This week on Getting Better, JVN sits down with actress, activist, performer, and NYC Pride Grand Marshal Peppermint for a conversation about the energy, joy, resilience, and community that make Pride so powerful.

From starring in Survival of the Thickest to leading one of the world’s most iconic Pride celebrations, Peppermint shares what Pride means to her today, how the movement has evolved, and why joy remains one of the most important tools for building connection and creating change. Along the way, JVN and Peppermint dive into Pride history, the responsibility and excitement of being a Grand Marshal, what it means to be “the first,” and how we can all help create a future rooted in belonging.

Plus: a gum health detour, baths vs. showers, some Peppermint’s Transcendence Tea, and why staying connected to our shared humanity matters now more than ever.

Whether you’re celebrating Pride this month or looking for ways to build more community, courage, and joy in your everyday life, this episode is a reminder that Pride is more than a celebration - it’s a practice.

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Full Video Episodes now available on YouTube. 

Follow Peppermint @peppermint247 

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn

Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn

Executive  Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from: Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking: Liza the Cat Updates, why the World Cup is low-key tea, hazards of cruising, Diet Coke erasure, JVN’s cannabis break, PRIDE Spelling Bee, the cage fight & the peeling reflection pool, sunscreen advice, a shoutout to JVN’s husband Mark, and the gay bat. 

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Catch Getting Better & The Monday Edit, now on YouTube! 

Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn 

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris 

Executive Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can we get a hallelujah? Maren Morris is here!

This week, JVN sits down with Grammy-winning artist Maren Morris to celebrate the 10th anniversary of HERO and explore the lessons she’s learned about growth, courage, and staying curious along the way.

From navigating difficult conversations across political divides to finding the confidence to speak up when it matters, Maren shares how using her voice has shaped both her career and her personal life. She opens up about motherhood, how raising her son has given her the opportunity to reparent herself, and why some of life’s biggest transformations happen when we’re willing to get uncomfortable.

Together, JVN and Maren break down adult friendships, the importance of stepping outside our echo chambers, lessons learned from her mom, and what it really means to stay connected in an increasingly divided world. Plus - an iconic Dolly Parton story.

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Full Video Episodes now available on YouTube. 

Follow Maren Morris on Instagram @marenmorris 

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn

Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn

Executive  Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from: Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking: hair content around the world, shopping in Seoul, more Midwest comedy dates, updates on Liza the cat, skin treatments in South Korea, Gemini season, riding the waves of weed sobriety, closing my rings on the Apple Watch, streak fixations, sitting with discomfort, blueberry smoothies, “mother” on TikTok who doesn’t use butter or olive oil when cooking, TikToker Denise, Music Spelling Bee, the UFC Fight Cage, Serena Williams return, and Hair Loss Hacks. 

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Catch Getting Better & The Monday Edit, now on YouTube! 

Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn 

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris 

Executive Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Y’all, let’s make a mug. Tap in.” 

As we continue to thrive during Pride Month, JVN sits down with TikTok superstar Kaden Rowland, aka the “Staples Baddie,” to talk all things office supplies, retail life, and internet fame. From the joy of a perfectly stocked stationery aisle to the story behind her viral success, Kaden shares how her love of pens, planners, and customer service won over millions online. Along the way, they chat about creativity, home office trends, journaling, mental wellness, and staying authentic while navigating life on and off social media - stationary lovers, this one is for you! 

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Full Video Episodes now available on YouTube. 

Follow Kaeden Rowland (aka Oblivion)  on TikTok @blivxxx

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn

Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn

Executive  Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from: Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.
Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we're talking: Thoughts on the recent Queer Eyes news, an update on our Pet family, talking about trauma without becoming our trauma, getting better at grief, exciting developments in the JVN Hair camp, JVN & Mark’s Anniversary, TikTok roundup, JVN & Beyonce on bikes, our Office Supplies Spelling Bee Todd Blanch & the 1.776 Billion slush fund, CBS News, giving fade haircuts, “Best of the World,” and John Travolta. 

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Catch Getting Better & The Monday Edit, now on YouTube! 

Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn 

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris 

Executive Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.
Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Happy Pride Month! 

This week on Getting Better, we’re heading backstage on Broadway for a dazzling deep dive into the artistry, creativity, and sheer magic that brings iconic productions to life. Jonathan sits down with the Hair & Makeup team behind the 9-Time Tony Nominated production of CATS: The Jellicle Ball: Makeup Designer Rania Zohny & Tony Award Winning Hair Designer, Nikiya Mathis. Together, they unpack the intricate process of designing for the stage - from creating unforgettable character transformations to building wigs and makeup looks that can withstand eight shows a week. Plus, they take us behind the curtain of the iconic “Memory” transformation and share what it really takes to create Broadway magic night after night.

Whether you're a theatre kid, a beauty lover, or just someone who appreciates a fabulous transformation, this episode is serving artistry, history, and a whole lot of Pride.

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Full Video Episodes now available on YouTube. 

Follow CATS: The Jellicle Ball on Instagram @catsjellicleball

Follow Nikiya Mathis on Instagram @nikiyamathis  

Follow Rania Zohny @raniasmakeup 

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn

Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn

Senior Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from: Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.
Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking: JVN’s U.K. Tour, seaweed pressed scarfs, visits with grandparents & friends abroad, JVN Hair Wave Spray, Nando’s Peri Peri, “The Crash,” CATS Spelling Bee, over-packing, hot yoga, Obsession, stretching, January 6th rioters, alone time, and our hot bitch of the week!

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Catch Getting Better & The Monday Edit, now on YouTube! 

Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn 

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris 

Executive Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lot of us have a complicated relationship with movement - blamed, shamed, or stuck in routines that don’t truly serve us. But what if movement wasn’t about perfection, punishment, or performance? What if it was a powerful tool for connection, self-care, and resilience?

This week, we’re diving deep into the psychology behind group fitness and movement’s ability to heal, empower, and transform lives. From JVN’s personal journey of finding community through yoga and gymnastics to hosting a joy-filled adult gymnastics experience with Airbnb, he explores how movement can help us reclaim our mental health, confidence, and sense of belonging.

We break down how to create inclusive, nurturing spaces that honor the whole person - taking into account family stress, gender identity, trauma, and systemic barriers - so movement becomes a source of liberation, not shame. 

Dr. Tess Kilwein, a sports psychologist, is dedicated to making group fitness accessible and affirming for all bodies and minds. Her work on the psychology of movement shows us that movement is a radical act of self-love and collective healing.

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Full Video Episodes now available on YouTube. 

Follow Dr. Tess Kilwein @unapologeticpsych 

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn

Jonathan on Instagram @jvn

Executive Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from: Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.

Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Best selling author Anna Malaika Tubbs stops by to tell us all about her 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.

Follow Anna Malaika Tubbs

Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and executive producer Chris @amomentlikechris 

New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday. 

Executive Producer, Chris McClure

Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure

Production support from: Chad Hall

Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.
Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Giving birth is a MAJOR medical event, and we're learning about how to get the best possible experience for YOU with Jen Hamilton, the New York Times #1 bestselling author of Birth Vibes .

From birth plans and building the right support team to navigating fear, nursing, and the reality of “bad” birth stories online, Jen shares practical advice and compassionate insight for every kind of parent-to-be. Whether you’re considering a hospital birth, home birth, epidural, natural labor, VBACs, supporting someone going through their birthing process, or you have absolutely no idea where to start whatsoever, this episode is here to help you feel informed, confident, and supported through your pregnancy journey.

BIO: Jen Hamilton is a labor and delivery nurse recognized for her expertise in maternal and newborn care. Drawing from frontline experiences, Hamilton guides families through childbirth, managing high-stakes scenarios that require precision, empathy, and rapid decision-making. Her ability to explain the complexities of labor and delivery, combining clinical knowledge with storytelling, has established her as a speaker who clarifies the childbirth process. 

Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here. 

Full Video Episodes now available on YouTube. 

Follow Jen Hamilton on Instagram @_jen_hamilton_

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 [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices