Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness

Latest Episodes:

What Is Fairness In Sports? with Caster Semenya Nov 08, 2023

Show notes

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 Myselfis available now via W.W. Norton or wherever books are sold.

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’s It Like To Be Queer In England? with Travis Alabanza Nov 06, 2023

Show notes

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 Binaryis 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.

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

Why Do We Play With Dolls? with Freyja Hartzell Nov 01, 2023

Show notes

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

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

PRETTY CURIOUS | How Do I Do My Makeup? with Gigi Goode Oct 30, 2023

Show notes

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.

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.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.

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

How Do Tsunamis Happen? with Dr. Tina Dura Oct 25, 2023

Show notes

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.

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

What’s Happened Since The Ohio Train Derailment? with Justin Garner and Emily Wright Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

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.

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.

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 Are Golden Passports? with Professor Kristin Surak Oct 18, 2023

Show notes

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.

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

PRETTY CURIOUS | How Do You Paint Your Face? with Danessa Myricks Oct 16, 2023

Show notes

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.

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 Was Going On In The Middle Ages? with Dr. Janina Ramirez Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

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 Itis available now!

You can follow Dr. Ramirez on Instagram and Twitter @DrJaninaRamirez.

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

Could A Single Vote Save Abortion Rights? with Sister District Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

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.

Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.

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

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