The Gist

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

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

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

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

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: thegist@slate.com Twitter: @slategist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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, Gran

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 Gabfes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. Vi

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

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

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

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

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

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