Happy To Be Here is a new interview podcast for the recovering perfectionist and the perpetually curious, full of conversations that make you feel right at home and allow you to learn a little bit about almost anything.
Host Greta Johnsen (formerly of Nerdette) invites you to meet journalists, chefs, authors, and all kinds of excellent humans who will delight and inspire you. Packed with recommendations for stuff to eat, read, watch, and enjoy, this show is great for helping you make sure you actually take it easy this weekend, wherever you might happen to be.
TV! We need it, you probably need it, and New York Times TV critic Margaret Lyons has it! Lyons tells us about four great new TV shows — each of which fits into that “Just-feed-it-to-me-like grapes” model of show that we all so desperately crave right now. And of course, we field TV recommendations from listeners, too! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
When Nerdette listeners told us last week what they would have done with a warning before stay-at-home orders, haircuts were top of mind. But is an at-home haircut ever a good idea? Nerdette host Greta Johnsen asked her friend (and hair stylist) Julia Pishko for some tips. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
If you had a one-week pre-stay-at-home warning, what would you have done? This episode is filled with your pre-pandemic wish lists, from spending time with loved ones to buying nail polish to dancing your face off. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
In the middle of a pandemic, dating might be the last thing on your mind. But some singles are feeling more isolated now than ever, and some of them want to do something about it. We talk with two dating experts — Bela Gandhi of Smart Dating Academy in Chicago and San Francisco-based dating coach Logan Ury — about the kinds of advice they’re giving their clients right now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-in...
Are you ready for a fresh look at George Washington and his many foul diseases? You've come to the right place! Nerdette host Greta Johnsen joins Lulu Miller, co-creator of NPR's Invisibilia podcast and author of Why Fish Don't Exist, to break down Alexis Coe’s new biography of George Washington, You Never Forget Your First . We also eat hoecakes and consider bloodletting. Plus, get ready for next month’s book club pick: The City We Became , a new fantasy novel by Hugo Award-winning author N.K. ...
There’s never a bad time to expand your musical horizons, and mid-pandemic is no exception. So we got ahold of Jill Hopkins, host of The Morning AMP at Vocalo, Chicago’s urban alternative radio station, to provide us with some positive listening. Nerdette listeners supplied the rest. Enjoy! (Need a list of the songs in this week's episode? Check it out right here .) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
We’ve all heard the mythology around George Washington: He never told a lie! He had wooden teeth! There was a cherry tree that one time! But in her new biography, You Never Forget Your First , historian Alexis Coe revisits the origins of those myths and explores aspects of George Washington that may have been brushed over or misconstrued. Coe talked with Nerdette host Greta Johnsen about what surprised her most about our first president, the unfair portrayals of Washington’s mother, and why it’s...
We check in with podcast nerd Nick Quah to hear about some of the podcasts that can help you use your imagination, cook a meal and maybe even better yourself. And of course, we’ll get some pod recommendations from listeners, too! Here are the podcasts Nick mentions in this week’s episode: Home Cooking Personal Best Phoebe Reads a Mystery The Anthropocene Reviewed The Sound of Casual Violence Walking See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.co...
Imagine you’ve written a new book, your first in six years. And your last book? It was a novel about the aftermath of a deadly pandemic. That’s Emily St. John Mandel, author of the award-winning 2014 novel Station Eleven . Her new book — released on March 24 and titled The Glass Hotel — is decidedly different; she called it “a ghost story with a Ponzi scheme and container shipping.” We talk with Mandel about what it’s like to release a highly-anticipated novel during massive stay-at-home orders,...
Let's all go to the lobby! But first, we check in with NPR film critic Bob Mondello about the best movies to watch right now. (Hint: he's not interested in pandemic movies like Contagion .) And of course, we’ll get some movie recommendations from listeners, too! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Welcome to the Nerdette Book Club! Each month, we read a book and chat about it with a rotating group of panelists. It’s just like a normal book club, except you don’t have to share your industrial-sized carton of Good & Plentys. The book on tap today is Emily St. John Mandel’s The Glass Hotel . On one hand, it’s a novel about a 2008 Bernie Madoff-esque ponzi scheme. On the other hand, it’s a ghost story. For insights and analysis, follow along with Nerdette host Greta Johnsen and New York m...
Sure, lots of celebrities are hosting conversations and table reads on social media these days. But author and actor John Hodgman has been hanging out on Instagram Live for months already, interviewing random humans and their pets, in a show he calls … wait for it … “Get Your Pets.” Nerdette host Greta Johnsen talks to Hodgman about why he thinks “Get Your Pets” is maybe, actually some of the most important work he’s done. Plus, we hear from you about some of the creatures keeping you company th...
A good book can get you through a lot of uncertainty. What’s better than diving into another world and staying there for hours and hours? In this episode, we’ll hear from a BUNCH of listeners about what’s getting you through these weird times. Plus, we’ll check in with Rebecca George, who owns Volumes Bookcafe in Chicago. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
It’s a fair bet that stress baking is on the rise. (See what we did there?) So we thought it was time to check in with baker extraordinaire Shauna Sever, whose cookbook Midwest Made is full of amazing comfort foods. She has a recipe for the only banana bread you’ll ever need , and the name is true. And, of course, we hear from you! Your homework: We’d love to know what you’re reading these days. Are you doubling down on pandemic fiction? Dabbling in a presidential biography? Is your attention to...
Today we check in with Nerdette book club regular Heather Havrilesky. She also writes the Ask Polly advice column for New York magazine, so she gives us another perspective on how everyone's doing out there. And of course, we hear from a bunch of you, too, which is quickly becoming the best part of this show. If you’d like to chime in, just tell us how you’re adapting, along with your name and where you’re from. You can record yourself on your phone and email the file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.co...
A lot of us are looking around and realizing the plans we had aren’t necessarily a reality anymore. Which can be scary and hard, but it’s also a great opportunity to adapt. Today, Greta checks in with her friend Shannon Downey. She’s a crafter with a big online community , but most of the work she does involves meeting people in real life, something that can’t happen right now. Hear what she decided to do, and the voices of Nerdette listeners from all over the place, about what they’re grateful ...
One thing for which Greta is grateful? Danielle Kurtzleben, who works on the NPR Politics Podcast  team, and whose tweet about wearing a ball gown while working from home is exquisitely delightful . We’ll hear what Danielle appreciates now more than ever, and we’ll also hear from some of you! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Today, we ask how we can help ourselves while helping others. We also hear from some of you in this episode, and we want to keep that up! Tell us your name, where you’re calling from, and what you’re grateful for. Just record yourself on your phone and then email the audio file to us at nerdettepodcast@gmail.com . Keep ‘em coming! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Now more than ever, we could all use a little pick-me-up. Starting today, we’re making regular mini-sodes with ideas on how to work from home, what you should be reading, and some things to help lift your mood. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .
We get help from longtime tech journalist Kara Swisher to dissect Anna Wiener's 'Uncanny Valley,' a fish-out-of-water memoir about a young woman who abandons New York’s publishing industry in favor of big tech and Silicon Valley. Join us! We assure you, the Nerdette book club is just like a normal book club, except we don’t shame you if you didn’t do the reading. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Welcome to the Nerdette Book Club! Where we read a book a month and chat about it with a rotating group of panelists. It’s just like a normal book club except no one shames you when you don't do the reading. This episode is all about Kiley Reid’s excellent debut novel, Such a Fun Age . It’s an incisive look at race and class in modern America, (and it also happens to be really funny.) Join Nerdette host Greta Johnsen, New York magazine advice columnist Heather Havrilesky and The Morning AMp and ...
Nerdette has always been a podcast for book lovers, but for the first few months of 2020, we’re doubling down. Join host Greta Johnsen and a rotating cast of panelists as they discuss the year’s buzziest books. Whether you can’t wait to dive in or just want to sound like you know what you’re talking about with your book nerd buddies, this is the podcast for you. First up: Such a Fun Age , Kiley Reid’s debut page-turner about race and class in America. Read it, and share your thoughts by recordin...
Books! Books! Books! Greta read 72 books this year, and today she sits down and ranks her 10 favorites. (Plus, she speaks with the author of her favorite book of 2019, ‘Such A Fun Age’ by Kiley Reid.) Here's her full list, and you can get more details on each title at this link : 10. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes 9. The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman 8. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo 7. Miracle Creek by Angie Kim 6. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson 5. Wolfpack ...
Spoilers ahead! WHAT. A. FINALE. In the latest His Dark Materials , Will hunkers down in lots of places, Mrs. Coulter becomes increasingly unhinged, and we finally learn what the prophecy about Lyra’s betrayal really means. Join us as Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal break down the final episode of the first season. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Now that’s what I call a bear fight! In the latest His Dark Materials , Iorek Byrinson returns to his homeland, Will Parry engages in mortal combat and we finally meet back up with Lord Asriel, who is strangely pleased to see Roger Parslow. Join us as Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal break it all down ahead of next week’s season finale. Plus, we play Peter a clip of himself three weeks ago in which he says he’s not going to complain anymore! Whoops Peter! We want to hear from you! Wh...
That was INTENSE. Lyra narrowly avoids disaster, has a heart-to-heart with mom, creates some chaos in Bolvangar, and … falls into a whole new disaster! Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal have some thoughts on the latest episode, as did you. So join us! P.S. We want to hear from you! Tell us: In the final episodes, are you willing to endure the noticeable dearth of CGI daemons in exchange for a sleuth of bears? Send us an audio file to nerdetterecaps@gmail.com. See Privacy Policy at htt...
The first season of His Dark Materials is more than halfway done and while things are coming together, we still have a lot of questions. Like much does it cost to CGI a daemon? What exactly are the Gobblers up to? And if you dial up a friend in another dimension, will the phone still ring? Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal are here to discuss the latest episode, which had more creepy creepers than usual. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at ...
Armored drinking bears! Sassy thieving cowboys! Dudley Dursley for some reason! Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal are here to discuss the latest episode of His Dark Materials , which is either the moment this TV series comes to life or a terrible approximation of an excellent book, depending on who you listen to. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Holy plot developments! Based on how much we learned in Episode 3 of HBO’s His Dark Materials , it’s safe to say this young TV show is maturing quite rapidly! And as per usual, Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal are here to break it all down. Listen to the latest recap, and remember that we also want to hear from you! Join the conversation and share your own theories with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #NerdetteRecaps . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/p...
Boy is it getting DUST-y in here. (Haw haw, get it?) The second episode of HBO’s His Dark Materials sees Lyra travel to London with Mrs. Coulter as the Gyptians track down the so-called Gobblers and try to find their kidnapped children. And after some monkey business in Mrs. Coulter’s study, Lyra discovers that her surrogate mother is up to something in the North, but it’s not entirely clear what. Join us as we break it all down! And join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using...
