Podcast
V Interesting with V Spehar
Hosted by Lemonada Media · EN
Sometimes TikTok superstar V Spehar needs more than a minute to bring you the news. The Under the Desk News anchor is bringing their sharp outfits and sharper commentary to a new weekly show with Lemonada Media. V highlights the interesting parts of stories we often lose in the chaotic news cycle and goes deeper into the complex, evergreen Big Issues that matter most, but don’t have a simple, Tweetable solution. Part explainer, part thought-starter show, V’s goal is to make you the most well-informed and “v interesting” person in any crowd.
18episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Bonus: The Real Cost of Care Work
Nov 17, 202300:44:55Tap to summarizeWhen we think of care workers, we often picture individuals who nurture, assist, and heal other human beings. But behind that picture are the harsh realities of domestic work and the many sacrifices this marginalized group makes to uplift others. In this episode, producer and former Lemonada host Hoja Lopez chats with someone who’s uncovering the truth behind the care economy and its exploitative roots. Activist, historian, and Barnard College professor Premilla Nadasen walks Hoja through her most recent book, CARE: The Highest Stage of Capitalism. The two discuss the unfair treatment low-wage workers, immigrants and women of color face in an industry that’s built on inequality, and how despite all this, they’re actually the people whose work “makes all other work possible.” You can learn more about Premilla’s work by following her on Twitter @premillanadasen. This episode was made possible by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. Learn more about Marguerite Casey Foundation at https://www.caseygrants.org/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Bonus: Addressing Gender-Based Violence
Nov 10, 202300:46:17Tap to summarizeWe live in an undeniably violent world. Gender-based violence poses a particular threat to the intersecting identities of women, people of color, and marginalized communities. But these survivors are the same folks spearheading some of the biggest efforts to end it. In this special episode, Lemonada co-founder Stephanie Wittels Wachs sits down with two leaders who understand the importance of supporting and empowering survivors in order to achieve change. Stephanie speaks with Aleyamma Mathew, executive director of The Collective Future Fund a donor collaborative organization that works to shape a future free of violence, and Mónica Ramirez, founder and president of Justice For Migrant Women, a nonprofit funded by CFF to help address injustices within the migrant community. The three discuss the harsh realities migrant women and their families are facing, and why helping share their truths also means letting them decide what healing and justice looks like for them. You can find The Collective Future Fund at collectivefuturefund.org, @cofuturefund on Twitter, and @collectivefuturefund on Instagram. Justice For Migrant Women can be found at justice4women.org, @mujerxsrising on Instagram, and at Justice For Migrant Women on Facebook. Thank you to both of these organizations for making this episode possible.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Throwback: Who Is a Criminal? with Toni-Michelle Williams
Nov 3, 202300:44:34Tap to summarizeThis throwback episode is brought to you with support from The Marguerite Casey Foundation. V sits down with Atlanta-based artist, celebrated community organizer, and Solutions Not Punishment Collaborative Executive Director Toni-Michelle Williams. When she isn't protesting injustices or going toe-to-toe with police and city council, Toni-Michelle is finding ways to make Atlanta more joyful for Black and trans folks. From documenting the city’s public safety failures to partnering with the Citizen app, V learns how Toni-Michelle is supporting her community's needs and helping cultivate their sense of belonging. Follow Toni-Michelle’s work at @Snap4Freedom on Twitter and Instagram. For more information on policing, reformist, and abolitionist efforts in Atlanta, check out the Deeper Than Visibility report. Keep up with V on TikTok @underthedesknews and on Twitter @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Throwback: The Hidden History of Home Ec
Oct 27, 202300:50:50Tap to summarizeWhen most people think of home economics, they imagine women baking muffins and caring for practice babies. But in this throwback episode, we’re learning that the field was much more than just “stitching and stirring.” It was an empowering way for women to gain respect and recognition. Journalist and author Danielle Dreilinger joins V for a look back at the history of home economics and how it shaped American culture. We’ll hear about the personal lives of home economics women who decided to either stay at home or join the workforce. Plus, what role HBCUs and science universities like MIT played in creating this field, and how unsung economists of color helped push the movement forward. Follow Danielle on Twitter at @djdreilinger. Keep up with V on TikTok @underthedesknews and on Twitter @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Throwback: The Worst Club in the World
Oct 20, 202300:54:36Tap to summarizeIn this best-of episode, V opens up about something very personal that has shaped the last seven years of their life. Through this tragedy, V found comfort and support in Lemonada’s mission to help “make life suck less” and decided to leave their dream job to pursue a higher purpose. At a time when V didn’t have all the answers, they leaned on one of the most stabilizing forces in their life to help make sense of a loss. In this powerful and insightful conversation, V meets with Lemonada co-founder and Last Day host Stephanie Wittels Wachs to talk about substance use disorder, harm reduction, and grief. We’ll hear about the healthy ways of managing an addiction and the resources available to help you or your loved one get through those tough times. Follow Stephanie at @wittelstephanie on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to catch her series Last Day and Call For Help. Keep up with V on TikTok @underthedesknews and on Twitter @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Throwback: Let’s Talk About Down There with Dr. Jen Lincoln
Oct 13, 202300:56:27Tap to summarize“Don’t have sex. You will get pregnant — and die.” This line was delivered by a fictional high school coach in the movie Mean Girls, but it alludes to a real problem within the education system: that the vast majority of U.S. states don’t teach medically accurate or inclusive sex education. Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, an OBGYN and author, is trying to change that. Instead of scaring or shaming people, she’s meeting them where they are and setting the record straight, starting with the vulva. In this throwback episode, V invites Dr. Jen to answer all the necessary questions about periods, STIs, pubic hair, and vaginal emergencies. Plus, she gives a look at the lengths she’s had to go to educate, like planting books in libraries where talk of contraception and abortion is restricted.Follow Dr. Jen on Twitter at @DrJenLincoln and at @drjenniferlincoln on Instagram and TikTok. Pick up Dr. Jen’s book, Let's Talk About Down There, and check out her website on reproductive healthcare products.Keep up with V on TikTok @underthedesknews and on Twitter @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Throwback: Venting Isn't Processing, and Other Dope Therapy Notes
Oct 6, 202300:49:43Tap to summarizeComing out as a person seeking therapy to your partner, parents, or friends can be difficult, and sometimes even dangerous. Sometimes the people who are supposed to love us most are the first to hold us back, or we feel guilty for “leaving them behind” as we grow through various seasons of our lives. You’re not alone in your journey — in fact, millions follow clinical counselor Shani Tran for her candid takes on therapy, and this week she chats with V about who can benefit most from therapy and how newbies can get started. From questions you might not know to ask in an appointment to when to go no contact with harmful people, this throwback episode offers tips that will leave you more prepared than ever. Follow Shani on TikTok and Instagram at @theshaniproject. Her book, Dope Therapy: A Radical Guide to Owning Your Therapy Journey, is out now. Keep up with V on TikTok @underthedesknews and on Twitter @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Bonus: CARE for Women, Girls, and Global Equality
Mar 28, 2023Summary readyThis bonus episode was made possible by CARE and P&G. V chats with Emily Janoch from CARE International about what it looks like to compassionately serve and connect with more than 100 countries around the world. While most organizations have good intentions when traveling to help overseas, Emily shares how CARE’s “Do No Harm” approach sets it apart. From centering women and girls in all of their work, to knowing when to step back and leave space for others, CARE is giving power back to the communities that need it most. Follow CARE’s work at @careorg on Instagram, at @CARE on Twitter, and at @careusa on TikTok. Check out these reports for more information on how CARE is empowering communities and helping them fight for social justice. Keep up with V on TikTok at @underthedesknews and on Twitter at @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Summary