Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness

This week, we’re talking: Warning labels on wigs, The Drowsy Chaperone at Carnegie Hall, what hypnosis can do for you, the Politico article on Young Republican leaders and their White supremacist, racist, and deeply offensive Telegram chat, the world gymnastics championship, our love of Peacock, Sunday Scaries, apple cider & apple cider donut flavor stories, Bette Midler’s bangs, and RIP Diane Kea...

We’re living in a time when mental health terms are EVERYWHERE. But is our obsession with therapy-speak helping us grow, or just confusing us more? This week, JVN sits down with psychotherapist and author Joe Nucci to talk about his new book PSYCHOBABBLE and the rise of pop psychology online. Together, they unpack what a psychotherapist really does, how self-diagnosis can backfire, and why therapy...

This week, we’re talking: a National amendment to enshrine abortion access as healthcare, JVN Holiday Box Gift sets, navigating online “therapy speak,” The Drowsy Chaperone at Carnegie Hall, the fate of Ophelia music video, Tiktoks overtaking our algorithm, the unfolding ceasefire, prosecuting political enemies, supporting NPR, Dylan Mulvaney’s one-woman-show, posting pictures of your partner on i...

Planned Parenthood President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson is here and we are fired up! Alexis is leading the fight to protect reproductive freedom at a time when access to healthcare is under attack across the U.S.—and she’s breaking it all down for us. JVN sat down with Alexis to talk about the real-world impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, how rural communities are being left behind, and...

Looking for your next favorite podcast (besides mine, of course)? Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, will break your heart...and then put it back together. In each episode, Jonathan helps someone revisit a defining regret, lost connection, or unsolved mystery from their life—and gently, hilariously, humanely, helps them try to make it right. If you’ve ever found yourself replaying a moment...

We’re talking: WAYWARD’s No. 1 spot on Netflix, celeb sightings at The Corner Store, Figure Skating & Gymnastics on Peacock, bag etiquette, AI Trump posts, One Big Beautiful Bill Act tax breaks & healthcare cuts, what extreme gender ideology actually is, situationship ghosting, Libra season, Diet Coke with Lime, and ponytails in baseball hats.  Tiktok Roundup:  MariSparkly JVN Talking OBBBA Judy G...

Comedian, actor, and writer Mae Martin joins the podcast for a wild ride through their journey — from discovering Ace Ventura as a kid, to cutting their teeth in comedy clubs, to creating the hit Netflix series Wayward. In this episode, Mae opens up about how identity, rejection, and resilience have shaped their comedy and storytelling, and why Wayward feels so personal. We explore the highs and l...

We’re talking: JVN’s singing career crossover, the Rapture (or lack thereof), our FOX News feature, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 6 Premiere, razor blade COVID, NDM-CRE bacteria, the dismantling of our Healthcare System, Government Shutdown, Jimmy Kimmel’s return (except Quincy, IL), Mariah Carey’s 16th studio album Here For It All, finding gratitude,  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbet...

Vocal coach, and now Broadway star in “& Juliet.”, Cheryl Porter sits down with Jonathan Van Ness for an unforgettable voice lesson that’s about more than just singing. Cheryl doesn’t just teach notes — she teaches confidence, positivity, and how to let go of shame to truly find your voice. They dive into Cheryl’s decades long career in Italy, watching Queer Eye dubbed in Italian, the realities of...

We’re talking: Jeffree Star & the LGB separation, Larry the Cat updates, StyleFix Stick Launch at JVN Hair, rewatching Designing Women, our favorite Britney Spears clips, haircuts & mental health, and Practical Magic 2.  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday. ...

What happens when a razor-sharp elected official and a relentlessly curious host sit down to discuss what it takes to make lasting change? This week, JVN is joined by the unstoppable Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett — U.S. Representative from Texas, lawyer, lay it on the line truth-teller, and rising voice in the Democratic Party. Together, they unpack how to maximize our impact by understanding our...

We’re talking: gun violence, New York Fashion Week Hair, Sylvia Browne resurgence, fist fights on the FYP, Epstein’s Birthday Book, pink dolphins, and Mariah Carey in the Amazon.  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,...

What happens when two professional oversharers get together? Pure magic... and a little chaos. JVN is joined by the incomparable Tefi Pessoa — culture commentator, internet big sister, and now host of her brand-new podcast Tefi Talks. Come for the tea, stay for the wisdom, and leave with a little extra permission to embrace your inner oversharer.  Together they cover everything from Kirstie Alley’...

We’re talking: See You Next Tuesday’s, Creative Arts Emmy Awards 2025, aging out of concerts, the Epstein victims at the capitol building, US Open underdog stories, and answering your listener questions.  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...

It took too long, it took too long, it took too long -  for Aly & AJ to come on the pod!  What keeps a band together for 20 years? How do sisters turn harmonies into a creative language all their own? And what does it look like to balance joy, artistry, and activism while living life on the road? This week, JVN sits down with Aly & AJ to celebrate two decades of music-making and sisterhood—spannin...

This week, we're talking: medical misinformation, Anna Wintour sightings, the US Open, Benson Boone Kelly Clarkson-ing Adele, Nancy Mace’s anti-trans rhetoric, Princess Diana’s time capsule, answering late night texts, “Man’s Best Friend,” and the joy of autumn.   Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes...

What really causes cancer? Will we ever find a cure? And why does our mistrust of medicine and obsession with big pharma conspiracies have such a grip on the way we think about it? In this episode, Jonathan Van Ness sits down with oncologist Dr. Stacy Wentworth to explore the biggest questions surrounding cancer—what science can tell us, what it can’t (yet), and how to reframe the way we talk abou...

This week on The Monday Edit we’re talking: the Hurricane Katrina documentary, Amanda Seales & Jubilee, Texas & California redistricting, HIV segregation in prisons, and the Correct the Map campaign,. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: ⁠www.patreon.com/jvn⁠  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagra...

JVN sat down with Case Kenny, host of the podcast New Mindset, Who Dis?, to talk all things dating, relationships, self-worth, and confidence. Together, they dive into the surprising power of language, how the words we use shape our lives, and what it really takes to build healthy relationships in today’s world. From unpacking the ways straight men and women approach love, to understanding how sel...

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 The Monday Edit: Kim Davis Lore, Same-Sex Marriage Rights, our comprehensive breakdown of the Season 3 Finale of Gilded Age, 3I/ATLAS, TikTok's on our algorithm, listener questions, and our HBOTW!  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on...

Ever feel like you’re counting down the minutes to Friday? You’re not alone—but it doesn’t have to be that way! This week, JVN is joined by Bree Groff: workplace transformation expert and sought-after consultant for companies like Google, Microsoft, and Calvin Klein. Bree offers tools for navigating toxic bosses, seven game-changing rules to live by to actually enjoy your workday, and the reasons...

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 The Monday Edit we're talking: Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Flood’s disastrous town hall, sports coverage on Peacock, Gilded Age takeaways  - plus! answering your listener questions…  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn...

Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Feeling like your brain’s in a blender? You’re not alone—and there is a way out. This week, JVN is joined by Dr. Caroline Leaf: cognitive neuroscientist, mental health expert, and bestselling author of Help in a Hurry, her game-changing guide to navigating stress and...

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 The Monday Edit: Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad, Jeffrey Epstein’s cell, the Paramount merger, South Park’s own of the administration - plus! answering your listener questions…  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn a...

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, we’re diving into the Getting Better archives with excerpts from:  Dr. Wendy Suzuki: Memory & the Brain-Changing Benefits of Sleep Yung Pueblo: Want to Love Better? Start Here Marie Forleo: 3 Procrastination Hacks To Jumpstart Your Day Full Getting Better V...