The marvelous Nyima Funk (The Black Version) comes over for a chat with JV about the offstage wonders of improv, musical Skype ringtones, and looking back to look forward. Turkey sausage all round!

Episode 272 is a break from tradition! Janet, freshly home from SF Sketchfest, welcomes back guest Eliza Skinner for a conversation about - gasp- current events! Seriously everybody- there isn’t even a M.A.S.H. game. But there IS a lot of honest chewing on various confusing and important issues if we do say so ourselves. Enjoy!

SF Sketchfest staple Irene Tu sits down with JV for a debrief on having smarts, breaking hearts, basketballs, and pink walls in this episode that definitely does not rhyme the way parts of this description for some reason did. Happy Sketchfest everyone!

It’s a JV Club re-release with comedian Cameron Esposito (Put Your Hands Together) and SHE! IS! GREAT! There’s nothing like a story about a medical semi-crisis in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language to get the old podcast blood flowing. But it doesn’t stop there… because who doesn’t love talking to their parents about sex? NOTE: The prior two references are NOT RELATED.

Get your doughnut craving ready for the pink pastry box of podcast episodes with Lili Mirojnick (SyFy’s “Happy”), whose soccer cleats got hung up for a career in theatre after many a post-game glazed binge. Plus, M.A.S.H. brings about reflections on 90’s era Leo and JV startles herself remembering last night’s dream about a certain teen idol of her own!

Find out why this week’s guest Tara Sands' (Pokemon and a million other things) favorite quote from “Tootsie” is a hundred times better than JV’s; what really goes on inside (and after) the Jelly Belly factory tour; and how many words with double o’s can be jammed into one game of M.A.S.H!

Strap on your character shoes and let’s get this show choir going! Friends and co-creators of TV Land’s “Teachers” Katy Colloton and Katie O’Brien pop over to JV’s for an intimate (we’re talking shared microphone) chat about statement jackets, midwest values, and collapsing lungs.  

It's a JV Club re-release! Get a jump on space travel with the extraordinary Zelda Williams (Legend of Korra) and her incredibly awesome voice. Tales of private school, voice acting, and the puzzles of social media lead up to one of Janet’s worst MASH categories ever, which Zelda navigates like a champ.

JV has a long distance chat from Tucson to Portland with the creator and star of “The Benefits of Gusbandry,” Alicia J. Rose and Brooke Totman, whose teen years in L.A. and southern Oregon both led to stops in San Francisco before settling in Portland, home of the artisanal everything! 

The JV Club wishes you a wonderful holiday break this week, and invites you to spend part of your Thursday with the charming and delightful Arden Rose, who barely gets a chance to talk about her teenage years thanks to JV’s extra-rambly ramblings about all other topics great and small. This episode includes plenty of Cate Blanchett worship!

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!

Escape rooms! Scary dreams and movies! Raccoons! Tap Dancing! The list (and exclamation points) could go on forever, but suffice it to say, this week’s guest Yael Grobglas (Jane the Virgin) made JV’s day. Now she can make yours!

In this JV Club re-release, Janet creates a cinematic picture for the teen years of this week’s sublime guest, Deborah Baker, Jr. (Stan Against Evil), which essentially places her in New England of the early 1950’s. But who can help it, with images of Mona Lisa Smile pushing their way in at every turn? Also, talking horses and endless popovers.

It’s the delightful Shulie Cowen (Spontaneanation), bringing tales of choir, half-perms, and adorable lazy eyes. Yes, adorable! And one more piece of advice coming all the way from 1957 - “Think Pink!”

Pack up your records and head to the local radio station to commemorate the super cool teenage DJ this week’s guest Lisa Loeb was at 15! Just don’t expect JV of Lisa to be able to help you too much when it comes to American geography… although a recent wall map may change all that in Lisa’s household. Plus! Skater hair! Ankle boots! Not-quite-lime-green baggy pants!

This is one of The JV Club’s most coincidence-or-is-it, two-total-strangers-instantly-bonding-on-a-kind-of-ridiculously-deep-level episodes to date, thanks to Jenny Jaffe (Big Hero 6, Project UROK)! Abiding Hugh Laurie crushes! “Someone finally understands me” rushes! Love of British Comedy gushes! Nothing rhymes with depersonalization displacement - ushes!

The warm, articulate, beautiful, self-proclaimed Type A Kelsey Scott (Fear the Walking Dead: Passage) comes by for a look back at her teen years in Atlanta along with discussions about chivalry, feminism, conflict resolution, and the languages of love. Plus: bread pudding!

This week, a guest whose teenage years are VERY fresh in her mind… because she’s 17! Author and comedian Ruby Karp (Earth Hates Me) talks air conditioning, profiling lizards, perils of social media and lots more in this yes, very special episode of the podcast!

What a delight! And a joy! Nicole Parker (Mad TV) shares the couch with ole “sore neck” JV and enchants her with tales of senior perms- senior CITIZEN, that is, enormous glasses, and a very robust appreciation of the soundtrack from Scent of a Woman. HOO-AH!

The Double Clicks’ Laser Malena-Webber (who at the time of this interview went by a different name) comes over for a chat about stuff like church (bell choirs, anyone?), D & D, endless (but with an ending) adolescent love, and more… including some pretty amazing RPGs invented for M.A.S.H., thanks to Angela’s rad brain!

Episode 256 brings us author, documentarian and screenwriter (and a bunch of other great stuff) Anna Fields, whose encyclopedic knowledge of the history of women in comedy causes JV to ask her to create an online class… but for now you can settle for her wonderful book and upcoming documentary film, “The Girl in the Show.” Plus: Neuroscience! Constitutional Law! Mac and Cheese!

This week’s Boy of Summer is the esteemed non-doctor, Jonathan Katz (Dr. Katz), whose new Audible show promises to be as sublime as his much-beloved cartoon series! Hear about 4-track original teenage sad songs by a small and shy young man raised in The Big Apple in this special episode marking the end of Boys of Summer. 

This episode with Boy of Summer Andy Richter has every necessary ingredient to make you wish you got to work with him every day, or at least take him to a Dodgers game once in awhile! Includes an epilogue in which JV unabashedly implies that he and Conan are maybe responsible for her career…?

This week’s Boy of Summer interview with Jesse Thorn (Maximum Fun)? Oh, it’s just two former San Franciscans jawin’ ‘bout high school drama pragmatism and underwater science is all. And sure, there’s probably some pretty groovy info about how important it is to collaborate with the right folks to make your work happen. Oh, and modern medicine. Plus interviewing interviewers and something we’ll call the chocolate ice cream umbrella. 

Unofficial high school drama teacher Travis McElroy (My Brother, My Brother and Me) educates JV on summer porch tea and cookies, the signs of narcissism, and the particular joy of boxed chocolates in this long-distance episode of the podcast that includes a rousing vocal remix of “Boys of Summer!”

Get out your spray paint can and mentally tag to your heart’s content but for heaven’s sake DON’T ACTUALLY GO OUT AND GRAFFITI (is that a verb?) unless your heart tells you that you must. Just like some people’s hearts tell them to be actors or priests. And some priests tell people to be actors. This will all make more sense after you enjoy the charming and hilarious Eugene Cordero (Kong: Skull Island) as Boys of Summer sizzles onward!

The utterly marvelous Eban Schletter (Spontaneanation) sits down for a chat with JV about the wonders of Ennio Morricone, high school societal bummers of Piedmont, CA, and the gods’ gift to ice cream known as Fenton’s. Plus torn t-shirts, movie soundtracks o’plenty, and the snowy arctic climes of THE THING!!

It's a JV Club re-release with Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele)! Dog talk and tapeworm talk eventually give way to exploring identity as it relates to being adopted, how to get along with (almost) everybody, and the appeal of a really great plate of chili cheese fries.

Wocka wocka wocka! JV heads over to Casa Phirman to hang out with the delightful Mike (Hard ’n Phirm) and his pun-tacular brain. Sample boards, sushi chefs, single skis and more! This episode also contains one of the most complete yet least articulated versions of "Boys of Summer" yet!

True Crime podcast fans (“Serial” lovers, I’m looking at you in particular) alert! Boy of Summer Bob Ruff is not only smart as hell, charming, and determined to change our criminal justice system for the better, he also had a hand in post-Serial developments for Adnan Syed. This is big stuff, people! Join JV and Truth and the Justice podcast creator and host for a look back at how Bob arrived at this decidedly unexpected and totally awesome place in his life and career as Boys of Summer continues!

Guess what? Hrishikesh Hirway (Song Exploder, West Wing Weekly) is more wonderful than you already thought he was! Join Hrishi and Janet as they explore — or should we say “explode?” — his formative years at a co-ed boarding school, his love of a good film auteur or two, and the unending delight at finding true love.

Polish your volleyball (and then realize you didn’t need to polish a volleyball) while you enjoy this Alberta-scented memory-ramble with the extremely cool Steven Ogg (The Walking Dead and every other cool show on tv right now) as his attention is repeatedly diverted by a heavy rainstorm. Boys of Summer continues!

Atten-HUT! Charming Boy of Summer and "Orphan Black" co-star Kristian Bruun has some amazing stories to tell about his high school years at Valley Forge Academy, where he triumphed on the trumpet, squared off all his corners, and most decidedly did NOT get to ride the military motorcycles. All this and more as Boys of Summer continues!

It’s the fabulous Zeke Nicholson (Comedy Bang Bang, Take My Wife) and his musings on the not-so-grueling responsibilities of being track captain, a rich appreciation for the town of Smallville, and the estimable value of a good late night run to McDonald’s.

It’s delight and joy personified with Boy of Summer Jon Heder, whose dedication and generosity as an Eagle Scout extended all the way to trying to fix Janet’s broken computer a few weeks ago. Find out how he and his twin brother Dan spent their teen years in Oregon, Jon’s mission in Japan, and then find out which imaginary creature his M.A.S.H. future holds!

Janet shares her live panel from the University of Chicago’s Sex Week.

Fresh from her debut as Mark’s guest co-host on Pistol Shrimps radio, it’s 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 in episode 241 of the JV Club!

For friends and fans of Spontaneanation, you may know her as one of its frequent guests and brilliant improvisers! Others may know her best as Flo, easily the coolest and most watchable commercial personality thanks to good old Progressive. Here on the podcast you will come to know her as a lover of truffle butter, a “Shirley Temple,” and a onetime France resident who bought jeans by the pound.

Episode 239 brings you the first Boy of Summer, just a touch early, to celebrate the release of Jonah’s FANTASTIC Seeso show, “Hidden America with Jonah Ray!” Hear JV and JR chat about drum therapy, impressing our little kid selves, and oh-so-delicious SPAM.

Slip on your palazzo pants for a chat with the terrific Christine Lennon, whose new book “The Drifter” has coincidentally somehow combined three of JV’s faves: deep, complex friendships among women, origin stories/teen years, and murder. Hooray! Plus, a lot of Joans and a lot of jets!

Vintage Space’s Amy Shira Teitel brings her astounding knowledge of space travel history, her extremely chic style, and much more to this episode of The JV Club, where body casts, beer, and yes, Anne of Green Gables make appearances.

It's a JV Club re-release with the endlessly awesome and prolific Felicia Day (Geek and Sundry). Learn the pros and cons of spending your high school years outside of high school proper, where you have the chance to become as weird and as wonderful as you like. And! One of the swiftest and most satisfying sets of M.A.S.H. answers you could dare to dream for!

Where do we start? The inspiring and awesome Linda Park (a million things including this upcoming season of “Bosch”) sits down for a conversation about becoming our mothers and/or superheroes, taking possession of a certain Maggie, and cheese, cheese, cheese.

Put simply, Giulia Rozzi (True Love; Hopefully We Don’t Break Up) is a pure delight, and the various and sundry topics discussed in this episode of The JV Club do not disappoint. Benny Hill, Mrs. Roper and John Laroquette share space with sustainable fashion, poetry, and depression in a conversation canvassing the silly and sincere.

Episode 234 brings you not just the delightful Alice Lowe (“Prevenge”), but her cooing daughter Della, whose mastery of rattle-wielding and blueberry-arranging is without equal. Learn impressively little about Alice’s teen years but a whole lot about lots of other fun stuff!

Recorded from the high seas off the Baja strait, this live JV Club episode features fellow JoCo cruise guests Jean Grae, Gail Simone and Rebecca Sugar, who are all just too wonderful to be described in a humble episode description. Follow @janetvarney and @jvclubpodcast on Twitter!

This week’s guest, the marvelous Alice Wetterlund (People of Earth), only increases Janet’s love of all things Minnesotan. Join them for a discussion that includes important topics like unicorns, Alice in Chains, and the unique grief of eating too many Reese’s Pieces. 

It's a JV Club re-release! Melanie Lynskey gracefully navigates Janet's extreme doting, a dog bark or two, and way too many questions about the film "Heavenly Creatures" in Episode 16's foray into life in New Zealand, crushing on Beck, and whether freezing in place creates magical invisibility.