553 episodes

Nerdette is a weekly interview show that helps you unwind with fun conversations, inspiring ideas, and delightful recommendations. And join us every month for the Nerdette Bookclub!

Nerdette WBEZ Chicago

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

Nerdette is a weekly interview show that helps you unwind with fun conversations, inspiring ideas, and delightful recommendations. And join us every month for the Nerdette Bookclub!

    The aggressively delightful Noel Fielding

    The aggressively delightful Noel Fielding

    This week, senior correspondent at Vox Alex Abad-Santos and Bridget Todd, host of the podcasts ‘City Cast DC’ and ‘There Are No Girls on the Internet,’ spill the tea on Kate Middleton’s photoshop debacle, a proposed TikTok ban and the World Banana Forum.

    Plus, Noel Fielding stars in the new Apple TV+ comedy series ‘The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin.’ You may know Noel as the sweet, eccentric host of ‘The Great British Bake Off,’ or from the deeply strange sketch show ‘The Mighty Boosh.’ Noel plays Dick Turpin, a historical figure from the 18th century who robbed carriages. In this retelling, however, he trades violence for sparkly blue spandex and faces magical threats. We talk to Noel and executive producer Kenton Allen about comedy, being a middle-aged parent and knitting.
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    • 36 min
    Xochitl Gonzalez on art, belonging and nostalgia

    Xochitl Gonzalez on art, belonging and nostalgia

    We unpack the week with Ronald Young Jr., host of ‘Weight For It,’ and Arionne Nettles, head of Northwestern’s audio journalism program and author of the upcoming book ‘We Are the Culture: Black Chicago's Influence on Everything.’ We chat about the fallacy of airplane mode, tweens at Sephora and the popularity of owl ring bearers.

    Plus, author Xochitl Gonzalez tells us about her new book ‘Anita de Monte Laughs Last.’ Xochitl imbued the characters with aspects of her own life story, making it “a nightmare to write.” She tells us why it was also worth it.
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    • 32 min
    Nerdette Book Club: Kaveh Akbar on ‘Martyr!’

    Nerdette Book Club: Kaveh Akbar on ‘Martyr!’

    Nerdette Book Club’s March selection is ‘Martyr!,’ the first novel from poet Kaveh Akbar. Our team chose it because it is vibrant, incisive and the perfect combination of devastating and funny.

    Listen to this spoiler-free conversation and read along with us! Then, send us a voice memo with your thoughts on the book. We’ll be back on the last Tuesday of the month with a spoiler-filled discussion. You can reach us at NerdettePodcast@gmail.com.
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    • 28 min
    We have some questions for Rebecca Makkai

    We have some questions for Rebecca Makkai

    This week, we are diving into the world of boarding school, wrongful conviction and true crime podcasts. Yes, we are talking about the book I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai. It was a Nerdette Book Club pick after it came out in March of last year, and it just came out in paperback.
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    • 18 min
    Nerdette Book Club: ‘Come and Get It,’ discussed!

    Nerdette Book Club: ‘Come and Get It,’ discussed!

    Nerdette Book Club is keeping things moving in 2024 with Kiley Reid’s sophomore novel, ‘Come and Get It.’ It’s a juicy, messy novel that takes place on a college campus and explores issues around class, ambition and constantly-shifting power dynamics.

    Our readers this month are the hosts of WBEZ’s ‘The Rundown’ podcast, Erin Allen and Adora Namigadde.

    We do get into spoilers in the conversation! If you’re not ready to find out what happens yet, listen to our spoiler-free conversation with author Kiley Reid in the feed first.

    And in case you want to read ahead, we have the next three months of books chosen! Here they are:

    March: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
    April: Beautyland by Marie-Helene Bertino
    May: A Table for Two by Amor Towles

    It’s never too early to send us a voice memo with your thoughts on these books! Reach us at NerdettePodcast@gmail.com


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    • 33 min
    Here’s to mucking about!

    Here’s to mucking about!

    This week, comedian and Fake the Nation host Negin Farsad and Ted Talks Daily host Elise Hu join us to discuss a week’s worth of litigious news. We learn about the guy who’s suing Powerball for posting the incorrect numbers, the dating app users who say the platforms are too addictive, and the proposed “right to disconnect” law protecting workers in Australia.

    Plus, how many exclamation points are too many?!! In her substack newsletter ‘Culture Study,’ Anne Helen Petersen recently unpacked why so many women have been told to use fewer exclamation points in the workplace, while others have been told to use more. At its heart, Anne says, it’s all about “policing women's speech!”
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    • 28 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
1.4K Ratings

1.4K Ratings

MotherOfPitties ,

Good for nerds with tender hearts

This podcast is lovely and feels so comforting. Greta is so kind and good with all her guests. The topic is always interesting, and listening feels a bit like learning cool stuff with a good friend. Highly recommend for my fellow tender hearted nerds!

Mrs.W 2008 ,

Love Fridays!

Always look forward to Nerdette on Fridays. Greta is such a great host, and I love the recap and variety of topics. Always the best book recommendations too!

artemis736 ,

After several years of listening, unsubscribing

Deeply disappointing that a 3-year retrospective of Covid largely pushes hard the “we’re back to normal” narrative, despite the fact that roughly 2000 Americans are still dying of the disease every week, millions are disabled from long Covid with more joining their ranks daily, vaccines have waned in efficacy against the newer variants, repeated “breakthrough” infections have become standard, and the virus has evolved to be much more transmissible. This was one of the podcasts I loved listening to early on in 2020 because of the sense of solidarity and the interest in highlighting the reality of what we were all going through together, but to ignore the mounting heaps of consistent scientific evidence that show getting Covid, let alone getting it repeatedly, is damaging (FOR EVERYBODY) is, at this point, irresponsible. It’s particularly insulting alongside featuring lyrics to the effect of “what if I hurt someone and don’t think that it’s my fault.” That is what pretending we are “back to normal” is doing to people, even if you don’t have to face the repercussions personally; you only need to look at the sustained levels of illness and death all around us to realize that (or, you know, listen to what disability advocates have been saying for years now). I’m unfollowing this podcast, will mostly remember it fondly from years earlier, and Greta I hope you stay healthy and well.

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