It’s the last Friday of May, which means it’s time to discuss T Kira Madden’s novel Whidbey ! Host Greta Johnsen talks to self-professed T Kira stan Kristen Arnett, the author of several novels. (Her most recent book, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One , is especially wonderful!) They unpack what makes this complex novel so readable: nuanced themes, compelling characters, tangible sense of place, and propulsive plot. TRIGGER WARNING: This book deals with themes of child sexual abuse, which we disc...
May 29, 2026•25 min•Ep. 20
Host Greta Johnsen talks to two of her favorite readers -- MJ Franklin , an editor at the New York Times Book Review and host of The Book Review Book Club podcast, and Traci Thomas , who hosts the wonderfully bookish podcast The Stacks . Even though the three of them have WILDLY different reading tastes, they also have an abundance of respect for each other, so these conversations are always a treat. Here’s a list of each of their recommendations: Greta’s picks: The Children , Melissa Albert (Ju...
May 22, 2026•32 min•Ep. 19
WXPN morning host and assistant music director Kristen Kurtis offers host Greta Johnsen three songs to enjoy this summer, and they are all BOPS: Zinadeplhia, “River” Parlor Greens, “Eat Your Greens” Allison Russell, “Cold April” ft. Kara Jackson, Denitia, and Explore! Pop Choir SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...
May 15, 2026•10 min•Ep. 18
Host Greta Johnsen talks with profesisonal organizer Kelly Brask about how Swedish death cleaning can help you live better by getting rid of the things that no longer fit int your life and keeping the things that are useful and joyul for you. She also offers hints for how to organize your space and encourages you to embrace cleanliness while avoiding perfectionism. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
May 08, 2026•22 min•Ep. 17
Host Greta Johnsen talks with T Kira Madden, whose novel Whidbey is the GRETAGRAM Book Club selection for May. (TW: Child sexual abuse.) Whidbey is told from the points of view of three women who are all connected to Calvin, a sexual precator: Mary Beth, his mother, and Birdie and Linzie, who victims who approach their trauma in very different ways. T Kira talks about the book’s enticing opening scene, the ways that victimhood can be exploited, and whether she considers writing fiction to be cat...
May 01, 2026•31 min•Ep. 16
Host Greta Johnsen talks with Roxana Jullapat, head baker and co-owner at the Los Angeles restaurant Friends & Family . Her new cookbook is Morning Baker : Recipes and Rituals for Breakfast and Beyond . In 2019, she wrote Mother Grains: Recipes for the Grain Revolution , a thorough compendium of heritage grains and everything they have to offer. Roxana says the new cookbook is just as devoted to whole grains, but it’s a little more joyful. “There’s a lot more spontaneity,” she said. “It trul...
Apr 24, 2026•26 min•Ep. 15
Host Greta Johnsen talks to author Rufi Thrope, whose novel Margo’s Got Money Troubles was just adapted into a series on Apple TV+ . The show’s cast is stacked -- it stars Elle Fanning as Margo, a young woman who becomes pregnant after an affair with her college professor. She decides to keep the baby, much to the chagrin of her own single mom Shyanne, played by Michelle Pfeiffer. Margo’s absentee former pro wrestler dad, Jinx, is played by Nick Offerman. Rufi and Greta talk about the magic of s...
Apr 17, 2026•24 min•Ep. 13
Greta’s guest today will be familiar to longtime Nerdette listeners -- her name is Kate Schatz, and she’s an activist and author. She co-wrote Do the Work: An Antiracist Activity Book with W Kamau Bell, and she’s the author of Rad American Women A-Z and Rad Women Worldwide . Now, she’s back with her first novel for adults! Where the Girls Were takes place in the Bay Area in 1968. It’s about Baker, a teenager whose future is bright -- until she meets a boy, and has sex with that boy, and gets pre...
Apr 10, 2026•25 min•Ep. 12
An unimportant investigation into the difference between cupcakes and muffins with Bon Appetit test kitchen editor Shilpa Uscocovic . SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Apr 03, 2026•17 min•Ep. 11
For this deep-dive discussion of Tayari Jones’ novel Kin , host Greta Johnsen talks with Traci Thomas, who hosts The Stacks podcast . They talk about the exquisite pleasure of reading a book that does exactly what it sets out to do, the beauty of female friendship, and the different ways the main characters are mothered despite the absence of their actual mothers. Warning: this is a spoilery conversation! If you haven’t read the book yet, go listen to Greta’s spoiler-free conversation with Tayar...
Mar 31, 2026•39 min•Ep. 10
Greta Johnsen and Kristen Meinzer discuss the finale of My So-Called Life -- “In Dreams Begin Responsibilities” -- with Pop Culture Happy Hour host Linda Holmes and Ronald Young, Jr. , who hosts Weight for It. They talk about the centrality of Angela and Rayanne’s friendship, the power of Patty’s nostalgia trip, and how the episode works as both a season and series finale. Plus, Greta and Kristen talk to Winnie Holzman, the creator of My So-Called Life. about how fulfilling it is to hear stories...
Mar 27, 2026•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 6
In today’s MSCL rewatch episode, Greta Johnsen and Kristen Meinzer discuss My So-Called Life episodes 17 and 18 -- “Betrayal” and “Weekend” -- with Soraya Roberts , a culture writer and contributing writer at Defector who wrote the the book In My Humble Opinion: My So-Called Life . They talk about THE BEYRAYAL, whether Jordan actually loved Angela, and what Brian’s deal is. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Co-host: Kristen Meinzer Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composer: Andrew M. Edw...
Mar 20, 2026•41 min•Ep. 9
Greta Johnsen and Kristen Meinzer discuss My So-Called Life episodes 15 and 16 -- “So-Called Angels” and “Resolutions” -- with Jenn White , the host of the NPR show 1A . They talk about the ups and downs of what Jenn (somewhat facetiously) calls “a very special episode of My So-Called Life ,” the devastation and sweetness of Ricky’s story, and the fact that Sharon is “just a nice, middle-class suburban girl who’s horny,” as Kristen put it. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Co-host: Kr...
Mar 13, 2026•51 min•Ep. 8
Host Greta Johnsen talks to Tayari Jones . Her novel Kin is the GRETAGRAM book club selection for March. It’s about two girls grow up in the 50’s in Alabama. They each lost their mothers in different ways, and those absences shape the trajectories of both of their lives. Tayari and Greta talk about the power of deep, abiding friendship, the importance of asking for help, and how Tayari stumbled upon writing historical fiction. UPCOMING BOOK CLUB BOOKS: April: Vigil , George Saunders May: Whidbey...
Mar 10, 2026•30 min•Ep. 4
Host Greta Johnsen and co-gost Kristen Meinzer discuss My So-Called Life episodes 13 and 14 -- “Pressure” and “On the Wagon” -- with culture writer and podcaster Margaret H. Willison . They talk about the show’s many different depictions of teenage desire, the fate of the Frozen Embryos, and Patty’s “congenital inability to chill,” as Margaret so skillfully puts it. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Co-host: Kristen Meinzer Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composer: Andrew M. Edwards Til...
Mar 06, 2026•53 min•Ep. 5
Host Greta Johnsen and co-host Kristen Meinzer discuss My So-Called Life episodes 11 and 12 --”Picture Perfect” and “Self Esteem” -- with Christina Tucker !!!! She’s a podcaster and writer who co-hosts the podcast Wait, Is This A Date? . They talk about school dance drama, wallpaper as an analogy for sex, and the fact that Delia Fisher is a f*****g QUEEN. . SHOW CREDITS: Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Co-host: Kristen Meinzer Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composer: Andrew M. Edwards Tile art: L...
Feb 27, 2026•59 min•Ep. 5
Greta and Kristen discuss My So-Called Life episodes 9 and 10 --”Halloween” and “Other Peoples’ Mothers” -- with Patrick Hinds ! He co-hosted his own MSCL deep-dive podcawst, My So-Called Podcast , in 2018. They talk about whether Angela ACTUALLY time travels, how terrible it is to add oregano to a curry, and how Patrick thinks about Patty differently now that he’s a parent. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Co-host: Kristen Meinzer Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composer: Andrew M. Ed...
Feb 20, 2026•54 min•Ep. 5
The GRETAGRAM book club is officially in podcast form! Host Greta Johnsen talks to Nina McConigley , the author of How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder . Her novel is the GRETAGRAM book club selection for February. It’s about two teenage sisters who decide they must kill their uncle. While this book is intense it’s also funny and strange -- or, as Nina puts it, cheeky! Nina talks about the weirdness of growing up in an immigrant family in Wyoming, the complicated legacy of colonialism, and the no...
Feb 17, 2026•19 min•Ep. 5
On this week’s podcast, Greta Johnsen and Kristen Meinzer discuss My So-Called Life episodes 7 and 8 --”Why Jordan Can’t Read” and “Strangers in the House” -- with Joanna Robinson and Kristin Russo . They’re the perfect guests to talk about MSCL because they hosted their own rewatch podcast, The Boiler Room ! The group chats about Angela’s amazing detective skills, the crumbs of Jordan’s personality we are all subsisting on, and the undeniable relatability of the show’s exquisitely flawed charac...
Feb 13, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 4
Greta Johnsen and Kristen Meinzer discuss My So-Called Life episodes 5 and 6 --”The Zit” and “The Substitute” -- with Anna Sale ! They talk about the messiness of teenage desire and objectification, self-esteem and insecurity, and whether Anna Sale is Patty-ing her children. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Co-host: Kristen Meinzer Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composer: Andrew M. Edwards Tile art: Lou Lovisek See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Not...
Feb 06, 2026•56 min•Ep. 1
The My So-Called Life rewatch continues! Greta Johnsen and Kristin Meinzer discuss episodes 3 and 4 with Jason Concepcion. They talk about the devastating quaintness of a school gun violence episode from the ‘90s, whether Graham is a good dad, and Sharon and Rayanne’s burgeoning … friendship? Plus, Jason calls for MORE JORDAN CATALANO, Greta becomes an accidental Graham apologist, and Kristen questions Brian's role in the gossip mill. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Co-host: Kristen...
Jan 30, 2026•52 min•Ep. 3
The My So-Called Life rewatch begins! Greta Johnsen and Kristin Meinzer discuss episodes 1 and 2 with Ronald Young, Jr. They talk about the nostalgic power of the series, how the pilot holds up as a pilot, and the extreme angst of it all. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Co-host: Kristen Meinzer Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composer: Andrew M. Edwards Tile art: Lou Lovisek See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-n...
Jan 23, 2026•58 min•Ep. 2
In a very special miniseries, Greta joins forces with podcast host Kristen Meinzer to unpack every single episode of the 1994 ABC teen drama My So-Called Life . In this episode, before they begin their rewatch, Kristen and Greta discuss the cultural impact of the show with New Yorker TV critic Emily Nussbaum . Then, Greta talks to her best friend Marty , who binged the show with her when they were in high school. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Co-host: Kristen Meinzer Senior Produc...
Jan 16, 2026•52 min•Ep. 1
Consider this episode a friendly nudge to stop giving everything 100% all the time. It's the 87% Club, and you're invited! Greta talks to two dear friends about perfectionism, trying too hard, and embracing rest. Guests are art activist and author Shannon Downey , aka Badass Cross Stitch , and Ellen Wessel, Greta's laziness accountability coach . SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Show art: Mac Maclean See Privacy ...
Jan 09, 2026•27 min•Ep. 4
Book Riot ’s Liberty Hardy and NPR’s Andrew Limbong share some of the books they’re most excited to read this year. (Here's the full list of books , along with about 20 others!) SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Show art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jan 02, 2026•25 min•Ep. 3
This week, City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran and pop culture writer Margaret H. Willison share their favorite news stories of the year. From real-life magicians to ficiton demon hunters, and museum detectives to Da Pope, there's plenty of good news to go around. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Show art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...
Dec 26, 2025•26 min•Ep. 2
This week, professional pastry chef Faith Fedash stops by host Greta Johnsen's kitchen to make pumpkin pie cookies. (Find the full recipe for the cookies here !) SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Show art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Dec 19, 2025•32 min•Ep. 1
Welcome to Happy To Be Here, the show for the perpetually curious! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
Nov 06, 2025•1 min•Ep. 1
As y’all probably know, we’re calling this the “goodbye for now” episode of Nerdette because it’s our last episode while we’re employees at WBEZ. So, we thought it was the perfect time to call up Nerdette co-creator Tricia Bobeda and Nerdette Recaps co-host Peter Sagal to play our favorite game, Burden or Delight. Then, we hear from YOU about what Nerdette has meant to you for the past 11 years. We ultimately hope to find a new home for Nerdette! You can keep in touch with the team by joining ou...
May 28, 2024•35 min
May’s Book Club selection is the fabulous short story collection ‘Table for Two’ by Amor Towles. It was amazing to get to talk to Amor in front of a LIVE audience in Chicago a few weeks ago. Since we were only able to share about half of that conversation in the podcast feed, we decided to bring you more from our chat and dive even deeper into the book! A programming note – this is our second to last episode as a production at WBEZ . We are ultimately looking for a new home for the show. But unt...
May 24, 2024•20 min
