Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness

Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  This week on Getting Better, JVN sat down with internet sweetheart, icon, and author - the effervescent Drew Afualo. Talking all things clapping back to trolls, nuanced conversations on the internet, and why being woke isn’t a bad thing.  Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Not A Phase.  Trans Lifeline Drew Afualo is on Instagram @drewafualo and on Tiktok @drewafualo  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Visit https://www.ollie.com/better today for 60% off your first box of meals! #ToKnowThemIsToLoveThem Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this engaging conversation, Chase Strangio, Co-Director of the ACLU’s LGBT & HIV Project and a trailblazer as the first openly trans lawyer to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court, discusses the profound implications of the recent ruling on U.S. v. Skrmetti. He highlights the detrimental effects of Tennessee's gender-affirming care ban on trans youth and the rising tide of gender policing in schools. The dialogue emphasizes the necessity for ongoing advocacy, community support, and resilience to combat discrimination in the wake of legal setbacks.

Money, money, money, money…MO-NEY! The Money with Katie Show host Katie Gatti Tassin here to talk with JVN all about how we can beat capitalism, get ahead, and get informed about the system that we’re all operating in - whether we like it or not! Katie’s new book Rich Girl Nation is out now.  Money with Katie was founded in 2020 by Katie Gatti Tassin to document everything she learned about personal finance on her journey to financial independence. As a former public relations major in corporate America with a penchant for swiping her Discover card, her obsession about personal finance hit her hard out of left field — and as she watched her net worth grow in tandem with her financial literacy, she realized just how valuable the information was. Sharing it with others became an obsession. She left her full-time job at the end of 2021 to devote all of her energy to building this business, and Money with Katie was acquired by Morning Brew in 2022.  Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Not A Phase.  Trans Lifeline Katie Gatti Tassin is on Instagram @moneywithkatie and @katiegattitassin  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on The Monday Edit: JVN sat down with Cristina Jiménez Moreta to talk about her new book Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear Into Pride, Power, and Real Change and the work being done at United We Dream, the country’s largest youth-led immigrant organization - which Cristina co-founded. Plus our breakdown of the Tony awards and our HBOTW! Cristina Jiménez Moreta is an award-winning community organizer, political strategist, prominent advocate for social justice, and author. She is the Co-Founder and former Executive Director of United We Dream (UWD), the nation's largest immigrant youth-led organization. Cristina immigrated to the U.S. from Ecuador with her family in 1998, seeking a better life. She grew up undocumented in Queens, New York, and has since become a powerful voice in the fight for immigrant rights and equity. Cristina is currently a Distinguished Lecturer at the City College of New York's Colin Powell School, where she also co-teaches Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice (LDSJ). Under her leadership, UWD grew into a formidable network of over one million members, shifting the national conversation around immigration and helping secure policy changes at both the local and national levels. Cristina played a pivotal role in United We Dream's successful campaign that led to the implementation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) under President Obama. Not A Phase. Trans Lifeline Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday. Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we’re joined by political commentator and Gen Z Icon, Matt Bernstein - the creator behind @MattXIV and A Bit Fruity Podcast. Together, Matt and JVN discuss the very real Gen Z red wave, finding your peace amidst online political discourse, make-up (yes, darling!), and much much more - plus, we find out just how many Millennial references Matt can pick up on. Matt Bernstein unpacks the events, people, and culture wars shaping the world around us.. On his podcast, On A Bit Fruity, he takes deeper dives into those issues — joined by celebrities, experts, and journalists who help us laugh and learn along the way. Episodes of A Bit Fruity Podcast drop bi-weekly wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube. Not A Phase. Trans Lifeline Matt Bernstein is on Instagram @MattXIV Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week on The Monday Edit, we have a very special guest joining in on the Monday fun: best selling author Anna Malaika Tubbs stopped by to tell us all about her new book, Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden from Us and helps us hone in on real time examples of our Patriarchy is being weaponized today. Anna unpacks how the United States has constructed a unique—and often invisible—gendered hierarchy, one that is inextricably linked to whiteness and a deeply flawed binary system. From the founding fathers to the current Supreme Court, from the erasure of women in the Constitution to the ongoing fight for the Equal Rights Amendment, Dr. Tubbs reveals the mechanisms that have kept women’s contributions hidden and their voices suppressed. Anna Malaika Tubbs is a scholar, advocate, and bestselling author (The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation) whose work brings a fresh, urgent perspective on American history and its gendered systems. With a Ph.D. in Sociology and a Masters in Multidisciplinary Gender Studies from the University of Cambridge and a Bachelors in Medical Anthropology from Stanford University, Anna translates her academic knowledge into clear and engaging stories. Her articles have been published by TIME Magazine, New York Magazine, CNN, Motherly, The Huffington Post, For Harriet, The Guardian, Darling Magazine, and Blavity. Anna’s storytelling also takes form in her talks, including her TED Talk that has been viewed 2 million times, as well as the scripted and unscripted screen projects she has in development. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, former Mayor of Stockton, CA Michael Tubbs  and their three young children. Not A Phase. Trans Lifeline Follow Anna Malaika Tubbs @annamalaikatubbs Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday. Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Rogers, a comedian and co-host of "Las Culturistas," dives into the world of pop culture with flair. He shares the origin story of his podcast with Bowen Yang, alongside vibrant discussions on pride, Tony Awards predictions, and the complexities of identity shaped by cultural icons. With humor, he explores the intersection of personal experiences and social issues, alongside reflections on the absurdities of award seasons and the importance of fostering joy and community in challenging times. It's a delightful celebration of queer culture!

This week on The Monday Edit: the Dry and Salty Environment of Salt Lake City, Supreme Court revoking the safe haven program, Elon’s drug dealer, the West Village Crypto Kidnapping, conspiracy theories, and propaganda we are not falling for! Not A Phase. Trans Lifeline Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday. Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author known for her hit book Dumplin’, joins Jonathan Van Ness to discuss the vital role of local libraries amid current challenges. They dive into the importance of exposing young readers to diverse voices, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. Their collaborative YA book, Let Them Stare, is also a focal point, showcasing creativity born from personal struggles. The conversation humorously explores their journeys, including a quirky fondness for history and anecdotes about their past experiences in libraries.

This week on The Monday Edit: The Let Them Stare drop, Karen Read Retrial, The Supreme Court Deadlock, eating around friends, and independent bookstores. Not A Phase. Trans Lifeline Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday. Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices