Can someone really change their mind?

This week on Getting Better, Jonathan sits down with singer, author, speaker, and activist Julianna Glasse to look at what it means to question everything you’ve ever believed.

Julianna opens up about growing up in an evangelical Christian community, singing at Trump’s 2017 National Prayer Breakfast, and the painful process of walking away from the beliefs, career, and identity that once defined her. She shares the pivotal moments that challenged her understanding of LGBTQ+ people, the books and philosophers that expanded her thinking, and why curiosity became more powerful than certainty.

Julianna’s book: This Is What Happens When Women Read is out this fall. 

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

Full Video Episodes now available on YouTube. 

Follow Julianna Glasse on Instagram @juliannaglasse

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

ICYMI: This week: our first official TME Spelling Bee, Producer Nathanael learns the Tin whistle, we try the viral smoked salmon, talk GLP-1 & Cannabis usage, cover Mifepristone Access in the US over at the Jonathan Van News Desk, and drop this week’s Hot B*tch of the Week.

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

What does the separation of church and state actually protect, and why does it matter to all of us?

This week, Jonathan sits down with Americans United President & CEO Rachel Laser (who somehow balances leading one of the country’s foremost constitutional advocacy organizations while teaching yoga on the side) for a conversation about one of the most important (and often misunderstood) principles in American democracy. Together, they explore how the Constitution protects religious freedom, why those protections belong to everyone, and what happens when government and religion become too closely intertwined.

Rachel breaks down the growing influence of Christian Nationalism, why patriotism isn’t the same as religious identity, and how some political movements are saying the quiet part out loud. They also discuss recent debates over displaying the Ten Commandments in public schools, the importance of creating space for every belief system, and why defending church-state separation is ultimately about protecting freedom…not limiting faith.

Join the fight at www.au.org/better 

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

Full Video Episodes now available on YouTube. 

Follow Americans United on Instagram @amercansunited

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 is all about your listener questions! We’re talking: asking for what you need up front, finding people to co-sign your BS, advice for young queer folk, work trip rendezvous, the Maine senate race, being left out, being a narcissist, loose skin, and some spelling advice! 

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

The U.S. Constitution can feel intimidating—but what if understanding it is one of the most empowering things you can do?

This week, JVN sits down with constitutional law professor, legal scholar, and Strict Scrutiny co-host Melissa Murray to unpack what the Constitution actually says, how it’s evolved over time, and what it does to shape our daily lives here in the U.S. Together, they break down the myths, the amendments, and the big debates that continue to define U.S. democracy.

From the origins of Prohibition to the long fight for women’s rights, Melissa explains why the Constitution was designed to change—and why “We the People” have always been central to that process. They also explore what rights the Constitution does (and doesn’t) guarantee, how constitutional amendments come to be, and what power ordinary people have to shape the country’s future.

Get your copy of THE U.S. CONSTITUTION: AN ANNOTATED GUIDE FOR THE MODERN READER here

Catch Strict Scrutiny wherever you get your podcasts! . 

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

Full Video Episodes now available on YouTube. 

Follow Melissa Murray on Instagram @profmmurray  

Follow Strict Scrutiny on Instagram @stricscrutinypodcast 

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 Meownelli Updates, Pride 2026, posture, AC, allergies, caffeine decreasing, workout faces, Carly Rae Jepsen’s new era, earthquakes, Janet Jackson, American Spelling Bee, the Supreme Court’s ruling on Damon Landor’s locks, anti-ICE protesters, Sunscreen Advice, Diet Cherry Coke, and Jordyn Woods' Bag. 

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

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