The Gist

Latest Episodes:

The Real Crimes of the TV Show Cops May 24, 2019

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On The Gist, Theresa May's resignation.

In the interview, Dan Taberski's latest podcast series Running From Cops digs into the long-running reality series Cops to understand what's actually going on in those arrests on screen and how accurate the stories that we see are. He's here to talk about why the show is so watchable, how the cops work with cameramen to exploit those being arrested, and how the nature of reality television has made us slow to notice such exploitation.

In the Spiel, learning from history when it's always changing.

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Life After Parkland May 23, 2019

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On The Gist, a look at the worst arguments in the debate over abortion.

In the interview, After Parkland follows the lives of those affected by the Parkland shooting. That includes Tori Gonzalez, who lost her boyfriend, Joaquin Oliver, to the tragedy. Gonzalez is on The Gist alongside documentary filmmakers Emily Taguchi and Jake Lefferman to discuss the making of the film, useful ways to talk about the event, and how she continues to cope with her loss.

In the Spiel, why the idea of impeaching president Trump is just like riding a motorcycle.

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Planned Parenthood Plans for Action May 23, 2019

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On The Gist, Biden's electability.

In the interview, eight states have passed bills to limit abortion access so far this year. And while these may not end up surviving challenges in court (whether Supreme or lower), getting an abortion is already difficult for women in many parts of the country. Planned Parenthood president Leana Wen reminds us that abortion providers can be vanishingly rare in some states, and that hundreds of laws have been passed in the last few years to restrict access to the procedure: "Forced waiting periods, medically unnecessary ultrasounds…things that we would never consider happening to any other aspect of medicine."

In the Spiel, Michael Cohen and the pre-pardon pardon.

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What Basketball Gave Felipe Lopez May 22, 2019

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On The Gist, oh, Ben Carson.

In the interview, Felipe Lopez was once billed the Dominican Michael Jordan. His star power even in high school led the team to play in bigger New York City venues—the better to fit the legions of fans who cheered as he carried Harlem's Rice High School to a championship victory. But his court domination dwindled in college, and in the NBA. Lopez joins The Gist to talk about the joys brought to him by basketball, not least of which is one that college athletes and recruiters rarely think much of: a degree. ESPN's The Dominican Dream, a documentary on Lopez by Jonathan Hock, is streaming now on ESPN Plus.

In the Spiel, M&M's, cannibalism, and the Game of Thrones finale.

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The First "Welfare Queen" May 21, 2019

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On The Gist, the gift to the Morehouse graduates is great, but should it be celebrated or just the standard?

In the interview, Linda Taylor committed many crimes, but only one of them—welfare fraud—really mattered to politicians, the press, and the public. Anecdotes about kidnapping and possible murder would only get in the way of the portrait Ronald Reagan presented to American voters in 1976, of a woman whose defrauding of taxpayer money was typical among those dependent on social programs. Slate national editor Josh Levin wrote Slate's most read story ever, and has expanded it into a book—The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth—and a Slate podcast: The Queen, available now wherever you get your podcasts.

In the Spiel, Anand Giridharadas fact checking Jared Diamond.

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A Very Grumpy Death May 17, 2019

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On The Gist, Grumpy Cat is dead. So are Bill de Blasio's chances at winning the White House.

In the interview, 1999 might be the greatest year in film—think The Matrix, The Sixth Sense, and Fight Club. But does Magnolia belong in the great movie pantheon, and should we really have been as impressed with American Beauty as we were? Brian Raftery, author of Best. Movie. Year. Ever.: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen, takes us through the last year of the '90s and explains why there hasn't been one like it since.

In the Spiel, there's no place for centrism as far as abortion rights go.

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The Personal Is Geopolitical May 16, 2019

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On The Gist, what correlates with anti-abortion views (and votes) more than being a man? Being a Republican.

In the interview, Jared Diamond brings new meaning to the old slogan that the personal is political. The author of Guns, Germs, and Steel argues that just as individuals go through crises to which they may either adapt or flounder, nation states face moments that define their strength domestically and on the world stage. Diamond's latest book—Upheaval—takes Finland, Australia, and Chile (among other countries) as his case studies.

In the Spiel, whatever you think of Joe Biden, don't let the dream of bipartisanship die just yet.

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Have a Job? Thank Yourself, Not Trump. May 16, 2019

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On The Gist, anti-abortion state legislatures know full well that the Supreme Court could one day turn on Roe v. Wade.

In the interview, Chuck Rosenberg is a former U.S. attorney who also once worked for Robert Mueller. He's here to talk about his new podcast The Oath, where he sits down with other former government officials like Preet Bharara and James Comey and discusses the ins and outs of public service. Mike gets Chuck to dive into the Mueller report with him.

In the Spiel, is low unemployment a sign of good federal governance? No. Just look at the U.K.

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"No War" Is the Best Trump Can Do May 15, 2019

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On The Gist, the NBA draft lottery.

In the interview, Richard Clarke doesn't have security clearance anymore, so on his podcast he talks to a lot of people who still do. His 10 years as a White House official gave him the bug for asking questions to sharp experts on matters of life or death—otherwise known as national security. Clarke joins us to talk about the need to make a "frenemy" out of China, the vulnerability of America's power grid, and how president Trump could yet leave the title of "worst president ever" to George W. Bush. Clarke is the host of Future State and the author of the forthcoming The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats.

In the Spiel, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Palestine and the Holocaust.

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Decoding the Bliss Gene May 14, 2019

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On The Gist, groans over Game of Thrones.

In the interview, Maria Konnikova is back for another round of "Is That Bullshit?" Because Mike experiences less anxiety than most, he has often wondered if he has higher levels of anandamide—a neurotransmitter associated with regulating anxiety and stress—caused by a specific genetic variation. Maria walks him through the complicated biology, the research, and explains why even if it might be real, Mike's self-diagnosis is unreliable.

In the Spiel, Joe Biden's "gaffes."

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