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 l...
Dec 09, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 140
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 Meg...
Dec 02, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 139
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.a...
Nov 25, 2020•56 min•Season 1Ep. 138
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....
Nov 18, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 137
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...
Nov 11, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 136
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 ha...
Nov 02, 2020•55 min•Season 1Ep. 135
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 A...
Oct 28, 2020•44 min•Season 1Ep. 134
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 ...
Oct 21, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 133
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 Fa...
Oct 14, 2020•59 min•Season 1Ep. 132
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 @Sa...
Oct 07, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 131
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 ou...
Sep 30, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 130
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...
Sep 23, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 129
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 Am...
Sep 16, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 128
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 ...
Sep 09, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 127
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 t...
Sep 02, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 126
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 ...
Aug 26, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 125
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 le...
Aug 19, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 124
Earth to listeners! This week’s Getting Curious is serving an adventure like no other, because Jonathan is talking with astronaut, oceanographer, and geologist Kathy Sullivan. She’s the first US woman to complete a spacewalk, the first woman to reach the deepest known point in the ocean, and the first person to travel to both space and deep sea. She tells Jonathan all about space tools, the Challenger Deep, and what it’s like to feel the force of gravity during a shuttle landing. Follow Kathy on...
Aug 12, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 123
Do you know where your donor dollars and time are actually going? Activist, thought leader, and founder of the social impact campaign YouAreEssential Ashlee Marie Preston joins Jonathan to discuss the trillion-dollar industry that is the US non-profit sector, the ways in which non-profit organizations can undercut to the aims of grassroots political movements, and how we can work to dismantle a system that doesn’t always serve the communities it claims to protect. Follow Ashlee Marie Preston on ...
Aug 05, 2020•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 122
This episode is an All-Around winner, because Jonathan is talking with six-time Olympic medalist and captain of the Fierce Five and Final Five gymnastics teams, Aly Raisman. This isn’t a Level 10 conversation about gymnastics, gardening, and more—it’s certified Elite. Follow Aly on Instagram @alyraisman and Twitter @aly_raisman, and learn more about her book Fierce . Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Transcripts for ...
Jul 29, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 121
This week's Getting Curious is a show like no other, since Jonathan is joined by the iconic Tony, Grammy, and Emmy award winner Audra McDonald. She and Jonathan discuss the critical work she's doing as the co-founder of Black Theatre United, an organization that is advocating for equity in the theater world and the nation. They also discuss how theatergoers can continue to support the performing arts community, during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. (And stick around for the third act to hear ...
Jul 22, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 120
The 2020 election season has been anything but routine. To coach us through all the ways we can help flip seats, add balance to any check on our democracy, and win big on election day, Jonathan is turning to political strategist Ben O'Keefe. Ben is a human rights activist, progressive strategist, and founder of the impact entertainment company Give A Damn. He is a former Senior Aide to Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign, and currently the Impact Producer on the forthcoming Untitled Stacey ...
Jul 15, 2020•58 min•Season 1Ep. 119
This week on Getting Curious, Dr. Kira Thurman and Ashleigh Gordon join Jonathan to discuss the remarkable work of Black classical composers and musicians through history and today. Dr. Thurman is an assistant professor of History and Germanic Languages and Literatures at the University of Michigan. Ashleigh Gordon is the co-founder, Artistic and Executive Director, and violist of Castle of our Skins, a Boston-based concert and educational series devoted to celebrating Black Artistry through mus...
Jul 08, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 118
On this week’s Getting Curious, Jonathan is taking the creepy out of crawly with entomologist and evolutionary biologist Dr. Jessica Ware. We’re talking periodical cicadas, cockroaches, dragonflies, and more. Dr. Ware is a curator of Odonata and non-Holometabolous insect orders at the American Museum of Natural History, New York and a professor at the Richard Gilder Graduate School. She is also the VP-Elect of the Entomological Society of America, and the President of the Worldwide Dragonfly Ass...
Jul 01, 2020•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 117
Voting rights activist, author, lawyer, and politician Stacey Abrams joins Jonathan to discuss the history of voting rights in the United States, the current state of voter suppression, and how we can work towards fair voting and a robust civic engagement. Abrams served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017, and as minority leader from 2011 to 2017. In 2018, she became the first Black woman to run as a major-party gubernatorial nominee in the US. She is the founder of Fair Fi...
Jun 24, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 116
In Masha Gessen’s return to Getting Curious, the journalist and staff writer at The New Yorker speaks with Jonathan about their new book Surviving Autocracy. They discuss the ways in which Trump has consolidated power since his election, what the stakes are if he continues to trample American institutions, and what we can do to resist his autocratic ambitions. Follow Masha Gessen on Twitter @mashagessen, and learn more about Surviving Autocracy here . Find out what today’s guest and former guest...
Jun 17, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 115
In this re-release of an episode first recorded in July 2019, Jonathan sits down with Alicia Garza, Co-founder of Black Lives Matter and Director of Strategy & Partnerships for National Domestic Workers Alliance, to discuss the origins of the Black Lives Matter movement, Alicia’s work with the Black Futures Lab, and how Democratic Party candidates, campaigns, and elected officials need to be—and can be—more accountable to Black constituents. Follow Alicia Garza on Twitter @aliciagarza and on...
Jun 10, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 114
On this episode of Getting Curious, we’re digging deep with Dr. Julia Clarke, Wilson Professor of Paleontology at The University of Texas at Austin and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. She and Jonathan get to the bottom of how Texas looked 250 million years ago, which dinosaurs roamed prehistoric America, and what Pangaea’s got to do with the age of dinosaurs. Follow Dr. Clarke on Twitter @jclarkepaleolab, and learn more about her work here . Find out what today’s guest and former guest...
May 27, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 113
You're invited to a very special episode of Getting Curious, and the dress code is whatever makes you feel stunning! The guest of honor is the CFDA designer Christian Siriano, who launched his brand in 2008 and has since risen to the top of the fashion world, dressing icons like FLOTUS Michelle Obama, Billy Porter, and Lady Gaga. Christian joins Jonathan to discuss his groundbreaking designs, his commitment to body diversity and inclusive pricing, and the more than 25,000 masks he and his team h...
May 20, 2020•53 min•Season 1Ep. 112
Journalist and author Mary O'Hara returns to Getting Curious to discuss her reporting on poverty, her new book The Shame Game: Overturning the Toxic Poverty Narrative, and her work reimagining how we talk about poverty with Project Twist-It. She and Jonathan discuss her own experience of childhood poverty, common misconceptions around poverty in the United States and the United Kingdom, and how we can start to see social services as springboards for success. You can find Mary O’Hara’s writing at...
May 13, 2020•48 min•Season 1Ep. 111
