The Gist

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Teenage Brains Are Just Different Jan 13, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike examines Trump's bottom-of-the-barrel statements on immigration.

In the interview, Dina Temple-Raston explains how she became fascinated by the teenage brain. After years of covering terrorism for NPR, she was stunned to see so many young people leaving their homes to join ISIS. Teenagers aren't just prone to falling in with terrorist recruiters: Their underdeveloped minds make them more susceptible to video gaming compulsions and violent behavior. Why? Temple-Raston finds answers in her Audible Original series, "What Were You Thinking?"

In the Spiel, a skit about the science (and lopsided sex ratio) of turtle love.

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Is Trump Insane? Does It Matter? Jan 12, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike skewers a columnist for concluding that President Trump is sane.

In the interview, comedian Judah Friedlander wants to let you know that his new comedy special is all him, even though it's got Netflix's name on it. The 30 Rock alum talks about matters of social justice, satire, and jingoism.

In the Spiel, Democrats should stop questioning Trump's mental acuity and focus on midterms instead.

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A Cry for Self-Help Jan 11, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, a brief look at what Norway is doing right.

In the interview, we turn to self-help experts Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg about the "new you" books that are good, bad, and absolute nonsense. Meinzer and Greenberg are hosts of the Panoply show By the Book.

In the Spiel, Mike discovers the best transliteration ever.

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Radio Reconciliation Jan 10, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Joe Arpaio's life after pardon.

In the interview, MacArthur "genius" award winner Betsy Levy Paluck tells us about her research into mass media and public opinion. We might have the impression that our beliefs are based on reason. But what our neighbors think (or what we think they think) has a lot to do with it, too.

In the Spiel, how to charm Twitter trolls into submission.

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What to Make of Fire and Fury Jan 09, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Sen. Lindsey Graham is defending the president extra hard on television … because he knows Trump's watching.

In the interview, NPR's media correspondent David Folkenflik tells us what to make of Fire and Fury, the book that claims to reveal how dysfunctional the Trump administration really is.

In the Spiel, Mike gives props to Oprah for her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes. But that doesn't mean she should run for president.

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Going for Gridiron Jan 06, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, third-party voters should answer for Donald Trump's terrible policies at home and warmongering around the world.

In the interview, fields don't get much more male-dominated than those of the NFL. Our guest Jen Welter made history as the first woman to hold a coaching position in the league, training the Arizona Cardinals' inside linebackers in the 2015 preseason. Welter is the author of Play Big: Lessons in Being Limitless From the First Woman to Coach in the NFL.

In the Spiel, a story about coats, the cold, and charitable giving.

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Move to the Center or Keep on Losing Jan 05, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike wonders whether the "winner picked out of a bowl" antics in Virginia's House of Delegates will really matter much.

In the interview, former Democratic Rep. Jason Altmire has straightforward advice for candidates in blue-collar America: appeal to the center or lose out. Just as importantly, Altmire argues, the Democratic Party as a whole has to let them do it. Altmire's book is Dead Center: How Political Polarization Divided America and What We Can Do About It.

In the Spiel, Mike says the economy is looking up, and that means Republicans could keep their congressional majorities in the midterms ahead—barring a foreign policy disaster, of course.

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Killed, Then Counted Jan 04, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike calls foul on the mashup terms used to describe big weather events, such as the latest: bombogenesis.

In the interview, police shootings regularly make headlines, but what does the big picture look like? Sam Sinyangwe is a data analyst at Mapping Police Violence, an organization that recently looked at all 1,129 cases in which a person died at the hands of the police in 2017. And yes, there is a racial disparity.

In the Spiel, the barbs traded between President Trump and Steve Bannon truly are the stuff of Shakespeare.

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Behind the Scenes of Slow Burn Jan 03, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike tips his hat to the musical talents of Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, who announced his retirement Tuesday.

In the interview, it took a perfect storm to bring down Richard Nixon's presidency, and it's not guaranteed that another will come for Donald Trump. Slate's Leon Neyfakh and Andrew Parsons tell us about their chart-topping podcast, Slow Burn, and why it shouldn't necessarily give hope to those who want Trump out.

In the Spiel, President Trump's latest round of self-congratulating tweets omit a few facts, as usual.

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It's Fan Service or Bust Dec 30, 2017

Show notes

On The Gist, Mike is down with feminism but argues that woke should be Merriam-Webster's word of the year instead.

In the interview, Anjelah Johnson was living off grocery store gift cards in L.A. before a new thing called YouTube launched her comedy career. Someone uploaded a video of her stand-up routine to the site in 2007; it quickly racked up millions of views and landed Anjelah an agent. Johnson's fourth comedy special, Mahalo & Goodnight, is on EPIX, Apple Music, and Spotify.

In the Spiel, we should be taking a closer look at New York City's latest crime, rape, and murder statistics.

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