The JV Club with Janet Varney

Episode 75's conversation  provides guest Sara Watkins with innumerable ideas for songs yet-to-be-composed, including tiny horses and boogie boards.

Proud Wisconsinite and Dork Forest podcast creator Jackie Kashian joins Janet for a discussion about the families we love - even as they drive us nuts- to books, books, and more books, with a sprinkling of dogs, dorks, and death thrown in for good measure.

Two special guests join Janet in Episode 73, but only one of them - the fantastic Autumn Reeser (Thrilling Adventure Hour, No Ordinary Family) actually speaks. Topics include summer camp, the perennial talent of speedy typing, and getting attacked by tiny fish. Plus: Janet admits the shocking truth: she's never been to Hawaii.

From growing up as a lovably snobby kid nerd in Chico, CA to making award-winning indie movies, Etta Devine (The Selling) talks saints, science and sugar in episode 72 of the podcast, where coincidental references to both the "N" word and the "V" word occur.

The podcasting machine is revved up and ready with episode 71's guest Emma Bates (Whedon's  Much Ado About Nothing)  for an in-depth look at love, loss, and the experiences that shape us... including living across the creek from someone named Catbird!

The talent of pleasing other people's parents (but not your own), the allure of knowing your neighbors, and the thrill of wearing a boy's class ring get their due in episode 70 of The JV Club, plus fantastic comedian, author, and guest Laura Kightlinger (The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman) plays a new game, courtesy of previous guest Lucy Davis!

Two Arizona gals talk backyard wonderlands, card catalogs, and being a girl in boy-centric worlds in Episode 69 of the podcast, featuring Janet's dear friend and collaborator, Jessica Makinson (South Park). Includes a Junior Varsity advice segment!

Janet and guest Kristen Schaal (Flight of the Conchords) put the "cyst" back in "sisterhood" with tales of OBGYN terror, Twin Peaks-themed shopping malls, and good boys, bad boys, and no boys at all. Want more? How about the non-revelation of how delicious cereal is?

Hold onto your hats and sew your glasses into your jacket pocket for this illuminating episode with writer and actress Jolie Jenkins (Body of Proof) as she and Janet delight in chagrin over misguided wardrobes, eating lunch in your car, and the powers and pitfalls of having motivational speaking in your immediate family.

The perennially awesome Clea Duvall (Argo, Girl Interrupted) talks bullying, bands, and bringing back your best vintage tees in episode sixty six of the podcast; meanwhile, Janet tries to come off as cool as Clea... and fails (no surprise there!).

Can baton twirling lead to a promising fencing hobby? Can a tree administer psychological advice? Will Michael Caine leave his wife Shakira for Episode 65's marvelous Sara Benincasa (Agorafabulous)? There are only two ways to find out: listen to the episode, or talk to someone who listens to the episode.  C'mon. Do the right thing.

Janet's high school friend and mental health advocate Christina Jasberg travels from Tucson to rug-it-up with an intimate discussion about the roles of family history, brain chemistry, environment, hormones, and Scooby Doo in the life of a person faced with extraordinary challenges, and how our society supports-- and doesn't support-- the mentally ill.

Synergy Alert! Firing on all cylinders (and then some), Janet and Episode 63 guest Sandra Daugherty (Sex Nerd Sandra) give each other brain orgasms with a deep dive into intimacy and honesty, long term teen romance, and roughly 5,000 other things at once.

It's a little bit country, it's a little bit rock 'n roll... and it's everything you'd hope from an eager-to-please Texan with a dream to cheerlead (that word doesn't seem right without an "er" attached). Christy Stratton Mann ( King of the Hill, Awkward ) sets Janet straight about Donny, Marie, and so much more.

A quick mea culpa about this week's episode with Christy Stratton Mann- and an update on a new episode coming out to replace it!

All quipping aside, Episode 61 with Casey Wilson (Happy Endings) is NOT sponsored... by anyone. But hey, It's all good. There's still plenty to chew on with topics like Girl Scouts, feminism, and the best and worst of Billy Joel.

Janet is joined by returning guest Natasha Leggero and first-time JV "Club Foot" Karen Kilgariff in this live recording from Portland's terrifically fun Bridgetown Comedy Festival. Music! Hats! Eggs!

It's sort of a conversation between Korra and Lin Beifong as Mindy Sterling (Austin Powers) joins Janet in Episode 59, and yes, they DO discuss The Legend of Korra. Other topics include the etiquette of neighbors and barking dogs, the renowned LA Groundlings, and the magnetic pull of a funny gentleman.

This week multiple literal and metaphorical doors are knocked on and opened when Susan Orlean (The Orchid Thief! The Bullfighter Checks Her Makeup! Many other amazing books and essays!) and special guest star, her son Austin, stop by to unsettle Scott the Dog. Plus, find out why Janet suggests Susan's nickname be "Puddin."

The world turns upside-down when guest Lucy Davis (original UK's The Office) shocks Janet with the news that in Britain, blankets are called rugs. More startling revelations, hearty laughs, and shameless mutual Emma Thompson idol-worship round out Episode 57!

Doughnuts, Cigarettes, and Hot Sauce, Oh My! It's Episode 56 with Emily Gordon (The Indoor Kids) chock-full of fond remembrances of first kisses, My So Called Life, and the once-pervasive Manic Panic hair dye, the use of which apparently makes you a communist. This week's bonus: Theories on how hot dogs got their name.

Prompting the occasion for a friendly, folksy episode description, Janet's nearby neighbor Constance Zimmer drops by (with fresh-squeezed juice, no less) for a chat ranging from spiders to barbies to what seems like it might be a record-breakingly long game of M.A.S.H.

How do YOU pronounce the word "nougat?" Janet and guest Lynn Chen (The Actor's Diet blog) take a big bite out of the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of food. Also on the menu: when vanity bites you back, doorknocker earrings, and the savory churro of Taiwan.

Nudity, nudity, and more nudity. And some other stories that don't involve nude people in this episode of The JV Club with the delightful Andrea Savage (Stepbrothers), including anecdotes about farting and cologne. Yes, these two women are technically grown-ups.

It's the first anniversary of the JV Club and what better way than to spend it with the one and only* Sarah Silverman? *Janet discovers that there is in fact more than one Sarah Silverman out there. But this is THAT Sarah Silverman.