The JV Club with Janet Varney

It’s one of those trip-on-a-plastic-bag, fall-on-your-face, lose-a-tooth good times with the fantastic Jameela Jamil (The Good Place), who shares the soft underbelly horrors of adolescence with JV with such humility and humor, you’ll want to marry her immediately. Now let’s go find a dumpster of leftovers to celebrate!This episode was originally published in 2017.

Another awesome Max Fun podcast crossover! It’s Drea Clark, from the currently accurately-named “Untitled Drea, Ify and Alonso Project!” Dive into some Jane Austen love, some Jill Scott worship, and the strange and wonderful gift of crawling inside the right Guillermo del Toro masterpiece!

It’s week 2 of Max Fun Drive! And what could be better than a backyard reenactment of “Death Becomes Her” starring this week’s guest, the hilarious Jo Firestone (Max Fun’s own Dr. Gameshow) and JV as “Mad” and “Hel”? NOTHING! But since they couldn’t make it happen (yet), enjoy this delightful episode of chatter about breads (the elusive potato and dutch crunch kinds), “Grease” conspiracy theories, and the weirdest romantic M.A.S.H. pairing yet. Support The JV Club and all of Max Fun’s wonderful creators by heading to maximumfun.org/join!

Janet chats with MaxFun podcast Dead Pilots Society producer Ben Blacker. JV Club fans will enjoy Dead Pilots Society for the in-depth interviews with the writers, behind-the-scenes look at the TV-making process, and the fun celebrity guests!Don't forget to check the boxes for The JV Club and Dead Pilots Society when you become a MaxFun member! Please help support the little shows that can and do!Dead Pilots Society shared with us: "Big" by Mike Royce (One Day at a Time) and Kevin Biegel (co-creator, Cougar Town)An adaptation of the Tom Hanks movie written by Gary Ross and Annie Spielberg, the TV version of Big stars Jason Ritter as Will, Janet Varney as Phoebe, Frankie Shaw as Norma, Steve Agee as Kyle, Felicia Day as Voice on Phone/Mom in Crowd, Natalie Morales as Tricia, Bruce McCulloch as Dr. Paul, Khary Payton as Zoltar's Caretaker/Narrator/Trevor, Jenny Wade as Teary Mom, Mark McConville as Voice Over/Bud Driver/Kid, and Mike Royce with Stage directions. Then, Ben Blacker interviews Mike Royce (Everybody Loves Raymond, Men of a Certain Age, One Day at a Time) and Kevin Biegel (Cougar Town, Scrubs) about the process of developing but not making Big.For more Dead Pilot Society episodes, please subscribe to the podcast! Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram @DeadPilotsSociety, on twitter @deadpilotspod, and visit our website at deadpilotssociety.com.

What better way to celebrate #MaxFunDrive than with one of the Maxiest, Funniest, Driviest (?) people around, Mr. John Hodgman? It’s a smorgasbord of topics and delight in this special episode. But note! There’s more where this came from! The full, extra funtastic episode with over 45 minutes of extra conversation(!!!!) is available as a Thank You to Max Fun members, along with all the other amazing bonus content from ALL Max Fun podcasts, available to Members for as little as $5 a month. Visit maximumfun.org/join to heap goodies onto your podcast plate!

It’s a Boy of Summer teaser with the fantastic, funny, 3rd generation Los Angeleno-native Eric Balfour ("Country Comfort” and OH MY HEAVENS SO MUCH MORE) and a conversation too good to be missed (so what are you waiting for, buddies?)!

Fireflies! Phosphorescence! Mattresses! Glide into this chat with the wonderful Angela Lewis (“Snowfall” on FX) as she and JV revisit NYC blackouts, great teachers, and a moment in cinema that may have actually stopped time itself!Here's where you can find additional information on some of the organizations JV and Angela discussed:Black Mamas Matter AllianceNational Birth Equity CollaborativeKindred Space LA

It’s Country Comfort’s creator, the marvelous Caryn Lucas! The gals talk Judy Garland, Family Feud, and the gorgeous power of laughing and crying in close succession. Plus! Being a woman in a traditionally male part of the biz. Inspiring!Contribute to our upcoming fan-curated episode! To be a part of this episode- which will be exclusively available to Max Fun members- record a 30 second to 1 minute voice memo telling us which JV Club episode or guest really stuck with you and why. Then send it to producer Julian’s email, which is [email protected] with the subject line “Max Fun JV Club.”Tell the network what our show means to you. Email [email protected] with either a written message or a voice memo OR call (323) 601-8719.

In this week’s instantly-forged friendship, find out why JV finds herself sincerely sighing “Gosh.” It’s thanks to the luminous Anna LaMadrid, whose nomadic teen years took her to Germany and back again, with lots of moving in between. And check out Anna’s live stage-and-streaming show, The Oxy Complex! Max Fun Drive is coming! Here’s two ways we’d love you to get involved:Contribute to our upcoming fan-curated episode! To be a part of this episode- which will be exclusively available to Max Fun members- record a 30 second to 1 minute voice memo telling us which JV Club episode or guest really stuck with you and why. Then send it to producer Julian’s email, which is [email protected] with the subject line “Max Fun JV Club.”Tell the network what our show means to you. Email [email protected] with either a written message or a voice memo OR call (323) 601-8719.

It’s a veritable smorgasbord of other worlds and literary wonderlands with this week’s guest, bestselling YA author Victoria Aveyard (The "Red Queen" series), who so enchants JV with her M.A.S.H. answers, JV actually FORGETS TO DO THE THREE FOODS category! Enjoy this scandal and a peek into Victoria’s new book series, Realm Breaker!Max Fun Drive is coming! Here’s two ways we’d love you to get involved:Contribute to our upcoming fan-curated episode! To be a part of this episode- which will be exclusively available to Max Fun members- record a 30 second to 1 minute voice memo telling us which JV Club episode or guest really stuck with you and why. Then send it to producer Julian’s email, which is [email protected] with the subject line “Max Fun JV Club.”Tell the network what our show means to you. Email [email protected] with either a written message or a voice memo OR call (323) 601-8719.

Following the premiere of “Country Comfort” on Netflix, JV welcomes writer and actor Julia Fowler, who brought all of her Southern charm and humor to the writing of the show. From childhood pageantry to an adolescence of headgear and being bullied, Julia makes an adventure of it all, with plenty of— dare we say it— true grit.Max Fun Drive is coming and there's two ways we'd love you to get involved:Contribute to our upcoming fan-curated episode! To be a part of this episode- which will be exclusively available to Max Fun members- record a 30 second to 1 minute voice memo telling us which JV Club episode or guest really stuck with you and why. Then send it to producer Julian's email, which is [email protected] with the subject line "Max Fun JV Club." Tell the network what our show means to you. Email [email protected] with either a written message or a voice memo OR call (323) 601-8719.

If you’ve been longing for JV’s Bruce Springsteen singing impression, this is the episode for you. This week the funny, honest and charming Jenn Welch (LadyHD: A Podcast for Distractible Women) celebrates the sisterhood of busy minds and busy hands, factory towns, and the allure of other peoples’ discarded tissues.

Just a couple of folks celebrating being bad at being goth. JV is joined by the simply marvelous Diona Reasonover (“Periodic Talks” podcast) and her love of board games (yay!) and train rides (double yay!). This, friends, is the episode where the world’s biggest smallest mystery is solved... involving cakey cookies!

A very exciting rerun of the divine Kristina Rodgers, who drops by to bond with JV over Siouxsie Sioux, the Electrical Light Parade, Pottery Barn and oh-so much more!

Join JV and this week’s awesome guest, Kate Willett (Dirtbag Anthropology) as they rock the world with a new kind of Show Choir extravaganza— for adults with adult problems! Plus: roller coaster makeouts. Forgiving yourself. Area codes. More!Kate Willett's Audible Original, Dirtbag Anthropology is now available at audible.com/dirtbag.

Get musical! Middle Earth-style! With this week’s bright and shiny guest, author and journalist Alexandra Petri (The Washington Post). Social clumping at dances! Star Wars Prequel apologists! And a good old-fashioned Narnia closet.

If your neighbors in Florida were The Bee Gees and your neighbor in NYC was Joey Ramone, you might be this week’s guest, Annabelle Gurwitch (Known for her upcoming book “You’re Leaving When?” and the new Max Fun “Tiny Victories” podcast)! Flimflams, cults-that-might-not-be-cults and Dinners and Movies abound in this episode. Plus! More Ancient Egypt!

JV shares a personal update.

A M.A.S.H. game mind-meld gets this week’s guest, the radiant Arden Myrin literally up on her feet with excitement! It’s all about breaking the plaid mold, embracing humiliation, and snow, snow, SNOW!Arden's new book Little Miss Little Compton is out now.

Mummies! Mitochondrial DNA! Austrian crystals! All these treasures and more in this week’s episode with Afiya Augustine (Adult-ish podcast), whose muse is most decidedly back in town.Note: We had some minor audio difficulties in this recording. We did our best to remove every pop and distortion from the recording but there may be a few that slipped through. Thanks for listening!

Dance your way into a shoe commercial with this week’s fantastic Amy Okuda (“Atypical" on Netflix), who also talks pandemic-livestreams, being a Non-Tryer (a term we just made up), and how fascinating and scary it would be to get a close-up look at the deep ocean’s most f***ed-up fish!

Experience the conversation that JV must describe as “a little slice of heaven” with this week’s guest, the terrific comedian/author Sara Schaefer! Hear about Sara’s marvelous new book, “Grand,” the problematic-hair-yet-nostalgic-appeal of Counting Crows, and dollhouses, Dollhouses, DOLLHOUSES!

It’s the other half of the charming What Are Friends For podcast, Gabrielle Ruiz ("Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”), who sang, danced, and counted down her teen years in Texas as she readied herself for the Big Apple. This is a very talented woman who knows the value of a good beef stew!

It’s JV’s first guest who has had— and fully recovered from, yay! — the thing that’s keeping us all on our toes this year. Celebrate the good news with Pallavi Sastry ("What Are Friends For podcast"), who expounds on many fascinating subjects both heavy and light on this almost-the-end-of-2020 JV Club episode!

Twin Peaks! Black Dahlias! Breakfast burritos! This week JV geeks out with one of her podcast host crushes, Dr. Shiloh (LA Not So Confidential), who talks police reform, psychology, cheerleading, LA noir, and generally proves that she’s every bit as cool as JV suspected she would be!

If you don’t already adore this week’s guest, Negin Farsad (Fake the Nation), YOU WILL BY THE END OF THIS EPISODE! Dish on the coolest uncool Palm Springs local hangs! Rummage vintage in Tennessee and end up answering questions about 9/11! A conversation about current political divides that is actually upbeat! It’s all right here for YOU.

This week marks the 400th new episode of The JV Club! To celebrate the occasion, JV was incredibly excited to be joined by someone who was a huge inspiration during her late teens (and beyond, to today!): singer/songwriter/playwright Jonatha Brooke. This episode also includes a duet of Jonatha’s song (as the band The Story) “So Much Mine" that she graciously sang with JV, which is also viewable as a video!

Blogging at work, Flagging at school, and how to carefully pick which horror movies you jump into during a rousing game of M.A.S.H. with this week’s guest, comedian/writer/actor/podcaster Halle Kiefer!

Samantha! Heidi! The Girls Next Door! This week JV reconnects with her audition buddy, comedian and actor Melinda Hill (“Inappropriate”), who chats about lifehacks for the kid who moves a lot, does Siouxsie Sioux impressions, and relishes a good doughnut.

If you like your thrills in the form of chewing gum (called, you guessed it, “Thrills”), you might be Canadian, and you might like the taste of soap! This wisdom and so many other important lessons come this week from comedian Jess Salomon (The El-Salomons), who talks cilantro, triathlons, and Quebec City and so much more.

It’s time for a chat with award-winning comedy writer, artist, and games producer Libby Ward, who talks Tucson deserts with a very excited JV, but more importantly shares her values of inclusion, diversity, teamwork and love. And a little crayon-illustrated book called “Luchador Mice!"

This week brings us the talented Nashville-based musician Eloise Alterman, who chats with JV about the glorious Stevie Nicks, the perfect vanilla sheet cake, and being just grown-up enough to know you’re just young enough to make big moves.

This week’s episode welcomes the utterly delightful Becca Scott (Good Time Society), whose intelligence, humor and compassion will somehow make you believe in all of humanity! Plus, a dip into Victorian times, partially in honor of the RPG where JV and BS first met… as tiny British orphans.

The luminous Daralyse Lyons (the Demystifying Diversity podcast) joins JV and brings with her an honest, reflective, and delightful conversation about “otherness,” the ways we try to be in charge of ourselves, the appeal of some really good Narnia-based witchcraft!

This week is very special guest, author Anna Cox (I Keep My Worries in My Teeth), whose wonderful, strange, funny and poignant new novel is also available as an audiobook… and JV was honored to read one of the characters in it! Anna and JV talk about the book, Anna’s teenage years in curlers and more!

JV and delightful YA author Maurene Goo (“I Believe in a Thing Called Love") chat about the complexities of mother-daughter relationships, growing up first generation Korean American, being an expectant mom in during the pandemic, and why “Supernatural” is pretty delicious.

This week on The JV Club, JV has the pleasure of speaking with reporter Amelia McDonnell-Parry, whose remarkable work in Baltimore covering cases like those of Freddie Gray and Keith Davis, Jr. (UNDISCLOSED podcast) has been inspiring JV for years! From her teenagerhood in California to her artwork and current focus in criminal justice reform, this ep is a gem!

It’s the sublime Naomi Ekperigin (the fantastic Couples Therapy podcast, "Broad City”) on this week’s ep of the podcast (episode 389 if you’re keeping track! Zowie!), who reveals her continued perfection as one of the funniest people around.

This week brings you a virtual hang with the talented and inspiring Nashville-based musician Zoë Nutt (“How Does it Feel”), who fills JV in on the benefits of a great coach, great family, and great BBQ. Plus! The secret to enjoying a certain marshmallow Easter confection!

It’s no surprise that JV is once again delighted to have a guest who brings back a conversation to the weird, special dynamic of San Francisco adolescence, in this case with Boy of Summer Josh Levine (Rebel Radio podcast). From teens behaving badly in private ravines to early hiphop, this is a juicy ep not to be missed!Hosted by Janet Varney.Edited by Julian Burrell

The simply wonderful Nore Davis (Live From the Comedy Trap House) joins JV for The JV Club’s most epic M.A.S.H. game to date! Plus! Nore talks Yonkers, badass aunts, kickass brothers, and what it’s like to record a comedy album over Zoom in the middle of a quarantine. Oh— and if you don’t like listening to JV telling someone how brilliant they are, this episode may not be for you. What are you, nuts? Of COURSE this episode is for you!

Put this episode somewhere safe, because it’s going to be worth a lot of money someday! To find out why (and in what way this show description is teasing our delightful guest), sit down with the wonderful Ify Nwadiwe to find out about seven-purpose pans, yearbook messages, the many problems of “Candyman" and more!

It’s the dynamic force that is Baron Vaughn this week on The JV Club! This Boy of Summer talks performing arts high schools at the nation’s Theatre capital… Las Vegas?? Plus! The significant value of a juicy walk-on role and much more!

If you like this show and would like to support it for as little as $5 a month, go to Maximumfun.org/join and become a Max Fun Member! You’ll earn great gifts, including special bonus episodes of The JV Club.Attention would-be marine biologists! It’s the amazingly funny Colin Mochrie (Whose Line is it, Anyway?), who talks killer whales and kayaks, hypnotism and improv, and a familial silver lining during a tough time. PLUS! Find out who “THE OTHER” is!

If you love this show and want to support it, visit Maximumfun.org/join to become a member for as little as $5 a month! You’ll earn tons of great rewards including special never-before-heard BONUS episodes of The JV Club!Deviated septums! Pierced septums! Why so much talk about septums? All this and a BUNCH of non-septum-related conversation with the wonderful Adal Rifai (Hello From the Magic Tavern, Hey Riddle Riddle), who continues the “I moved all over the country” trend of recent guests with tales of Circus Circus, Columbus Columbus, and Kewanee Kewanee.

If you like this show and would like to support it for as little as $5 a month, go to Maximumfun.org/join and become a Max Fun Member! You'll earn great gifts, including special bonus episodes of The JV Club.This week JV is super honored to interview one of her comedy heroes, the wonderful, humble and hilarious Alan Zweibel (“Laugh Lines: My Life Helping Funny People Be Funnier”), who was a writer on the first (and subsequent) seasons of "Saturday Night Live," co-creator of “It’s Garry Shandling’s Show,” co-writer of “700 Sundays” with Billy Crystal, and much more!

Finish up your homework and treat yourself to this week’s episode with our latest Boy of Summer, Open Mike Eagle (What Had Happened Was), who talks with JV about freestyling, endless schoolbus rides, dusty cities and more! If you love this show and want to support it, visit Maximumfun.org/join to become a member for as little as $5 a month! You'll earn tons of great rewards including special never-before-heard BONUS episodes of The JV Club!

Attention, astronauts! Or at least chorale competition-hopefuls who visit the Kennedy Space Center! Pull up an earbud for this chat with the delightful Harvey Guillén (“What We Do in the Shadows”), and find out just what makes Harvey so delightful… and what historical mystery his M.A.S.H. game allows him to solve for us all!

From a recording made in early May, it’s our latest Boy of Summer, Andy Daly! One of the nicest and funniest folks in comedy chats with JV about beautiful beignets, hilarious hawkeyes, and his new album ‘Four More Sweaters: Monsters Take Your Questions’… and oh yes, MORE!

Max Fun Podcast Crossover Alert! It’s the delightful Tre’vell Anderson (Fanti), who indulges JV’s Model U.N. fascination, talks current events (wow, what a month June has been!), and about finding your way to yourself.