The Gist

Latest Episodes:

Trolls and Trump's Lies Aug 21, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, guest host Max Kerman considers why politicians are getting duped by Sacha Baron Cohen.

Trump has lied so many times since he took office that it's difficult for the normal person to focus on them. Luckily we've got Daniel Dale at the Toronto Star keeping track. Dale joins us to talk about what it's like reporting on American politics as a Canadian, including the similarities of covering former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford.

In the Spiel, how to engage with trolls.

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What Happened to "America's Mayor"? Aug 20, 2018

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On The Gist, how will Rudy Giuliani go down in history, and in public memory?

The midterm elections are looming, and the big question is how far the Democrats will go. Are they really likely to retake the House of Representatives? And how would that affect Trump's re-election campaign in 2020? Gist guest host Steve Kornacki talks to another political statistics wiz, Sean Trende of RealClearPolitics, about why we should be wary of using probabilities to predict elections.

In the Spiel, a tale of clear state borders and unclear rules.

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Listening to Inanimate Objects Aug 17, 2018

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On The Gist, if Trump weren't so repulsive, would we judge his murky dealings a little more kindly?

And we don't much think about the inanimate objects in our lives, never considering the rich inner life of the lamppost, the can of Coke, or the humble pillow. But Ian Chillag knows they have stories to tell, and he gets them to speak out in his new podcast Everything Is Alive.

In the Spiel, Mike talks to the guest hosts who will rule The Gist all next week.

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Goodbye to the Queen of Soul Aug 17, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, the free press.

Aretha Franklin has died at 76, and she was much more than a golden voice. Slate's Chris Molanphy recalls her talents at the piano and in the composition room, where she wrote timeless music and, with her covers, transformed songs from her own genre and beyond. (See "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "Let It Be," and, of course, "Respect.") Molanphy is the host of the Slate podcast Hit Parade.

In the Spiel, the straw ban and balloons.

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The Heart of Reality Television Aug 15, 2018

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On The Gist, autocracy isn't always bad for an economy. But as Turkey shows, idiocy definitely is.

Reality television has a reputation for uninhibited narcissism, ruthless competition, and terrible business pitches. But when Jon Murray created The Real World in 1992, he worked to make something complex and innovative, not a circus of humanity's basest instincts. And in A&E's Born This Way, Murray follows the lives of individuals with Down syndrome in Los Angeles, sharing their laughter and tears, their beautiful community, and how they strive to be just like everyone else.

In the Spiel, Christine Hallquist makes history. Can she do it again in November?

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Democracy Needs a Reboot Aug 15, 2018

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On The Gist, should news outlets halt election coverage on Election Day?

"Usually, if you look at American history, we've kind of taken a relook at our democracy every 50 years." And now we're overdue, according to Jason Kander, an Army veteran and Democratic candidate for mayor of Kansas City. The big things to shake up: how we draw district lines, run primaries, and finance electoral campaigns. Kander's book is Outside the Wire: Ten Lessons I've Learned in Everyday Courage.

In the Spiel, the president and nondisclosure agreements.

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Trump's Pyrite Touch Aug 14, 2018

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On The Gist, Trump is a racist? That's not much of a scoop, Omarosa.

There were plenty of Republicans standing against Donald Trump—before he won the White House. After the 2016 election, many of them traded in their values for a seat on the bandwagon. Rick Wilson isn't among them, and he explains why in his new book Everything Trump Touches Dies: A Republican Strategist Gets Real About the Worst President Ever.

In the Spiel, America's worst kind of racism lies between microaggression and all-out white supremacy.

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Gist Presents: Slow Burn Aug 11, 2018

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Mike Pesca talks with Leon Neyfakh, host of the Slate podcast Slow Burn, about season two of the hit show. Subscribe to Slow Burn here.

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Venturing Into Obscurity Aug 10, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, "the so-called chairman of the Intelligence Committee," Devin Nunes.

Superheroes and comic books may seem ripe for parody nowadays with the constant onslaught of nerd media, but The Venture Bros. has been doing it for years. Part Jonny Quest parody, part exercise in the esoteric, this show really leans into its own quirks. Jackson Publick, one of the show's creators, helps us understand the wonderful absurdity of The Venture Bros., with its seventh season currently airing on Adult Swim.

In the Spiel, Omarosa.

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On Bended Knee Aug 10, 2018

Show notes

On The Gist, Trump's lack of income disclosures.

Colin Kaepernick took a stand in 2016 by taking a knee during the national anthem at a football game, sparking a debate about racial injustice that continues to roil. But he's just the latest in a long line of black activist athletes that have used their status to raise awareness and protest. Howard Bryant uncovers the history of these athletes in his book The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism.

In the Spiel, the "unfreakingbelievable" New York Times.

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