Happy To Be Here

It might seem increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction these days, but Studio 360 host and author Kurt Andersen says the dilemma is old — and one that’s exacerbated by unique characteristics of America. Oh, and cosplay and the Internet. Andersen sat down with Nerdette to discuss his new book,  Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History . He's also obsessed with maps, so...

Tricia, Greta, Peter and about 400 wildlings met up in Chicago’s Lincoln Square for one last recap of Season 7. This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the DANK House on Wednesday, August 30. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

As the 22nd United States Poet Laureate, Tracy K. Smith wants to make poetry more accessible to people across the country. So WBEZ’s Greta Johnsen put Smith to the ultimate test by having her analyze this summer’s hottest hit, “Despacito” featuring Justin Bieber. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Let’s be real: The true hero of this episode was that shot of Jon Snow’s butt. A lot of action went down in this season finale and not all of it involved those buns. The zombie summit went off the rails a little bit, Sansa dispenses some sweet justice, Theon discovers his super power, and the Night King has a 'Mr. Gorbachev' moment.  Nerdette ’s Greta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda review all of that a...

As expected, Jon Snow’s Mission: Impossible turns into Mission: D’oh , Dany weighs in on her nickname, Arya tries to knock Bran down as the Stark family creep, and the Night King gets a new pet. Nerdette ’s Greta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda team up with Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me host Peter Sagal to recap all of that in more in this week’s podcast. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...

Everest climber, guide and mountaineer Melissa Arnot Reid is the first American woman to ever summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen — a feat only 7 women worldwide have accomplished. Arnot Reid joins Nerdette host Tricia Bobeda to talk about the mindset of a high-altitude climber, what happens when you have snot frozen to your face, and how to train your body to reach Everest’s peak. Pl...

Family barbecues take on a new meaning in this week’s Game of Thrones, and it may have some major consequences for Dany.  In this week’s recap, Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda, and Peter Sagal chew the fat over the fate of the Tarly family, Cersei’s big surprise for Jamie, Samwell’s late-night library raid, Jon Snow adding “zombie hunter” to his resume, and the return of another lovable bastard. They...

Nerdette host Greta Johnsen reveals that she has a secret nerdery: she used to play the bassoon. So this week, in one, grand, bassoon-filled extravaganza, Johnsen and co-host Tricia Bobeda bring back the bassoon. First, they talk with culture writer and bassoonist Eileen Reynolds about the history of the bassoon. Then, they call up the self-proclaimed “Bassoon King” Rainn Wilson. Plus, Chicago Phi...

The only thing that could have made the final scene of this week’s Game of Thrones better is if Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” started playing (but covered by Ed Sheeran).  In episode four’s “The Spoils of War,” we get one of the baddest, most heavy metal scenes with Dany charging into Jaime’s army while riding on top of one of her dragons. So for this week’s recap, we asked Tricia, Greta, and Pe...

Jessica Pimentel, known for her role as Maria Ruiz on Orange Is The New Black , isn’t just an actress. She’s also in a band ... a death metal band. Nerdette ’s Tricia Bobeda sat down with Pimentel to talk about what it’s like to lead an alternate life as a death metal frontwoman and how her music, which is heavy and hardcore, is inspired by her Buddhist faith. Pimentel also talks about what it’s l...

Careful. Spoilers abound. Did Jon Snow take a Concorde jet to Dragonstone? What kind of loan forgiveness can you expect from the banks in Westeros? And did Samwell wash that hand? After a night of spirited brooding, Tricia, Greta and Peter gathered to analyze the latest episode of HBO's  Game of Thrones . Feel free to join the conversation by using the hashtag #GOTNerdcaps or call us at 312-948-46...

Actress and comedian Jenny Slate has played many memorable characters on shows like Parks and Recreation , Kroll Show , Girls , and Brooklyn 99 . She also wrote and voiced her web series Marcel The Shell . Her most recent role is alongside Edie Falco and John Turturro in the film Landline . But from all of her work on TV and film, few people know about Slate’s one true love: houseplants. Nerdette...

What does bad boy pirate Euron do right before battle? Does Daenerys' leadership indicate strength or weakness? And is a large crossbow really a weapon of mass destruction? Tricia, Greta and special Peter-replacement Miles Doornbos analyze Season 7, Episode 2 of Game of Thrones. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-m...

If there’s one thing to learn about staying alive in Westeros, it’s never go to a party, ever. Tricia, Greta and Peter toast off the Season 7 premiere, giving their takeaways of bad boy pirate Euron, the Frey dinner party and Sam's library chores. They also share what they see when they look deeply into a fire.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https...

Where exactly is Bran again? Does Cersei have any kids left? Are Tyrion and Daenerys besties?  A lot went down in the last season of HBO’s Game of Thrones . To help refresh your memory, Tricia Bobeda, Greta Johnsen and Peter Sagal recap the last season and take a stab at making their own predictions for the next season, which premieres July 16.  You can also join the conversation. Just use the has...

Samantha Irby released her third book, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life , this year, but it’s her first collection of essays that is being turned into a TV show. Last year, FX bought the rights to Meaty , Irby’s first collection of essays. Now Irby, who grew up in Evanston and lived in Chicago, is working with Broad City ’s Abbi Jacobson and Inside Amy Schumer ’s Jessi Klein to write for televisi...

The best part about the summer? Plenty of extra time to do homework! Guests on Nerdette always assign listeners homework, and we’ve compiled the BEST OF THE BEST into this hour-long Nerdette summer homework special. Tom Hanks talks typewriters, Jane the Virgin actor Jaime Camil recommends a show about aliens, and Jessamyn Stanley explains why yoga is meant for all body types. We’ll also hear from...

Astronomer and former SETI director Jill Tarter talks about the future of our planet and why she ate so many ice cream cones when she worked at NASA. Tarter’s career was the basis for Carl Sagan’s 1985 science-fiction novel, Contact , which was later made into a film starring Jodie Foster. She talks about what it’s like to have Sagan fictionalize her life, why we need to listen more than we talk,...

TV director Lesli Linka Glatter started her career as a choreographer, but after a serendipitous series of events, Glatter found her way to film and television directing. Since then, Glatter has directed a spate of well-loved shows, including Homeland , The Walking Dead , Justified , Mad Men , True Blood , Weeds , ER , The West Wing , and Gilmore Girls . Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen sat down wi...

Stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell is the host of CNN’s United Shades of America . He’s also the author of a new book, The Awkward Thoughts Of W. Kamau Bell. Nerdette ’s Tricia Bobeda talked with Bell about why awkwardness and comedy go hand in hand, what it’s like to be a blerd (black nerd), and why the TV show Blackish is so great. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priv...

This week is all about looking for pieces of space, whether they’re in orbit or in Antarctic ice. First, asteroid hunter Carrie Nugent talks about chasing down elusive celestial bodies and why she doesn’t like talking about what it’s like to be a woman in science. And then we talk about meteorite hunting with the hosts of Undiscovered , a new podcast from NPR’s Science Friday team. See Privacy Pol...

Sean Gunn is known for playing the ever-eccentric Kirk on Gilmore Girls and space-pirate Kraglin in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. On Nerdette , he talks about what it’s like to be in a movie directed by his big brother, and how intense Gilmore Girls fans are. Plus, Sean shares his little-known obsessions with math, cats, and rap. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California...

Jaime Camil plays the dramatic, charismatic, slightly self-absorbed yet extra-endearing Rogelio De La Vega on the CW’s telenovela-style comedy, Jane The Virgin . Camil, who has starred in many Mexican sitcoms, films and telenovelas, tells Nerdette ’s Greta Johnsen why Jane the Virgin is so relatable and how it’s changing the game for people of color on American television. See Privacy Policy at ht...

Yoga enthusiast, expert and internationally recognized teacher Jessamyn Stanley breaks all the stereotypes of a yogi. Nerdette ’s Greta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda sat down with Stanley to talk about her new book, Every Body Yoga ; how yoga is for everyone (and not just the models drinking coconut water in the Lululemon ads); and why yoga is more than just a way to burn calories. See Privacy Policy...

Rebecca Skloot talks about the long journey of turning her book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks , into an HBO film starring Oprah. She also discusses the importance of storytelling in science and why, even after 18 years, she’s still traveling the world to talk about the life of Henrietta Lacks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.co...