Simon Rich, the Premise Keeper

An article in the Guardian once asked, "Is Simon Rich the funniest man in America." We ask him, "Are you?" His new book Spoiled Brats explores why the so-called millennial culture is easy to mock, especially by baby boomers. Plus, we ask linguist Michael Erard about the craft of metaphor design. He's the author of Babel No More. For the Spiel, how Donald Trump's doing us all a service. Today's sponsors: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "Scientific Secrets for a Powerful Memory." Right now, get 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist. And by Citrix GoToMeeting. When meetings matter, millions choose GoToMeeting. Get a free 30-day trial by visiting GoToMeeting.com and clicking the "try it free" button. 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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.