Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
Sony Music Entertainment / Jonathan Van Ness
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Top 10 Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
What’s It Like To Get Curious? with Jonathan Van Ness
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
02/16/22 • 54 min
This week on Getting Curious, Jonathan’s in the guest seat! You submitted your questions for Jonathan on social media—and we have answers. We’re talking Getting Curious the podcast and Netflix series, self-care, gymnastics, gardening, and so much more. And for those of you who wondered when Jonathan’s husband Mark would make his podcast debut? We’ve got an answer for that, too.
Join in on the conversation, and find out what former guests are up to, by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN.
Keep up with our very special guest host Mark Peacock on Instagram @marklondon.
Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.
Love listening to Getting Curious? Now, you can also watch Getting Curious—on Netflix! Head to netflix.com/gettingcurious to dive in.
Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.
Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our associate producer is Zahra Crim. Our editor is Andrew Carson.
Our socials are run and curated by Middle Seat Digital.
Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIN; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com.
Getting Curious merch is available on PodSwag.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5 Listeners
What’s It Like To Be An Ex-Nun? with Kelli Dunham and Mary Johnson
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
12/15/21 • 79 min
If you’re a regular listener of Getting Curious, you know how much Jonathan loves the Sister Act films. But how realistic were they? This week, former nuns Kelli Dunham and Mary Johnson share what it was like to serve with Mother Teresa (yeah, that Mother Teresa) in the Missionaries of Charity—and why they left the congregation.
Kelli Dunham is a comic, writer, nurse, and genderqueer ex-nun. You can follow Kelli on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube @kellidunham—and at kellidunham.com. Make sure to check out Kelli’s storytelling series Queer Memoir at Caveat.
Mary Johnson loves life. Her award-winning memoir An Unquenchable Thirst reveals the secret life inside her 20 years as a nun with the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. As a Humanist Celebrant, Mary creates ceremonies for weddings, memorials, and all life’s transitions. Mary is also host of The Book Canopy and is working on a second book and a video series. You can follow Mary on Twitter @_MaryJohnson and at maryjohnson.co.
Want to hear more from Kelli and Mary, and other former Missionaries of Charity? Check out the excellent podcast series The Turning: The Sisters Who Left, inspired by Mary’s Memoir and produced by Rococo Punch and iHeartMedia.
Find out what today’s guests 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
2 Listeners
How Can We Support Intersex Rights? with Alicia Roth Weigel
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
09/11/23 • 62 min
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 Listeners
What Are Golden Passports? with Professor Kristin Surak
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
10/18/23 • 46 min
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 Listeners
How Can We Achieve Financial Security? with Tori Dunlap
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
12/06/23 • 53 min
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2 Listeners
What’s The History Of Pockets? with Dr. Hannah Carlson
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
09/06/23 • 60 min
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:
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
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 Listener
Who Were History’s Queer Seamen? with Dr. Seth LeJacq
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
08/02/23 • 71 min
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:
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 Listener
What’s It Like To Be Gay In China? with Dr. Travis S. K. Kong
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
06/21/23 • 73 min
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 Listener
What’s Happening With The Supreme Court? with Strict Scrutiny
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
08/30/23 • 69 min
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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 Listener
The Ultimate Guide To Help You Thrive in 2025
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
01/01/25 • 61 min
Happy New Year, Curious People! It’s 2025! Kick off the New Year with a truly transformative conversation with Stephanie Harrison, founder of The New Happy! In this episode, we dive into what it means to leave behind “Old Happy”—the toxic pursuit of perfection, individualism, and relentless achievement—and embrace “New Happy,” a philosophy rooted in connection, self-compassion, and contributing to the world. JVN gets candid about navigating shame and embarrassment while Stephanie shares her expert insights on managing emotions, cultivating resilience, and finding joy in uncertain times. Together, they explore everything from the pitfalls of toxic positivity to how capitalism affects our collective well-being (spoiler: it’s a lot). Whether you’re looking to thrive in 2025, find your purpose or just feel a little less alone - we’ve got you covered for the year ahead!
Stephanie Harrison is an expert in the science of happiness and a writer, designer and speaker. Since receiving a master’s degree in positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, she has devoted her life to the study of well-being. Her company, The New Happy, has revolutionized the way that people understand and pursue happiness. Their artwork, newsletter, videos, podcast, and resources reach millions of people around the world every month. She is a Harvard Business Review and CNBC contributor and her expertise has been featured in publications such as Fast Company, Forbes, and Architectural Digest. She is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies and advises on employee well-being and company culture. She lives in California with her partner and their dog.
You can find Stephanie Harrison on Instagram and TikTok @stephaniehson
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. 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 [email protected].
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 Listener
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FAQ
How many episodes does Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness have?
Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness currently has 513 episodes available.
What topics does Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Podcasts, Self-Improvement and Education.
What is the most popular episode on Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness?
The episode title 'What’s It Like To Get Curious? with Jonathan Van Ness' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness?
The average episode length on Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness is 54 minutes.
How often are episodes of Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness released?
Episodes of Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness are typically released every 5 days.
When was the first episode of Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness?
The first episode of Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness was released on Dec 1, 2015.
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