Shows
Happy To Be HereMSCL TV Club: IS IT A HANG OR A DATE? (Episodes 11 and 12)Host Greta Johnsen and co-host Kristen Meinzer discuss My So-Called Life episodes 11 and 12 --”Picture Perfect” and “Self Esteem” -- with Christina Tucker!!!! She’s a podcaster and writer who co-hosts the podcast Wait, Is This A Date?. They talk about school dance drama, wallpaper as an analogy for sex, and the fact that Delia Fisher is a f*****g QUEEN. .SHOW CREDITS:Creator and host: Greta JohnsenCo-host: Kristen MeinzerSenior Producer: Ben GoldbergComposer: Andrew M. EdwardsTile art: Lou Lovisek
2026-02-2758 min
Happy To Be HereMSCL TV Club: Oregano! (Episodes 9 and 10)Greta and Kristen discuss My So-Called Life episodes 9 and 10 --”Halloween” and “Other Peoples’ Mothers” -- with Patrick Hinds!He co-hosted his own MSCL deep-dive podcawst, My So-Called Podcast, in 2018.They talk about whether Angela ACTUALLY time travels, how terrible it is to add oregano to a curry, and how Patrick thinks about Patty differently now that he’s a parent. SHOW CREDITSCreator and host: Greta JohnsenCo-host: Kristen MeinzerSenior Producer: Ben GoldbergComposer: Andrew M. EdwardsTile art: Lou Lovi...
2026-02-2053 min
Happy To Be HereGRETAGRAM book club: Nina McConigley on 'How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder'The GRETAGRAM book club is officially in podcast form! Host Greta Johnsen talks to Nina McConigley, the author of How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder. Her novel is the GRETAGRAM book club selection for February. It’s about two teenage sisters who decide they must kill their uncle. While this book is intense it’s also funny and strange -- or, as Nina puts it, cheeky! Nina talks about the weirdness of growing up in an immigrant family in Wyoming, the complicated legacy of colonialism, and the nostalgic power of Noxema.SHOW...
2026-02-1719 min
Happy To Be HereMSCL TV Club: Looking for crumbs (Episodes 7 and 8)On this week’s podcast, Greta Johnsen and Kristen Meinzer discuss My So-Called Life episodes 7 and 8 --”Why Jordan Can’t Read” and “Strangers in the House” -- with Joanna Robinson and Kristin Russo. They’re the perfect guests to talk about MSCL because they hosted their own rewatch podcast, The Boiler Room!The group chats about Angela’s amazing detective skills, the crumbs of Jordan’s personality we are all subsisting on, and the undeniable relatability of the show’s exquisitely flawed characters.SHOW CREDITSCreator and host: Greta JohnsenCo-host...
2026-02-1359 min
Happy To Be HereMSCL TV Club: Adjectives! WOO! (Episodes 5 and 6)Greta Johnsen and Kristen Meinzerdiscuss My So-Called Life episodes 5 and 6 --”The Zit” and “The Substitute” -- with Anna Sale!They talk about the messiness of teenage desire and objectification, self-esteem and insecurity, and whether Anna Sale is Patty-ing her children. SHOW CREDITSCreator and host: Greta JohnsenCo-host: Kristen MeinzerSenior Producer: Ben GoldbergComposer: Andrew M. EdwardsTile art: Lou LovisekSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com...
2026-02-0655 min
Happy To Be HereMSCL TV Club: A girl named Pop Tart (Episodes 3 and 4)The My So-Called Life rewatch continues! Greta Johnsen and Kristin Meinzer discuss episodes 3 and 4 with Jason Concepcion. They talk about the devastating quaintness of a school gun violence episode from the ‘90s, whether Graham is a good dad, and Sharon and Rayanne’s burgeoning … friendship? Plus, Jason calls for MORE JORDAN CATALANO, Greta becomes an accidental Graham apologist, and Kristen questions Brian's role in the gossip mill. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2026-01-3051 minHappy To Be HereMSCL TV Club: A girl named Pop Tart (Episodes 3 and 4)The My So-Called Life rewatch continues! Greta Johnsen and Kristin Meinzer discuss episodes 3 and 4 with Jason Concepcion. They talk about the devastating quaintness of a school gun violence episode from the ‘90s, whether Graham is a good dad, and Sharon and Rayanne’s burgeoning … friendship? Plus, Jason calls for MORE JORDAN CATALANO, Greta becomes an accidental Graham apologist, and Kristen questions Brian's role in the gossip mill. SHOW CREDITSCreator and host: Greta JohnsenCo-host: Kristen MeinzerSenior Producer: Ben GoldbergComposer: Andrew M. EdwardsTile art: Lou...
2026-01-3051 min
Happy To Be HereMSCL TV Club: High school is a battlefield!!!! (Episodess 1 and 2)The My So-Called Life rewatch begins! Greta Johnsen and Kristin Meinzer discuss episodes 1 and 2 with Ronald Young, Jr. They talk about the nostalgic power of the series, how the pilot holds up as a pilot, and the extreme angst of it all. SHOW CREDITSCreator and host: Greta JohnsenCo-host: Kristen MeinzerSenior Producer: Ben GoldbergComposer: Andrew M. EdwardsTile art: Lou LovisekSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2026-01-2358 min
Happy To Be HereTV Club: Let’s watch My So-Called Life!In a very special miniseries, Greta joins forces with podcast host Kristen Meinzer to unpack every single episode of the 1994 ABC teen drama My So-Called Life. In this episode, before they begin their rewatch, Kristen and Greta discuss the cultural impact of the show with New Yorker TV critic Emily Nussbaum. Then, Greta talks to her best friend Marty, who binged the show with her when they were in high school. SHOW CREDITSCreator and host: Greta JohnsenCo-host: Kristen MeinzerSenior Producer: Ben GoldbergComposer: A...
2026-01-1651 minHappy To Be HereThe 87% ClubConsider this episode a friendly nudge to stop giving everything 100% all the time. It's the 87% Club, and you're invited! Greta talks to two dear friends about perfectionism, trying too hard, and embracing rest. Guests are art activist and author Shannon Downey, aka Badass Cross Stitch, and Ellen Wessel, Greta's laziness accountability coach.SHOW CREDITSCreator and host: Greta JohnsenSenior Producer: Ben GoldbergComposers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy ThalShow art: Mac MacleanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy...
2026-01-0927 minHappy To Be HereBake Until DoneThis week, professional pastry chef Faith Fedash stops by host Greta Johnsen's kitchen to make pumpkin pie cookies. (Find the full recipe for the cookies here!)SHOW CREDITSCreator and host: Greta JohnsenSenior Producer: Ben GoldbergComposers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy ThalShow art: Mac MacleanSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2025-12-1931 min
Happy To Be HereFlashing Face After The Vax? It’s More Likely Than You ThinkOnce again, we have made it to Friday.
This week, Vocalo’s Jill Hopkins takes over while Greta is away enjoying the exotic sights and sounds of central Michigan. Our panelists are Madison Malone Kircher and Rachelle Hampton, the hosts of Slate’s new internet culture podcast 'ICYMI.' They discuss the surprisingly fraught landscape of post-vax unmasking, Biden’s first 100 days, and the impending demise of Yahoo Answers. (RIP Babby!)
Then, Greta Johnsen returns to chat with Alison Bechdel about her latest graphic novel.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pr...
2021-04-3022 minHappy To Be HereFlashing Face After The Vax? It’s More Likely Than You ThinkOnce again, we have made it to Friday.
This week, Vocalo’s Jill Hopkins takes over while Greta is away enjoying the exotic sights and sounds of central Michigan. Our panelists are Madison Malone Kircher and Rachelle Hampton, the hosts of Slate’s new internet culture podcast 'ICYMI.' They discuss the surprisingly fraught landscape of post-vax unmasking, Biden’s first 100 days, and the impending demise of Yahoo Answers. (RIP Babby!)
Then, Greta Johnsen returns to chat with Alison Bechdel about her latest graphic novel.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pr...
2021-04-3022 min
Happy To Be HereMovies Of The '90s: 'Pulp Fiction'The $5 milkshake. Once a shocking, exorbitant example of the scourge of inflation. Now, a hot bargain that shouldn’t be missed!Welcome back to Nerdette Recaps with Peter Sagal! It’s the podcast where we rewatch movies of the ‘90s and dissect them like the intense nerds we are.Episode 5 is all about 1994’s Pulp Fiction, starring John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis.Listen to this conversation with Peter Sagal, Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen, then join us next week for our discussion of the original Toy Story.And do...
2020-09-0955 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: 'Members Only'Welcome to the Nerdette Book Club! Each month, we read a book and chat about it with a rotating group of panelists. This month’s pick is Sameer Pandya’s debut novel Members Only.It takes place over the course of one very intense week in the life of Raj, a middle-aged Indian-American anthropology professor. When he’s asked to help his tennis club interview potential new members, he’s thrilled by the opportunity to help diversify his tennis partners. But he makes a huge gaffe in front of a Black family, and the rest of his week get...
2020-08-281h 07Happy To Be HereA Good Old-Fashioned Field Trip: Nerdette Visits Argonne National LabArgonne National Laboratory is a massive research facility outside of Chicago that’s run by the U.S. Department of Energy. And this week, Nerdette hosts Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen take you behind the curtain to learn about some of the innovative stuff happening there. Stuff like superbatteries, supercomputers, and questions that may never get answersThis episode originally aired on August 10, 2018.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2020-08-2530 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: Let’s Talk ‘Members Only’ With Author Sameer PandyaWe’re all human, but who has the right to make mistakes? That’s a question at the heart of Members Only, the debut novel from author Sameer Pandya. In it, Raj Bhatt's life falls apart after he makes a racist remark to an African-American couple at a posh tennis club.In this Nerdette Book Club author interview, host Greta Johnsen talks with Pandya about the weaponization of the term “cancel culture,” why a tennis club serves as the setting for a story about Indian-American identity and who gets to recover from their mistakes.Listen to this s...
2020-08-1422 minHappy To Be HereNerdette Recaps ‘Clueless’ With Peter SagalSome of you may already be familiar with Nerdette Recaps with Peter Sagal, the podcast where Greta Johnsen and Nerdette cohost-emeritus Tricia Bobeda recapped Game of Thrones with Peter Sagal, host of NPR's Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! Well we are very happy to announce that we’re BACK, and this time, we’re doing '90s movies! So here is our very first episode! It’s a recap of 1995's 'Clueless,' featuring Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, and Paul Rudd. We break it down, ask if it holds up, and hear from YOU, too. Recaps w...
2020-08-1159 minHappy To Be HerePreview: Nerdette Recaps Are Back on August 12What better way to remember a simpler decade than by watching some of the biggest films from 30 years ago?Join Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal of NPR’s Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! as they dissect movies from the ‘90s. (And yes, we’re totally gonna do Dazed and Confused.)Listen to this new trailer, then come back here on Wednesday, August 12 for fresh recap all about a classic film from 1995,Clueless.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell...
2020-08-0502 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: 'Last Tang Standing'Welcome to the Nerdette Book Club! Each month, we read a book and chat about it with a rotating group of panelists. This month’s pick is Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho.It tells the story of Andrea Tang, a thirtysomething Malaysian woman who lives and works in Singapore. Her love life is a mess and she’s vying for partner at her law firm, all while drinking a lot and somehow spending many hours playing Candy Crush.Listen along as Nerdette host Greta Johnsen discusses the book with podcast expert and Servant of P...
2020-07-3154 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: ‘The Vanishing Half’It's Nerdette Book Club! Each month, we read a book and chat about it with a rotating group of panelists.This month’s pick is Brit Bennett’s sophomore novel, The Vanishing Half.The story starts in rural Louisiana in the late 1950s, when two light-skinned Black girls run away from home to New Orleans. When one decides to pass as white, she leaves her past behind. The book unfolds to tell the stories of both sisters and their daughters as they live with the repercussions of the choices they’ve made.Listen along as Nerdett...
2020-06-261h 13Happy To Be HereBooks To Read Right NowWidespread protests against police brutality have led many white people to ask how they can better understand the systems behind the disparities in our society.There are dozens of great resources out there. Nerdette host Greta Johnsen and NPR books editor Barrie Hardymon offer a few recommendations of the books they’ve found helpful. Plus a handful of summer reads, too.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2020-06-0525 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: ‘The City We Became’What if cities were embodied in human beings? If The Bronx were a human, what would she be like? And why is xenophobia so toxic? Listen along as Nerdette host Greta Johnsen discusses 'The City We Became,' the new novel from Hugo-award-winning author N.K. Jemisin, along with WBEZ host Jenn White and Michi Trota, editor for the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.And then get ready for next month’s Book Club pick: The Vanishing Half, a new novel by Brit Bennett.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pri...
2020-05-2958 minHappy To Be HereVideo Games For NoobsThere are so many video game options that it can be hard to know where to begin. Which is why Nerdette host Greta Johnsen enlisted the assistance of Samantha Nelson, who writes about video games for The A.V. Club and Polygon. From simple task-oriented games to elaborate explorations, she’s got you covered. Plus, of course, we get plenty of recommendations from YOU.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2020-05-2518 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: A Not-Too-Spoilery Convo With Sci-Fi Author N.K. JemisinHow does one deal with existential horror from beyond? That’s one question at the heart of The City We Became, a new novel from Hugo Award-winning author N.K. Jemisin, in which New York City literally comes alive in order to fight off “creepy tentacle monster creatures."Nerdette's Greta Johnsen talked to Jemisin earlier this week about the novel, how all cities have personalities, and why she doesn’t describe racism with subtlety. AND in a couple weeks, we'll bring you a panel discussion on The City We Became for our May Nerdette Book Club.
2020-05-1536 minHappy To Be HereShould You Cut Your Own Hair?When Nerdette listeners told us last week what they would have done with a warning before stay-at-home orders, haircuts were top of mind. But is an at-home haircut ever a good idea?Nerdette host Greta Johnsen asked her friend (and hair stylist) Julia Pishko for some tips.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2020-05-0516 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: ‘You Never Forget Your First’Are you ready for a fresh look at George Washington and his many foul diseases? You've come to the right place! Nerdette host Greta Johnsen joins Lulu Miller, co-creator of NPR's Invisibilia podcast and author of Why Fish Don't Exist, to break down Alexis Coe’s new biography of George Washington, You Never Forget Your First. We also eat hoecakes and consider bloodletting.Plus, get ready for next month’s book club pick: The City We Became, a new fantasy novel by Hugo Award-winning author N.K. Jemisin.See Privacy Policy at https...
2020-04-2437 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: Author Alexis Coe On George WashingtonWe’ve all heard the mythology around George Washington: He never told a lie! He had wooden teeth! There was a cherry tree that one time!But in her new biography, You Never Forget Your First, historian Alexis Coe revisits the origins of those myths and explores aspects of George Washington that may have been brushed over or misconstrued.Coe talked with Nerdette host Greta Johnsen about what surprised her most about our first president, the unfair portrayals of Washington’s mother, and why it’s important for women to write presidential histories.See Pr...
2020-04-1719 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: ‘The Glass Hotel’Welcome to the Nerdette Book Club! Each month, we read a book and chat about it with a rotating group of panelists. It’s just like a normal book club, except you don’t have to share your industrial-sized carton of Good & Plentys.
The book on tap today is Emily St. John Mandel’s The Glass Hotel. On one hand, it’s a novel about a 2008 Bernie Madoff-esque ponzi scheme. On the other hand, it’s a ghost story. For insights and analysis, follow along with Nerdette host Greta Johnsen and New York m...
2020-04-0356 minHappy To Be HereOde to Pets!Sure, lots of celebrities are hosting conversations and table reads on social media these days. But author and actor John Hodgman has been hanging out on Instagram Live for months already, interviewing random humans and their pets, in a show he calls … wait for it … “Get Your Pets.”
Nerdette host Greta Johnsen talks to Hodgman about why he thinks “Get Your Pets” is maybe, actually some of the most important work he’s done.
Plus, we hear from you about some of the creatures keeping you company these days.See Privacy Policy at https://art19...
2020-03-3115 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: ‘Such A Fun Age’Welcome to the Nerdette Book Club! Where we read a book a month and chat about it with a rotating group of panelists. It’s just like a normal book club except no one shames you when you don't do the reading.This episode is all about Kiley Reid’s excellent debut novel, Such a Fun Age. It’s an incisive look at race and class in modern America, (and it also happens to be really funny.) Join Nerdette host Greta Johnsen, New York magazine advice columnist Heather Havrilesky and The Morning AMp and Mak...
2020-01-311h 04Happy To Be HereNerdette Book Club 2020Nerdette has always been a podcast for book lovers, but for the first few months of 2020, we’re doubling down. Join host Greta Johnsen and a rotating cast of panelists as they discuss the year’s buzziest books.Whether you can’t wait to dive in or just want to sound like you know what you’re talking about with your book nerd buddies, this is the podcast for you.First up: Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid’s debut page-turner about race and class in America. Read it, and share your thoughts by recording yourself a...
2020-01-1701 minHappy To Be HereNerdette Book Club 2020Nerdette has always been a podcast for book lovers, but for the first few months of 2020, we’re doubling down. Join host Greta Johnsen and a rotating cast of panelists as they discuss the year’s buzziest books.Whether you can’t wait to dive in or just want to sound like you know what you’re talking about with your book nerd buddies, this is the podcast for you.First up: Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid’s debut page-turner about race and class in America. Read it, and share your thoughts by recording yourself a...
2020-01-1701 minHappy To Be HereWalking Into The SkySpoilers ahead!WHAT. A. FINALE. In the latest His Dark Materials, Will hunkers down in lots of places, Mrs. Coulter becomes increasingly unhinged, and we finally learn what the prophecy about Lyra’s betrayal really means.Join us as Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal break down the final episode of the first season.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-12-2449 minHappy To Be HereDaemons And Witches And Bears! Oh My!Now that’s what I call a bear fight! In the latest His Dark Materials, Iorek Byrinson returns to his homeland, Will Parry engages in mortal combat and we finally meet back up with Lord Asriel, who is strangely pleased to see Roger Parslow.Join us as Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal break it all down ahead of next week’s season finale.Plus, we play Peter a clip of himself three weeks ago in which he says he’s not going to complain anymore! Whoops Peter!We want to hear from y...
2019-12-1747 minHappy To Be HereThe Great EscapeThat was INTENSE. Lyra narrowly avoids disaster, has a heart-to-heart with mom, creates some chaos in Bolvangar, and … falls into a whole new disaster!Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal have some thoughts on the latest episode, as did you. So join us!P.S. We want to hear from you! Tell us: In the final episodes, are you willing to endure the noticeable dearth of CGI daemons in exchange for a sleuth of bears? Send us an audio file to nerdetterecaps@gmail.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy an...
2019-12-1053 minHappy To Be HereWhere Have All The Daemons Gone?The first season of His Dark Materials is more than halfway done and while things are coming together, we still have a lot of questions.Like much does it cost to CGI a daemon? What exactly are the Gobblers up to? And if you dial up a friend in another dimension, will the phone still ring?Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal are here to discuss the latest episode, which had more creepy creepers than usual. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...
2019-12-0350 minHappy To Be HereArmored Bears And A Singing CowboyArmored drinking bears! Sassy thieving cowboys! Dudley Dursley for some reason!Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal are here to discuss the latest episode of His Dark Materials, which is either the moment this TV series comes to life or a terrible approximation of an excellent book, depending on who you listen to. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2019-11-2643 minHappy To Be HereOh Snap! God Cops!Holy plot developments! Based on how much we learned in Episode 3 of HBO’s His Dark Materials, it’s safe to say this young TV show is maturing quite rapidly!And as per usual, Greta Johnsen, Tricia Bobeda and Peter Sagal are here to break it all down. Listen to the latest recap, and remember that we also want to hear from you! Join the conversation and share your own theories with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #NerdetteRecaps.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...
2019-11-1956 minHappy To Be HereHDM 1.1: Scholastic Sanctuary!Grab your daemons and put on your snow boots, because Greta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda of Nerdette and Peter Sagal of NPR’s Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! are back together again to recap another HBO fantasy show: His Dark Materials. This week the team discusses the series premiere, which aired Monday, so beware, there are some episode 1 spoilers (but we avoid book spoilers the best we can!).If you’re not familiar with His Dark Materials, the show is based off the critically-acclaimed novels written by Philip Pullman, who takes readers to a fictional world similar to...
2019-11-0546 minHappy To Be HereA Smorgasbord Of DelightTo celebrate the approach of another wonderful two-day break, Nerdette host Greta Johnsen talked with Alison Roman, author of the new cookbook Nothing Fancy, about three ways to make sure you host the most badass dinner party possible (she prefers to call it “having people over”).
And did you know that the largest 3D printer in the world just printed the world’s largest 3D-printed boat? We talk to Habib Dagher, the executive director at the Advanced Structures and Composites Center at the University of Maine. His team was responsible for this accomplishment, so we asked him wh...
2019-10-1819 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: ‘The Testaments’ Part 3We’ve finished The Testaments!Press play and join Nerdette host Greta Johnsen, New York Magazine’s Heather Havrilesky and Vocalo’s Jill Hopkins for this final installment of the #NerdetteBookClub.You’ll hear how each of us rated the book on a scale of 1-10 warm milks (10 being the best, obviously), what the professional reviewers thought, and how much your fellow book club members liked it!Plus, if you need post-Testaments-reading recommendations, check out this week's Nerdsletter (and subscribe)!And hey! Thanks for being a part of our inaugural book club. Di...
2019-10-0443 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: ‘The Testaments’ Part 2We’re two thirds of the way through Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments, and we’ve got a lot to talk about.This week is all about chapters 24 through 46, and our panel of intrepid feminists questions whether these storylines are just a little toooo convenient, whether it’s really possible to rip a person apart with your bare hands … and what the deal is with all that warm milk.Want to be a part of the #NerdetteBookClub? Easy! Just press play and join Nerdette host Greta Johnsen, New York Magazine’s Heather Havrilesky and Vocalo’s Jill Hopkins...
2019-09-2744 minHappy To Be HereBook Club: ‘The Testaments’ Part IOur reading of Margaret Atwood’s The Testaments has commenced!This week, we’re talking about book chapters 1 through 23. So … spoilers abound.Join Nerdette host Greta Johnsen, New York Magazine’s Heather Havrilesky and Vocalo’s Jill Hopkins as they contemplate the motives of Aunt Lydia, wonder what’s in that darn safe and talk smack about the mean girls of Gilead.To follow along with us, read The Testaments through chapter 46 (pages 124-282) before next Friday, September 27.And hey, we want to hear from you too! Sha...
2019-09-2043 minHappy To Be HereAn Intro To Book Club: ‘The Testaments’Welcome to the Nerdette Book Club! It’s just like a normal book club but in podcast form, and you provide your own booze.
In this episode, we're taking a look back at Margaret Atwood's 1985 dystopian novel 'The Handmaid's Tale' before sending you out to read Atwood's brand new sequel, 'The Testaments.'
What are the rules of a book club podcast, you ask? Well, after this 'Handmaid’s Tale' refresher, we're all going to read 'The Testaments' together over the next three weeks — and talk about what’s happening, why a sequel to a 35 year...
2019-09-1328 minHappy To Be HereIntrovert’s Guide To The Good LifeSeptember is right around the corner, which means fall is coming.To celebrate, Nerdette host Greta Johnsen talks with Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks, author and illustrator of the new graphic novel Pumpkinheads. It’s about Deja and Josiah, two high schoolers who love working at an amazing pumpkin patch every autumn. But the story starts on their last day of work as they try to enjoy everything the patch has to offer one last time.We also check in with an atmospheric scientist who’s about to head north — way north — for the world’s...
2019-08-3020 minHappy To Be HereSummer Reads!When anyone at WBEZ needs book recommendations, they go to Greta Johnsen, the station’s resident bookworm.So please enjoy Greta talking about some fantastic reads that you might want to pick up this summer.Contemporary Romantic Fiction
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
FantasyMagic for Liars by Sarah GaileyMystery/ThrillerSearching for Sylvie Lee by Jean KwokBiography/MemoirMore Than En...
2019-07-0512 minHappy To Be HereSummer Reads!When anyone at WBEZ needs book recommendations, they go to Greta Johnsen, the station’s resident bookworm.So please enjoy Greta talking about some fantastic reads that you might want to pick up this summer.Contemporary Romantic Fiction
Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
FantasyMagic for Liars by Sarah GaileyMystery/ThrillerSearching for Sylvie Lee by Jean KwokBiography/MemoirMore Than En...
2019-07-0512 minHappy To Be HereLizzo On NerdetteLizzo recently landed on the Billboard 200 chart for the first time with her new album ‘Cuz I Love You,’ making now the perfect time to revisit her 2016 conversation with Nerdette's Greta Johnsen. Lizzo and Greta talk about what inspired her 2016 EP 'Coconut Oil' and how Lizzo became Lizzo.And your homework after listening to this episode is, of course, to play ‘Cuz I Love You’ on repeat, forever?P.S. Get in on our lovely new tote bags! One’s for Nerdette and one’s for Nerdette Recaps Game of Thrones with Peter Sagal. Find t...
2019-05-0324 minHappy To Be HereLizzo On NerdetteLizzo recently landed on the Billboard 200 chart for the first time with her new album ‘Cuz I Love You,’ making now the perfect time to revisit her 2016 conversation with Nerdette's Greta Johnsen. Lizzo and Greta talk about what inspired her 2016 EP 'Coconut Oil' and how Lizzo became Lizzo.And your homework after listening to this episode is, of course, to play ‘Cuz I Love You’ on repeat, forever?P.S. Get in on our lovely new tote bags! One’s for Nerdette and one’s for Nerdette Recaps Game of Thrones with Peter Sagal. Find t...
2019-05-0324 minHappy To Be HereGoT 8.1: WinterfellGame of Thrones has returned with reckless abandon!
Well, maybe not reckless abandon … nobody you know and love died. (Yet.)
But whew! A ton of stuff went down: Sansa and Dany exchanged neverending side-eye, Jon got some insight into his family tree and — in what will certainly lead to endless nightmares amongst the wider populace — the piercing scream of a spiralized child-zombie-demon scared the ever-loving hot pie out of everyone.
The Nerdette crew of Greta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda joined Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!’s Peter Sagal to recap the Season 8 premiere. ...
2019-04-1555 minHappy To Be HereGoT 8.0: Season 8 PrologueWhat’s the Night King doing with his ice dragon? Will Tyrion tell Daenerys that Cersei is pregnant? Is everyone on their way to Winterfell? And Hot Pie! Why is no one talking about Hot Pie?!
A lot went down in the last season of HBO’s Game of Thrones. To help refresh your memory, Nerdette’s Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen rejoin Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!’s Peter Sagal to recap Season 7. They also take a stab at making their own predictions for the next season, which premieres April 14.
The gang will recap each ep...
2019-04-0851 minHappy To Be HereMove Over Holden CaulfieldDana Czapnik has always been drawn to wanderers and wonderers, the kind of fictional characters who are always contemplating who they are and the world around them. But aside from the work of Virginia Woolf, Czapnik said she hasn’t come across many female characters who get those kind of opportunities.“That was one of the things that I was thinking of when I was working on this,” Czapnik says of her new novel, The Falconer. “That I wanted to write a female character who has the space to just be and wonder.”Salman Rushdie called The...
2019-02-0817 minHappy To Be HereMove Over Holden CaulfieldDana Czapnik has always been drawn to wanderers and wonderers, the kind of fictional characters who are always contemplating who they are and the world around them. But aside from the work of Virginia Woolf, Czapnik said she hasn’t come across many female characters who get those kind of opportunities.“That was one of the things that I was thinking of when I was working on this,” Czapnik says of her new novel, The Falconer. “That I wanted to write a female character who has the space to just be and wonder.”Salman Rushdie called The...
2019-02-0817 minHappy To Be HereICYMI: CRISPRNerdette host Greta Johnsen has a rare genetic disease that CRISPR might be able to fix.
As a four-year old in Juneau, Alaska, Greta was diagnosed with an eye condition known as "Best disease." That name is somewhat of a misnomer in that "Best disease" causes premature macular degeneration — but curiously it happens to be among the best diseases for experimenting with CRISPR, a genetic engineering tool that can be used to edit DNA.
CRISPR has been in the news a lot lately (Google it) so we're rebroadcasting this very special episode, one that follows the...
2018-12-2132 minHappy To Be HereICYMI: CRISPRNerdette host Greta Johnsen has a rare genetic disease that CRISPR might be able to fix.
As a four-year old in Juneau, Alaska, Greta was diagnosed with an eye condition known as "Best disease." That name is somewhat of a misnomer in that "Best disease" causes premature macular degeneration — but curiously it happens to be among the best diseases for experimenting with CRISPR, a genetic engineering tool that can be used to edit DNA.
CRISPR has been in the news a lot lately (Google it) so we're rebroadcasting this very special episode, one that follows the...
2018-12-2132 minHappy To Be HereRedefining Representation With ‘Well-Read Black Girl’A little while after Glory Edim created an Instagram account under the name Well-Read Black Girl, she said she started getting a lot of messages from young women thanking her for creating a space that offered reflections of themselves.
“It’s not only just an Instagram account, but people don’t see themselves reflected in their libraries, in their bookstores, in everyday conversation,” Edim says on Nerdette podcast. “The common theme is: People don’t feel fully heard. And I’m doing my best to change that.”
Well-Read Black Girl has since become a wide number of things, i...
2018-11-3019 minHappy To Be HereThe Gender Pay GapAileen Rizo was working as a math consultant at the Fresno County Office of Education when she discovered a recently-hired male colleague was being paid significantly more than her for the same work. Aileen had more experience and education than this colleague. What then began as a fight for herself quickly turned into a fight for equality for women everywhere. Aileen talked about the tough decisions she's made for herself and her family on a recent episode of the WBEZ podcast The Trouble. On this week’s Nerdette, you’ll hear that exceptional episode of The Trouble in fu...
2018-09-2147 minHappy To Be HereU.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth Talks Mothering, Senatoring, And CouponingU.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is one of only 52 women to ever serve in the Senate. There are currently 23 female senators, which is an all-time high. “There are not enough women,” Duckworth tells Nerdette host Greta Johnsen. “We’re 20 percent of the Senate. That’s it. That’s wrong. We’re 51 percent of the population, yet 20 percent of those who make the laws that govern our lives.”Duckworth also recently became the first sitting U.S. senator to have a baby while in office when she gave birth to her daughter Maile on April 9. She tell...
2018-09-0719 minHappy To Be HereU.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth Talks Mothering, Senatoring, And CouponingU.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is one of only 52 women to ever serve in the Senate. There are currently 23 female senators, which is an all-time high. “There are not enough women,” Duckworth tells Nerdette host Greta Johnsen. “We’re 20 percent of the Senate. That’s it. That’s wrong. We’re 51 percent of the population, yet 20 percent of those who make the laws that govern our lives.”Duckworth also recently became the first sitting U.S. senator to have a baby while in office when she gave birth to her daughter Maile on April 9. She tell...
2018-09-0719 minHappy To Be HereHappiness 101... Well, technically it's Pysc 157. This week Nerdette host Greta Johnsen speaks with the professor responsible for the most popular class in Yale University's 316-year history. Laurie Santos created a course called "Psychology and the Good Life” and about 1,200 students quickly enrolled in it. Put simply, the course teaches students how they can be happier.“The good news is that we can do it,” Santos tells Greta. “The bad news is that like all good things in life, it takes a lot of work.”First, listen in as Santos gives us three main recommen...
2018-08-2418 minHappy To Be HereHappiness 101... Well, technically it's Pysc 157. This week Nerdette host Greta Johnsen speaks with the professor responsible for the most popular class in Yale University's 316-year history. Laurie Santos created a course called "Psychology and the Good Life” and about 1,200 students quickly enrolled in it. Put simply, the course teaches students how they can be happier.“The good news is that we can do it,” Santos tells Greta. “The bad news is that like all good things in life, it takes a lot of work.”First, listen in as Santos gives us three main recommen...
2018-08-2418 minHappy To Be HereNPR’s Audie Cornish On Being A New MomAudie Cornish says she had something like an epiphany after posting a photo of herself and her new baby on Twitter in April. "I realized, oh my god, I’m part of the problem," Cornish tells Greta Johnsen. "Because there is absolutely nothing worse than opening up a glossy magazine and seeing a picture of some woman with, like, a pet and a 3-year-old, everyone’s groomed to the nines, and she’s like, ‘I woke up like this.’”Cornish is the host of NPR’s daily news program 'All Things Considered.' She talked with Nerdette h...
2018-06-0120 minHappy To Be HereNPR’s Audie Cornish On Being A New MomAudie Cornish says she had something like an epiphany after posting a photo of herself and her new baby on Twitter in April. "I realized, oh my god, I’m part of the problem," Cornish tells Greta Johnsen. "Because there is absolutely nothing worse than opening up a glossy magazine and seeing a picture of some woman with, like, a pet and a 3-year-old, everyone’s groomed to the nines, and she’s like, ‘I woke up like this.’”Cornish is the host of NPR’s daily news program 'All Things Considered.' She talked with Nerdette h...
2018-06-0120 minHappy To Be HerePower Up: Grace BonneyIn 2016, Grace Bonney spoke with 100 women doing creative work and turned those interviews into a book, In the Company of Women. It became a New York Times bestseller, and earlier this month, Bonney released a follow up: a biennial business magazine called Good Company. Plus, while she’s out promoting her new publication, she also runs the creativity website Design*Sponge.
Like so many of us, Bonney is busy. So how does she refuel?
“That’s one of the things I think everyone has a really pithy answer to, like yoga or meditating,” Bonney told Nerdette ho...
2018-05-1821 minHappy To Be HereUnwinding With The Kondabolu BrothersWe brought brothers Hari and Ashok Kondabolu on Nerdette to talk about making time for self-care in what can be a grinding, freelance economy. Instead, they unpacked their relationship. “Do you look up to me at all?” Hari asks his younger brother, with host Greta Johnsen listening in the wings.“No, we have completely different lives,” Ashok immediately responds.“This is not relaxing!” Hari says. Well, we tried. But Hari and Ashok DID give us some wonderful ideas about how to recharge your batteries by ignoring the phone, taking aimless walks...
2018-05-1125 minHappy To Be HerePower Up: Amy Schumer And Aidy BryantLet’s be real: life can be hectic sometimes. You don’t need to tell that to Amy Schumer and Aidy Bryant, two of the nation’s top female comedians. Who better to kick off our new project, Power Up? For the next few months, we're asking fascinating people how they set themselves up for success in an exhausting world. Knitting? Bowling? Researching the presence of alternate dimensions? “I literally will say to myself out loud in the mirror, like, ‘You got this, bitch,’” Schumer tells Nerdette host Greta Johnsen. Schumer and Bryant also talk about what...
2018-04-2718 minHappy To Be HereClass Is In Session: The TV That Makes You Cry<p>The 90s TV drama 'My So-Called Life'<i> </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">had a profound impact on </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Nerdette </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">host Greta Johnsen. (“Jordan Catalano still holds a special place in my heart,” she said of the </span><a href="http://mysocalledlife.wikia.com/wiki/Jordan_Catalano" target="" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-family: inherit;">fictional Liberty High School heartthrob</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> played by J...
2018-03-2300 minHappy To Be HereTomi Adeyemi Calls Her New Book ‘Black Panther With Magic’Tomi Adeyemi is the 24-year-old author of 'Children of Blood and Bone,' a new young adult novel that — in terms of pop culture blockbusters — could be on par with 'The Hunger Games' or 'Harry Potter.' The book, the first in a West African-inspired fantasy series, hit shelves earlier this month — more than a year after the movie rights were picked up by Fox 2000. Adeyemi tells Nerdette that part of her motivation to write the book stemmed from racist reactions to 'The Hunger Games' movies. “There were people online being like, ‘Why’d they make Rue and Ci...
2018-03-1634 minHappy To Be HereI Have A Rare Genetic Disease. CRISPR Might Fix It.As a four-year old in Juneau, Alaska, Nerdette host Greta Johnsen was diagnosed with an eye condition known as "Best disease." That name is a misnomer for several reasons — the big one being that "Best disease" causes premature macular degeneration — but curiously it happens to be among the best diseases for experimenting with CRISPR, a genetic engineering tool that can be used to edit DNA. This very special episode of Nerdette follows Greta, her father, and Dr. Bruce Conklin, the scientist who's currently trying to develop the perfect CRISPR system to inject into some Johnsen family eyeballs. Plus...
2018-03-0931 minHappy To Be HereI Have A Rare Genetic Disease. CRISPR Might Fix It.As a four-year old in Juneau, Alaska, Nerdette host Greta Johnsen was diagnosed with an eye condition known as "Best disease." That name is a misnomer for several reasons — the big one being that "Best disease" causes premature macular degeneration — but curiously it happens to be among the best diseases for experimenting with CRISPR, a genetic engineering tool that can be used to edit DNA. This very special episode of Nerdette follows Greta, her father, and Dr. Bruce Conklin, the scientist who's currently trying to develop the perfect CRISPR system to inject into some Johnsen family eyeballs. Plus...
2018-03-0931 minHappy To Be HereHow A Creative Boss Gets It DoneIlene Chaiken has been a showrunner for TV hits like Fox’s Empire, an executive producer for Hulu’s The Handmaid's Tale, and a writer, producer, and director for Showtime’s The L Word in the mid-2000s. In other words, she’s a boss. “I don’t like the word that much,” Chaiken said on Nerdette. “I mean, I like it as in, ‘Oh, she’s a boss.’ You know, ‘She’s a badass. She’s a boss.’ But I don’t like the kind of hierarchical aspect of it.” Chaiken talked with Nerdette co-hosts Tricia Bobeda and Greta John...
2018-02-1624 minHappy To Be HereAuthor Margaret Atwood Says ‘The Harvey Weinstein Moment’ Will Last“I think it’s going to last more than a moment,” said the celebrated author on this week’s Nerdette. “But how much more than a moment, it remains to be seen." Nerdette co-host Greta Johnsen talks with author Margaret Atwood about the recent TV adaptations of her novels Alias Grace and The Handmaid's Tale, how her take on feminism has changed in recent years, and what needs to happen to make sure the “Harvey Weinstein moment” isn’t just a moment. Plus, we explore one of Atwood's nerd obsessions: The 1982 sci-fi film Blade Runner.See Privacy Policy a...
2017-11-2226 minHappy To Be HereEve Ewing On Prince, Afrofuturism And SweatersKnitting can be dangerous. Just ask author, scholar, and (of course) knitter Eve Ewing. She explains what she calls “the sweater curse” to Nerdette hosts Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen. They also discuss the impact of the late music icon Prince, the rise of Afrofuturism, and why Ewing can’t wait to get off social media. Plus, an excerpt from Ewing's new book of poetry Electric Arches.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2017-11-1031 minHappy To Be Here‘Call Your Girlfriend’ Hangs With ‘Nerdette’ PodcastLike the Flintstones meeting the Jetsons, Betty and Veronica taking down the Predator alien, and Sabrina the teenage witch dating Eric Matthews on Boy Meets World, nothing beats an epic crossover. That’s why Nerdette hosts Greta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda sat down with Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow, hosts of CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND, the premiere podcast for long-distance besties everywhere. They talked friendship, feminism, and bodily fluids before playing a Newlywed-esque game to determine which pair of co-hosts knows each other better. It's the podcast mashup you didn’t know you needed — but definitely do.Se...
2017-10-2730 minHappy To Be HereHow The U.S. Poet Laureate Finds Poetry In Justin BieberAs 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.
2017-09-0131 minHappy To Be HereGoT 7.7: The Wolf And The DragonLet’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 and more with Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!’s Peter SagalSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Pr...
2017-08-2858 minHappy To Be HereGoT 7.6: Beyond The WallAs 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 California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2017-08-211h 00Happy To Be HereGoT 7.5: EastwatchFamily 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 also answer listener questions and offer their predictions about what might happen in the last two (welp) episodes on this mini-season. See Privacy Polic...
2017-08-1459 minHappy To Be HereRainn Wilson: All About That BassoonNerdette 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 Philharmonic Principal Bassoonist John Gaudette plays a familiar tune.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2017-08-1131 minHappy To Be HereRainn Wilson: All About That BassoonNerdette 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 Philharmonic Principal Bassoonist John Gaudette plays a familiar tune.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2017-08-1131 minHappy To Be HereForget Cats: Jenny Slate Is A Plant LadyActress 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’s Greta Johnsen talked with Slate about why she loves houseplants, what she names them and how they play into her future goals. Then, a plant expert answers all of Slate’s most...
2017-07-2833 minHappy To Be HereGoT 7.0: Season 7 PrologueWhere 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 hashtag #GOTnerdcaps on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also leave us a voicemail at 312-948-4687, preferably late Sunday night just after the late...
2017-07-1055 minHappy To Be HereFrom ‘Homeland’ To ‘Freaks And Geeks,’ She Can Direct AnythingTV 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 with Glatter to talk about the differences between directing film and TV, working on shows with strong, complex women leads, and why some days she thinks about opening a 24-hour coffee/poetry/shoe/book store.
2017-06-1630 minHappy To Be HereJane the Virgin’s Jaime Camil Loves His Cast, Broadway, And Ancient AliensJaime 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 https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2017-05-1928 minHappy To Be HereBreaking Yoga Stereotypes With Jessamyn StanleyYoga 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 at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2017-05-1234 minHappy To Be HereHow To Build The Best Bad Robots With Simone GiertzYouTube’s queen of crappy robots, Simone Giertz, tells us how she got in the business of making the world’s best crappy robots, like an alarm clock that slaps you awake in the morning with a robotic arm, a robot that very terribly applies lipstick, and a vegetable chopper with 8-foot long knives.In an interview with Nerdette hosts Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen, she talked about how building terrible robots is a constant learning experience.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priv...
2017-03-1026 minHappy To Be HereNerdette: Brain Pickings Creator Maria PopovaMaria Popova, the creator of the website Brain Pickings, explains how her job is to reflect on everything from literature and physics to astronomy and art. She tells Nerdette hosts Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen about her rigorous daily diet of reading, writing, tweeting, and reflecting, as well as her newest guilty pleasure: Playing bridge. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2017-02-1023 minHappy To Be HereTom Hanks And Typewriters: A Love StoryTom Hanks is a little obsessed with typewriters. So when we put the Academy Award-winning actor in front of a pre-WWII Underwood Champion, he gave Nerdette hosts Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen an impromptu master class on the machines he calls “self-contained printing presses with which you can change the world.”Want to support this show and get a sweet Nerdette mug and/or notebook as a thank you gift? Go to https://wbez.org/nerdalertSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priv...
2017-01-2725 minHappy To Be HereMessing With Nature: Exploring The Future Of Food, Fertility And MoreThis is a special episode of Nerdette: hosts Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen hear from entrepreneurs and scientists who are forging into the frontier with pigeons, infertility, food, and feces.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2016-08-1133 minHappy To Be HereGoT 6.11: Season 6 EpilogueThe endgame is set to begin. Is Daenerys' coalition of the willing the squad to beat? What can Cersei do after her conflagratory masterpiece, and is she beholden to the second half of her miserable prophecy? What new brutality can we expect from Those Who Do Not Sow? What of Jon? Littlefinger? Arya? Sam? And will any of it matter against an army that grows as quickly as their enemies fall? Join Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me's Peter Sagal and Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen as they discuss the future of our favorite medieval fantasy drama on premium TV, Game...
2016-06-2948 minHappy To Be HereGoT 6.10: The Winds Of WinterEddard Stark was an honorable man. That we knew. But now that it seems that R+L=J, what does that mean for Jon? What were the whispers that Bran was conveniently too far away to hear? Is the Cersei we knew gone forever, and if so, what is she now? And why is it only the main characters who seem to find the express ships? Join Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me's Peter Sagal and Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen as they analyze the finale of Game of Thrones' sixth season, "The Winds of Winter."See Privacy...
2016-06-2750 minHappy To Be HereGoT 6.9: Battle Of The BastardsAnd only one bastard remained. Also, is dragon muscular atrophy a thing? Is smirking becoming its own language? Can a giant finally catch a break? And did we find out just how loyal a hungry dog really is? Join Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me's Peter Sagal and Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen as they analyze "Battle of the Bastards" episode from Game of Thrones' sixth season.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2016-06-2054 minHappy To Be HereGoT 6.8: No OneThe Mother of Dragons arrives just in time to save her friends and their seemingly doomed city. (Shock!) Tyrion drinks wine, spouts bland dialogue and does nothing. (Gasp!) Arya somehow survives her wounds and the T-1000 that casually pursues her. (Heresy!) Is the show's lack of source material beginning to reveal itself in a not so appealing way? Join Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me's Peter Sagal and Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen as they analyze "No One" episode from Game of Thrones' sixth season.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at h...
2016-06-1444 minHappy To Be HereGoT 6.7: The Broken ManThe Hound returns to the screen, but will he also return to his past form? Whom exactly is Arya fighting? Is it as fun to write for indifferent older characters as it is to hear them? And does Davos’ silver tongue make up fully for his desiccated fingers? Join Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me's Peter Sagal and Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen as they analyze "The Broken Man" episode from Game of Thrones' sixth season.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2016-06-0653 minHappy To Be HereGoT 6.6: Blood Of My BloodZombie Night’s Watch guy to the rescue! Just how does Bran avoid a frigid end beyond The Wall? What surprise ally has apparently joined forces with Bernie Sparrow? Is The Mother of Dragons actually the villain of this series? And is it too much to ask for one family dinner to pass without grandiose political gesturing? Join Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me's Peter Sagal and Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen as they analyze "Blood of My Blood" episode from Game of Thrones' sixth season.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Noti...
2016-05-3054 minHappy To Be HereGoT 6.5: The DoorJust what has Hodor been saying, and perhaps preparing for, his entire adult life? Should we finally be taking the Iron Islands seriously? Are the White Walkers biological weapons gone rogue? Oh, and time travel. Join Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me's Peter Sagal and Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen as they analyze "The Door" episode from Game of Thrones' sixth season,See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2016-05-2353 minHappy To Be Here601 The Red Woman: Nerdette Recaps Game Of Thrones With Peter SagalThe question on everyone's mind: Dead or alive? Join Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me’s Peter Sagal and Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda and Greta Johnsen as they discuss the premier of Game of Thrones' sixth season, and answer this and other questions: Is any character as good-hearted as the Onion Knight? Is Jamie set to go "Rambo" on Westeros? And what exactly did we learn about the Lady in Red? This and more on this week's Nerdette Recaps Game of Thrones with Peter Sagal.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...
2016-04-2844 minHappy To Be HereSummer TV, lady podcasters, and an intern rantIt’s all happening! In our first episode, Nerdette co-hosts Greta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda bring in a friend to play Frack, Marry Kill with three summer TV shows: Maron, Newsroom and Family Tree. Julie Shapiro of the Third Coast International Audio Festival talks about her piece in Transom that digs into why so few women host podcasts. And our intern has a rage-fueled list of things she’s worried may be Zooey Deschanel’s fault. http://nerdettepodcast.com
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2013-06-0123 minHappy To Be HereNerdette can't hardly wait for Arrested DevelopmentGreta Johnsen and Tricia Bobeda are nerding out hard about the return of Arrested Development. They talk hopes, fears and chicken dance in the first mini-episode of the Nerdette Podcast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
2013-05-2611 min