Nerdette

Episodes

• Nerdette Book Club: Rumaan Alam’s ‘Leave The World Behind’

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  Feb 23 2021

  Book critic Bethanne Patrick and Professor Lisa Page, director of creative writing at George Washington University, join us to discuss this month’s book club pick: Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam. Alam’s third novel is a witty and unnerving take on the apocalypse genre that is already being turned into a Netflix film starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington.

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• Your Weekend Starts Here: ‘Buffy,’ ‘Tarzan,’ And Cat Problems Solved

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  Feb 19 2021

  Joss Whedon is not the feminist showrunner we thought he was, but is that a surprise? Plus, remembering the complicated legacies of two of America’s first female doctors. Then, a cat expert offers some advice to owners whose cats don’t love their home-based lifestyles.

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• Your Weekend Starts Here: Britney Spears, Mercury Retrograde And Your COVID Questions Answered

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  Feb 12 2021

  Former President Trump is being impeached … again, Britney Spears is back in the news, and it’s the 10th anniversary of the viral TGIF earworm “Friday.” We unpack the week that was and catch up with Nerdette’s resident epidemiologist Dr. Emily Landon, who also works at the University of Chicago. Plus, Madam Clairvoyant stops by to explain why the heck things have been so weird lately (according to the sky).

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• Book Club: Rumaan Alam On His Netflix-Bound Apocalypse Novel ‘Leave The World Behind’

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  Feb 09 2021

  We talk with Rumaan Alam about his latest book ‘Leave The World Behind,’ which is already being turned into a Netflix film starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. Rumaan Alam’s novel is Nerdette's February book club pick. Listen to our chat with Alam, read his book and come back later this month for more.

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• Your Weekend Starts Here: Awards Season, Everything Bagel Ice Cream And Remembering SOPHIE

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  Feb 05 2021

  This week we take a look at the latest set of award season snubs, non-snubs and the rest of the week’s news with WBEZ Reset host Sasha-Ann Simons and WAMU producer Jonquilyn Hill, who’s also the host of NPR’s Through The Cracks podcast. Then we talk with Jeni Britton Bauer, the creator of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, about a new flavor of cream cheese ice cream that includes — for some reason — sesame, garlic and onion. Yes, it’s weird! And lastly, we take a moment to remember Grammy-nominated musician SOPHIE with the help of author and culture writer Sasha Geffen. SOPHIE died Sunday at the age of 34....more

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• Your Weekend Starts Here: Baby Busts, 'Black Buck' And The Collapse Of Capitalism?

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  Jan 29 2021

  GameStop, GameStop, GameStop. Be gone! Another week is in the books, and we break down the news in vaccine distribution and pandemic fertility rates with WBEZ criminal justice reporter Patrick Smith and soon-to-be City Cast lead producer Carrie Shepherd. Plus, we take a look at all these GameStop shenanigans with Slate reporter Alex Kirshner. Then, a conversation with Mateo Askaripour, the author of a new part-satire, part-self help novel about a black salesman on a mission: Black Buck. Join us!...more

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• Book Club: ‘The Space Between Worlds’

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  Jan 26 2021

  In a lot of ways, The Space Between Worlds is a classic, action-packed sci-fi novel about a multiverse. But as our panelists explain, author Micaiah Johnson skillfully twists a lot of archetypical tropes into something wholly unique.Listen along as Greta discusses the book with Ramtin Arablouei, co-host of NPR’s Throughline podcast, and Northwestern University journalism lecturer Arionne Nettles. We also hear from many of you!

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• A Nerdette Inauguration Special

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  Jan 22 2021

  This year's presidential inauguration managed to muster up as much pageantry as possible, given the circumstances. Despite the pandemic and concerns over national security, the United States saw another peaceful transition of power. Carol Moseley Braun, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, was in attendance. She tells Nerdette host Greta Johnsen what it was like to see another woman make history with the swearing-in of Vice President Kamala Harris. Plus, FANTI podcast hosts Tre'vell Anderson and Jarrett Hill unpack their complicated feelings about America in 2021. ...more

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• The 13th Month Of 2020

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  Jan 15 2021

  Everything keeps getting more intense! So we ask journalists Tricia Bobeda and Kristina Lopez how they're managing their news intake.Then, we talk to Glennon Doyle, author of several books, including Untamed, about why resolutions are not for her.And finally, we hear from some of you about what you've resolved to bring into 2021. Join us!

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• Book Club: Micaiah Johnson On Her Debut Sci Fi Novel, ‘The Space Between Worlds’

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  Jan 12 2021

  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 The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson.It’s an alternate-universe story about hundreds of different Earths slightly different from our own. It’s possible to “traverse” to other planets, but only if the traverser’s doppelganger is already dead. Enter Cara, our protagonist, whose impoverished and oppressed upbringing means she’s already dead on every planet except for eight of them.This is Micaiah Johnson’s first book, and it’s an ambitious one. In today’s episode, Nerdette host Greta Johnsen has a spoiler-free conversation with the author about the book’s themes and how Micaiah’s own life story intersects with Cara’s.Be sure to come back later this month for a spoiler-filled conversation about The Space Between Worlds. And don’t forget: we want to hear from you too! Record your thoughts about the novel and send an audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com....more

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• 2021 Is A Mess. Here's How To Stay Positive

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  Jan 08 2021

  The first week of 2021 was rough. But, as advice columnists Daniel Lavery and Heather Havrilesky tell us, there's still room for optimism. Then we talk to Dr. Y. Joel Wong, a professor at Indiana University, about the very real science behind positive thinking (Yep, a number of studies show that people who keep gratitude journals are mentally and physically healthier than those who do not.) And finally, poet Ross Gay tells us about The Book of Delights, his collection of "essayettes." Turns out, the more you look for delight, the more it shows up for you. Which seems like a pretty delightful thing to bring into the new year. And speaking of things to bring into the new year, we'd love to know: What are your resolutions for 2021? What's your stance on resolutions in general? Record yourself on your phone, and send the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com, and you may hear yourself in next week’s episode. ...more

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• This Year Gave Us Some Good Stuff, Too

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  Dec 24 2020

  The year is almost over, which means top 10 lists are rolling in. But what’s it like to pick favorites in such an emotionally intense year? Greta talks with podcast expert Nick Quah, TV critic Margaret Lyons and Vocalo host Jill Hopkins about the best stuff this year. 

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• Book Club: Tana French’s ‘The Searcher’

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  Dec 22 2020

  Author Sarah Vowell and comedian Maeve Higgins visit the Nerdette Book Club for a spoiler-filled analysis of Tana French's plodding murder mystery, 'The Searcher.' Plus, we hear from you!

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• This Is Your Brain. This Is Your Brain This Weekend Eating The Year's Best Holiday Cookie.

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  Dec 18 2020

  You’ve made it through another week in the year 2020. Congratulations!Join Nerdette for a look back at the week in vaccines, virtual holiday parties and Greta’s new favorite ridiculous TV show, The Wilds, alongside TIME Magazine’s Eliana Dockterman and NPR’s Barrie Hardymon.Then we have an amazing conversation about your brain — yes, yours — and how tired it gets when you make it lug your body around all day. Lisa Feldman Barrett is the neuroscientist responsible for Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain, a lovely book of brain essays. She gives us one and a half lessons for free.And finally, what’s the best holiday cookie of 2020? Bon Appetit senior staff writer Alex Beggs tells us — OK fine, it’s this one — but she also gives us plenty of warnings (i.e. level of difficulty = 11). Join us!...more

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• The Gift Of Dessa

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  Dec 11 2020

  Dessa is a rapper, a singer, an author, a poet, and a whiskey co-creator, among other things. She even participated in an “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”-type procedure in an attempt to remove memories from a painful relationship.Nerdette’s Greta Johnsen talks to her about all of that, including her memoir, My Own Devices. We also listen to some of the amazing tracks on “Chime.” This episode originally aired in 2019.

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• Book Club: Tana French Talks About Her New Mystery Novel, ‘The Searcher’

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  Dec 08 2020

  Our December Book Club pick is our first murder mystery! It's Tana French’s latest book, The Searcher. In it, a retired Chicago police officer moves to a small town in Western Ireland for a bit of peace and quiet, only to get drawn back into his old ways when a local boy asks for help solving the mystery of his brother’s disappearance. Today's episode is a spoiler-free conversation with Tana French. Check it out, check out The Searcher, then come back in two weeks for a panel discussion that breaks it all down. We want to hear from you too! Record your take on The Searcher and email the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com by Thursday, Dec. 17....more

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• Saved By The Bell, Seasonal Songs And Sprinkles

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  Dec 04 2020

  Happy weekend! Now let Nerdette podcast get you ready for it.First we break down the week in disappearing monoliths, TV reboots and Spotify playlists with WBEZ’s Meha Ahmad and Mariah Woelfel. Then we talk with musician Andrew Bird about his new Christmas album. And finally, we take a walk through confectionary history with reporter Ashlie Stevens, who knows a few things about sprinkles. Join us!

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• Happy Zoomsgiving From Nerdette To You

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  Nov 26 2020

  And from you to Nerdette!Despite [insert disaster of your choice], we’re still thankful for a lot of things in 2020. Like baked goods and game shows and the people we can still visit over the internet. We asked you to tell us about the stuff you’re grateful for right now and, obviously, you did not disappoint. Press play to listen.Us? We’re thankful for you. So hang in there, stay safe and have a happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Nerdette.

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• Book Club: ‘The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue’

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  Nov 24 2020

  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 The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab.It’s about a girl from the 1700s whose curiosities and ambitions are bigger than the small town she lives in. When she finds a way to break free from the expectation to marry and settle down, she takes it without thinking twice. But what she thinks is an amazing chance to live unhindered is actually a deal with the devil, and a centuries-long curse.Listen along as Nerdette host Greta Johnsen discusses the book with cultural critic and nonfiction writer Eva Recinos and All The Books! podcast host Liberty Hardy. We also hear from many of you, who (with a few minor quibbles) all seemed to love this spellbinding story. ...more

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• Tweets, Sweets ... And A Convo About Animal Penises

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  Nov 20 2020

  Say what now? We made it to another weekend! Now let us get you ready for it. First, we talk about the “news” of the week with Hari Kondabolu and W. Kamau Bell, comedians and hosts of the Politically Re-Active podcast. Then we have a conversation you’ve all been waiting for: Emily Willingham tells us about her new book titled Phallacy: Life Lessons from the Animal Penis. It’s wild!And last but not least, Yossy Arefi introduces us to the countertop staple we didn’t know we needed so badly: Snacking Cakes. Join us!...more

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• Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy On Curiosity, Creativity and Crosswords

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  Nov 13 2020

  Wilco singer/guitarist Jeff Tweedy has been busy. He has a new solo album out called Love is the King. And his new book How to Write One Song has a lot of advice for aspiring songwriters. But it’s also about a lot more than that.Nerdette host Greta Johnsen spoke with Tweedy from his recording studio in Chicago.What’s your definition of a song?Jeff Tweedy: I think of a song as a moment that you can recreate, and that you can intentionally set out to share with someone. It doesn’t have to be musical.I think a lot of the ways we treat our friends is a type of song. Just the notion that you know how to make your mom laugh is a bit of a song.I think we can start with the idea of a song as being anything you want it to be, honestly, and move out from there towards whatever your musical ability allows.You say that you weren’t trying to write a self-help book. But so much of it is about how to give yourself permission to try something new and how to finally scratch that creative itch. It is a self-help book after all?Tweedy: Self-help is such an oxymoronic thing. If you can help yourself, you don’t need a book!But I think the book was a way for me to share a lifestyle that I think is beneficial to me. I don’t think the book succeeds quite as well as a direct practical guide to writing a song, even though there is some of that. I think it’s more successful as a kind nudge toward something that makes living worthwhile.You use the phrase “inviting inspiration” a lot, which counters the argument that making stuff is about sitting around waiting for divine inspiration to hit.Tweedy: Yeah. I think there is a gestation period for a lot of inspiration. And to me, opening yourself up to doing the work on a daily process allows that gestation to have a foothold in your consciousness. I don’t think a bolt of inspiration is going to have much of a place to land in your psyche if you aren’t actively seeking, on a daily basis, something that surprises you or excites you. I look at it more like you’re putting yourself in the path of inspiration consciously.I just believe that’s how it happens much more than somebody, for example, not having any intention of writing a song at all, and getting struck by a bolt of lightning, and then they have an amazing song that comes out of them. That doesn’t happen. What happens is, people who really like the idea of writing a song try it a lot, and then someday they’re walking along, and something clicks. And it’s because they did all that other workYou’ve talked about, in terms of being creative, that the stakes are super low. What do you mean by that?Tweedy: I mean that you aren’t going to hurt anybody with a bad song. I don’t see a lot of downside. The only real downside there can be is to your ego, and I think it’s good for your ego to be bruised and challenged. I think your ego works for you in a lot of really healthy ways. It helps preserve your esteem and your sense of self. But it also can really inhibit you from growing and learning more about yourself. And to challenge that protective nature of your ego, I think, is really helpful for people. So the worst-case scenario is, you figure out you’re not really good at something, and nobody gets hurt. It’s just not brain surgery,And at the same time, the irony of it is, songs can mean everything! They can have such exalted places in our hearts and our spirit. They have such enormous ability to heal and retrieve lost emotions, and to pull us into some more communal space of believing in the world. I can’t think of anything more beautiful in the world than a song that means a lot to somebody.This conversation was lightly edited for clarity and brevity. Press the ‘play’ button to hear the full episode....more

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• Book Club: V.E. Schwab On ‘The Invisible Life Of Addie LaRue’

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  Nov 10 2020

  Would you take a deal with the devil?In The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, a new novel from renowned fantasy author V.E. Schwab, a young woman bargains with her soul to live forever. The catch? She’s cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.The novel is Nerdette’s November book club pick. Today, we host a spoiler-free chat with the author about the book, the many years it took her to write it and what comes next.Later this month, we’ll break it down with our group of panelists … and you! Send us a voice memo with your thoughts on the book. Just record yourself on your phone and send the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com...more

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• Don't Distress, De-Stress

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  Nov 06 2020

  Let Nerdette podcast get you ready for the weekend with a quick gut check after a long election week. Plus an interview with a great author and a new strategy for organizing your thoughts.First, we talk election distractions with Negin Farsad, comedian and host of the Fake The Nation podcast, and Clay Masters, lead political reporter for Iowa Public Radio.Then we talk with author Nick Hornby, author of many wonderful books like High Fidelity, About A Boy, and his newest novel, Just Like You.And finally, we talk with freelance reporter Sophie Hardach about the psychological benefits of reading out loud. Join us!...more

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• Book Club: ‘Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation’

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  Oct 30 2020

  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 Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation from author Anne Helen Petersen.In Can’t Even, Petersen argues that societal conditions and poor timing primed the millennial generation for burnout. Petersen points to the 2008 recession, the rise of the contract worker, the prevalence of cell phones and astronomical student loan debt as a few contributing factors.Listen along as Nerdette host Greta Johnsen discusses the book with Avery Trufelman, host of The Cut podcast, and Indira Allegra, a sculptor and performance artist. We also hear from many of you who called in with your feelings about burnout. Press play above to hear the conversation....more

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• Thank You For Voting

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  Oct 27 2020

  Election Day is nearly upon us. And instead of cold-calling you and everyone you know, we’d rather invite you to consider a few important (and non-partisan!) election-related questions. Like how did we get such a strange voting system? Why do more than 40% of eligible voters stay home? And why should we care?For some answers we turned to Erin Geiger Smith, author of the new book Thank You For Voting: The Maddening, Enlightening, Inspiring Truth about Voting in America.

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• Your Weekend Starts Here: Cache Your Cookies, Categorize Your Fun, Put Down Your Phone

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  Oct 23 2020

  We get you ready for the weekend with movies, books and everyone’s favorite thing: a new way to categorize life experiences. Trust us!

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• Burnout Is For Millennials (And Millennials At Heart)

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  Oct 16 2020

  The millennial generation came into adulthood during an American recession, an era of crushing student loan debt and the rise of temporary workers and independent contractors. Add a global pandemic to that precariousness and you’ve got a perfect recipe for burnout.Today, Greta talks with author Anne Helen Petersen about Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation. It's our October pick for the Nerdette Book Club. And even if you aren't a millennial or haven't read the book, we want to hear from you. Tell us about your burnout feels! Record yourself on your phone and email the audio to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com and you may hear yourself in our longer panel discussion later this month....more

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• Surprise! You’re A Genius

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  Oct 13 2020

  You didn’t already know? Nerdette talked with two brand new MacArthur Fellows — also known as MacArthur “geniuses” — about the important work they’re doing and what it’s like to get that phone call. Mary L. Gray is an anthropologist and a media scholar honored for her work investigating how “labor, identity, and human rights are transformed by the digital economy.” And Damien Fair is a cognitive neuroscientist honored for his research on the developing human brain.

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• Movies, TikTok And Fat Bears! (Oh My!)

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  Oct 09 2020

  What a wild week! And to celebrate the return of another weekend, we assembled a bunch of fun people to take a look back … in a merry, pop culture kind of way, not a CAPS LOCK newsy way.To talk about the big week for movies, we called up Eliana Dockterman, who writes about movies, pop culture and feminism for Time. Then, to break down the gloriousness that is Fat Bear Week, we talked with Mike Fitz, the resident naturalist at explore.org. And for all the rest, we hung out with two of our favorite people: WBEZ education reporter Susie An and Vocalo radio host Jill Hopkins. Join us!...more

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• Cold-Weather Pandemic Advice From An Infectious Disease Expert

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  Oct 02 2020

  The seasons are changing but the novel coronavirus is still with us. And that’s left us with a lot of questions about how to safely socialize with friends and family when the weather makes small outdoor gatherings less viable.So we called up Dr. Emily Landon, an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist at the University of Chicago. (She also gave Nerdette listeners some therapeutic advice about the pandemic back in June.)And now that autumn is upon us, Landon explains how we might approach the upcoming holiday season (including Halloween!) and the great indoors. ...more

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• Gillian Flynn Talks About the Comics, Conspiracies and Pandemics in her new TV Series, 'Utopia'

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  Sep 29 2020

  You know Gillian Flynn as the genre-redefining writer behind Gone Girl, both the 2012 novel and the 2014 movie adaptation starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck. Since the success of Gone Girl, Flynn has written only for the screen, including the 2018 movie Widows and the HBO series Sharp Objects. Out now on Amazon Prime, Utopia is Flynn’s latest work, based on a 2013 BBC show of the same name.Greta talks with Flynn about Utopia, Gone Girl and what’s next.

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• Book Club: ‘The Shadow King’

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  Sep 25 2020

  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 Maaza Mengiste’s historical novel The Shadow King.It’s based on the true story of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in the mid-1930s. Against Italian Prime Minister Benito Musolinni’s technologically-advanced army, the citizens of feudal Ethiopia didn’t seem to have a chance. But they eventually overcame— and they had the help of a number of forgotten female fighters.Listen along as Nerdette host Greta Johnsen discusses the book with Lydia Levy, founder of the African literature review website Omusana. She also has a doctorate in African Studies from Howard University.And then get ready for next month’s pick: Can’t Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation by Anne Helen Petersen....more

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• Comedy Meets Social Commentary in Hulu's 'Woke'

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  Sep 22 2020

  “I’m not woke. I’m aware.”That’s the answer Chicago comedian T. Murph gives when he’s asked about his relationship to the title of Woke, a new series that dropped on Hulu earlier this month.T. Murph plays the role of Clovis, friend and roommate of Keef, the show’s protagonist (played by Lamorne Morris), who tries to avoid controversy in his work until the world forces him to do otherwise.Greta talks with T. Murph about what being woke means to him, if he moves through the world like his character and whether art demands activism....more

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• How The Bechdel Test Changed This Woman's Career

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  Sep 18 2020

  The Bechdel test asks a simple question: Does a work of fiction have two named female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man?Today we talk with Sarah Kozloff, who was a film professor at Vassar College when she learned that The Lord of The Rings movies fail the Bechdel test. That inspired her to write The Nine Realms, a series of fantasy novels about a young princess who must grow up and fight her way back to the throne.Greta talks with Sarah about the books, her career change and why she released all four novels in the same year....more

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• Introvert's Guide To The Good Life: How To Bake Away Your Feelings This Fall

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  Sep 15 2020

  Like it or not these seasons are a changing! And that means right now is a great opportunity to embrace flavors from late summer and early fall, and to make a chocolate zucchini cake! We talk with baker and cookbook author Shauna Sever — all about all the spices you should have, sourdoughs you should start, and pies you should scarf down immediately.

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• Book Club: A Look At ‘The Shadow King’ With Author Maaza Mengiste

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  Sep 11 2020

  While researching for her novel, author Maaza Mengiste says she came across a New York Times article from 1935 that described a woman leading an army of 2,000 men into victory. She was shocked. Why had she never heard about this female wartime hero?“It struck me,” Mengiste tells Nerdette. “If there’s one, there’s two. If there’s two, there’s five.”We talk to Mengiste about her novel, The Shadow King, which is the Nerdette Book Club’s September pick. Listen to this spoiler-free convo, then come back later this month for a not-spoiler-free panel discussion....more

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• Is It Too Early To Talk About Fall Books?

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  Sep 04 2020

  Of course it's not too early to talk about fall books! We got ahold of NPR books editor Barrie Hardymon to get recommendations for some great autumn reads. Find the full list of recommendations at www.wbez.org/nerdette.

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• What Made Feminism In The ‘90s So Fly?

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  Sep 01 2020

  When considering some of the milestone moments in feminist history, you might think about the Seneca Falls Conference of 1848, the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920 or the Civil Rights Act of 1964. But the 1990s?“This was actually one of the most pivotal decades, I believe, for feminist history.” We talk with Lisa Levenstein, the Director of the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program at UNC Greensboro and the author of They Didn't See Us Coming: The Hidden History of Feminism in the Nineties. She tells us about the importance of the ‘90s and how it shaped feminism today....more

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• Book Club: 'Members Only'

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  Aug 28 2020

  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 gets worse from there.Listen along as Nerdette host Greta Johnsen discusses the book with Jade Chang, author of The Wangs vs. the World, and author Alisha Rai, whose Modern Love series is part of an upswell in romance novels with strong female characters and feminist sensibilities.And then get ready for next month’s pick: The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste....more

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• A Good Old-Fashioned Field Trip: Nerdette Visits Argonne National Lab

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  Aug 25 2020

  Argonne 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.

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• Good Movie Alert: Filmmaker Kris Rey Mixes Nostalgia and Reality in ‘I Used To Go Here’

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  Aug 21 2020

  The optimism of one woman’s 20s meets the disappointment of her 30s in I Used To Go Here, a new film from Chicago filmmaker Kris Rey.We talked to Rey about the inspiration for the film, her recent name change from Swanberg to Rey, and what she tells young filmmakers.“Go for it,” she said. “The stakes are not that high. You can always start over.”

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• The Women Who Fought For The Right To Vote

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  Aug 18 2020

  The 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified exactly 100 years ago Tuesday, the culmination of decades of activism that finally gave women the right to vote.Finish the Fight! is a new children’s book that chronicles the stories of some of the lesser-known suffragettes that made the 19th Amendment possible. Greta talks with author Veronica Chambers about 100 years of women’s suffrage and some of her favorite, lesser-known suffragettes. 

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• Book Club: Let’s Talk ‘Members Only’ With Author Sameer Pandya

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  Aug 14 2020

  We’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 spoiler-free conversation with Pandya and then join us later this month for a panel discussion on Members Only....more

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• Nerdette Recaps ‘Clueless’ With Peter Sagal

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  Aug 11 2020

  Some 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 will run the next six weeks, but this is the only episode we’re going to put in the Nerdette feed. So If you like it, hop on over and subscribe to Nerdette Recaps with Peter Sagal wherever you get your pods. ...more

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• Introvert's Guide To The Good Life: You're Here And It's August

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  Aug 07 2020

  We talk with New York Magazine advice columnist Heather Havrilesky about quarantine madness, cinnamon rolls and making friends during a pandemic.

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• Why American Politics Needs More Ladiezzz

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  Aug 04 2020

  More women are running for political office this year than ever before, but men still disproportionally represent the American populace.We talk with Erin Vilardi, the founder of VoteRunLead, an organization that encourages and trains women to run for office -- and win. Are YOU considering a run for office? Vilardi explains why women are well-suited for leadership and why you should take the plunge. 

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• Book Club: 'Last Tang Standing'

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  Jul 31 2020

  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 Pod host Nick Quah....more

  Episode

• A Road Trip To Fossil Town

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  Jul 28 2020

  As you'll soon find out, Emily Graslie has a contagious enthusiasm for science and discovery. She holds the very real title of “Chief Curiosity Correspondent” at the Field Museum here in Chicago. She hosts a YouTube series called The Brain Scoop. And she’s also the host of a series on PBS called Prehistoric Road Trip, where she travels across the western United States to examine the history of our planet.We talk with Emily about exploration and discovery, how loving art and science does not have to be mutually exclusive, and then she drops more clam facts on us than we thought was possible....more

  Episode

• Big Friendships Take Work, But They Have Big Rewards

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  Jul 24 2020

  When you hit a rough spot with a good friend, what do you do about it? Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman are longtime friends and business partners. Their fans also know them as the hosts and creators of 'Call Your Girlfriend,' a podcast “for long-distance besties everywhere.”When they recently hit a rough patch, the pair took what might be considered an unusual step to save a friendship: they went to therapy together. Their new book is called Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close. They talked with Greta about writing it together, the scholarship of friendship, and where their relationship is today....more

  Episode

• Are Summer Movies Still A Thing This Year?

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  Jul 21 2020

  This is a weird year for [insert almost anything] and also summer blockbusters. But even though the theaters remain (mostly) closed, there's still plenty of great new movies to stream from the comfort of your own home. We talk with Eliana Dockterman, staff writer at Time, about the uncertain future for new movies, a few great films you can watch right now, and a few more that you'll have to wait for.

  Episode

• Book Club: A Spoiler-Free Conversation About ‘Last Tang Standing’ With Author Lauren Ho

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  Jul 17 2020

  It’s the Nerdette Book Club! And today we're talking with Lauren Ho, the author of this month’s selection, Last Tang Standing.It's a wonderful summer romance that follows the story of Andrea Tang, a 33-year-old Chinese-Malaysian lawyer, as she tries to make partner at her Singaporean law firm while fending off the unhealthy interest her relatives have in her love life.Before she wrote this novel, Lauren herself was a Chinese-Malaysian lawyer living in Singapore. So ahead of our panel discussion later this month, we talked with Lauren about the reasons behind her huge career change, where the similarities between her and Andrea begin and end, and how Andrea was born “from the ashes of a comedy set where I bombed. Badly.”...more

  Episode

• ‘One To Watch’ Corrects A Reality TV Blind Spot

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  Jul 14 2020

  Kate Stayman-London loves reality TV. But even though shows like The Bachelorette and Love Island bring her joy, “we should also hold those things accountable to our values,” she said.Stayman-London’s debut novel, One To Watch, puts a plus-size woman as the star of a Bachelorette-style reality TV show. It’s both a lovely summer read and also a critical assessment of reality TV tropes.Greta talks with Kate about the impetus for the novel, what it means to see stories about large women, and whether or not any reality TV shows might take her lead. ...more

  Episode

• Isolation Insights From Sheyna Gifford, Who Spent A Year In A Mars Simulation

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  Jul 10 2020

  Sheyna Gifford spent a year living on a volcano in Hawaii with just five other people as part of a NASA project to simulate life on Mars. Living in a biodome the size of a two-bedroom apartment, the crew studied the psychological effects and group dynamics that could be at play when astronauts eventually make it to Mars.This interview — about relationships, food and free time while in isolation — originally aired on Nerdette back in 2017, but it also has a few interesting parallels to our collective situation during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Plus, Sheyna assigns us some truly excellent homework, about why you should think very carefully about who and what you want on your spaceship....more

  Episode

• A Tribute To The Nerdiest Of Instruments

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  Jul 07 2020

  In this chock-full-of-bassoons episode, we talk about the history of the orchestra's largest woodwind with bassoonist and culture writer Eileen Reynolds, we jam with a principal bassoonist from the Chicago Philharmonic, and we even call up the self-proclaimed “Bassoon King,” The Office's Rainn Wilson. Join Johnsen, Nerdette co-host emeritus Tricia Bobeda and this bevy of bassoon buffs for more bassoon than you knew you needed. This episode originally aired on August 11, 2017.

  Episode

• From Spacewalker To Deep Sea Diver

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  Jul 03 2020

  After she visited the very bottom of the Marianas Trench last month, Kathy Sullivan became the very first human to both fly to space and reach the deepest part of the ocean. We talk with her about about what drew her to the deepest part of the deep sea, what's so powerful about the power of discovery and why you, too, should follow your dreams.

  Episode

• Therapeutic Advice From An Infectious Disease Expert

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  Jun 30 2020

  The coronavirus pandemic is not over, but stay-at-home orders are starting to loosen up across the country. In Illinois, people can now visit hair salons, museums, restaurants and even bars. Meanwhile, other states are seeing more cases of COVID-19 than ever before. Which means all of this is really confusing.Dr. Emily Landon, an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist at the University of Chicago, has spent a lot of time thinking about global pandemics, and COVID-19 in particular. She talks with Greta about navigating the world, making personal risk assessments and whether or not you should hug your friends. ...more

  Episode

• Book Club: ‘The Vanishing Half’

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  Jun 26 2020

  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 Nerdette host Greta Johnsen discusses the book with Abby West, an editor for Audible, and Kiley Reid, author of Such a Fun Age.And then get ready for next month’s pick: Last Tang Standing, Lauren Ho’s debut novel. The publisher calls it a cross between Bridget Jones’ Diary and Crazy Rich Asians....more

  Episode

• Why You Should Build Literally Anything

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  Jun 23 2020

  We talk with Emily Pilloton, author of Girls Garage: How to Use Any Tool, Tackle Any Project, and Build the World You Want to See, about representation, being your own repair person and it's important to put power tools in the hands of young girls.

  Episode

• It's Tidy Time

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  Jun 19 2020

  For the last few weeks, our “Introvert’s Guide to the Good Life” series has been all about helping you find ways to enrich your perhaps-more-than-usual indoors-based life.  Today, we talk to Pooja Naik, founder of Chicago-based organizational consulting company Organizing With You. She tells us why you should make your bed and how decluttering your physical space can help with your head space.

  Episode

• Got Plants?

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  Jun 16 2020

  For the last few weeks, our “Introvert’s Guide to the Good Life” series has been all about helping you find ways to enrich your perhaps-more-than-usual indoors-based life. Today, we talk to plant expert Tara Heibel, who owns a garden center called Sprout Home here in Chicago and also in Brooklyn, about why you might want to consider putting some of your anxious energy towards helping something simple grow.

  Episode

• Brit Bennett On Transgressing Racial Identity In ‘The Vanishing Half’

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  Jun 12 2020

  Greta talks with Brit Bennett, the author of this month’s Nerdette Book Club selection, The Vanishing Half, which just climbed to the top of The New York Times bestselling fiction list amid nationwide conversations around racial inequality.The Vanishing Half tells the story of two light-skinned black sisters whose lives take very different directions: Desiree moves back home after escaping an abusive relationship with her dark-skinned husband while Stella chooses to pass as a white woman.Hear from Brit and then come back later this month for our Nerdette Book Club panel discussion. And remember, we want to hear from you too! Send us a voice memo about your thoughts on the book before Wednesday, June 24...more

  Episode

• What Can I Do?

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  Jun 09 2020

  It’s a question a lot of people are asking right now. So we talk with author and activist Kate Schatz about how white people can have constructive conversations with each other about racism in America. Ever since Schatz’s friend, comedian W. Kamau Bell, made Schatz responsible for “Conan O’Brien’s whiteness,” she’s been answering white people’s questions on Instagram live.

  Episode

• Books To Read Right Now

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  Jun 05 2020

  Widespread 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.

  Episode

• Take A Minute

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  Jun 02 2020

  We think you could use some joy and calm right now. So we’re taking a moment to take some deep breaths. Then, we’ll listen back to part of our delightful 2017 interview with Tom Hanks.

  Episode

• Book Club: ‘The City We Became’

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  May 29 2020

  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.

  Episode

• Video Games For Noobs

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  May 25 2020

  There 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.

  Episode

• What To Do With All That Anxiety

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  May 22 2020

  Greta talks with grief counselor Claire Bidwell Smith about how anxiety is part of grieving and how grieving is now part of everyday life. Plus what you can do with all those anxious thoughts.

  Episode

• Exercise: Come On! Let’s Do It!

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  May 19 2020

  Have you been exercising lately? No shame if you haven't! But ... personal trainer Sarah Gonsiorowski of The Lunge Ladies has some ideas to get your body moving. We also hear about some great apps and workout routines from YOU, our lovely listeners.

  Episode

• Book Club: A Not-Too-Spoilery Convo With Sci-Fi Author N.K. Jemisin

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  May 15 2020

  How 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....more

  Episode

• TV You Gotta Watch

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  May 12 2020

  TV! We need it, you probably need it, and New York Times TV critic Margaret Lyons has it! Lyons tells us about four great new TV shows — each of which fits into that “Just-feed-it-to-me-like grapes” model of show that we all so desperately crave right now. And of course, we field TV recommendations from listeners, too!

  Episode

• Should You Cut Your Own Hair?

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  May 05 2020

  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.

  Episode

• What Was On Your Pre-Pandemic Wish List?

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  May 01 2020

  If you had a one-week pre-stay-at-home warning, what would you have done? This episode is filled with your pre-pandemic wish lists, from spending time with loved ones to buying nail polish to dancing your face off. 

  Episode

• The Online Dating Scene

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  Apr 28 2020

  In the middle of a pandemic, dating might be the last thing on your mind. But some singles are feeling more isolated now than ever, and some of them want to do something about it. We talk with two dating experts — Bela Gandhi of Smart Dating Academy in Chicago and San Francisco-based dating coach Logan Ury — about the kinds of advice they’re giving their clients right now. 

  Episode

• Book Club: ‘You Never Forget Your First’

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  Apr 24 2020

  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....more

  Episode

• Music You Can Use-ic

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  Apr 21 2020

  There’s never a bad time to expand your musical horizons, and mid-pandemic is no exception. So we got ahold of Jill Hopkins, host of The Morning AMP at Vocalo, Chicago’s urban alternative radio station, to provide us with some positive listening. Nerdette listeners supplied the rest. Enjoy!(Need a list of the songs in this week's episode? Check it out right here.)

  Episode

• Book Club: Author Alexis Coe On George Washington

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  Apr 17 2020

  We’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....more

  Episode

• Podcasts To Help Cool Your Jets

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  Apr 14 2020

  We check in with podcast nerd Nick Quah to hear about some of the podcasts that can help you use your imagination, cook a meal and maybe even better yourself. And of course, we’ll get some pod recommendations from listeners, too!Here are the podcasts Nick mentions in this week’s episode:Home CookingPersonal BestPhoebe Reads a MysteryThe Anthropocene ReviewedThe Sound of Casual ViolenceWalking

  Episode

• Book Club: Emily St. John Mandel On ‘The Glass Hotel’

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  Apr 10 2020

  Imagine you’ve written a new book, your first in six years. And your last book? It was a novel about the aftermath of a deadly pandemic. That’s Emily St. John Mandel, author of the award-winning 2014 novel Station Eleven. Her new book — released on March 24 and titled The Glass Hotel — is decidedly different; she called it “a ghost story with a Ponzi scheme and container shipping.”We talk with Mandel about what it’s like to release a highly-anticipated novel during massive stay-at-home orders, what research for Station Eleven taught her to expect during a pandemic and why you shouldn’t read books you don’t like.And be sure not to miss this episode of the Nerdette Book Club all about breaking down The Glass Hotel!...more

  Episode

• Introvert’s Guide To The Good Life: Movie Edition!

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  Apr 07 2020

  Let's all go to the lobby! But first, we check in with NPR film critic Bob Mondello about the best movies to watch right now. (Hint: he's not interested in pandemic movies like Contagion.) And of course, we’ll get some movie recommendations from listeners, too!

  Episode

• Book Club: ‘The Glass Hotel’

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  Apr 03 2020

  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 magazine advice columnist Heather Havrilesky....more

  Episode

• Ode to Pets!

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  Mar 31 2020

  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....more

  Episode

• All The Books You’ll Ever Need

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  Mar 27 2020

  A good book can get you through a lot of uncertainty. What’s better than diving into another world and staying there for hours and hours?In this episode, we’ll hear from a BUNCH of listeners about what’s getting you through these weird times. Plus, we’ll check in with Rebecca George, who owns Volumes Bookcafe in Chicago.

  Episode

• Get Your Stress Bake On

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  Mar 24 2020

  It’s a fair bet that stress baking is on the rise. (See what we did there?) So we thought it was time to check in with baker extraordinaire Shauna Sever, whose cookbook Midwest Made is full of amazing comfort foods. She has a recipe for the only banana bread you’ll ever need, and the name is true. And, of course, we hear from you! Your homework: We’d love to know what you’re reading these days. Are you doubling down on pandemic fiction? Dabbling in a presidential biography? Is your attention too frazzled to read full books so you’re opting for short stories? Whatever you’re enjoying, we want to hear about it! Tell us your book rec, along with your name and where you’re from. You can record yourself on your phone and email the file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com....more

  Episode

• What's A Weekend

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  Mar 20 2020

  Today we check in with Nerdette book club regular Heather Havrilesky. She also writes the Ask Polly advice column for New York magazine, so she gives us another perspective on how everyone's doing out there. And of course, we hear from a bunch of you, too, which is quickly becoming the best part of this show.If you’d like to chime in, just tell us how you’re adapting, along with your name and where you’re from. You can record yourself on your phone and email the file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com....more

  Episode

• How To Adapt

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  Mar 19 2020

  A lot of us are looking around and realizing the plans we had aren’t necessarily a reality anymore. Which can be scary and hard, but it’s also a great opportunity to adapt.Today, Greta checks in with her friend Shannon Downey. She’s a crafter with a big online community, but most of the work she does involves meeting people in real life, something that can’t happen right now. Hear what she decided to do, and the voices of Nerdette listeners from all over the place, about what they’re grateful for and how they’re adapting to new normals.If you’d like to chime in, just tell us how you’re adapting, along with your name and where you’re from. You can record yourself on your phone and email the file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com....more

  Episode

• Gratitude’s The Attitude

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  Mar 18 2020

  One thing for which Greta is grateful? Danielle Kurtzleben, who works on the NPR Politics Podcast team, and whose tweet about wearing a ball gown while working from home is exquisitely delightful.We’ll hear what Danielle appreciates now more than ever, and we’ll also hear from some of you!

  Episode

• Call Your People!

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  Mar 17 2020

  Today, we ask how we can help ourselves while helping others. We also hear from some of you in this episode, and we want to keep that up! Tell us your name, where you’re calling from, and what you’re grateful for. Just record yourself on your phone and then email the audio file to us at nerdettepodcast@gmail.com. Keep ‘em coming!

  Episode

• 8 Minutes Of Joy

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  Mar 16 2020

  Now more than ever, we could all use a little pick-me-up.Starting today, we’re making regular mini-sodes with ideas on how to work from home, what you should be reading, and some things to help lift your mood.

  Episode

• Book Club: ‘Uncanny Valley’

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  Feb 28 2020

  We get help from longtime tech journalist Kara Swisher to dissect Anna Wiener's 'Uncanny Valley,' a fish-out-of-water memoir about a young woman who abandons New York’s publishing industry in favor of big tech and Silicon Valley.Join us! We assure you, the Nerdette book club is just like a normal book club, except we don’t shame you if you didn’t do the reading.  

  Episode

• Book Club: ‘Such A Fun Age’

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  Jan 31 2020

  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 Making Beyoncé host Jill Hopkins.And hey! Next month, we’re reading Anna Wiener’s Uncanny Valley, a memoir about working in the bro-heavy tech industry. Read the book and send us your thoughts by recording your voice with your smartphone, then email the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com. And tune in for the conversation on Friday, Feb. 28! ...more

  Episode

• Nerdette Book Club 2020

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  Jan 17 2020

  Nerdette 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 an emailing the file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com!Then tune in Friday, Jan. 31 as Greta discusses it with The Cut’s Ask Polly columnist Heather Havrilesky, The Morning Amp’s Jill Hopkins, and YOU! ...more

  Episode

• Best Books Of The Year!

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  Dec 27 2019

  Books! Books! Books! Greta read 72 books this year, and today she sits down and ranks her 10 favorites. (Plus, she speaks with the author of her favorite book of 2019, ‘Such A Fun Age’ by Kiley Reid.)Here's her full list, and you can get more details on each title at this link: 10. Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes9. The Secret Commonwealth by Philip Pullman8. The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo7. Miracle Creek by Angie Kim6. Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson5. Wolfpack by Abby Wambach4. Little Weirds by Jenny Slate3. She Said by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey2. Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson1. Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid...more

  Episode

• George R.R. Martin Still Hangs Out In Westeros

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  Nov 01 2019

  Good gravy! It's George R.R. Martin! If you're unfamiliar, he's the author of that little book series that became one of the most popular TV shows of all time, Game of Thrones. These days, he’s in the midst of writing the final two novels in that series. Before he sat down with Greta, his team told us that he couldn’t answer the question on everyone’s mind ("So, like, when’s the next book coming out?"). So we didn’t ask that one, but Martin did tell us plenty about how writing is going, how he’s managing fan expectations and what he expects for the future of fantasy TV. Plus! We have a super-special announcement at the end of the interview!...more

  Episode

• A Smorgasbord Of Delight

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  Oct 18 2019

  To 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 why they did it, how much pizza it took to do it, and what it might mean for the future of innovation and manufacturing. Plus, if you’re a grammar nerd, this episode may tick you right off. Gretchen McCulloch is the author of Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language, and she explains how the internet has given us all access to the writings of normal people, which has led to more and more people writing with less formality and more creativity — and without obeying grammar rules. Then she goes on to tell us why that’s awesome. You'll either love it or hate it!(And oh yeah: Check out this week's Nerdette newsletter and sign up!)...more

  Episode

• Book Club: ‘The Testaments’ Part 3

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  Oct 04 2019

  We’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. Did you enjoy it? Please send feedback, good or bad, to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com. We want to know what you thought!...more

  Episode

• Book Club: ‘The Testaments’ Part 2

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  Sep 27 2019

  We’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.Just make sure you finish The Testaments before next Friday, October 4. That’s when we’ll talk all about the ending.And we want to hear what you thought about the book! (Please tell us how you felt on a scale of 1 to 10 warm milks.)Share your thoughts with us by recording your voice with your smartyphone. Then email the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com, preferably by Tuesday evening. You may hear yourself in the final episode!...more

  Episode

• Book Club: ‘The Testaments’ Part I

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  Sep 20 2019

  Our 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! Share your thoughts with us by recording your voice with your smartyphone. (Please be succinct!) Then email the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com, preferably by Tuesday evening. You may hear yourself in an episode!And when you need to tweet or Instagram something really important about the club, just use #NerdetteBookClub on the internets, and so will we....more

  Episode

• An Intro To Book Club: ‘The Testaments’

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  Sep 13 2019

  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 old book is relevant today and whether the bastards really will get us down. And we’ll do it in three chunks. Here are your assignments: By Friday Sept. 20, read The Testaments through Chapter 23 (pages 1-133) By Friday Sept. 27, read The Testaments through Chapter 46 (pages 134-282) By Friday Oct. 4, finish The Testaments (pages 283-end!) Listen to this podcast each of those Fridays! Joining Nerdette’s Greta Johnsen is the wonderful Jill Hopkins, host of the Morning Amp on WBEZ’s sister station Vocalo, and the delightful Heather Havrilesky, who writes the Ask Polly advice column for New York Magazine. And hey, we want your crazy interpretations too! Share your thoughts with us by recording your voice with your smartyphone. (Please be succinct!) Then email the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com, preferably by Tuesday evenings. You may hear yourself in an episode! And when you need to tweet or Instagram something really important about the club, just use #NerdetteBookClub on the internets, and so will we. OK let’s do this!...more

  Episode

• Introvert’s Guide To The Good Life

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  Aug 30 2019

  September 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 biggest climate study.And then, for your weekend enjoyment: Booksmart is now available to stream in your home, a recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies ever, and a song to help you groove through the day....more

  Episode

• A Love Letter To Cabbage

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  Aug 16 2019

  Abra Berens is a Midwest born-and-bred farmer-turned-chef. And her cookbook, Ruffage, is a gorgeous A-to-Z guide to vegetables.The idea, she tells us, is this: You go to the grocery store, buy what inspires you and then you go home to look up meal ideas in her cookbook.Abra’s not a pretentious chef who poo-poos comfort food. Instead, she’s all about meeting people where they are (and encouraging you to enjoy your veggies).She talks with Greta about how she approaches cooking, why her book is called “Ruffage” and why cabbage is her favorite vegetable. (Weird, right?)...more

  Episode

• Claire Lombardo On ‘The Most Fun We Ever Had’

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  Aug 09 2019

  Chicago Magazine called this novel "a Midwestern Big Little Lies — an intimate character study of a group of affluent, secretive women." In this bonus interview, Greta talks with author Claire Lombardo about her debut novel, ‘The Most Fun We Ever Had.’ It’s the story of four radically different daughters from suburban Chicago. And it’s about love, family, forgiveness and the importance of showing up.

  Episode

• Rad Girls Who Changed The World

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  Aug 02 2019

  These days there are more and more celebrations of women who might have otherwise been relegated to the footnotes of history.As you can imagine, here at Nerdette we’re all about that. Totally into it. Zero complaints.But what is equally as wonderful is when the spotlight also lands on accomplished young girls. And that’s what author Kate Schatz and illustrator Miriam Klein Stahl have done with their book Rad Girls Can, which tells the stories of inspiring young women who have made positive impacts on the world before turning 20.We talk with the author and illustrator about some of their favorite stories of young ladies who changed the world, and how you can be one too....more

  Episode

• Stream These TV Shows This Summer

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  Jul 19 2019

  Is summer a great time for watching TV? Heck yeah it is. So we caught up with New York Times TV critic Margaret Lyons to get recommendations for the best of the best summer TV, including shows that are dark and mysterious, bright and fun, and also the throwbackiest throwback binges.

  Episode

• Summer Reads!

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  Jul 05 2019

  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 FictionEvvie Drake Starts Over by Linda HolmesThe Unhoneymooners by Christina LaurenFantasyMagic for Liars by Sarah GaileyMystery/ThrillerSearching for Sylvie Lee by Jean KwokBiography/MemoirMore Than Enough: Claiming Space For Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) by Elaine WelterothHistorical FictionDaisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins ReidThe Thomas Cromwell Trilogy by Hilary MantelHistorical Non-FictionWhen Women Ruled The World by Kara Cooney...more

  Episode

• How To Write Your First Novel In Your 40s

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  Jun 21 2019

  If you know NPR’s Linda Holmes, it’s probably not as a novelist. She’s a pop culture correspondent, she co-hosts NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, and her recalcitrant dog Brian is mildly famous on Twitter.But she always wanted to write a novel. And at 48, she did. It's called Evvie Drake Starts Over and it is excellent. “This is what I think my story does actually prove,” Holmes tells Greta on this episode of Nerdette. “The fact that you haven’t gotten something done by a certain point in your life does not mean you’re not going to.”Listen up ... and then go write that book!...more

  Episode

• Tripping Hard For Science

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  Jun 07 2019

  What’s it like to give people hallucinogenic drugs and study what happens? How might these drugs be used for therapy? And what causes people to take drugs in the first place? That’s what we asked Harriet de Wit, who runs the University of Chicago’s Human Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory, where she administers drugs like LSD, ecstacy and psilocybin to volunteers in an effort to learn more about the human nervous system. “The whole world of researchers is feeling very cautious,” de Wit tells us, “cautiously optimistic — that if the drugs are used under controlled circumstances, they might have some potential benefits.”Let’s get funky....more

  Episode

• The Ladies Of 'Booksmart': Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein

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  May 24 2019

  Greta gives 'Booksmart' four out of four Gretas, a new rating system we've devised specifically for this wonderful new movie. Why's it so good? Well, it’s smart, funny, a little raunchy, and it embraces so many gorgeous, gut-wrenching elements of what it means to be a smart, funny teenage girl. This week on Nerdette, we talk with the wonderful Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein (the stars of the film) about the movie's themes: Friendship, growing older, sexuality, feminism, and dealing with high expectations. Bottom line: GO SEE IT....more

  Episode

• Bill Nye, Critical Thinking Guy

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  May 10 2019

  Bill Nye says that when he was in high school, the big skill that students had to learn was how to find information. “But the challenge now is to sort out the information that may not be true.”Greta talks to Bill from the stage at The Collider’s Climate City Expo in Asheville, N.C. Their conversation focuses on climate change, Bill's new Netflix series (called "Bill Nye Saves the World") and combatting dubious scientific claims with critical thinking and an abundance of evidence.And also: Fake tree octopi, bow ties and moon rocks....more

  Episode

• Lizzo On Nerdette

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  May 03 2019

  Lizzo 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 them here: https://www.wbez.org/nerdalert...more

  Episode

• The Case For De-Extinction

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  Apr 19 2019

  Scientists around the world are trying to figure out how to mitigate the potentially disastrous impacts of climate change. Among the innovative ideas? De-extinction. “De-extinction is a scientific movement that’s aiming to recreate close versions of extinct species,” said Britt Wray, the author of Rise of the Necrofauna: The Science, Ethics, and Risks of De-Extinction. Wray says the idea is to create close facsimiles of “keystone species,” or animals that had a profound impact on their ecosystems. As you can imagine, de-extinction brings up a lot of questions, including: How on earth do you replicate an ancient zebra-horse? What happens when countries can create patents for lab-grown animals? And why would we want woolly mammoths to roam the arctic again? Wray tackles all those questions, and more, on the latest episode of Nerdette. Click the “play” button to listen to the entire conversation, which was produced and adapted for the web by Justin Bull....more

  Episode

• Kids + Science = AWESOME

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  Apr 05 2019

  Sahana Srinivasan is the host of the Netflix kids’ science show Brainchild, a series that’s all about exploring interesting questions about the world in which we live. On Nerdette, Sahana talks about what makes her show different from the kids’ science shows of the ‘90s, why it’s so important for kids to see a woman of color talk about science and what she’s going to do after she graduates from college.

  Episode

• Lindy West Flips TV’s Fat Tropes

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  Mar 22 2019

  Oh hey it's Lindy West!Lindy's the the executive producer of Shrill, a new Hulu series starring SNL's Aidy Bryant that's based on Lindy's 2016 novel of the same name. And we talk with Lindy about a few of the delightful scenes from the series (including an epic pool party), why Lindy left Twitter, and her forthcoming new book called The Witches Are Coming. She also tells us about how her new Hulu series subverts a common TV trope.“Usually what we get are weight loss narratives and makeover narratives. And these sort of sad sack stories about either people trying to lose weight and succeeding or trying to lose weight and failing and being sad,” Lindy says.“The whole idea is that there are other ways to live and that you deserve a life that is bigger than that — and that has a scope beyond your body and what it weighs.”Lindy West y'all!...more

  Episode

• Wash Your F-ing Hands

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  Mar 08 2019

  At WBEZ (and maybe at your office too?) it seems like a lot of folks get sick at almost exactly the same time. But why?! Simple: People in our office are sick because sick people are in our office.“I think that is probably the single biggest thing that we could do to reduce the incidence of a lot of diseases,” says Sarah Cobey, an evolutionary microbiologist from the University of Chicago. "Just self-quarantine."  On this episode of Nerdette, Sarah takes a walk through our open office and guesses why people might be ill — and what we can do to stop the colds from spreading. She also talks about sneezes, vaccines and all the real heroes out there: people with good hygiene.  Wash your hands, people! Sheesh!...more

  Episode

• Podcats In Space

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  Feb 22 2019

  Yep. Podcats. Not a typo. This week we take a journey back to 1994, just after an astronomer named Heidi Hammel — as well as the entire scientific community at large — learned that a fragmented comet named Shoemaker-Levy 9 was going to crash into Jupiter at a speed of more than 130,000 miles per hour. "We have witnessed other impacts,” Heidi tells us. “What was really special about the Jupiter one was we had warning that it was going to happen.”  This moment was huge for Heidi, who was just a young astronomer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the time. She was asked to lead the team that would analyze photos of the impacts taken by the still-relatively-new Hubble Space Telescope.  Oh yeah, in this podcast episode Heidi also compares planets to cats and herself to a veterinarian so PODCATS!...more

  Episode

• Winter Watches!

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  Feb 14 2019

  Winter is still here! (At least in the nation’s midsection.) And that means you’re looking for stuff to do when you’re stuck inside. And who better to recommend some good nerdy activities than Nerdette co-creator Tricia Bobeda?!? She did just that on WBEZ’s Morning Shift last month and we’re bringing it to you now because we love you.  So please enjoy this binge-watchers guide to navigating the winter cold, featuring excellent TV, movie and book recommendations. Bonus: This interview was conducted by Morning Shift host (and former all-star Nerdette guest host) Jenn White. Need more Jenn White in your life? Subscribe to her daily local news podcast, Morning Shift Podcast. (And check out Making Oprah and Making Obama if you haven’t already.) Extra Bonus: Use this as a reminder to re-subscribe to Nerdette Recaps Game of Thrones with Peter Sagal which is returning to your ears in two short months....more

  Episode

• Move Over Holden Caulfield

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  Feb 08 2019

  Dana 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 Falconer "a deeply affecting tale of a young woman coming of age in a man’s world." The book has been favorably compared to The Catcher in the Rye.  And the main character, 17-year-old Lucy Adler, is "a much better person than Holden Caulfield," according to Nerdette's own Greta Johnsen.Czapnik talks with Greta all about the book, the nuances of feminism, and nostalgia for the 1990s....more

  Episode

• Dessa Changes Her Mind

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  Jan 25 2019

  The Nerdette team recently moved next to the crew at Sound Opinions, WBEZ’s long-running rock n’ roll talk show. We bring that up because last year that team reviewed Dessa’s latest album, “Chime,” and not only did they call it “brilliant,” they called Dessa “a renaissance woman in the truest sense.”That’s because Dessa is a rapper, singer, author, poet, and whiskey co-creator. And she even participated in an “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”-type procedure in an attempt to remove memories from a painful relationship.Greta talks to Dessa about all of that. And we listen to some of the amazing tracks on “Chime.”...more

  Episode

• Get That Money.

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  Jan 11 2019

  How does one ask their employer for more money? The short answer, according to Refinery29's Lindsey Stanberry, is just do it."It’s hard. And it’s not fun," Stanberry tells Greta this week. "I mean, you just have to ask."It's a new year. And now — RIGHT NOW — is the time to get your finances in order. So we're talking with a financial expert who's going to tell you to know your numbers, to know your worth, and — most importantly — to get out there and get that money.Stanberry is the author of "Money Diaries: Everything You've Ever Wanted To Know About Your Finances... And Everyone Else's." She's also the work and money director at Refinery29, an online magazine. She's full of invaluable tips for taking charge of your money situation. So get excited: You're about to be the boss of your bank account. ...more

  Episode

• A Pile Of Last-Minute Homework

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  Dec 28 2018

  The year is at its end. And in 2018’s honor, Greta talked to four people who’ve made some amazing things about their favorite thing of the year.  Make sense? It’s kind of like a miniature phone tree but for books, music, and TV. Or like a binder’s worth of homework dumped on you hours before the end of the semester. (You're welcome!)  Here are our guest professors: Celeste Ng, author of the 2017 novel Little Fires Everywhere Curtis Sittenfeld, author of a 2018 collection of short stories titled You Think It, I’ll Say It  Dessa, a singer, rapper, and writer responsible for both an album called Chime and a memoir called My Own Devices in 2018  Jenny Han, author of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, which became a smash-hit Netflix movie To make things as easy for you over-achievers as possible, you can find a list of all their recommendations here. ...more

  Episode

• ICYMI: CRISPR

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  Dec 21 2018

  Nerdette 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 story of Greta, her father, and Dr. Bruce Conklin, a scientist who's currently developing a CRISPR system to inject into some Johnsen family eyeballs.  Plus, you can't have a conversation about experimental gene editing without discussing the ethical implications of making irreversible changes to human evolution.  “We’d be permanently altering the course of evolution if we decide that we think it’s OK to edit human embryos," says Megan Hochstrasser, a science communications manager and CRISPR expert. "Is that something we want to be able to do as a society?” That's a great question. Let's talk about it. ...more

  Episode

• Mandë Holford: Killer Snail Hunter

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  Dec 14 2018

  In a curious twist, venomous, killer sea snails are helping scientists make some incredible biomedical advances. Dr. Mandë Holford is the head of the Holford Lab in New York City, but her line of research often means she’s taking nighttime scuba dives in seas and oceans across the globe. “Yes, a snail can kill you,” Holford tells Greta. “But a snail can also help you! In various, various ways. And that’s what our lab is investigating: The power of these snails and the venom that they have to transform organisms and to transform lives.” Holford is also an associate professor in chemistry at Hunter College and the Graduate Center at City University of New York, with scientific appointments at the American Museum of Natural History and Weill Cornell Medical College.  She tells us how snail venom can help relieve pain and treat cancer, how she’s giving back with a line of science-based board games, and how it feels to be on a “Top 100” list that includes Beyoncé....more

  Episode

• Redefining Representation With ‘Well-Read Black Girl’

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  Nov 30 2018

  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, including a collection of essays, a Brooklyn-based book club, and an online community “that celebrates the uniqueness of Black literature and sisterhood.” Edim spoke with Nerdette host Greta Johnsen (and special guest host Arionne Nettles!) about how she got to where she is and what she’s still trying to accomplish. Music: This episode features music from The Marching 100, Florida A&M's precise and innovative marching band. ...more

  Episode

• Barbara Kingsolver Calls Her New Novel ‘My Love Letter To Millennials’

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  Nov 16 2018

  Barbara Kingsolver says her new novel, ‘Unsheltered,’ is “my love letter to millennials.” “Today’s problems can’t be fixed by yesterday’s people,” she tells Greta. “They’re going to be fixed by tomorrow’s people.”Kingsolver is the author of several award-winning books, including ‘The Poisonwood Bible’ and ‘The Bean Trees.’ ‘Unsheltered’ is set both in the run up to the 2016 presidential election and in the aftermath of the American Civil War, and she says it’s about “how people behave when it seems like all the old rules have stopped working.”Kingsolver tells us about the end of the world, why she's still optimistic, and what it's like to narrate the sex scenes when she records her own audiobooks. (“You just try to get through it all in one take”). She also answers one of Greta’s more poignant questions: “Are we just %#&!ed?”...more

  Episode

• Salt, Fat, Acid, Ask For What You Want

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  Nov 02 2018

  Samin Nosrat is the chef behind ‘Salt Fat Acid Heat,’ a book and a new Netflix series of the same name. She’s also a proponent of articulating your dreams."I do think taking a little bit of time, a couple times a year, to articulate your goals and your dreams and your desires is helpful because it helps orient you toward them," Nosrat says.She also tells Greta about the culinary value of those four primary elements, the importance of embracing your cooking mistakes, and she gives great homework!: Write down your goals in a manifestation journal, "Even if they change or don’t come true, that’s fine. It’s just nice to have a record."...more

  Episode

• Jodie Whittaker And The New 'Doctor Who'

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  Oct 19 2018

  Hey! Today we're talking with Jodie Whittaker! She is the first woman to play the lead role in the long-running, time-travel-based BBC television series Doctor Who. You'll hear her tell Greta the story of how she got the role, how so many lovely Doctor Who fans have reacted to her casting, and why she thinks her character’s gender, “more so than probably any other role I’ve ever played, is irrelevant.” 

  Episode

• The Author Of Greta’s Favorite Book! (Of 2018): Madeline Miller On 'Circe'

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  Oct 05 2018

  If you were bored by Homeric epics and Greek mythology in high school and college, Nerdette highly encourages you to reconsider. “There is a reason these stories have lasted for 3,000 years,” said Madeline Miller, author of Greta’s favorite book of 2018, a novelization of The Odyssey called Circe.  “[These stories] are incredibly insightful about human nature,” Miller said. “Culture has changed and the way we go to war has changed, but the stories we tell about war and about loss and grief – even things like post-traumatic stress disorder – the Greeks understood all of that.” Miller said she novelized the story of Circe, a witch from The Odyssey who turns men into pigs, because she wanted more freedom to explore the character.  “There were things I couldn’t answer in papers that I wanted to answer in a different way,” she said.  Miller talked with Greta about the book, what makes literary canon, and more about turning men into pigs. ...more

  Episode

• The Gender Pay Gap

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  Sep 21 2018

  Aileen 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 full, followed by a conversation between Shannon Cason, host of The Trouble, and Nerdette’s Greta Johnsen. Plus, a suggestion for you, dear listener: Ask for a raise....more

  Episode

• Fall Televisions!

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  Sep 14 2018

  From Murphy Brown to Kidding to Doctor Who and more, New York Times TV critic Margaret Lyons reveals the shows she’s excited about.

  Episode

• U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth Talks Mothering, Senatoring, And Couponing

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  Sep 07 2018

  U.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 tells Greta about motherhood, political polarization, and her interesting personal obsession: extreme couponing....more

  Episode

• Happiness 101

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  Aug 24 2018

  ... 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 recommendations (1. Socialize; 2. Prioritize time over money; and 3. Remember you're too blessed to be stressed). Then, take the course yourself! It's free online via Coursera. ...more

  Episode

• Is The Real-Life Upside Down At Argonne National Lab?

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  Aug 10 2018

  Here at Nerdette, we've wanted to visit Argonne National Laboratory for MANY YEARS. Why? Because it's a massive research facility, it's just outside of Chicago, and it shares many similarities with Hawkins National Laboratory, the fictional government science complex from the Netflix show Stranger Things.Greta, Tricia and our trusty guide Justin Breaux take a tour of Argonne, where we talk with a bunch of super-smart scientists about the stuff they're working on and the questions they're trying to answer. Questions like: If you had one of the fastest supercomputers in the world, what problems should you solve? And if you could solve those problems, how would you go about doing it? And what if one problem — a problem you've dedicated your entire career to solving — isn't solvable for centuries?Also, can we see the Upside Down?Guests:Katherine Riley, director of science at Argonne’s Leadership Computing FacilityRajesh Sankaran, computer scientist at Argonne's Mathematics and Computer Science DivisionLei Cheng, chemist with Argonne's Joint Center for Energy Storage ResearchMatt Dietrich, experimental physicist at Argonne's Physics Division...more

  Episode

• Summer Reads!

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  Jun 29 2018

  Hey! Nerdette is about to go on a little summer break, but before we do we wanted to share this lovely conversation Greta had with WBEZ’s Jenn White and the owner of Volumes Bookscafe in Chicago, Rebecca George. They talk about what makes a good summer read before offering an INUNDATING LIST of killer summer books. You can check out the full list of those recommendations at this link. Enjoy! Have a KAS and see you in a few weeks!

  Episode

• Power Up: Musician Neko Case

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  Jun 22 2018

  Super-talented singer-songwriter Neko Case is not immune to self-doubt. In the years before becoming “an adult,” she tells us she had a complicated relationship with ambition.  “I wanted to be in a band and I wanted to play music, but I couldn’t have even told you that then,” Case said. “I wouldn’t have even thought that I was capable of that, even though I was completely obsessed and had been my whole life.” Her work has gone on to receive a lot of critical acclaim over her 30-plus years of making music. Her newest album is called Hell-On. She stopped by WBEZ to tell us how she maintains her sanity while touring and how she’s not superstitious — even though she learned her house burned down on the same day she recorded the vocals for a song called “Bad Luck.” ...more

  Episode

• Breaking The Tech Industry’s Glass Ceiling … In 1962

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  Jun 15 2018

  “I’d been patronized as a child,” Dame Stephanie Shirley — a.k.a. Steve — tells us this week. “I wasn’t going to be patronized as an adult.”The kind of company that Stephanie Shirley wanted to work for didn’t exist in 1962, so she created her own.“I wanted a company that was suitable for me [and] that I would like to work in,” Shirley says. “And I knew there were lots of women who had also hit the glass ceiling and were completely and utterly ignored by the industry.”She’s talking about the software industry, which was even more of a boys club in the sixties. So Shirley started her own business, hired a bunch of women from IBM, and even changed her first name from Stephanie to Steve — in order to get the attention of potential clients through promotional materials.Shirley tells us her incredible story, which includes creating a company that would later be valued at $3 billion, being made a dame by Queen Elizabeth, and keeping herself mentally and physically fit in the midst of life's many hurdles.Power Up is a Nerdette project where fascinating people explain how they set themselves up for success in an exhausting world. Tell us how YOU power up by recording yourself on your phone and emailing the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com....more

  Episode

• Getting Harassed For Exposing Sexual Harassment

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  Jun 08 2018

  Speaking out about traumatic incidents can sometimes be more traumatic than the incidents themselves. That was the case for one reporter after she documented rampant sexual harassment at a recent music festival.Vera Papisova is the wellness editor for Teen Vogue and runs the magazine’s sexual assault awareness campaign. After Teen Vogue published her explosive article about sexual assault at Coachella 2018, Papisova became the target of internet trolls. “People usually say, ‘Ignore the trolls,’ and ‘Don’t read the comments,’” Papisova tells Nerdette. “I went against both of those. I broke both of those rules.”Papisova tells us about her experience at the festival, how she’s been responding to her online harassers, and what she’s doing to maintain her sanity.Power Up is a Nerdette project where fascinating people explain how they set themselves up for success in an exhausting world. Tell us how YOU power up by recording yourself on your phone and emailing the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com....more

  Episode

• NPR’s Audie Cornish On Being A New Mom

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  Jun 01 2018

  Audie 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 host Greta Johnsen about all the people not pictured in that photo that are helping her navigate motherhood for the first time. They also talk about finding forgiveness and having children during times of strife. "There’s always something difficult in the world," Cornish says. "But it’s so worth it. Because I look at him as being somebody who’s going to be a part of shaping his own world, not that he’s arriving a victim of it." Help support Nerdette! Any gift, no matter how small, is truly, sincerely appreciated. And we'll give you swag! Donate here: www.wbez.org/nerdalert...more

  Episode

• Nerdette’s Finest: Negin Farsad

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  May 25 2018

  If you’re looking for a way to combat the online trolls and bots fomenting unrest in the U.S., comedian Negin Farsad might have a solution for you. It’s a philosophy she calls “Being aggressively delightful.” You might think that sounds exhausting, but Farsad says not so! “I also think rage is exhausting,” she told us in February 2018. “I might think rage is more exhausting than trying to be friends with people.” It’s genius I tell you! We’re replaying this great moment in Nerdette history because we’re turning five years old and we need your help! If you like Nerdette, please donate to support the show’s future. Any amount really, REALLY helps. And as a thank you, we’re offering some pretty sweet gifts. Like mugs, sweatbands, buttons, and even Lady Nerds of History posters. Read about what you can get (and donate!) here: www.wbez.org/nerdalert Seriously, thank you. (And if you want to hear the full version of our interview with Negin Farsad, check it out here.) This special rebroadcast was produced by Stefania Gomez....more

  Episode

• Nerdette’s Finest: Neil deGrasse Tyson Assigns Homework

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  May 24 2018

  On Nerdette, our guests assign us homework. It’s usually something to read, watch, or do — like a great book, a compelling TV show, or a life-changing daily routine.  We’ve been lucky enough to have famed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson on the show TWICE, and both times he assigned homework that essentially asks you to save the world. “If I were to give homework, the homework would be that there are problems society faces — civilization faces — that cannot and will not be solved awaiting the next app on your smartphone,” Tyson told Nerdette co-host Tricia Bobeda in 2017. “Ask not what your cell phone can do for you,” Tricia replied. “Yes!” Tyson said. “Ask what you can do for civilization.” Kaboom.  Why are we replaying these bits of homework right now? Well, our little program is turning five years old — FIVE — and we’re asking you to join the team.  These last five years of Nerdette wouldn’t have been possible without you. You’ve listened. You’ve told your friends to listen. And maybe, on occasion, you’ve kicked us a couple dollars to show us how much you appreciate the voices we bring you. Well this is one of those occasions. If you like Nerdette, please donate to support the show’s future. Any amount really, REALLY helps. And as a thank you, we’re offering some pretty sweet gifts. Like mugs, sweatbands, buttons, and even Lady Nerds of History posters. Read about what you can get (and donate!) here: www.wbez.org/nerdalert Oh yeah, one more thing. THANK YOU YOU’RE THE GREATEST. (And if you want to hear the full versions of both of our interviews with Neil deGrasse Tyson, check them out here and here.) This special rebroadcast was produced by Stefania Gomez....more

  Episode

• Nerdette's Finest: Tom Hanks

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  May 22 2018

  On a scale of 1 to famous, Tom Hanks is off the charts.  So how did we land this amazing interview? Easy! We put a 1939 Underwood Champion typewriter into a recording studio and lured him in Elmer Fudd style! (Bugs Bunny:Carrots::Tom Hanks:Typewriters) The reason we're rebroadcasting part of this episode right now is because our little show is celebrating a birthday. We've been around for FIVE YEARS! To celebrate, we're showcasing some of our favorite episodes AND we're asking you to support the future of the show. These five years of Nerdette have been made possible by you. You're a part of the team. And if you donate today, we're going to thank you with some killer swag. We've got mugs, sweatbands, buttons, and even Lady Nerds of History posters. We really hope you contribute and join in on the magic.  Here's the place to go: www.wbez.org/nerdalert and seriously, thank you. (If you want to hear our full interview with Tom Hanks, check it out here.)...more

  Episode

• Nerdette's Finest: Roxane Gay

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  May 21 2018

  Nerdette has been around for FIVE YEARS! And we're celebrating our birthday by showcasing some of our favorite parts of our favorite episodes. Did you know that writer Roxane Gay has a fascination with Channing Tatum's neck? You're about to! Because this special episode is from our 2017 interview with the amazing author of Difficult Women. Roxane Gay also tells us about her love of Thor, her co-authoring of a little Marvel comic called Black Panther, and how she never reads anybody's Goodreads reviews of her work.  Real talk: these five years of Nerdette have been made possible by you.  You're a part of the team. And we're asking you to support the future of Nerdette. As a thank you for donating, you'll get some fun gifts! Like mugs, sweatbands, buttons, and even Lady Nerds of History posters. Read about what you can get (and donate!) here: www.wbez.org/nerdalertTHANK YOU!(And if you want to hear our full interview with Roxane Gay, check it out here.)...more

  Episode

• Power Up: Grace Bonney

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  May 18 2018

  In 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 host Greta Johnsen. “I don’t do any of those things. I think I ask for help.” Bonney tells us what asking for help looks like.PLUS: The Nerdette Rummage Sale IS NOW OPEN! Support Nerdette right now and get some sweet, sweet swag — like mugs and buttons and sweatbands for instance: www.wbez.org/nerdalert...more

  Episode

• Unwinding With The Kondabolu Brothers

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  May 11 2018

  We 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, and selling your clothes. About our guests: Hari’s a comedian with a new Netflix special, Warn Your Relatives, and Ashok’s a former member of the rap group Das Racist who’s now producing the show Hey, How Ya Doin? The pair also co-host Earwolf's Kondabolu Brothers podcast, where they debate current events, share odd stories, and further unpack their relationship.PLUS: The Nerdette Rummage Sale IS NOW OPEN! Support Nerdette right now and get some awesome swag at a special discount!: wbez.org/nerdalert...more

  Episode

• How To Kill Time In Space

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  May 04 2018

  Near the end of STS-125, NASA’s final space shuttle mission to the Hubble Space Telescope back in 2009, bad weather in Florida initially stopped the seven-member team from returning to Earth. The two-day delay that followed presented the astronauts with some unusual but much needed downtime. So what did they do with it? Looked out the windows. “I liked to listen to music and watch the world go by,” said Megan McArthur, a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Atlantis. “It was pretty awesome.” For our new project, Power Up, we're asking fascinating people to explain how they set themselves up for success while living in (and, in this case, off of) an exhausting world.  McArthur told us about the seemingly difficult task of relaxing in outer space. She also described her role in helping the American Girl doll company create Luciana, a Chilean-American who is an aspiring astronaut.  “It helps for people to see a role model who represents them, right?” McArthur said of Luciana. “[Someone] who looks like them, maybe who has a similar experience as they have, in order for them to imagine themselves in that same kind of environment.” McArthur described her own experience meeting a role model: astronaut Sally Ride, who McArthur says she met when she was 16 years old. She says the 20-minute conversation with Ride, the first American woman to travel to space, was “a special and unique experience for someone just starting to think about what they want to do with their life.”Tell us how you power up!...more

  Episode

• Power Up: Amy Schumer And Aidy Bryant

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  Apr 27 2018

  Let’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 drew them to their new film, I Feel Pretty, which is now in theaters.  We also want to know how YOU power up. Record yourself on your phone and email the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com....more

  Episode

• Power Up: A New Project From Nerdette

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  Apr 20 2018

  Here at Nerdette we’ve been thinking a lot about how much the world can wear us down. Which has led us to a very important question: How do so many successful, inspiring people have the time and energy to be so successful and inspiring? Power Up is a new project where we ask fascinating people how they set themselves up for success in what can be an exhausting world. How do amazing (non-robot) humans recharge their (hypothetical) batteries? We want to know! Because we all have the same number of hours in a day — even the scientists, poets, astronauts and adventurers — and as Oprah might say: You need to LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE.Subscribe now and get the first episode of Power Up delivered to you on April 27. Click the play button above to hear a preview. We also want to hear how YOU power up. Send us an email — or, better yet, record yourself on your phone and send the audio file to nerdettepodcast@gmail.com. This project is for all of us, which means it’ll be even better if you weigh in....more

  Episode

• Class Is In Session: The TV That Makes You Cry

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  Mar 23 2018

  The 90s TV drama 'My So-Called Life' had a profound impact on Nerdette host Greta Johnsen. (“Jordan Catalano still holds a special place in my heart,” she said of the fictional Liberty High School heartthrob played by Jared Leto.)Jason Katims helped create that TV show, along with other heart-wrenching dramas like 'Parenthood' and 'Friday Night Lights.' Now Katims is the writer and executive producer of another dramatic network TV show set in high school: 'Rise,' which combines football, musical theater, and plenty of high school teen angst.  “I mean, I’m clearly stuck in my own progression in life,” Katims tells Nerdette. “I got stuck at 17 and never moved on.” Katims talked with us about 'Rise,' why so much of his writing examines adolescence, and what a busy Hollywood showrunner does to recharge. (Plus, get hyped for plenty of TV clips featuring PEAK teen angst.)...more

  Episode

• Tomi Adeyemi Calls Her New Book ‘Black Panther With Magic’

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  Mar 16 2018

  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 Cinna black? Why’d they make all the good characters black? It wasn’t sad when Rue was speared to death because she was black,’” Adeyemi says. “Seeing that level of racism applied in a fictional world heightened it for me. Because yes, The Hunger Games isn’t real, but the fact that someone could feel that strongly and have that much hatred for something that isn’t even real? I’m like, if that’s what you feel for fake things, then what do you feel about me?”Adeyemi talks with Nerdette host Greta Johnsen and special guest-host Jenn White (of WBEZ's Making Obama and Making Oprah podcasts) about how she came to write a fantasy novel that simultaneously depicted the modern black experience....more

  Episode

• I Have A Rare Genetic Disease. CRISPR Might Fix It.

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  Mar 09 2018

  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, you can't have a conversation about experimental gene editing without discussing the ethical implications of making irreversible changes to human evolution. “We’d be permanently altering the course of evolution if we decide that we think it’s OK to edit human embryos," says Megan Hochstrasser, a science communications manager and CRISPR expert. "Is that something we want to be able to do as a society?”That's a great question. Let's talk about it. Special thanks this week to the Innovative Genomics Institute as well as the Institute for Human Genetics at the University of California, San Francisco....more

  Episode

• Anna Deavere Smith Takes You To Prison

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  Mar 02 2018

  Anna Deavere Smith might be best known for her acting roles on NBC’s The West Wing and Showtime’s Nurse Jackie. But she’s also one of the most prolific playwrights of “documentary-style theater,” where she uses verbatim interviews as source material in hopes of pushing her audience toward “an adjustment in the way that they think.” Her latest work is a one-woman show called Notes From The Field, which was recently released on HBO. It examines how minority students living in poverty often end up incarcerated. To make it, Smith interviewed 250 people affected by the school-to-prison pipeline, including inmates, educators, and witnesses to injustice. Smith told Nerdette co-host Tricia Bobeda about how she made Notes From The Field and what she hopes it will achieve. ...more

  Episode

• How To Be Aggressively Delightful

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  Feb 23 2018

  If you’re looking for a way to combat the online trolls and bots fomenting unrest in the U.S., comedian Negin Farsad might have a solution for you. “I guess if I were to name it, it’s a philosophy called ‘being aggressively delightful,’” she tells us. Farsad, an Iranian-American Muslim, is the co-host of the podcast Fake the Nation, the author of the book How to Make White People Laugh, and sometimes you can hear her on our very own WBEZ as a panelist for NPR’s Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! She told us how she manages to be aggressively delightful, even when confronted with intolerance....more

  Episode

• How A Creative Boss Gets It Done

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  Feb 16 2018

  Ilene 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 Johnsen about the upcoming reboot of The L Word, her recently greenlit pilot project with Fox, and about how she became a boss. She also had some important homework for you: “I want to know who hasn’t seen herself — and I’ll just make it gendered — who hasn’t seen herself represented on television, and what would she like to see?”If you’ve got an answer, tweet them to @NerdettePodcast and @IleneChaiken....more

  Episode

• Feminism, Fear, And Physics At The Winter Olympics

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  Feb 09 2018

  Olympians and experts on the science of fear, the physics of sliding down ice super duper fast, and the feminist fight to get women into more sports.

  Episode

• Sex, Drugs, And Singing Ovaries

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  Feb 02 2018

  When Teresa Woodruff started working for a biotech company fresh out of graduate school, her employer revealed that the first studies for a new heart attack treatment had been performed on 50,000 men. “And so I kinda raised my hand and said, ‘That’s interesting. Where are all the women?” Today, Teresa is an expert in ovarian biology and a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University in Chicago. We ask her why so many prescription drugs were tested only on men for so many decades, what that’s meant for women’s health, and what’s changed. Plus, Teresa tells us about Repropedia, her encyclopedia for reproductive health, and “A New You, That's Who” (think “Schoolhouse Rock!” but instead of conjunctions, it's about puberty.)  More info on Teresa Woodruff’s work can be found at www.woodrufflab.org....more

  Episode

• Why Does John Hodgman Like Malört So Much?

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  Dec 08 2017

  Comedian John Hodgman, longtime fan of the lovingly-reviled Swedish spirit called Malört, tells Nerdette, “I’m fascinated with things that are still regional in an increasingly non-regional country.” He also calls the disagreeable beverage "“a delightful, heady blend of pencil shavings and shame.” Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda talked with Hodgman about his new book, Vacationland, before inviting in Sam Mechling, director of marketing for Jeppson's Malört, to better help us all understand this unique, wormwood-based liqueur. Prost!...more

  Episode

• Pulitzer-Winner Jennifer Egan Almost Abandoned ‘Manhattan Beach’

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  Dec 01 2017

  Jennifer Egan won a Pulitzer Prize in 2011 for her novel A Visit from the Goon Squad. Her most recent novel, Manhattan Beach, was among 10 works of fiction long-listed for the 2017 National Book Award. Not too shabby, right? But Egan told Greta that an early draft of Manhattan Beach was so bad she almost scrapped the whole thing. “I probably came as close to abandoning this as I have to any project I’ve worked on,” she said. On this week's Nerdette, Egan explains why things got rough, how she powered through, and the evolutionary advantage of forgetting how hard things can be.  Plus, we get some help from Andrew Berman, the executive director of the Greenwich Village Historical Society, to break down Egan's nerd obsession: Out of place buildings. ...more

  Episode

• Author Margaret Atwood Says ‘The Harvey Weinstein Moment’ Will Last

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  Nov 22 2017

  “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....more

  Episode

• Daveed Diggs Does All The Things

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  Nov 17 2017

  Daveed Diggs says starring in the hit musical Hamilton opened a lot of doors for him. One of those doors? Meeting hip hop legend Busta Rhymes. “Like, I can text Busta Rhymes right now. That? That is a crazy thing to me.” Diggs stopped by WBEZ to talk with Greta about his first feature film, Wonder, out in theaters Friday. They also talk about Hamilton, his ABC TV series The Mayor, and his rap group Clipping.Note: In the audio of this week’s episode, we state that a groundnut is “an acorn that has fallen.” This statement is actually quite false....more

  Episode

• Eve Ewing On Prince, Afrofuturism And Sweaters

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  Nov 10 2017

  Knitting 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.

  Episode

• SCOTUS Edition: Muppets V. Supreme Court Justices

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  Nov 03 2017

  In her seminal work on 'Muppet Theory,' Slate reporter Dahlia Lithwick once wrote that "every living human" can be categorized as either a Chaos Muppet or an Order Muppet. On this super-special Supreme Court edition of Nerdette, lifelong SCOTUS-nerd and Nerdette host Tricia Bobeda asks Lithwick to apply her Unified Theory of Muppet Types to each Supreme Court Justice. The results are pure madness! Then Greta talks with Bryant Johnson, who is Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's personal fitness trainer. He recently wrote a book about RBG's hardcore conditioning routine. Waka waka!...more

  Episode

• ‘Call Your Girlfriend’ Hangs With ‘Nerdette’ Podcast

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  Oct 27 2017

  Like 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....more

  Episode

• Jane The Virgin’s Yael Grobglas Meets Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli

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  Oct 19 2017

  It’s a "dinner and a TV show" kind of night for Nerdette this week. We talk to Jane the Virgin actress Yael Grobglas about what it’s like to play your own twin and creating a villain who people love to hate. Then Iron Chef winner and Chopped judge Alex Guarnaschelli joins us to help dive into Grobglas’ obsession with food.

  Episode

• Star Trek With Brooke Gladstone

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  Oct 13 2017

  To celebrate the arrival of Star Trek: Discovery, we decided to talk to the biggest Trekkie we know: On The Media co-host Brooke Gladstone. She told us about her all-time favorite characters, why science fiction is so good at capturing a moment in time, and where Star Trek-beginners might want to get started. Oh yeah, and what better way to keep the party going then by calling up Star Trek legend Kate Mulgrew? Captain Janeway herself helped us talk through some of Brooke’s favorite episodes, including “Tuvix.” She also channeled James T. Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard to tell us how a former captain might feel about a new iteration of Star Trek.  ...more

  Episode

• Nerdette: 'Doctor Who' Star Alex Kingston

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  Sep 22 2017

  In a conversation with Nerdette host and known Whovian Tricia Bobeda, Alex Kingston discusses her role on ‘Doctor Who’ as fan-favorite River Song, which helped pave the way for the show’s first female Doctor.

  Episode

• The Viola And The Octopus: Nadia Sirota’s Two Loves

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  Sep 15 2017

  Nadia Sirota is Juilliard-trained violist who hosts Meet The Composer, a podcast that shifts the conversation around classical music by featuring interviews with modern-day composers. She’s also worked with artists ranging from Kesha to Paul Simon. Plus, she explains how being on tour led to a love of aquariums, and Nerdette connects her with the Senior Curator of Fishes at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium.

  Episode

• Nerdette: Separating Fantasy From Reality

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  Sep 08 2017

  It might seem increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction these days, but Studio 360 host and author Kurt Andersen says the dilemma is old — and one that’s exacerbated by unique characteristics of America. Oh, and cosplay and the Internet. Andersen sat down with Nerdette to discuss his new book, Fantasyland: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History. He's also obsessed with maps, so we put him on the phone with geographical expert Anne Knowles, who told us all to get lost — in the literal sense....more

  Episode

• How The U.S. Poet Laureate Finds Poetry In Justin Bieber

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  Sep 01 2017

  As 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.

  Episode

• An Everest Climber’s Never-Ending Quest For Adventure

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  Aug 18 2017

  Everest climber, guide and mountaineer Melissa Arnot Reid is the first American woman to ever summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen — a feat only 7 women worldwide have accomplished. Arnot Reid joins Nerdette host Tricia Bobeda to talk about the mindset of a high-altitude climber, what happens when you have snot frozen to your face, and how to train your body to reach Everest’s peak. Plus, Arnot Reid reveals her secret obsession with true crime stories, so we bring in former FBI Profiler and Real Crime Profile host Jim Clemente to talk about what it takes to crack unsolved cases....more

  Episode

• Rainn Wilson: All About That Bassoon

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  Aug 11 2017

  Nerdette 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.

  Episode

• Jessica Pimentel: Actress By Day, Death Metal Frontwoman By Night

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  Aug 04 2017

  Jessica Pimentel, known for her role as Maria Ruiz on Orange Is The New Black, isn’t just an actress. She’s also in a band ... a death metal band. Nerdette’s Tricia Bobeda sat down with Pimentel to talk about what it’s like to lead an alternate life as a death metal frontwoman and how her music, which is heavy and hardcore, is inspired by her Buddhist faith. Pimentel also talks about what it’s like working with one of the most diverse, majority women casts on what she originally referred to as, “that computer show about jail,” and what’s cooking for Maria’s character next season. ...more

  Episode

• Forget Cats: Jenny Slate Is A Plant Lady

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  Jul 28 2017

  Actress 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 pressing questions. ...more

  Episode

• Author Samantha Irby Wants To Put Normal On TV

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  Jul 07 2017

  Samantha Irby released her third book, We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, this year, but it’s her first collection of essays that is being turned into a TV show. Last year, FX bought the rights to Meaty, Irby’s first collection of essays. Now Irby, who grew up in Evanston and lived in Chicago, is working with Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson and Inside Amy Schumer’s Jessi Klein to write for television for the first time. For Irby, almost everything is on the table when it comes to her work — whether it’s body image, digestive issues, or applying for The Bachelorette....more

  Episode

• The Nerdette Summer Homework Special

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  Jun 29 2017

  The best part about the summer? Plenty of extra time to do homework! Guests on Nerdette always assign listeners homework, and we’ve compiled the BEST OF THE BEST into this hour-long Nerdette summer homework special. Tom Hanks talks typewriters, Jane the Virgin actor Jaime Camil recommends a show about aliens, and Jessamyn Stanley explains why yoga is meant for all body types. We’ll also hear from Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!’s Peter Sagal, space doctor Sheyna Gifford, astronomer Jill Tarter, and many more. Do your homework!...more

  Episode

• Jill Tarter On A Life Spent Searching For Extraterrestrials

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  Jun 23 2017

  Astronomer and former SETI director Jill Tarter talks about the future of our planet and why she ate so many ice cream cones when she worked at NASA. Tarter’s career was the basis for Carl Sagan’s 1985 science-fiction novel, Contact, which was later made into a film starring Jodie Foster. She talks about what it’s like to have Sagan fictionalize her life, why we need to listen more than we talk, and why it’s important for us to think of ourselves as earthlings.

  Episode

• From ‘Homeland’ To ‘Freaks And Geeks,’ She Can Direct Anything

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  Jun 16 2017

  TV 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....more

  Episode

• Nerdette: W. Kamau Bell

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  Jun 09 2017

  Stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell is the host of CNN’s United Shades of America. He’s also the author of a new book, The Awkward Thoughts Of W. Kamau Bell. Nerdette’s Tricia Bobeda talked with Bell about why awkwardness and comedy go hand in hand, what it’s like to be a blerd (black nerd), and why the TV show Blackish is so great.

  Episode

• Avoiding Armageddon With Dr. Carrie Nugent

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  Jun 02 2017

  This week is all about looking for pieces of space, whether they’re in orbit or in Antarctic ice. First, asteroid hunter Carrie Nugent talks about chasing down elusive celestial bodies and why she doesn’t like talking about what it’s like to be a woman in science. And then we talk about meteorite hunting with the hosts of Undiscovered, a new podcast from NPR’s Science Friday team.

  Episode

• Guardians Of The Galaxy’s Sean Gunn Loves Math, Cats, and Rap

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  May 26 2017

  Sean Gunn is known for playing the ever-eccentric Kirk on Gilmore Girls and space-pirate Kraglin in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. On Nerdette, he talks about what it’s like to be in a movie directed by his big brother, and how intense Gilmore Girls fans are. Plus, Sean shares his little-known obsessions with math, cats, and rap.

  Episode

• Jane the Virgin’s Jaime Camil Loves His Cast, Broadway, And Ancient Aliens

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  May 19 2017

  Jaime 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.

  Episode

• Breaking Yoga Stereotypes With Jessamyn Stanley

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  May 12 2017

  Yoga 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.

  Episode

• Nerdette: Rebecca Skloot On Henrietta Lacks

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  May 05 2017

  Rebecca Skloot talks about the long journey of turning her book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, into an HBO film starring Oprah.She also discusses the importance of storytelling in science and why, even after 18 years, she’s still traveling the world to talk about the life of Henrietta Lacks.

  Episode

• Nerdette: Neil deGrasse Tyson Wants You To Put Down Your iPhone

  Listen

  Apr 28 2017

  Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell talk about the importance of failure, the future of innovation, and when we’ll get to Mars.

  Episode

• Roxane Gay On Writing, Trashy TV And Channing Tatum

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  Mar 31 2017

  Author Roxane Gay talks about writing her most recent book, a collection of short stories called Difficult Women, and why Beyoncé, Law and Order SVU and Channing Tatum’s neck are mentioned in the book’s acknowledgements.Then, “reformed librarian” Kelly Jensen on why feminism isn’t always fun — but should be accessible — and how her new book is helping girls (and boys!) everywhere.

  Episode

• Nerdette: Let’s Talk About Sex (And Religion) With Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus

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  Mar 24 2017

  Orthodox Jewish sex therapist Dr. Bat Sheva Marcus founded one of the largest women’s sexual health clinics in the country. From taboos to vibrators, Bat Sheva talks about how she helps women embrace their sexuality. She also discusses her approach to solving specific challenges for women in the Orthodox Jewish community.

  Episode

• Animating Disney’s Moana with Amy Smeed

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  Mar 17 2017

  Amy Smeed, the leader of the animation team for Disney’s Moana, talks about what it’s like to build a character who is decidedly not a Disney princess, how the animation process works, and why deadlines are important.

  Episode

• How To Build The Best Bad Robots With Simone Giertz

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  Mar 10 2017

  YouTube’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.

  Episode

• The Past, Present And Future Of Sci Fi With N.K. Jemisin

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  Mar 03 2017

  Hugo Award-winning author N.K. Jemisin talks about how all of her book ideas start with a simple question: “What if?” She also explains the unusual circumstances surrounding her Hugo Award victory and how science fiction is evolving for the better.

  Episode

• Popular vs. Cool With Derek Thompson

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  Feb 24 2017

  Derek Thompson, senior editor of The Atlantic, tells Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda about his new book Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. He explains what makes Adele’s "Hello" and Drake’s "Hotline Bling" top hits and how Star Wars was almost totally unknown. 

  Episode

• Life On Mars With Dr. Sheyna Gifford

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  Feb 17 2017

  Dr. Sheyna Gifford tells us about her year living on a volcano in Hawaii with just five other people as part of HI-SEAS IV, a NASA project to simulate life on Mars. Sheyna was the space doc on the mission, accompanied by a physicist, an architect, an engineer, a biologist and a commander.Living in a 1200 square foot biodome and going outside only in their space suits, the crew studied the psychological effects and group dynamics that could be at play when astronauts make it to Mars. On Nerdette, Sheyna tells Tricia what the year was like and how she got through it. She also gives some excellent homework....more

  Episode

• Nerdette: Brain Pickings Creator Maria Popova

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  Feb 10 2017

  Maria 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. 

  Episode

• Nerdette: Lizzo On Rapping And Girl Groups

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  Feb 03 2017

  Singer, rapper and flute player Lizzo breaks down her debut EP Coconut Oil and her bevy of musical styles. The multitalented artist talks about her early days in music, from being a band geek and starting girl groups as a kid to making music now that’s empowering and body-positive.

  Episode

• Tom Hanks And Typewriters: A Love Story

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  Jan 27 2017

  Tom 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/nerdalert

  Episode

• Margot Lee Shetterly, Andy Cohen And The Best Podcasts Of 2016

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  Dec 22 2016

  We talk to Andy Cohen, the man behind Bravo’s Real Housewives, about celebrity obsession. Then we break down some of the best podcasts of 2016 with help from Lauren Ober, host of NPR’s The Big Listen, and Brittany Luce, of Gimlet. And finally, author Margot Lee Shetterly on her book Hidden Figures (the inspiration for the new film by the same name) which tells the stories of black female mathematicians who played crucial roles in the early days of NASA.

  Episode

• Stephanie Beatriz, Reality Bytes And Cookies With Dorie

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  Dec 15 2016

  Stephanie Beatriz plays Rosa on the Fox series Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Beatriz and her best friend Courtney Kocak also host Reality Bytes, a show where they discuss the myriad confusing things about having real relationships in the age of emojis and swipe-y apps. Then, delicious homework from cookie expert Dorie Greenspan.

  Episode

• ‘2 Dope Queens’ Host Phoebe Robinson On Why You Can't Touch Her Hair

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  Dec 09 2016

  Phoebe Robinson is a stand-up comic, the author of You Can’t Touch My Hair and host of two podcasts: 2 Dope Queens and Sooo Many White Guys. She talks about why people online flipped out about the title of ‘Sooo Many White Guys’ and how being a black feminist can be a full time job.

  Episode

• Gilmore Girls Revival Recap

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  Dec 02 2016

  The Gilmore Girls revival is finally here, and we’ve got a LOT of feelings. First, we challenge Gilmore newbies (and Dinner Party Download co-hosts) Brendan Francis Newnam and Rico Gagliano to watch the first episode of the new series. Then, we chat with Liz Torres, the actress who plays Miss Patty. Finally, Tricia and Greta share their major takeaways from the revival.

  Episode

• Rad Ladies Of History With Author Kate Schatz

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  Nov 22 2016

  Author Kate Schatz tells us about a few historical heroines and explains why Rad Women Worldwide is a book for boys.

  Episode

• Design Sponge’s Grace Bonney On What She Learned From 100 Boss Ladies

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  Nov 18 2016

  Grace Bonney is the brilliant creator behind the website Design*Sponge. She talked to 100 women doing creative work and tells us what she learned by turning those conversations into the new book In The Company Of Women. She talks about the beauty of creative messes, what to do if we magically had an extra hour in the day, and the ever-elusive notion of work-life balance. Plus, we chat with the host of WBEZ's new podcast that tells the inside story about how Oprah's media empire came to be....more

  Episode

• Former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun On The 2016 Election

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  Nov 11 2016

  It’s been an interesting week to be alive! We have a new president-elect, and we almost elected America’s first female president. To help us understand what happened we’re joined by Carol Moseley Braun, the first African American woman to serve as a United States senator.

  Episode

• Issa Rae On Adulting, Oversharing And Her HBO Show

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  Nov 03 2016

  Issa Rae is the creator and star of HBO’s Insecure, a show about 29 year-old, her best friend, and their life choices. Issa tells us why we can’t all be Olivia Pope, how her new show reflects her own personality, and how a life crisis in your 30s is more interesting than one at 22.

  Episode

• How 'High Maintenance’ Creators Turned Their Web Series Into An HBO Hit

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  Oct 27 2016

  Ben Sinclair and Katja Blichfeld are the creators of the web-turned-HBO series High Maintenance. (Ben also plays “The Guy,” the show’s pot peddler.) On Nerdette, Katja and Ben talk about how the show has changed now that it’s an HBO production, why the simplest episodes are the most effective, and how they love to talk to strangers.

  Episode

• Fall TV With Linda Holmes And Jim DeRogatis

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  Sep 23 2016

  Two of our favorite podcast hosts and pop culture opinion-havers stop by to nerd out about their television favorites. NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour host, Linda Holmes, and Jim DeRogatis of Sound Opinions join us to talk about the most under appreciated and most anticipated shows in their queues. 

  Episode

• Luvvie Ajayi Is Judging You

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  Sep 15 2016

  We chat with the pop culture writer, known for her blog and now a new book brimming with well-intentioned side-eye. Plus, a conversation with Kimberly Hebert Gregory of HBO's Vice Principals.

  Episode

• Dr. Eugenia Cheng On Why Math Is Magic

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  Sep 08 2016

  Eugenia Cheng teaches math to artists and makes it delicious. Plus, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!'s Peter Sagal stops by.

  Episode

• G. Willow Wilson on Ms. Marvel and Millennials

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  Sep 01 2016

  G. Willow Wilson writes Marvel’s Ms. Marvel comic. She tells us how a comic about an American Muslim teenager with superpowers came to be, what it’s like to write stories about outsiders, and why millennials can be hard to understand.

  Episode

• Victoria Schwab On Monsters, Mayhem And Magic

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  Aug 19 2016

  Author Victoria Schwab is a twenty-something wizard at writing sci-fi and fantasy. Her books are fast-paced, fascinating and often feature fierce feminist protagonists.

  Episode

• Messing With Nature: Exploring The Future Of Food, Fertility And More

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  Aug 11 2016

  This 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.

  Episode

• Hari Kondabolu On Turning Politics Into Comedy

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  Aug 05 2016

  In Hari Kondabolu’s new comedy album, Mainstream American Comic, Kondabolu takes on issues like Black Lives Matter, the presidential race, abortion, and white privilege. On Nerdette, Kondabolu chats about why comedy isn’t the same as activism and how to laugh in a deeply divided America.

  Episode

• Jessi Klein On Grown-Up Tomboys, Motherhood, And Backpacks

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  Jul 29 2016

  Jessi Klein, head writer for Inside Amy Schumer, talks about the awkwardness of being a grown-up tomboy and when you’re finally too old to carry a backpack. Then she explains that there may only be two types of women in the world: wolves and poodles. Her new book is called You’ll Grow Out of It.

  Episode

• Lindy West And Andi Zeisler On Fierce Feminism

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  Jun 23 2016

  Lindy West on fat-shaming, fighting trolls and finding your voice. Her incisive, hilarious new book is Shrill. Then, Bitch Media Group co-founder Andi Zeisler looks at one of our favorite TV shows through a feminist lens.

  Episode

• Tig Notaro And Gillian Flynn 'Just' People

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  Jun 16 2016

  Comedian Tig Notaro talks about how she turned a string of personal tragedies into comedy. Then Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl, discusses her nerdy obsessions.

  Episode

• Judy Blume And Kwame Alexander On The Books That Shape Childhood

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  Jun 09 2016

  Judy Blume's iconic books have defined the childhoods of multiple generations. And Newberry Award-winning writer Kwame Alexander crafts books for reluctant young readers. Both tell us why they write books for their inner tween.

  Episode

• W. Kamau Bell On His New Show, The Hulk, And Denzel

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  Jun 03 2016

  W. Kamau Bell is the host of CNN’sUnited Shades of America, a show that explores the contentious, misunderstood corners of American culture. He talks about how he ended up with a comedy show on a news channel, why he loves The Hulk, and what makes Denzel the best actor of all time, period.

  Episode

• Felicia Day On Being Weird, Hard Work And Women In Hollywood

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  May 20 2016

  In this recording of a live event in Chicago, actress, gamer and internet royalty Felicia Day talks about being a weird kid, the importance of hard work, and how women can take over Hollywood. She's the author of a new memoir called You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost).Find Nerdette via iTunes | RSS | Facebook | Twitter | TumblrLike Game of Thrones? Check out our other podcast: Nerdette Recaps Game of Thrones with Peter Sagal.

  Episode

• Dan Savage On Nerdy Kink, Musical Theater, and Cultural Catholicism

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  May 13 2016

  Dan Savage is a relationship advice columnist, the creator of the “It Gets Better” project, and the host of the Savage Lovecast. We talk to Dan about the intersection between nerdiness and kink, the beauty of musical theater, and what it means to be “culturally Catholic.” Plus, a nerd confession from a merman.

  Episode

• Politics On TV: West Wing's Joshua Malina And Madam Secretary Creator Barbara Hall

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  May 06 2016

  First, we obsess over The West Wing with Joshua Malina and Hrishikesh Hirway, hosts of the recap podcast The West Wing Weekly. We discuss the musicality of Aaron Sorkin’s dialogue, the importance of W.G. Snuffy Walden’s scoring, and exchange serious trivia. Then, Tricia talks with the creator of Madam Secretary Barbara Hall.

  Episode

• Stephen King, Anna Quindlen And Garden Gnomes

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  Apr 28 2016

  We talk with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Anna Quindlen about how to raise feminist sons and why she doesn’t care what other people think of her. Then, King of Horror Stephen King tells us about his short-legged obsession. And Greta calls a hotline to talk to a dream interpreter.

  Episode

• 601 The Red Woman: Nerdette Recaps Game Of Thrones With Peter Sagal

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  Apr 28 2016

  The 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.

  Episode

• Baratunde Thurston On Comedy, Race, And Uncomfortable Conversations

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  Mar 28 2016

  Our guest is Baratunde Thurston, who runs digital for The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. He's also got a podcast called About Race and is the author of How to Be Black. He joins us to talk about the role of comedy in uncomfortable conversations about race and politics, the presidential campaign, and what it's like to work on The Daily Show. Then, a nerd confession FULL of 90's memorabilia.

  Episode

• Rebecca Traister On All The Single Ladies

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  Mar 25 2016

  Rebecca Traister gives us an insightful look into the history of unmarried women and their escapades. That's also the focus of her new book: All the Single Ladies.Plus, we’ve got homework from Stacy Schiff and Sloane Crosley,

  Episode

• Author Amy Tan And A Rube Goldberg Competition

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  Mar 11 2016

  Author Amy Tan tells us how she finds creativity, what can go wrong when one must give a TED talk, and about the unusual the instrument she plays in a band with Stephen King and Dave Barry. Plus, we visit a Rube Goldberg Machine competition, which is just as delightfully nerdy as it sounds.

  Episode

• Kim Barker On Being Tina Fey In Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

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  Mar 04 2016

  Kim Barker's true-life story about being a war correspondent in Afghanistan is now the subject of a new movie starring Tina Fey. We talk to her about the good, the bad and the absurd experiences she had overseas and with Hollywood. Plus, some whiskey-themed homework from Amy Stewart.

  Episode

• Nick Hornby on screenplays, nostalgia and the beauty of sport

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  Feb 18 2016

  Nick Hornby has written dozens of delightful books, from High Fidelity to Funny Girl. His screenplay for Brooklyn is nominated for an Oscar. He talks with Tricia and Greta about the fine line between passion and obsession, the importance of characters at a crossroads, and why it's so important for artists to collaborate. He also gives us some Shakespearean homework. Plus, Tricia and Greta share a couple of nerd confessions.

  Episode

• Sandra Cisneros on Writing, Running Away and RuPaul

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  Feb 11 2016

  Tricia sits down with one of her literary heroes: Sandra Cisneros. They talk about the difference between being a writer and an author, how travel helps us understand our homes, and why she'd like to be a judge on RuPaul's Drag Race show.

  Episode

• Jenny Lawson on Living a Furiously Happy Life Full of Raccoons

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  Feb 10 2016

  Author Jenny Lawson explains why she approaches mental health struggles with a sense of humility, hilarity and a surprising amount of taxidermy on the latest Nerdette. 

  Episode

• Sarah Vowell on Hamilton, grumpy cartographers and America's favorite Frenchman

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  Jan 28 2016

  Author Sarah Vowell explains why we're all swooning over a musical about a treasury secretary, how she finds the most interesting people in the footnotes of history, and recounts the most American 90 seconds of her life. We also discuss her latest book: Lafayette in the Somewhat United States. Plus: Yes, Nerdette has been on hiatus for a suspiciously long time. So we turned to podcast hosts and super sleuths Mike Pesca, Lulu Miller and Peter Sagal for their conspiracy theories to explain why Tricia and Greta disappeared. We're so glad to be back, nerds! We missed you....more

  Episode

• Sneak Peek at Our New Season

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  Jan 22 2016

  We missed you, nerds! And we're back with a new season full of interviews with your favorite authors, artists, scientists and more. But first, where have we BEEN? Conspiracy theories abound. Add yours to the mix: #nerdettelives

  Episode

• Caitlin Moran on strident feminism, giddy optimism, and riotous laughter

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  Jul 23 2015

  This brilliant British columnist is incisive, tenacious, inspiring, and hilariously fun. Caitlin Moran talks with us about her definition of feminism, why cynicism is the worst, and how the most effective tool against patriarchal nonsense is subversive laughter. Because everyone--even Britain's filthiest feminist--is a little nerdy about something.

  Episode

• Science on the beach with Clare Fieseler

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  Jul 17 2015

  Ecologist Clare Fieseler grew up as a secret geek on the Jersey Shore. Now she travels to the world's most beautiful places in the name of science.

  Episode

• Alexandra Petri on being awkward, joining cults, and making puns

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  Jul 10 2015

  Washington Post blogger Alexandra Petri, author of A Field Guide to Awkward Silences, discusses the most uncomfortable highlights of her life, joining a cult, and mastering the art of the pun.

  Episode

• Rock critic Jessica Hopper is Kool-Aid Man

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  Jun 26 2015

  Yes, rock critics are nerds too. We talk to Jessica Hopper, author of 'The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic' about finding your voice, busting through barriers and life changing mix tapes.

  Episode

• #11 BONUS Game of Thrones Recap w/ Peter Sagal (S5E10)

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  Jun 19 2015

  Listener Q&A about the finale of Game of Thrones from our live event at plus a follow up conversation about all the things that happened in Winterfell because, um, there were technical difficulties at Cards Against Humanity HQ. http://nerdettepodcast.com/listen

  Episode

• Sex from Scratch, the history of birth control, and homework from Dan Savage

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  Jun 18 2015

  Sarah Mirk couldn't find a helpful relationship how-to, so she wrote her own. We highlight two women who helped make oral birth control a reality, and there's homework from Dan Savage.

  Episode

• #10: Game of Thrones Recaps w/Peter Sagal (S5E10)

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  Jun 16 2015

  Recap of “Mother’s Mercy,” the season 5 finale of Game of Thrones: in which we discuss who is actually dead, who is in trouble, who we couldn’t care less about, and what to read/watch while we wait for season 6.

  Episode

• Erik Larson on journalling, fatalism, and time travel

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  Jun 11 2015

  Erik Larson, who brings history to life in his nonfiction, discusses how he documents his own life, how he makes his own luck, and where he'd go if he had a TARDIS. Plus, how the bicycle informed feminism and some transatlantic homework.

  Episode

• #09: Game of Thrones Recaps w/Peter Sagal (S5E9)

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  Jun 08 2015

  Season 5, Episode 9, The Dance of Dragons: In which we confirm that Stannis is the worst, compare Arya’s new job to the tamale guy, and predict who will die in the season finale. wbez.org/nerdetterecaps

  Episode

• Inside the weird world of Welcome to Night Vale

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  Jun 05 2015

  We talk to the creators and cast of Night Vale, a bizarre and beloved fictional podcast, about the extreme enthusiasm of their fans and taking the show on the road. Then we get to know trans women who made history in the fight for LGBT equality.

  Episode

• #08: Game of Thrones Recap w/Peter Sagal (S5E8)

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  Jun 01 2015

  Recap of Season 5, Episode 8, “Hardhome.” In which we delight in the interactions between Tyrion and Dany, wonder what’s next for Cersei, and realize none of it actually matters because white walkers.

  Episode

• Neil DeGrasse Tyson! Andy Weir! Space, pop culture and physics!

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  May 29 2015

  Neil DeGrasse Tyson explains how pop culture fits into his plan to inundate us with a love of science. Andy Weir, author of The Martian, talks about his nerdy origin and what makes good sci fi believable. We remember the first professional female astronomer Maria Mitchell, and there's a nerd confession from BJ Leiderman.

  Episode

• Nuclear Engineer J'Tia Taylor on mixing hard science and pop culture

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  May 21 2015

  J'Tia Taylor was labeled a 'mad scientist' on Survivor. But her real passion? Using her PhD in nuclear engineering to work on nonproliferation at Argonne National Laboratory. We talk about the intersection of pop culture and hard science. And ahead of Memorial Day, we get to know Rosie the Riveter.

  Episode

• #06: Game of Thrones Recap w/ Peter Sagal (S5E6)

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  May 18 2015

  Recap of Season 5, Episode 6, Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken. We lament the treatment of Sansa, scoff at the swashbuckling in Dorne and shower praise on Lady Olenna. We also address some listener questions. http://wbez.org/nerdetterecaps

  Episode

• Mike Pesca on sports, musicals, and being nonplussed

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  May 15 2015

  Mike Pesca, host of The Gist, compartmentalizes sports nerderies, discusses the value of Bachman Turner Overdrive, and lets us in on a Twitter-related secret. Plus, we remember Jackie Mitchell, the woman who stuck out Babe Ruth, and there’s quite a romantic nerd confession.

  Episode

• #05: Game of Thrones Recap w/Peter Sagal (S5E5)

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  May 11 2015

  Recap of Season 5, Episode 5, Kill The Boy: In which we discuss who lived and who died since last week's clashes, explore the rocky emotional terrian that is Ramsay Bolton's past, and respond to some listener questions.

  Episode

• Kate Mulgrew, from Star Trek captain to kitchen overlord

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  May 07 2015

  Kate Mulgrew, also known as Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager, talks about her new memoir, life behind the big screen and what it's like to be Red in the Netflix hit Orange is the New Black.

  Episode

• #03: Game of Thrones recap w/ Peter Sagal (S5E3)

  Listen

  Apr 27 2015

  Recap of Season 5, Episode 3, High Sparrow: In which we praise the young Starks and express concern about these Sparrow fellows. And Peter laments the show's baldist attitudes. http://wbez.org/nerdetterecaps

  Episode

• #02: Game of Thrones recaps w/ Peter Sagal (S5E2)

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  Apr 20 2015

  Recap of Season 5, Episode 2, The House of Black and White: In which we praise the evolution of Sansa Stark, discuss the allure of Podrick Payne, and lament the utter boringness of Dorne. http://wbez.org/nerdetterecaps

  Episode

• #01: Game of Thrones recaps w/ Peter Sagal (S5E1)

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  Apr 13 2015

  LET SEASON FIVE COMMENCE! Recap of Season 5, Episode 1, The Wars to Come: in which we discuss where everyone is and what they're up to, pep talks and flashbacks included. Tricia references The West Wing, Peter finds some Hemingway hiddenin the script, and Greta says dragons are boring. Then, we lament our least favorite parts of the series so far.

  Episode

• Prologue: Game of Thrones recaps w/ Peter Sagal

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  Apr 06 2015

  Game of Thrones recaps from Peter Sagal, host of Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!, and the hosts of Nerdette. This week, a prologue to season five of the HBO show. Why the world needs another GoT recap podcast, who GRRM is, and what we love about the lore. SPOILERS ARE COMING.

  Episode

• Adafruit's Becky Stern, Breakfast Club remake and a big announcement

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  Mar 31 2015

  Becky Stern, the queen of wearable technology, tells us about making mischief with computery crafts. The Breakfast Club’s John Kapelos gives homework and we’ve got a big announcement for fans of Peter Sagal and/or Game of Thrones.

  Episode

• Author Reif Larsen, homework from The Best Show and Nazila Fathi

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  Mar 24 2015

  Homework this week comes from Tom Scharpling and Jon Wurster of The Best Show. We talk with author Reif Larsen about ambiguity, unfinished lists, and the divine futility of making art. And Iranian journalist Nazila Fathi helps us get to know a Great Lady Nerd of History.

  Episode

• Live at Adler Planetarium: Pi Day!

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  Mar 17 2015

  It's a space nerd extravaganza! Astronomers and scientists from Adler Planetarium talked with us in front of a live audience as part a Pi Day celebration. And you're really going to want to hear these nerd confessions.

  Episode

• The race to build a super battery, Broad City's musical mind and Girl Scouts' origin story

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  Mar 10 2015

  Author Steve LeVine tells us about the motley crew of scientists on a quest to build a world-changing super battery. Get to know Hot Sugar, the musical maverick from Comedy Central's Broad City. And hear the origin story of Girl Scouts.

  Episode

• Comedian Maz Jobrani and when Helen Keller met her 'Miracle Worker'

  Listen

  Mar 04 2015

  Maz Jobrani​ explains why he stopped taking terrorist TV parts but agreed to play Jafar, then shares insights on everything from telling jokes in Middle East to getting his kids to sleep. We travel back in time to the moment when Helen Keller met 'Miracle Worker' Anne Sullivan. Oh, and there's a faaaaabulous X-Files nerd confession.

  Episode

• Boozy botany and the story of Marian Anderson

  Listen

  Feb 24 2015

  'Drunken Botanist' author Amy Stewart on the glorious tradition of turning plants into alcohol. Delicious homework from a winery sherpa and cider nerd. And we celebrate civil rights icon and opera singer Marian Anderson.

  Episode

• Director Richard Linklater and Ferguson Librarian Scott Bonner

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  Feb 17 2015

  Richard Linklater explains why it took 12 years to make his new film Boyhood. Scott Bonner, who runs the Public Library in Ferguson, Mo., talks about how he made the library a safe space. We remember Great Lady Nerd of History Audre Lorde. And there's a real nerdy Oscars nerd confession.

  Episode

• Melody Kramer's open-source life, singing civil rights and a geek's guide to dating

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  Feb 10 2015

  We talk to Melody Kramer, a public media oracle and digital brainiac who's taking her open-source ethos to the federal government. Beyonce singing her civil rights at the Grammys inspired us to get to know the political performers like Nina Simone who came before her. Plus dating tips for geeks by geeks. And your nerd confessions.

  Episode

• Scott McCloud on comics, Elizabeth Blackwell's backstory and librarian nerd confessions

  Listen

  Feb 03 2015

  Scott McCloud creates stunning graphic novels and he's written the definitive text on why comics deserve more respect. We get the backstory of Elizabeth Blackwell, America's first female doctor. Plus a special nerd confession collected at the ALA's conference.

  Episode

• Miranda July on writing books, living clumsily, and meditation

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  Jan 27 2015

  Miranda July talks about her new book, what it was like to make the Somebody App, and the overarching theme of her work: coming together clumsily. Plus, remembering Great Lady Nerd of History Bessie Coleman and a Shakespearean nerd confession.

  Episode

• Astronaut and NOAA head Kathy Sullivan, Indira Gandhi's legacy and beating the winter blahs

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  Jan 20 2015

  We talk to the first U.S. woman to walk in space: Kathy Sullivan. Now she's in charge of NOAA and leads research on everything from the bottom of the ocean to the surface of the sun. We get to know Indira Gandhi on the anniversary of her election as Prime Minister of India. And we dig up a recipe for beating the winter blahs from Mike Royko.

  Episode

• Getting to know Invisibilia, Susan B. Anthony, and Vinyl Me Please

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  Jan 13 2015

  We're baaaack! We talk with Lulu Miller and Alix Spiegel, hosts of the new NPR show Invisibilia. Then we get to know Great Lady Nerd of History Susan B. Anthony, and the inspiration behind Vinyl Me Please...because everybody's a little nerdy about something.

  Episode

• Roxane Gay on being a 'Bad Feminist'

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  Dec 10 2014

  Roxane Gay is the author of the fantastic book of essays 'Bad Feminist' and many of our favorite tweets. We discuss what it takes to keep fighting the good fight on social media when there is so much turmoil 24/7.

  Episode

• Dinner Party Download Edition

  Listen

  Dec 03 2014

  We talk with Rico Gagliano and Brendan Francis Newnam about who influenced their (impeccable) taste, how they stay afloat in the sea of pop culture, and what their worst dinner party memories are. Also, some musical homework that will BLOW YOUR MIND.

  Episode

• Peter Sagal: A nerd we're thankful for

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  Nov 25 2014

  This week we revisit our conversation with Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me host Peter Sagal. Hear him discuss his love of running, Lord of the Rings and Ray Bradbury.

  Episode

• Margaret Atwood on feminism, science fiction and the future of books

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  Nov 19 2014

  Author Margaret Atwood is the queen of speculative fiction. We discuss feminism, the future of books and her latest collection of stories: Stone Mattress. Also: Why she loves duct tape. All that plus your nerd confessions.

  Episode

• Ask a Mortician's Caitlin Doughty nerds out about death

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  Nov 11 2014

  Caitlin Doughty is host of the popular YouTube series Ask a Mortician and author of the new memoir Smoke Gets in Your Eyes & Other Lessons From the Crematory. We talk about the history and present of how cultures handle death. Plus a nerd confession that includes a Gollum impression.

  Episode

• Author Simon Rich on 'Spoiled Brats' and being a history nerd

  Listen

  Nov 05 2014

  Simon Rich was the youngest staff writer ever on Saturday Night Live. His new book 'Spoiled Brats' is a collection of funny stories, including one about time travel in Brooklyn that's being turned into a movie. We also talk with a producer at NPR who reported a story about how young-lady voices are received on the radio. Plus your nerd confessions.

  Episode

• Lady spies of the Civil War, Harry Potter and a Halloween challenge

  Listen

  Oct 29 2014

  The author of Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy uncovers maverick women of the Civil War. A night at a campfire with war reenactors. Plus Harry Potter homework and nerd confessions collected live while people drank Game of Thrones beer.

  Episode

• Hank Green, Cameron Esposito and the history of lady pockets

  Listen

  Oct 22 2014

  Super nerd Hank Green on the evolution of YouTube. Comedian Cameron Esposito gives homework. And Ariana Tobin of Marketplace on the disappearing act of pockets in women's fashion. Plus your nerd confessions.

  Episode

• Ada Lovelace Day, Hopscotch, Lucius and Serial's Sarah Koenig

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  Oct 14 2014

  It's Ada Lovelace Day! In celebration of the mother of computer programming, we get to know a great lady nerd of today: Hopscotch app co-founder Jocelyn Leavitt. Then we go behind-the-scenes at Serial, the new podcast from This American Life. Lauren Chooljian talks to singers from indie pop powerhouse Lucius about their nerdy passions. Mr. Superlative stops by. And a Gilmore Girls-related nerd confession.

  Episode

• Comedian Judah Friedlander and puzzlemaster Will Shortz

  Listen

  Oct 07 2014

  Turns out comedian Judah Friedlander and New York Times Crossword editor Will Shortz both really, really love ping pong. We also talk about Judah's time on 30 Rock, Will's puzzle prowess and hear an intense Lord of the Rings nerd confession.

  Episode

• Author Lydia Netzer and a powerful nerd confession

  Listen

  Oct 01 2014

  An out of this world conversation with author Lydia Netzer and a pretty powerful nerd confession from our intern Patrick.

  Episode

• Comedian Rob Delaney, banned books and Josh Gondelman

  Listen

  Sep 25 2014

  Comedian Rob Delaney on being open about mental health without glorifying the 'tortured artist' trope, being a Twitter superstar and the most unexpectedly sexy thing about his marriage. Plus homework from Josh Gondelman and your nerd confessions. http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• Tavi Gevinson, Tracy Letts and a comic genius

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  Sep 21 2014

  Tricia and Greta gush over their favorite name on the new MacArthur genius grant list. Plus we revisit a conversation with Rookie editor - and now Broadway star - Tavi Gevinson. Then writer Tracy Letts gives homework.

  Episode

• Nerdette in Space: Intergalactic interviews

  Listen

  Sep 12 2014

  An interview with Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, profile of great lady nerd of history Sally Ride and Klingon nerd confession make up this medley of our favorite space stories.

  Episode

• Memory Palace's Nate DiMeo on history, Parks and Recreation and pop music

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  Aug 28 2014

  We picked the brain of one of our favorite podcasters: The Memory Palace's Nate DiMeo. Nate talks about bringing history to life, writing for Parks and Recreation and what we can learn from pop music. Oh, and SPACE. Plus a potentially shocking Simpsons-related nerd confession. http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• Elizabeth Gilbert, polite botany, and Sex In Your Garden

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  Aug 19 2014

  Author Elizabeth Gilbert talks about corgis, fairies, and her latest book about a lady botanist in the 1800s. Then plant expert Angela Overy describes what makes our gardens inherently illicit. And your nerd confessions. http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• The History of Wonder Woman, author Lev Grossman and a tearful nerd confession

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  Aug 15 2014

  Author Lev Grossman on his new book The Magician's Land, reviewing books for Time and raising nerdy kids. Then we get to know the story of Wonder Woman with comic historian Tim Hanley. And a tearful nerd confession about Chance the Rapper.

  Episode

• Author Edan Lepucki and TLDR podcast's PJ and Alex

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  Aug 05 2014

  A summer reading list from Edan Lepucki, breakout author of the novel California. Then the hosts of On the Media's TLDR podcast stop by to chat about everything from explaining Reddit to old people to why Chipotle is a cruel mistress. http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• Author Tom Perrotta on The Leftovers and Lord of the Rings

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  Jul 30 2014

  Tom Perrotta talks about his novel and new HBO show The Leftovers, why his nickname in high school was Frodo and what he learned from a summer working as a garbage collector. Plus a nerd confession about a Tinder match gone awry because of Game of Thrones.

  Episode

• Richard Linklater on Boyhood and the Facebook generation

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  Jul 23 2014

  Richard Linklater explains why it took 12 years to make his new film. Plus, Dan Weissmann from Marketplace on why killing comic characters is good business. Then Lauren Chooljian takes a road trip to meet Detroit's McClure brothers with her pickle nerd boyfriend. And your nerd confessions.

  Episode

• Jessi Klein on her nerd origin story, Inside Amy Schumer and horses

  Listen

  Jul 16 2014

  Emmy nominee Jessi Klein, a stand up comedian and head writer for Inside Amy Schumer, nerds out with Tricia and Greta about the Marx Brothers, Black Stallion and the fearlessly funny feminism of her sketch show.

  Episode

• Ain't I a Woman: Freedom fighters of American history

  Listen

  Jul 04 2014

  Nerdette takes a trip back in time to get to know great lady nerds of history like opera singer Marian Anderson and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Hear a tapestry of voices recite Sojourner Truth's 1851 rousing call for equality. Plus a conversation with LGBT equality activists of today about the role of trans folk at Stonewall and beyond.

  Episode

• Mad houses, Mississippi Goddam and Modernist art

  Listen

  Jul 01 2014

  For America's birthday, a patriotic rejection of the patriarchy. Hosts Tricia and Greta bring you the stories of muckraker Nellie Bly, painter Georgia O'Keeffe and jazz singer Nina Simone. We talk to authors, unearth archives and send contributor Lauren Chooljian on a road trip. Plus, your #nerdconfessions.

  Episode

• Freakonomics' Stephen Dubner and the story of Sally Ride

  Listen

  Jun 23 2014

  Freaks and nerds unite! Freakonomics' Stephen Dubner teaches Tricia and Greta how to think like a freak. Plus a portrait of astronaut Sally Ride on the anniversary of her first trip to space, news Freaks (and Geeks) can rejoice over and your Cosmos-related #nerdconfessions.

  Episode

• Author Mary Roach wants you to spit in your food

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  Jun 17 2014

  Pop science author Mary Roach tells Nerdette hosts Tricia and Greta about answering gross questions most of us are too afraid to ask. Plus a conversation about the nerdy new AMC show Halt And Catch Fire. And, of course, your #nerdconfessions. http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• Peter Sagal on Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and being a nerd before it was cool

  Listen

  Jun 10 2014

  NPR news quiz Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me! host Peter Sagal abandoned his passion for science fiction and fantasy when he went to college, but tells Tricia and Greta that Game of Thrones brought him back into the realm of nerds. Plus his tips for introducing kids to your favorite movies, why he loves Ray Bradbury and homework that will require you to lace up your sneakers.

  Episode

• Nerdette LIVE with Brain Scoop's Emily Graslie

  Listen

  May 17 2014

  Nerdette LIVE featuring Tricia, Greta and Brain Scoop host Emily Graslie of The Field Museum in Chicago. Plus audience nerd confessions and the musical stylings of Drew Edwards from Blue Police Box Music. Our live audience? A heap of WBEZ members. Speaking of WBEZ... we have a pretty giant announcement in this episode.

  Episode

• Your stepmom's guide to Game of Thrones, 538's Walt Hickey on women in film and more

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  Apr 14 2014

  Maria's back! We talk Game of Thrones with our favorite stepmother and chat about HBO's new Silicon Valley and the return of Veep. Plus Walter Hickey from fivethirtyeight.com breaks down the numbers on women in film. Plus homework from Tricia's trip down a Steve Jobs-related Netflix rabbit hole and Greta wants you to read The Leftovers.

  Episode

• Astronaut Chris Hadfield on space, mustaches and Star Trek

  Listen

  Mar 28 2014

  Astronaut and author Chris Hadfield nerds out with Tricia and Greta about living in space, his substantial mustache, making science cool on social media and the science fiction that helped spark his interest in space travel as a kid.

  Episode

• Ed Begley Jr. and homework from lunatic farmer Joel Salatin

  Listen

  Mar 28 2014

  Actor and environmental activist Ed Begley Jr. nerds out about building a green home and his new digital shows for Amazon and Evox. Plus we talk about his favorite memories from Arrested Development, Six Feet Under and other great gigs. Then 'lunatic farmer' Joel Salatin gives great homework on how to make yourself a little happier.

  Episode

• Tricia learns to play Dungeons & Dragons and how women stack up in STEM fields around the world

  Listen

  Mar 20 2014

  It's D&D time! Tricia dives into the world of Role Playing Games with expert guides from One Shot podcast, Greta gives Veronica Mars homework and The Atlantic's Olga Khazan highlights how women rank around the world when it comes to STEM jobs, the Second Shift and more.

  Episode

• Girls in the band, Emily Pilloton's teen toolbox, Mr. Superlative's bath tips and True Detective

  Listen

  Mar 13 2014

  The director of Girls in the Band helps us get to know the hippest women who played in big bands. Why Emily Pilloton blew up shop class and rebuilt it for teens. Special homework from Mr. Superlative. And a debrief on the finale of True Detective.

  Episode

• Mapping the brain, competitive puzzlers and an ode to Parks and Recreation

  Listen

  Mar 06 2014

  A chat with the director of Wicker Kittens, a new documentary about competitive jigsaw puzzlers. Then scientist Deanna Barch talks about how the Human Connectome Project is mapping the brain and what it might mean for people dealing with depression. And an ode to the best show about adult nerds on TV: Parks and Recreation. Your homework? Get ready to binge watch HBO's True Detective.

  Episode

• Oscar preview with A.V. Club's film editor, how we got to HER and an animation-inspired cocktail

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  Feb 26 2014

  We nerd out about the Oscars - the nominees and the awards - with A.V. Club editor A.A. Dowd. Logan Jaffe offers a sound-rich essay about how we got to HER's Samantha and why Siri, and so much of our technology, sounds like a lady. Then our booze nerd Rebecca Poulson offers up a cocktail inspired her favorite Oscar nominee.

  Episode

• The romance of horror movies, author Deborah Blum and a boozy hot chocolate recipe

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  Feb 12 2014

  Pulitzer Prize winner Deborah Blum on the science of attraction, filmmakers fess up about how much horror movies and romantic comedies have in common and a boozy hot chocolate recipe to cozy up with on Valentine's Day. Plus your song dedications to the nerdy loves of your lives.

  Episode

• Tavi Gevinson nerds out about Rookie, music, art and gives stellar homework

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  Feb 05 2014

  Tavi Gevinson, founder and editor of Rookie Mag, has a budding media empire that celebrates unabashed enthusiasm. She talks about the music, TV and more that she's obsessing over lately. Plus she gives homework. (Which she's still very familiar with.) Did we mention she's still in high school?

  Episode

• Supernatural fangirls, Ladies Against Humanity and Harry Potter World

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  Jan 29 2014

  Two professors turned Supernatural fangirls tell us about how the show has changed their life. Plus get to know the biting and brilliant voice behind the new "Ladies Against Humanity" Tumblr Kate Stayman-London. Her jokes went viral and she got to visit Harry Potter World in Florida. Not a bad week.

  Episode

• Nina Simone, Lena Horne and more black female performers who sang their civil rights

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  Jan 22 2014

  From Ella Baker to Abbey Lincoln, Lena Horne to Dorothy Height, let's get to know women central to the civil rights movement. Some preferred staying behind-the-scenes, others performed their civil rights on stage and screen. Then we bring the conversation up to the present by talking about what's changed since then (and what hasn't) for performers like Beyonce.

  Episode

• Tracy Letts gives homework, rainforest nerd Meg Lowman and an August Osage County cocktail

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  Jan 15 2014

  On this week’s episode, Tracy Letts (August Osage County! Homeland!) gives some sonic homework. And lady nerd extraordinaire Meg Lowman talks about climbing trees, convincing her kids to count bugs and rainforest conservation. Plus an August Osage County-inspired cocktail and a heartfelt nerd confession from co-host Tricia Bobeda.

  Episode

• Cocktail recipes to keep you warm, the best of the worst PR pitches and 2014 TV picks

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  Jan 09 2014

  This week, a cocktail recipe to help you stay warm (and classy). Then WBEZ political reporter Alex Keefe counts down the best of the worst story pitches in his inbox. And we talk Orphan Black, Alpha House and more in a round up of our favorite TV from 2013 and a list of things we're definitely going to nerd about in 2014. http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• Nerdette Holiday Special on WBEZ

  Listen

  Jan 03 2014

  The good folks at WBEZ gave us an hour to nerd out on the radio over the holidays. This episode is that mix of old and new, with some of our favorite conversations from 2013 all wrapped up into one hour.

  Episode

• Scrabble nerd Stefan Fatsis and a homework challenge for aspiring word freaks

  Listen

  Dec 19 2013

  Author of 'Word Freak' and Scrabble evangelist Stefan Fatsis nerds out about his favorite board game and sharing that passion with his daughter. Plus Greta spent the weekend with some tile slingers and our first ever homework challenge with a prize on the line.

  Episode

• Gillian Anderson, Shakespeare with lightsabers and mad kitchen science

  Listen

  Dec 11 2013

  Gillian Anderson, aka Agent Scully of X-Files, nerds out about the ocean's health and talks about playing smart characters. Plus a behind-the-scenes look at a Shakespeare/Star Wars mashup play and we finally crack open the homemade Nerdette soda with Meghan Murphy-Gill.

  Episode

• Doris Kearns Goodwin, discovering new dinosaurs and a Bully Pulpit cocktail

  Listen

  Nov 28 2013

  Presidential historian (and O. G. Nerdette) Doris Kearns Goodwin nerds out about baseball, muckraker Ida Tarbell, Eleanor Roosevelt and the relationship between Teddy and Taft as told in her new book The Bully Pulpit. Plus Lauren Chooljian tells us about touching the toe bone of a newly discovered dinosaur and a Bully Pulpit-inspired cocktail from Rebecca Poulson. Thanks for listening and sharing! http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• Word nerd Anne Curzan and Doctor Who homework for the overachievers

  Listen

  Nov 20 2013

  The evolution of language is something linguistics professor slash word nerd Anne Curzan thinks about a lot. She wrote an article about the newest use of the slash (it's not just punctuation anymore). Then, third-generation word nerd Becky Vevea checks in with her eighth-grade English teacher mother and grandmother about what a hashtag is. And, of course, we have to talk about 50 years of Doctor Who!

  Episode

• The definitive Seth Reiss, Thor exceeds expectations, and Scrabble tournaments as nerd havens

  Listen

  Nov 13 2013

  Seth Reiss, head writer for The Onion, talks about their encyclopedia, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and gives great homework. Also, a weekend round up of our weekend activities-- Tricia liked Thor, especially Natalie Portman's call for girls in STEM fields, and Greta got to check out a Scrabble tournament.

  Episode

• Homebrewing fun with Emma Christensen, a talk with Strange Brews Podcast, and ... midterms?

  Listen

  Nov 05 2013

  We talk with folks from Business Insider about their list of the most famous books set in each state; then, how to get your homebrew on with Emma Christensen of Kitchn. Homework this week is a doozy-- check out Strange Brews, a WBEZ podcast about all things beery, and then watch The Crazy Ones on CBS. Oh, and if you have time, check out Wally Lamb's new book.

  Episode

• Masters of Sex, Ann Patchett, Halloween nerds and a zombie debate

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  Oct 30 2013

  'Masters of Sex' author Thomas Maier helps us get to know another great Lady Nerd of History: Sex researcher Virginia Johnson. Novelist Ann Patchett gives homework. Plus a Masters of Sex cocktail, a Halloween nerd love story and a zombie debate. http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• Sharon Creech talks writing for kids, robot yetis on Doctor Who, and some hip homework

  Listen

  Oct 22 2013

  Author Sharon Creech talks about her new book The Boy on the Porch. Plus Tricia counts down to the 50th anniversary special of Doctor Who, Lauren Chooljian provides the perfect playlist for sweater weather music and we've got some hip (hop) homework for you. http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• Ada Lovelace Day, girls who code and Malcolm Gladwell gives homework

  Listen

  Oct 15 2013

  Get to know the mother of computer programming, Ada Lovelace. This great lady nerd of history inspires our conversation with women in STEM fields and teenage girls learning to code in Chicago. Plus author Malcolm Gladwell gives homework and nerds out about David and Goliath.

  Episode

• Robin Sloan nerds out and Sharon Creech gives great homework

  Listen

  Oct 10 2013

  Media inventor and author Robin Sloan stops by to talk about Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore, its new prequel, secret societies and the future of technology. Plus autumnal homework from author Sharon Creech. http://nerdettepodcast.com

  Episode

• Hugging Neil Gaiman, flight vs baby animals and BBC's best sci fi

  Listen

  Oct 03 2013

  Author Victoria Schwab nerds out about hugging Neil Gaiman and explains her merit system for productive writing days. (It involves rewards of watching BBC shows). Plus your incredible responses to our superpower showdown question: Flight vs. The power to make baby animals stay baby. And homework from media inventor Robin Sloan.

  Episode

• 30 Rock writer Colleen McGuinness nerds out about TV, working with Tina Fey and Bananagrams

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  Sep 22 2013

  30 Rock writer Colleen McGuinness on coming out as a nerd and all the TV, movies and board games she loves. (Bananagrams!) Plus she talks about teaming up with Tina Fey for her new NBC comedy pilot set on Fire Island. And she gives really good homework.

  Episode

• Fall TV: Mindy Project, Homeland and comedy pilots

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  Sep 19 2013

  Ideas for filling the impending Breaking Bad-shaped hole in our lives. Plus we taste test 3 ABC comedy pilots in a round of Marry, Frack, Kill with Rebecca Poulson and nerd out about our favorite actors returning to TV this fall. Allison Janney! Bradley Whitford! Will Arnett! JB Smoove?

  Episode

• Jane Addams and the 'L' word, Tina Fey on SNL and favorite female musicians

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  Sep 10 2013

  Could Progressive Era activist and feminist icon Jane Addams be considered a lesbian? We check in with the Curious City crew that tackled this tricky question. Lauren Chooljian serves up a playlist of her favorite female musicians of the moment. Plus Tina Fey returns to SNL!

  Episode

• Jim DeRogatis nerds out, cats in space and David Tennant in Broadchurch

  Listen

  Sep 05 2013

  Dive in with rock critic and Sound Opinions co-host Jim DeRogatis to learn about his passion for making military miniatures. Plus a #SEOclassics recap, David Tennant leaves Doctor Who far behind with his new BBC show and Tricia surprises Greta with some George R. R. Martin homework.

  Episode

• Marisha Pessl, Ghostbusters and flea market finds

  Listen

  Aug 21 2013

  Night Film author Marisha Pessl's nerd confessions, a Kentucky Ghostbuster who cosplays for a good cause and an interview with Chewbacca at a 24-hour flea market. Plus a new word nerd game: #SEOclassics

  Episode

• Breaking Bad, Denise Kiernan and Marvel's nerdy beer

  Listen

  Aug 14 2013

  Spoiler-free look at Breaking Bad's return (and the amazing Star Trek monologue), author Denise Kiernan nerds out and the new Strange Brews podcast crew introduces us to Marvel's comic-inspired beer.

  Episode

• Doctor Who news, Breaking Bad hopes, a Dexter rant and NPR's Audie Cornish

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  Aug 06 2013

  NPR's Audie Cornish offers up nerd homework. Lots of Doctor Who news, Breaking Bad predictions and a Dexter rant. Plus our booze nerd brews up an Orange is the New Black inspired cocktail.

  Episode

• Audie Cornish, Orange is the New Black and future tech with MT Anderson

  Listen

  Jul 29 2013

  NPR's Audie Cornish draws a line in the nerd sand. Author MT Anderson discusses how technology changes how we think and speak. And Tricia and Greta have a whole lot of feelings about Orange is the New Black. Plus, homework!

  Episode

• New slang, Planet Money's Zoe Chace and Nerdette's origin story

  Listen

  Jul 22 2013

  Planet Money's Zoe Chace nerds out about Louie CK, country music and making radio. Author MT Anderson tells us about creating new slang and how technology changes language. Plus your homework this week is brimming with British accents and Jenji Kohan goodness.

  Episode

• Wild berry cocktails, urban foraging and three must read books

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  Jul 16 2013

  We nerd out about something old (that Hemingway novel you haven't read since high school), something new (JK Rowling's new book), something borrowed (an urban foraging menu) and something blue (a bramble cocktail recipe). Guests include Lauren Chooljian, Eden Robins and Rebecca Poulson. Our intern Claire is at circus camp this week. Maybe this time she'll finally learn to juggle.

  Episode

• Comics, sex and crush-worthy bookshelves with Sarah Mirk of Bitch Magazine

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  Jul 09 2013

  Bitch Magazine's online editor Sarah Mirk stops by to nerd out about making and reading comics, her new Sex from Scratch project, feminism myths and more. Plus your additions to our summer reading list, HBO homework and the weird weather in Alaska.

  Episode

• Chris Kluwe nerds out, Brian Babylon on Star Trek and Game of Thrones 101

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  Jul 02 2013

  NFL punter and vocal LGBTQ ally Chris Kluwe talks about making up new curse words, Carmen Sandiego and his new book Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies. Comedian Brian Babylon talks nerdy to us (about his favorite Star Trek movie) and our pal Meghan lets us listen in as her stepmother convinces her to watch Game of Thrones.

  Episode

• Author Meg Wolitzer, campfire cocktails and circus camp

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  Jun 25 2013

  Author Meg Wolitzer nerds out about summer camp, Scrabble and her new book The Interestings. Plus a recipe for a campfire old-fashioned cocktail and our intern Claire tells us about running away to the circus.

  Episode

• When stories should kill characters: Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, and more

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  Jun 17 2013

  What happens when TV characters need to die? We discuss the shows that are best (and worst) at pulling the plug. Plus a dramatic reading of Hillary Clinton's Twitter bio. And we nerd out about Superman with author Julia Keller, who had the best comic book collection on her block. [Spoiler alert for Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and Walking Dead.]

  Episode

• Nerdy summer camp stories and a Game of Thrones list

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  Jun 07 2013

  Autopsies! Mormons! Time Travel! We asked for your nerdy summer camp stories and you didn't disappoint. Hear three camp stories about what it's like to grow up, go back in time and get your hands dirty. Plus an angst-laden list of how Game of Thrones is giving our intern Claire an anxiety disorder [spoiler alert].

  Episode

• Summer TV, lady podcasters, and an intern rant

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  Jun 01 2013

  It’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

  Episode

• Nerdette can't hardly wait for Arrested Development

  Listen

  May 25 2013

  Greta 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.

  Episode