Shows
E Pluribus MottoEpisode 18: Pennsylvania - “Virtue, liberty and independence”Janet Varney and John Hodgman have arrived in the keystone state! First order of business: What on Earth is a keystone anyway?If nothing else, it’s one of the many things that Pennsylvania uses to identify itself as. Its other symbols include (but are not limited to) Benjamin Franklin, hoagies, the liberty bell, Rocky and so much more. And we’ve gotten tons of Pennsylvanians from far and wide to tell us why they love to call this commonwealth home. Episode cover art provided by:Dana JonesElizabeth Yu...
2025-10-151h 40
E Pluribus MottoEpisode 17: Iowa- “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.”Janet Varney and John Hodgman are on to the Hawkeye State! And while there are some very respectable hawkeyes to take sight of, our hosts will also talk about some vaguely disturbing Hawkeyes as well (sorry Herky!).And we’ve got to stay on brand and talk about that motto as well– it’s quite a mouthful. But Iowa proudly showcases it on its seal and its official state flag.We even got John Darnielle from the Mountain Goats to give the motto a good read– and tell us which of his songs most represents Iowa.
2025-10-011h 20
E Pluribus MottoEpisode 16: Oregon - “Alis Volat Propriis”Janet Varney and John Hodgman visit their first state in the Pacific Northwest: Oregon! There’s a Latin motto and so much flora and fauna to discuss; including some wonderful Douglas-fir and those amazing beavers.Speaking of beavers, they are the namesake of Oregon’s unofficial nickname, “The Beaver State.” And those animals happen to be on the second-side of the state flag– yes, this is that rare state flag that is TWO sided.But, lest we forget that beautiful motto, it translates to “She flies with her own wings.” So where does it land on our ranking...
2025-09-161h 11
E Pluribus MottoEpisode 15: New Mexico - “Crescit eundo”Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to talk all about “The land of enchantment”: New Mexico! Or as the locals call it, “The land of entrapment.”Even if you know nothing about New Mexico, the one thing you’ll immediately recognize is its absolutely gorgeous state flag. But did you know that prior to its current flag, it also had one of the worst flags we’ve seen yet?That’s just one other story we’ll hear today, including some stunning hot air balloon commentary, some scary insect stories, and so much more.And hey, ha...
2025-09-021h 37
E Pluribus MottoEpisode 14: Kentucky - “United we stand, divided we fall”NOTE: A previous version of this episode erroneously stated that Kentucky was a Confederate State in the US Civil War. It was in fact, a Union State. This has been corrected Thank you to those who pointed out the error.Janet Varney and John Hodgman are here and ready to talk all about some blue grass… sort of. It’s all about Kentucky and it’s slightly complicated branded with its iconography.If you’re looking for excitement, steer clear of the seal and flag; pretty standard fare there. But Kentucky has an absolutely wonderful horse, g...
2025-08-191h 16
E Pluribus MottoEpisode 13: Wisconsin - “Forward”Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to yell, “On Wisconsin!” And no, that’s not the official state motto. The actual one is MUCH more boring.But there’s still so much to love about Wisconsin; that includes a lot of really lovely history, landmarks and accents. Plus, what’s a conversation about Wisconsin without a lot of cheese chatter?Episode cover art provided by:Shaleigh SugdenLaura SwisherMegan HauserProduced by Julian Burrell.Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher.Find E Plur...
2025-08-051h 20
Judge John HodgmanButt Pics and Smart Dogs with Janet VarneyIt's time to clear the docket and Friend of the Court Janet Varney is here to help us! Is the bathroom a good place for a portrait of your own butt? If you're at a sporting event, can you move to a better section if no one is sitting there? Judgments to these and more!PLEASE NOTE: There is a conversation about an ICE raid happening at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles as we recorded this episode. This starts after the second break and ends after about 15 minutes.If you are feeling helpless as this...
2025-07-231h 09
E Pluribus MottoMinnesota - “L'etoile du Nord”Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to dive into some lakes! And what better place to do that than the state with more than 10,000 of them?That’s right, the next stop is Minnesota. It’s got a shiny new state flag and seal that’s ready for a proper review. Plus, we are so, so excited to showcase our very first FRENCH state motto!Episode cover art provided by:John MoeMegan SorensonAllison KellyProduced by Julian Burrell.Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laur...
2025-07-221h 17
Sleeping with CelebritiesMeet Your Nocturnal Animal Friends with Janet VarneyYou know Janet Varney from her starring roles in You’re the Worst and The Legend of Korra and from hosting two Maximum Fun podcasts, The JV Club and E Pluribus Motto, which she co-hosts with John Hodgman and which just launched its second season. But to the critters of the night, Janet is simply a friend, a liaison between themselves and all the diurnal humans. She talks about many nocturnal animals she encounters or nearly encounters around her Los Angeles home, including coyotes, possums, raccoons, and skunks, who, when they’re all out of stink spray, will pound their paws...
2025-07-1646 min
E Pluribus MottoMaryland - “Fatti Maschii Parole Femine”Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back with Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. They’ve chosen none other than Maryland to kick off this brand new tour of state mottos and iconography. Everything from the very busy state flag, the state song, the state spirit and more will be discussed.Plus… what better way to get Season 2 started than with the return of a LATIN motto?Episode cover art provided by:Meaghan HarperJeff McLain (Unsplash)Lenny Rogers (Pixabay)Bruce Emmerling (Pixabay)Produced by Ju...
2025-07-081h 15
E Pluribus MottoMail from around the states!Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back! This is a brief reprieve from the wait for Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. The pair respond to a number of emails and voice notes from listeners. There’s plenty of corrections on previous episodes and information about all the states, commonwealths, and districts(!) that will be covered next season.Produced by Julian Burrell.Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher.Find E Pluribus Motto on Instagram and TikTok.And send us a voice memo, message or photo about an upcoming state to...
2025-05-271h 13
We Got This with Mark and HalMaxFunDrive 2025 – TriviApocalypse 4 with John Hodgman, Jean Grae, Janet Varney, and Julian BurrellTeam WE GOT THIS! (Mark Gagliardi & Hal Lublin) faces off in a trivia challenge against teams of Maximum Fun luminaries, hosted by Ken Plume! Support our show now and get access to bonus content by becoming a MaximumFun member at maximumfun.org/join, and be sure to tick the box to support WE GOT THIS! with Mark & Hal when you do!In this episode: John Hodgman, Jean Grae, Janet Varney, and Julian Burrell
2025-03-281h 43
E Pluribus Motto#MaxFunDrive special – Even MORE State CryptidsHappy MaxFun Drive!This show is supported by our beloved MaxFun Members! To become one yourself as part of the #MaxFunDrive, go to maximumfun.org/join and set up a recurring monthly contribution (or an annual prepay) for as little as $5 a month. Janet Varney celebrates MORE state cryptids from our wonderful E Pluribus Motto listeners. Some of them are spiritual, some are disturbing but we love hearing about them all. Not only that, but we’ll get to hear even more about the effect that these cryptids have on you as listeners who s...
2025-03-2714 min
E Pluribus Motto#MaxFunDrive special – State CryptidsHappy MaxFun Drive!This show is supported by our beloved MaxFun Members! To become one yourself as part of the #MaxFunDrive, go to maximumfun.org/join and set up a recurring monthly contribution (or an annual prepay) for as little as $5 a month. Janet Varney and John Hodgman explore the legendary, creepy, adorable and mysterious cryptids that (possibly) exist across this country.The bipedal creatures with wings of bats, fur, jurassic flippers or glistening fangs are out there… possibly. And several will get a spotlight on this wonderful exploration. Produced by Juli...
2025-03-241h 19
E Pluribus Motto#MaxFunDrive special – Amy Holden JonesJanet Varney and John Hodgman chat about the start of the #MaxFunDrive!This episode is being released on the first day of the drive– March 17th. Now is the time to go to maximumfun.org/join to become a MaxFun Member. For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure that this podcast continues and earn great gifts in the process.Then, it’s Janet’s full conversation with filmmaker Amy Holden Jones. We’ll learn more about how a very specific location in Connecticut inspired the title of Amy’s film Mystic Pizz...
2025-03-1730 min
E Pluribus MottoTennessee - Agriculture and CommerceJohn Hodgman and Janet Varney are pouring some lovely Tennessee tea on the season finale of E Pluribus Motto!That’s right, Tennessee is the final state and motto of season one. So does it have a strong, compelling and rich phrase to close us out strong? No!But there’s still a lot to discuss, including some personal travel stories through the state, what its flat top shape makes us think of, and… the national treasure that is Dolly Parton.Plus, a chat Tennessee’s own Mark Gagliardi from the podcast “We Got This,”...
2025-02-041h 20
E Pluribus MottoIllinois - State Sovereignty, National UnionJohn Hodgman and Janet Varney are calling for freedom from the juventocracy as they visit Illinois!It’s got a motto that makes you think but a state seal that’s very confusing and unappealing. But the pair promise to be fair judges.How do you decide what food and critters are good enough to be official representations of your home? Let the children decide of course! That’s right, Illinois allowed the… admittedly middling opinions of elementary school kids to decide on a variety of state symbols.We’ll get into all of those a...
2025-01-211h 16
E Pluribus MottoGeorgia - Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation (Unofficial)John Hodgman and Janet Varney are ready for an episode as sweet as a peach: Georgia! Up until now we’ve dealt exclusively with official mottos. But Georgia just had to buck tradition with an UNofficial motto. Thankfully we’ve still got a lot of symbols that did make the cut. From frogs, dogs, whales and fruit. Episode art provided by: Kevin LamRyan LloydC.N. JosephsProduced by Julian Burrell.Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher.Find E Pluribus...
2025-01-061h 07
E Pluribus MottoVermont - Freedom and UnityThere’s a bit of maple in the air because this week John Hodgman and Janet Varney visit Vermont! Green mountain boys and sea monsters await.Plus: A motto so good that it makes us rethink our opinions about the other mottos we’ve graded so far. (Sorry New York– looks like “Excelsior!” might be inferior).And you know what this episode pairs great with? A big ol’ plate of pancakes with some freshly tapped Vermont maple syrup.Episode art provided by: Jayne KennedyJackie GrayKate Thomas
2024-12-2351 min
Dead Pilots SocietyEpisode 162: The 14th Floor written by Amy Reed (The Diary of a Future President) & Brendan Scannell (Bonding)It's the end of the year and we have a very special dead pilot for you! This is The 14th Floor written by Amy Reed (The Diary of a Future President) & Brendan Scannell (Bonding). It centers around an ambitious young executive at multinational McKenna Corp who gets hip-checked by her threatened CEO, and is then banished to the depths of the 14th floor, where a staff of castoffs collect checks doing absolutely nothing. It was setup at HBO and this episode was recorded live at The Elysian Theater in Los Angeles, CA. The cast for this one wa...
2024-12-2038 min
E Pluribus MottoNew York - Excelsior!John Hodgman and Janet Varney are heading ever upward! This week is all about New York!We’re going through a bunch of the Empire state’s historical highlights, from the compelling to the goofy. The two will reminisce about how New York has personally touched their lives and explain why this motto is so Amazing, Spectacular, Incredible and Fantastic. Plus: Beavers!Episode art provided by: Lizzie BarteltCookie LeiblerLiam JeffriesRisa StrobleGerald J. SmithProduced by Julian Burrell.Se...
2024-12-1058 min
E Pluribus MottoSouth Carolina - Dum Spiro Spero & Animis Opibusque ParatiJohn Hodgman presents to Janet Varney the state that’s obsessed with having an excessive amount of mottos: South Carolina!It features two mottoes, two official state drinks, two official state marine mammals and more. And that’s before we discuss how busy the state seal is.Yet for all that, the state has a very tastefully reserved flag and a really charming fondness of the creatures like the wolf spider.So settle into your little burrow and grab a pile of boiled peanuts.Produced by Julian Burrell.Senior Prod...
2024-11-2652 min
E Pluribus MottoVirginia - Sic Semper TyrannisJanet Varney presents to John Hodgman the commonwealth of Virginia!What a creature filled state! Everything from tiny bats with big ears, directional cardinals and water-based horses. But before we can get to any of that we have to discuss that motto. Sure it’s a little aggressive and has some unfortunate historical baggage; but you’ll hear why it’s actually a very hopeful message. Plus, we’re joined by Dimitry Pompée, one of the hosts of the MaxFun podcast “Eurovangelists,” which is all about the song contest: Eurovision. He’s also a longtime r...
2024-11-111h 00
E Pluribus MottoMassachusetts - Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate QuietemJohn Hodgman presents his home commonwealth to Janet Varney. It’s time to spotlight Massachusetts!Keep your Boston accents to yourself (for now) because we’ll learn more about how its motto was born from was born from an incredibly aggressive guest book entry and the numerous songs that have fought status within Massachusetts.Plus, John will chat with Kate Lorch. As an elementary school student she struck a major political victory: getting Massachusetts an official state muffin. Special thanks to Denise Falbo for supplying episode art this week!Produced by Julia...
2024-10-2849 minJudge John HodgmanJJHO Presents: E Pluribus Motto!John Hodgman has a new podcast with Janet Varney! Every episode they’ll showcase a new state and explore its iconography– especially its often complicated, pretentious and Latin motto.Their first stop on their tour of every state, commonwealth and territory in the United States is Connecticut. Why Connecticut first? They’ll explain.Hear more about its legendary rich, sandy loam, the grape-filled seal, and its many attempts to create a state motto that sticks.Plus, Janet speaks with Amy Holden Jones, creator of the film Mystic Pizza. Amy will tell us about how he...
2024-10-221h 01
The JV Club with Janet VarneyE Pluribus Motto - A New Podcast from Janet Varney and John HodgmanJanet Varney has a new podcast with John Hodgman! Every episode they'll showcase a new state and explore its iconography-- especially it's often complicated, pretentious and latin motto.Their first stop on their tour of every state, commonwealth and territory in the United States is Connecticut. Why Connecticut first? They’ll explain.Hear more about its legendary rich, sandy loam, the grape-filled seal, and its many attempts to create a state motto that sticks.Plus, Janet speaks with Amy Holden Jones, creator of the film Mystic Pizza. Amy will tell us about how he...
2024-10-171h 01
E Pluribus MottoRhode Island - HopeIt’s Janet Varney’s turn to present to John Hodgman; it’s the biggest little state in the union: Rhode Island!While Rhode Island does have a limited presence in pop culture, it still has a lot of great songs devoted to it. And we’re happy to showcase a few.We’ll find out what exactly a “stuffy” is and why this state motto is so simple and yet perfect.Plus, we’ll hear from Julian Fellowes, creator of the shows “Downton Abbey” and “The Gilded Age.” The latter is filmed in Newport, Rhode Island...
2024-10-1447 min
E Pluribus MottoConnecticut - Qui transtulit sustinetIt’s the very first episode of E Pluribus Motto!John Hodgman and Janet Varney’s first stop on their tour of every state, commonwealth and territory in the United States is Connecticut. Why Connecticut first? They’ll explain.Hear more about its legendary rich, sandy loam, the grape-filled seal, and its many attempts to create a state motto that sticks.Plus, Janet speaks with Amy Holden Jones, creator of the film Mystic Pizza. Amy will tell us about how her movie was directly inspired by Connecticut… and give her own suggestions for a new st...
2024-10-141h 00
Depresh Mode with John MoeS.E. Cupp, Panic Attacks, Breakdowns, and Making New BoundariesCurrent events in the world today can be a lot to deal with even as a regular person. You got war in Ukraine, anti-democracy and pro-Putin forces in a major political party, a movement against LGBTQ and trans people, COVID, and environmental worries to name just a few things. And it might be even more intense if you’re one of the people producing the news. S.E. Cupp has to follow the news very closely, it’s part of her job at CNN and as a newspaper columnist. But she says the close proximity to things like the war...
2022-05-021h 00Depresh Mode with John MoeJohn Darnielle of The Mountain Goats on Anxiety, Violence, Drugs, Youth in Peril, and TikTokThe singer, songwriter, guitarist, and acclaimed author John Darnielle is one of the more prolific creative forces you’re likely to run across. He’s released 20 full-length studio albums, plus a mess of EPs, tapes, and singles over his 25-plus years of recording. And he’s written three novels in recent years as well.In this interview, John talks about his interest in written material about violence and horror and what he thinks might be behind society’s stronger than ever fascination with true crime. We also hear about his experiences on drugs, his need to get off drug...
2022-04-251h 06
The JV Club with Janet VarneyJohn HodgmanWhat better way to celebrate #MaxFunDrive than with one of the Maxiest, Funniest, Driviest (?) people around, Mr. John Hodgman? It’s a smorgasbord of topics and delight in this special episode. But note! There’s more where this came from! The full, extra funtastic episode with over 45 minutes of extra conversation(!!!!) is available as a Thank You to Max Fun members, along with all the other amazing bonus content from ALL Max Fun podcasts, available to Members for as little as $5 a month. Visit maximumfun.org/join to heap goodies onto your podcast plate!
2021-05-061h 54
milesbelli on HuffdufferDead Pilots Society: Episode 2 - Only Child written by John HodgmanShow:
Dead Pilots Society
Guests:
John Hodgman
Janet Varney
John Ross Bowie
Abe Chabon
Mark Gagliardi
Josh Malina
Adam Savage
Sage Ryan
Hal Lublin
Ben Acker
John Roderick
Samantha Sadoff
Abby Wait
In this episode of Dead Pilots Society, Ben Blacker interviews John Hodgman (The Daily Show, Pitch Perfect 2, Married, Ragnorak) regarding his dead pilot, Only Child.This episode was recorded live from San Francisco Sketchfest 2016. Along with John's interview, you'll also listen to a never-before-heard live table read of Only Child performed by some of today's funniest comedic actors like:
John Hodgman as John Hodgman, Janet Varney as Bridget an...
2016-10-1400 min