Today we’re talking: JetSet Pilates, JVN & Michelle Kwan Take Paris, Ulta Beauty World, Tina Knowles sightings, being triggered by Britney Spears mics, seeing folks from the Pretty Curious era, New York sized bees, what we’re getting better at this week, JVN’s continued worked on perfectionism, speaking on vocal fry, Alex v. Alix, 4/20 Spelling Bee letting go of friendships, HBOTW’s - French Pharmacy & CNP Laboratory, and Rachel Zegler’s Olivier Award Win. Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix...
Apr 20, 2026•32 min
Disagreements are everywhere right now - and let’s be honest, they can get messy fast. But what if arguing didn’t have to wreck your relationships… or your nervous system? This week on Getting Better , JVN sits down with Dr. Julia Minson, a Harvard decision scientist and leading expert on disagreements, to unpack why we clash, how we can do it better, and the small shifts that make a huge difference. From dinner table debates to full-on conflict spirals, we’re getting into the psychology behind ...
Apr 16, 2026•47 min
This week: we’ve compiled our favorite Monday Edit Spelling Bee’s for your listening pleasure! Regularly scheduled TME’s will be back next Monday - but don’t forget to tune in this Wednesday, April 15th for a brand new episode of Getting Better with Harvard decision scientist Julia Minson talking all about how to disagree better. Divaaaa, do we need that now more than ever or what? Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here . Catch Getting Better & The Monday Ed...
Apr 13, 2026•30 min
Conversion therapy is back in the headlines—and it may be closer to home than you think. Today, we’re unpacking the reality of conversion therapy: what it teaches, how it operates, and the lasting impact it can have on identity, spirituality, and healing. In light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Chiles v. Salazar , this conversation feels more urgent than ever. To help us do this, we have Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez, author of the upcoming book Conversion Therapy Dropout (May 5). Through...
Apr 08, 2026•39 min
This week: we’re talking about: What WE’RE Getting Better At, having a BIG GAY Spelling Bee, and the Supreme Ruling on Conversion Therapy. Related Articles: Lipstick Lesbian Controvery LeAnn Rimes Jaw Tension Conversion Therapy Dropout Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here . The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior p...
Apr 06, 2026•29 min
GLP-1... 4-LIFE? JVN is joined by Dr. Liz Kazarian for a candid conversation on GLP-1 medications, the future of obesity care, and JVN’s personal journey with the medication. They cover: Food tracking—helpful or harmful? How does family medicine shape patient care? Do you take GLP-1s forever? Plus - what it takes to sustain long-term health on this “miracle” medication. Dr. Liz Kazarian is a board-certified family medicine physician specializing in obesity medicine, with a clinical focus on wome...
Apr 01, 2026•46 min
This week: we’re talking about CATS: The Jellicle Ball, weddings, maiden name lore, striving for excellence (not perfection), GLP-1 Spelling Bee, Alexia Moore’s arrest, sleep for memory, the North Atlantic current, and Broadway bootlegs. Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here . The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior...
Mar 30, 2026•29 min
Show them you can THRIVE. Hey Better Babes! It’s my birthday week, and I’m sitting down with my of my BEST friends in the whole wide world - Dylan Mulvaney! Dylan opens up about thriving under pressure, Broadway’s SIX, and navigating fame, criticism, and identity in the public eye. In this episode, she shares powerful insights on self-love, mindfulness, and what it really takes to stay grounded while living online and in the spotlight. From paparazzi and privacy to personal growth, ayahuasca, an...
Mar 25, 2026•46 min
This week, we’re talking: JVN’s birthday, Inner Child Work, weekend milestones, hack-a-rella sickness, what WE’RE getting better at this week, Afroman on TikTok, Broadway-Themed Spelling Bee, covering up hickeys, Alexandra Paul & Animal Rights Activists, and Dunkin Donuts Banana Iced Coffees. Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here . The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram...
Mar 23, 2026•30 min
Ever wondered why we lash out, shut down, or spiral emotionally, even when we don't want to? On this episode of Getting Better, JVN teams up with psychologist and author Dr. Nicole LePera (The Holistic Psychologist) to dive deep into inner child healing, parts work, and the shocking truth behind our nervous system's reactions. Dr. LePera reveals how our past molds our emotions, why connection is our biological imperative, and how to become your own adult parent. JVN opens up about their own "par...
Mar 18, 2026•47 min
This week, we’re talking: Hot & Healed Comedy Tour, Double Take Trend, Reba on TikTok, Melodyne vs. Autotune, Candace Cameron-Bure Attending Demonic Sex Parties and telling everyone about it, St. Patrick’s Day Spelling Bee, Nick Fuentes on Women, Katie Couric’s “use it or lose it” Reporting, CBS, Save America Act, to have a kid or not to have a kid, and protein pop-tarts. Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here . The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclus...
Mar 16, 2026•32 min
What if getting dressed could actually help you feel better? This week, JVN sits down with Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Nikki Ogunnaike to talk about dopamine dressing, personal style, and why fashion is so much deeper than just clothes. Together, they get into how to figure out what your style really is, why “everything is fashion,” and how vintage, retail, and finding a good deal can all shape the way we express ourselves. BIO: Named editor-in-chief of Marie Claire (US), Nikki Ogunnaike is amo...
Mar 11, 2026•41 min
This week we’re talking: prepping for the Hot & Healed comedy tour, self-tape adventures, new Instagram follows, shopping quirks, our weekly spelling bee, dermatologist updates, geopolitical reflections on the military action Iran, answering your listener questions, and of course - our Hot B of the Week! The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Inst...
Mar 09, 2026•30 min
What happens when you meet someone who looks like your long-lost twin… and then they also have an iconic backstory to match? JVN is joined by Matt Newman (aka MattLovesHair on social media) for one helluva delightful conversation. From photoshoot fiascos, an ANTM -era detour, and Matt’s origin story as an OG Drybar stylist . From there, it’s all the hits - strip club stories, “ DollarStoreJVN ,” frat hazing, first love, and how social media can shape (and sometimes warp) the way we see ourselves...
Mar 04, 2026•52 min
This week, JVN & Chris talk: Softwave Skin Treatments, "Friend of Dorothy," the ANTM Documentary, Murder in Glitterball City, the weekly Spelling Bee, U.S. presence in Iran, and ICE Detention Centers. Plus - JVN answers your listener questions, and we drop this week’s Hot B*tch of the Week. The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and...
Mar 02, 2026•30 min
Cindy Eckert (Addyi) joins JVN to talk all things women’s sexual health, libido, and the science behind desire. Cindy breaks down her TIME100 Health feature, gives a preview of the upcoming Paramount+ documentary about her work The Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who Has Control, shares the iconic story of Addyi (often called the “female Viagra”) and her fight for better access to women’s health care. Jonathan and Cindy also unpack the science of libido, how hormones, stress, and stigma affect sexua...
Feb 25, 2026•44 min
This week, JVN & Chris talk: Punch the Monkey, the return of the perm, Supreme Court striking down Trump Tariffs, Kristi Noem’s private jet funded from ICE’s budget, the shelf life of slang, and our hot b*tches of the week! The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris Executive Producer, Chris M...
Feb 23, 2026•31 min
How Enneagrams can help YOU! This week, JVN dives into the world of the Enneagram with coach and expert, Courtney Smith. This is the personality system that doesn’t just describe your behavior… it describes your motivation. JVN learns their type and discovers why two people who look NOTHING alike (hi history!) can actually operate from the exact same psychological blueprint. We’re talking: What the Enneagram actually is (and what it definitely is not). The 9 types and their core fears + desires....
Feb 18, 2026•48 min
This week, JVN & Chris talk: calling out sick, Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Performance, Winter Olympics themed spelling bee, the HIV Funding Rollback, Greenhouse gases, and Hasan Piker's POV on 3rd Party voting. Plus! This week's HBOTW. The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris Senior Producer, Ch...
Feb 16, 2026•28 min
We’re getting out the red yarn, receipts, proof, timeline, screenshots - f*cking everything - and piecing together the saga of that is: The Epstein Files. JVN and Betches co-founder, Sami Sage, unpack a tangled web that tracks 50 years into the past and traces all the way to today. From concrete evidence to conspiracy theories - this is just the tip of the iceberg, and we'll be keeping an eye on this EVER unfolding story here on the pod. Sami Sage, host of Morning Announcements and co-founder of...
Feb 11, 2026•49 min
Choose Courage, Build Community, and Take Action to Create Change… ICYMI: JVN sits down with Cristina Jiménez Moreta to talk about her new book Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear Into Pride, Power, and Real Change and the work being done at United We Dream , the country’s largest youth-led immigrant organization – which Cristina co-founded. Plus our breakdown of the Tony awards and our HBOTW! Cristina Jiménez Moreta is an award-winning community organizer, political strategist, prominent advocat...
Feb 09, 2026•29 min
Melissa Murray & Kate Shaw, two of the three hosts from the HIT podcast Strict Scrutiny join JVN on this week’s episode of Getting Better to break down the biggest legal and political stories shaping our lives right now — from ICE and Minneapolis, the TikTok data debate, and the Supreme Court cases that could change everything. Check out Strict Scrutiny wherever you get your podcasts! They talk: voting rights, power, accountability, what the headlines miss…and whether there’s still reason fo...
Feb 04, 2026•1 hr 1 min
This week: our first official TME Spelling Bee, Producer Nathanael learns the Tin whistle, we try the viral smoked salmon, talk GLP-1 & Cannabis usage, coverMifepristone Access in the US over at the Jonathan Van News Desk, and drop this week’s Hot B*tch of the Week. Catch JVN on tour this weekend: February 6th - Omaha, NE & February 7th - Kansas City, MO The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow...
Feb 02, 2026•30 min
Chris Appleton takes a seat in JVN's chair! JVN and Chris talk about how vulnerability not only changed Chris’ life, but allowed him to write his debut memoir Your Roots Don’t Define You. Plus! JVN and Chris talk: bleach and tones, celebrity clientele (like Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Katy Perry to name a few), Met Gala tea, how red carpet moments come together to make absolute perfection. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube . Follow Chris Appleton on Instagram @c...
Jan 28, 2026•45 min
Queer Eye Press Week, WICED Oscar Snubs, Ariana Grande in Sunday in the Park with George , Victoria Beckham the Wedding Crasher, ICE Warrants, Ice Skating Video Games, IU Football. The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and executive producer Chris @amomentlikechris Executive Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Na...
Jan 26, 2026•20 min
Queer Eye Season 10 is upon us! This week, JVN gets personal and reflects on the last decade making Queer Eye. They also catch up with iconic heroes Tammye Hicks, Kathi Dooley, and Angel Flores on this very special celebration episode! Queer Eye Season 10 is now streaming. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube . Follow Tammye Hicks @mamatammye Follow Kathi Dooley @kathidooley Follow Angel Flores @arkangeljoy Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram...
Jan 21, 2026•54 min
This week we’re talking: the Final Queer Eye Season, Australia & New Zealand & Comedy Tour, Bag Purchase Update, Supreme Court Abortion Access Hearing, Co-Workers & Politics, and our HBOTW The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & ...
Jan 19, 2026•30 min
Why do people join cults ? JVN is joined by investigative journalist Ellen Huet , who spent years interviewing more than 125 former members to expose how a movement built around empowerment, intimacy, and “sexual wellness” spiraled into coercion, manipulation, and abuse of power. Together, we break down how wellness culture can blur boundaries, why charismatic leaders are so effective, and how language around healing and liberation can be weaponized. They explore what OneTaste and Orgasmic Medit...
Jan 14, 2026•52 min
The Monday Edit, now on YouTube ! This week: Wigs, buying bags, JVN Hairspray Launch, policing language, Gwyneth Paltrow singing, Renee Good, Minneapolis, Reading vs. Audiobooks. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Ch...
Jan 12, 2026•29 min
High-Functioning Depression—what does it really look like? ICYMI: JVN is joined by the brilliant Dr. Judith Joseph, a board-certified psychiatrist and researcher, to explore high-functioning depression — what it is, how to recognize it, and why so many people struggle with it in silence. Together, they break down the signs that often go unnoticed, unpack the stigma around seeking help when things "seem fine," and share tools for finding support and healing. Whether you're curious about your own ...
Jan 07, 2026•52 min