Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness

Start filling the tub and light a candle! This week, we’re talking all about Pursoma’s specialty bath soaks and body treatments with founder and CEO, Shannon Vaughn. Jonathan and Shannon go deep on the importance of ritual bathing and digital detox, the process of salt harvesting, and how baths can improve our sleep. Shannon Vaughn is the founder and CEO of Pursoma, a wellness company that aims to help you live a healthier life by creating products like bath soaks and body oils, designed to detoxify and rejuvenate your body and mind. Pursoma is on Instagram @pursoma and online at pursomalife.com. Follow Shannon on Instagram @shannonvaughn_. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our  theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Did you know that in ancient Greece, the stereotype that women were “overly emotional” came from the false idea of a “wandering womb?” Neither did we! Dr. Karen Tang joins Jonathan to go deep on the long history of stigma and shame around gynecological care, and to answer all our questions about what it even is. Plus we talk about the state of gynecological care in this election year, draw out the connection between the attacks against abortion care and trans affirming health care, and how to advocate for better care for yourself and your loved ones. Dr. Karen Tang is a board-certified gynecologist and minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon who is an internationally recognized leader in reproductive health. She reaches millions of viewers each month with her educational videos about period health, pelvic pain, and reproductive rights. Dr. Tang has been featured in The Washington Post, Self, Glamour, NBC.com, and NPR, among other media outlets. Her new book, It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (But Were Never Told), is out on May 7th! You can follow Dr. Tang on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads @karentangmd Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever wonder who makes Laverne Cox’s hair look so good? It’s none other than this week’s guest, Dee TrannyBear! Dee tells Jonathan all about their incredible origin story: they started off working in German salons as a high school student and eventually came to America where they found queer community. Then Dee and Jonathan talk shop about all things wigs: which ones to buy, tips for installing, and how much you can expect to pay if you want an expert’s touch. Plus, Dee teases a MAJOR new project. Dee TrannyBear is a master wigologist and haircolorist. Having grown up in Germany, Dee recently came to the U.S. and has taken the industry by storm. They frequently work with celebrities such as Laverne Cox, Alok Vaid-Menon, internationally acclaimed painter Kehinde Wiley, and many other influential leaders across industries. Dee is on Instagram at @deetrannybear. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Earth Day, Curious People! To celebrate, we’re inviting research scientist Marcus Eriksen from 5 Gyres to the pod. Marcus tells us about his 88 day journey from California to Hawaii sailing on a raft made from 15,000 plastic bottles to research microplastics in the ocean and raise awareness about plastic pollution. Then Marcus answers all our questions like: how did plastic become so popular in the first place, why is so little of our plastic recycled, and what can we do on an individual and systemic level to create stronger policies and more robust solutions? Plus, Jonathan and Marcus go deep on the ongoing Global Plastics Treaty negotiations. Marcus has led expeditions around the world to research plastic pollution and used that research to drive solutions. He co-published the first global estimate of marine plastic pollution and the discovery of plastic microbeads in the Great Lakes, which led to the federal Microbead-free Waters Act of 2015. He and his wife Anna founded 5 Gyres with an 88-day journey from California to Hawaii on a Junk Raft that they built from 15,000 plastic bottles. Now, Marcus and 5 Gyres continue to lead with scientific research to drive upstream solutions through education, advocacy, and community building. You can follow 5 Gyres on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter at @5gyres, or on their website where you can find more ways to get involved. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Keeks Reid tells us all about how she followed her passion for beauty all the way Cosmopolitan U.K.! We learn all about the impact of social media on beauty journalism, the difference between micro trends and trends with staying power, and how to find your personal style. Plus, Keeks shares about her exciting next chapter with Jonathan: she’s going to cosmetology school to take her love for hair to the next level! Keeks Reid started her career in beauty journalism in 2013 as an Editorial Assistant for Blackhair and Hair magazine. She worked her way up to Acting Editor of Blackhair at just 23 years old. Now she is the Contributing Beauty Director of Cosmopolitan UK, and works with a range of companies, from consumer and trade magazines and websites, to beauty brands and salons. Keeks is on Instagram and TikTok @keeksreid. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editory & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.  Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You probably learned about the Founding Fathers in school…or maybe you had a deep Hamilton phase like the rest of us, but what about the lesser known figures like John Hancock? Historian Dr. Brooke Barbier joins Jonathan to fill us in on the man behind the famous signature. From his willingness to publicly change his mind, his ability to find the middle ground, and his talent for throwing a killer party to bring all kinds of people together, Brooke illuminates the lessons we can learn from the so-called “King Hancock” of 1775 Boston. Brooke Barbier is a public historian who received her PhD in American history from Boston College, specifically researching Boston’s social and cultural life during and after the American Revolution. Two of Brooke's favorite things are history and beer, so in 2013 she founded Ye Olde Tavern Tours, which offers tours of Boston’s historic sites and taverns (beer is included!). She is the author of two books about revolutionary Boston including “King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father” and she’s been interviewed by the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and the Boston Herald. You can follow Brooke on Instagram and TikTok @yeoldetaverntours. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LA Beautologist, Nayamka Roberts-Smith, joins Jonathan to go deep on skincare…literally! Nayamka brings her expertise as an award-winning esthetician to the table to teach us all about our skin and what treatments we can seek out to stay healthy and glowing. Plus, should you brush your teeth before or after you wash your face? Nayamka Roberts-Smith is an award winning esthetician, acclaimed skincare educator, and all-around fountain of knowledge on beauty culture. She’s an internationally known speaker on beauty and women’s issues, and has amassed an audience of over 1 million followers across her social media platforms. Nayamka’s been recognized as the most influential esthetician on Twitter by Sprinklr in 2020. And she’s created ad campaigns for Sephora, Target, Glossier and the U.S. Department of Health. Nayamka is on Instagram and TikTok @labeautyologist. You can find more information about her Masterclasses here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So much of our news consumption these days comes from social media and cable news, but whatever happened to local newspapers? Journalist, author, and educator Meg Heckan joins Jonathan to answer that very question. We learn about the history of newspapers, how communities are impacted when their local paper folds, and what we can do to cultivate a stronger news ecosystem that’s more reflective of our society. Plus, we dive deep into what’s at stake for our democracy when local journalism suffers and what the future of the field might look like. Meg Heckman is a journalist, author and educator focused on building a news ecosystem that is robust, diverse and equipped to serve all segments of society. She is the author of “Political Godmother: Nackey Scripps Loeb and the Newspaper That Shook the Republican Party,” and her work has appeared in a variety of periodicals including the Columbia Journalism Review, USA Today, Poynter.org and The Conversation, as well as scholarly publications such as the Newspaper Research Journal and Teaching Journalism and Mass Communication. She is an associate professor at Northeastern University’s School of Journalism and Media Innovation. You can follow Meg on LinkedIn and learn more about Northeastern’s School of Journalism on their website. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest needs NO introduction because you’ve definitely seen her all over your FYP! Mikayla Nogueira joins Jonathan for a conversation all about makeup and social media. From how she fell in love with makeup to her favorite budget-friendly products, we get ALL the tips and tricks for flawless makeup application. Plus, we finally learn what under-painting is and how we can use it to make our makeup look amazing in photos! Mikayla Nogueira is a makeup artist and one of the largest beauty creators in the industry with over 17 million followers across her platforms. She’s worked with brands like Charlotte Tilbury, L'Oreal and CVS. She won the American Influencer Award for Emerging Makeup Artist of the Year in 2020 and a Streamy Award for Beauty in 2023. Mikayla is on Instagram @mikaylajmakeup and TikTok @mikaylanogueira. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Vietnam War caused a ton of strife both domestically and internationally, but so many details were hidden from the public for a long time. Naturally, Jonathan has a lot of questions about this period of time, and historian Dr. Osamah Khalil has the answers! Join us for a deep dive on a fascinating period of American history, as we examine what was happening abroad and at home from 1945-1980. Dr. Osamah Khalil is a historian of U.S. foreign relations and chair of the international relations program at Syracuse University. He’s a frequent media commentator and contributor for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, NPR, USA Today, PBS Newshour, The Hill, and Al Jazeera. His new book “A World of Enemies: America’s Wars at Home and Abroad from Kennedy to Biden” is available now. You can find Osamah on X @Osamah_Khalil. You can find more information about his first book, America’s Dream Palace, here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we’re uncovering the highs and lows of the beauty industry with someone who's been a part of it for over 20 years! Journalist and influencer Ateh Jewel joins Jonathan for a deep dive into her experience watching the field change over time. From how she made her mark, to the way increased diversity has helped open doors for the next generation, and how she harnessed all that insight to found her own groundbreaking beauty brand. Ateh Jewel is a multi award winning journalist, producer, director, influencer and diversity advocate. She has been in the industry for 20 years specializing in beauty, social commentary and campaigning for more diversity in the beauty industry. She is brand ambassador for Olay Retinol 24 Max and has written for titles such as Vogue, Financial Times, Guardian, Harper's Bazaar, and Glamour to name a few. She was also awarded the CEW 2020 Achiever Award to honor her diversity work for the past 20 years in the beauty industry. Ateh is on Instagram and TikTok @atehjewel. You can find more information about Ateh Jewel Beauty here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Picture it: you’re on a crowded subway and someone sneezes. Or maybe you’re on a plane and the person next to you keeps coughing. Perhaps you shook hands with someone who didn’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom. Interaction with germs is inevitable, but why do some people get sick while others don’t? Social neuroscientist Dr. Keely A. Muscatell tells Jonathan all about what happens when we get sick and why. We go deep on how the innate and adaptive branches fight against pathogens, how social experiences impact our physical health, and what we can do to help prevent getting sick. Dr. Muscatell is a social neuroscientist and psychologist from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research explores how social experiences impact physical health. She is also the director of the Social Neuroscience and Health Laboratory at UNC Chapel Hill. You can find Keely on Instagram @drkeelz. You can follow her lab on X @socneurohealth and find more information about their work here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure.  Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re answering all your burning questions about botox! Dermatologist Dr. Renée A. Beach joins Jonathan to talk all things cosmetic dermatology: what’s the difference between botox and fillers? What’s the best approach for your desired outcome? How should you vet a dermatologist? And most importantly…what can you do to make your fillers last as long as possible?! Dr. Beach is a Canadian dermatologist practicing both medical and cosmetic dermatology in Toronto for more than a decade.  She is the founder of DermAtelier on Avenue – Medical & Cosmetic Dermatology which opened in 2020. Her most recent research analyzed cosmetic trends in patients of all skin tones, and is a reflection of her mantra: Beauty For All. Dr. Beach is on Instagram and TikTok @DermaBeach. You can find more information about DermAtelier on Avenue here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever been lucky enough to see the aurora borealis in person? Jonathan’s been dying to see them for years, and after a recent trip to Alaska, they finally did! Afterwards, Jonathan sat down with Professor and Geophysicist Don Hampton to learn more about what’s happening with these lights on a molecular level: Why do they only occur in certain parts of the world? What can they tell us about the atmosphere? And what mysteries still remain about this amazing natural phenomenon? Don Hampton is an Associate Professor at the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Don specializes in researching the interface between Earth’s upper atmosphere and space, characterizing the energy input of the aurora, and studying the effects of auroral energy on the atmosphere. You can follow Poker Flat Research Range on X @PokerFlatRR. You can find more information about Aurorasaurus here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hold on to your lace fronts, because the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15, Sasha Colby, is on this week’s Pretty Curious! Sasha Colby joins Jonathan to talk about her origins in pageants and all things drag: where the industry is going, her advice for up-and-coming performers and some of her favorite products. Plus, she spills the tea on her ponytail line: Sasha Colby Hair! Sasha Colby is an American drag legend and beauty pageant competitor. In 2012, she won the Miss Continental competition, one of the most prestigious drag queen pageant systems in the world. In 2023, she was crowned the winner of Season 15 of RuPaul's Drag Race. She is also the creator of Sasha Colby Hair, which is a collection of luxury ponytail extensions. Sasha is on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @sashacolby. You can find more information about Sasha Colby Hair here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript.  Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With November right around the corner, many people are expressing frustration with our current political leaders. So this week civic leader Lauren Baer tells us all about how we can all get involved in politics to create the change we want to see! Is electoral politics for me? What are all the different roles in a campaign? Where can I get started if I don’t already have a degree in politics? Lauren Baer (she/her) is a nationally-recognized civic leader who has built her career generating social impact at scale. She currently serves as Managing Partner of Arena, where she leads the Arena team in convening, training, and supporting the next generation of candidates and campaign staff. An attorney and foreign policy expert, Lauren served for six years as an official in the Obama administration and was the 2018 Democratic nominee for U.S. Congress in Florida's 18th District. If you want to find your place in politics or connect with others ready to make a difference, join Lauren, her team, and hundreds of other passionate folks in Atlanta, Georgia from April 20-21 for 2024’s most important convening of progressive changemakers at Arena Summit. Visit arena.run/gettingcurious to learn more and receive 20% your registration. You can follow Lauren on Instagram @laurenebaer and X @laurenbaer. You can find more information about Arena here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, nutritionist and holistic wellness expert Kimberly Snyder teaches us about how taking care of ourselves on the inside impacts how we look on the outside. Kimberly walks Jonathan through simple and practical shifts we can all make to take better care of ourselves. From designing morning routines that set the tone for the rest of the day, to finding balance in how we nourish ourselves in a culture that loves extremes, we go deep into the importance of approaching beauty holistically. Kimberly Snyder is a multiple-time New York Times bestselling author, spiritual and meditation teacher, international speaker, nutritionist, and holistic wellness expert.  She is also the host of the top-rated Feel Good Podcast with Kimberly Snyder on the Podcast One Network (with over 24 million total downloads). She has worked with dozens of top celebrities to feel their best, including Drew Barrymore, Reese Witherspoon, Kerry Washington, and Channing Tatum. She is regularly featured by numerous national media outlets, including Good Morning America, The Today Show, and The New York Times. She is also the founder of Solluna®, a holistic lifestyle brand that offers supplements, wellness products, meditation courses, and non-toxic skincare products. Kimberly is on Instagram @_kimberlysnyder. Solluna is on Instagram @sollunabyks. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’re on TikTok or Insta, you’ve probably seen Alexis Nikole Nelson aka BlackForager sharing a recipe for acorn flour, or demonstrating how to identify onion grass. We’re obsessed with her, and we NEED to know more about foraging. So on this week’s episode, we’re getting answers to the questions we’re dying to know: what can we forage based on where we live? What are dangerous plants we should avoid? And what’s the history behind America’s foraging laws? Alexis Nikole Nelson is a forager and outdoor educator using her platform to yell about all the edible plants hiding in plain sight! Her foraging tips, recipe videos, and food history lessons have led Alexis to amass over 5 million dedicated fans across platforms. Her mom said she had to list her accolades so she’s awkwardly going to put them here: James Beard Award for “Best Social Media” 2022, Forbes 30 Under 30, TikTok Tastemaker, Fortune Magazine’s Creator 25 2021. You can follow Alexis on Instagram @blackforager, YouTube @BlackForager and Tiktok @alexisnikole Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Poor Things fans, this episode is for you! Jonathan sat down with the film’s costume designer, Holly Waddington, to learn all about her designing process and inspiration. From giant sleeves to working with Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos, we learned all about what it takes to be an Oscar-nominated costume designer! Holly Waddington is an Oscar® nominee and BAFTA winner for her work on Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things. Her costume designs for film and TV also include the pilot episode of Hulu’s The Great, written and produced by Tony Macnamara, Lady Macbeth directed by William Oldroyd (which won the BIFA for Best Costume and was nominated for a Critics Circle Award for Technical Achievement for Costume). Holly has worked in Theatre, Dance and Visual Art, creating costumes, sets and installations for productions at Rambert, The Royal Ballet, Complicite, and Handspring, working with notable directors and choreographers including: Kim Brandstrup, The Quay Brothers, Natalie Abrahami and Ben Duke. Holly is on Instagram @hollywaddingtoncostume. Poor Things is on Instagram and X @PoorThingsfilm. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The United States is the only high-income country that doesn’t have universal health care…AND we have some of the worst health outcomes for all groups of people. Clearly, some part of this system isn’t working, especially for folks that are already marginalized. But what’s the solution? Dr. Uché Blackstock joins Jonathan for a conversation on equity and racism in the health care industry: what’s the history behind it, who’s the most impacted, and what can we do to fix it? Dr. Uché Blackstock is a physician and thought leader on bias and racism in health care. She is the founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, and is a former associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and the former faculty director for recruitment, retention, and inclusion in the Office of Diversity Affairs at NYU School of Medicine. Dr. Blackstock received both her undergraduate and medical degrees from Harvard University, making her and her twin sister, Oni, the first Black mother-daughter legacies from Harvard Medical School. You can follow Uché on Instagram @ucheblackstockmd Her new book Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine is available now. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Don’t freak out too much…Dr. Sandra Lee (aka Dr. Pimple Popper) is on Pretty Curious! On this episode, Dr. Lee tells Jonathan how she ended up with her very own hit TLC show, and her approach to dermatological care. We’re talking all about how to take care of our skin, common mistakes, and how to find the right dermatologist. Plus, find out the craziest thing she’s ever popped. Dr. Sandra Lee, also known as Dr. Pimple Popper, is a viral pimple-popping sensation and board-certified dermatologist based in Southern California. She is the star of her own hit TLC series, Dr. Pimple Popper, showcasing behind-the-scenes popping and heartwarming stories of the clients behind her viral videos. Dr. Lee is also founder of a solutions driven skincare line, SLMD Skincare. Dr. Lee is on Instagram @drsandralee and @drpimplepopper. You can find more information about her skincare line here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sabrina Strings is back on Getting Curious with this stunning revelation: romance is dead! But was it ever really alive? Sabrina and Jonathan celebrate Valentine’s Day with a conversation about the origins and pitfalls of romance. How do you know if you’re in a situationship with a f*ckboy? How did Playboy promote anti-romantic ideals? And what could a world where romance fails, and sexual love prevails, actually look like? Sabrina Strings, Ph.D. is Professor and North Hall Chair of Black Studies at UC Santa Barbara. Her research examines race, gender, and embodiment in science, media, and medicine. She has been featured in dozens of venues, including BBC News, NPR, Vogue, and The New York Times. She is the author of the award-winning book Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia (NYU 2019). Her second book, The End of Love: Racism, Sexism & the Death of Romance was released in January 2024. Find her on the recently released Netflix docuseries The Black Beauty Effect. You can follow Sabrina on Instagram @YoginiBlack and Twitter @Sastrings. You can find more information about her work here. Her new book The End of Love: Racism, Sexism & the Death of Romance is available now. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’ve been wanting to color your hair, but don’t know what to expect, then you’ve come to the right place! On this week’s episode, L.A.’s go-to colorist, Liz Jung, and Jonathan talk all about hair color. How much should you expect to pay? How long will it take? And how can you prepare your hair for the transformation? Plus, find out which hair color trends Liz thinks are here to stay. Liz Jung is LA’s go-to colorist for blonde transformations. She was mentored by one of the most sought after hair colorists, Tracey Cunningham. Liz collaborates with Epres, and works at Mare salon in West Hollywood, which serves celebrity clients like Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, and Kathryn Hahn. Liz is on Instagram and TikTok @lizyjung. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also  composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the last 54 years, marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I drug: a category that carries drastic criminal penalties and also includes hard drugs like heroin. But the Biden administration has the power to change that as scientists at the FDA are now recommending it be reclassified in a much less severe category. But Jonathan wonders, would descheduling marijuana be enough to solve all of the issues caused by the War on Drugs? Drug policy activist and attorney Shaleen Title joins Jonathan to answer that very question, and to explain some of the risks and rewards of federal marijuana legalization. Shaleen Title is an attorney and longtime drug policy activist who has been writing, passing, and implementing equitable cannabis laws for over 20 years. She is a former top regulator for the state of Massachusetts, where she served as commissioner of the Cannabis Control Commission from 2017 to 2020. Currently, her primary focus is running the nonprofit think tank Parabola Center, which pushes for cannabis policies to protect people rather than corporate profits. You can follow Shaleen on Instagram @shaleentitle. You can find Parabola Center on Instagram @parabolacenter and TikTok @parabolacenter. You can find Parabola Center’s latest paper here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every celebrity on your FYP has probably posted a cold plunging video—and maybe you want to try it too! But how does cold plunging actually work, and what benefits does it really have? Dr. Jonathan Leary joins Jonathan to explain the science behind all the wellness trends that are popular these days. From cold plunging and infrared saunas to functional medicine and proper sleep habits, he answers all of our questions about holistic wellness and gives us some tips for feeling (and looking) our best. Dr. Jonathan Leary is the Founder and CEO of Remedy Place, a revolutionary Social Wellness Club with establishments in New York and Los Angeles. His practice and expertise have been featured in top media outlets from Vogue to The New York Times, alongside a range of corporate advisories and appearances including Delta Airlines, Cannes Film Festival, and The Global Wellness Summit. Dr. Leary is on Instagram @drjonathanleary. You can find more information about Dr. Leary’s work here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure.  Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What should you do if someone breaks into your house? How can you prevent someone from stealing your identity? What’s the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from harm? Jonathan has all the questions, and security expert Robert Siciliano has all the answers! In this episode, we’re serving practical advice on all things safety, including how to make yourself a harder target, one easy action to prevent identity theft, and how a pen could save your life. Robert is a security expert and private investigator with 30+ years experience. He’s a #1 Best Selling Amazon.com author of 5 books and the architect of the CSI Protection certification. He is a frequent speaker and media commentator, CEO of Safr.Me, and Head Trainer at ProtectNowLLC.com. Robert has been featured on CNN, Fox News, CNBC, MSNBC, ABC World News Tonight, NBC Nightline, CBS Early Show, Today Show, Good Morning America and in the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Fortune, Forbes, Entrepreneur and many more. You can follow Robert on TikTok @robertsicilianodotcom, Instagram @robertsiciliano and Facebook. You can find more information about Robert and his company here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Queer Eye’s head of hair and makeup department, Senoj Byrd, joins Jonathan to celebrate the release of Season 8! Jonathan and Senoj chat about the challenges of doing hair and makeup for the screen. Plus, find out what makes a look classic in Senoj’s book, and what makeup trends she thinks are “meh” or “major.” TV/Film Makeup Artist Senoj is a proud member of IATSE who is recognized for her adaptable work ethic and technique. Ranging from high glam in Reality TV to mastering clean everyday makeup; her work has been featured in many campaigns, films, live broadcasts and commercial shoots. Senoj is also a three time honoree of the PrimeTime Emmy Awards for her contributions to the award-winning show Queer Eye. Senoj is on Instagram and TikTok @senojmg. You can find more information about Senoj’s work here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fortnite. League of Legends. The Sims. Candy Crush. From playing with your friends as a kid to competing with a team in an esports competition, there’s no denying that video games have a huge influence in our lives and the world around us. Professor Megan Condis and gamer Cybbi Barton join a Fortnite-obsessed Jonathan for a conversation on the immense influence this $217 billion industry has on our culture. Dr. Megan Condis is an assistant professor of Communication Studies at Texas Tech University. Her book, “Gaming Masculinity: Trolls, Fake Geeks, and the Gendered Battle for Online Culture”, was published by the University of Iowa Press in 2018. Cybbi Barton is the Director of the Esports Competition and Streaming Lab at Texas Tech and is a member of the Queer Women in Esports Organization. You can follow Megan on Twitter @MeganCondis and Cybbi @cybbib Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from  Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ryan Rudewicz (aka @rudepolaroids) is *the* expert in capturing your inner glow on film. NYC’s hottest nightlife photographer and Jonathan go behind the lens to talk about Polaroids, the magic of physical photos, and the joy of documenting Queer community on camera. Plus, are iPhone .5 pics meh or major? Ryan Rudewicz (better known as Rude Polaroids) is a Polaroid and film photographer based in Brooklyn capturing Queer nightlife, drag, and portraits. He is the winner of the 2023 Glam Award as New York's Best Nightlife Photographer. Ryan had his first solo gallery exhibit last summer in Provincetown and will be returning to Studio Lacombe for his second solo exhibition August 23rd - September 2, 2024. Ryan is on Instagram @rudepolaroids and on Twitter @rudepolaroids. You can find more information about Ryan’s work here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

She’s not like a regular mom, she’s a cool mom! This week, Busy Philipps joins Jonathan to talk all things Mean Girls and what it takes to be a cool mom on screen - and in real life. From bringing Mrs. George into 2024, parenting her own kids, and advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community, Busy totally makes fetch happen! Busy Philipps is a New York Times Best-Selling author, actor, activist, and writer. She’s known for her television roles on Freaks and Geeks and Dawson's Creek. She’s also appeared in films like White Chicks, Made of Honor, and He's Just Not That Into You. She currently stars in the Peacock/Netflix original series Girls5eva, and is in the new Mean Girls film, inspired by the 2004 original and Tony nominated Broadway show which released in theaters on  January 12th. She and her creative partner Caissie St. Onge also co-host the podcast Busy Philipps Is Doing Her Best. You can follow Busy on Instagram @busyphilipps. You can listen to Busy Philipps Is Doing Her Best wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mei Kawajiri (aka @nailsbymei) has actually touched Madonna’s hands…while she was doing her nails! She also happens to be the nail artist for *the host of this podcast.* Mei joins Jonathan to share the incredible story of how she moved from Tokyo to New York City and became a top celebrity nail artist. Plus, how does she create her famous 3D nail art? Do we really have to cut our cuticles? And what’s on trend for nails right now? Mei Kawajiri is the nail artist behind the most viral manicures on your Instagram feed. Mei's art is frequently in the pages of Self Service, i-D, and Pop Magazine, as well as campaigns for Vivienne Westwood and Miu-Miu. Her celebrity fans include Marc Jacobs, Dua Lipa, Gigi Hadid, Rosalía, Cardi B…and Jonathan Van Ness. Mei was recognized as one of the most inspiring and innovative creative trailblazers by the British Fashion Council in 2018 and continues to lead with passion and an indomitable spirit. Mei is on Instagram @nailsbymei. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you loved our episode on the women of the far right then this one’s for you! We’re returning to the world of white nationalism to uncover the connections between the growing anti-woke backlash movement and the rise of white power. Historian Kathleen Belew joins Jonathan to answer questions about the rise of Christian nationalism including: what’s the current state of white supremacy in America? How is the Charlottesville riot related to the January 6th insurrection?  And what can we do if we see people being radicalized in our own communities? Kathleen Belew is author of “Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America.” She is an Associate Professor of History at Northwestern University. You can follow Kathleen on TikTok @kathleen.belew and Twitter @kathleen_belew. You can follow Harvard University Press on Instagram @harvardpress. You can find more information about Kathleen, here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Tina Turner to Kristin Stewart, this week’s guest has worked with practically every iconic celeb. Celebrity hairstylist Adir Abergel spills the tea to Jonathan on how he got his start, what hair trends are “in” for 2024, and what hair product he can’t leave home without. Plus, Adir and Jonathan reveal all the insider secrets for a perfect blow-dry. Adir Abergel fuses the boundaries between fashion, art and celebrity in a way that few Hollywood hairstylists have managed to do. Using hair as his principal medium, Adir challenges red carpet conventions to exquisite effect, integrating beauty and originality into a single expression. He has been instrumental in constructing the distinctive styles of such influential talent as Jennifer Garner, Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, Marion Cotillard, Anne Hathaway, and Reese Witherspoon. Adir is on Instagram @hairbyadir. You can find Virtue Labs on Instagram @virtuelabs. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a new year and there’s a new topic that Jonathan’s curious about! We’re talking about happiness with the expert herself, Gretchen Rubin from the Happier podcast. She answers all of our burning questions about happiness in the new year: Is focusing on our own happiness selfish? How can we use our personality type to set more achievable goals in the new year? And how can we be more playful with our resolutions? Gretchen Rubin is the author of many bestselling books, such as The Happiness Project, Better Than Before, and The Four Tendencies, which have sold millions of copies in more than thirty languages. Her most recent book is Life in Five Senses. She’s also host of the popular podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and founder of award-winning Happier app, which helps people track their happiness-boosting habits. You can follow Gretchen on Instagram @gretchenrubin. You can find more information about Gretchen, here and you can listen to Happier wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For our *last* episode of the year, we’re giving you a montage à la Golden Girls. Join Jonathan, as they look back on some of their favorite conversations from recent years. We’re talking about the sociosexual behavior of bonobos, the history of Germany’s anti-sodomy law, and Tammy Baldwin’s attempt to help pass the Equality Act in Congress. We’ll see you in 2024! Dr. Laura Simone Lewis is a UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow in the Psychology department at UC Berkeley. Check out her full episode of Getting Curious here. Dr. W. Jake Newsome is an award-winning scholar of German and American LGBTQ+ history whose work educates global audiences. Check out his full episode of Getting Curious here. Tammy Baldwin is the Junior US Senator from Wisconsin & was the first openly gay woman to be elected to Congress. Check out her full episode of Getting Curious here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2023 was a year of big decisions for the Supreme Court, including recent news that they’ll be reviewing the constitutionality of mifepristone in the coming year. So we’re heading into the archives with this episode recorded right after the Dobbs decision was leaked. Professor Jacqueline Antonovich and Jonathan trace the history of abortion care and reproductive rights across the country in this episode originally recorded in July 2022. Jacqueline Antonovich is an Assistant Professor of History at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA. She is the author of the article, “White Coats, White Hoods: The Medical Politics of the Ku Klux Klan in 1920s America,” and she is currently working on a book on the history of women physicians and medical imperialism in the American West. Jacqueline is the creator and co-founder of Nursing Clio, a collaborative blog project that examines the historical roots of present-day issues surrounding gender, health, and medicine. Make sure to follow Professor Antonovich on Twitter @jackiantonovich and Nursing Clio on Twitter @NursingClio and at nursingclio.org. Looking for further reading? Here are some books Professor Antonovich recommends: Killing the Black Body by Dr. Dorothy Roberts Medical Bondage by Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens Medicalizing Blackness by Dr. Rana A. Hogarth Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

December is World AIDS Month, so we’re bringing back Dr. Celeste Watkins-Hayes to learn about recent developments in HIV research. We’re also covering weight-neutral health care, a win for the LGBTQIA+ community, and a rare bird spotting in Colombia! Celeste Watkins-Hayes is the Jean E. Fairfax Collegiate Professor of Public Policy and Sociology at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and founding director of the school's Center for Racial Justice. Dr. Watkins-Hayes holds a PhD and MA in sociology from Harvard University and a BA from Spelman College. You can follow Dr. Celeste Watkins-Hayes on Instagram @celestewatkinshayes and on Twitter @watkinshayes. You can learn more about her work here. Check out her previous episode of Getting Curious here. You can follow the Ford School on Instagram @fordschool. For more information on the news stories we covered this week, head to @curiouswithjvn on Instagram. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you ever watch Finding Nemo and wonder about the scary-looking fish with the gnarly teeth and the light on its head? Well then you’ve come to the right place! This week, we’re talking anglerfish! Marine biologist Dr. Mackenzie Gerringer and Jonathan spill the tea on what’s going on in the deep sea. We cover everything from how big the Mariana Trench is to how the deepest-living fishes reproduce–and it's WAY weirder than you think! Mackenzie Gerringer (she/her/hers) is an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Geneseo. Her research centers on the physiology and ecology of deep-sea animals, including the planet’s deepest-living fishes. She earned her PhD in Marine Biology from the University of Hawaii in 2017 before working as a postdoctoral researcher at Friday Harbor Labs, University of Washington. She has spent over 200 days at sea exploring the ocean’s depths with free-vehicle landers, ROVs, and submersibles. You can find more information about Mackenzie and the projects her lab is working on, here, and you can learn more about human impacts on deep-sea ecosystems, here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cheekbone Beauty came to Jenn Harper in a literal dream. Now her brand is on the shelves of Sephora Canada and on the Met Gala red carpet. Jenn tells Jonathan about her love of simplicity, how she approaches sustainability, and what Indigenous representation means to her. Plus, the Cheekbone product you need in your makeup bag ASAP. Check out our Instagram @curiouswithjvn to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. An award-winning social entrepreneur, Jenn Harper is the Founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics INC. Cheekbone Beauty is a digital direct to consumer brand helping  Indigenous youth see themselves in a beauty brand while using the concept of Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) in the brand’s ethos and in developing products. Cheekbone Beauty’s mission is to help every Indigenous youth see and feel their enormous value in the world while creating sustainable cosmetics. Cheekbone is on Instagram @cheekbonebeauty, TikTok @cheekbonebeauty, Twitter @cheekbonebeauty and Youtube @cheekbonebeauty8958. For more, head to cheekbonebeauty.com. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we’re taking on all of your financial questions. What the heck is a Roth IRA? How should you approach spending money? What’s a high-yield savings account and should I have one? Internationally recognized money expert Tori Dunlap joins Jonathan to answer all these questions and more to teach us how we can all save our money. Tori Dunlap is an internationally recognized money and career expert, and podcast host. After saving $100,000 at age 25, Tori quit her corporate job in marketing and founded Her First $100K to fight financial inequality by giving women actionable resources to better their money. She has helped over three million women negotiate salary, pay off debt, build savings, and invest. You can find HerFirst100k on Instagram @herfirst100k and on their website, here. You can listen to Financial Feminist wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on Curious Now, we’re getting an update on legislative efforts to advocate for survivors of intimate partner violence. Sonya Passi joins Jonathan to talk about her organization, FreeFrom, as well as current events regarding intimate partner violence–including the Supreme Court case United States v. Rahimi. Sonya Passi is the founder of FreeFrom, a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to helping survivors of intimate partner violence achieve economic justice and long-term financial stability. In addition to her advocacy work, Sonya is the co-founder and CEO of CHANI—the tech and media startup behind the eponymous viral astrology app for self-discovery, mindfulness, and healing. You can follow Sonya on Twitter @PassiSonya. You can follow FreeFrom on Twitter @freefromorg and Instagram @freefromdotorg. You can also find more information on their website, here. You can find more information about Gifted, here. Content advisory: This conversation includes frank discussion of intimate partner violence. Tune in next Monday for another episode of our other new series Pretty Curious, all about beauty—and every Wednesday for an all-new episode of Getting Curious. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What kind of flower is Agnes van Rhijn from The Gilded Age? How can you start a garden when you don’t have a lot of space? Can Jonathan do an accurate Moira Rose impression? This week, Jonathan and their husband Mark dig deep on all things gardening. Mark shares his love of landscaping, his daily garden routine, and answers some listener questions. Mark Peacock has a degree in Landscape Architecture & Garden Design from University of Essex. You can follow Mark on Instagram @marklondon. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure and Julia Melfi. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure.  Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week’s Pretty Curious. we’re still talking all things skincare, hair care, beauty, self-care, and beyond - but we’re turning the mic to YOU, our listeners, for a super charged Q&A, PLUS the very first annual Pretty Curious Holiday Gift Guide. And no holiday party would be complete without a game or two- and we’ve got that covered with our very special guest and style icon, Tan France. To learn more about the products referenced in the episode, check out our Instagram @curiouswithjvn, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the episode transcript. Make sure to check out our other new series, Curious Now. And don’t worry—Getting Curious isn’t going anywhere. We’ll still be releasing new episodes every Wednesday. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you ever look around at your living space and suddenly realize that you have way too much stuff? Well, you might need to take some inspo from the traditions of Swedish Death Cleaning! On this week’s Getting Curious, the three Swedish Death Cleaners from the Peacock show join Jonathan to tell us all how we can tidy up our lives and learn to confront one of the scariest things out there: death. Ella Engström is an organizer. Johan Svenson is a designer. And Katarina Blom is a psychologist. You can follow Johan on Instagram @svenson_johan, Ella on Instagram @engsroom, and Katrina on Instagram @katarinablom. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning is streaming now, on Peacock. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every other week on Curious Now, we cover updates on the gender-affirming care bans being put in place all over the U.S. But this week, we’re taking a deeper look at this huge issue with someone who is at the center of a case that might be taken to the Supreme Court. L.W. and ACLU lawyer Chase Strangio join Jonathan to talk about the impact gender-affirming care bans have on trans children and how they plan on fighting back. You can follow the ACLU of Tennessee on Instagram and Twitter @aclu_tennessee. You can also find more information on their website, here. For more information on the news stories we covered this week, head to @curiouswithjvn on Instagram. Tune in next Monday for another episode of our other new series Pretty Curious, all about beauty—and every Wednesday for an all-new episode of Getting Curious. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by  Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kohl. Mebari. Kajal. Eyeliner. It may go by many names, but most people know exactly what this iconic makeup tool is, and how to use it to enhance their eyes. On this week’s Getting Curious, journalist Zahra Hankir takes us on a journey through thousands of years of history to learn all about eyeliner. From Queen Nerfertiti in ancient Egypt to the Wodaabe community in Chad to the drag queens on Fire Island, we’ll learn all about how people have used this amazing tool in the past, and how they just might use it in the future. Zahra Hankir is a Lebanese-British journalist who writes about the intersection of politics, culture and society. Her work has appeared in publications including Condé Nast Traveller, the Observer, Times Literary Supplement, BBC News, the Los Angeles Times, and The Rumpus. She was awarded a Jack R. Howard Fellowship in International Journalism to attend the Columbia Journalism School and holds degrees in politics and Middle Eastern studies. You can follow Zahra on Instagram @zahrahankir. Her book Eyeliner: A Cultural History is available now. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do you get when you combine sustainably sourced botanicals with Indigenous plant science? Sḵwálwen Botanicals! Ethnobotanist and founder of Sḵwálwen, Leigh Joseph, joins Jonathan on this week’s Pretty Curious to talk all about her approach to harvesting their botanicals, what motivated her to start her brand, and how we can all become more connected to the land. To learn more about the products referenced in the episode, check out our Instagram @curiouswithjvn, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the episode transcript. Sḵwálwen Botanicals is an Indigenous skincare brand that honours cultural knowledge, Indigenous plant science and self care. Founded by ethnobotanist Leigh Joseph of Squamish First Nation, Sḵwálwen (skwall - win) provides gentle and effective skincare and wellness products that draw from the ceremonial aspects of plants. Incorporating sustainably harvested and sourced botanicals, Sḵwálwen unites ancestral traditions with modern beauty rituals, empowering people to connect to themselves and the natural world. Sḵwálwen is on Instagram @skwalwenbotanicals and TikTok @skwalwen_botanicals. For more, head to skwalwen.com. Make sure to check out our other new series, Curious Now. And don’t worry—Getting Curious isn’t going anywhere. We’ll still be releasing new episodes every Wednesday. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest has not one, but TWO Olympic gold medals. Middle-distance runner Caster Semenya joins Jonathan to discuss what fairness in athletics really looks like. From her experience undergoing public scrutiny to her favorite sport to watch on TV, we learn all about this amazing Olympian and her fight to be allowed to compete. Caster Semenya, OIB, is a South African middle-distance runner and winner of two Olympic gold medals and three World Championships in the women’s 800 meters. The Race to Be Myself is her debut memoir. She lives in Pretoria, South Africa, with her wife, Violet Raseboya, and their children. You can follow Caster on Instagram @castersemenya800m and Twitter @MightyCaster. You  can follow W.W. Norton on Instagram @w.w.norton and Twitter @wwnorton. Caster’s memoir The Race to Be Myself is available now via W.W. Norton or wherever books are sold. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer and performer Travis Alabanza joins Jonathan on this week’s Curious Now to talk about some of the differences between club culture in the U.S. and U.K., some current issues facing the LGBTQIA+ community, and how they hope we can all come to see gender nonconformity. Travis Alabanza is an award-winning writer, performer, and theater maker. After being the youngest recipient of the Artist-in-Residency program at Tate Galleries, Alabanza’s debut show Burgerz toured internationally to sold-out performances in London, São Paulo, and Berlin, and won the Edinburgh Fringe Total Theatre Award. You can follow Travis on Instagram and Twitter @travisalabanza, and the Feminist Press on Instagram and Twitter @feministpress. Their memoir None of the Above: Reflections on Life Beyond the Binary is available now via Feminist Press or wherever books are sold. For more information on the news stories we covered this week, head to @curiouswithjvn on Instagram. You can go to iwillvote.com for more information on polling locations and voting in your area! Tune in next Monday for another episode of our other new series Pretty Curious, all about beauty—and every Wednesday for an all-new episode of Getting Curious. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dolls play a huge part in our childhoods. Whether it was your best friend, or it gave you the creeps, your doll probably had some role in making you who you are today. This week, Getting Curious is getting all dolled up! Freyja Hartzell joins Jonathan to talk about disability representation in dolls, why some kids harm their dolls, and what makes play so important. Plus, she shows us perhaps the creepiest doll we’ve ever seen. Freyja Hartzell teaches the history of modern design, architecture, and art at Bard Graduate Center in New York City. She’s currently writing a new book about dolls, robots, and AI--Doll Parts: Designing Likeness. She’s also working on a related exhibition called Dollatry, which will open at Bard Graduate Center Gallery in February 2025. You can learn more about Freyja’s work on her website. Her book, Richard Riemerschmid’s Extraordinary Living Things (MIT Press, 2022) can be found here. You can find more information about Tanya Marriott, the toy designer mentioned in the episode, here. You can learn more about Robin Bernstein's work, here.  You can find links to the audio clips played in the episode, here: Thomas Edison Talking Doll Barbie Liberation Organization  Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might know this week’s Pretty Curious guest from Season 12 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race." This week, model and artist Gigi Goode joins Jonathan to solve a makeup mystery, talk all things Avalon TV, and teach us how to choose an absolutely iconic costume this Halloween. Our conversation with Gigi begins around 5 minutes into the episode. To learn more about the products referenced in the episode, check out our Instagram @curiouswithjvn, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the episode transcript. Gigi Goode is a radiant force captivating the world with her stunning looks and fierce charisma. From the small town of Rockford, Illinois, Gigi's journey began with a passionate pursuit of self-expression, drawing inspiration from her childhood love of dress-up to create an iconic and glamorous persona. Her unforgettable journey on Season 12 of “RuPaul's Drag Race” left a mark on fans worldwide. Beyond the screen, she is an active advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights and self-acceptance, earning recognition as a role model and trailblazer. You can follow Gigi on Instagram @thegigigoode. The House of Avalon is on Instagram @thehouseofavalon. Avalon TV is out now on WOW Presents Plus. Make sure to check out our other new series, Curious Now. And don’t worry—Getting Curious isn’t going anywhere. We’ll still be releasing new episodes every Wednesday. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More than half of the world’s population lives near a coastline. And where there’s a coastline, there’s the potential for a tsunami. This week, Dr. Tina Dura joins Jonathan to talk all about these geohazards, whose waves can soar to over 1000 feet tall. Learn how tsunamis form, how they’ve altered landscapes across millenia, and what to do if you’re in a hazard zone. Dr. Tina Dura, head of the Coastal Hazards Lab at Virginia Tech, specializes in subduction zone paleoseismology, which combines the methods of coastal stratigraphy, sedimentology, and micropaleontology to reconstruct thousands or year-long histories of earthquake induced land-level change and tsunami inundation. These long-term records of earthquakes and tsunamis help us understand their magnitude and recurrence interval through time, improving hazards preparedness along subduction zone coastlines. Dr. Dura is on Twitter at @diatomdura. You can learn more about Dr. Dura’s work at coastalhazardslab.com. Want to learn more about tsunami preparedness? Check out these resources: Tsunamis | Ready.gov Tsunami Preparedness | Tsunami Safety Tips | Red Cross Tsunami Preparedness and Mitigation: Individuals (You!) | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Another great resource is ShakeAlert, which we discussed in our episode about earthquakes with Dr. Ashly Cabas. If you haven’t heard that episode, or you’re due for a refresh, you can check it out here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On February 3rd, a train derailed right outside of East Palestine, Ohio. Toxic substances were released into the air, thousands of gallons of oil leaked into the ground, and the residents of the town feel they have been forgotten. This week, activists Justin Garner and Emily Wright join Jonathan to talk about what’s happened in the eight months since the disaster, and what we can all do to help. We get into our conversation with Emily and Justin around 8 minutes into the episode, so skip to then if you simply can’t wait to hear from them! For more information on the news stories we covered this week, head to @curiouswithjvn on Instagram. You can follow River Valley Organizing on Instagram @rivervalleyorganizing, Twitter @RiverValleyOrg, and Facebook @rivervalleyorganizing. Their website is rivervalleyorganizing.com. Justin Garner is the Communications Director for River Valley Organizing. Emily Wright is an activist, organizer and resident of the area surrounding East Palestine, Ohio. Tune in next Monday for another episode of our other new series Pretty Curious, all about beauty—and every Wednesday for an all-new episode of Getting Curious. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your passport tells a story of where you’re from—and where you’re allowed to go. But what if you wanted to rewrite that story? Professor Kristin Surak joins us to discuss the world of golden passports, where millionaires and billionaires buy citizenship to countries they’re not from—and are often not living in—in order to navigate travel perks, business opportunities, and even scandals. If you thought all passports were created equal, you’re in for a trip. Kristin Surak is Associate Professor of Political Sociology at the LSE and the author of The Golden Passport: Global Mobility for Millionaires (Harvard University Press 2023). In addition to her academic work, she writes for popular outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Guardian, and comments regularly for the BBC, Bloomberg TV, and Sky TV News. You can follow her on Twitter @KristinSurak and on TikTok @goldenpassports. To learn more about her work, check out her department page. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine a beauty playground where every makeup product is multi-use, you’re encouraged to get creative, and everyone is welcome. You’re imagining Danessa Myricks Beauty. Danessa Myricks drops by Pretty Curious this week to share her dynamic approach to makeup, the magical ingredient that’s powering her product lines today, and her tips for achieving a creamy, long-lasting look. Our conversation with Danessa begins around 10 minutes into the episode. To learn more about the products referenced in the episode, check out our Instagram @curiouswithjvn, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the episode transcript. Danessa Myricks has continuously broken boundaries and built a world of beauty for people from all races, ages and genders. As a pro makeup artist, photographer, and entrepreneur, Danessa is one of the most influential leaders in the beauty industry, inventing products that work in multiple places and on all faces. With the creation of her multi-million-dollar eponymous brand, Danessa Myricks Beauty and photography work, she continues to creatively combine art, product innovation, education, and inclusivity to move the beauty industry forward. You can follow Danessa on Instagram @danessa_myricks. Danessa Myricks Beauty is on Instagram and TikTok  @danessamyricksbeauty. For more, head to danessamyricksbeauty.com and Sephora’s Danessa Myricks Beauty collection. Make sure to check out our other new series, Curious Now. And don’t worry—Getting Curious isn’t going anywhere. We’ll still be releasing new episodes every Wednesday. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Warrior princesses. Gender-bending Vikings. Nuns who were writing about orgasms and writing world-class music. This week, Dr. Janina Ramirez is taking us back to the 400s—and introducing us to the baddies of the Middle Ages. What did people think about abortions? Did Vikings really wear horned helmets? And why is this period anything but a dark age? Dr. Janina Ramirez is a cultural historian, broadcaster and author based at the University of Oxford. Her research began with a degree in English literature at Oxford, followed by an MA and PhD at the Centre for Medieval Studies in York on the art, literature and culture of Anglo-Saxon England. Her book Femina: A New History of the Middle Ages, Through the Women Written Out of It is available now! You can follow Dr. Ramirez on Instagram and Twitter @DrJaninaRamirez. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From reproductive rights to school curricula to traffic and infrastructure, state legislatures make decisions about our everyday lives, all across the country. And these legislators regularly win their seats by a couple hundred votes, even fewer. Sister District co-founders Lala Wu and Lyzz Schwegler join Jonathan this week to discuss what’s at stake in state legislative elections this fall, how states like Virginia are bellwethers for 2024, and why every voter needs to show up this odd-year election. We get into our conversation with Sister District around 13 minutes into the episode, so skip to then if you simply can’t wait to hear from them! For more information on the news stories we covered this week, head to @curiouswithjvn on Instagram. You can follow Sister District on Instagram and Twitter @Sister_District, and at sisterdistrict.com. For more, check out the following resources: Text “JOIN” to 68998 Sister District’s State Bridges Program Princeton Gerrymandering Project Virginia Public Access Project iwillvote.com And be sure to check out Equality Texas, our spotlight group of the week. They’re on Instagram and Twitter @equalitytexas and at equalitytexas.org. Lala Wu is a Co-Founder and the Executive Director of Sister District. Prior to Sister District, Lala practiced law, specializing in environmental issues and clean energy. Lala graduated from U.C. Berkeley, School of Law and Barnard College of Columbia University. Lala serves on the Boards of the AAPI Victory Alliance and TogetherSF. Lyzz Schwegler is a Co-Founder and Sister District’s Senior Vice President of Digital. Prior to co-founding Sister District, she worked for a nonprofit film and television production company, founded her own production company and produced an internationally recognized one-man play, and spent half a decade as a communications professional in the private sector. She was pursuing a graduate degree in Public Policy when Trump was elected and Sister District was born. Tune in next Monday for another episode of our other new series Pretty Curious, all about beauty—and every Wednesday for an all-new episode of Getting Curious. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

She’s a Jeopardy! champion, an advocate for trans rights and representation, and this week’s guest on the podcast. Who is Amy Schneider? Amy joins Jonathan this week to talk all about her Jeopardy! career, her latest Wikipedia wormholes, and her love of tarot. Plus, a Jeopardy! round inspired by Jonathan’s favorite topics. Amy Schneider is an American software engineer and recent Jeopardy! champion. Following an impressive forty-game winning streak, she became the most successful woman ever to compete on Jeopardy!. She is second all-time in the show’s history, trailing only Ken Jennings. Amy is also the first openly transgender contestant to qualify for the Tournament of Champions. Her new book In the Form of a Question: The Joys and Rewards of a Curious Life is out now. You can follow Amy on Instagram and Twitter @jeopardamy. For more from Avid Reader Press, check out @avidreaderpress on Instagram and Twitter. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Whether she’s on the basketball court or the red carpet, this week’s Pretty Curious guest knows how to turn a look. Actress, producer, and ballroom legend Trace Lysette joins Jonathan to discuss her favorite beauty products, how she takes inspiration from both 1930s Hollywood and 1990s ballroom culture, and her thoughts on the phrase “stunning.” Our conversation with Trace begins around 8 minutes into the episode. Trace Lysette is a dynamic and talented actress known for her remarkable contributions to the entertainment industry and has emerged as a powerful voice and a beacon of representation for transgender individuals in Hollywood. She currently stars in the critically acclaimed film MONICA playing the title role opposite Patricia Clarkson; which also has a SAG/AFTRA Interim agreement so they can promote for the upcoming awards season including the Oscars. You can follow Trace on Instagram @tracelysette Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s in a calorie? So much more than what you see on a box of cereal or a restaurant menu. The story of the nutritional calorie is the story of U.S. empire, dating back to the late 1800s when government agencies used it to determine just how little they could feed people in the military, prisons, asylums, and Native boarding schools. This week, Dr. Athia N. Choudhury joins Jonathan to discuss the history and politics of the calorie, and explains why counting on this metric—and wellness culture more generally—can be a “mundane kind of violence.” A note from Dr. Choudhury and Team JVN: This discussion periodically includes the term “ob*sity.” When it is referenced, it is only to describe a process of medicalization and pathologization, and not in alignment with its politics or political uses. Athia N. Choudhury is a writer and cultural historian/theorist interested in questions of race, food, militarism, eugenics, and body surveillance in the 20th-21st century. She earned a Ph.D. in American Studies and Ethnicity from the University of Southern California and is currently the Postdoctoral Associate in Asian American and Diaspora Studies at Duke University. You can find Athia’s writing in The Journal of Transnational American Studies, The Routledge International Handbook on Fat Studies, Pipewrench magazine, and Food, Fat, Fitness: Critical Perspectives. You can learn more about Dr. Choudhury at athiachoudhury.com, and reach out to her here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you haven’t seen this week’s Curious Now guest on your TikTok feed, you’ve definitely seen her work. Annie Wu Henry was a breakout star of John Fetterman’s winning Senate campaign, where she crafted iconic, witty, incisive videos for Fetterman’s TikTok account—and turned likes and views into votes. We’re hearing all about her political strategy work, her take on Gen Z and millennial voters, and how she’s planning to post her way through the 2024 presidential elections. We get into our conversation with Annie around the 11-minute mark, so skip to then if you simply can’t wait to hear from her. For more information on the news stories we covered this week, head to @curiouswithjvn on Instagram. You can follow Annie on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok @annie_wu_22. Annie Wu Henry is a progressive social media and digital strategy expert who passionately believes in the synergy of on-the-ground organizing, electoral campaigns, and online media. Currently holding key roles as Creative Director at AAPI Victory Fund and Digital Consultant for the Working Families Party, Annie’s visionary approach has significantly elevated various campaigns and initiatives. Notably, she played a pivotal role as the social media producer for John Fetterman’s successful Senate campaign in Pennsylvania. Through her personal platform, Annie actively engages her followers, empowering them to stay informed and take action in the pursuit of progressive change. Tune in next Monday for another episode of our other new series Pretty Curious, all about beauty. And check in next Wednesday for an all-new episode of Getting Curious. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a group of far right influencers lurking on your social media feeds. They post organic recipes, millennial mom advice, and #glowups. And they’re using this content to promote white supremacist ideas. This week, Dr. Eviane Leidig joins us to discuss who these women are and how they’re spreading hate on social media. Dr. Eviane Leidig is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellow at Tilburg University. Her research specializes in the global far-right, gender, and online radicalization, recruitment, and propaganda. Her latest book, The Women of the Far Right: Social Media Influencers and Online Radicalization, is published by Columbia University Press. You can follow Dr. Leidig on Twitter @evianeleidig, and at www.evianeleidig.com. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to Pretty Curious, a new series where every other Monday, we’ll be talking all things beauty—skincare, haircare, self-care, and beyond. For our premiere episode, we’ve invited back Getting Curious guest David Yi to discuss their GRWM routine, their K-Beauty faves, and how they’re making skincare more inclusive with their brand Good Light. We get into our interview 8 minutes and 30 seconds into the episode, after some stunning product reviews from Jonathan, so skip to then if you simply can’t wait to hear from David! For more information on the beauty products we discussed this week, head to @curiouswithjvn on Instagram. David Yi is the founder and editor of Very Good Light, a beauty platform that aims to democratize beauty for all people and author of the book, PRETTY BOYS. He's been written about in the NYT, LAT, Forbes, Allure, among others as the thought leader in men's beauty, identity, and Asian American advocacy. David has championed DEI in his decade of journalism, writing for the likes of the WSJ, GQ, Vogue, and WWD. Additionally, he is a founder of AIM, Advocates for Inclusion in Media, as well as a GLAAD and Webby nominee. You can follow David on Instagram @seoulcialite. good light is on Instagram and TikTok @goodlight.world, and at goodlight.world. And Very Good Light is on Instagram @verygoodlight, and at verygoodlight.com. You can revisit David’s episode of Getting Curious here. Make sure to check out our other new series, Curious Now. And don’t worry—Getting Curious isn’t going anywhere. We’ll still be releasing new episodes every Wednesday. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gather your plant fam and tell all the green gurls—there’s royalty on the podcast this week! Christopher Griffin aka THE Plant Kween joins Jonathan to discuss the joys of indoor gardening, from finding a plant that fits your lifestyle to tending to root rot. Plus, a casting session for Divas Live: Green Gurls edition! Christopher Griffin, also known as Plant Kween, is a Brooklyn-based educator, author of YOU GROW, GURL! Plant Kween’s Lush Guide to Growing your Garden, and gardener with a collection of more than 200 green plants (also known as “green gurls”) in their apartment. Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Christopher grew up visiting local nurseries with their grandmother, which inspired their plant parenting journey. As an educator, Christopher started their Instagram account @plantkween in 2016 as a way to share the many lessons, lush adventures, and simple joys that come with being a plant parent. Their social media presence has been rooted in a journey of self-care, sharing joy, and community building all through the wonders of those green little creatures we call plants. You can follow Christopher on Instagram and TikTok at @plantkween, and at www.plantkween.com. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a new week—and we’re debuting a new series! Welcome to Curious Now, where every other Monday, we’ll be covering topical issues like elections, climate change, LGBTQIA+ rights, and beyond. For our premiere episode, we’re honored to be back in conversation with Alicia Roth Weigel, a beloved Getting Curious guest who is advocating for intersex rights. We discuss how recent anti-trans legislation also affects intersex people, and what it looks like to protect the “I” in LGBTQIA+. We get into our conversation with Alicia 10 minutes into the episode, so skip to then if you simply can’t wait to hear from her! For more information on the news stories we covered this week, head to @curiouswithjvn on Instagram. Alicia Roth Weigel is a writer and activist working to improve the political and social landscape for marginalized populations in the South and worldwide through her firm, Intrepida Strategy. As a partner for the Pride Fund, Alicia is raising and deploying capital to grow LGBTQIA+-led companies in Texas and beyond. A Human Rights Commissioner for the City of Austin, she continually advocates for the rights of intersex people like her. You can follow Alicia on Instagram @xoxy_alicia. Make sure to order her new book Inverse Cowgirl: A Memoir, watch the documentary Every Body, and read fellow intersex activist Pidgeon Pagonis' book Nobody Needs To Know. And check out Alicia's first episode of Getting Curious. Tune in next Monday for the premiere episode of our other new series Pretty Curious, all about beauty! And don’t worry—Getting Curious isn’t going anywhere. We’ll still be releasing new episodes every Wednesday! Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious, Curious Now, and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know the feeling when you try on a dress and realize—it has pockets? Those pockets were more than 500 years in the making! Dr. Hannah Carlson joins us this week to discuss why pockets are still not a staple for womenswear, and how people throughout history—from Queen Elizabeth I to suffragettes to a first grader in Arkansas—have taken up pockets as a political cause. Hannah Carlson teaches dress history and material culture at the Rhode Island School of Design. After training as a conservator of costume and textiles at the Fashion Institute of Technology, she received a PhD in material culture from Boston University. She has contributed articles to Commonplace: the journal of early American life; Dress: the Journal of the Costume Society of America; and MacGuffin: The Life of Things. She's also the author of the new book Pockets: An Intimate History of How We Keep Things Close. Still curious? Check out these resources from the episode: Abraham Lincoln’s pockets Jan Diehm and Amber Thomas on women’s pockets First assassination of a head of state by handgun Pocket tool kits of the eighteenth century The Macaroni Boys Reticules Women’s Army Corps uniforms One Year’s Dungaree Debris Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo and Anne Currie. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s better than one constitutional law expert? THREE! This spring we had the honor of speaking with Professor Melissa Murray about the Supreme Court's recent term. Now she’s back, with her brilliant Strict Scrutiny co-hosts, Professors Leah Litman and Kate Shaw. They join Jonathan to discuss WTF is going on with the Supreme Court these days—from Clarence Thomas’ luxury vacations to what the nation's highest court has in store for us this fall. Plus, an epic round of judicial-themed F*ck, Marry, Kill… You can follow Strict Scrutiny on Twitter @StrictScrutiny_ and on Instagram @strictscrutinypodcast. For more information, check out crooked.com. Melissa is on Twitter and Instagram @profmmurray. Leah is on Twitter @LeahLitman and Instagram @profleahlitman. Kate is on Twitter @Kateashaw1 and Instagram @kateashaw. Melissa Murray is a Professor of Law at NYU School of Law, where she teaches constitutional law, family law, criminal law, and reproductive rights and justice and writes about the legal regulation of intimate life. Melissa clerked for Judge Stefan Underhill on the District of Connecticut and for Justice Sotomayor when she served on the Second Circuit. When she’s not reading the SCOTUS tea leaves, she’s practicing the violin, reading People magazine, and keeping up with Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. Leah Litman is an assistant professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School. She clerked for Judge Sutton on the Sixth Circuit and Justice Kennedy on the Supreme Court. Leah researches and writes about constitutional law and federal courts. She also maintains an active pro bono practice (and she loves reality television). Kate Shaw is a Professor of Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in NYC. She teaches Constitutional Law, Legislation, Administrative Law, and a seminar on the Supreme Court, and writes about executive power, the law of democracy, and reproductive rights and justice. Before becoming a law professor she worked in the Obama White House Counsel’s Office, and before that was a clerk to Justice Stevens and Judge Posner. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Samantha Martinez, and Anne Currie. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Southern Resident killer whales are a lot like us. They have family meals, chat in different dialects, and sleep side by side. They even engage in an activity called sword fighting—which is exactly what it sounds like. One major difference? There are only 75 of these orcas alive today. This week, we’re learning all about this remarkable endangered population, what they're really up to when they ram into boats, and what it’ll take to protect them. Dr. Deborah Giles is one of the world’s leading experts on the Southern Resident killer whales. Giles serves as the Research Director for Wild Orca, monitoring the Southern Resident killer whales’ health through non-invasive sampling with Eba, her highly-trained scent detection dog. She is one of the principal voices calling for the recovery of these endangered orcas. You can follow Wild Orca on Instagram @wildorcaorg and Twitter @wildorcaorg. Eba the dog is on Instagram @eba_the_whale_dog. For more information, check out wildorca.org. Check out the orca chart that Dr. Giles references in the episode here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Samantha Martinez, and Anne Currie. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Getting Curious is going spelunking! Caves are full of evidence about our Earth’s past: they can tell us about monsoons in Laos and sea surface temperatures in Mexico over tens of thousands of years ago. They can also help predict our climate future. This week, Professor Kathleen R. Johnson takes us through the incredible world of caves and shares what it’s like to scale 200-foot ladders, kayak all day in the dark, and encounter pythons, big ass spiders, and other creatures along the way—all in the name of science! Kathleen Johnson is a Professor in the Department of Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). She is a geochemist and a paleoclimatologist who specializes in reconstructing past climate changes using stalagmites from tropical and monsoon regions, with current projects in Laos, Vietnam, and Mexico. In addition, she directs the new UCI CLIMATE Justice initiative which aims to culturally transform the geosciences through training postbaccalaureate and PhD Fellows in community-engaged research practices and environmental justice. You can follow Professor Johnson on Twitter @cavesandclimate, and on Threads @kathleen.r.johnson. For more information on her work, check out her lab website and department website. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Curious for more? Check out these episodes next: How Major Are Volcanoes? What's It Like To Survive An Earthquake? Does Groundwater Go With The Flow? How Does Dust Impact Earth's Climate? Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Samantha Martinez, and Anne Currie. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We spend one third of our lives sleeping. But WTF is going on during those hours?! This week, Dr. Gina Poe gives us an A to Zzzz crash course in all things sleep. Dreams, memory, narcolepsy, naps, sleep demons, traveling across time zones, playing video games before bed, how substances like caffeine and alcohol affect our rest—and beyond! Gina Poe is a neuroscientist at UCLA who has worked on the functions of sleep for over 30 years with an independent research laboratory funded by the National Institute of Mental Health for over 20 years. At UCLA she teaches how the brain becomes biased and one can change one's mind through the powerfully plastic state of sleep, winning the UCLA Distinguished Teaching award in 2022 and the US President's 2014 PAESMEM award for mentoring work through the Society for Neuroscience. Dr. Poe counsels on initiatives and funding priorities for the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, has authored nearly 200 publications (papers and abstracts), and has appeared on PBS's NOVA and Netflix's The Mind Explained and other television and podcast venues. She and her husband have four children, two grandchildren (with another on the way!), a dog, and a cat. You can follow Dr. Poe on Twitter @doctorpoe, on Instagram @poe.gina, and on LinkedIn at Gina R. Poe. For more information, check out: The National Sleep Foundation Dr. Poe’s Brain Research Institute site Dr. Poe’s Department site Dr. Poe Lab site Dr. Poe’s publications Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Samantha Martinez, and Anne Currie. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sea daddies! Sea queens! Land hoes! This week, we’re getting wet and wild with Dr. Seth LeJacq to learn what life was like for queer sailors in the British navy from the 15th century to the 19th century. How did these sailors express their gender and sexuality? What did they risk—legally and socially—when they pursued queer relationships? And were their ship hammocks really sturdy enough for a night of deep sea “exploration”? Dr. Seth Stein LeJacq is a historian specializing in the history of gender, sexuality, and medicine. He is currently a Caird Fellow at the UK National Maritime Museum. You can follow Dr. LeJacq on Twitter @SethSLeJacq, and learn more about his work at sethlejacq.com. His Routledge collection Sexual and Gender Difference in the British Navy, 1690-1900 will be available for pre-order soon. Here's a portrait of Captain Edward Rigby, here's an etching of Captain Whiffle and Mr. Simper, and here's a rendition of "Backside Rules The Navy." We'll be sharing more resources on our @CuriouswithJVN Instagram account throughout the week. Curious for more? Check out these episodes from our archives: Why Is The Titanic So Iconic? Who Were History’s “Female Husbands”? Do Beauty Standards Need A Glow Up? Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Samantha Martinez, and Anne Currie. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Paris. Lindsay. Kim. We know the celebs in paparazzi photos, but what about the people behind the cameras? This week, Professor Vanessa Díaz takes us inside the world of Hollywood's paparazzi—who are predominantly Latine men, many undocumented—and shares what this profession captures about power, politics, and pop culture in America. Vanessa Díaz, Associate Professor of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies at Loyola Marymount University, is a multimedia ethnographer and journalist whose work focuses on issues of race, gender, and labor in popular culture across the Americas. Grounded in her experience as a red carpet reporter for People magazine, Díaz’s award winning book Manufacturing Celebrity: Latino Paparazzi and Women Reporters in Hollywood (Duke 2020) focuses on hierarchies of labor as well as racial and gender politics in the production of celebrity-focused media. Díaz is also the co-creator of the Bad Bunny Syllabus Project and co-author of UCLA’s 2017 Hollywood Diversity Report. You can follow her on Twitter @vanessajdiaz and on Instagram @drcrazyness, and learn more about her work by visiting manufacturingcelebritybook.com and badbunnysyllabus.com. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parasites are everywhere: in our bodies, in our water, even in our cats’ litter boxes. Are they agents of chaos—or just misunderstood? This week, Dr. Sebastian Lourido joins Jonathan to discuss the epic world of parasites, from pinworms to toxoplasma gondii to, yes, humans. Parasites! They’re everything, everywhere, all at once. Dr. Sebastian Lourido is an Associate Professor of Biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. Lourido grew up in Colombia before attending Tulane University, where he earned degrees in Art and Biology. He then worked with Arturo Zychlinsky, at the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, before pursuing his Ph.D. at Washington University with L. David Sibley. In 2012, in lieu of traditional postdoctoral training, Lourido started his own lab as a Whitehead Fellow studying the molecular hallmarks of apicomplexan parasitism through proteomics and functional genomics. Lourido was recruited to his present position in 2017 where he continues his research and co-teaches courses in Microbial Pathogenesis and Cell Biology. You can follow Dr. Lourido and the Lourido Lab on Twitter @LouridoLab, @WhiteheadInst and @MITBiology. For more information, check out the websites for the Lourido Lab and Whitehead Institute. Curious for more? Check out these episodes from the archive: Are Mushrooms Truly Magic? How Does Dust Impact Earth’s Climate? When Viruses Spread, Who’s Most Vulnerable? Can You Say Cheese? Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last week, Earth hit record-high temperatures—three times. We’re feeling the heat of climate change, literally, and it’s f*cking scary. To help us handle this moment, we’re re-releasing an episode from our archives, with Dekila Chungyalpa. She joins Jonathan to discuss how she confronts climate change disinterest and skepticism, and why she’s bringing the sacred back into science. Dekila Chungyalpa is the founder and director of the Loka Initiative, a capacity building and outreach platform at the University of Wisconsin – Madison for faith leaders and culture keepers of Indigenous traditions who work on environmental and climate issues. She received the prestigious Yale McCluskey Award in 2014 for her work and moved to the Yale School of Environmental Studies as an associate research scientist, where she researched, lectured and designed the prototype for what is now the Loka Initiative. Dekila is originally from the Himalayan state of Sikkim in India and is of Bhutia origin. You can keep up with Dekila by visiting her Facebook and by following her on Twitter and Instagram @dchungyalpa. For more information about the Loka Initiative, visit their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @LokaInitiative and on Instagram @loka.initiative. Struggling with eco-anxiety? Read Dekila’s five tips on how to alleviate eco-anxiety or visit SoundCloud, Tricycle Magazine, or the Healthy Minds app for contemplative practices to address eco-anxiety and climate distress. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our associate producer is Allison Weiss. Production support from Julie Carrillo. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine a situation where the cops can take your car, your house, and your cash. You could be waiting years to get your possessions back, without an attorney to help you. And the police can ultimately keep or sell your belongings—for profit. How’d they get away with it? Civil asset forfeiture. This Fourth of July week, we’re revisiting an episode with Professor Saleema Snow all about this damaging practice. A lot has changed since we first aired this episode in 2020 (including our audio quality!) but this topic is as relevant as ever. The Supreme Court recently decided to hear a case about civil asset forfeiture—Culley v. Marshall—next term. Professor Saleema Snow is a Professor of Law at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law and the director of the school’s Legal Writing Program. At the time of this recording, she was also the President of Karamah: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights, supporting the rights of Muslim women and children; an elected member of the D.C. Bar Board of Governors; and President of the National Association of Muslim Lawyers. You can follow Professor Snow on Twitter @SaleemaSnow. Curious for more? Here are some relevant episodes: How Many Hard Rights Can One Supreme Court Take? What Happened To Separation Of Church And State? What’s At The Heart Of Black Disability Politics? Who Does America’s “Child Welfare System” Serve? Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is life one big cosmic orgy? To wrap up our Pride Beyond Borders series, we’re going big… with an episode all about our universe! Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein joins Jonathan to discuss why spacetime isn’t straight, what quantum spin can teach us about gender expression, and why the key to understanding the cosmos may just be (wait for it) the world’s biggest dental dam. Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is an Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy and Core Faculty in Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of New Hampshire. She is a researcher in particle cosmology and author of the award-winning book for general audiences, The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred. She is working on her next book, The Edge of Space-Time. You can follow Dr. Prescod-Weinstein on Twitter @IBJIYONGI, on Instagram and TikTok @chanda.prescod.weinstein, on Bluesky and Substack @chanda, and at cprescodweinstein.com. Curious for more? Here are some resources Dr. Prescod-Weinstein recommends: lgbt+physicists Astronomy and Astrophysics Outlist The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy by Moiya McTier The Dialogues: Conversations about the Nature of the Universe by Clifford V. Johnson The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) by Katie Mack Risa Wechsler: The search for dark matter -- and what we've found so far | TED Talk Chanda Prescod-Weinstein: The search for the invisible matter that shapes the universe | TED Talk You can find more episodes about space (including one with Dr. Moiya McTier!), and the rest of our Pride Beyond Borders series, here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo and Emily Bossak. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do 90 young, gay men in mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong have in common? They’ve all spent years sharing their stories with this week’s guest: Dr. Travis S. K. Kong. He joins Jonathan as part of our Pride Beyond Borders series to discuss what it’s like to be queer in each of these places—and share his interviewees’ coming out stories, their experiences with sex and dating, and their senses of intergenerational queer community. Travis S. K. Kong is Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Hong Kong. He is the author of Chinese Male Homosexualities: Memba, Tongzhi and Golden Boy (Routledge 2011), Oral Histories of Older Gay Men in Hong Kong (Hong Kong University Press, 2019) and Sexuality and the Rise of China: The Post-1990s Gay Generation in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China (Duke University Press 2023). Curious for more? Check out the rest of our Pride Beyond Borders series: Is Queerness Divine? (Part One) with Dr. Eziaku Nwokocha Is Queerness Divine? (Part Two) with Dr. Eziaku Nwokocha What Are The Global Politics of Drag? with Professor Kareem Khubchandani And learn about Early China in parts one and two of our conversation with Professor Jue Guo. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo and Emily Bossak. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s it like to enter a religious or spiritual space as a queer person? In Haitian Vodou, the divinities are ready to accept LGBTQIA+ practitioners—and are arguably queer themselves. In part two of our Pride Beyond Borders episode about this African diasporic religion, Professor Eziaku Nwokocha takes us into one of Manbo Maude’s temples to better understand this spiritual practice, and how its practitioners navigate questions of race, gender, and sexuality. Curious for more?  Check out part one of our conversation with Professor Nwokocha, where we get down to basics on Haitian Vodou and Haitian history.  Revisit the first episode from our Pride Beyond Borders series, all about global drag cultures, with Professor Kareem Khubchandani. And learn all about New Orleans history in parts one and two of our episode with Dr. Kathryn Olivarius! Eziaku Nwokocha is an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. She is a scholar of Africana religions with expertise in the ethnographic study of Vodou in Haiti and the Haitian diaspora. Her research is grounded in a thorough understanding of religions in Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States, in gender and sexuality studies, visual and material culture and Africana Studies generally. She is the author of Vodou en Vogue: Fashioning Black Divinities in Haiti and the United States (University of North Carolina Press, 2023), which is an ethnographic study of fashion, spirit possession, and gender and sexuality in contemporary Haitian Vodou, exploring Black religious communities through their innovative ceremonial practices. This book is featured within the series Where Religion Lives. You can follow Professor Nwokocha on Twitter and Instagram at @dr_zaku, and at eziakunwokocha.com. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo and Emily Bossak. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A spiritual practice that has a divinity dedicated to the protection of lesbians?! Tell us more! This week, for our Pride Beyond Borders series, we’re exploring the world of Haitian Vodou in a special two-part episode. In this first half, Professor Eziaku Nwokocha introduces us to this African diasporic religion, and Haitian history. In part two, out tomorrow, we’ll step into the world of Manbo Maude’s temples in Haiti and the US to learn about Haitian Vodou rituals and fashions, and what this practice has to do with queerness. Curious for more? Check out the first episode from our Pride Beyond Borders series, all about global drag cultures, with Professor Kareem Khubchandani. Eziaku Nwokocha is an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami. She is a scholar of Africana religions with expertise in the ethnographic study of Vodou in Haiti and the Haitian diaspora. Her research is grounded in a thorough understanding of religions in Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States, in gender and sexuality studies, visual and material culture and Africana Studies generally. She is the author of Vodou en Vogue: Fashioning Black Divinities in Haiti and the United States (University of North Carolina Press, 2023), which is an ethnographic study of fashion, spirit possession, and gender and sexuality in contemporary Haitian Vodou, exploring Black religious communities through their innovative ceremonial practices. This book is featured within the series Where Religion Lives. You can follow Professor Nwokocha on Twitter and Instagram at @dr_zaku, and at eziakunwokocha.com. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo and Emily Bossak. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This June, we’re celebrating Pride Beyond Borders! And to kick off our series, we’re exploring global drag culture with Professor Kareem Khubchandani aka Dr. LaWhore Vagistan. We’re learning how drag artists around the world stage political dialogues with their audiences, how queer nightlife can connect diasporic communities, and how this art form can be used to challenge—rather than reinforce—the legacies of colonialism and white supremacy. The world of drag is so much bigger than the world of Drag Race, and we’re here for all of it. Kareem Khubchandani is Associate Professor of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies at Tufts University. He is the author of Ishtyle: Accenting Gay Indian Nightlife and Decolonize Drag, co-editor of Queer Nightlife, and curator of criticalauntystudies.com. Kareem also performs as LaWhore Vagistan, everyone’s favorite overdressed, overeducated, oversaturated desi drag aunty. You can follow Professor Khubchandani on Instagram and Twitter @kareempuff, and at KareemKhubchandani.com. They’re also on Instagram and Twitter @lawhorevagistan. Get to know Dr. LaWhore Vagistan through their lecture “How to be an auntie” and their hit song “Sari”. Curious for more? Here are some people Professor Khubchandani recommends following: Shaka McGlotten, M. Leslie Santana, Emi Great, Chanel Mercedes Benz, Odidiva, Papi Churro, Alisha Boti Kabab, Willow Pill, Crystal Methyd, and BeBe Zahara Benet. And here are some events to check out: Jai Ho, Rangeela, Behsaram, Kulture Kulcha, Sholay, and Yuva. All of these resources are linked in the episode entry on jonathanvanness.com. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo and Emily Bossak. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the coming weeks, the Supreme Court of the United States will hand down decisions that could have major implications for LGBTQIA+ rights, racial justice, tribal sovereignty, and beyond. Melissa Murray and Jonathan discuss what’s on the docket, why the Supreme Court seems more powerful (and conservative) than ever, and how we can get through this hot mess SCOTUS summer. Melissa Murray is a Professor of Law at NYU School of Law, where she teaches constitutional law, family law, criminal law, and reproductive rights and justice and writes about the legal regulation of intimate life. Melissa clerked for Judge Stefan Underhill on the District of Connecticut and for Justice Sotomayor when she served on the Second Circuit. When she’s not reading the SCOTUS tea leaves, she’s practicing the violin, reading People magazine, and keeping up with Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex. You can follow Professor Murray on Twitter and Instagram @ProfMMurray. You can keep up with Strict Scrutiny on Twitter @StrictScrutiny_ and Instagram @strictscrutinypodcast. Crooked Media is on Twitter and Instagram @crookedmedia. Curious for more? Check out these episodes from the Getting Curious archive: Can State Legislatures Save Us? Whose Land Is This Land? What Happened To Separation Of Church And State? Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo and Emily Bossak. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re dripping in jewels this week on Getting Curious! What does it mean for a diamond to be “hard”? Are lab-grown gems made to perfection? What’s the difference between rubies and pink sapphires? Dr. Gabriela Farfan joins Jonathan to discuss the science and art behind the dazzling, multifaceted world of gems and minerals. Dr. Gabriela Farfan is the Coralyn Whitney Curator of Gems and Minerals at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. She began collecting minerals at a young age and turned her hobby into a career as a mineralogist, geochemist, and the first woman and Latina to become Curator-in-Charge of the National Gem Collection. You can follow Dr. Farfan on Twitter @gabriela_farfan and on Instagram @the.mineralogist. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is on Twitter @nmnh and Instagram @smithsoniannmnh. Curious for more? Check out these resources from Dr. Farfan: What is a Mineral? The AMNH’s “GeoGallery” Hope Diamond Whitney Flame Topaz Dom Pedro Aquamarine Chalk Emerald Carmen Lucia Ruby Lion of Merelani Tsavorite Garnet And check out these episodes from the Getting Curious archive: Does Groundwater Go With The Flow? How Does Dust Impact Earth’s Climate? How Major Are Volcanoes? Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our producer is Chris McClure. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo and Emily Bossak. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New Orleans was one of America’s most important cities in the early 1800s. It was also one of the most deadly. This week, to mark the new season of Queer Eye, we’re exploring New Orleans history with Dr. Kathryn Olivarius in a special two-part episode. Today, we’re learning about yellow fever’s grip on the city—and what this illness revealed about power and politics in New Orleans. Haven’t listened to part one yet? Check it out here to learn more about New Orleans history. A note from the team: this episode discusses enslavement and graphic descriptions of illness. Kathryn Olivarius is a prizewinning historian of slavery, medicine, and disease. She is Assistant Professor of History at Stanford University. Her book Necropolis: Disease, Power, and Capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom, published by Harvard University Press, was recently awarded the Frederick Jackson Turner Prize. You can follow Dr. Olivarius on Twitter @katolivarius. Harvard University Press is on Twitter @Harvard_Press. If you’re new to Getting Curious, here are some episodes that are relevant to today’s discussion: When Viruses Spread, Who’s Most Vulnerable? What’s The Sordid History Of U.S. Trash Collection? Who Does America’s “Child Welfare System” Serve? Who Built The Panama Canal? How F$^*#d Up Is Fatphobia? Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn; we’ll be updating it soon with more releases! Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Emily Bossak. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New Orleans is a city in a swamp—a city, some argue, that should have never been built. So how did it become one of America’s most important sites in the 1800s, and a critical battleground in the American Civil War? This week, to mark the new season of Queer Eye, we’re exploring New Orleans history with Dr. Kathryn Olivarius in a special two-part episode. Today, we’re breaking down the basics on antebellum New Orleans. Tomorrow, we’ll learn all about New Orleans’ rampant history of yellow fever. A note from the team: this episode discusses enslavement and references to bodily harm. Kathryn Olivarius is a prizewinning historian of slavery, medicine, and disease. She is Assistant Professor of History at Stanford University. Her book Necropolis: Disease, Power, and Capitalism in the Cotton Kingdom, published by Harvard University Press, was recently awarded the Frederick Jackson Turner Prize. You can follow Dr. Olivarius on Twitter @katolivarius. Harvard University Press is on Twitter @Harvard_Press. If you’re new to Getting Curious, here are some episodes that are relevant to today’s discussion:   When Viruses Spread, Who’s Most Vulnerable? What’s The Sordid History Of U.S. Trash Collection?   Who Does America’s “Child Welfare System” Serve? Who Built The Panama Canal? How F$^*#d Up Is Fatphobia? Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn; we’ll be updating it soon with more releases!   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Emily Bossak.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You didn’t hear it from us, but this week’s episode is so juicy that you’ll want to tell everyone about it. Dr. Meltem Yucel joins Jonathan to dish on gossip: why it’s irresistible, what it reveals about our moral and social codes, and how we can use it to our benefit. Come for the drama, stay for the drama. (Are we the drama?) Dr. Meltem Yucel is a Postdoctoral Associate at Duke University’s Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. She researches the development of social cognition and morality, specifically focusing on how and when children become moral beings. She is also the founder of www.PsychResearchList.com with the goal of making Psychology more accessible to students from all backgrounds by making the hidden curriculum of higher education more visible. You can follow Dr. Yucel on Twitter @DrMeltemYucel, on Instagram @drmeltemyucel, and on LinkedIn @nazlimeltemyucel. Her website is meltemyucel.com. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn; we’ll be updating it soon with more releases!   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo and Chris McClure.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chimpanzees and bonobos know how to live it up. They hang out with their friends, they take self-care breaks, they eat fresh fruit, and when it’s raining they fashion umbrellas out of leaves. Dr. Laura Simone Lewis is back on the show this week to tell us all about the social lives of these dynamic individuals, who happen to share 98% of our DNA. From their favorite juice flavors to their equivalent of Netflix and chill—this episode’s got it all.   Missed Dr. Lewis’s first episode on the show, all about our great ape family tree? Check it out here.   Dr. Laura Simone Lewis is a UC President’s Postdoctoral Fellow in the Psychology department at UC Berkeley. She received her PhD from Harvard through the department of Human Evolutionary Biology last year. She studies how social cognition has evolved in our closest living primate cousins, chimpanzees and bonobos!   You can follow Dr. Lewis on Twitter @LauraSimoneLew.   Want to support our chimpanzee and bonobo cousins? Here are some groups to follow:   Lola Ya Bonobo in DRC Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda Sweetwaters Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Kenya Jane Goodall Institute World Wildlife Fund   Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn; we’ll be updating it soon with more releases!   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Erin McKeon.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do Enlightenment-era paintings, 19th-century American fashion magazines, and Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Baby Got Back” have in common? They’re all examples of what fatphobia has to do with race, class, and gender discrimination. This week, we’re re-releasing one of our favorite episodes from the archives, with Dr. Sabrina Strings. Learn all about the origins of anti-fat bias, and how it persists today. Listened to this one last year? We promise—it’s worth revisiting! Sabrina Strings, Ph.D. is a Chancellor's Fellow and Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Irvine. Sabrina has been featured in dozens of venues, including BBC News, NPR, Huffington Post, Vox, Los Angeles Times, Essence, Vogue, and goop. Her writing has appeared in diverse venues including, The New York Times, Scientific American, Ethnic and Racial Studies, and Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society. Her book, Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia (2019), was awarded the 2020 Best Publication Prize by the Body & Embodiment Section of the American Sociological Association. You can follow Dr. Strings on Twitter @SaStrings and check out her website, sabrinastrings.com. Want to learn more? Here are some books and resources Dr. Strings recommends: Da’Shaun Harrison's Belly of the Beast Sonya Renee Taylor’s The Body Is Not An Apology Dr. Joy Cox’s Fat Girls In Black Bodies Roxane Gay’s Hunger Tressie McMillan Cottom’s THICK Dr. Jill Andrew’s work NAAFA Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn; we’ll be updating it soon with more releases!   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Erin McKeon.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The RMS Titanic sank 111 years ago this week. It may have been on its maiden voyage, but this trip was the culmination of more than 200 years of maritime travel and innovation. This week, Dr. Meaghan Walker joins us to explore British maritime history in the lead-up to this historic event. And just like an 18th century ship would have zig-zagged towards its destination, this episode is hitting all the angles: we’re talking kidnappings, steerage, slop clothes (the original fast fashion!), and why men’s calves were considered their sexiest body part in the 1700s.   Meaghan Walker is the Ewart A. Pratt Postdoc at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, where she researches the clothing of British “working men who got wet.” She has done work on the Royal Navy and British merchant shipping, but her current project focuses on the clothing purchases of the residents of the fishing outport of Bonavista, Newfoundland, using records at Memorial’s Maritime History Archive.   You can follow Dr. Walker on Twitter @slopclothes! Curious to see the two images we discuss in the episode? Check them out here: J. Cooke and Samuel Collings. “Monmouth Street,” Print, 1789. Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University, New Haven, CT., 789.06.09.01. Rudolf Ackermann, “The Sailor and the Banker, or The Firm in Danger,” Print, 1799. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, PAF3851.   Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn; we’ll be updating it soon with more releases!   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Erin McKeon.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late 1990s, American malls were the place to be. Families from around the world vacationed at the Mall of America. Teens flocked to Britney Spears’ Hair Zone Mall Tour. A nine-year-old Jonathan basked in the fine fragrance mists of Juniper Breeze. Today, there are only around 700 indoor malls in the US, and more are in the midst of shuttering. What happened to these institutions? This week, Alexandra Lange joins Jonathan to discuss the rise, fall, and potential resurrection of the American mall.   Alexandra Lange is a design critic and author of “Meet Me by the Fountain: An Inside History of the Mall.” Her essays, reviews and features have been published in the New York Times, The New Yorker and New York Magazine, as well as in design publications including Bloomberg Citylab, Elle Decor and Curbed. She lives in Brooklyn and walks in Brooklyn Bridge Park almost every day.    You can follow her on Instagram @langealexandra and on Twitter @LangeAlexandra. And you can purchase a copy of Meet Me by the Fountain here!   Bloomsbury Publishing is on Instagram @bloomsburypublishing and on Twitter @BloomsburyPub.   Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Find books from past Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn; we’ll be updating it soon with more releases!   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Erin McKeon.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.   Headshot credit for Alexandra: Mark Wickens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A note from team Getting Curious: This episode contains descriptions of violence that are at times graphic.   Women in Iran aren’t allowed to dance, sing, or show their hair in public. But it wasn’t always this way in the country. In part two of our conversation with Moj Mahdara and Nicolette Mason of the Iranian Diaspora Collective, we’re exploring the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran—and considering what a free, secular democracy, a new constitution, and an end to theocracy could look like for Iranians.   If you haven’t listened to part one yet, check it out. We discuss the basics on what it’s like to live in Iran today, and map out the women-led revolution underway in the country.   You can follow Iranian Diaspora Collective on Instagram @iraniandiasporacollective, and at iraniandiasporacollective.com. Nicolette is on Instagram @nicolettemason. Moj is on Instagram @moj.    And you can follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   The Iranian Diaspora Collective (501c3 pending) is a non-partisan, multi-faith group that is inclusive of multiple backgrounds, gender and LGBTQIA+ identity. The Iranian Diaspora Collective supports the demands of Iranians inside Iran who want a free, secular democracy, a new constitution and an end to theocracy.   Nicolette Mason (she/her) is a celebrated writer, brand strategist in the fashion and beauty industries, and advocate for Inclusivity. She’s a queer, Iranian-American, Jewish advocate, and a founding member of the Iranian Diaspora Collective. As an advocate for diversity and inclusion, Nicolette has collaborated with brands such as Barbie, Nordstrom, Target, NARS, and more, and also co-founded a cult-followed fashion brand called Premme, alongside Gabi Gregg.   Moj Mahdara (she/they), is an Iranian-American entrepreneur, CEO and VC, a co-founder of Kinship Ventures and founding member of Iranian Diaspora Collective. They are focused on bringing more inclusion and diversity to the cap table and have invested in 100+ companies since 2011. Mahdara recently co-founded new fund Kinship Ventures alongside Gwyneth Paltrow. They are also the former CEO of Beautycon, a globally-recognized community for content creators, celebrities, fans, and brands.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Erin McKeon.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A note from team Getting Curious: This episode contains descriptions of violence that are at times graphic.   If you haven’t heard about the women-led revolution happening in Iran, or you thought things had quieted down, that’s by design. The Islamic Republic of Iran has banned women from dancing, singing, and showing their hair in public. And they’ve restricted Internet access for people across the country. Still, taking these risks—and showing the world—is worth it to Iranians who want a free, secular democracy, a new constitution, and an end to theocracy.   This week, Moj Mahdara and Nicolette Mason—two founding members of the Iranian Diaspora Collective—join Jonathan for a two-part conversation about the country’s biggest protest movement in more than 40 years, and what’s at stake for women, young people, LGBTQIA+ people, and ethnic and religious minorities in particular.   In part one, we’ll focus on the last six months in Iran. In part two—out tomorrow—we’ll explore the history of the Islamic Republic, and what the future could hold for the people of Iran.   You can follow Iranian Diaspora Collective on Instagram @iraniandiasporacollective, and at iraniandiasporacollective.com. Nicolette is on Instagram @nicolettemason. Moj is on Instagram @moj. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   The Iranian Diaspora Collective (501c3 pending) is a non-partisan, multi-faith group that is inclusive of multiple backgrounds, gender and LGBTQIA+ identity. The Iranian Diaspora Collective supports the demands of Iranians inside Iran who want a free, secular democracy, a new constitution and an end to theocracy.   Nicolette Mason (she/her) is a celebrated writer, brand strategist in the fashion and beauty industries, and advocate for Inclusivity. She’s a queer, Iranian-American, Jewish advocate, and a founding member of the Iranian Diaspora Collective. As an advocate for diversity and inclusion, Nicolette has collaborated with brands such as Barbie, Nordstrom, Target, NARS, and more, and also co-founded a cult-followed fashion brand called Premme, alongside Gabi Gregg.   Moj Mahdara (she/they), is an Iranian-American entrepreneur, CEO and VC, a co-founder of Kinship Ventures and founding member of Iranian Diaspora Collective. They are focused on bringing more inclusion and diversity to the cap table and have invested in 100+ companies since 2011. Mahdara recently co-founded new fund Kinship Ventures alongside Gwyneth Paltrow. They are also the former CEO of Beautycon, a globally-recognized community for content creators, celebrities, fans, and brands.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Erin McKeon.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today is March 31, 2023. It’s International Transgender Day of Visibility. And Queer Youth Assemble has organized the March For Queer & Trans Youth Autonomy. It’s set to be one of the largest queer and trans youth marches in history, with events across all 50 states and Washington, DC. We had the honor of speaking with three of the group’s leaders—Alia Cusolito, Esmée Silverman, and Faith Cardillo—about what they have planned for TDOV, how they’re experiencing this moment, and what everyone can do to support LGBTQIA+ youth right now. Queer Youth Assemble is a queer youth-led non-profit serving queer youth under 25 in the United States. You can follow them on Instagram and TikTok at @queeryouthassemble and on Twitter @qyouthassemble. Head to queeryouthassemble.org for more information on how to get involved, and to donate. Alia is on Instagram @alia.cusolito. Esmée is on Instagram and Twitter @esmeesactivism. And Faith is on Instagram @goalkeeping_faith, Twitter @faithgk11, and at linktr.ee/faithcardillo. Alia Cusolito (they/them) is Co-President of Queer Youth Assemble and one of the national march’s central organizers. They’re 17 and have been involved in activism on various levels since they were a young kid. They advocate for liberation and autonomy for all people, with hope of a future that is safe and compassionate.  Esmée Silverman (they/she) is a nationally renowned queer activist, community organizer, writer, and educator. Described as a spark of creativity, Esmée has used her unique personality and lived experiences as a non-binary asexual woman to improve the lives of queer & trans youth through events, protests, education, and other endeavors. They currently serve as the co-founder and co-president of Queer Youth Assemble, a non-profit bringing autonomy and joy to all queer & trans youth across the United States.  Faith Cardillo (she/they) is an athlete and political activist and advocate from Union, New Jersey whose expertise is in gun violence prevention, human rights, and voting rights. Faith is a representative on the NJ Youth Legislative Council, a member of the policy team for March For Our Lives NJ, and a member of the National Training Team for Students Demand Action. Faith also serves as the Head of Onboarding for Queer Youth Assemble. Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Erin McKeon.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re touring Washington, DC, to learn how the nation’s capital is a Native capital—with returning guest Dr. Elizabeth Rule! She and Jonathan explore the city’s significance for the 574 tribal nations in the US today and spotlight Indigenous art, architecture, and activism. Put on your walking shoes and join us for a journey that’ll change how you see the city, and the United States. Elizabeth Rule, PhD (enrolled citizen, Chickasaw Nation) is an Assistant Professor of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies, and a Social Impact Resident Fellow with the Kennedy Center. Her book, Indigenous DC: Native Peoples and the Nation’s Capital (Georgetown University Press, 2023), analyzes historical and contemporary sites of Indigenous importance in Washington, DC. Rule is also the founder of the Guide to Indigenous Lands Project and creator of the Guide to Indigenous DC (2019), Guide to Indigenous Baltimore (2021), and Guide to Indigenous Maryland (2022) digital maps and mobile applications.  You can follow Dr. Rule on Twitter and TikTok at @ERuleDC, on Instagram @ERule.DC, and at ElizabethRule.com. And make sure to pre-order Indigenous DC, out in April from Georgetown University Press. Keep up with all things Guide To Indigenous DC on Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook at @IndigenousDC. For the apps and Indigenous DC merch, head to GuidetoIndigenousLands.com. And check out Elizabeth’s first appearance on the show here! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Erin McKeon.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re celebrating the small screen with a TV legend: World of Wonder’s Fenton Bailey! Fenton is one of the creative forces behind RuPaul’s Drag Race and other groundbreaking TV shows and films.    Fenton and Jonathan discuss how infomercials, public access stations, televangelist sermons, and unscripted TV have shaped our reality. Plus, hear all about Fenton’s decades-long creative partnership with RuPaul; his work with cultural icons like Britney Spears, Tammy Faye, and Monica Lewinsky; and what happened when his career landed him in North Korea.   Fenton Bailey is the co-founder of World of Wonder, the production company behind the Emmy Award-winning “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “Million Dollar Listing” LA & NY franchises, as well as award-winning subversive documentaries.    His new non-fiction book ScreenAge: How TV shaped our reality, from Tammy Faye to RuPaul’s Drag Race is out in the US on March 28, and you can order a copy now!   Follow Fenton on Instagram @fentonjbailey and on Twitter @fbailey.   Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Chris McClure, and Erin McKeon.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re back with the second half of our special two-part episode about algorithms and artificial intelligence, featuring returning guest Meredith Broussard. Yesterday, we got the T on ChatGPT, and learned why we can’t trust algorithms to be fair or objective. Today, Jonathan and Meredith get personal about their encounters with algorithms, and consider what an equitable tech industry could look like. Plus, deepfakes, TikTok, the Supreme Court, and Jonathan’s take on M3GAN!   Meredith Broussard is Associate Professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University and Research Director at the NYU Alliance for Public Interest Technology. She is the author of Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World (MIT Press). Her work has been featured in the New Yorker, the New York Times, the Atlantic, BBC, Wired, the Economist, and more. She appears in the 2020 documentary Coded Bias and serves on the advisory board for the Center for Critical Race & Digital Studies.     Make sure to check out Meredith’s new book More Than A Glitch, out now from MIT Press.   You can follow Meredith on Instagram and Twitter @merbroussard, and at meredithbroussard.com. MIT Press is on Instagram and Twitter @mitpress.   Curious for more? Here are some people, projects, and other resources mentioned in this episode, all linked in the episode entry on jonathanvanness.com: Algorithmic Justice League (Joy Buolamwini) Algorithms of Oppression (Safiya Noble) Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights DAIR Institute (Timnit Gebru) Deb Raji’s work Design Justice (Sasha Costanza-Chock) Mimi Onuoha’s work Race After Technology + Viral Justice (Ruha Benjamin) Rumman Chowdhury’s work Take My Hand (Dolen Perkins-Valdez) The Gender Shades Project The Markup (Julia Angwin) Under the Skin (Linda Villarosa) Weapons of Math Destruction + ORCAA (Cathy O’Neil) Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every time you interact with a targeted advertisement, use a drop-down menu, or scroll through TikTok, you’re engaging with an algorithm. And these algorithms are anything but objective. This week, Meredith Broussard returns to the show for a special two-part episode about algorithms and artificial intelligence—and how they shape our daily lives. In part one, we’re learning all about chatbots like ChatGPT, the origins of algorithmic bias, and WTF Francis Galton has to do with all of this. Join us tomorrow for part two, featuring an in-depth discussion about gender and racial bias in algorithms, the current state of the tech industry, and the future of AI. Meredith Broussard is Associate Professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University and Research Director at the NYU Alliance for Public Interest Technology. She is the author of Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World (MIT Press). Her work has been featured in the New Yorker, the New York Times, the Atlantic, BBC, Wired, the Economist, and more. She appears in the 2020 documentary Coded Bias and serves on the advisory board for the Center for Critical Race & Digital Studies. Make sure to check out Meredith’s new book More Than A Glitch, out now from MIT Press. You can follow Meredith on Instagram and Twitter @merbroussard, and at meredithbroussard.com. MIT Press is on Instagram and Twitter @mitpress. Curious for more? Here are some people, projects, and other resources mentioned in this episode, all linked in the episode entry on jonathanvanness.com: Algorithmic Justice League (Joy Buolamwini) Algorithms of Oppression (Safiya Noble) Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights DAIR Institute (Timnit Gebru) Deb Raji’s work Design Justice (Sasha Costanza-Chock) Mimi Onuoha’s work  Race After Technology + Viral Justice (Ruha Benjamin) Rumman Chowdhury’s work Take My Hand (Dolen Perkins-Valdez) The Gender Shades Project The Markup (Julia Angwin)  Under the Skin (Linda Villarosa) Weapons of Math Destruction + ORCAA (Cathy O’Neil) Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our editor is Andrew Carson. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, just over a month ago, the team at River Valley Organizing sprang into action. River Valley Organizing is a multi-racial, multicultural working class organization that radically builds community throughout the Ohio River Valley—and they’ve been calling attention to the possibility of a train derailment like this for years. Since this catastrophic incident, they’ve been advocating for residents’ health and safety, holding political and business leaders accountable, and getting the word out about what’s going on in Ohio.   Today, we’re releasing a conversation Jonathan recorded on Instagram Live with Emily Wright and Justin Garner from River Valley Organizing. Listen in to learn more about this environmental and public health disaster, and what the future could look like for residents of Columbiana County.   This is still a fast-developing situation, so make sure to follow River Valley Organizing for the latest. They’re on Instagram @rivervalleyorganizing, Twitter @RiverValleyOrg, and Facebook @rivervalleyorganizing. Their website is rivervalleyorganizing.com.   Emily Wright is the Development Director for River Valley Organizing.   Justin Garner is the Communications Director and LGBTQIA+ Rep for River Valley Organizing.   Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our associate producer is Zahra Crim. Our editor is Andrew Carson.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A pastor, a president, and a foreign political leader step into a National Prayer Breakfast. What happens next? A whole lot of mingling between church and state. This week, Dr. Lauren Turek joins Jonathan to explore how evangelicals have influenced American politics—domestically and abroad—over the last half century. It’s a story of televangelism, missionary trips, and politicking of biblical proportions. Lauren Turek is an associate professor of history at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, where she teaches courses on modern United States history, U.S. foreign relations, and public history. She is the author of To Bring the Good News to All Nations: Evangelical Influence on Human Rights and U.S. Foreign Relations, published with Cornell University Press. Lauren is currently at work on a book about the Congressional debates and alliances that shaped U.S. foreign aid funding during the twentieth century and is co-editing a Routledge Handbook on the history of religion and politics in the United States. You can follow Dr. Turek on Twitter @laurenfturek, on Instagram @laurenturek, and at laurenturek.com. If you’re curious for more, Dr. Turek recommends the following: Anthea Butler's White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America Kristin Kobes Du Mez’s Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation Melani McAlister’s The Kingdom of God Has No Borders: A Global History of Evangelicals Jeff Sharlet’s The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our associate producer is Zahra Crim. Our editor is Andrew Carson.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sports are about so much more than competition. Through athletics we learn life skills, we move authentically, and we find community. This week, Verity Smith joins Jonathan to discuss the importance of trans inclusion in sports, his personal experiences on the rugby pitch, and how we can stay resilient in this critical moment for LGBTQIA+ rights.   Verity Smith (he/him) is the Mermaids’ Trans Inclusion in Sports manager. Verity is a gay trans man and has a disability. He played elite women’s rugby in both codes for 26 years and now plays for the Leeds Rhinos in the wheelchair rugby league  superleague. He also supports D&I for the International Gay Rugby and World Gay Games.  Verity believes that all young people should have access to sport, believing in education, not discrimination.   Mermaids is a UK-based organization that supports transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse children, young people, and their families.   You can follow Verity on Instagram @smithverity and on Twitter @VeritySmith19.   You can follow Mermaids on Instagram @mermaidsgender and Twitter @Mermaids_Gender, and at mermaidsuk.org.uk.   Curious for more? Revisit our episode with Lui Asquith about trans rights in the UK here, and check out our full collection of episodes about LGBTQIA+ rights and representation at jonathanvanness.com/topic/lgbtqia.   Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our associate producer is Zahra Crim. Our editor is Andrew Carson.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices