99. Mike Pesca, Turbocharger of Sensible Political Commentary

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit smokeempodcast.substack.com

Our 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 Perry

Plus a cavalcade of hotboxes, and even Sarah is following the World Series.