The Gist

On The Gist, performer, musician, and comedian Dave Hill reflects on his contribution to the Donald Trump empire: ringtones. His new book is Dave Hill Doesn't Live Here Anymore. For the Spiel, all dogs go to heaven—copycats, however, take the "Stairway to Heaven." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins talks about being more than the guy from the band. His latest movie is The Last Heist. Jesse Armstrong explains satirical string-pulling in his book, Love, Sex, and Other Foreign Policy Goals. For the Spiel, lovers of quail, unite! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, New Yorker writer Maria Konnikova takes a gimlet eye to explanations for sleepy eyes: Are owls and larks bulls--t? Konnikova is the author of The Confidence Game. For the Spiel, Donald Trump's sanest line is crazier than Mitt Romney's biggest gaffe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, impressionist John Di Domenico discusses embodying The Donald. Plus, another installment of our "postcard" series: Devin Leonard talks about the U.S. postal service and how early visionaries thought it might topple slavery. Leonard is the author of Neither Snow Nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service. For the Spiel, have you noticed something different at Mets games? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, former military interrogator Lena Sisco on deception detection. Her book is called You're Lying: Secrets From an Expert Military Interrogator to Spot the Lies and Get to the Truth. For the Spiel, a few thoughts on the shooting in Orlando. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Dave Zirin calls in from Muhammad Ali's funeral procession in Louisville. Zirin is sports editor at The Nation, host of the Edge of Sports podcast, and author of the Muhammad Ali Handbook. For the Spiel, questioning the assumptions in the Stanford rape case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, actor Michael C. Bernardi is Mordcha the Innkeeper in Fiddler On The Roof, now on Broadway. His father, Herschel Bernardi, was the third man to play Tevye in the musical. For the Spiel, who will be remembered with as much veneration as Muhammad Ali? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, former Corey Pegues wanted to stop being a drug runner in his Queens neighborhood. So he enlisted in the military and joined the top brass of the NYPD. His new book is Once a Cop: The Street, the Law, Two Worlds, One Man. For the Spiel, pretty much a direct appeal for angry emails from Bernie Sanders supporters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, a postcard with Devin Leonard on the origins of the phrase "going postal." Leonard's new book is Neither Snow Nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service. Plus, Stephen Teret on smart guns. For the Spiel, Hillary Clinton's cinch of a clinched nomination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Chuck Klosterman imagines how time erodes common ideas, like what counts as a great American novel and how we decide who's smart. His new book is But What If We're Wrong? For the Spiel, tyrants and their cats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices