99. Mike Pesca, Turbocharger of Sensible Political Commentary

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit smokeempodcast.substack.comOur guest is the “Long Island-accented, turbocharged” Mike Pesca, host of The Gist. We begin — and end! — with fabu tech failure, but along the way, we talk to the intrepid podcaster about getting thrown on the funeral pyre at Slate, why he can’t stand slow talkers, Israel-Hamas press coverage and culture clashes, and his high metabolism for information. Also discussed:* Pesca’s podcast listening hack* When is a testicle like avocado toast?* The Jeopardy! question that cost Pesca the championship* How NYT journalist Donald McNeil Jr. got fired and won a Pulitzer the same year* Which publications are failing in their coverage of Israel-Hamas, and which might be getting better?* Is there any proper context for the tweet, “How great you are Hitler”?* Pesca suggests new Smoke ‘Em segment: “Kneejerk Nancy”* Is “from the river to the sea” the new “All Lives Matter”?* Wiccan priestesses at NPR? Bring ‘em on* Is Sarah crazy to think Joe Biden’s kinda rockin’ it these days?* Can anyone beat Donald Trump?* Our “I ❤️ Mike Pesca” tattoos will be inked soon …* Let’s not over-catastrophize about the world right now* Sarah remembers Matthew PerryPlus a cavalcade of hotboxes, and even Sarah is following the World Series.