This week on Getting Curious, we’re going from table to farm to learn more about where our food comes from, and who is producing it. Activist and lawyer Mónica Ramírez joins Jonathan to discuss the history of farmwork in the United States, the labor conditions facing contemporary farmworkers, and the work she and her peers are doing to prioritize legal and mental health support for farmworker communities. Mónica Ramírez is an attorney, author and activist. She is the founder of Justice for Migra...
Jul 14, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 170
This week on Getting Curious, Sister District’s Lala Wu and Gaby Goldstein are here to remind us that there are no off-year elections, only odd-year elections—and we’re in the midst of a major campaign season. Lala and Gaby break down why this year’s state legislature races are a bellwether for the midterms, what’s going on with redistricting, and how you can get involved in electing progressives across the country. Once you’ve listened to the episode, make sure to check out Gaby’s first appeara...
Jul 07, 2021•52 min•Season 1Ep. 169
Last June, LGBTQIA+ activist, journalist, and media personality Ashlee Marie Preston joined Jonathan on Instagram Live for a conversation about Pride, racial justice, and everyday acts of resistance. To round out Pride this year, we’re releasing that conversation as a podcast episode. Follow Ashlee Marie Preston on Instagram @ashleemariepreston and Twitter @AshleeMPreston, and learn more about her work at YouAreEssential.org . Make sure to revisit her first appearance on Getting Curious, recentl...
Jun 30, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 168
This week on Getting Curious, Jonathan and David Yi explore the history of beauty beyond the gender binary. Listen in to learn about Neanderthals who used highlighters, Korean warriors who invented three-in-one sticks, ancient Egyptians who relied on anti-aging creams, and more stunning historical figures. David Yi is the co-founder of good light, a gender-inclusive beauty brand, and editor of Very Good Light , a men's and masc-identifying beauty publication. They are the author of the new book ...
Jun 23, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 167
This week, Professor Jue Guo returns to Getting Curious, which means we are returning to Early China! She and Jonathan discuss what a week in the life might look like for a royal hairdresser, a performance artist, a regional king, and other figures from this period and place. This episode can be enjoyed on its own, but if you can’t get enough of Early China, make sure to check out Professor Guo’s first appearance on the show, where we ask: Can You Set The Scene For Early China? Jue Guo is an Ass...
Jun 16, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 166
Put on your ruby red slippers and click your heels three times, because this week’s episode of Getting Curious is taking us to Kansas. Congresswoman Sharice Davids joins Jonathan to discuss her historic election (and re-election!); her experience representing Kansans in Congress; and her new children’s book Sharice’s Big Voice. Sharice Davids is currently serving as the representative for Kansas’ Third District in Congress. Sharice was raised by a single mom and worked her way from Johnson Count...
Jun 09, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 165
We are ringing in Pride Month with a very special episode of Getting Curious, recorded live from the set of Netflix’s Queer Eye. Listen in for sit-down interviews with Tan France, Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, and Antoni Porowski—and guest appearances from Queer Eye’s stellar production team. You can follow the Fab Five on Instagram @tanfrance , @bobby , @karamo , and @antoni . Keep up with all things Queer Eye on Instagram @queereye . Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by follo...
Jun 02, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 164
Grab your Ugg boots and mini skirts and give three cheers for each of Carly Patterson's Olympic medals because this week on Getting Curious, 2004 is back in style. As billions of Brood X cicadas start to emerge across the eastern United States after 17 years, we’re re-releasing our episode from last summer with Dr. Jessica Ware, all about these trending insects. Dr. Ware is a curator of Odonata and non-Holometabolous insect orders at the American Museum of Natural History, New York and a profess...
May 26, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 163
It’s no secret that we rely on technology in our daily lives. So it shouldn’t be a secret how that technology works, who is developing it, and just how biased it can be. This week on Getting Curious, returning guest Meredith Broussard joins Jonathan to discuss how data rights are civil rights—and how we can all get involved in efforts to defend them. Data journalist Meredith Broussard is an associate professor at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University, research director...
May 19, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 162
This week’s episode of Getting Curious isn’t a snack, it’s a whole meal. Culinary creator, writer, and video host Sohla El-Waylly joins Jonathan to discuss cooking basics, ancient recipes, and their shared affinity for a certain discontinued Taco Bell classic. Sohla El-Waylly can currently be seen starring in The HISTORY® Channel’s online series Ancient Recipes with Sohla . Sohla is also currently one of the first-ever Resident Experts for Food52 with Off Script with Sohla, her curated monthly o...
May 12, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 161
This week on Getting Curious, things are looking up: to Canada! Professor Jeffers Lennox joins Jonathan to discuss early Canadian history, including British, French, and Indigenous relations in northeastern North America; Canada’s role in the American Revolution; Canada’s confederation story; and what the deal actually was with Benedict Arnold. Jeffers Lennox is an associate professor of History at Wesleyan University. His current book project is North of America: British Provinces, the Revoluti...
May 05, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 160
This week on Getting Curious, Jonathan sits down with the creators and cast of Netflix’s new animated musical movie Arlo The Alligator Boy. Joining the discussion is director and writer Ryan Crego; supervising producer Blake Lemons; Mary Lambert, who plays Bertie; Michael J. Woodard, who plays Arlo—and Jonathan, who plays Furlecia! Listen in to learn all about the writing, casting, voiceover, and animation process. You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ creegsmamation ; Blake @ blahlemons ; Michael ...
Apr 21, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 159
This week on Getting Curious, multidisciplinary visual artist Lanecia Rouse joins Jonathan to discuss how creative expression can help us make sense of our lives. Lanecia shares how she sources materials—like magazines, bricks, and strings—for her works; how she contends with questions of religion, grief, and joy in her art; and how she became a full-time artist. Lanecia is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Houston, TX and the owner and creator of LAR Art Studio. Her portfolio includes ...
Apr 14, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 158
This week’s Getting Curious is going to the dogs—and the cats and the cows and the crocodiles! Philosopher and writer Eva Meijer joins Jonathan for a conversation about how non-human animals communicate, why humans have often underestimated other species’ capacity for language, and what we can do to build more sustainable, respectful relationships with other species. Among Eva’s books is Animal Languages , recently translated into English by Laura Watkinson and published by MIT University Press....
Apr 07, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 157
This week on Getting Curious, we’re wishing Jonathan many happy returns with an extra special birthday edition of the show. Diana Rose joins Jonathan to discuss astrology, tarot, and other healing practices—complete with Jonathan’s first ever natal chart reading! Diana Rose is an astrologer, tarot reader, & writer based in Los Angeles. Her practice aims to guide others towards cultivating a more compassionate and re-enchanted relationship with themselves & the world around them. Diana is...
Mar 31, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 156
This week on Getting Curious, Professor Beronda Montgomery joins Jonathan to discuss plant behavior, adaptation, and communication—plus, the question on everyone’s minds: will Jonathan’s lantana plants survive the winter?! Beronda L. Montgomery is MSU Foundation Professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics at Michigan State University . A Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Microbiology, she ...
Mar 24, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 155
Spring is on its way, the sun is shining, and we want to make sure you’re prepared to bask in the warm weather—even with your masks on! This week on Getting Curious, we’re re-releasing an episode from July 2019 on sun protection with Dr. Emily Newsom. Listen back as Jonathan and Dr. Newsom discuss the science behind sunscreen, tips for managing sun exposure, and more. Dr. Emily Newsom is a board certified dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at UCLA Medical Center. You can follow...
Mar 17, 2021•45 min•Season 1Ep. 154
This week on Getting Curious, we’re traveling back to Early China with Professor Jue Guo. She and Jonathan discuss dynasties, empires, early instances of written language, and so much more. And because curiosity can’t always be contained to 40 minutes—okay, more like an hour and fifteen minutes—we’re planning a follow-up episode with Professor Guo. Make sure to jot down your questions about Early China as you listen, and keep an eye out on our social media accounts for a chance to have them feat...
Mar 10, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 153
We read your Instagram comments. We saw your clamoring for more information on the stunning painting behind Jonathan’s couch—and the artist behind the work. This week, we’re satisfying your curiosity (and ours!) with a conversation between Jonathan and the abstract expressionist painter and writer A’Driane Nieves. A’Driane shares how she developed her art practice, why she’s partial to acrylic paints and massive canvases, what she sees as a more equitable art world, and so much more. A’Driane Ni...
Mar 03, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 152
We love going off script for Getting Curious, but we’re staying on it with this week’s guest: the Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated writer, director, actress, and author Emerald Fennell. She and Jonathan discuss her latest project and directorial feature film debut PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, her role as Camilla Parker Bowles on THE CROWN, and so much more. PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, nominated for three Golden Globe awards, is a comedy thriller that centers on a woman, played by Carey Mulligan, who is trau...
Feb 24, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 151
Put on your finest loungewear and raise your favorite coffee mug because this week’s episode of Getting Curious is an EVENT! After six years of incredible work, NASA’s Perseverance rover is now exploring Mars, and Jonathan spoke with Christina Hernandez, an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, all about the mission just before landing day. Listen in to learn more about the Red Planet, the Perseverance mission, and Christina’s advice for the next generation of NASA innovators. Keep up wi...
Feb 17, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 150
This week on Getting Curious, we’re celebrating 200 episodes and five years of the show with a look back at some of our favorite segments on empowerment, advocacy, and exploration. We’re so grateful to all of our listeners and guests for taking this journey with us, and we’ll be back next week with an all new episode that’s truly out of this world! Find out what today’s guest and former guests are up to by following us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN. Check out Getting Curious merch at ...
Feb 10, 2021•1 hr 32 min•Season 1Ep. 149
This week on Getting Curious, we’re learning about three women who shaped the movement for civil rights in the United States—Alberta King, Louise Little, and Berdis Baldwin—but whose stories have too often been footnotes in books about their famous sons. The writer and scholar Anna Malaika Tubbs joins Jonathan to discuss her new group biography The Three Mothers, her work studying Black motherhood as a Gates scholar and Ph.D. candidate in Sociology at Cambridge University, and her approach to pu...
Feb 03, 2021•58 min•Season 1Ep. 148
In December 2020, the UK High Court determined that trans, non-binary, and gender diverse young people in the UK must have legal approval before they can start puberty blockers—even if these young people, their families, and their doctors advocate for treatment. This week on Getting Curious, Lui Asquith joins Jonathan to break down what hormone blockers are, why this case is so significant, and how it fits into a broader discussion about trans rights in the UK and beyond. Lui Asquith (pronouns t...
Jan 27, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 147
This week on Getting Curious, the writer, activist, and educator Dean Spade joins Jonathan to discuss how we can meet our neighbors’ survival needs through mutual aid, and better understand the systems we live under in the process. Listen in to learn about what mutual aid is, how it differs from charity, and why local wisdom is essential for sweeping change. Dean Spade has been working to build queer and trans liberation based in racial and economic justice for the past two decades. He’s the aut...
Jan 20, 2021•56 min•Season 1Ep. 146
This week on Getting Curious, we’re following the money to better understand banking in America and the history of the country’s racial wealth gap. Professor Mehrsa Baradaran joins Jonathan to discuss banking deserts, overdraft fees, home loans, and more. (Like, what are capital gains, even?!) Mehrsa Baradaran is a professor of law and associate dean at UC Irvine School of Law specializing in banking law and financial inequality. She is the author of How the Other Half Banks and The Color of Mon...
Jan 13, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 145
New year, old curiosity: this week on Getting Curious, we’re traveling back in time to ancient Egypt with Dr. Kathryn Howley. She and Jonathan discuss what life might have looked like for ancient Egyptian hairstylists, royalty, and scribes; how ancient Egyptians interacted with neighboring cultures; and what it’s like for Egyptologists to analyze archaeological remains. Professor Howley is the Lila Acheson Wallace Assistant Professor of Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology at the Institute of Fi...
Jan 06, 2021•54 min•Season 1Ep. 144
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 nat...
Dec 30, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 143
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 lik...
Dec 23, 2020•57 min•Season 1Ep. 142
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. Jes...
Dec 16, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 141
