Not Even Mad: Elizabeth Bruening & Ben Kawaller episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 2, 2026 · 1H 2M

Not Even Mad: Elizabeth Bruening & Ben Kawaller

from The Gist · host Mike Pesca

Today on The Gist, reaching into the archives for a pre-July 4th holiday treat, sharing a classic 2017 spoof that features dramatic readings of unexpected July 3rd historical texts. Then, the final episode of Not Even Mad, Mike Pesca, Elizabeth Bruenig, and Ben Kawaller debate the rising power of democratic socialism after several progressive upset victories. The panel then shifts to JD Vance’s new faith memoir, Communion, analyzing the theological contradictions of Vance's self-professed lack of fear regarding damnation and his framing of Catholicism as a tool for Western social control. Finally, they air out their signature "goat grinders," taking aim at the emotional manipulation of true-crime documentaries and the irritating rise of the storefront phrase "welcome in." Produced by Corey Wara Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠ For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/ For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/ Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/ X https://x.com/pescami TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 2, 2026

NOW PLAYING

Not Even Mad: Elizabeth Bruening & Ben Kawaller

0:00 1:02:46

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Gist?

This episode is 1 hour and 2 minutes long.

When was this The Gist episode published?

This episode was published on July 2, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Today on The Gist, reaching into the archives for a pre-July 4th holiday treat, sharing a classic 2017 spoof that features dramatic readings of unexpected July 3rd historical texts. Then, the final episode of Not Even Mad, Mike Pesca, Elizabeth...

Can I download this The Gist episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!