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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

00:41:54

Jennifer Shahade on the Grandmaster of Intermezzos:...

The Gist ·

2026/04/22

Today on the Gist, looking at the recent Virginia gerrymander vote and what it actually means for democracy when one side plays to win. Then, chess master and poker pro Jennifer Shahade joins the show to discuss her new book, Thinking Sideways: How to Think Like a Chess Player and Win at Life. We discuss why Donald Trump's political maneuvering might actually be a series of strategic "intermezzos," why "zugzwang" explains so many personal crises, and the unexpected reality of speed chess

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00:33:36

Jonathan Cheng on the Realities of Uncovering North...

The Gist ·

2026/04/21

Today on the Gist, exploring the consequences of relocating Afghan allies to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Then, Wall Street Journal China Bureau Chief Jonathan Cheng is back to discuss the complexities of reporting on a closed society like North Korea, the strategic thinking behind the Kim dynasty's ruthless tactics, and what it’s actually like to attend church in Pyongyang. He is the author of Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult. Finally, in

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00:30:20

Jonathan Cheng on When Pyongyang Was the Jerusalem of...

The Gist ·

2026/04/20

Today on the Gist, looking at the dropping price of eggs and the DOJ's antitrust investigation into major producers for market manipulation. Then, Wall Street Journal China Bureau Chief Jonathan Cheng joins the show to discuss his new book, Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult. He explains how Pyongyang was once known as the Jerusalem of the East and how the Kim dynasty co-opted Christian rituals for their own worship. Finally, in the spiel, we break

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00:28:56

The Middle - Making the case for Voting by Phone

The Gist ·

2026/04/18

On this Saturday hybrid episode, Mike's recent guest appearance on Jeremy Hobson’s The Middle, where he pitches smartphone voting to fix low-turnout primaries and breaks down the domestic political fallout of the conflict in Iran. Then, we replay of Mondays spiel that examines the electoral defeat of Hungary's Viktor Orban to ask a simple question: what kind of autocrat actually loses an election?Click to listen to the Rest of The Middle Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff

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00:46:09

Chuck Todd: Why Politicians Are "The Weirdos"

The Gist ·

2026/04/17

Today on the Gist, pushing back against the pundit-class panic that American democracy is "on the brink." Then, host of the Chuck Toddcast, Chuck Todd joins the show to break down the psychological profile of the modern politician, explaining why the desperate need for public validation consistently elevates slick communicators over serious legislators. Todd and Mike also survey the 2026 Senate landscape, including the vulnerabilities of Susan Collins and Sherrod Brown, and analyze how a shaky

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00:31:17

Sarah Isgur: Why Forum Shopping is a Bigger Threat...

The Gist ·

2026/04/16

Today on the gist, Mike examines the dark psychology of political permanence following the shocking murder-suicide of former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax. SCOTUSblog editor Sarah Isgur returns to discuss the human element of the Supreme Court, explaining why the justices view themselves as consistent rather than hypocritical, why partisan "forum shopping" poses a far greater threat than the current ethics controversies, and the disastrous second-order consequences of ending lifetime

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00:30:04

Sarah Isgur: "Stop Blaming the Court and Start...

The Gist ·

2026/04/15

Today on The Gist, Sarah Isgur editor of SCOTUSblog and co-host of Advisory Opinions, joins to dismantle the media’s most persistent myths about a strictly partisan Supreme Court. Drawing from her new book, Last Branch Standing, Isgur explains the reality of the 3-3-3 court, why institutionalists clash with "chaos muppets," and why Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh rarely vote together despite having identical conservative pedigrees. Plus, examining the political self-immolation of Eric Swalwell and

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00:26:12

Jacob Mchangama On The "Four Hateful Men" Who Saved...

The Gist ·

2026/04/14

Today on The Gist, the Hungarian language has 44 letters in its alphabet and exploring the origins of the name of Hungary's newly elected leader, Peter Magyar. Vanderbilt professor Jacob Mchangama joins to continuing the conversation discussing the messy reality of combating misinformation and disinformation, warning that having the government define truth can be a dangerous game. Plus, breaking down Donald Trump's latest social media feud with the Pope.Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social

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00:34:21

Jacob Mchangama On "Elite Panic"

The Gist ·

2026/04/13

Donald Trump has accused the Pope of being weak on crime, despite the Vatican's famously nonexistent murder rate. Then, Vanderbilt professor Jacob Mchangama joins to discuss his new book, The Future of Free Speech. They discuss the global free speech recession, the sharp pivot from 90s techno-optimism to modern "elite panic," and why allowing the government to act as the final arbiter of truth is a dangerous game. Plus, Hungary's Viktor Orbán recently lost at the ballot box. If an "autocrat" can be

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00:20:44

Across The Movie Aisle: Mike Pesca's "***hole...

The Gist ·

2026/04/11

Today on The Gist. Mike drops in on Across the Movie Aisle with Sonny Bunch and Peter Suderman to dissect the hit medical drama, The Pitt. They dive into the structural triumphs of the Noah Wyle prestige series, the realities of Hollywood’s persistent "villain problem," and Mike’s ***hole patient tracker.Check out movieaisle.substack.com to get the rest of the episode! Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email

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00:25:39

Matt Yglesias & Richard Kreitner: A Billion Americans...

The Gist ·

2026/04/10

Today on The Gist examining the rare pundit who advocates for the right policy even when it’s a proven election-loser, taking a cue from Matt Yglesias' Slow Boring newsletter to decode what politicians really mean when they talk about "spending political capital." Then, Matt Yglesias (One Billion Americans) and Richard Kreitner (Break It Up) square off over the ultimate fate of the country. Should we triple the U.S. population to maintain global dominance, or is our sprawling, deeply divided

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01:17:42

Not Even Mad: John Ganz & Nick Gillespie

The Gist ·

2026/04/09

Today on a Not Even Mad, Mike is joined by political writer John Ganz and Reason’s Nick Gillespie to debate whether the ceasefire with Iran is a strategic victory for the regime or a result of Donald Trump’s bellicose rhetoric. The trio analyzes the New York Times reporting on JD Vance’s backseat skepticism and Trump’s habit of choosing airpower over long-term diplomacy. They also tackle the libertarian "we told you so" regarding centralized power and the operational failures of the DOGE efficiency

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00:35:26

Freddie DeBoer and Devon Price on the "Identity Trap"...

The Gist ·

2026/04/08

Today on The Gist, Mike explores the "innovation" of linguistic shifts, from the return of the "R-word" in the New York Times to the syllable-heavy expansion of terms like "unhoused" and "neurodivergent." Then, social psychologist Devon Price and author Freddie DeBoer join the show for a debate on the limits of the neurodiversity movement. They discuss the friction between seeing mental conditions as neutral sources of diversity versus medical illnesses that require management, while addressing the

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00:32:48

Noam Scheiber and the "Vinyl Record" Phase of...

The Gist ·

2026/04/07

Today on The Gist, Mike Pesca continues his conversation with The New York Times’ Noam Scheiber about his book, Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class. Mike challenges the notion that unions are on a massive upswing by comparing their cultural footprint to the niche appeal of vinyl records. They discuss how a generation of overqualified workers found strategic leverage in the Starbucks trademark lawsuit and why many graduates are trading traditional career arcs for

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00:31:25

Noam Scheiber on the "Class Confidence" of the...

The Gist ·

2026/04/06

Today on The Gist, Mike Pesca explores his history with labor unions, contrasting the time-and-a-half efficiency of NPR with the more complicated protections of WNYC. Then, The New York Times’ Noam Scheiber joins to discuss his new book, Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class, and how a generation of overqualified workers is using their "class confidence" to unionize service-sector giants like Apple and Starbucks. Plus, a deep dive into the "What if [Animal] had a job?"

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00:41:08

Uncertain Things: "Joy as an Act of Resistance is the...

The Gist ·

2026/04/04

On the Saturday Show, Mike brings us an excerpt from his recent appearance on the Uncertain Things podcast with hosts Adaam and Vanessa. They kick things off by exploring Mesopotamian ghost-busting and ancient demons before they discuss how Hollywood actors unwittingly romanticize radical revolutions, why the Starbucks union prioritized sending militant tweets over negotiating higher wages, and Mikes views Greta Thunberg.Listen to the full Show - Uncertain Things | Substack Produced by Corey

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01:09:27

Funny You Should Mention: Raanan Hershberg

The Gist ·

2026/04/03

On today’s show, Mike offers an unreserved endorsement of comedian Raanan Hershberg and his new special, Morbidly Jewish. In this installment of Funny You Should Mention, the two discuss the trap of "normalizing the absurdity" in political comedy, the agony of naming a stand-up special, and Raanan's experience debating conspiracy theories on The Joe Rogan Experience. Plus, how Raanan managed to craft a truly original joke about Israel, and what it’s like to be a guy who has read Ulysses three times

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00:46:34

Are You There God? It’s Me, Mark Oppenheimer

The Gist ·

2026/04/02

Today on The Gist, Mike is joined by Mark Oppenheimer to discuss his new book, Judy Blume, A Life. They dive into how Blume essentially invented middle-grade realism, her astronomical dominance of the book market in the '70s and '80s, and how she served as the perfect proxy for parents who were just too uncomfortable to have "the talk" with their kids. Plus, they explore the one messy topic the famously open author absolutely refused to discuss with her biographer. In the Spiel, Mike analyzes former

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00:43:06

Tyler Goodspeed: Why "Pattern-Seeking Mammals" Blame...

The Gist ·

2026/04/01

Today on The Gist, ExxonMobil Chief Economist Tyler Goodspeed discusses his new book, Recession: The Real Reasons Economies Shrink and What to Do About It. Goodspeed argues that we fundamentally misunderstand economic busts. Because we are "pattern-seeking mammals," we try to frame recessions as the inevitable, moral punishments for greedy economic booms. But historically, economic downturns are actually driven by random, unpredictable shocks—from the 2001 dot-com bust to a literal plague of locusts

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00:33:14

Why Brazil Stopped Its Bolsonaro and We Didn't Stop Ours

The Gist ·

2026/03/31

Zack Beauchamp on democratic resilience, the WhatsApp group that saved Brazil's Supreme Court, and why corruption in Congress can sometimes be a feature. Plus: Trump may end the Iran war with the Strait of Hormuz still closed — which is somehow worse than before it started. And the surprising history of "bimbo."Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com For full Pesca content and

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2,998 results

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