate report, his friend Zoe Chace of This American Life steps up to guest-host the show. Today on The Gist, she looks at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s recent ruling on an aggressive claim to the soul of podcasting. Plus, Zoe and her former co-worker Jacob Goldstein of NPR’s Planet Money revisit one of their favorite things: the Planet Money Indicator. For the Spiel, why music lovers should be terrified of growing old. Today’s sponsor: Shari’s Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99, are a great last-minute gift, and double your berries for just $5. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. On Tuesday, Sean Rameswaram of Studio 360’s Sideshow podcast guest hosts the show. Then, David Plotz of Atlas Obscura and Slate’s Political Gabfes
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100 Jokes a Day
05/05/2015 Duration: 24minToday on The Gist, we celebrate our first year as a show! Will you tell a friend about us? Plus, Jon Macks joins us to explain which celebrities have provided the most fodder during the 22 years of jokes he’s written for late night television. He’s the author of Monologue: What Makes America Laugh Before Bed. For the Spiel, did ISIS attack a town in Texas? Today’s sponsors: Citrix GoToMeeting. When meetings matter, millions choose GoToMeeting. Get a free 30-day trial by visiting GoToMeeting.com and clicking the “try it free” button. And: Shari’s Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99 are a great last-minute gift and double your berries for just 5 bucks. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The Bottom Line on Carly Fiorina
04/05/2015 Duration: 25minToday on The Gist, James Ledbetter from Inc. and Panoply's new Inc. Uncensored podcast sizes up presidential candidate Carly Fiorina. What was her impact on Hewlett-Packard, and does business experience translate to success in politics? For the Spiel, there’s a lot of money in politics, but is it yogurt money or potato-chip money? Today’s sponsor: Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Right now, get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer by going to Stamps.com and using the promo code THEGIST. And: Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99 are a great last-minute gift and double your berries for just 10 bucks. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Artie Lange Is a Stand Up Guy
01/05/2015 Duration: 26minToday on The Gist, Artie Lange shares how he’s developed his comedy around personal stories and failures. He’s in the new film Laugh Killer Laugh, directed by Kamal Ahmed. For the Spiel, it’s time to name our Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today’s sponsor: Shari’s Berries. Treat your mom to something sweet this Mother’s Day with a gift from Shari’s Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate start at $19.99. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. And by the Netflix original documentary series Chef's Table. Go inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned, international culinary talents. All episodes now streaming on Netflix. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Being Barney Frank
30/04/2015 Duration: 22minToday on The Gist, former Rep. Barney Frank explains how he was able to be so frank and still survive in Congress. His new autobiography is Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage. For the Spiel, Mike points out the only time we ever note raids taking place. Today’s sponsor: Shari’s Berries. Treat your mom to something sweet this Mother's Day with a gift from Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate start at $19.99. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The Bald Truth About Presidential Candidates
30/04/2015 Duration: 28minToday on The Gist, Mark Leibovich from the New York Times discusses why Americans seem to dislike bald presidential candidates, yet love bald eagles. He’s the author of Citizens of the Green Room, and a new host of the Panoply program Podcast for America. (He is also bald.) Plus, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker explains the fine line between good stress and bad stress. For the Spiel, remembering Jack Ely and his mumbly “Louie Louie.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Let’s Talk About Duck Vaginas
28/04/2015 Duration: 29minToday on The Gist, author Zoe Cormier explores the science behind the trinity of human pleasures. She’s the author of Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll: The Science of Hedonism and the Hedonism of Science. For the Spiel, Mike discusses how we discuss the Baltimore riots. Today’s sponsor: Shari’s Berries. Treat your mom to something sweet this Mother’s Day with a gift from Shari’s Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate start at $19.99. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. And by CVS Health, where health is everything. CVS is working to save thousands of lives, one pill at a time. Visit cvshealth.com to learn more. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Spooning With Dan Pashman
28/04/2015 Duration: 26minToday on The Gist, John Curtice from the What Scotland Thinks blog explains why Scottish nationalist politics are generally trending left, while much of Europe’s nationalist movements shift right. Plus, Dan Pashman from The Sporkful vets Mike’s soupspoon theories, and brings along his trongs. For the Spiel, exploring why we talk about certain victims of the Nepalese earthquake and not others. Today’s sponsor: Shari's Berries. Treat your mom to something sweet this Mother's Day with a gift from Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate start at $19.99. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. And by the Netflix original documentary series Chef's Table. Go inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned, international culinary talents. All episodes now streaming on Netflix. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi
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Your Grandpa Is a Little Sketchy
24/04/2015 Duration: 33minToday on The Gist, professional storyteller Matt Dicks speaks with the winner of our storytelling challenge. Did we make the right pick? Hear our entries from yesterday’s Gist here. Plus, Emily Yoffe of Slate’s Dear Prudence column advises a dad whose unavailable father serially dates young women in impoverished countries. Should the dad cast his father in a second act—as a grandfather? For the Spiel, Mike remembers Long Island’s notorious Nassau Coliseum with Brian Koppelman from the Moment and Peter Thomas Fornatale. Today’s sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like “The Skeptic’s Guide to American History.” Right now, get 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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What Makes a Story Unforgettable
23/04/2015 Duration: 25minToday on The Gist, professional storyteller Matt Dicks is here to coach one lucky Gist listener. We’ll review some favorite entries and discuss what kind of action and resolution help a story stand out. Tune in tomorrow to hear whom we’ve selected as our winner. For the Spiel, Mike stumbles upon an event for Thomas’ English muffins. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices