The Gist

Today on The Gist, guest host Adaam James Levin introduces the first installment of Mike Pesca's two-part conversation with investigative reporter Ken Bensinger, co-host of The Michigan Plot. Bensinger breaks down the 2020 investigation into the conspiracy to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, detailing how an amateur militia group collided with an aggressive FBI undercover operation. Drawing on hundreds of hours of secret recordings, Bensinger and Pesca examine the murky boundary between stopping a legitimate domestic terror threat and orchestrating one, the psychological vulnerabilities exploited by federal informants, and how trial evidentiary rules shaped the contrasting narratives inside the courtroom

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Produced by Corey Wara
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com
For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠
For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/
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Today on The Gist, guest host Rachel Win introduces the third installment of Funny You Should Mention which welcomes Sam Jay, former SNL writer, Tom Brady Roaster, host of HBO's Pause with Sam Jay, and stand-up comic behind such specials as Netflix's 3 In The Morning and HBO's Salute Me or Shoot Me. Sam and Mike talk cops, racism, white vs black people money management, and a joke she'll discuss but won't be telling again.

Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.
Produced by Corey Wara
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com
For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠
For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/
For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/
Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠
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To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@amplitudemediapartners.com

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Today on The Gist, guest host Rachel Win introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with Wall Street Journal reporter Keach Hagey about her book The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future, exploring Altman's Silicon Valley rise, the tensions between AI safety and commercial speed, and his brief ouster from the company. The show wraps with a classic 2014 sit-down with the late Gilbert Gottfried, who talks old Hollywood lore, dirty jokes, and hosting Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast.
Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.
Produced by Corey Wara
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com
For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠
For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/
For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/
Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠
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X https://x.com/pescami
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist
To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@amplitudemediapartners.com

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Today on The Gist, guest host Rachel Win introduces Mike Pesca's conversation with veteran actor, writer, and director Jennifer Esposito about her debut feature film, Fresh Kills. Esposito breaks down her inspiration for the Staten Island drama, which re-examines the mob genre through the rarely explored perspectives of the wives and daughters caught inside patriarchal crime families. She also discusses mortgaging her home to finance true independent cinema, the harsh realities of modern streaming distribution, and the lifelong drive required to bring her personal artistic vision to the screen, preceded by an archival spiel from Mike critiquing the craft of television writing at the Emmy Awards.
Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.
Produced by Corey Wara
Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com
For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠
For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/
For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/
Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠
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X https://x.com/pescami
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist
To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@amplitudemediapartners.com

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Today on The Gist, guest host Jason Mojica marks the 25th anniversary of September 11th with former CIA counterterrorism official Philip Mudd, author of Black Site: The CIA in the Post-9/11 World. Mudd revisits the post-9/11 panic over a second wave of attacks, the overhaul of US intelligence, and the contentious debates surrounding enhanced interrogation techniques. The episode closes with Mike Pesca's archival reflection on military families, community sacrifice, and high school football at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Stop online threats before they become real-world attacks. Visit ironwall.com/GIST and request a free Risk Assessment to see exactly how exposed your executives are.
Produced by Corey Wara
Video and Social Media by Geoff Craig
Do you have questions or comments, or just want to say hello? Email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠thegist@mikepesca.com
For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/⁠
For ad-free content or to become a Pesca Plus subscriber, check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subscribe.mikepesca.com/
For Mike's daily takes on Substack, subscribe to The Gist List https://mikepesca.substack.com/
Follow us on Social Media:⁠⁠⁠⁠
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4_bh0wHgk2YfpKf4rg40_g⁠⁠⁠⁠
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/pescagist/
X https://x.com/pescami
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@pescagist
To advertise on the show, contact ⁠⁠⁠⁠sales@amplitudemediapartners.com

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