

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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 27, 2022 • 31min
Hidden Childhood Poverty Wins
Jason DeParle of The New York Times documents how childhood poverty has fallen dramatically over the past three decades. It's a triumph few recognize. Also, John Fetterman's debate performance was surprising and, potentially, very costly. Who bears responsibility for the shock of it all? Plus, a cute little piece of malware named Raccooninfostealer. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 26, 2022 • 56min
Kari and Herschel and Jamie and Virginia and Mike
The Gist presents the new weekly political debate show, Not Even Mad. Consider it a joyous disagreement, as we take #DelightinDiscord. We give you the inaugural episode of this new podcast, as a sample, but to hear Mike talk with Jamie Kirchick and Virginia Heffernan each week, you'll have to subscribe to Not Even Mad on Apple, or wherever you are listening to this. In Episode #1 of Not Even Mad, we discuss the candidacies of Kari Lake and Herschel Walker, we ponder the label "queer," and we ask if present-day Republicanism is inextricably racist. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 25, 2022 • 30min
Alan Dershowitz Would Do It Again
In his latest book, released in this past summer, The Price of Principle: Why Integrity Is Worth the Consequences, lawyer and legal scholar Alan Dershowitz laid out his reasoning for aiding the legal defense of Donald Trump. Dershowitz tells The Gist that he was defending the U.S. Constitution, not Trump, and that, despite the consequences, he would do it again. Also, the Latino vote is no monolith…except when it is one. Plus, which came first: the chicken or the egg…or Kanye's mental illness? Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 24, 2022 • 45min
The Sorry State Of Arguing
On Wednesday, October 26th, we will be launching a new podcast called Not Even Mad, featuring Gist host Mike Pesca (heard of him?), Wired contributor and self-proclaimed liberal Virginia Heffernan, and author of the bestselling Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington, Jamie Kirchick, who holds many conservative positions on the issues. So, as a preview of the new podcast, we've invited Virginia and Jamie on The Gist to discuss the brokenness of our current political discourse, and also to debate how the Democrats lost the post-Dobbs polling momentum. Is it really just about gas prices? Also, an analysis of "talking your book," or as Mike describes it "a prediction based on predilection." Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 23, 2022 • 12min
Introducing Story of the Week with Joel Stein: Billionaires Prepping for the Apocalypse
Here's a preview of a new podcast, Story of the Week. Each week, journalist Joel Stein chooses an article that fascinates him, convinces the writer to tell him about it, and then interrupts a good conversation by talking about himself. Sometimes the story will be the one everyone is talking about, like the New Yorker article on smoking hallucinogenic toads. Other times we'll find a story you might have missed, like the one in the Verge about the rock groupie turned hacker who had huge corporations at her mercy. Stories that stick with you long after you forget whatever headline you just doom-scrolled through. In this preview, Joel is joined by Douglas Rushkoff to talk about his experience speaking to a group of tech billionaires in the middle of the desert. He thought he'd be chatting about the latest in tech advancements, but all these guys wanted to talk about was building doomsday bunkers. Hear the full episode, and more from Story of the Week, at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/sotw?sid=gist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 22, 2022 • 33min
BEST OF THE GIST: Argumentative Edition
To celebrate the announcement of the upcoming launch of Peach Fish's newest podcast, Not Even Mad, in this installment of Best Of The Gist, we are replaying Mike's January 18, 2017 interview with Heather Hendershot. Heather watched nearly 1,500 episodes of William F. Buckley's pioneering TV show Firing Line, and though she still doesn't agree with Buckley, she admires how he created a place for high-minded argument. Then we will listen to some bonus content from Mike's Thursday interview with David Priess, former CIA intelligence briefer and current Publisher of Lawfare about the work of the January 6th Committee. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 21, 2022 • 46min
Deciphering The Mystery Of Xi Jinping
The Economist's Sue-Lin Wong, host of the new podcast The Prince, discusses the most powerful person in the world, Xi Jinping. As China's 20th Communist Party Congress convenes, Xi has positioned himself to rule China for another five years, and maybe the rest of his life. But so little is known about him … until now. Plus, witness the drones filling the skies of Ukraine—Ghost Phoenixes, Switchblades, and these so-called "Kamikaze" models. And it's an Antwentig, in which Angela Landsbury's cinematic son is clarified and "Just Asking Questions" is endorsed. The Gist is produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Hey, we have a new podcast called Not Even Mad launching Wednesday, October 26th. If you like a good argument—and we know you do—subscribe on iTunes or wherever you listen. To Subscribe through Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-even-mad-trailer/id1651047503?i=1000583485024 To Subscribe through Overcast: https://overcast.fm/+9EM8f-Q-w To Subscribe through Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/podcast/d100b710-33c1-013b-ef9d-0acc26574db2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 20, 2022 • 33min
Liz Truss, A Bit Of A Dog's Dinner
Liz Truss resigns as Prime Minister of the UK, and all of England breathes a collective "How did that just bloody happen?" Plus, we'll check in with David Priess, former CIA intelligence briefer and current Publisher of Lawfare about the work of the January 6th Committee. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 19, 2022 • 36min
Sparring In Georgia's Races For Senate And Governor
We're joined by Bill Nigut the host of Georgia Public Broadcasting's Political Rewind to analyze the state's pivotal and contentious Governor and Senate Races. Plus, the Durham investigation strikes out, or, in the eyes of Deep State Excavators…strikes gold! Plus, a pricey San Fransisco Toilet. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oct 18, 2022 • 28min
Outside-The-Box-Kind-Of-Guy Alex Jones
Last night's Ohio Senate debate featured JD Vance denying his assessment of Alex Jones as credible and an interesting thinker. Vance is still up big, and he'll probably win. Also, a Floridan voter is handcuffed so Ron DeSantis can make a point. He's also up big. Probably will win. Plus, Richard Reeves returns to discuss his book, Of Boys And Men, and the challenge of proposing solutions when doing so might mark you as picking the wrong side in a struggle toward progress. Produced by Joel Patterson and Corey Wara Email us at thegist@mikepesca.com To advertise on the show, visit: https://advertisecast.com/TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices


