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PODCAST

The Gist

Peach Fish Productions

For thirty minutes each day, Pesca challenges himself and his audience, in a responsibly provocative style, and gets beyond the rigidity and dogma. The Gist is surprising, reasonable, and willing to critique the left, the right, either party, or any idea.

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All Episodes

28:59

Katja Hoyer on Germany’s AFD and the Limits of...

The Gist ·

2025/08/18

Today on The Gist, the Texas Democrats’ walk-out, a dramatic gesture that ultimately did little because they never had the leverage to win. From there he zooms out to Europe, where far-right parties are suddenly topping polls in France, the UK, and now Germany. Historian Katja Hoyer joins to explain what’s behind the AFD’s rise and why calling them “Nazis” isn’t scaring voters away the way it once did. In the spiel, Trump meets Putin in a summit that’s long on spectacle but pretty short on

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23:53

The Spiel Saturday Show

The Gist ·

2025/08/16

Today on The Gist we air two spiels from earlier in the week. One about the CDC shooting in Atlanta and then one about Matt Taibbi's murder stat takedown of D.C backfires. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Youtube

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34:32

The Cheesecake Factory Model of Freedom

The Gist ·

2025/08/15

In The Age of Choice: A History of Freedom in Modern Life, Sophia Rosenfeld traces how choice evolved from secret ballots and dance cards to consumer overload and political battlegrounds. She also dissects ihow the pro-choice movement’s framing was both a strength and a vulnerability. Also, Trump’s murder-rate comparison between D.C., Bogotá, and Mexico City, and in the Spiel, the case against “turtling” in public life when threats arise over professors posting their syllabi. Produced by Corey Wara

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40:26

When the Train to Hell Runs on Time

The Gist ·

2025/08/14

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,

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36:33

Rights You Can’t Use

The Gist ·

2025/08/13

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

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39:11

The Case for Good Anger

The Gist ·

2025/08/12

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

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39:54

Rebecca Lemov and the Instability of Truth

The Gist ·

2025/08/11

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

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35:48

Sarah Ruhl on Lessons from the Teachers Who Shaped Her

The Gist ·

2025/08/09

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 Email

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39:22

Peter Moskos on NYC’s Historic Crime Drop and the...

The Gist ·

2025/08/08

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

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37:10

Steven Hahn Unmasks the Myth of Liberal America

The Gist ·

2025/08/07

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

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41:06

Not Her Type: E. Jean Carroll vs. The President

The Gist ·

2025/08/06

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

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38:12

High Stakes, Low Standards: America's Gambling Gamble

The Gist ·

2025/08/05

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 Email us

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35:29

Pay to Play: The NCAA’s Big Payout Era Begins

The Gist ·

2025/08/04

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 To advertise

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38:59

Puzzling The Puzzle Master on The Puzzler

The Gist ·

2025/08/02

Today on The Gist we air Mikes appearence on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Youtube Page: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Instagram

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37:41

The NIH vs. The New Grievance Politics

The Gist ·

2025/08/01

Former NIH director Elias Zerhouni reflects on the agency’s triumphs and shortcomings in light of his new memoir, Disease Knows No Politics. He defends the NIH’s legacy while addressing critiques from figures like current NIH head Jay Bhattacharya, and warns that proposed funding cuts could severely undermine scientific progress. Also: the decline of late-night TV amid political sameness, the comic potential of Sydney Sweeney’s controversial jeans ad, and a failed auction bid for Larry King’s

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45:38

Airborne Assumptions and Subventilated Science

The Gist ·

2025/07/31

Carl Zimmer joins to discuss Airborne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe, a book that excavates the forgotten science of airborne disease transmission—from Louis Pasteur’s broth experiments to why COVID’s airborne nature was dismissed by health authorities. Also : praise for the New York Times’ recent front-page study that honestly asses the failure of a cash transfer program to aid in childhood development. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us

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36:08

How to Make Crime Feel Weird

The Gist ·

2025/07/30

Criminologist Nick Cowen joins to explore how drunk driving transformed from a tolerated norm to a societal taboo, and how deterrence works best when paired with norm-shaping—catching people before tragedy and using lighter sanctions to nudge behavior. He argues that even violent crime clusters could be tackled through community-level norm shifts. Plus, after the worst mass shooting in New York City in 25 years, the New York Times’ spotlights the shooter’s CTE claims and symbolic vendetta against

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32:52

The Algorithm Is Hollywood’s New God

The Gist ·

2025/07/29

Filmmaker Justine Bateman argues that Hollywood’s creative spark has been smothered by fear, corporate consolidation, and algorithmic decision-making. In her view, true artistry requires fearlessness—and God, or something like it—but today’s studios follow data, not inspiration. Also in the episode: Trump’s presidential library fund keeps growing thanks to defamation settlements and nearly launched merch like MAGA-branded Instant Pots. In the Spiel, The European Union's timid trade posture, favoring

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32:35

When Hulk Turned Heel

The Gist ·

2025/07/28

Marc Raimondi discusses Say Hello to the Bad Guys: How Professional Wrestling’s New World Order Changed America, his new book on Hulk Hogan’s heel turn and how WCW’s edgy branding reflected a broader cultural shift. We learn how steroid scandals, media savvy, and black t-shirts reshaped wrestling—and maybe U.S. politics. In the Spiel, Russell Vought’s viral soundbites about cocaine beagles and government-funded lizard wind tunnels. Plus: The worst job in Tehran as the wells run dry. Produced by

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28:01

Mike Pesca talks NPR Funding on The 21st Show

The Gist ·

2025/07/26

Today on The Gist. We play back Mikes appearance on the 21st Show where they discuss NPR and its funding. It originally aired on Monday July 28th. Produced by Corey Wara Production Coordinator Ashley Khan Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠ad-sales@libsyn.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://advertising.libsyn.com/TheGist⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to The Gist Youtube

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