Author: Peach Fish Productions

Today on The Gist, we imagine the hearts and minds of the most powerful through the iconic character Frank Underwood. Beau Willimon, the showrunner and creator of Netflix’s House of Cards joins us in studio. For the Spiel, bring back Pat from In the Papers. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Today’s sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors, with courses like “Fundamentals of Photography.” 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, Adam Davidson of NPR’s Planet Money explains what economists really think of immigration laws. He recently wrote the feature Debunking the Myth of the Job-Stealing Immigrant for the New York Times Magazine. For the Spiel, what to do when you’re hungry for change. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. 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

How should we understand the evolving nature of U.S. dietary guidelines? Today on The Gist, Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, explains how the committees modify nutritional guidelines. Plus, what can McDonald’s learn from Smashburger or Shake Shack? We speak with consultant Barry Klein, the creator of Ronald McDonald. For the Spiel, how Pesca was bit by the radioactive spider. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. 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 members-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

Remember when Mike Pesca gargled Pond’s cold cream on The Gist? That gargle honored the master orator and Republican Sen. Everett Dirksen, who collaborated with a Democrat, Lyndon B. Johnson, to pass major civil rights legislation. Today, Todd Purdum tells the story of the Senate minority leader who liked to give news conferences in the lotus position. He’s the author of An Idea Whose Time Has Come: Two Presidents, Two Parties, and the Battle for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. For the Spiel, Angelina Jolie is brave. Don’t forget the #NotAMovie Challenge! From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. Today’s sponsor: Automatic, the connected car adapter that pairs your car to your smartphone. Save 20 percent with free shipping and a 45-day return policy when you go to automatic.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

Now that we’ve become indifferent to illegal and even legal forms of corruption, what will it take to improve the accountability of our public officials? Our guest Zephyr Teachout examines corruption’s past and present. She’s the author of Corruption in America: From Benjamin Franklin’s Snuff Box to Citizens United. Plus, They Might Be Giants have always aspired to write movie themes, so they’ve asked Mike Pesca to enlist listeners to help with a demo. From now until April 6, tweet titles of imaginary movies to @slategist using the hashtag #NotAMovie. For the Spiel, the return of talk-show karaoke. 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

Tom Scharpling and Jon Wurster rarely analyze why their brand of two-man radio comedy is so potent. Today on the Gist, they pause to consider 13 years of hilariously weird phone calls from Newbridge, NJ. Their box set The Best of The Best Show is available from the Numero Group. For the Spiel, Mike takes a stand against dictators (although a couple are all right). Today’s sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "Fundamentals of Photography." Right now, get 80% 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, we ask Jonathan Rauch of the Brookings Institution about the landmark LGBT-Mormon compromise in Utah. Will this become a model for other states? Plus, does your girlfriend’s hairless cat love you? Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker explains recent insights into animal emotions for a game we call “Is That Bulls---t?” For the Spiel, starting a necessary conversation about Caramel Macchiatos. 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, a look at ski racing’s uphill battle for relevancy and safety. We talk with Nathaniel Vinton, author of The Fall Line: How American Ski Racers Conquered a Sport on the Edge. Plus, political writer Harry Enten from FiveThirtyEight goes down the list of likely Republican presidential candidates and identifies their political kryptonite. For the Spiel, we play a round of “What The Hell Is That Beverage?” with Slate’s L.V. Anderson, and Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker. Today’s sponsors: 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 THEGIST. And by Automatic, the connected car adapter that pairs your car to your smartphone. Save 20% with free shipping and a 45-day return policy when you go to automatic.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

Why would someone accused of multiple crimes engage in chronic high-risk behaviors? Today on The Gist, Fordham’s Barry Rosenfeld explains why Robert Durst would participate in HBO’s The Jinx. Plus, economist Adam Davidson explains the Greek financial crisis as it relates to the European Union, especially Germany. For the Spiel, a key retirement in the world of professional football. 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 http://www.slate.com/gistplus

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Not every great pop song has a standard format or even a chorus. Today on The Gist, Chris Molanphy joins us to look at the changing placement of the chorus in popular music. He writes Slate’s Why Is That Song No. 1 column. For the Spiel, Mike eats at the pop-up restaurant WastED. At the very end of this show, we debut a new They Might Be Giants song, as part of their Dial-a-Song reboot, as we will be doing every Monday this year. You can find videos for the songs on the band’s website. This one is called “Unpronounceable.” 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