The Gist

On The Gist, Mike's thoughts on the P-word. Then, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker tells us about the challenge of doing a controlled trial on a controlled substance. She's the author of The Confidence Game. For the Spiel, Mike fact-checks a widely ignored statement from Chris Christie. Today's sponsors: Betterment, the largest automated investing service—managing billions of dollars for people just like you. Get up to six months of investing free when you go to Betterment.com/gist. Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Murder is one of the most venerable subjects of journalism and drama. What was it about the O.J. trail that still entertains? On The Gist. reporter Jeffrey Toobin explains the case's lasting significance. He's the author of The Run of His Life: The People v. O. J. Simpson. For the Spiel, let's dispel with this fiction that Marco Rubio doesn't know what he's doing. Today's sponsor: Betterment, the largest automated investing service—managing billions of dollars for people just like you. Get up to six months of investing free when you go to Betterment.com/gist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Slate's Justin Peters shares his observations from watching every Super Bowl in history over the course of two months. He's the author of The Idealist: Aaron Swartz and the Rise of Free Culture on the Internet. For the Spiel, another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today's sponsor: Casper, the online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/gist and using the promo code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Mike identifies the greatest depiction of a zebra in mass media. Here's the video. The, Dan Pashman from The Sporkful podcast explains how sound influences taste. For the Spiel, if a candidate offered to pay you 2,800 for your vote, would you take it? The Gist is Hiring a Producer: Slate's consummate daily news and opinion podcast is looking for an experienced and creative producer to join our team. Apply here. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, we don't mention Iowa once! First, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker separates the gold-tinted truth from the rubber-scented fiction when it comes to synesthesia. She's the author of The Confidence Game. For the Spiel, what if your host was born to hand jive? Today's sponsor: Texture, the mobile app that lets you tap directly into the world's most popular magazines using your phone or tablet. Dive deeper into Vogue, People, Esquire, Time—with interactive content for a richer reading experience. Try Texture for free at Texture.com/gist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, listener C. Andrew Frank shares his experience caucusing in Iowa last night. Plus, Slate's Jamelle Bouie explains what the Iowa results tell us, if anything. For the Spiel, how to discuss Iowa better in the media. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Gay shares a landmark moment from his cancer recovery—getting annoyed in line at Starbucks. He's the author of Little Victories: Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living. For the Spiel, the one thing we should hope to learn from the Iowa caucuses. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, a best-of episode to welcome new listeners who heard our host on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me this weekend. First, the film Spotlight depicts serious investigative journalism without the usual guns, car chases, and explosions. We speak with subjects from the film, including journalists Walter "Robby" Robinson (played by Michael Keaton), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams), and Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo). They're the authors of the book Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church. For The Spiel, New York City's police commissioner explains why obvious errors in the terror hoax helped the city avoid another a school closing. Today's sponsors: Credit Karma. Do not pay for your credit score! With Credit Karma, you can get your credit report, right now, absolutely free. Just visit CreditKarma.com/Save to get started! There are no strings attached and no credit card is required. Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, has the bully pulpit been in the hands of a poor communicator? Michael Grunwald from Politico joins us to discuss Obama's lesser-known accomplishments as discussed in his article "The Nation He Built." He's the author of The New New Deal. For the Spiel, a dark horse was endorsed, but we must consider the source of course—George Pataki. Today's sponsor: Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yesterday on The Gist, Jesse Eisenberg performed his story "Marv Albert is My Therapist" alongside your host. Today, they'll discuss his story collection Bream Gives Me Hiccups and why Eisenberg is drawn to writing dialogue. For the Spiel, don't forget that it's only six days until the Iowa caucuses. Today's sponsor: Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices