The Gist

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Halls of Fame Need Diversity, Too Dec 12, 2018

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On The Gist, it's tough to find a host for the Oscars.

In the interview, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame can quickly become incestuous, since past winners get to vote on future inductees. But this year's 15 nominees break the mold of guitar-slinging dudes with long hair. Sure, Def Leppard is in the running, but so are LL Cool J, Janet Jackson, and Kraftwerk. Music critic Chris Molanphy himself has a vote, and tells us what his ballot looks like. Molanphy is the host of the Slate podcast Hit Parade and writes Slate's "Why Is This Song No. 1?" column.

In the Spiel, Andrew Sullivan's new religions.

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They Can't Hear You, Theresa Dec 11, 2018

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On The Gist, the bottomless Pinocchio.

Americans are filled with anxiety in the pursuit of happiness, and social media isn't making it any better. But how do we even define happy, and will changing our online habits actually change anything? Author Ruth Whippman, who wrote about the phenomenon in the recent New York Times piece, "Everything Is for Sale Now. Even Us.," joins us to discuss.

In the Spiel, the Brexit vote.

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High Time for Impeachment? Dec 08, 2018

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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.

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The Walk of the Town Dec 07, 2018

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On The Gist, is Sherrod Brown annoying?

In the interview, Matt Green is on a yearslong mission to walk all the streets of New York City—and Jeremy Workman filmed him doing many of them for a documentary, The World Before Your Feet. Alongside Workman and executive producer Jesse Eisenberg, Green talks about Staten Island's ordinary charm, the odd street-naming conventions of Queens, and how a life of perpetual walking makes dating pretty hard.

In the Spiel, PETA.

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The Eulogy Myth Dec 06, 2018

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On The Gist, stop wishing Jews happy holidays if Hanukkah has already passed.

How do you explain wit? James Geary attempted to answer that question with his new book, Wit's End: What Wit Is, How It Works, and Why We Need It, but quickly found that the only way to write about comedy is to write comedy. He joins us to discuss the difficulties of examining this subject, the various types of wit, and why Buster Keaton is a master of the form.

In the Spiel, eulogies are the best part of any funeral, particularly a president's.

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Sullying a Pup's Good Name Dec 05, 2018

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On The Gist, a "tariff man" sing-along!

Then, Maria Konnikova is back for another round of "Is That Bullshit?" She and Mike discuss the cigar-shaped space object (known as 'Oumuamua) picked up by astronomers last year. Was it an alien vehicle, or just another flying rock?

In the Spiel, Mike proudly backs the Slate stance: George H.W. Bush's service dog probably wasn't mourning him.

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Wild Wild Story Dec 04, 2018

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On The Gist, in doing less than his son did in the Middle East, George H.W. Bush did better.

In the interview, Wild Wild Country was one of the year's most riveting documentaries. But one of its sources, journalist Les Zaitz, argues that it pulls punches on the cult that overtook a small town in Oregon, committed the biggest bioterror attack in American history, and had designs to assassinate its critics.

In the Spiel, taking stock of George H.W. Bush's legacy.

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Very Legal, Very Cool Dec 01, 2018

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On The Gist, should people be let go for one bad idea?

30 for 30 has been a hugely successful documentary series in both video and audio form for ESPN. Jody Avirgan sits at its podcast helm with a new season covering stories like Jose Canseco's steroid use, the 2003 World Series of Poker, and Japanese baseball player Hideo Nomo trying to join the Major League. He also hosts FiveThirtyEight's political podcast, offering fresh and smart insight wherever he can. Avirgan joins us today to talk the difference of the audio documentary medium, how soon after events documentaries can be made, and what stories they almost told this season.

In the Spiel, the very legal and very cool Donald Trump.

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How to Shoot a Fight Nov 30, 2018

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On The Gist, cows are beef, even if they've reached internet fame.

In the interview, Steven Caple Jr. watched everything from Jean-Claude Van Damme movies to street-fight videos before directing Creed II, the latest film in the Rocky franchise. He joins The Gist to talk about how to shoot a fight scene, his favorite Rocky villains, and Michael B. Jordan's rising star.

In the Spiel, Michael Cohen squeals, and we all learn once again that President Trump does not, sadly, tell it like it is.

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The Parent Police Nov 29, 2018

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On The Gist, the Nancy Pelosi nonstory (spoiler alert: she's going to win the speakership) is distracting us from the Trump administration's latest misdeeds.

In the interview, Kim Brooks received 100 hours of community service in 2011 for leaving her son alone in a car during a quick errand. Then she connected with other parents who'd been policed by their community in harmful ways. Do Americans worry so much about the safety of children that they're blind to common sense? Brooks explores this, and the dangers of involving the police too quickly, in her new book, Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age of Fear.

In the Spiel, no, the missionary to North Sentinel Island did not deserve to die, and it's appalling to suggest he did.

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