The Gist

Alex Winter went from co-starring with Keanu Reeves in the Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure franchise to creating tech-centric documentaries. Today, Winter talks about directing Deep Web, about the online black market Silk Road and its founder Ross Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. The show premieres on Epix this weekend. Also, Slate's Joel Meyer joins us to answer one question, and one question only, about Minneapolis. For the Spiel, should we give so much credit to the sage grouse? 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.

Today on The Gist, a brief history of beer with William Glenn and Trish Parry. Their show A Brief History of Beer is at the Under St. Marks Theater in New York the last Sunday of every month. Plus, author Baratunde Thurston joins us from the new Panoply podcast About Race. He's the author of How to Be Black. Guidelines for talking about race include: 1. Assume good intentions, especially online. 2. Shut up. Listen. 3. Try to make it not just about yourself. "But I've never" isn't a good argument. It's about a bigger system. For the Spiel, does it matter if our politicians are out of touch? Today's sponsor: The Netflix original documentary series Chef's Table. Go inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned international culinary talents. All episodes now streaming on Netflix. 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.

The other day in the Wall Street Journal, Mike Pesca saw a headline that he adored: World Awash in Too Much of Almost Everything. It wasn't a pun, just that stark truth, and it reminded Pesca of a book he read years ago called The Progress Paradox by Gregg Easterbrook. They discuss what the rising of material abundance means for the word and the possibility of a post-scarcity economy. For the Spiel, is this our last chance for a President Bernie? Every wonder how we make The Gist? Check out a special Slate Plus feature about the making of our show in this video. Today's sponsor: The Great Courses, offering engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like Masters of War: History's Greatest Strategic Thinkers. Right now, get up to 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.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.

Today on The Gist, our resident vexillologist Ted Kaye explains why it's so much fun to visit micronation.org and size up the baby flags. For more flag news, we strongly recommend subscribing to the Vexilloid Tabloid, the bimonthly newsletter of the Portland Flag Association. Then, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker to open our eyes about insomnia, the latest in a series we call "Is That Bulls--t?" In the Spiel, Mike finds himself defending Lindsey Graham. Today's sponsor: QuickBooks. If you work for yourself, try QuickBooks Self-Employed. See what QuickBooks Self-Employed can do for you with a free 30-day trial at tryselfemployed.com/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.

Today on The Gist, we listen back to Billboard hits from 1984. Our regular guest Chris Molanphy explains why the year inspired so many go-to karaoke jams. He writes Slate's Why Is That Song No. 1 column. For the Spiel, it's time to name our lobstar of the antentwig. Today's sponsor: The Great Courses, offering engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like Masters of War: History's Greatest Strategic Thinkers. Right now, get up to 80% off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.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.

Today on The Gist, professional storyteller Matthew Dicks is here to coach our winning listener Frank Kennedy. We'll hear stories from Frank's life raising an autistic son, and hear ideas for how to better integrate them into a larger story. For the Spiel, a story of Kansas punishing people on welfare leads to an amazing stat. Today's sponsor: QuickBooks. If you work for yourself, try QuickBooks Self-Employed. See what QuickBooks Self-Employed can do for you with a free 30-day trial at tryselfemployed.com/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.

In a span of just 14 months, Bob Dylan wrote, recorded, and released three of the greatest albums of all time. Today on The Gist, David Kinney explains how it happened. He's the author of The Dylanologists: Adventures in the Land of Bob. For the Spiel, you can't find a better man than David Letterman. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Right now, get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer by going to Stamps.com and using 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.

Today on The Gist, what does the looong campaign mean for 2016's candidates? Annie Lowrey from New York magazine joins us for a reasonable amount of time. She's part of a new Panoply podcast called Podcast for America, which debuts Tuesday on Soundcloud and iTunes. Then, in another installment of "Is That Bulls--t?" Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker if hand sanitizer is a reasonable use of purse space. Her new book The Confidence Game is now available for preorder. For the Spiel, Mike explores the growing popularity of the breastaurant—and does it partly in rhyme. 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 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.

Today on The Gist, we remind you of what's in that crate in the back corner of your basement. Author Zac Bissonnette tells the tale of Ty Warner and the craze that launched e-commerce. He's the author of The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute. For the Spiel, a Gist-vestigation into college diploma mills. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Right now, get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer by going to Stamps.com and using the promo code THEGIST. And: QuickBooks. If you work for yourself, try QuickBooks Self-Employed. See what QuickBooks Self-Employed can do for you with a free thirty-day trial at tryselfemployed.com/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.

Today on The Gist, Mike Pesca and Slate senior editor Laura Bennett reflect on the unique career of David Letterman, and the new breed of late-night hosts. His last show will be on May 20th, and Slate's Last Laugh features include many looks at the end of an era in late-night TV. For the Spiel, lots of death. Sorry. But, the middle part has fun, great blues names! 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.

Today on The Gist, Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg are called out for making a notorious cliché on their hit FX spy drama, The Americans. They recently hosted a Slate podcast following Season 3 of their show, available in iTunes, or as an RSS feed. Plus, we discuss the importance of diversity in children's literature with Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and NFL Hall of Famer Alan Page, and his daughter, educator Kamie Page. They are the authors of the children's book The Invisible You, available on the Page Education Foundation website, page-ed.org. For the Spiel, please take your political commentary out of the Amtrak tragedy. 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.

A new trade bill has split Senate Democrats and united Obama with Republicans. Today on The Gist, we speak with BuzzFeed's congressional reporter Kate Nocera from the Senate press gallery. For the Spiel, a simple solution to the Amtrak crash. 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.

Today on The Gist, Jared Feldman from Canvs explains how social media is supplanting the old-fashioned focus group for media buyers and TV shows. For the Spiel, how American elections could benefit from candidates with less information. Today's sponsor: 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. Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. 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.

Today on The Gist, does the Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev feel remorse? Seth Stevenson has been reporting for Slate on the trial and shares the latest insight into how the defense is attempting to humanize. Plus, are there adverse health effects that come with artificial sweeteners? For a game we call "Is That Bulls--t?," we take Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker out for lunch to see what she sprinkles in her iced tea. For the Spiel, was the research into Deflategate a worthwhile expense? Today's sponsor: QuickBooks. If you work for yourself, try QuickBooks Self-Employed. It helps separate your business and personal expenses, estimate your federal quarterly taxes, and more. See what QuickBooks Self-Employed can do for you with a free 30-day trial at tryselfemployed.com/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 Day Three of Mike's vacation, guest host David Plotz of Atlas Obscura and Slate's Political Gabfest welcomes Wesley Morris to air a few grievances about the state of American fine dining, including his dislike of pre-clearing, gratuitous cluster seating, restaurant uniforms, and being ignored. Wesley is a staff writer at Grantland and co-host of the film podcast Do You Like Prince Movies? For the Spiel, there's something fishy going on at Gettysburg. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @slategist 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 Day Two of Mike's vacation, Sean Rameswaram guest hosts the show. He's the host of Sideshow, a podcast from Studio 360 about pop culture and the Internet. Today Sean sets out to prove his theory that creative ideas, no matter how bonkers or inconsequential, will find a home online. First he talks with the creators and curators of the Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan 1994 Museum in Brooklyn. Before you ask: Yes, it's in Williamsburg and, yes, it ran a Kickstarter campaign. Later he talks with David Javerbaum, the comedy writer who tweets as @TheTweetOfGod and wrote the new Joe Mantello-directed Broadway show An Act of God. In previews now, it stars Jim Parsons and opens on May 28 at Studio 54. For the Spiel, some pushback on push notifications. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. On Friday, David Plotz of Atlas Obscura and Slate's Political Gabfest sits in for Mike. His guest will be Wesley Morris, Grantland staff writer and co-host of the podcast Do You Like Prince Movies? Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. 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.

With Mike spending his first vacation day on TV talking about the Deflategate report, his friend Zoe Chace of This American Life steps up to guest-host the show. Today on The Gist, she looks at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's recent ruling on an aggressive claim to the soul of podcasting. Plus, Zoe and her former co-worker Jacob Goldstein of NPR's Planet Money revisit one of their favorite things: the Planet Money Indicator. For the Spiel, why music lovers should be terrified of growing old. Today's sponsor: 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 $5. 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. On Tuesday, Sean Rameswaram of Studio 360's Sideshow podcast guest hosts the show. Then, David Plotz of Atlas Obscura and Slate's Political Gabfest sits in for Mike on Friday. 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.

Today on The Gist, we celebrate our first year as a show! Will you tell a friend about us? Plus, Jon Macks joins us to explain which celebrities have provided the most fodder during the 22 years of jokes he's written for late night television. He's the author of Monologue: What Makes America Laugh Before Bed. For the Spiel, did ISIS attack a town in Texas? Today's sponsors: 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. And: 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 5 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 http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, James Ledbetter from Inc. and Panoply's new Inc. Uncensored podcast sizes up presidential candidate Carly Fiorina. What was her impact on Hewlett-Packard, and does business experience translate to success in politics? For the Spiel, there's a lot of money in politics, but is it yogurt money or potato-chip money? Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Right now, get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer by going to Stamps.com and using the promo code THEGIST. And: 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 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 http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, Artie Lange shares how he's developed his comedy around personal stories and failures. He's in the new film Laugh Killer Laugh, directed by Kamal Ahmed. For the Spiel, it's time to name our Lobstar of the Antentwig. Today's sponsor: Shari's Berries. Treat your mom to something sweet this Mother's Day with a gift from Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate start at $19.99. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. And by the Netflix original documentary series Chef's Table. Go inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned, international culinary talents. All episodes now streaming on Netflix. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, former Rep. Barney Frank explains how he was able to be so frank and still survive in Congress. His new autobiography is Frank: A Life in Politics from the Great Society to Same-Sex Marriage. For the Spiel, Mike points out the only time we ever note raids taking place. Today's sponsor: Shari's Berries. Treat your mom to something sweet this Mother's Day with a gift from Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate start at $19.99. 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 http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, Mark Leibovich from the New York Times discusses why Americans seem to dislike bald presidential candidates, yet love bald eagles. He's the author of Citizens of the Green Room, and a new host of the Panoply program Podcast for America. (He is also bald.) Plus, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker explains the fine line between good stress and bad stress. For the Spiel, remembering Jack Ely and his mumbly "Louie Louie." 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.

Today on The Gist, author Zoe Cormier explores the science behind the trinity of human pleasures. She's the author of Sex, Drugs, and Rock 'n' Roll: The Science of Hedonism and the Hedonism of Science. For the Spiel, Mike discusses how we discuss the Baltimore riots. Today's sponsor: Shari's Berries. Treat your mom to something sweet this Mother's Day with a gift from Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate start at $19.99. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. And by CVS Health, where health is everything. CVS is working to save thousands of lives, one pill at a time. Visit cvshealth.com to learn more. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, John Curtice from the What Scotland Thinks blog explains why Scottish nationalist politics are generally trending left, while much of Europe's nationalist movements shift right. Plus, Dan Pashman from The Sporkful vets Mike's soupspoon theories, and brings along his trongs. For the Spiel, exploring why we talk about certain victims of the Nepalese earthquake and not others. Today's sponsor: Shari's Berries. Treat your mom to something sweet this Mother's Day with a gift from Shari's Berries. Fresh berries dipped in chocolate start at $19.99. Visit berries.com, click on the microphone, and use the code GIST. And by the Netflix original documentary series Chef's Table. Go inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned, international culinary talents. All episodes now streaming on Netflix. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, professional storyteller Matt Dicks speaks with the winner of our storytelling challenge. Did we make the right pick? Hear our entries from yesterday's Gist here. Plus, Emily Yoffe of Slate's Dear Prudence column advises a dad whose unavailable father serially dates young women in impoverished countries. Should the dad cast his father in a second act—as a grandfather? For the Spiel, Mike remembers Long Island's notorious Nassau Coliseum with Brian Koppelman from the Moment and Peter Thomas Fornatale. Today's sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "The Skeptic's Guide to American History." Right now, get 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, professional storyteller Matt Dicks is here to coach one lucky Gist listener. We'll review some favorite entries and discuss what kind of action and resolution help a story stand out. Tune in tomorrow to hear whom we've selected as our winner. For the Spiel, Mike stumbles upon an event for Thomas' English muffins. 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.

Today on The Gist, it's an episode that comes from the gut. First, reporters Erin Quinn and Chris Young of the Center for Public Integrity explain how companies have exploited a decades-old loophole in FDA approval of new food additives. Their article is called "Why the FDA Doesn't Really Know What's in Your Food." And, in another installment of "Is That Bulls--t?" Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker if the science backs up the hype around healthy bacteria. For the Spiel, Mike quacks a joke. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, Marc Caputo from Politico's Florida Playbook discusses Jeb Bush, who might be challenging the belief that candidates have to swing to the right to appeal to primary votecrs. Then, author Laura Silver traces her family history through the so-called Knish corridor of Eastern Europe. She's the author of Knish: In Search of the Jewish Soul Food. For the Spiel, why the name Gary will soon be extinct. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, Bryan Burrough explains what America's radical underground revolutionaries from the 1970s are up to now. He's the author of Days of Rage: America's Radical Underground, the FBI, and the Forgotten Age of Revolutionary Violence. For the Spiel, every Republican hopeful is learning that the way to spell hilarious starts with Hillary, kinda. 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 GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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 Ep. 238, Brian Unger joins us in studio. He's the host of a new Travel Channel show Time Traveling with Brian Unger. For the Spiel, the lost tape from Vladimir Putin's call-in radio show. Today's sponsor: the Great Courses, offering engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "The Skeptic's Guide to American History." Right now get up to 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.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.

Today on The Gist, we listen back to Billboard hits from 1965. Our regular guest Chris Molanphy explains why many of these songs remain utterly immortal. He writes Slate's Why Is That Song No. 1 column. For the Spiel, more about the sexagenarian gyronaut who panicked the Washington press corps. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, Phil Galewitz from Kaiser Health News explains an aspect of the new health care law that new Medicaid recipients should know about. Unlike other Obamacare scares, this one is nonfiction. Plus, reporter Lukas Alpert explains that the most effective propaganda is often the hardest to spot. We ask about his Kindle single Kremlin Speak: Inside Putin's Propaganda Factory. For the Spiel, air mail on the Capitol lawn. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, an update from Slate's Dahlia Lithwick on the abortion bans in Kansas and Oklahoma. She's the host of the Slate podcast Amicus. Plus, Masha Bell joins us to discuss the effects of irregular English spellings on educational achievement in English-speaking countries. She's the author of Spelling It Out: The Problems and Costs of English Spelling. For the Spiel, Mike celebrates his favorite tense: the historical present. Today's sponsors: 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.

Do women make better presidents? Today on The Gist, we talk with Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Plus, we wish Thomas Jefferson a happy 272nd birthday by discussing how his name is evoked today. Historian Andrew Burstein is the author of Democracy's Muse: How Thomas Jefferson Became an FDR Liberal, a Reagan Republican, and a Tea Party Fanatic, All the While Being Dead. For the Spiel, vetting the vetting of Hillary Clinton. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, Slate's Dahlia Lithwick puts news of the abortion bans in Kansas and Oklahoma into a Supreme Court context. She's the host of the Slate podcast Amicus. Plus, the accomplished actor Vincent D'Onofrio joins us to discuss his latest role in the film Broken Horses, which comes out today. For the Spiel, it's time to name our Lobstar of the antentwig. 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.

Today on The Gist, Mike tests the assertion that tolerance is a two-way street. By consulting a map. Plus, Kevin Allison shares his journey from the legendary MTV sketch show The State to having his balls tied to his sneakers. He hosts the aptly named Risk podcast and teaches storytelling with the Story Studio. For the Spiel, are arrests of suspected terror recruits such as Joshua van Haften and Shahawar Siraj important steps to a safer world? Today's sponsors: 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 http://www.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 a tourist's paradise, the Maldive Islands is wading into some deep political waters. Today on The Gist Jonah Blank from the RAND Corporation explains the outlook for democracy in the Maldives. Then, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker about the importance of expiration dates on food and medication, the latest in a series we call "Is That Bulls—t?" For the Spiel, we remember the man who filled Lake Michigan with hot chocolate. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, Brian Koppelman, the accomplished screen and television writer, director, and—most importantly—podcaster. His show, The Moment, is the newest addition to the Slate and Panoply firmament, and you can subscribe to on iTunes. Plus, Mike finally spiels about the nuclear deal. Today's sponsor: The BET miniseries The Book of Negroes. Now available on DVD, in a special three-disc package. Based on the critically acclaimed novel by Lawrence Hill, The Book of Negroes is a universal story of loss, courage, and triumph starring Aunjanue Ellis, Lyriq Bent, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Lou Gossett Jr. Own it today on DVD from E One. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, we explore a new form of dark tourism: ecotourism. Tom Zoellner's Kindle single Come See the Mountain tells the story of his visit to the Potosi silver mine in Bolivia. Plus, Megan Hustad explains why TED talks remind her of the tent revival sermons of her youth. She's the author of How to Be Useful and More Than Conquerors: A Memoir of Lost Arguments. And to end the show, Mike can't stop spieling about the New York Times' coverage of the Chicago elections. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

While Mike Pesca's off hosting Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, we bring you two of our favorite segments from the past few months. Bill Browder tells the story of how he went from investing in Russian markets to fleeing the wrath of Vladimir Putin. He's the author of Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice. For the Spiel, we debut our new line of other NFL erotica. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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 a past Gist, we gave you drunk Shakespeare. Now, it's time to see how the bard fares when subjected to sober improvisation. (We think it was sober.) Joey Bland, Blaine Swen, and Steve Waltien join us from Chicago's Improvised Shakespeare Company. For the Spiel, WBEZ's Lauren Chooljian explains what makes the Chicago mayoral election a compelling national story. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, Mike joins us from a Chicago Transit Authority station as he prepares to host Wait Wait Don't Tell Me this weekend. First up, Chris Molanphy explains how the secret sauce in some of your favorite pop songs might just be the walking bass line. He writes Slate's Why Is That Song No. 1 column. For the Spiel, the governor of Indiana supports clarifying a law that in no way needs clarification. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Today's sponsor: Automatic, the connected car adapter that pairs your car to your smartphone. Save 20 percent with free shipping and a 45-day return policy when you go to automatic.com/gist Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, James Ledbetter from Inc. explains why the influential NYC parish Trinity Wall Street is taking Walmart to court. You can subscribe to the new Inc. Uncensored podcast here. Plus, is there a secret cancer-spewing, nutrient-robbing killer in America's kitchens? Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker explains the truth about microwaves for a game we call "Is That Bulls---t?" For the Spiel, Mike offers his advice to Trevor Noah, the new host of The Daily Show. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, we imagine the hearts and minds of the most powerful through the iconic character Frank Underwood. Beau Willimon, the showrunner and creator of Netflix's House of Cards joins us in studio. For the Spiel, bring back Pat from In the Papers. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Today's sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors, with courses like "Fundamentals of Photography." Right now, get 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, Adam Davidson of NPR's Planet Money explains what economists really think of immigration laws. He recently wrote the feature Debunking the Myth of the Job-Stealing Immigrant for the New York Times Magazine. For the Spiel, what to do when you're hungry for change. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

How should we understand the evolving nature of U.S. dietary guidelines? Today on The Gist, Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, explains how the committees modify nutritional guidelines. Plus, what can McDonald's learn from Smashburger or Shake Shack? We speak with consultant Barry Klein, the creator of Ronald McDonald. For the Spiel, how Pesca was bit by the radioactive spider. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive members-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Remember when Mike Pesca gargled Pond's cold cream on The Gist? That gargle honored the master orator and Republican Sen. Everett Dirksen, who collaborated with a Democrat, Lyndon B. Johnson, to pass major civil rights legislation. Today, Todd Purdum tells the story of the Senate minority leader who liked to give news conferences in the lotus position. He's the author of An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Two Presidents, Two Parties, and the Battle for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For the Spiel, Angelina Jolie is brave. Don't forget the #NotAMovie Challenge! From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Today's sponsor: Automatic, the connected car adapter that pairs your car to your smartphone. Save 20 percent with free shipping and a 45-day return policy when you go to automatic.com/gist Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Now that we've become indifferent to illegal and even legal forms of corruption, what will it take to improve the accountability of our public officials? Our guest Zephyr Teachout examines corruption's past and present. She's the author of Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin's Snuff Box to Citizens United. Plus, They Might Be Giants have always aspired to write movie themes, so they've asked Mike Pesca to enlist listeners to help with a demo. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. For the Spiel, the return of talk-show karaoke. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Tom Scharpling and Jon Wurster rarely analyze why their brand of two-man radio comedy is so potent. Today on the Gist, they pause to consider 13 years of hilariously weird phone calls from Newbridge, NJ. Their box set The Best of The Best Show is available from the Numero Group. For the Spiel, Mike takes a stand against dictators (although a couple are all right). Today's sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "Fundamentals of Photography." Right now, get 80% off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.

Today on The Gist, we ask Jonathan Rauch of the Brookings Institution about the landmark LGBT-Mormon compromise in Utah. Will this become a model for other states? Plus, does your girlfriend's hairless cat love you? Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker explains recent insights into animal emotions for a game we call "Is That Bulls---t?" For the Spiel, starting a necessary conversation about Caramel Macchiatos. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at http://www.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.