The Gist

Remember when Mike Pesca gargled Pond's cold cream on The Gist? That gargle honored the master orator and Republican Sen. Everett Dirksen, who collaborated with a Democrat, Lyndon B. Johnson, to pass major civil rights legislation. Today, Todd Purdum tells the story of the Senate minority leader who liked to give news conferences in the lotus position. He's the author of An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Two Presidents, Two Parties, and the Battle for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For the Spiel, Angelina Jolie is brave. Don't forget the #NotAMovie Challenge! From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Today's sponsor: Automatic, the connected car adapter that pairs your car to your smartphone. Save 20 percent with free shipping and a 45-day return policy when you go to automatic.com/gist Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now that we've become indifferent to illegal and even legal forms of corruption, what will it take to improve the accountability of our public officials? Our guest Zephyr Teachout examines corruption's past and present. She's the author of Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens United. Plus, They Might Be Giants have always aspired to write movie themes, so they've asked Mike Pesca to enlist listeners to help with a demo. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. For the Spiel, the return of talk-show karaoke. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Scharpling and Jon Wurster rarely analyze why their brand of two-man radio comedy is so potent. Today on the Gist, they pause to consider 13 years of hilariously weird phone calls from Newbridge, NJ. Their box set The Best of The Best Show is available from the Numero Group. For the Spiel, Mike takes a stand against dictators (although a couple are all right). Today's sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "Fundamentals of Photography." Right now, get 80% off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on The Gist, we ask Jonathan Rauch of the Brookings Institution about the landmark LGBT-Mormon compromise in Utah. Will this become a model for other states? Plus, does your girlfriend's hairless cat love you? Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker explains recent insights into animal emotions for a game we call "Is That Bulls---t?" For the Spiel, starting a necessary conversation about Caramel Macchiatos. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on The Gist, a look at ski racing's uphill battle for relevancy and safety. We talk with Nathaniel Vinton, author of The Fall Line: How American Ski Racers Conquered a Sport on the Edge. Plus, political writer Harry Enten from FiveThirtyEight goes down the list of likely Republican presidential candidates and identifies their political kryptonite. For the Spiel, we play a round of "What The Hell Is That Beverage?" with Slate's L.V. Anderson, and Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker. Today's sponsors: 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 THEGIST. And by Automatic, the connected car adapter that pairs your car to your smartphone. Save 20% with free shipping and a 45-day return policy when you go to automatic.com/gist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why would someone accused of multiple crimes engage in chronic high-risk behaviors? Today on The Gist, Fordham's Barry Rosenfeld explains why Robert Durst would participate in HBO's The Jinx. Plus, economist Adam Davidson explains the Greek financial crisis as it relates to the European Union, especially Germany. For the Spiel, a key retirement in the world of professional football. 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 http://www.slate.com/gistplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not every great pop song has a standard format or even a chorus. Today on The Gist, Chris Molanphy joins us to look at the changing placement of the chorus in popular music. He writes Slate's Why Is That Song No. 1 column. For the Spiel, Mike eats at the pop-up restaurant WastED. At the very end of this show, we debut a new They Might Be Giants song, as part of their Dial-a-Song reboot, as we will be doing every Monday this year. You can find videos for the songs on the band's website. This one is called "Unpronounceable." Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.slate.com/gistplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week the Supreme Court heard arguments in King v. Burwell, the case that could undo Obamacare. Now, as far as we can tell, lawyers who disagree with the Obamacare law always seem to find the policy unconstitutional. Today on The Gist, Harvard law professor Charles Fried is the lone exception. Plus, Dan Pashman from The Sporkful podcast brings reason and order to the Slate office fridge. For the Spiel, it's time for another lobstar of the antentwig. Today's sponsor: The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, the new documentary series from HBO. It airs Sunday at 8 p.m. only on HBO. 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

Today on The Gist, we celebrate the Web series High Maintenance for avoiding stoner comedy clichés, and creating stunning portraits of New Yorkers. Creators Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair explain how the series has worked as a calling card for their creative work. For the Spiel, Mike explains his allergy to doing things for a good cause. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Will a recent Gallup poll be a wake-up call for states like Texas and South Carolina? Today on The Gist, Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport explains what political parties could learn from the underlying political leanings in each state. Plus, we visit our neighborhood haunt Hudson Clearwater to delve into the world of cocktail bitters with Peter Thomas Fornatale and Chris Wertz. They're the authors of Brooklyn Spirits: Craft Distilling and Cocktails from the World's Hippest Borough. For the Spiel, a public servant with a private server. Today's sponsor: Audible, a leading provider of spoken audio information and entertainment. Listen to audiobooks whenever and wherever you want. Get a free audiobook of your choice at AudiblePodcast.com/TheGist. Trying to pick out the right audio book? The Gist recommends Red Notice by our past guest Bill Browder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices