No Filter Jonathan Van Ness: Addiction, HIV and the Wake-Up Call That Saved My Life
Jan 18, 2026
Jonathan Van Ness, the beloved non-binary TV personality and comedian, opens up about their journey through addiction, living with HIV, and the healing process. They reflect on the transformative moment HIV forced them to confront their meth addiction, intertwining humor with deep vulnerability. Jonathan discusses the importance of self-expression, the struggles of people-pleasing, and how group fitness became a path to joy. They also share insights on their non-binary identity, political activism, and the comforting joys of partnership and chosen family.
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Excavating Quincy’s Queer History
- Jonathan returned to Quincy to research queer history and found a gay bar that became an HIV testing site in the late 80s.
- That research inspired their novel Let Them Stare and reclaimed hidden local queer stories.
Public Sharing Feels Like Reliving Trauma
- Jonathan says sharing trauma publicly can feel like
HIV As A Life-Saving Wake-Up Call
- Jonathan van Ness says contracting HIV was a wake-up call that forced them to stop using meth and saved their life.
- They believe continued relapse would have led to overdose or death without that intervention.
