Andrew Marr looks at what happens when political power fractures and how 'soft power' retains its influence. Peter Pomerantsev spent a decade working in Russia's fast-growing television industry and tells the story of a country changing from communism and nascent democracy to a mafia-state and oligarchy. The political analyst Joseph Nye coined the phrase 'soft power' in 1990 and in his latest essay argues that while America's economy may have been overtaken by China, the US century is far from over. Impressionist art continues to grow in popularity and price-tag, and the curator Anne Robbins looks back on the life of Paul Durand-Ruel, the 19th century art dealer and visionary who foresaw its power and marketability worldwide. Producer: Katy Hickman.
Start the Week - Joseph Nye on Soft Power
Andrew Marr looks at what happens when political power fractures and how 'soft power' retains its influence. Peter Pomerantsev spent a decade working in Russia's fast-growing television industry and tells the story of a country changing from communism and nascent democracy to a mafia-state and oligarchy. The political analyst Joseph Nye coined the phrase 'soft power' in 1990 and in his latest essay argues that while America's economy may have been overtaken by China, the US century is far from over. Impressionist art continues to grow in popularity and price-tag, and the curator Anne Robbins looks back on the life of Paul Durand-Ruel, the 19th century art dealer and visionary who foresaw its power and marketability worldwide. Producer: Katy Hickman.
The Gist - The Read Meets the Spiel
Today on The Gist, Mike Pesca is joined by Kid Fury and Crissle, the hosts of The Read podcast. They are best known for their “reads,” a term with roots in the 1980s black gay community. A read is an honest, Spiel-like venting with a purpose, and makes for great listening. For the Spiel, Mike Pesca remembers his friend Bobby Lichman, who lived his life with brilliance, intensity, and conviction. Bobby performed under the name Bobby Sichran, and today’s show features music from his album From a Sympathetical Hurricane. Today’s sponsor: The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, the new documentary series from HBO. It airs Sundays at 8 p.m. only on HBO.
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The Gist - Beyond Death Cults and Nihilism
Today on The Gist, Max Abrahms from Northeastern University examines the motives of terror groups like ISIS and Boko Haram. Plus, we speak to Mario Schlosser, CEO of health firm Oscar, about how the Affordable Care Act has birthed a new kind of health care company. (Don’t forget the health care enrollment deadline is Feb. 15.) For the Spiel, a fantastic performance taped in Gist studios, with Xavier Dphrepaulezz, aka Fantastic Negrito. He just won NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Contest, and here’s where you can find his EP.
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The Gist - Extra: Xavier Dphrepaulezz, aka Fantastic Negrito
A past Gist guest was recently named the winner of the NPR's Tiny Desk Concert Contest. We spoke with Xavier Dphrepaulezz, aka Fantastic Negrito last September, and heard his journey from 1980s Oakland gutters to black roots music. In our interview, hear how he finally found his voice as Fantastic Negrito, and a few tracks from his EP. Get The Gist by email as soon as it’s available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2
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The Gist - He Wanted to Be a Millionaire
How do you own your failures? Today on The Gist, Slate’s Justin Peters finds meaning in his televised humiliation he experienced on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. He recently wrote about the experience of losing $225,000 on in his story I Wanted to Be a Millionaire: How failing colossally on a game show changed my life for the better. Justin is part of the improv comedy duo From Justin To Kelly. For the Spiel, a few insights to add to the ample coverage of the Brian Williams story. Complete Slate’s podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We’d appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today’s sponsors: 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.
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The Gist - Kick-Ass Commando Weathermen
Is the White House’s new National Security Strategy just a procedural brief, or does it tell us a larger story about U.S. foreign policy? Today on The Gist, Slate’s Fred Kaplan explains why security strategies are now exponentially more complicated than they were in decades past. Plus, NBC’s Tony Dokoupil reports on how the military has groomed meteorologists to be intellectually and physically capable of running with our most elite warriors. His multimedia feature is called “Send In the Weathermen.” For the Spiel, the steady decline of McDonald’s seen through a cultural lens. Complete Slate’s podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We’d appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today’s sponsors: 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.
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The Gist - Hit the Road, Union Jack
Why is international justice so slow and sclerotic? Today on The Gist. David Kaye, law professor and director of the International Justice Clinic, explains why verdicts are hard to come by in the International Criminal Court. Then, in-house vexillologist Ted Kaye explains how Fiji and New Zealand are dropping the Union Jack from their flags. For more flag news, we strongly recommend subscribing to the Vexilloid Tabloid, the bimonthly newsletter of the Portland Flag Association. For the Spiel, to the South we go. Complete Slate’s podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We’d appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today’s sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like “Fundamentals of Photography.” Right now, get 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist.
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Start the Week - Life in Suburbia
Anne McElvoy talks to the novelist Adam Thirlwell about his latest book, described as 'suburban noir'; its setting "a kind of absence, without a focus or centre". The academic Nick Hubble takes issue with the cultural representation of suburbia and the snobbery surrounding it. When Richard McGuire created his graphic masterpiece 'Here' he collapsed millennia of history into the corner of one suburban house, and the photographer Hannah Starkey looks back at photos from the end of the twentieth century to see what they say about changing Britain.
Producer: Katy Hickman.
Start the Week - Life in Suburbia
Anne McElvoy talks to the novelist Adam Thirlwell about his latest book, described as 'suburban noir'; its setting "a kind of absence, without a focus or centre". The academic Nick Hubble takes issue with the cultural representation of suburbia and the snobbery surrounding it. When Richard McGuire created his graphic masterpiece 'Here' he collapsed millennia of history into the corner of one suburban house, and the photographer Hannah Starkey looks back at photos from the end of the twentieth century to see what they say about changing Britain.
Producer: Katy Hickman.