The Gist

On The Gist, an unusual episode about an unusual coincidence among our staff. Both Mike Pesca and managing producer Joel Meyer were born in cars in the 1970s. First up, Neila Pesca and Joe Pesca tell the story of the ultimate driveway moment, when our host was born in a Plymouth Barracuda. Then, Carolyn Wavrin and Greg Meyer recount how Joel entered the world in an Oldsmobile Cutlass. What are the chances? 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

On The Gist, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker addresses the burning questions of the summer season, including the truth about SPF and the weirdness of ice cream headaches. Plus, filmmaker Jennifer Nelson explains how new research may finally restore “Happy Birthday to You” to the public domain. For the Spiel, what are Trump’s chances? Today’s sponsors: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like  “Scientific Secrets for a Powerful Memory.” Right now, get 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist. And by Citrix GoToMeeting. When meetings matter, millions choose GoToMeeting. Get a free 30-day trial by visiting GoToMeeting.com and clicking the “try it free” button. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1997, the deaths of Notorious B.I.G. and Princess Diana left America looking for musical catharsis. The Gist, our regular guest Chris Molanphy explores how tribute songs came to dominate the Billboard chart from 1997, with a sprinkling of a few memorable candy-colored Pop songs.  Our Spotify playlist will help un-break your hearts with some Toni Braxton, Elton John, and other songs mentioned in today’s show: For the Spiel, it’s time to name our latest Lobstar of the antentwig. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on The Gist, Barton Swaim gives us a glimpse inside the world of a certain former governor of South Carolina. Swain’s new book is called The Speechwriter. Plus, Dr. Jeffrey Lewis responds to lingering criticisms of the Iran nuclear deal. Lewis hosts Mike’s favorite arms podcast, Arms Control Wonk. For the Spiel, advice for the last Republican on stage at Thursday night’s Fox News presidential primary debates. 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

Four years ago today, the U.S. debt rating by Standard & Poor’s was downgraded from AAA to AA+. An assortment of politicians and rich people warned us this would be a day we’d never forget. We forgot. On The Gist, Adam Davidson explains the surprising power private credit ratings agencies such as S&P, Moody’s and Fitch have been given by the U.S., and what that means for global development. He’s a contributor to New York Times Magazine and a founder of NPR’s Planet Money.  Also, Adam Davidson is hosting a new podcast with Adam McKay called Awesome Boring. Here’s a teaser. For the Spiel, the GOP debates have to do with the future of the Republican Party. 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 Learn more about your

When you drink from a BPA-free water bottle, is it still safe from "leeching" plastics? On The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker to examine the research into BPA plastics for a game we call “Is That Bulls--t?” For the Spiel, the oh so costly elections in Canada.  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

Donald Trump is a clear leader in national polls, but for how long? If it was anyone else, would we be more impressed? On The Gist, Harry Enten from FiveThirtyEight explains how Trump’s inevitable fall from the top of GOP candidate polls could happen, and how we should consider early, early polling data. For the Spiel, don’t forget that Hillary Clinton loves her mom.  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

On the day Adam Resnick learned what an internship was, he called up Late Night With David Letterman. From there, his career would be marked by cult classics he’d rather not revisit. We’ll revisit. Hear the story of Resnick’s first big break, and everything he’s regretted making since. The good news? He’s finally found something he is proud of, and that’s his new book Will Not Attend: Lively Stories of Detachment and Isolation. For the Spiel, how should the pro-choice movement consider the Planned Parenthood videos? Today’s sponsors: Onehub, letting you securely store and share your business files online. Featuring the all-new Onehub Sync, the fastest way to keep all your teams working from the same page. Try it for free, and Gist listeners can receive a special discount by visiting Onehub.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

On The Gist, Politico’s Manu Raju joins us from the Senate Periodical Press Gallery to discuss the recent Ted Cruz blowup in the Senate, and its lasting impact on his relationship with the GOP. How might his disregard for traditional procedure and the GOP agenda appeal to Republican voters? For the Spiel, a look at 50 years of Medicare. Today’s sponsors: Onehub, letting you securely store and share your business files online. Featuring the all-new Onehub Sync, the fastest way to keep all your teams working from the same page. Try it for free, and Gist listeners can receive a special discount by visiting Onehub.com/gist. And by 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 podcastchoi

On The Gist, science writer Brooke Borel explains how a bed bug infestation in 2004 landed her in the ER and later became a consuming area of research. She’s the author of Infested: How the Bed Bug Infiltrated Our Bedrooms and Took Over the World. For more bed bug-related entertainment, be sure to listen back to Gist Episode 110, Bedbugs: Disgusting Nuisance, Great Musical. Plus, a novel about a superhero impressionist. Author Jacob Rubin’s The Poser tells the story of a man who can do a perfect imitation of anyone he meets. For the Spiel, the clear usefulness of body cams and dashboard cams in policing.  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

On The Gist, a clear explanation of the many dangers of monosodium glutamate, or MSG. Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker to examine the research for a game we call “Is That Bulls--t?” She’s the author of The Confidence Game. For the Spiel, how could the president say that while outside of America? Today’s sponsor: Onehub, letting you securely store and share your business files online. Featuring the all-new Onehub Sync, the fastest way to keep all your teams working from the same page. Try it for free and Gist listeners can receive a special discount by visiting Onehub.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

Are Americans not working hard enough? Jeb Bush told the New Hampshire Union Leader, “Workforce participation has to rise from its all-time modern lows. It means that people need to work longer hours and through their productivity gain more income for their families.” We call in Adam Davidson to explain how economists understand our historic lows in workforce participation. He’s a contributor to the New York Times Magazine and a founder of NPR’s Planet Money. Also, Adam Davidson is hosting a new podcast with Adam McKay called Awesome Boring. Here’s a teaser. For the Spiel, the warning signs along the road to Billy Joel Boulevard. 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

When a colleague in your office suddenly freezes you out without explanation, what’s the best course of action? On The Gist, Emily Yoffe of Slate’s Dear Prudence column advises a woman on how to deal with tension created by a passive-aggressive colleague. For the Spiel, Mike gets provincial as a New Yorker, but don’t worry—he will also give you one news item from a state other than New York. 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

On the heels of our conversation with Slate’s Leon Neyfakh about his book The Next Next Level, The Gist talks with the book’s subject, the rap artist Juiceboxxx. Today Juice tells his own story, and explains what it’s like to have your life story told in a book.  Here’s our Spotify starter kit for becoming a Juiceboxxx fan. For the Spiel, Mike’s writes a speech for Martin O'Malley. 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

On The Gist, Mike shares an important lesson about Connecticut he discovered as a guest on the Colin McEnroe Show today. Then, Slate’s Leon Neyfakh tells the story of how his early friendship with the rapper Juiceboxxx led to a new book about the life of an artist. That book is called The Next Next Level. Here’s our Spotify starter kit for becoming a Juiceboxxx fan, including songs featured on today’s show. For the Spiel, how we should label the killings in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 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

Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner recently said that beautiful women are “usually not funny.” Is there anything to that? On The Gist, TV producer Mike Schur reacts to that statement and discusses the role of funny but attractive unicorns on hit comedies Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. For the Spiel, Mike offers a guiding principal for all: “Don’t be horrible.” 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

On The Gist, Ian Bremmer from the Eurasia Group has explored three options for what kind of country America should be: independent, moneyball, or indispensable. He defines these terms on the show, and in his book Superpower: Three Choices for America’s Role in the World. For the Spiel, Jet.com’s sky-high valuation. 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. And by Citrix GoToMeeting. When meetings matter, millions choose GoToMeeting. Get a free 30-day trial by visiting GoToMeeting.com and clicking the “try it free” button. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On The Gist, Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. shares his journey from a 19-year-old rock star with massive hair, to a sober 35-year-old with a solo side project (and less hair).  His new album, Momentary Masters, is available for preorder, and out officially on July 31. For the Spiel, it’s time to name our new 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

On The Gist, one question with Frank Deford.  Then, are the core issues of traditional social conservatism on the wane? Slate’s Reihan Salam explains why some Republicans may change their focus from gay marriage to the economy, and some won’t. Plus, is there any good mechanism for fighting drug cartels? We ask Vanda Felbab-Brown from the Brookings Institution what the escape of El Chapo tells us about U.S./Mexico relations. For the Spiel, Mike’s reaction to the uproar over Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman. 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

Even the most qualified arms control experts had little confidence that the Iran deal would even happen, much less be good. On The Gist, Dr. Jeffrey Lewis explains why you have to hate deals in order to dislike the Iran deal. Lewis hosts Mike’s favorite arms podcast, Arms Control Wonk. For the Spiel, the worst ongoing analogy of American politics. 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