Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness

It’s the day after the 2024 election, and we could all use a little detour of the mind- enter the hosts of the Morbid podcast, Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley! JVN, Alaina, and Ash take a trip back in time - 1100 years or so - to a Roman empire riddled with scandal and political unrest (sound familiar?). This morbid tale has it all: Popes. Murder. Magic. Corpses… Alaina Urquhart is the science-loving co-host of the podcast Morbid. As an autopsy technician by trade, paired with her degrees in Criminal Justice, Psychology and Biology, she offers a unique perspective from deep inside the morgue.  Alaina hails from Boston where she lives with her wonderful husband, John, their three amazing daughters,a ghost puggle named “Bailey” and two Labs Sidney Prescott and Blanche Devereaux. She is about 75% coffee and truly believes she and Agent Clarice Starling could be friends. In September 2022, Urquhart published her first ever novel, the best selling psychological thriller, The Butcher and The Wren. Her new book, The Butcher Game, is out now! Ash Kelley is the beauty-astrology-obsessed co-host of the podcast Morbid. Ash grew up enamored with her big sister Alaina’s love for horror and storytelling and it did not take long for her to become a storyteller herself. After completing her training, Ash spent many years as a hairdresser in her hometown in Massachusetts. Ash currently lives in Boston with her incredible husband Drew and their amazing 3 cats, Remi, Lux and Franklin. She is a proud gemini and mega fan of Lady Gaga and Harry Styles. You can find Morbid on Instagram @morbidpodcast. Alaina Urquart is on Instagram @alainatothemax. Ash Kelley is on Instagram @AshKell83 Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Grab your high-heel hiking boots, babes - we have the QUEEN of the outdoors, Pattie Gonia! JVN & Pattie sit down for a good ole pre-election kiki to talk all about the queer the outdoors, Pattie’s drag origin story, and the sad but true degree of separation - their surprising duo appearance in a Trump campaign advertisement. Y’all, you have to hear it to believe it! Pattie Gonia is a critically acclaimed drag queen, environmentalist and musician. To date, Pattie’s community is more than 1,000,000 people strong. Pattie is also the co-founder of the Outdoorist Oath- a non-profit that gets BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and femmes into the outdoors through community and education. Recently, Pattie founded the Queer Outdoor and Environmental Job Board - a free tool queer individuals can use to get hired and therefore diversify the fields. Together with her community, they’ve collectively fundraised over $2.5 million dollars for LGBTQIA+, BIPOC and environmental non-profits, completed thousands of miles of hiking and backpacking and raised awareness about the ongoing environmental crisis through their film projects like Won't Give Up, Birds Tell Us & Everything to Lose. In 2024, Pattie was named in OUT MAGAZINE’s OUT 100 PEOPLE. Pattie’s drag itself is a personal journey of self identity, sustainability, and queering traditional masculine outdoor narratives to explore the natural world. You can follow Pattie Gonia is on Instagram @pattiegonia on TikTok @pattiegonia and also on their website. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our Senior Producer is Chris McClure. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a very special day on the pod, we have a returning guest and U.S. Senator from Massachusetts- Senator Elizabeth Warren! She’s joining us fresh from a tour around the midwest talking to folks on the ground about the issues that matter to them this election cycle. We’re in the final week before the 2024 Presidential election and we’re breaking down what’s left to consider before you cast your vote on November 5th. Your vote matters, and it’s critical to turn out. And not just that: donations, volunteering, anything you can do to support and help MATTERS in this final stretch. Elizabeth Warren, a fearless consumer advocate who has made her life's work the fight for middle class families, was re-elected to the United States Senate for a second term on November 6, 2018, by the people of Massachusetts. Elizabeth is one of the nation's leading progressive voices, fighting for big structural change that would transform our economy and rebuild the middle class. You can find Senator Warren on Instagram @ElizabethWarren. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know what they say: You’re never fully dressed without a smile! This week on Pretty Curious, we’re talking all things dentistry with an iconic dental practitioner, Park 60 Lex’s Dr. Stephanie Dumanian! We’re talking gingivitis, halitosis, teeth whitening, flossing, fluoride - this list goes ON! Plus - more rapid fire favorites & some splurge and budget cleanser recommendations, and the differences between East Coast & West Coast smiles. Now, say cheese! Dr. Stephanie Dumanian experienced the transformative power of dentistry at a very young age when a dentist, who thought outside of the box, restored her smile by correcting a dental trauma. The self-confidence which resulted from this treatment changed her life and inspired her to help others. In early 2019, Dr. Dumanian became a partner in Park Lex 60. She took over the practice shortly thereafter and built a loyal following by focusing on aesthetics and function to ensure that her patients can maintain a healthy and harmonious smile, all the while conserving as much of their original teeth. Dr. Dumanian specializes in providing lifelike veneers to her patients using smile design principles and utilizing the latest advancements in photography and digital technology. She subsequently works with a select group of master ceramists, true craftsmen, to deliver aesthetic perfection. You can follow Park 60 Lex & Dr. Stephanie Dumanian is on Instagram @parklex60dental Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our Senior Producer is Chris McClure. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Getting Curious superstar, Dr. Osamah Khalil, is back for the third installment of our series covering U.S. Foreign Policy from 1945 to 2024. If you haven’t caught those first two installments, no sweat! You can jump in here, or go back and take the whole course from the top - the choice is yours. In this episode, Dr. Khalil paints a picture of what the early days of the Global war on terror looked like from behind the closed doors of the Bush administration. and how many of the policies and political events of the early/mid-2000s perpetuated the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip and set the stage for the events of Oct. 7th. Dr. Osamah Khalil is a historian of U.S. foreign relations and chair of the international relations program at Syracuse University. He’s a frequent media commentator and contributor for outlets like the Los Angeles Times, NPR, USA Today, PBS Newshour, The Hill, and Al Jazeera. His new book “A World of Enemies: America’s Wars at Home and Abroad from Kennedy to Biden” is available now. You can find Osamah on X @Osamah_Khalil. You can find more information about his first book, America’s Dream Palace, here. Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com. Find books from Getting Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producers are Chris McClure. Our engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Something has changed within us, curious people, something is not the same. We’ll never know a world without our episode speaking with Oscar winner, Frances Hannon, who just so happens to be the Hair, Makeup, and Prosthetics designer for the upcoming film adaptation of Wicked. We’re talking all about the alchemy Frances used to find the perfect shade of green for Elphaba, how Cynthia Erivo incorporated her own nail game into her character, and which of Ariana Grande’s R.E.M. products made the final cut. Plus - blue horses???  It’s all too much for our gay bones! Famous in the entertainment industry for her ability to transform any face, makeup and hair designer Frances Hannon first entered the realm of film and TV with a job working on the British sketch comedy series "The Kenny Everett Television Show" (on the BBC, 1981-88). Cut to her ongoing collaboration with Wes Anderson which began with 1998’s : “Rushmore.” Hannon quickly became one of the most sought after makeup and hair designers in Hollywood, loved and appreciated by directors and actors alike for her rigorous research. She won an Oscar for her work on Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, and has worked on major blockbusters like World War Z, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and most recently…Wicked. Frances Hannon is on Instagram @frances_hannon_official  and you can follow the Wicked Movie @wickedmovie Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our Senior Producer is Chris McClure. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hannah Shaw, known as the Kitten Lady, is a passionate kitten rescuer and animal advocate. Joined by her husband Andrew Marttila, a talented cat photographer, they dive into their mission to enhance community cat care worldwide. They discuss diverse cultural approaches to community cats and advocate for humane strategies like Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR). The duo shares insights from their travels, revealing the urgent need for better welfare practices in Western culture, while also highlighting the joys and challenges of rescuing and photographing these fascinating felines.

Is your wardrobe in need of a revamp? Do you feel like you're missing some fundamental pieces? Can't figure out what fashion trends to incorporate in your everyday wardrobe to begin a “style evolution?” We’re here to help answer all those questions and more with stylist extraordinaire- Tiffany Briseno! We’re talking all about the accessories you should start wearing yesterday, the pair of jeans that can’t be beat, and we're learning all about her collaboration with music superstar, Shawn Mendes! Tiffany Briseno is a Mexican-Canadian celebrity stylist who has successfully made a name for herself in Hollywood. She’s worked with clients like Shawn Mendes, Kane Brown, Angus Cloud, Catherine O’Hara, and more. Tiffany is part of the team behind Shawn Mendes’ reputation as one of the leading men in fashion, effectively ditching his flannel era. In addition, Tiffany is the founder of the luxury upcycling brand Everyday Lords  - a bespoke upcycling brand whose styles are not just garments; they are unique additions to any wardrobe, perfect for those who appreciate sustainable fashion infused with artistry. Tiffany strives to create representation and pride in her heritage in every project she starts. Tiffany Briseno is on Instagram @tiffbrisenostylist  and Everyday Lords @everydaylords Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our Senior Producer is Chris McClure. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you want to know what’s happening on college campuses this election cycle? Then look no further, because JVN went to the heart of the matter in 2024 swing state, Michigan, at the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy. JVN got to talk to returning guest and Getting Curious MVP, Dean Celeste Watkins-Hayes, Political Science Professor (and Icon) Jenna Bednar, as well as two student leaders from the non-partisan voting organization Turn Up Turnout (TUT). TUT’s Co-Presidents, Hillary Poudeu-Tchokothe and Maurielle Courtois, break down what TUT's mission is on the University of Michigan campus, and how the university supports student voting efforts. Celeste Watkins-Hayes is the Joan and Sanford Weill Dean of Public Policy at the University of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and founding director of the school's Center for Racial Justice. Watkins-Hayes is also the Jean E. Fairfax Collegiate Professor of Public Policy, University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor, professor of sociology, and an Anti-Racism Collaborative research and community impact fellow.  Jenna Bednar is Professor of Political Science and Public Policy and serves in the provost’s office as the inaugural faculty director of UMICH Votes and Democratic Engagement.  She leads the campus’s voting infrastructure and is co-chair of the Year of Democracy and Civic Engagement, a campus-wide collaborative effort to elevate democracy-related research, curriculum, and engagement as part of the launch of the university’s next capital campaign. Professor Bednar’s research focuses on how collective action builds social goods and the role that institutions play in making that collaboration possible. Hillary Poudeu-Tchokothe, Co-President of Turn Up Turnout, is graduating in the Class of 2026 double majoring in Political Science and History. Maurielle Courtois, Co-President of Turn Up Turnout, is a political Science major with a minor in Law, Justice, and Social Change graduating in 2025. This club is the perfect intersection of my interest in voting rights and politics. You can follow Ford School on Instagram @fordschool You can follow Celeste Watkins-Hayes on Instagram @celestewatkinshayes  You can follow Turn Up Turnout on Instagram @umturnout Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our senior producer is Chris McClure. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Production support from Julie Carrillo, Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know what they say: eyebrows are sisters, not twins - but that doesn’t mean they can’t be stunning! And if you trust in this week’s expert, your brows are about to get the glow-up of the century. This week on PrettyCurious, we have world renowned brow expert Kelley Baker! We learn all about her stunning product line, Kelley Baker Brows, debunk face shape/brow shape myths, and a word of caution to anyone seeking that thin 90s brow… Kelley Baker is a world-renowned brow expert and visionary with two decades of experience and a celebrity clientele that include Kim, Khloe, Kourtney Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, Amal Clooney, Megan Fox, Karol G, HER, Shay Mitchell and Bebe Rexha to name a few. Over the last two decades she has built not only a celebrity clientele but also a successful product line. Her engaging social media posts and presence provides tips and tutorials as to how to use her products and explains how brows frame the face. Kelley saw the need to empower other artists across the globe to follow their dreams of owning their own business which led the much sought-after brow maven to teach her sold-out masterclasses for the last 10 years, she continues to add new classes worldwide which enables other salons and stylists to use her techniques and carry her exemplary products. She has been featured in such publications as VOGUE, INSTYLE, and PEOPLE and has done numerous television appearances involving her brand including Good Morning America. Kelley Baker is on Instagram @kelleybakerbrows Follow us on Instagram @CuriousWithJVN to learn more about the products from this episode, or head to JonathanVanNess.com for the transcript. Jonathan is on Instagram @JVN. Find books from Getting Curious and Pretty Curious guests at bookshop.org/shop/curiouswithjvn. Our Senior Producer is Chris McClure. Our editor & engineer is Nathanael McClure. Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Production support from Anne Currie, and Chad Hall. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices