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Latest Episodes:

When the Train to Hell Runs on Time Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

Aziz Huq, author of The Collapse of Constitutional Remedies, explains how liability insurers shape policing in small towns, why "rights versus rights" conflicts—from same-sex marriage to police brutality—often hinge on public trust, and how Chicago's low murder clearance rate reflects deep distrust of law enforcement. He analyzes the Supreme Court's Grants Pass ruling on homelessness, arguing that its "status versus conduct" distinction masks moral judgments about choice and responsibility. Plus, Trump's Kennedy Center Honorees include KISS, Gloria Gaynor, George Strait, Michael Crawford, and Sylvester Stallone—prompting thoughts on merchandising, coffin diplomacy, and the Kiss Army.

Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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Rights You Can't Use Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

Aziz Huq, University of Chicago law professor and author of The Collapse of Constitutional Remedies, lays out how federal courts have gutted the mechanisms for enforcing constitutional rights—blocking individuals harmed by police while greenlighting speculative corporate attacks on regulation. Also, Donald Trump crowns himself de facto CEO of the U.S. chip industry and gatekeeper of U.S. Steel's future. And Matt Taibbi's "year-to-date" murder stat takedown of D.C. backfires once he actually checks the date.

Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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The Case for Good Anger Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

Samuel Parker, author of Good Anger: How Rethinking Rage Can Change Our Lives, argues that suppressing anger fuels anxiety and that society's overcorrection toward placidity has blunted a vital emotion. He traces its demotion from the Stoics to corporate HR, separates it from violence, and shows how to channel it into productive action. Plus, Donald Trump tries to deal with peace, and in the Spiel, the CDC shooting in Atlanta prompts a pushback against claims that misinformation draws a straight line to murder—and a reminder that individual responsibility can't be outsourced to bad facts.

Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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Rebecca Lemov and the Instability of Truth Aug 11, 2025

Show notes

Harvard historian of science Rebecca Lemov joins to talk about her book The Instability of Truth, which dives deep into the history of mind control, from Cold War POW camps and MKUltra to the quieter persuasion of social media. They get into what really works (and doesn't) when it comes to changing someone's beliefs, why we're all more suggestible than we think, and how "cultish" behavior shows up everywhere, from crypto hype to trendy drinkware.

Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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Sarah Ruhl on Lessons from the Teachers Who Shaped Her Aug 09, 2025

Show notes

Playwright Sarah Ruhl has collected wisdom from her mentors, from Pulitzer winners to driving instructors, in her new book Lessons from My Teachers. She joins Mike to talk about the art of learning, the balance between control and letting go, writing obliquely about grief (sometimes through a dog's eyes), and why you should thank the people who taught you before it's too late. Also, gerbils, almonds, and the occasional vibrator play. Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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Peter Moskos on NYC's Historic Crime Drop and the Lessons for Today Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

Homicides are down 14% from pre-pandemic levels and other major crimes have followed suit. But what can today's drop teach us about the last great decline, the one that transformed New York in the 1990s? Mike talks with Peter Moskos, former Baltimore cop turned John Jay College professor, about his new book Back from the Brink, an oral history of the NYPD's crime-fighting turnaround. They dig into the role of CompStat, broken windows, and the delicate balance between aggressive policing and community trust.

Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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Steven Hahn Unmasks the Myth of Liberal America Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

Diplomacy via tweet rarely ends well, but US ambassadors are now flailing into their way through international tensions with sarcasm, memes, and zero restraint. Plus Steven Hahn, NYU historian and author of Illiberal America: A History, joins to unpack how liberalism has always shared the stage with its illiberal twin. From eugenics to temperance to the penitentiary, Hahn explains how our progressive myths overlook the darker undercurrents of American history.

Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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Not Her Type: E. Jean Carroll vs. The President Aug 06, 2025

Show notes

E. Jean Carroll joins to talk about the lawsuit she won, the president she sued, and the dressing room encounter that changed everything. The author of Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President opens up about the attack by Donald Trump, how she fought to be heard, and what it took—mentally and emotionally to face him in court. They talk trial prep, media backlash, mock juries, and what it means to be believed. Also, what happens when the guy in the courtroom points at your photo and says it's his ex-wife? Carroll shares how she got her name back—and why she's not stopping there. Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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High Stakes, Low Standards: America's Gambling Gamble Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

Jonathan D. Cohen, author of Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling, joins to explain why our national rush into online sports betting might be a bigger mess than we realize. They talk sketchy app rollouts, bad state deals, and how betting lines went from shady corners to college campus. Plus, why Malaysian women's doubles badminton at 3 a.m. says more about America than we'd like to admit.

Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

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Pay to Play: The NCAA's Big Payout Era Begins Aug 04, 2025

Show notes

The NCAA's $2.8 billion settlement doesn't just change the rules—it rewrites the entire playbook. Mike talks with Gabe Feldman, director of Tulane's Sports Law Program, about what happens now that schools can pay athletes directly. They get into how the money will be split, why Olympic sports are suddenly on the chopping block, and whether this new system can survive Title IX scrutiny.

Produced by Corey Wara

Production Coordinator Ashley Khan

Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

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