The Gist

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 over causing outrage. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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 of his own. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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 harm reduction. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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 fight. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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 using the healing power of progressive rock. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. Produced by Corey Wara 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.

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. Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are. 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.

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.   Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.   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.

Today on The Gist, guest host Bryan 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.   Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.   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.

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 for minor technical violations rather than actual new crimes. 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.

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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠[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.

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 mother of invention, tracing how luxury pursuits like Tyrian purple dye and rare spices accidentally mapped the globe, triggered international espionage, and birthed the modern capitalistic world. Produced by Corey Wara 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.

Today on The Gist, its Funny You Should Mention with stand-up comedian Jeff Arcuri, whose crowd-work proficiency anchors his new Netflix special. Arcuri counters comedy purists by framing audience interaction as a structured illusion, detailing how his early years navigating gatekeeping open mics in Michigan and grinding out repetitive sets on Carnival cruise lines forced him to develop a deep toolkit of ready-to-go punchlines. He also reflects on his whirlwind romance and quick marriage to his wife, a former Bachelorette contestant, and opens up about navigating her stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis. 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.

Today, on the final episode of The Gist... After 12 years and more than 3,000 episodes, Mike revisits his very first top-of-the-show segment, from May 29, 2014, which centered on "baby shoes." In the final Antwentig, Mike lays out his broadcasting philosophy: the importance of production values, the tradeoffs between chasing advertisers and risking insularity with paid subscriptions, and what makes for a great interview and great audio. Mike takes the "L" on his presidential election predictions but celebrates what The Gist got right — and did right. Lest we memory-hole the horror of paper straws, he revisits one of the show's most satisfying victories, offers recommendations for what to listen to in a Pesca-free future, and reflects on where podcasting goes from here. Finally, Mike offers a heartfelt thank-you — and steals some office supplies on the way out. 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.

Today on The Gist, Mike explores his gist list, not that gist list, the other gist list. Then, filmmakers and actors David Wain and Ken Marino join the show to discuss their collaborative history originating from the seminal MTV sketch troupe The State and their new film, Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass. Wain and Marino detail their unique creative alchemy, break down the deliberate visual nods to classics like Sex, Lies, and Videotape and Body Heat, and share behind-the-scenes stories from the set. Also, the logistics of cheating actor availability on Wet Hot American Summer compared to Netflix's Arrested Development. 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.

Today on The Gist, host Mike Pesca reflects on the art of the contentious debate and the ongoing siloing of the modern media landscape, looking back at his spirited 2015 interview. Then, NewsNation host and author Batya Ungar-Sargon joins the show to discuss her new book, The Jews and the Left. Ungar-Sargon maps the historical trajectory of American Jewish political alignment from early 20th-century working-class labor movements to the civil rights era, arguing that a post-structuralist "oppressor vs. oppressed" binary has completely colonized the modern academy and trickled down into mainstream neoliberal journalism. 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.

Today on The Gist, the media misinformation surrounding historical focus groups and billionaire tax histories. Then, Boston College Law School professor Ray Madoff joins the show to discuss her new book, The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy. Madoff unpacks the modern "buy, borrow, die" strategy, detailing how the top tier of wealth utilizes the "step-up in basis" loophole to wash away billions in capital gains upon death. She challenges the legal and rhetorical definitions that prioritize taxing working-class wages over massive generational asset transfers and explains how the estate tax was systemically defanged into a multi-billion-dollar cover for dynastic wealth. 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.

Today on the Saturday show, host Mike Pesca shares a revealing conversation with independent media veteran Chris Cillizza from a recent Substack Live  offering an unvarnished look behind the scenes of the modern creator economy. The duo breaks down the financial and administrative realities of running independent operations, tracing Mike’s impending departure from The Gist to the exhausting logistics of multi-state regulatory compliance and algorithmic shifts that force audio creators to prioritize video clips over actual long-form text. 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.

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.

Today on The Gist, we explore the media framing of the Supreme Court's birthright citizenship decision. Then, author and cultural critic Isaac Butler joins the show to discuss his new book, The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars. Butler tracks our modern societal rifts back to the volatile 1974 Kanawha County textbook war in West Virginia, detailing how a routine school board vote spiraled into bombings and sophisticated right-wing direct-mail infrastructure. He maps the unexpected political coalitions of the Reagan era, evaluates the intense federal funding battles surrounding transgressive masterpieces like Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ, and outlines how the devastating vacuum of the AIDS crisis forced the LGBTQ community to use provocative art as a vital vehicle for authenticity and survival. 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.

Today on The Gist, a look back at a Webby Award nominated focus group spoof from the vault before diving into a major analysis of the Supreme Court's monumental ruling against Donald Trump's birthright citizenship executive order. Then, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter and author Eric Lichtblau joins the show to discuss his new book, American Reich: A Murder in Orange County, Neo-Nazis, and a New Age of Hate. Lichtblau unpacks the tragic 2018 murder of Ivy League student Blaze Bernstein by his former high school classmate, Sam Woodward, mapping Woodward's toxic path from an online "journal of hate" to a paramilitarized neo-Nazi hate camp in Texas. Finally, in the spiel, a deep dive into the 14th Amendment's original congressional debates reveals why the high court's 6-3 rejection of the citizenship ban successfully held the constitutional line against fringe conservative theories 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.

Today on The Gist, Mike Pesca delivers a bittersweet announcement. Then, acclaimed novelist and political chronicler Ben Fountain joins for the entire hour to discuss his sprawling, scathing new satirical novel, Rasputin Swims the Potomac. Fountain details his decision to render the fictional president’s identity as a literal redaction, the fascinating parallels between the manufactured reality of professional wrestling and the modern American electorate, and how the relentless firehose of sensory overload generated by our pocket technology forces a mass collective anxiety onto the human brain. 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.

Today on the Saturday special, we present Mike's full, two-part appearance on the public radio show and podcast The Middle with host Jeremy Hobson and California Congressman Ro Khanna. As America approaches its 250th anniversary, the panel tackles the ultimate question: what would you change about the country? Congressman Khanna champions a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and eliminate dark money from politics, while Mike argues for a structural fix to expand human representation by uncapping the total seats in the House of Representatives. 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.

Today on The Gist, exploring the stark disconnect between economic data and public perception Then, a new Funny You Should Mention with Canadian comedian Graham Kay. He discusses his moving new stand-up special, Pete and Me, which maps his life alongside his autistic brother. Kay shares the chaotic story of his 2011 deportation from America after a sarcastic graffiti arrest in Brooklyn, detailing how his brother's literal interpretation of a jailhouse phone call left him stranded in central booking. He also opens up about the deep, exhausting divisions within the neurodivergent community, pushing back against high-functioning advocates who seek to erase the "disabled" label at the expense of families managing severe, life-altering conditions 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.

Today on The Gist, we examine a wave of 6-3 Supreme Court decisions. Then, strategic communications analyst Anna Varfolomeeva of the Cognitive Security Institute joins the show to discuss her War on the Rocks report exposing the deep systemic rot inside the Russian military infrastructure. Varfolomeeva explains how intense Ukrainian drone innovation has ground Russia's advances down to a microscopic 23 meters a day and how a culture of institutional lying has left the state uniquely fragile. Finally, in the spiel, check the statistical baseline before falling for media sensationalism, analyzing everything from French heat-wave drownings to Pete Hegseth's military promotion blacklists. 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.

Today on The Gist, we explore the collapse of the bipartisan affordable housing package on Capitol Hill. Then, former Obama deputy national security adviser and chief speechwriter Ben Rhodes returns for the conclusion of his conversation on All We Say: The Battle for American Identity, A History in 15 Speeches. Rhodes reacts to historical audio from nuclear negotiator Wendy Sherman to define the explicit red lines of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, detailing how negotiated limitations and sweeping supply chain inspections remain superior to the temporary setbacks of military strikes. Finally, in the spiel, a look at the New York primary and why newly elected congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier represents a low for the party. 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.

Today on The Gist, lack of civic information and public debates available to voters ahead of the New York state assembly primary elections. Then, former Obama deputy national security adviser and chief speechwriter Ben Rhodes joins the show to discuss his new book, All We Say: The Battle for American Identity, A History in 15 Speeches. He breaks down how historical icons from Seneca Chief Red Jacket to Abraham Lincoln used the power of rhetoric to push for progressive change without resorting to moral purity tests. Rhodes critiques the modern political landscape, explaining how the online left's reliance on shaming has backfired compared to the unyielding optimism of early Obama campaigns. 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.

Today on The Gist, the alarming strategic ramifications of the $300 billion in indirect Gulf state investments heading to Iran as a ceasefire condition. Then, foreign policy expert Michael A. Cohen of the Stimson Center joins the show to discuss his co-authored report evaluating the hidden costs, failures, and hubris of recent U.S. military campaigns in Venezuela and Iran. Cohen breaks down why the Trump administration completely failed to anticipate second-order consequences like the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, how the precision assassination of the Ayatollah counterproductively empowered pro-nuclear hardliners, and how Benjamin Netanyahu's domestic military overreach in Lebanon completely alienated his superpower benefactor. 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.

Today on The Gist, we pull an archival interview from the vault as acclaimed writer-producer Michael Schur joins the show to dissect the ethical frameworks behind The Good Place. He details how everyday anxieties, like the self-consciousness of waiting for a barista to witness your tip, evolved into a cosmic sitcom about moral scorekeeping. Schur compares his fictional afterlife to the cold reality of sabermetrics, charting how hyper-rational evaluation systems have sanded off the quirky edges of baseball to create a clinical game of three true outcomes. Finally, in the spiel, a look at the historical taxonomy of miracles reveals why public anxiety regarding the additive breakthrough of AI. 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.

Today on The Gist, we explore the aftermath of the Kansas City Super Bowl parade shooting, as NEw York celebrates a historic Knicks championship victory. Then, former congressman Anthony Weiner and Reason editor-at-large Matt Welch join the panel for another edition of "Not Even Mad." The trio debates the massive market valuation of Elon Musk's SpaceX, analyzing how concentrated wealth reshapes global geopolitics, media structures, and domestic policy debates. They also turn their focus to the upcoming New York primary races, exploring the rise of age-based political realignment and populism. 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.

Today on The Gist, we look at the complex racial and political dynamics surrounding a newly redistricted congressional seat in Florida. Then, journalist Sadie Dingfelder returns for another edition of "Is It Bullshit" to break down the myth of windburn, tracing the science back to a 1974 mouse wind tunnel experiment. Finally, in the spiel, a look at the historical taxonomy of miracles and how a public anxiety toward the additive miracle of AI contrasts with how regular people actually rely on the technology in their private lives. 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.

Today on The Gist, a look into the local New York controversy surrounding Mayor Zoran Mamdani's initiative to stream World Cup and NBA Finals games on Link NYC kiosks. Then, television writer-producer Michael Schur and veteran sports columnist Joe Posnanski return for the conclusion of their interview discussing their collaborative book, Big Fan: Two Friends, 82,490 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love. The duo unpacks how the modern NIL system has injected absolute chaos into college sports, the psychological dynamic of fan entitlement, and why the intense burden of aging outpaces our raw desire for stadium treks. Then, in the spiel, a deep dive into the high-stakes Democratic primary in New York's 13th congressional district. Produced by Corey Wara Edited 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.

Today on The Gist, sorting through the deluge of "freedom" branding in modern politics. Then, television writer-producer Michael Schur and veteran sports columnist Joe Posnanski join the show to discuss their new book, Big Fan: Two Friends, 82,490 Miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love. The duo breaks down the distinct differences between the community of live sports and the parasocial mirror of television fandom, how showrunners selectively weaponize casting to subvert audience expectations, and why fans willingly wager their emotional happiness on unpredictable, unscripted outcomes. Produced by Corey Wara Edited 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.

Mike joined Chris Cillizza on Substack Live where they analyzed why California takes so long to count ballots, detailing how logistics and funding create a perception of dysfunction rather than deliberate corruption. They also dove into a recent Pew poll finding that Americans unique globally dislike their fellow countrymen, tracing this data to cultural polarization and strict two-party sorting. Finally, breaking down why the actual power of U.S. military and technological capacity historically outlasts its moral reputation abroad. 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.

Today on The Gist, a look at the Alaska's U.S. Senate race, where a retired teacher named Dan Sullivan was disqualified from running in a primary against the incumbent senator, who is also named Dan Sullivan. Then, physician and epidemiologist Dr. Gary Slutkin joins the show to discuss his book, The End of Violence: Eliminating the World’s Most Dangerous Epidemic. The Cure Violence founder explains how analyzing violent crime data maps perfectly onto traditional epidemic waves, breaking down the neurological copying mechanisms that cause violence to structurally replicate and behave exactly like infectious diseases such as cholera or COVID-19. Finally, Milo Pesca files a guest spiel on the rise of crypto and prediction markets, tracking the insider trading scandals plaguing unreleased reality TV finales and the ethical hazards of gamifying political and entertainment outcomes. 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.

Today on The Gist, Its Not Even Mad. Mike Pesca is joined by venture capitalist Bradley Tusk and Manhattan Institute senior fellow Charles Fain Lehman for a panel debate on political judgment and modern vice. The trio dives into the results of the Maine Democratic primary, questioning whether progressive candidate Graham Plattner can overcome a cascade of personal scandals to unseat longtime Republican incumbent Susan Collins. They also dissect the election logistics of California and the explosion of mobile sports betting apps, tracking the friction between state and federal regulations while exploring how on-device gambling exploits algorithmic data to target young men. 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.

Today on The Gist, examining the upcoming criminal verdict for the Golden Gate Bridge climate protesters, breaking down the debate over jail time for high-impact civil disobedience. Then, Sadie Dingfelder returns for another installment of "Is It Bullsh*t?" to investigate the historical and scientific reputation of raccoons and rabies. Then, in the spiel, comparing the foreign policy legacies of Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump and analyzing whether current U.S. intervention strategies serve as a deliberate long game or merely export short-term geopolitical misery abroad. 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.

Today on The Gist, Mike considers the difference between an election and election night. One is a careful accounting of the public will. The other is the made-for-TV version that gives conspiracy theorists something to yell about when mail ballots shift the totals. Then, Benoit Denizet-Lewis joins to discuss You’ve Changed: The Promise and Price of Self-Transformation. The book asks a deceptively simple question: can people really change? Denizet-Lewis says yes, no, and it depends who’s watching. He and Mike discuss identity lifers, political apostates, parole hearings, addiction recovery, name changes, gender identity, and the people who say they didn’t change at all; everyone else did. Plus, the final scene of Rocky IV, because apparently even the Politburo believed in personal growth.   Produced by Corey Wara Edited 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.

In this Saturday archive edition of The Gist, Mike asks the question on everyone’s mind, or at least Tom Steyer’s: is Tom Steyer back? With Steyer rising in the California gubernatorial primary, Mike revisits his 2019 reaction to Steyer’s presidential campaign launch, including the ads, the impeachment crusade, and the camera angles nobody asked for. Then, a later interview with Steyer on Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We’ll Win the Climate War. Steyer argues that climate progress will come not from guilt or sacrifice, but from technologies that beat fossil fuels in the marketplace. Mike presses him on EV adoption, continued oil drilling, China’s lead in electric cars, carbon sequestration, and whether climate doomerism has hurt the cause. Plus: The Usual Suspects, American Pie, and the investor case for optimism.   Produced by Corey Wara Edited 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.

Today on The Gist, Mike asks whether everyone is a hypocrite, or whether hypocrisy has become so universal that the word barely functions. Graham Platner, Ken Paxton, Pete Hegseth, Susan Collins, and Jake Auchincloss all make appearances in a tour of political standards, double standards, and the rare politician willing to say his own side’s nominee fails the test. Then, Christian B. Miller, A.C. Reid Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University and author of The Honesty Crisis, joins to discuss why honesty ranks as our most treasured virtue, why people still cheat when they think they can get away with it, and why a small share of people may be responsible for a huge share of lies. Plus, Mike presses Miller on pornography, fantasy, celebrity, politics, and whether public life now overexposes us to the professions where dishonesty pays best.   Produced by Corey Wara Edited 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.

Today on The Gist, Mike revisits the suddenly shifting Spencer Pratt/Nithya Raman race in Los Angeles, where prediction markets flipped as late-arriving California ballots changed the picture. The bigger question: is slow vote-counting actually a democratic problem, or mostly a problem for people who want election night to behave like a TV show? Then, Stanford social psychologist Claude Steele joins to discuss his new book Churn: The Tension That Divides Us and How to Overcome It. Steele, known for coining the term "stereotype threat", argues that prejudice and bias are real but not the whole story. Much of American life is shaped by the fear of being seen through a stereotype, or accused of seeing someone else that way. Mike and Steele talk DEI, color blindness, anti-racism, policing, trust, and why “be open and curious” may beat a lot of official diversity training.   Produced by Corey Wara Edited 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.

Today on The Gist, Mike looks at the LA mayoral race, where Karen Bass is advancing and Spencer Pratt may be too, depending on the late-arriving ballots that will almost certainly inspire totally normal and measured reactions online. Then, Ian Coss talks about Catching the Codfather, his GBH podcast about Carlos Rafael, the larger-than-life New Bedford fish mogul who built an empire on boats, permits, quotas, and a willingness to break the law. Rafael had Scarface memorabilia in his office, a Codfather nickname he loved, and control over a huge chunk of New England’s groundfish market. But the story Coss tells is bigger than one colorful crook. It’s about the unintended consequences of regulation, the limits of fishery science, and the market-based reforms that helped consolidate an industry they were supposed to save. Produced by Corey Wara Edited 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.

Today on The Gist, President Trump says he “couldn’t care less” whether Iran negotiations are over because, frankly, they’ve gotten “a little boring.” Mike takes him at his word, which is exactly the problem: when the Strait of Hormuz, gas prices, and the possibility of war are on the table, boredom is not a diplomatic strategy. Then, journalist Simone Stolzoff joins to discuss his new book, How Not to Know: The Value of Uncertainty in a World That Demands Answers. Stolzoff explains why human brains crave prediction, why the internet has made us worse at sitting with ambiguity, and why certainty can become a trap, whether it comes from cults, algorithms, productivity culture, or the false promise that every answer is just one search away. Mike presses him on whether learning to “let go” is a problem of abundance, and whether books about work, anxiety, and uncertainty mostly speak to people whose material problems have already been solved.   Produced by Corey Wara Edited 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.

Today on The Gist, we analyze the Maine U.S. Senate race as Democrat Graham Plattner navigates a growing scandal while facing incumbent Susan Collins in a contest that tests party loyalties. Then, UC Davis law professor Aaron Tang discusses his PBS series, Breaking the Deadlock. Tang explains how his program uses high-stakes, fictionalized scenarios to force experts beyond their rehearsed talking points and toward genuine, civil discourse. 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.

Today on The Gist, guest host Milo Pesca introduces Mikes recent appearance on the Reason Roundtable podcast, analyzing the shifting parameters of the current conflict in Iran. The discussion panel deconstructs the lack of a coherent foreign policy framework in Washington. Finally, a breakdown of the upcoming Los Angeles mayoral election, exploring the legitimate local frustrations driving the populist campaign of reality television star Spencer Pratt, the failures of the institutional progressive establishment under Karen Bass, and why supply-side housing reforms in states like Texas offer a model for urban governance that coastal cities continue to ignore. Listen to The Reason Roundtable Here! 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.

Today on The Gist, its Funny You Should Mention with comedian Janet McNamara discusses her YouTube special Not Smart Enough, opening up about her viral 2010 American Idol audition, navigating corporate accounting with dyslexia and ADD via advanced Excel automation, and her multiple clinical evaluations for autism. Also, a breakdown of why modern office social niceties fail neurodivergent workers, exploring the evolutionary shift from paper ledger bookkeeping to computerized workflows, and why the imminent rise of automation makes creative stand-up comedy a safer career harbor than corporate finance. 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.