Getting Curious With Jonathan Van Ness

We’re gliding into the new year with the re-release of an episode from February 2019 with figure skating’s finest: Michelle Kwan and Eliot Halverson. Michelle and Eliot join Jonathan to talk all things skating: judging scandals, big coats, tracing figures, and Jonathan’s journey on the ice.   Michelle Kwan is an American figure skater, two-time Olympic medalist, five-time world champion, and nine-time US champion. Eliot Halverson is an American figure skater, choreographer, and three-time USFS national champion.   Follow Eliot Halverson on Instagram @eliothalverson and Michelle Kwan on Twitter and Instagram @MichelleWKwan.   Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out all new Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.com. Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook. L

This holiday break, we’re re-releasing two of our favorite episodes, with three of our favorite experts, about one of our favorite topics: figure skating. First up is an episode from April 2018 with Olympic figure skater Mirai Nagasu, who was the first American female figure skater to land a triple Axel at the Olympics, earning her a bronze medal in PyeongChang in 2018. Jonathan and Mirai jump right into the technical, artistic, and political aspects of figure skating—and discuss what it was like for Mirai to take her prowess off ice to compete in Dancing with the Stars: Athletes. Find Mirai on Instagram @mirainagasu, on Twitter @mirai_nagasu, and at www.mirainagasu.com. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out all new Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.com. Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitt

Did you know that if you want to represent your block in Brooklyn as a local elected official, you have to mark a gender designation—and the only options are “male” and “female”? This week on Getting Curious, Jonathan is speaking with Jesse Pierce and Samy Nemir Olivares, both elected District Leaders in Brooklyn, all about this gender rule: how it came into existence, why it’s exclusionary, and how we can work to make local seats across Brooklyn and the country more inclusive and equitable. Jesse Pierce is a non-binary queer elected Democratic District Leader in Brooklyn's 52nd Assembly District. They focus on hyper local political grassroots organizing as a means to transform our politics both locally and nationally. Samy Nemir Olivares (he/they) is a Puerto Rican-Dominican, queer activist, writer, communicator and District Leader in Brooklyn. Samy advocates for gender, racial and social justice through politics, media and education. Samy works for a national nonprofit for LGBTQ civil rights and produced

If you’re a close listener of Getting Curious, you’ll know that today’s conversation with Professor Saleema Snow, all about the practice known as civil asset forfeiture, is a long time coming. Civil asset forfeiture allows law enforcement to seize and often keep any property they suspect is involved in a crime. Jonathan wants to learn more about this practice: how deep its roots are, how it came to exist across the United States, what it reveals about discriminatory policing, and what it would look like to dismantle this system. Professor Snow is a Professor of Law at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law where she teaches appellate advocacy and critical race theory. Her scholarship focuses on religious profiling, poverty law, and the intersection of poverty, gender, and access to justice. You can follow Professor Snow on Twitter @SaleemaSnow. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Check out all n

You know when you have a song stuck in your head and the only way you can get it out is to play it? Well, Jonathan has a similar feeling: he can’t shake the idea that he needs to sing a song. Like, literally, any song, preferably one with pleasing harmony. And he’s reaching out to the Grammy Award-winning artist Meghan Trainor for guidance. Meghan joins Jonathan to discuss singing and songwriting fundamentals, her musical influences, and her new holiday album A Very Trainor Christmas.   Follow Meghan on Instagram and Twitter @meghan_trainor, and check out A Very Trainor Christmas—out now!   Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out all new Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.com. Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi

This week on Getting Curious, we’re re-releasing an episode from June 2019 that we hold dear, with the performance artist and writer ALOK. ALOK and Jonathan discuss their experiences embracing life beyond the gender binary, the historical precedents for gender fluidity, and the power of “emotional alchemy” in the face of discrimination.   Follow ALOK on Instagram @alokvmenon, and make sure to check out their book Beyond The Gender Binary. You can keep up with all of their incredible work at www.alokvmenon.com.   Once you’ve listened to the episode, head over to Jonathan’s Instagram @JVN for a July 2020 follow-up conversation with ALOK. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.com. Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.

This week on Getting Curious, we’re getting the down low on what’s up in the sky with Professor Kristen Rasmussen, an Assistant Professor of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University and an expert on clouds. She and Jonathan break down cloud types, extreme weather, and the lasting impact that the 1996 movie Twister had on both of their lives—and one of their careers.   You can keep up with Professor Rasmussen on Twitter @KRasmusWx, and follow her research group at Colorado State University.   Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN.   Check out all new Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com.   Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.com.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Election Day is behind us, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more work ahead. Consider this week’s Getting Curious a chance to reflect and recharge, as Jonathan speaks with the writer, editor, activist, and social justice facilitator adrienne maree brown. The two discuss adrienne’s work around emergent strategy and pleasure activism, consider what authentic community engagement looks like, and explore how science fiction can be an invaluable resource for shaping a more equitable future.   adrienne maree brown is the author of Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good and Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds, and the co-editor of Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction from Social Justice Movements. Her forthcoming book We Will Not Cancel Us: And Other Dreams of Transformative Justice is now available for pre-order.   Follow adrienne on Twitter @adriennemaree and Instagram @adriennemareebrown, and keep up with her work at www.adriennemareebrown.net.   Once you’ve finished the episode, make s

Look, we already know the answer to this question. But we can dream! We’re sending you into Election Day with an early release of this week’s Getting Curious, featuring a conversation with the iconic comedian, writer, and producer Samantha Bee. She and Jonathan talk political humor, the Golden Girls, Canadian health care, and so much more. Take a listen when you’re in line to vote, when you need a break from refreshing last-minute polling numbers, or on the other side of Election Day—whatever happens, we’re here for you.   Samantha Bee is the host and Executive Producer of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee on TBS and the podcast Full Release with Samantha Bee on Earwolf. Follow her on Twitter @iamsambee, and keep up with Full Frontal on Twitter and Instagram @FullFrontalSamB.   Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN.   Check out all new Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com.   Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQui

Are you phone banking, leafleting, and heading to the polls early this election season and still feeling like you need a boost? Then it might be time to introduce deep canvassing to your routine. The activist, community organizer, and director of People’s Action George Goehl joins Jonathan to share this go-to practice for building a more progressive nation—and explains why rural America needs to be central to any discussion of the electorate. Follow George on Twitter @GeorgeGoehl, and People’s Action on Twitter and Instagram @pplsaction. Once you’ve finished the episode, make sure to check out George’s podcast To See Each Other. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.com. Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook. Learn mor

There are more than 2.5 million care workers, nannies, and house cleaners across the United States. They are skilled professionals. Their labor is essential. So are their rights. Alicia Garza, who is the Director of Strategy & Partnerships for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, joins Jonathan to discuss the history of domestic work in the United States, why domestic workers are some of the least protected, most vulnerable individuals—without access to health care, paid sick days, or a living wage—and what a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights could offer these workers in the way of proper compensation, labor protections, and dignity. Beyond her work with the NDWA, Alicia Garza is the co-creator of the Black Lives Matter Global Network, the principal at the Black Futures Lab, a writer, and a podcast host. Her new book The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart is out now. Once you’ve had a chance to listen to this episode of Getting Curious, make sure to check out Alicia’s first appearan

On this week’s Getting Curious, Dr. Elizabeth Rule joins Jonathan to discuss contemporary Native American rights and representation. She and Jonathan cover reproductive justice, tribal sovereignty, and the incredible work that Dr. Rule is doing to illuminate the relationship between Native history and contemporary Native Americans’ experiences and realities. Dr. Rule is the Director of the AT&T Center for Indigenous Politics & Policy, an Assistant Professor of Professional Studies and Faculty in Residence at George Washington University, and an enrolled citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. Follow Dr. Rule on Twitter @ERuleDC, download the Guide to Indigenous DC, and check out more of her work at www.elizabethrule.com. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.com.

Raise a glass (or an amphora!) to this week’s episode of Getting Curious, all about ancient Mediterranean drinking cultures. Associate Professor of History at the University of Iowa Dr. Sarah E. Bond speaks with Jonathan about ancient Egyptians who loved beer, ancient Greeks who sipped the night away at symposia, and ancient Romans who went bar hopping. There’s truly so much to imbibe here, and thankfully, knowledge pairs well with whatever you’re already drinking. Follow Dr. Bond on Twitter @SarahEBond, and make sure to check out her writing in Hyperallergic, The New York Times, Forbes, and beyond. Her 2016 book Trade and Taboo: Disreputable Professionals in the Roman Mediterranean is published by the University of Michigan Press. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over t

This week on Getting Curious, we’ve got numbers coming out of our ears. For instance: two. Two? Yeah. That’s how many times the clean water activist and consumer advocate Erin Brockovich has now appeared on the show. How about this for a number? One. That’s how many people it takes to start a movement advocating for safe drinking water. And we’re guessing zero is the amount of hesitation you’ll have before hitting play on this iconic conversation between Jonathan and Erin, all about what’s in our water, who’s currently regulating it, and how we can take charge of the water supply in our communities. Follow Erin on Instagram @the_real_erin_brockovich and Twitter @ErinBrockovich. Check out her new book Superman’s Not Coming and her podcast of the same name. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music fr

This week on Getting Curious, we’re carrying ourselves with confidence, our heads are held high, and we’re comfortable in our environment—we’re feeling big time cat parent mojo! Jackson Galaxy, the cat behavior and wellness expert, host of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell, and co-creator of Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Camp joins Jonathan to talk all about cats. He shares how we can better understand and care for our favorite felines, what the deal is with “cat mojo,” and why cat rescue and TNR efforts are most successful when everyone gets involved. Follow Jackson Galaxy on Twitter @JacksonGalaxy and Instagram @thecatdaddy, and keep up with Jackson Galaxy’s Cat Camp on Instagram @CatCampUSA. This year’s Cat Camp will take place virtually on Saturday, September 26. Get more information on the free event, and reserve your spot, at www.CatCamp.com. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanV

There are fewer than 50 days until the 2020 United States elections, and over at Getting Curious, we’re feeling a little… shaky. To lay the foundation for this final stretch of election season, Jonathan’s calling on an expert in strong leadership, intersectional policies, and enduring hope: Sec. Julián Castro. Sec. Castro has served as Mayor of San Antonio, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Obama, and a 2020 Presidential candidate. He just launched his new podcast Our America with Julián Castro on Lemonada Media. You can find Sec. Castro on Twitter @JulianCastro and Instagram @juliancastrotx. Learn more about his podcast Our America with Julián Castro on Twitter and Instagram @LemonadaMedia. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.co

One of the lessons in Dr. Edith Eger’s latest book The Gift is that love equals time. And on this week’s Getting Curious, Dr. Eger is joining Jonathan for an hour of love, compassion, and life lessons. Dr. Eger is a bestselling author, psychologist, and Holocaust survivor. Her first book The Choice, released in 2018, details her story of courage and resilience as a survivor of Auschwitz. In her new book The Gift she shares some of her best advice for confronting life’s challenges and building a meaningful existence. Learn more about Dr. Eger on Twitter @DrEdithEger1, on Instagram @dr.editheger, and at www.DrEdithEger.com. And make sure to check out Dr. Eger's books The Choice and The Gift. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.com. Jonathan is on Instagram

In the lead-up to Labor Day, Getting Curious is working it! We're re-releasing an episode from 2018 with Rebecca Givan, an associate professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations at Rutgers University, all about trade unions. She and Jonathan discuss what unions are, how they operate, and why collective bargaining can be such a powerful tool. Follow Professor Givan on Twitter @rkgwork. She’s also the co-editor of the forthcoming essay collection Strike for the Common Good, which follows teacher walkouts across the US in the last few years. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out Getting Curious merch at PodSwag.com. Listen to more music from Quiñ by heading over to TheQuinCat.com. Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since Stockton, California, Mayor Michael Tubbs was elected in November 2016, he’s launched an innovative Guaranteed Income pilot program and created a runway for his city’s success. Mayor Tubbs joins Jonathan to discuss the program, how cities across the country are implementing similar initiatives, and why it’s so important for local governments to invest in their communities. Mayor Tubbs is the co-founder of Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, and the subject of the new HBO documentary “Stockton On My Mind.” Follow Mayor Tubbs on Twitter @MichaelDTubbs and Instagram @michaeldtubbs. Stream Stockton on My Mind on HBO and HBO Max. Learn more about Stockton’s Guaranteed Income pilot program at www.StocktonDemonstration.org. And keep up with Mayors for a Guaranteed Income at www.mayorsforagi.org and on Twitter @mayorsforagi. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check o

This week on Getting Curious, Jonathan is learning about the power of clean energy with a clean energy powerhouse: Massachusetts representative and co-author of the Green New Deal bill, Senator Ed Markey. Senator Markey explains what a Green New Deal can offer in the way of environmental protections, job opportunities, pandemic recovery, and more. Senator Markey is also running for re-election in the upcoming Massachusetts primary, and he and Jonathan discuss his four decades as a progressive leader, what the stakes are for his keeping his seat (they're JVN endorsement-level major!), and how he's planning to turn out the vote on September 1. Follow Senator Markey on Twitter @EdMarkey, and on Facebook @EdMarkeyforMA. Learn more about his work at www.markey.senate.gov and his re-election campaign at www.edmarkey.com. Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Check out G