Always thought-provoking and interesting. I am as far from a MAGA Republican as you could possibly be, but at the same time, I don’t feel like I have a real home on the progressive left, and I think that’s where a lot of people (including Mike) find themselves. More power to people who look for nuance and who are not afraid to cut against the grain when necessary. And yes, I would like to hear more about the situation at NPR. Thank you.

I enjoy learning about this. I’m also a disappointed fan of npr. Old enough to remember the wonder of the early years. And the CBC As It Happens.

The Gist was here before Trump was a candidate, and there’s a reason it has worked for so long. It’s that Mike Pesca’s curiosity and playful energy happens to be far stronger than a pure desire to get high ratings. This leads him to pursue genuinely interesting and diverse topics while resisting the siren song to give red meat for a tribal audience. I’ve returned to the Gist after several years of absence, and it is refreshing. I’d admit I spent some of those years listening to heterodox podcasts that were enjoyable in the way they exposed the lunacy of some on the left. But they also became predictable and downright annoying when many of them drifted rightward due to audience capture. The Gist, after all these years, still holds to those center-left values that I hold dear: Be curious, follow the truth fairly where it leads, and don’t be a jerk.

When The Gist launched, I heard one episode and called it quits. Who has time to keep up with a 30-minute daily show of news that I'm already reading on the same six news outlets that the host seems to follow? A year or so later I gave it another try and now it's the only podcast I never miss. Pesca is independent, clever and conscientious. He's a quirky voice of reason and respect in a media audioscape of screamers and haters.

Other podcasts may be heavier, cohosts can certainly tip the scales, but Pesca’s in a different class. That’s why you have to use the “pound for pound” measurement. The point is THIS particular podcast us much better than your current favorite podcast.

Great show. Re: more on the NPR topic, I say speak your truth lol. It can only help reform an institution that I value in spite of its recent insistence on speaking to me like im a kindergartener.

Awesome job, Mike! You’re a better man than me, with the patience you show with these Progressive Bozos. They’re straight up delusional. I thought the MAGA Heads were bad, but these losers are sooooooooooooooooo bad that they make Trump look decent! Keep up the good work Champ!

It’s a good podcast

I’ve always appreciated Mike’s dedication to objectivity. “Articulate” is an understatement as it pertains to his command of the English language.

This may end up being my favorite podcast ( and I listen to a lot if podcasts). Love the humor and the culture references. Move over lexicon valley and on the media. Pesca rules! Thanks. Updating in 2024: Absolutely my favorite podcast and 1 of only 2 that I support monetarily. Sometimes I don’t know what to think about an issue until I hear Mike’s take. Other times, I think I’m insane for thinking something about an issue, until Mike reveals that he has the same opinion. Speaking of insanity, The Gist has made me look like a crazy person as I walk my dogs and laugh out loud at one of his fantastic quips.

Do better

I have been a faithful listener of The Gist for about six years now. I don’t want all my information to come from an echo chamber, and I liked that Mike Pesca would sometimes present a viewpoint that challenged my own. Having said that, it feels more and more to me that he is often just playing the contrarian for his own sake. His jokey use of puns and rhymes no longer feels cute to me. He comes off as someone who feels like he is the smartest person in the room, and it has become stifling. He often will play an audio clip of a political figure being asked a question and then haughtily tell us what a far better reply he would have given. Really all of this has come to a head with some of his recent Gists I found to be just plain wrong if not offensive. I am not trying to get him Cancelled, and I just want to cancel my subscription and let you know why. Continued listening would cause me some harm, to have to put up with any more of Pesca’s smarm

Consistently excellent and thought-provoking even when you disagree with the host or the guests. Give it a listen or three (or 3,000) before you believe the naysayers.

Mike Pesca is great, but I lost a lot of admiration for him when he started advertising gold. Gold, seriously?

Got recommended this podcast. Where’s the substance? The discussion was so superficial and simplistic lacking any depth or nuance. Nothing of value was gained here. I feel like the host posits an idea(s) but simply never dives deeper than the surface. He seems more interested in establishing himself as arbiter of wisdom and knowledge rather than actually pursuing those values. Really it all just seems to want to exploit the binary zero sum logic concept of politics he seems to want to decry? Best of luck but found this show to be nothing but a waste of time and energy.

Mike has always welcomed and thoughtfully engaged differing perspectives. In recent episodes he seems a little less dispassionate and has drop a little bit of the journalistic remove and, frankly, I love it! I’ve been a devoted listener for the last four years and have benefited no small amount from the show. As soon as they offered the subscription option I signed on and I am not a the subscribing type. The ad-free and longer form is so worth the price. There are people in my life who might describe me as a Mike fanboy, which I think is unfair - I just believe he delivers some of the best value to be found in the marketplace of ideas.

Are things getting worse and worse? Is humanity doomed to extinct ourselves within a generation or two? Host Mike Pesca disagrees, and his tempered optimism and playful attitude help me preserve my mental health while also staying somewhat abreast of the news.

Smart analysis, crisply rendered — skeptical, probing, and therefore essential. (That should be enough positive adjectives for you.) Devoted listener over here.

If you challenge your beliefs, this is the podcast for you. It's smart, funny, and incredibly insightful ti the issues of our times. He challenges your beliefs, and very often challenges his own. Admitting that he is wrong sometimes is his greatest strength. The diversity of the topics will at times confuse you, but often delight you. Some episodes will not be your bailiwick, but others will leave you wanting to learn more. And that's exactly what Mike Pesca wants.

I enjoy Mike’s podcasts—they are the 2nd podcast I listen to almost every day (Up First being the first). He’s smart, well read, and I love his play on words. More important, I find his views as a good counterbalance to my lefty viewpoints. I appreciate his thoughtful analysis and opinions, and even though I don’t agree with some, I do consider them and feel more well-rounded for it. And it doesn’t hurt that I’m a weirdo gay that finds him (and his voice) sexy 😂. Definite Daddy vibes! Keep the episodes coming!!!

Mike Pesca carries on the tradition of balanced journalism. He challenges his interview subjects but he allows them to make their points. If you’re trying to find a podcast that educates you, challenges the consensus, without political bias—I’d recommend The Gist.

I have been listening to the Gist almost since day one. I find Mike to be a reasonable middle l-of-the-road liberal leaning person, one that is open to the opinions and feedback of others. The Gist is part of my daily routine.

Airplane! Was a scene-for-scene, line-for-line ripoff of the 1957 film Zero Hour. How Mike Pesca didn’t know this and went on to fawn over the “writers” is a dereliction of (someone’s) duty. Duty. Heh-heh.

Been listening for many years. Mike’s interviewing skills are excellent. His politics are left of center but he is honest when discussing all subjects. I would like to hear the whole story of his break with Slate. I could do without his singing.

Not sure why I didn’t review before. I’ve been listening for many years; and missed this greatly during the hiatus. The Gist is the perfect name for this podcast. I like the intros and the spiels and the interviews which always get to the gist of the interviewee’s reason for being someone who should be interviewed. Thank you Mike Pesca.

Love the show. Love the word play.

I like the dude a lot, but the show’s not what it was before the ridiculous cancelling. The topics don’t draw me, mainly. Will still stick with it and see what happens. UPDATE : It’s uneven, but Pesca’s smart and worth listening to.

This show is what On The Media used to be over ten years ago. It does a good job at taking stories currently in the news and give as close to an objective description of what is actually happening with political perspectives removed and replaced with sense and understanding.

Mike is a savvy interviewer who consistently drills down to what his guest knows…or doesn’t! Mike tells it like it is. Five stars.

I start each morning listening to the Gist . Challenging and analytical 5 stars

Mike is funny but also serious. He has wide ranging interests and expertise and regularly educates me on subjects I am not familiar with. He engages with political and otherwise topical material in a way that is authentic and personal, not catering to the partisan divide that is eroding our public discourse. Sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, and this is appreciated. The energy, wit and singularity of his rhetorical style is refreshing and reliably entertaining. His interviews are sharp and insightful, often deepening my respect for the interviewer and introducing me to interesting people and ideas. The Gist is a gem and I am happy to have it in my life.

I can count on Mike to provide different ways of looking at current issues. He seems to have an open mind while being opinionated at the same time. He’s one step ahead and also funny. I appreciate that he acknowledges those that help with the podcast. Jane in Wisconsin

Whether I’m hanging on every word of a discussion on some subject I’m really into, or just enjoying Mike’s back-and-forth with a guest , The Gist is must-hear podcasting. I don’t always love his policy and political slants. But he’s serious and thoughtful.

I teach elementary school. I also teach at a university. You’d think somewhere between I’d get my intellectual muscles adequately massaged. You are wrong. I don’t feel intellectually fulfilled until I’ve received my daily dose of The Gist. Mike Pesca is smart, funny, and entertaining. He is a seasoned journalist, radioman, and now podcaster, who pretty much helped build Podcast’s ground floor. The show is medium length, soothingly routine, and always interesting, even when I am not naturally drawn tot the topic. Love the flag segments. Whatever happened to the bears?! Excellent podcast for the intellectually, comically, and linguistically discerning.

You have producers. Why do we need to suffer smacks and sniffs? If this were a startup job, fine. This makes me feel like you like forcing us to listen to your mouth noises?!

The Gist is my go-to podcast. Rarely miss an episode. Mike’s hilarious and smart.

I am listening for 5 minutes and the show did not start yet. Just ads. Not sure if there is something after all this ads

While I’ve been listening to and enjoying The Gist for quite some time, even enduring the post-Slate draught, I was moved to review after listening to the Friday 2/24/23 episode on book bans. I live in TN so, alas, this issue is relevant to me, a mother of two public school children. But it was the last three minutes on a local Orlando news story that had me laughing out loud. It was…”wild.” You can count on Mike Pesca for not only original thought, excellent interviews, and non doctrinaire commentary, but a real appreciation of the absurd. The Gist is the hands-down best daily political podcast in Lake Okeefenokee, or wherever you’re listening from.

I have been listening to the show for years and his return has been relatively smooth. Only show I listen to on a very regular basis. For being an opinion show it actually covers the news pretty well. Only issue I have with Mike is that he seems to have an issue with blind Corgis. I have know more why.

Is Bob Garfield an old white man? I can’t tell. Please come back Mike Pesca, please do not interview give Alec Baldwin.

I’ve known Mike Pesca since I was 12 yrs old. He always had the gift of the raconteur and I enjoyed rapping out with him. It’s a pleasure to see him hone his craft and have so many devoted listeners.

I don’t know if it could be more boring. Probably not.

Come to the gist for Mike’s quick wit, stay for the rigorously honest analysis. The Gist will help you stay sane while also keeping up with what’s happening.

Mike prepares well for his interviews, which are usually an engaging conversation rather than a passive Q

Michele Tafoya is probably one of the thinnest skinned interviews I have ever heard. How dare anyone ask a self described conservative libertarian who who spouts right wing talking points whether she believes that Joe Biden won the 2020 election. Sounds like you can only ask her questions that are within her comfort zone.

I find Mike’s voice and enunciations obnoxious beyond reason. There’s no reason you can’t make an insightful witty podcast without sounding like you’re auditioning for a Broadway show.

This is the best podcast available. I learn something every day from Mike.

Mike Peska is funny and very informative. He is the kind of person you would want to talk to and hear from. He speaks from facts and admits when he gets it wrong. He work on being open to new ideas and is straight forward. He is a the right tonic for these difficult times filled with hyperbole and misrepresentations.

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I've been a loyal listner for years, and very often Mike says what I've been thinking, but in a more articulate way. Must listen daily.