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The internet collectively dunked on an incredibly stupid statement about gun laws. Also on the show, Eric Barker, author of Plays Well with Others: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Relationships Is (Mostly) Wrong. Plus, it's an Antwentig! A new Lobstar is born. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
Isis is back, they never went away, and they're torturing and killing their way through the craziest of places - Afghanistan. Michael Kugelman, the Asia Program Deputy Director and Senior Associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson Center, analysis what happens when the insurgents acquire their own insurgents. Plus, we reacquaint ourselves with a New Hampshire State Rep who could be the most extreme public official in America, which is saying something. and we name the Lobstar for the Antwentig. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Gist, losing all the stuff. In the interview, Mike heads to the Lone Star State to speak with Scott Braddock, editor and Texan political analyst at the Quorum Report. Braddock is also host of Texas Take, a podcast from the Houston Chronicle. They dissect Gov. Abbott’s coronavirus response, his backtracking, and why he paused the state’s reopening. And they get into how the state isn’t as securely Republican as many think it is. In the spiel, the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Email us at thegist@slate.com Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Gist, losing all the stuff. In the interview, Mike heads to the Lone Star State to speak with Scott Braddock, editor and Texan political analyst at the Quorum Report. Braddock is also host of Texas Take, a podcast from the Houston Chronicle. They dissect Gov. Abbott’s coronavirus response, his backtracking, and why he paused the state’s reopening. And they get into how the state isn’t as securely Republican as many think it is. In the spiel, the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Email us at thegist@slate.com Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Gist, Disney’s Splash Mountain. In part two of their interview, Mike continues to talk with Matthew Barge about the failure of police departments to gather data and statistics that would help create and enforce meaningful policing policy change. Barge is a lawyer, a principal consultant with 21CP Solutions, and federal court-appointed monitor overseeing federal consent decrees in Cleveland, Ohio and Baltimore, Maryland. In the spiel, the Lobstar of the Antentwig Email us at thegist@slate.com Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On the Gist, Disney’s Splash Mountain. In part two of their interview, Mike continues to talk with Matthew Barge about the failure of police departments to gather data and statistics that would help create and enforce meaningful policing policy change. Barge is a lawyer, a principal consultant with 21CP Solutions, and federal court-appointed monitor overseeing federal consent decrees in Cleveland, Ohio and Baltimore, Maryland. In the spiel, the Lobstar of the Antentwig Email us at thegist@slate.com Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Margaret Kelley. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, like every week in Trump’s America, this has been a wasted one. In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for another round of “Is That Bullshit?” She talks chiropractors, whether or not cracking your back and neck is helpful, and what strokes have to do with it. Then, Mike’s own chiropractor, Jason Fidler, steps in to offer some adjustments to the conversation. In the Spiel, Mike offers up a Lobstar challenge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, like every week in Trump’s America, this has been a wasted one. In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for another round of “Is That Bullshit?” She talks chiropractors, whether or not cracking your back and neck is helpful, and what strokes have to do with it. Then, Mike’s own chiropractor, Jason Fidler, steps in to offer some adjustments to the conversation. In the Spiel, Mike offers up a Lobstar challenge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Rep. Ilhan Omar and Israel. In the interview, the Guardian’s Chris McGreal covered the deadly toll opiates take on poor American communities "long before it became fashionable because of Trump." He speaks to Purdue Pharma’s zealous campaign to push OxyContin (“a chemical cousin of heroin”, in the words of the New Yorker) onto doctors and patients—and the federal government’s failure to stop it. McGreal is the author of American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts. In the Spiel, another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Rep. Ilhan Omar and Israel. In the interview, the Guardian’s Chris McGreal covered the deadly toll opiates take on poor American communities "long before it became fashionable because of Trump." He speaks to Purdue Pharma’s zealous campaign to push OxyContin (“a chemical cousin of heroin”, in the words of the New Yorker) onto doctors and patients—and the federal government’s failure to stop it. McGreal is the author of American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts. In the Spiel, another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s star power isn’t something to fear. Especially if you’re a Democrat. “The world is a very dangerous place!” as a statement from President Donald Trump’s desk once put it. Eurasia Group president Ian Bremmer gets that, which is why his firm writes a list of top geopolitical risks at the start of every year. In 2019, these include America’s response to growing tech and A.I. dominance from China, presidential elections in Ukraine and Nigeria, and cyberwar. Bremmer is also the founder of GZero Media and hosts its podcast, GZero World With Ian Bremmer. In the Spiel, ringing in the year’s first Lobstar of the Antentwig. This episode is brought to you by Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s star power isn’t something to fear. Especially if you’re a Democrat. “The world is a very dangerous place!” as a statement from President Donald Trump’s desk once put it. Eurasia Group president Ian Bremmer gets that, which is why his firm writes a list of top geopolitical risks at the start of every year. In 2019, these include America’s response to growing tech and A.I. dominance from China, presidential elections in Ukraine and Nigeria, and cyberwar. Bremmer is also the founder of GZero Media and hosts its podcast, GZero World With Ian Bremmer. In the Spiel, ringing in the year’s first Lobstar of the Antentwig. This episode is brought to you by Slack, the collaboration hub for work. Learn more at Slack.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, the GOP isn’t overtly racist. But it once was. In the interview, Liz Holtzman was the youngest woman to be elected to the House of Representatives, and she did it in 1973. She also served as a member of the House Judiciary Committee as they held impeachment hearings for Richard Nixon. In her new book, The Case For Impeaching Trump, she explains what exactly is required to impeach a president and why Trump’s actions might have already justified those proceedings. In the Spiel, it’s time to award the last Lobstar of 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, the GOP isn’t overtly racist. But it once was. In the interview, Liz Holtzman was the youngest woman to be elected to the House of Representatives, and she did it in 1973. She also served as a member of the House Judiciary Committee as they held impeachment hearings for Richard Nixon. In her new book, The Case For Impeaching Trump, she explains what exactly is required to impeach a president and why Trump’s actions might have already justified those proceedings. In the Spiel, it’s time to award the last Lobstar of 2018. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, National Review has one good take on the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation story … and a lot of bad ones. In the interview, we’re used to thinking of societies along the “liberal/conservative” spectrum, but cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand has her own axis to consider: tight versus loose. They aren’t quite the same: Abu Dhabi, for instance, may be conservative, but its role as the crossroads of the Middle East lends it looser norms. In Scandinavia, we’ve got the opposite. Gelfand’s book is Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World. In the Spiel, you wrote in, and Mike read up: It’s time for the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, National Review has one good take on the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation story … and a lot of bad ones. In the interview, we’re used to thinking of societies along the “liberal/conservative” spectrum, but cultural psychologist Michele Gelfand has her own axis to consider: tight versus loose. They aren’t quite the same: Abu Dhabi, for instance, may be conservative, but its role as the crossroads of the Middle East lends it looser norms. In Scandinavia, we’ve got the opposite. Gelfand’s book is Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World. In the Spiel, you wrote in, and Mike read up: It’s time for the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, QAnon and sound design. Comedian Guy Branum is a hilarious intellect with an intimidating amount of pop culture knowledge. In his new book, My Life as a Goddess: A Memoir Through (Un)Popular Culture, Branum explores things like his love of civics, his Northern California childhood, and his experiences writing jokes for other people. In the Spiel, we’ve got another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, QAnon and sound design. Comedian Guy Branum is a hilarious intellect with an intimidating amount of pop culture knowledge. In his new book, My Life as a Goddess: A Memoir Through (Un)Popular Culture, Branum explores things like his love of civics, his Northern California childhood, and his experiences writing jokes for other people. In the Spiel, we’ve got another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, QAnon and sound design. Comedian Guy Branum is a hilarious intellect with an intimidating amount of pop culture knowledge. In his new book, My Life as a Goddess: A Memoir Through (Un)Popular Culture, Branum explores things like his love of civics, his Northern California childhood, and his experiences writing jokes for other people. In the Spiel, we’ve got another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, president Trump raised the bar on what’s considered a gaffe, and EPA head Scott Pruitt is taking advantage of that. Very few comedians have never been to therapy. Jerry Seinfeld is one. Tom Papa is another. Papa tells us about cracking jokes at Minnesota Public Radio’s Live From Here and his new book, Your Dad Stole My Rake: And Other Family Dilemmas. In the Spiel, ’tis time for a Lobstar of the Antentwig (right after a response to some sexist tweets). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, president Trump raised the bar on what’s considered a gaffe, and EPA head Scott Pruitt is taking advantage of that. Very few comedians have never been to therapy. Jerry Seinfeld is one. Tom Papa is another. Papa tells us about cracking jokes at Minnesota Public Radio’s Live From Here and his new book, Your Dad Stole My Rake: And Other Family Dilemmas. In the Spiel, ’tis time for a Lobstar of the Antentwig (right after a response to some sexist tweets). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, the mainstream media is too buttoned-up when describing the Trump administration’s shenanigans. There is no Russian Federation as we know it without Vladimir Putin. Former Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul explains how parts of Russian society are eager for new leadership despite that. As for its relations with the U.S., McFaul sees continuity in how the Obama and Trump administrations (though perhaps not Trump himself) put pressure on Russia. McFaul’s new book is From Cold War to Hot Peace. In the Spiel, email newsletters are where you’ll find the best and worst headlines. Plus, it’s time to award a Lobstar of the antentwig! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, have you heard? Chemistry has been debunked. Thank Russia. Ed Helms is best known for comedic roles—see Andy Bernard on The Office. But in the drama Chappaquiddick, Helms plays Joseph Gargan, the cousin and lawyer of Sen. Ted Kennedy. Gargan found himself in Kennedy’s inner circle as the young senator came under scrutiny for his role in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. In the Spiel, pervs are making news again. Plus: say hello to a new Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, have you heard? Chemistry has been debunked. Thank Russia. Ed Helms is best known for comedic roles—see Andy Bernard on The Office. But in the drama Chappaquiddick, Helms plays Joseph Gargan, the cousin and lawyer of Sen. Ted Kennedy. Gargan found himself in Kennedy’s inner circle as the young senator came under scrutiny for his role in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. In the Spiel, pervs are making news again. Plus: say hello to a new Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Donald Trump’s presidency brings race relations, at best, to a standstill. Case in point: the police shooting in Sacramento, California. The Americans is back for its final season next week. Showrunners Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg talk about their research into ruthless Soviet tactics, their obsession over historical detail, and why these spies are the good guys. In the Spiel, what sound does a giraffe make? Also: It’s time for the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Donald Trump’s presidency brings race relations, at best, to a standstill. Case in point: the police shooting in Sacramento, California. The Americans is back for its final season next week. Showrunners Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg talk about their research into ruthless Soviet tactics, their obsession over historical detail, and why these spies are the good guys. In the Spiel, what sound does a giraffe make? Also: It’s time for the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well, what do you know? In 2016, Trump tweeted that he wasn’t trying to get a top security clearance for his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. A year later, he’s finally right. On The Gist, what’s so special about an octopus? Slate’s Daniel Engber has a takedown of the many-armed beast of the deep: The research on cephalopod intelligence is flimsy, he says, and the octopus is hardly the first animal to have fascinated us with its methods of escape. In the Spiel, it’s time to name another Lobstar. One more thing: Please fill out the Slate podcast survey at Slate.com/podcastsurvey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Well, what do you know? In 2016, Trump tweeted that he wasn’t trying to get a top security clearance for his son-in-law, Jared Kushner. A year later, he’s finally right. On The Gist, what’s so special about an octopus? Slate’s Daniel Engber has a takedown of the many-armed beast of the deep: The research on cephalopod intelligence is flimsy, he says, and the octopus is hardly the first animal to have fascinated us with its methods of escape. In the Spiel, it’s time to name another Lobstar. One more thing: Please fill out the Slate podcast survey at Slate.com/podcastsurvey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, the Doomsday Clock would be scary if it weren’t so bogus. In the interview, after years of gently poking fun at Portland, Oregon’s chill-but-not vibe, Portlandia is on its final season. Series co-star Carrie Brownstein unpacks the show’s humor and tells us how a wedding toast kind of doubled as an audition to get the show greenlit. In the Spiel, Mike awards a Lobstar after an especially lengthy antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, the Doomsday Clock would be scary if it weren’t so bogus. In the interview, after years of gently poking fun at Portland, Oregon’s chill-but-not vibe, Portlandia is on its final season. Series co-star Carrie Brownstein unpacks the show’s humor and tells us how a wedding toast kind of doubled as an audition to get the show greenlit. In the Spiel, Mike awards a Lobstar after an especially lengthy antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bob Saget has long been known as the cuddly, sitcom dad with a surprisingly raunchy side. The comedian talks about the two shows that launched his career and the very first jokes he wrote as a teenager. Bob Saget’s comedy special is Zero to Sixty. In the Spiel, Mike pays an overdue visit to mail from listeners, and awards a Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bob Saget has long been known as the cuddly, sitcom dad with a surprisingly raunchy side. The comedian talks about the two shows that launched his career and the very first jokes he wrote as a teenager. Bob Saget’s comedy special is Zero to Sixty. In the Spiel, Mike pays an overdue visit to mail from listeners, and awards a Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Charlatans and magical thinkers aren’t new to this country; they helped shape it. So goes the thesis of Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire. Author Kurt Andersen joins Mike to consider religious quacks, the wackadoodles of the left and right, and the shrinking authority of the academy. Andersen is the host of Studio 360. In the Spiel, we’re long overdue for another Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Charlatans and magical thinkers aren’t new to this country; they helped shape it. So goes the thesis of Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire. Author Kurt Andersen joins Mike to consider religious quacks, the wackadoodles of the left and right, and the shrinking authority of the academy. Andersen is the host of Studio 360. In the Spiel, we’re long overdue for another Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Maria Bamford has been making top comedian lists for years, but she knows her stand-up isn’t for everyone: “I can bomb any moment of the week, any day.” On The Gist, she rebuts Mike’s assertion that comics are more likely to struggle with depression. Bamford also explains why she wishes ESPN’s postgame analysis were swapped out for televised confessional booths for the athletes. Her new Netflix show is Lady Dynamite. In the Spiel, Mike reads some of the mail responding to his takedown of the term white privilege and names another Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Maria Bamford has been making top comedian lists for years, but she knows her stand-up isn’t for everyone: “I can bomb any moment of the week, any day.” On The Gist, she rebuts Mike’s assertion that comics are more likely to struggle with depression. Bamford also explains why she wishes ESPN’s postgame analysis were swapped out for televised confessional booths for the athletes. Her new Netflix show is Lady Dynamite. In the Spiel, Mike reads some of the mail responding to his takedown of the term white privilege and names another Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
NPR’s Hanna Rosin and Alix Spiegel explain what they learned about feelings from their third season of Invisibilia. Society has come around to the idea that emotions are a force to be reckoned with – is that a good thing? In the Spiel, it’s time to name another Lobstar. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ben Wittes has a term for the nonsense justifications he observes coming from the Trump administration. He calls it ENSH: errant national security horseshit. On Thursday’s show, Wittes shovels up some of the larger ENSH dumps of the past two weeks. Wittes is editor in chief of Lawfare. In the Spiel, naming a long overdue Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ben Wittes has a term for the nonsense justifications he observes coming from the Trump administration. He calls it ENSH: errant national security horseshit. On Thursday’s show, Wittes shovels up some of the larger ENSH dumps of the past two weeks. Wittes is editor in chief of Lawfare. In the Spiel, naming a long overdue Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It’s 1987, and the breakthrough creativity of the early ’80s is beginning to sour. Also, everyone’s hair is ridiculous, but that’s beside the point. Chris Molanphy is our guide to the year’s Billboard’s hits, which taught us, as he says, that “fairly great art can result from commerce and studio polish.” Molanphy writes Slate’s Why Is This Song No. 1 column. Plus, what to do about America’s antiquated industries, like steel and coal. And Mike answers your emails, tweets, corrections, and anger in the Lobstar. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
It’s 1987, and the breakthrough creativity of the early ’80s is beginning to sour. Also, everyone’s hair is ridiculous, but that’s beside the point. Chris Molanphy is our guide to the year’s Billboard’s hits, which taught us, as he says, that “fairly great art can result from commerce and studio polish.” Molanphy writes Slate’s Why Is This Song No. 1 column. Plus, what to do about America’s antiquated industries, like steel and coal. And Mike answers your emails, tweets, corrections, and anger in the Lobstar. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
Slate senior legal correspondent Dahlia Lithwick walks us through the next steps for Donald Trump’s revised travel ban. Some judges may not use Trump’s campaign rhetoric in their rulings; however, “Every time Trump opens his mouth, he makes it harder,” says Lithwick. She also discusses next week's confirmation hearings of Neil Gorsuch. Besides covering the courts for Slate, Lithwick is the host of the Amicus podcast. In the Spiel, it’s Lobstar time. Today’s sponsors: Green Mountain Coffee is passionate about making a smoother-tasting cup. Try it today with $4 off, when you buy two boxes of most Green Mountain Coffee K-Cup pods at keurig.com with codeTRYGMC. Unpacked, a new Spotify original podcast that explores some of the planet’s hottest events. First up? Austin, Texas, for South by Southwest. Listen to Unpacked and all your favorite music on the Spotify mobile app for free now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Slate senior legal correspondent Dahlia Lithwick walks us through the next steps for Donald Trump’s revised travel ban. Some judges may not use Trump’s campaign rhetoric in their rulings; however, “Every time Trump opens his mouth, he makes it harder,” says Lithwick. She also discusses next week's confirmation hearings of Neil Gorsuch. Besides covering the courts for Slate, Lithwick is the host of the Amicus podcast. In the Spiel, it’s Lobstar time. Today’s sponsors: Green Mountain Coffee is passionate about making a smoother-tasting cup. Try it today with $4 off, when you buy two boxes of most Green Mountain Coffee K-Cup pods at keurig.com with codeTRYGMC. Unpacked, a new Spotify original podcast that explores some of the planet’s hottest events. First up? Austin, Texas, for South by Southwest. Listen to Unpacked and all your favorite music on the Spotify mobile app for free now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For years, Andy Zaltzman and John Oliver took on the powers that be in their influential podcast The Bugle. But the show went on hiatus in 2014 when Oliver became the host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight. Now, Zaltzman is rebooting the show at a most opportune moment for satire. “It’s like throwing the javelin of truth into the swamp of corruption,” says Zaltzman. “But javelins in swamps don’t always work out.” For the Spiel, a Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today’s sponsors: Wunder Capital. Earn up to 8.5 percent annually while diversifying your portfolio, curbing pollution, and combating global climate change. Create an account for free at WunderCapital.com/gist. Wunder Capital: Do well and do good. Green Mountain Coffee. Green Mountain Coffee is passionate about making a smoother tasting cup. Try it today with code TRYGMC. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
For years, Andy Zaltzman and John Oliver took on the powers that be in their influential podcast The Bugle. But the show went on hiatus in 2014 when Oliver became the host of HBO’s Last Week Tonight. Now, Zaltzman is rebooting the show at a most opportune moment for satire. “It’s like throwing the javelin of truth into the swamp of corruption,” says Zaltzman. “But javelins in swamps don’t always work out.” For the Spiel, a Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today’s sponsors: Wunder Capital. Earn up to 8.5 percent annually while diversifying your portfolio, curbing pollution, and combating global climate change. Create an account for free at WunderCapital.com/gist. Wunder Capital: Do well and do good. Green Mountain Coffee. Green Mountain Coffee is passionate about making a smoother tasting cup. Try it today with code TRYGMC. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
So, who is Donald Trump’s most troubling Cabinet pick? Is it Jeff Sessions, who received an 11 percent score on civil rights issues from the NAACP? Or Rex Tillerson, who was unprepared for questions about Vladimir Putin’s regime? Or Ben Carson, who didn’t seem to know anything about the mandate of Housing and Urban Development? Slate’s chief political correspondent weighs in on the first week of hearings for Trump’s Cabinet picks. In the Spiel, it’s Lobstar time again. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
So, who is Donald Trump’s most troubling Cabinet pick? Is it Jeff Sessions, who received an 11 percent score on civil rights issues from the NAACP? Or Rex Tillerson, who was unprepared for questions about Vladimir Putin’s regime? Or Ben Carson, who didn’t seem to know anything about the mandate of Housing and Urban Development? Slate’s chief political correspondent weighs in on the first week of hearings for Trump’s Cabinet picks. In the Spiel, it’s Lobstar time again. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kyle Kinane doesn’t want your agreement applause. Or your voting boosterism. In fact, Kinane is quite prepared to disappoint you—he’s kind of built a brand on it. On The Gist, Kinane raises a hand in support of jokes about rich people and racists—just let him explain. Kinane’s latest stand-up special is Loose in Chicago, you can see him in the Netflix series Love, and his podcast is called Boogie Monster. For the Spiel, Mike goes trawling for another Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kyle Kinane doesn’t want your agreement applause. Or your voting boosterism. In fact, Kinane is quite prepared to disappoint you—he’s kind of built a brand on it. On The Gist, Kinane raises a hand in support of jokes about rich people and racists—just let him explain. Kinane’s latest stand-up special is Loose in Chicago, you can see him in the Netflix series Love, and his podcast is called Boogie Monster. For the Spiel, Mike goes trawling for another Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hillary Clinton was supposed to have the most sophisticated digital ground game ever, while all Trump had was a ramshackle data bunker in San Antonio. We all know how that turned out. Sasha Issenberg is a Bloomberg contributor and author of The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns. He says there are many explanations for what happened, including the Clinton campaign’s inadvertent encouragement of Donald Trump voters in states like Florida. In the Spiel, it’s a Lobstar week. Oh yes, it’s a Lobstar week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hillary Clinton was supposed to have the most sophisticated digital ground game ever, while all Trump had was a ramshackle data bunker in San Antonio. We all know how that turned out. Sasha Issenberg is a Bloomberg contributor and author of The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns. He says there are many explanations for what happened, including the Clinton campaign’s inadvertent encouragement of Donald Trump voters in states like Florida. In the Spiel, it’s a Lobstar week. Oh yes, it’s a Lobstar week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
No to a student loan bailout. No to debt-free state schools. Prepare to be enlightened, if a bit disheartened, as our friend Adam Davidson explains why eliminating college debt falls short of solving the country’s inequality crisis. Davidson is a contributing writer for the New Yorker. For the Spiel, it’s another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today’s sponsor: Placemakers, a new Slate podcast made possible by JPMorgan Chase. This podcast tells the stories of neighborhoods, businesses, and nonprofits that are working together to move their communities forward. Download and subscribe to Placemakers wherever you get your podcasts. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
No to a student loan bailout. No to debt-free state schools. Prepare to be enlightened, if a bit disheartened, as our friend Adam Davidson explains why eliminating college debt falls short of solving the country’s inequality crisis. Davidson is a contributing writer for the New Yorker. For the Spiel, it’s another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today’s sponsor: Placemakers, a new Slate podcast made possible by JPMorgan Chase. This podcast tells the stories of neighborhoods, businesses, and nonprofits that are working together to move their communities forward. Download and subscribe to Placemakers wherever you get your podcasts. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Simon Doonan ponders the rise and fall of pretentiousness in the past 20 years. Doonan writes for Slate and is creative ambassador for Barneys New York. For the Spiel, it’s the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Simon Doonan ponders the rise and fall of pretentiousness in the past 20 years. Doonan writes for Slate and is creative ambassador for Barneys New York. For the Spiel, it’s the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tony Kornheiser is joining the pod people. On The Gist, the man behind the Tony Kornheiser Show explains his dive into podcasting: “I watched newspapers die under me.... I began to get the sense that radio was going to die under me too. And so I jumped.” Kornheiser also hosts ESPN’s Pardon The Interruption alongside Michael Wilbon. For the Spiel, pencils down: It’s time for the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tony Kornheiser is joining the pod people. On The Gist, the man behind the Tony Kornheiser Show explains his dive into podcasting: “I watched newspapers die under me.... I began to get the sense that radio was going to die under me too. And so I jumped.” Kornheiser also hosts ESPN’s Pardon The Interruption alongside Michael Wilbon. For the Spiel, pencils down: It’s time for the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On every great improv team there’s an undertow of angst. Who will get snatched up by a TV show? Who will toil in relative obscurity? Who will quit after the big break doesn’t come? On Ep. 560, comedian Mike Birbiglia and This American Life creator Ira Glass talk about their film Don’t Think Twice, an ode to improvisational comedy and recalibrating what it means to be a success. Find it in a theater near you. For the Spiel, our Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On every great improv team there’s an undertow of angst. Who will get snatched up by a TV show? Who will toil in relative obscurity? Who will quit after the big break doesn’t come? On Ep. 560, comedian Mike Birbiglia and This American Life creator Ira Glass talk about their film Don’t Think Twice, an ode to improvisational comedy and recalibrating what it means to be a success. Find it in a theater near you. For the Spiel, our Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, director Rob Reiner join us to discuss his latest film Being Charlie, which indirectly tells the story of his son’s battle with drug addiction. It was written by Reiner’s son, Nick Reiner, with co-writer Matt Elisofon. For the Spiel, it’s time for another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, director Rob Reiner join us to discuss his latest film Being Charlie, which indirectly tells the story of his son’s battle with drug addiction. It was written by Reiner’s son, Nick Reiner, with co-writer Matt Elisofon. For the Spiel, it’s time for another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“Hair too long,” “pants too tight,” “sounds like Kiss,” “Alice Cooper’s dead,” and other reasons Twister Sister spent a decade trying to get a record deal. On The Gist, John French Segall (you know him as Jay Jay French) and director Andrew Horn join us to tell the story behind a new Twisted Sister documentary. You can read Jay’s Inc. magazine column here. For the Spiel, it’s time for another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“Hair too long,” “pants too tight,” “sounds like Kiss,” “Alice Cooper’s dead,” and other reasons Twister Sister spent a decade trying to get a record deal. On The Gist, John French Segall (you know him as Jay Jay French) and director Andrew Horn join us to tell the story behind a new Twisted Sister documentary. You can read Jay’s Inc. magazine column here. For the Spiel, it’s time for another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, our regular guest Chris Molanphy tells us how disco music swallowed up rock in 1978. We’ll discuss Billboard chart hits from 1978, and just about all of them have a disco beat. He writes Slate’s “Why Is This Song No. 1?” column. For the Spiel, a belated Lobstar of the Antentwig. Do check out this Spotify playlist to hear the songs mentioned in today’s show one more time. It’s got groove, it’s got meaning! Today’s sponsors: Amazon. Detective Harry Bosch is back on the new season of Amazon’s original series Bosch, based on the best-selling novels by Michael Connelly. Stream the new season now on Amazon Prime Video. Goldman Sachs. Information about developments currently shaping markets, industries, and the global economy, on the firm’s podcast, Exchanges at Goldman Sachs, available on iTunes. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, our regular guest Chris Molanphy tells us how disco music swallowed up rock in 1978. We’ll discuss Billboard chart hits from 1978, and just about all of them have a disco beat. He writes Slate’s “Why Is This Song No. 1?” column. For the Spiel, a belated Lobstar of the Antentwig. Do check out this Spotify playlist to hear the songs mentioned in today’s show one more time. It’s got groove, it’s got meaning! Today’s sponsors: Amazon. Detective Harry Bosch is back on the new season of Amazon’s original series Bosch, based on the best-selling novels by Michael Connelly. Stream the new season now on Amazon Prime Video. Goldman Sachs. Information about developments currently shaping markets, industries, and the global economy, on the firm’s podcast, Exchanges at Goldman Sachs, available on iTunes. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Slate’s Justin Peters shares his observations from watching every Super Bowl in history over the course of two months. He’s the author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet. For the Spiel, another Lobstar of the Antentwig. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, Slate’s Justin Peters shares his observations from watching every Super Bowl in history over the course of two months. He’s the author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet. For the Spiel, another Lobstar of the Antentwig. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, traveler Eric Weiner joins us to discuss why certain cities throughout history have been ripe for cultivating our most creative thinkers. He’s the author of The Geography of Genius: A Search for the World’s Most Creative Places From Ancient Athens to Silicon Valley. For the Spiel, another Lobstar of the Antentwig. The Gist and Story Collider Event, Jan 15: Coming up on Friday, Jan. 15, our host Mike Pesca and listener Frank Kennedy will be live onstage as part of the Story Collider STEM FEST. Tickets for this event are sold out, but Slate Plus members are invited to attend a happy hour before the show. RSVP here. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, director Josh Mond and actor Christopher Abbott join us in studio to discuss their film James White. During our chat, we’ll learn that Mond’s influences include González Iñárritu, Joachim Trier and the third season of Law and Order. It opens today in NYC, and will be coming to other cities soon. For the Spiel, it’s time for another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today’s sponsors: Goldman Sachs. Information about developments currently shaping markets, industries and the global economy, on the firm’s podcast, Exchanges at Goldman Sachs, available on iTunes. Spotless, a sexy and bold drama laced with dark humor, from Esquire Network. Learn more about Spotless by downloading "Coming Clean," a roundtable podcast that goes behind the scenes of TV’s best dramas, and tune into the Spotless series premiere November 14th at 10 Eastern/9 Central on Esquire Network. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
On The Gist, our regular guest Chris Molanphy returns to explore the "psychedelic-lite" and "semi-baroque" Billboard chart hits from 1967. He’ll explain how the music industry took a druggy cultural movement like the "summer of love" and made it palatable for a mainstream audience. For the Spiel, don’t be a Peru, the first meaning. All will be explained in the Lobstar of the Antentwig. Do check out this Spotify playlist to hear the songs mentioned in today’s show one more time. Penny Lane and Ruby Tuesday will both be there. Today’s sponsor: SAP HANA. SAP HANA helps the world’s best companies get the answers they need to become more agile, develop new streams of revenue, and predict the future. Run SAP. And Run Simple. Visit sap.com/reimagine to learn more. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 1997, the deaths of Notorious B.I.G. and Princess Diana left America looking for musical catharsis. The Gist, our regular guest Chris Molanphy explores how tribute songs came to dominate the Billboard chart from 1997, with a sprinkling of a few memorable candy-colored Pop songs. Our Spotify playlist will help un-break your hearts with some Toni Braxton, Elton John, and other songs mentioned in today’s show: For the Spiel, it’s time to name our latest Lobstar of the antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What kind of person is drawn to write for children’s television? And why does that person always seem to sneak in adult jokes and pop culture references? The creator and executive producer of Doc McStuffins, Chris Nee, shares the wide variety of experiences that led her to create the Peabody Award–winning show for Disney Junior. For the Spiel, it’s time to name a new Lobstar of the antentwig. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today on The Gist, Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick puts news of the abortion bans in Kansas and Oklahoma into a Supreme Court context. She’s the host of the Slate podcast Amicus. Plus, the accomplished actor Vincent D’Onofrio joins us to discuss his latest role in the film Broken Horses, which comes out today. For the Spiel, it’s time to name our Lobstar of the antentwig. 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 megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today on The Gist: a visual avenger for the beauty of Woodside, Queens. His canvas? FDNY fire call boxes, many dating back the 1920s. With a fresh coat of glossy paint (that’s also urine-proof and barf-resistant), they look beautiful. We speak with John Colgan, whom you can follow as the Fire Alarm Guy on Facebook. For the Spiel, it’s an antentwig. That’s our name for a three-week period wherein we correct, amplify, and slouch toward plausible deniability, and it all ends in a Lobstar. Complete Slate’s podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We’d appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today’s sponsors: Squarespace. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Also, Acura, the presenting sponsor of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Check out the all-new Acura TLX at acura.com or test drive one for yourself at your local Acura dealer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Clarence Page is knowledgeable, reasonable, and nice, which makes you wonder how does this guy have a job in opinion journalism? On The Gist, we’ll speak with Page about the current state of race relations and media today, explored in his essay collection Culture Worrier. Plus, Judith Owen and Harry Shearer tell us about the war on wars on Christmas being waged in their show A Christmas Without Tears. Their new single is Christmas With the Devil. For the Spiel, a belated antentwig and the naming of our newest Lobstar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Like TV? Then you owe a debt to our guest on The Gist, Norman Lear. He’s the author of Even This I Get to Experience, and responsible for TV shows including All in the Family, Maude, and Good Times. For the Spiel, a chance to issue corrections from the past three weeks, and name our Lobstar of the Antentwig. Get The Gist by email as soon as it’s available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Today on The Gist, the science journalist’s version of “who wore it better.” We compare the Wall Street Journal’s report with the N.Y. Times’ report on the same research from the journal Nature. Ben Lillie from Story Collider explains who did the best job of representing the research. Then Slate’s Emily Yoffe joins us for a Post-Post-Prudence Impact Statement with past letter writer “Please No Baby Daddy” from The Gist Episode 15. For the Spiel, we name our new Lobstar of the Antentwig. Get The Gist by email as soon as it’s available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The visuals coming out of Ferguson, Missouri, evoke memories of a much uglier time in our history. On the Gist, Slate’s Jamelle Bouie shares observations from his recent visit to the protests. Plus, author Megan Abbot explains why high school mass hysteria was the perfect subject for her new novel The Fever. For the Spiel, it’s time to elect a new Lobstar of the antentwig. Get The Gist by email as soon as it’s available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices