The Gist

Today on The Gist, guest host Charlie looks back at Mike Pesca's 2021 conversation with Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, recorded when he was lieutenant governor, to discuss criminal justice reform, gun laws, and immigration. Then, journalist Mark Raimondi joins the show to discuss his book, Say Hello to the Bad Guys, breaking down the 1990s steroid trials, Hulk Hogan's famous villain turn, and how pro wrestling reshaped American pop culture. 

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Today on The Gist, guest host Isabella introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with comedian Alex Edelman on Funny You Should Mention, discussing his acclaimed solo Broadway show, Just for Us. Edelman breaks down the craft of joke mechanics and set construction, the role of audience feedback, and the influence of mentors like Mike Birbiglia and Ira Glass. He also reflects on finding humor within sensitive topics, including Jewish identity, antisemitism, and the Israel-Gaza conflict.

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Guest host Isabella introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with Yaakov Katz, author of While Israel Slept. Katz explains the intelligence failures and false assumptions behind October 7, the international fallout, and why he believes ending the conflict means dismantling Hamas through lasting cultural and educational change.

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Produced by Corey Wara

Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com

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Today on The Gist, guest host Isabella introduces an interview with progressive commentator and author David Pakman about his book, The Echo Machine: How Right-Wing Extremism Created a Post-Truth America. Pakman outlines the historical trajectory from the civil rights backlash to modern right-wing media tactics, arguing that systematic opposition to critical thinking curricula has fostered an environment fertile for political disinformation. Mike Pesca challenges Pakman on partisan asymmetry, probing whether media bubbles, deficit narratives, and mischaracterizations also distort left-leaning political discourse.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Bryan Green introduces an installment of Funny You Should Mention featuring comedian Roy Wood Jr. Mike Pesca sits down with Wood, the host of CNN's Have I Got News for You and former Daily Show correspondent, to explore his journalism-steeped upbringing, the mechanics of building a stand-up special, and the delicate line between humor and audience expectations. Wood unpacks the modern demand for "clap-ter" over punchlines, the cultural resonance of his material on race and society, and the responsibility comedians carry when addressing polarizing political topics.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Bryan Green introduces two conversations on lethal implements and nutritional science. First, Mike Pesca speaks with Rachel McCarthy James about her book Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder, tracing the axe's history from prehistoric tool and Shang Dynasty symbol of power to battlefield weapon and instrument of execution. Then, Maria Konnikova joins Mike to separate fact from fiction regarding dietary sodium, breaking down blood pressure risks and revealing the surprising processed foods driving most of our daily salt intake. 

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Today on The Gist, guest host Bryan Green introduces Mike Pesca's two-part conversation with physician, epidemiologist, and former Detroit health director Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. In part one, El-Sayed discusses the collision between digital misinformation and biological virality, the systemic communication failures of the public health establishment, and how political polarization undermined basic scientific realities. In part two, they examine the pharmaceutical industry, weighing public gratitude for rapid vaccine rollouts against the reality of taxpayer-funded research and corporate profit motives, before breaking down how deep-seated structural racism and historical economic policy drive stark racial health disparities.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Adaam James Levin-Aredi introduces an installment of Funny You Should Mention featuring comedian and writer Django Gold. Mike Pesca sits down with Gold, a former writer for The Onion and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, to dissect the craft of stand-up and his comedy special Bag of Tricks. Gold breaks down his deliberate, deadpan stage persona, the comedic value of defying audience expectations, and the difference between genuine laughter and mere partisan applause, while reflecting on modern crowd sensibilities, hecklers, and the art of subverting sacred cows.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Adaam Levin introduces two conversations exploring truth, perspective, and personal endurance. First, Mike Pesca speaks with KJ Steinberg, creator and showrunner of the Hulu limited series The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, to examine the ethics of dramatizing real-life tragedy, moving beyond tabloid caricatures, and the difficult process of reclaiming an identity after public defamation and wrongful imprisonment. Then, advertising veteran Matt Sterling joins Mike to discuss his memoir Mighty: Finding the Strength to Survive, reflecting on his career as a media executive navigating New York in a wheelchair, the shifting landscape of...

Today on The Gist, guest host Adaam James Levin introduces the first installment of Mike Pesca's two-part conversation with investigative reporter Ken Bensinger, co-host of The Michigan Plot. Bensinger breaks down the 2020 investigation into the conspiracy to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, detailing how an amateur militia group collided with an aggressive FBI undercover operation. Drawing on hundreds of hours of secret recordings, Bensinger and Pesca examine the murky boundary between stopping a legitimate domestic terror threat and orchestrating one, the psychological vulnerabilities exploited by federal informants, and how trial evidentiary rules shaped the contrasting narratives inside the courtroom<...

Today on The Gist, guest host Rachel Win introduces the third installment of Funny You Should Mention which welcomes Sam Jay, former SNL writer, Tom Brady Roaster, host of HBO's Pause with Sam Jay, and stand-up comic behind such specials as Netflix's 3 In The Morning and HBO's Salute Me or Shoot Me. Sam and Mike talk cops, racism, white vs black people money management, and a joke she'll discuss but won't be telling again.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Rachel Win introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with Wall Street Journal reporter Keach Hagey about her book The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future, exploring Altman's Silicon Valley rise, the tensions between AI safety and commercial speed, and his brief ouster from the company. The show wraps with a classic 2014 sit-down with the late Gilbert Gottfried, who talks old Hollywood lore, dirty jokes, and hosting Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Rachel Wynn introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with veteran actor, writer, and director Jennifer Esposito about her debut feature film, Fresh Kills. Esposito breaks down her inspiration for the Staten Island drama, which re-examines the mob genre through the rarely explored perspectives of the wives and daughters caught inside patriarchal crime families. She also discusses mortgaging her home to finance true independent cinema, the harsh realities of modern streaming distribution, and the lifelong drive required to bring her personal artistic vision to the screen, preceded by an archival spiel from Mike critiquing the craft...

Today on The Gist, guest host Jason Mojica marks the 25th anniversary of September 11th with former CIA counterterrorism official Philip Mudd, author of Black Site: The CIA in the Post-9/11 World. Mudd revisits the post-9/11 panic over a second wave of attacks, the overhaul of US intelligence, and the contentious debates surrounding enhanced interrogation techniques. The episode closes with Mike Pesca's archival reflection on military families, community sacrifice, and high school football at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Jason Mojica introduces two conversations on personal resilience and healthy living. First, Mike Pesca talks with actress Gina Gershon about her memoir Alpha Pussy: How I Survived the Valley and Learned to Love My Boobs, exploring how she navigated toxicity in early Hollywood, developed an instinctual survival radar, and turned a botched roast performance into a breakout role on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Then, oncologist and bioethicist Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel discusses his book Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long, Healthy Life, pushing back against the exhausting demands of the wellness...

Today on The Gist, guest host Jason Mojica introduces a conversation between Mike Pesca and hip-hop pioneer Chuck D, co-founder of Public Enemy, about his book Interficial Arttelligence. Chuck D reflects on his lifelong passion for visual art, dating back to childhood comic books and drafting promotional flyers on Long Island, and details his rapid, memory-driven illustration style as a personal counterweight to digital perfection and artificial intelligence. He also shares the origins of Public Enemy's striking imagery, including the Sports Illustrated stopwatches that inspired Flavor Flav's iconic neck clock, while discussing the modern digital landscape, the power of...

Today on The Gist, guest host Charlie introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with comedian and writer Nimesh Patel, the first Indian American writer in Saturday Night Live history. Patel charts his transition from NYU finance major to stand-up comic, breaking down his shifting philosophy on joke construction, why he has moved away from didactic, argument-driven bits, and how he uses subtext and contrarian premises to catch audiences off guard. He also revisits his specials Thank You, China and Lucky Lefty, dissects the humor and frustrations of the American healthcare system, and reflects on the infamous 2018 Columbia University set where organizers...

Today on The Gist, guest host Charlie introduces two conversations centered on hostage recovery and wrongful detention abroad. First, Mike Pesca speaks with Diane Foley, founder of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, who reflects on her son's murder by ISIS in 2014, the institutional failures that left American families without diplomatic support, and the urgent need to overhaul outdated US hostage policies as state-sponsored wrongful detentions rise. Then, Mike is joined by Princeton PhD researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov to discuss her harrowing ordeal surviving over 900 days of captivity and torture by the Iranian-backed militia Kata'ib Hezbollah in Iraq, detailing how...

Today on The Gist, guest host Charlie introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with comedian Vic Michaelis, host of Very Important People on Dropout TV. Michaelis discusses the show's chaotic premise, where comedians are transformed by high-end VFX makeup and prosthetics without knowing what they look like until a live mirror reveal, forcing them to build an improvised character from scratch. They also explore the evolution of improv for online video formats, Michaelis's character arc as an ambitious yet deeply frustrated public access news anchor, and the comedic blend of East Coast punchlines and big Canadian character work.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Scott introduces a debate between Mike Pesca and Virginia Sole-Smith, author of Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture. Sole-Smith argues that genetics largely dictate body size and that systemic weight stigma and diet culture cause far more damage than high body weight itself. Pesca pushes back, questioning whether downplaying obesity's strong correlations to chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease ignores serious public health risks, while Sole-Smith maintains that true healthcare must abandon the failed mandate of intentional weight loss.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Scott introduces a pair of interviews focused on the shifting identity of the Republican Party. First, Mike Pesca sits down with former Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger to discuss his memoir Renegade: Defending Democracy and Liberty in Our Divided Country, exploring how his fundamentalist Christian upbringing shaped his aversion to political groupthink, his military service, and his decision to vote for impeachment and serve on the January 6th Select Committee. Then, Mike speaks with veteran Republican strategist Stuart Stevens about his satirical novel The Innocent Have Nothing to Fear, examining how the GOP abandoned...

Today on The Gist, guest host Scott introduces a 2022 conversation between Mike Pesca and former US Senator Al Franken, who discusses his return to stand-up comedy and looks back at his tenure in the Senate. Franken examines how his background as a comedy writer and performer informed his sharp, forensic approach to committee hearings, including his memorable question during Jeff Sessions' confirmation that ultimately led to the Attorney General's recusal, and his viral exchange with Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos over growth versus proficiency. He and Mike also discuss the cynical comedic worldview of Lindsey Graham, the breakdown of...

Today on The Gist, guest host Adaam Levin introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with comedian and actor TJ Miller, who reflects on life, stand-up, and the traumatic brain injury that altered his cognitive wiring. Miller walks through his experience surviving a 2010 brain surgery to remove an arteriovenous malformation in his right frontal lobe, explaining how the resulting neurological shifts fuel his manic work ethic, remove natural fatigue cues, and act as an improvisational cheat code on stage. Along the way, he and Mike riff on oddball city mottos, touring smaller American towns like Fort Wayne, navigating the realities of an...

Today on The Gist, guest host Adaam Levin introduces a conversation between Mike Pesca and Chris Smalls, co-founder and former president of the Amazon Labor Union and author of When the Revolution Comes: A Fight for the Future of the Working Class. Smalls looks back at his journey from an underground hip-hop artist and warehouse employee to the face of modern labor organizing, detailing the scrappy, grassroots tactics that powered the historic Staten Island union victory. He also tackles the inevitable controversies and internal fractures that followed, pushback over his national profile, and why authentic labor movements must keep...

Today on The Gist, guest host Adaam Levin introduces a classic spiel from the archives analyzing Vivek Ramaswamy's debate strategy and an interview with Andrew Yang on the differing party dynamics facing political outsiders. Then, Mike Pesca revisits his conversation with the late Bob Saget, who reflects on his decades in comedy, writing his first jokes in a law library, and releasing his stand-up special Zero to Sixty. Saget examines the stark contrast between his wholesome family television persona and his bawdy stand-up roots, navigating shifting cultural sensibilities, and why he always prioritized connection and catharsis with his audience...

Today on The Gist, guest host Bryan Green shares Mike Pesca's interview with writer and composer Andrew Fox, the creator behind the viral satirical musical Slam Frank. Fox breaks down the origins of his controversial parody (which imagines an Anne Frank musical staged through an absurdly over-the-top, intersectional lens) and examines how well-intentioned performative language in modern theater often slips into unintentional comedy. He and Mike discuss the boundaries of comedy, the stifling nature of institutional gatekeeping, and why contemporary art needs to start taking real risks again instead of chasing safe, predictable moral superiority.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Bryan Green shares an interview with Derrick Palmer, co-founder of the Amazon Labor Union and co-author of Handbook for the Revolution: Building a More Perfect Union for the 21st Century. Palmer reflects on his time working inside Amazon's JFK8 warehouse on Staten Island, the dangerous working conditions and lack of sick time during the pandemic, and how he and Chris Smalls built an independent, worker-led organizing effort that successfully unionized the facility. Finally, in the spiel, Mike Pesca dissects Hollywood's obsession with animated movies about anthropomorphic animals and pitches a hyper-specific, meta-cinematic alternative...

Today on The Gist, guest host Bryan Green shares a classic 2019 interview with comedian, writer, and host Larry Wilmore. Wilmore reflects on his podcast Black on the Air, the reality of the medium, and the freedom of moving beyond narrowly defined racial content. He and Mike Pesca discuss mentorship, the limits of "woke" cultural criticism, and why using comedy as a tool for political activism misunderstands the point of the craft. Finally, in the spiel, Mike examines why governments struggle to account for pleasure in cost-benefit analyses of vices, from alcohol during pregnancy to e-cigarettes as a form of...

Today on The Gist, guest host Vanessa Quirk steps in to share Mike Pesca's 2024 interview with Kelsey Snelling, creator of the investigative podcast Camp Shame. Snelling outlines the history of Camp Shane (one of America's longest running youth weight loss retreats) and details her own experiences as a counselor witnessing neglected facilities, untrained staff, and severe calorie restriction. The conversation turns contentious as Mike pushes back on the broader tenets of the fat acceptance movement, arguing that society can reject cruelty and fatphobia without dismissing the medical realities of severe obesity or the validity of weight loss goals.

Today on The Gist, guest host Vanessa Quirk steps in to share a previously unaired interview between Mike Pesca and Irish American comedian Des Bishop. Bishop traces his trajectory from a Queens childhood and teenage modeling gig to moving to Ireland at fourteen, getting sober at nineteen, and eventually rising to become one of Ireland's top touring comics. He and Mike discuss the differences between Irish storytelling comedy and the punchier American club scene, how social media algorithms now dictate stand-up, and why navigating generational shifts and Gen Z triggers requires bridging the gap rather than just starting a...

Today on The Gist, guest host Vanessa Quirk steps in to share a classic 2022 interview with Nathan Allebach, the creative force behind Steak-umm's viral Twitter presence. Allebach breaks down the rise of brand personification, explaining how a forgotten frozen meat company's account transformed from a corporate afterthought into an online phenomenon known for engaging weird Twitter, unblocking trolls, and dispensing earnest advice on millennial angst. Finally, in the spiel, Mike Pesca shares a story of civic engagement from a New York City zoning meeting, illustrating how he attempted to ease neighborhood tension around the "City of Yes" housing initiative...

Today on The Gist, guest host Adaam James Levin-Areddy introduces a requested classic from the archives: the final episode of Not Even Mad, before it came back. Journalists Lara Bazelon and David French join Mike Pesca to discuss the personal and professional costs of speaking out against one's own political side, standing up to ideological intimidation, and the creeping cynicism within modern journalism. Finally, Mike reflects on the cancellation of the show itself, explaining why true, friendly ideological disagreement across political divides has become nearly impossible to sustain in contemporary America.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Adaam James Levin-Areddy steps in as host Mike Pesca remains away. Mike brings on CUNY philosophy professor Justin Garson to discuss his book, The Madness Pill, and the legacy of 20th-century neuroscientist Dr. Solomon Snyder. Garson details how early psychiatric experiments using LSD and amphetamines led to the discovery of the dopamine hypothesis, revolutionizing the treatment of schizophrenia.

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Produced by Corey Wara

Today on The Gist, we revisit Mike Pesca’s classic crusade against the indisputable abomination of paper straws and the dubious logic surrounding alternative drinking apparatuses. Then, writer and psychologist Maria Konnikova joins Mike for a classic edition of "Is That Bullshit?" to dissect whether plant-based alternatives like Impossible Burgers and Beyond Meat are actually any healthier for you than real beef.

Produced by Corey Wara

Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com

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Comedian, podcaster, and self-described cutie-in-her-own-way Robby Hoffman drops by to discuss her life, her comedy, and why she takes talking as seriously as any other art form. From growing up ultra-Orthodox and ultra-poor to becoming a sought-after stand-up with a Porsche no one wants, Hoffman explains how she's thrived in disaster and learned to mine discomfort for laughs. The two explore America's national personality deficit, what makes a story worth telling, and the joys of conflict when you grow up with nine siblings and no private phone line.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Bryan Greene steps in as temporary custodian to share a fresh interview between Mike Pesca and journalist Helen Lewis. Lewis dives into her cover story for The Atlantic exploring the rise of masculinism and the reactionary figures aiming to roll back women's rights. She breaks down the line between online provocateurs and actual ideological strategists, explaining how figures from Pastor Doug Wilson to Nick Fuentes use shock value to build power and recruit isolated young men.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Brian Greene kicks off our rotating host lineup with a dive into the Peach Fish archives. First, Mike Pesca dissects the political baggage hiding inside state anthems, from Maryland's pro-Confederate fight song to why West Virginia's "Country Roads" remains the undisputed peak of the genre. Then, North American Vexillological Association secretary Ted Kaye joins the show to break down flag etiquette, Justice Alito's Controversial banners, and how political movements co-opt historic symbols. Finally, in the spiel, Mike rewrites Nebraska's state song to give it a much-needed upgrade.

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Today on The Gist, guest host Bob Garfield replays an interview with prison reformer Vincent Schiraldi about his book, Mass Supervision: Probation, Parole, and the Illusion of Safety and Freedom. Schiraldi discusses his time running Rikers Island, explaining that the jail faces immense staffing issues due to unworkable union contracts. He points out that the real problem with jails and courts is systemic inefficiency, which keeps individuals locked up for years waiting for a trial. Schiraldi advocates for overhauling the probation and parole systems, noting that billions of taxpayer dollars are wasted every year putting people back in prison...

Today on The Gist, An interview with architect Michael Murphy about his memoir-style book, Our World in 10 Buildings: How Architecture Defines Who We Are and How We Live. Murphy details his career shift from studying classical, monumental architecture to founding Mass Design Group, a nonprofit focused on leveraging built environments to deliver public services. Murphy tracks his experiences designing a hilltop hospital ward in post-genocide Rwanda alongside healthcare pioneer Paul Farmer to mitigate airborne tuberculosis transmission.

Produced by Corey Wara

Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist...

Today on The Gist, guest host Bob Garfield introduces the show's new format before diving into a special double-feature interview with science and tech author Steven Johnson. Blending conversations from 2018 and 2016, the episode deconstructs how humanity handles complex, long-term choices and how the simple pursuit of play and delight has secretly driven global history. Johnson breaks down the flaws of binary decision-making, the cognitive value of true group diversity, and how elite historical deliberations rely on tools like the to override tracking errors. Shifting to his book Wonderland, he flips the script on the idea that necessity is the...