The Gist

On The Gist, a few glib chortles are exchanged about the venerable institution of New Yorker cartoons. Director Leah Wolchok joins us to discuss her film Very Semi-Serious. For the Spiel, wouldn't it be great to live in the world that the Republican candidates have been telling us about? Today's sponsors: Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99 are a great last-minute gift, and double your berries for just $10. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. Give the gift of Slate Plus to another Slate fan in your life and she'll receive all the benefits of membership: ad-free podcasts, bonus podcast segments, access to our ambitious, multipart Slate Academies, and so much more. No wrapping required! Give Slate Plus today. Visit slate.com/giveplus 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.

On The Gist, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker explains how our birth order influences personality and intelligence for a game we call "Is That Bulls--t?" Does IQ go down after the firstborn? Her new book, The Confidence Game, is now available for preorder. For the Spiel, Mike's takeaways form the CNN Republican presidential debate last night. Read more of Slate's coverage of the GOP primary. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99 are a great last-minute gift, and double your berries for just $10. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. 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.

On The Gist, Slate's Forrest Wickman explains the many layers that a casual visitor to the Star Wars universe might miss. He recently wrote the cover story "Star Wars Is a Postmodern Masterpiece" for Slate. For the Spiel, do the Iowa caucuses really matter? Today's sponsors: Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99, are a great last-minute gift, and double your berries for just 10 bucks. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. Bonobos. Discover the difference an expertly crafted, better-fitting wardrobe can make. For a limited time, all new customers can get 20 percent off their first order by going to bonobos.com/gist. 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.

On The Gist, we talk about the weather. Then, Mary Lane from the Wall Street Journal will discuss the new show at the Detroit Institute of Arts called "30 Americans" on display through Jan. 18. Plus, author Amy Koppelman joins us to discuss her novels Hesitation Wounds and I Smile Back, which has recently been adapted into a film starring Sarah Silverman. For the Spiel, do a state's laws always reflect the values of that state? Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99 are a great last-minute gift, and double your berries for just 10 bucks. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. 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.

On The Gist, we call in Adam Davidson to explain the frustratingly tepid action of the European Central Bank amid Europe's economic crises. Davidson is a contributor to the New York Times Magazine and host of a new podcast with Adam McKay called Surprisingly Awesome. For the Spiel, corrections, amplifications, and awards of the antentwig. Today's sponsor: Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99 are a great last-minute gift, and double your berries for just 10 bucks. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. 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.

On The Gist, historian Kliph Nesteroff shares a few favorite tales from comedy's mobster past. He's the author of The Comedians: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels, and the History of American Comedy. For the Spiel, the ordinary American focus group participant. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99 are a great last-minute gift and double your berries for just $10. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. 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.

On The Gist, the incredibly cool Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker looks into the dearth of research into cryotherapy for a game we call "Is That Bulls--t?" Her new book, The Confidence Game, is now available for preorder. For the Spiel, we travel to the four corners of the world in search of happiness. Today's sponsors: Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code THEGIST. Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate, starting at just $19.99 are a great last-minute gift and double your berries for just $10. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. 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.

On The Gist, professor Julian Zelizer joins us to discuss how to understand Woodrow Wilson in the context of his time, and how Princeton is grappling with that legacy today. He's the author of The Fierce Urgency of Now: Lyndon Johnson, Congress, and the Battle for the Great Society. For the Spiel, Trump induced anxiety gets its own crisis intervention hotline. Today's sponsors: Prudential's 40/40 Vision, a multimedia microsite exploring what life—and the future—looks like to today's fortysomethings. Hear what inspires real people, the hopes they have for tomorrow, and much more. See yourself in their stories at slate.com/4040vision/family. Bonobos, discover the difference an expertly-crafted, better-fitting wardrobe can make. For a limited time, all new customers can get 20 percent off their first order when you go to bonobos.com/gist. 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.

On The Gist, actor Jon Glaser explains how a one-off joke on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon led to his new miniseries Neon Joe, Werewolf Hunter. The new show premiers Monday, Dec. 7 at midnight on Adult Swim. For the Spiel, a look into the psychology of fighting ISIS. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. 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.

On The Gist, we welcome back past guest and Princeton University professor Julian Zelizer to discuss the likelihood of new gun control legislation. Then, Slate's Will Saletan joins us to assess the current state of the abortion debate, a decade after writing his book Bearing Right: How Conservatives Won the Abortion War. Why hasn't this issue moved? For the Spiel, Mike counters all the counterarguments we've heard about gun control this week. Plus, a revealing concession. Today's sponsors: Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. The entire season is available now on iTunes. 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.

On The Gist, Mike discusses the fast-moving field of cancer research with doctor Vincent T. DeVita, and his daughter, science writer Elizabeth DeVita-Raeburn. Together they wrote The Death of Cancer. For the Spiel, a rhyming response to Keith Ablow's comments on Fox News. Read more of Slate's coverage of the San Bernardino shooting. Today's sponsors: Casper, the online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/gist and using the promo code GIST. Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code THEGIST. 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.

On The Gist, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker rounds up the holiday season's most tedious myths for a game we call "Is That Bulls--t?" Her new book, The Confidence Game, is now available for preorder. For the Spiel, all the things we don't know but tend to report in wake of another mass shooting. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. The entire season is available now on iTunes. 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.

On The Gist, Slate's Fred Kaplan explains how recent GOP rhetoric plays perfectly into the bad guys' plans. He's the author of The Insurgents: David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War and 1959: The Year Everything Changed. For the Spiel, what we know about abortion clinic safety. Today's sponsors: Goldman Sachs. Information about developments currently shaping markets, industries, and the global economy, on the firm's podcast, Exchanges at Goldman Sachs, available on iTunes. The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. The entire season is available now on iTunes. 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.

On The Gist, the real reason why government programs like Medicaid and food stamps show little to no impact on the poverty rate. We get into the specifics with Vox editor Ezra Klein. Check out his new podcast The Weeds, from Panoply. For the Spiel, put down your weapons. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. 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.

On The Gist, a parent's worst nightmare. Three years ago this week, Ron Davis and Lucia McBath's 17-year-old son was shot while Black Friday shopping with his friends. The HBO documentary 3½ Minutes, Ten Bullets tells the story of how they pursued justice for their son. For the Spiel, why uncle slander has become a Thanksgiving tradition. Today's sponsor: The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. 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.

On The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker to stand up to tell us about dangers of sitting. She's the author of The Confidence Game, now available for preorder. For the Spiel, Mike examines the spooky, spooky specter of a Trump presidency. Today's sponsors: Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code THEGIST. Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. 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.

On The Gist, comedian David Steinberg joins us to share favorite tales from his life making comedy history. His new show is called The David Steinberg Podcast. For the Spiel, Mike takes on the manhunt for Saleh Abdeslam in Brussels. Today's sponsor: The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. Be sure to catch up before the final episode airs this Sunday evening. 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.

Screenwriter and dramatist David Hare has written about the Chinese revolution, the U.S. financial crisis, privatization of the railways, and now, finally, his own story. On The Gist, the award-winning playwright will discuss on his new memoir The Blue Touch Paper. For the Spiel, Mike's theory to explain why so many people are distressed and downtrodden—they are wrong. Today's sponsors: Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. Be sure to catch up before the final episode airs this Sunday evening. 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.

On The Gist, reporter Jim Popkin tells us about his Newsweek cover story, "Meet the Former Pentagon Scientist Who Says Psychics Can Help American Spies." For the Spiel, advice for the 31 state governors who say they'll not be taking in Syrian refugees. Today's sponsor: The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. Be sure to catch up before the final episode airs this Sunday evening. 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.

On The Gist, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker examines how we utilize our grey matter for a segment we call "Is That Bulls--t?" Her new book, The Confidence Game, is now available for preorder. For the Spiel, why Fox News never plays the full quote. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. 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.

On The Gist, a look at what technologies have been the most helpful in deterring another major terrorist attack. Our guest Dr. Gary LaFree is the director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence led by the University of Maryland. During our interview, he mentioned the Global Terrorism Database, for which he's a principal investigator. For the Spiel, what Mike watched on TV. Today's sponsors: SAP HANA. SAP HANA helps the world's best companies get the answers they need to become more agile, develop new streams of revenue, and predict the future. Run SAP. And Run Simple. Visit sap.com/reimagine to learn more. Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code THEGIST. 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.

Immediately after the Paris attacks, French President François Hollande called the terrorism "an act of war." Then on Meet the Press, White House staffer Ben Rhodes went further, saying, "We've been at war with ISIS for quite some time." How does ISIS conceptualize this state of affairs? On The Gist, Max Abrahms from Northeastern University examines the Islamic State's seemingly paradoxical motives. For the Spiel, we ponder the role of leaders in the face of a handful of motivated killers. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. Hardball With Chris Matthews on MSNBC. Chris Matthews knows how Washington works from the inside out. After 40 years in politics, he has the guts and the know-how to get to the heart of today's issues. Watch Chris on Hardball, weeknights at 7 Eastern, only on MSNBC. 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.

On The Gist, director Josh Mond and actor Christopher Abbott join us in studio to discuss their film James White. During our chat, we'll learn that Mond's influences include González Iñárritu, Joachim Trier and the third season of Law and Order. It opens today in NYC, and will be coming to other cities soon. For the Spiel, it's time for another Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today's sponsors: Goldman Sachs. Information about developments currently shaping markets, industries and the global economy, on the firm's podcast, Exchanges at Goldman Sachs, available on iTunes. Spotless, a sexy and bold drama laced with dark humor, from Esquire Network. Learn more about Spotless by downloading "Coming Clean," a roundtable podcast that goes behind the scenes of TV's best dramas, and tune into the Spotless series premiere November 14th at 10 Eastern/9 Central on Esquire Network. 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.

Have we failed to critically celebrate heavy-handedness? On The Gist, Slate's Forrest Wickman explains when subtlety works to the detriment of a work of art. He recently wrote the cover story "Against Subtlety" for Slate. For the Spiel, a love note to chewing gum. Today's sponsors: Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code THEGIST. Spotless, a sexy and bold drama laced with dark humor, from Esquire Network. Learn more about Spotless by downloading Coming Clean, a roundtable podcast that goes behind the scenes of TV's best dramas, and tune into the Spotless series premiere Saturday at 10 Eastern/9 Central on Esquire Network. 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.

On The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker to examine the research into the link between age and fertility for men and women. She's the author of The Confidence Game, now available for preorder. For the Spiel, Mike's true psychic abilities proved by the Republican debates. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. 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.

On The Gist, author Harlow Giles Unger tells us about the great compromiser of America's formative years, former Speaker of the House Henry Clay. Read more in Unger's book Henry Clay: America's Greatest Statesman. For the Spiel, a look at the protests at Yale and the University of Missouri. Today's sponsors: Prudential's 40/40 Vision, a multimedia microsite exploring what life—and the future—looks like to today's fortysomethings. Hear what inspires real people, the hopes they have for tomorrow, and much more. See yourself in their stories at slate.com/4040vision/family. Spotless, a sexy and bold drama laced with dark humor, from Esquire Network. Learn more about Spotless by downloading Coming Clean, a roundtable podcast that goes behind the scenes of TV's best dramas, and tune into the Spotless series premiere Nov. 14 at 10 Eastern/9 Central on Esquire Network. 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.

On The Gist, a show about art and prostitutes up now at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The Wall Street Journal's Mary M. Lane will share her highlights from "New Objectivity: Modern German Art in the Weimar Republic, 1919–1933" on display through Jan. 18, 2016. For the Spiel, Mike explains why Donald Trump on SNL was aggressively unfunny. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. 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.

On The Gist, music writer Chris Molanphy explains why the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is often frustratingly arbitrary. For example, the millions of fan votes from their website count as much toward the impact on the final selection process as the vote of Geddy Lee from Rush. Molanphy writes Slate's Why Is That Song No. 1 column, and recently complied his picks in an article "Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 2016: The Only System We've Got." For the Spiel, Mike investigates the controversy around Quentin Tarantino. Today's sponsors: SAP HANA. SAP HANA helps the world's best companies get the answers they need to become more agile, develop new streams of revenue, and predict the future. Run SAP. And Run Simple. Visit sap.com/reimagine to learn more. RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you're qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.com/gist. 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.

On The Gist, a new show at Musée d'Orsay in Paris is the first to tell the story of prostitution in art, 1850–1910. Our guest Mary Lane from the Wall Street Journal will share the highlights. Then, we check back in with vexillologist Ted Kaye about the new national flag selection processes in Fiji and New Zealand. For more flag news, we strongly recommend subscribing to Vexilloid Tabloid, the bimonthly newsletter of the Portland Flag Association. For the Spiel, innovative rapping campaign ads from Ben Carson and Jeb Bush. Today's sponsors: The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you're qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.com/gist. 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.

On The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker about her beef with the World Health Organization. Their recent headlines draw attention to a link between processed meats and cancer risk. Is that bulls--t? Maria's new book The Confidence Game is now available for preorder. For the Spiel, the common core's big PR problem. Today's sponsors: RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you're qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.com/gist. Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. 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.

When thinking about America's prison problem, at some point we're going to have to begin asking how we're going to treat violent offenders differently. On The Gist, Fordham law professor John Pfaff joins us for the rest of our extended interview. Listen back to Monday's Gist to hear the first part of our short series. For the Spiel, Mike solves more of America's problems. Today's sponsors: Casper, the online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/gist and using the promo code GIST. RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you're qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.com/gist. 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.

If you're 42 or younger, you've never lived in a safer America than today. But if you were alive in 1960, today's crime rates are twice as high as they were then. Could that be why older politicians are resisting prison reform? On The Gist, Fordham law professor John Pfaff joins us for an extended interview. This is the first of a short series about America's prison problem. Join us on Tuesday for a new Spiel. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. 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.

On The Gist, the film Spotlight depicts serious investigative journalism without the usual guns, car cases, and explosions. We speak with subjects from the film including journalists Walter "Robby" Robinson (played by Michael Keaton), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams), and Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo). They're the authors of the book Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church. For The Spiel, is this the end for Jeb? Today's sponsors: Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you're qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.com/gist. 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.

On The Gist, professional storyteller Matthew Dicks tells a story about how to tell better stories. It all comes down to the stakes. For the Spiel, a moment in the CNBC GOP debates draws attention to the use of "that" and "who" in public speaking. Today's sponsors: Goldman Sachs. Information about developments currently shaping markets, industries, and the global economy, on the firm's podcast, Exchanges at Goldman Sachs, available on iTunes. RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you're qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.com/gist. 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.

For many Americans, the salt you sprinkle on your steak has less of an impact on daily sodium intake than what you pour into your … cereal bowl? On The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker to examine the research into the impact of salt on your long-term health, and the common foods that drive up daily intake. For the Spiel, no one likes Joe Buck. Today's sponsors: SAP HANA. SAP HANA helps the world's best companies get the answers they need to become more agile, develop new streams of revenue, and predict the future. Run SAP. And Run Simple. Visit sap.com/reimagine to learn more Casper, the online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/gist and using the promo code GIST. 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.

On The Gist, should we fear a league of robots taking away our teaching jobs? Slate's Will Oremus explains why even the smartest teaching tools still need a teacher's guiding hand. He recently wrote the feature "No More Pencils, No More Books." For the Spiel, a cadence that many … broadcasters indulge to convey … authenticity. Today's sponsor: Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code THEGIST. 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.

On The Gist, why the Harvard Business Review's list of top-performing CEOs has adopted a new formula. The magazine's editor Adi Ignatius explains why this year's rankings decided to factor in ESG, the catchall term used to discuss a company's sustainability and ethical impact. Plus, what you learn when you actually listen closely to the words of Ben Carson. Today's sponsor: 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.

On The Gist, Sarah Vowell tells us about Gen. Lafayette, the French teen who befriended George Washington and became a symbol for the French alliance during the American Revolution. Her new book is called Lafayette in the Somewhat United States. In The Spiel, Mike solves politics with the help of Michele Bachmann, Clay Aiken, Jordan Klepper, Dennis Kucinich, James Carville, and Michael Steele. 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.

On The Gist, Jill Duffy from the Productivity Report joins us to share a few tricks for gaming your inbox. Then, Jen Rustemeyer from Peg Leg Films shares what she learned from eating garbage in her documentary Just Eat It. For the Spiel, Mike dives deep into the "questions" asked during Thursday's Benghazi hearing. Today's sponsor: The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. 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.

What part of a governor's economic impact scales at a national level? On The Gist, Ben Casselman from FiveThirtyEight offers a new criterion from his article, "How To Evaluate The Economic Records of Governors Who Want to Be President." For the Spiel, the moment that stood out to Pesca from Joe Biden's announcement today. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. 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.

On The Gist, learn why WNYC's Ilya Marritz decided to profile the Columbia University Lions for a new show called The Season. Plus, we'll hear from the team's co-captain and star running back Cameron Molina about how a new coach is helping him and his teammates rediscover a love of the game. For The Spiel, tomorrow's the day Marty McFly travels to in Back to the Future Part II and still no hoverboards. Today's sponsor: The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater 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.

Are conservatives making a horrible mistake … in branding? On The Gist, Slate's Reihan Salam shares his ideas for how the Republican Party could change the conversation to better match its supporters' priorities. For the Spiel, nurture your pet cause on Adoption Day. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. Prudential's 40/40 Vision, a multimedia microsite exploring what life—and the future—looks like to today's fortysomethings. Hear what inspires real people, the hopes they have for tomorrow, and much more. See yourself in their stories at slate.com/4040vision/family. 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.

On The Gist, we travel back to the year Mike Pesca and music writer Chris Molanphy were born. Learn why the Billboard Hits from 1971 stand the test of time, winter, spring, summer, or fall. Chris writes Slate's Why Is That Song No. 1 column. Listen back to the 1971 hits mentioned in today's show in this Spotify playlist. (And feel free to skip the Osborne's.) Today's sponsor: Prudential's 40/40 Vision, a multimedia microsite exploring what life—and the future—looks like to today's fortysomethings. Hear what inspires real people, the hopes they have for tomorrow, and much more. See yourself in their stories at slate.com/4040vision/family. 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.

Immediately upon learning that there's such a thing as a menstrual cup, Mike Pesca had to ask Slate's L.V. Anderson to explain. Learn why the DivaCup and Keeper Cup are growing in popularity, and why a new Kickstarter campaign for the Looncup might not make it out of the prototyping stage. Plus, the return of Munitions News. Dr. Rebecca Grant of Iris Research joins us for a round-up of rounds. For The Spiel, what it really means to flip one's bat. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. 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.

On The Gist, did you see the post-debate footage where Bernie Sanders threw his body in front of a surging horde of reporters and saved NBC's Andrea Mitchell from being flattened, if not scooped? This and other favorite moments from last night's CNN debates. Then, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker a few listener-submitted questions about gravity's effects on our aging bodies, focusing specifically on our boobs and faces. For the Spiel, the vocal trick Hillary Clinton has mastered to avoid shouting over crowds. Today's sponsors: Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code THEGIST. Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. 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.

On The Gist, we bring you a Pesca-moderated panel recorded live from Politicon in Los Angeles. Panelists include actor Tony Hale, who plays a body man on TV, and Reggie Love, a real-life body man for six years. We'll learn what goes into their respective roles—for Love, working as Barack Obama's right-hand man and confidante throughout the 2008 campaign and into his first days at the White House, and for Hale, playing the assistant to Julia Louis-Dreyfus' VP and now president on HBO's Veep. Love's the author of Power Forward: My Presidential Education. For The Spiel, the return of talk show karaoke. Today's sponsors: The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Watch Rachel as she breaks down the big headlines for the local threads that tie them all together. Weeknights at 9 p.m. Eastern time only on MSNBC. 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.

On The Gist, some truths and lies about the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Then, we're honored to welcome the United State's new national Poet Laureate, Juan Felipe Herrera. As a bilingual, first-generation immigrant, Herrera explains that writing in Spanish feels like writing in a dream language, where he can play with tenses and use words as sonic instruments. In English, his poetry becomes more about architecture and syntax. For the Spiel, Mike goes on a quest to understand the House Freedom Caucus. Today's sponsors: SAP HANA. SAP HANA helps the world's best companies get the answers they need to become more agile, develop new streams of revenue, and predict the future. Run SAP. And Run Simple. Visit sap.com/reimagine to learn more And by The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. 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.

On The Gist, the last of three episodes recorded at our live show in Brooklyn, New York. From the stage of the Bell House, Mike asks Craig Finn from the Hold Steady about a literary device his songs share with the Bible, Milton, and Shakespeare—polysyndeton. Then, our regular guest Chris Molanphy explains why Billboard hits from 1989 serve as the throat clearing for the 1990s. He writes Slate's "Why Is This Song No. 1?" column. Check the last two episodes to hear all of the live Gist episodes. Plus, Matthew Dicks performed a story that aired on our "Cred and Ginger" episode. Today's sponsors: The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Watch Rachel as she breaks down the big headlines for the local threads that tie them all together. Weeknights at 9 p.m. EST only on MSNBC. Prudential's 40/40 Vision, a multimedia microsite exploring what life—and the future—looks like to today's fortysomethings. Hear what inspires real people, the hopes they have for tomorrow, and much more. See yourself in their stories at slate.com/4040vision/family. 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.

On The Gist, the second of three episodes recorded at our live show in Brooklyn, New York. From the stage of the Bell House, Harry Enten from FiveThirtyEight uses his poling expertise to explain Trump's real chances at the presidency. Then, Adam Davidson declares America's interest rates "the most important thing in the world." He's a contributor to the New York Times Magazine and a founder of NPR's Planet Money. Then, Zoe Chace from This American Life swoops in to help explain the mystery at the heart of our economy: what we think about, what Janet Yellen is thinking about, what we think about Janet Yellen. It will all be clear soon. Check back Thursday for the third part of this special live Gist series. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. Harry's, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades, well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code THEGIST. 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.

On The Gist, the first of three episodes recorded at our live show in Brooklyn, New York. From the stage of the Bell House, Mike Pesca accepts an award from Slate's Julia Turner and a drink from bartender Chris Wertz, author of Brooklyn Cocktails. Then, comedian Samantha Bee sinks into the couch to discuss her new show, Full Frontal, coming to TBS in January. She's later joined by Maria Konnikova to play a round of "Is That Bullshit?" Back in the studio, Konnikova shares her findings relating to the good ol' saying, Liquor before beer, you're in the clear. Beer before liquor, never been sicker. 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.