E Pluribus Motto

Maximum Fun
  • 4.6 (153)
  • COMEDY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Listening to E Pluribus Motto is like taking a road trip with friends Janet Varney and John Hodgman. In each episode, they spotlight one state and chat about its motto, bird, beverages, songs, and–occasionally–muffins. Plus, you'll hear from residents and guests whose lives or work have been inspired by that state. This podcast is a celebration of regional culture and an homage to the love we all seem to have for the place we call home. Pack your snacks and jump on in!

  1. 12/23/2025 · BONUS

    E Pluribus Motto LIVE at SF Sketchfest!

    Can't wait for Season 3 of E Pluribus Motto? Neither can we! And the first stop of the next season of the show will be Janet and John recording a LIVE episode of the show at SF Sketchfest. They'll be giving the spotlight to the state of California, talking all about mottos, symbols, cryptids and more. And they'll be joined by Adam Savage, of "Mythbusters" fame! Tickets are available now. We hope we'll see you there.

    2 min
  2. Episode 20: Nevada - “All for our Country”

    11/11/2025

    Episode 20: Nevada - “All for our Country”

    Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready for the season finale of the podcast! And where better to visit than a state full of slot machines, deserts, ghost towns and cryptids (possibly): Nevada! There’s so much to get into here, including Janet doing her best to get through the pronunciation of said state and John recounting a heroic tale that involves a slot machine that Peter Dinklage graced with his voice. All of this and so much more including the last cryptid of the season (awwwwwww). It’s time for the Silver State to receive the spotlight! Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. Find E Pluribus Motto on Instagram and TikTok. And send us a voice memo, message or photo about an upcoming state to Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org. You can also leave a voice message for us at speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto.

    1h 31m
  3. Episode 19: Washington D.C. - “Justicia Omnibus”

    10/28/2025

    Episode 19: Washington D.C. - “Justicia Omnibus”

    Janet Varney and John Hodgman celebrate the first non-state and non-commonwealth  in the brief history of the podcast: The capital of the United States, Washington D.C. And if there’s one problem with the perception of D.C., it’s a failure to understand that it’s a real city with a lot of cool people who call it home. We try to push beyond the monuments and motorcade and make sure to highlight that. Plus we give a shoutout to everything from D.C.’s role in the straight-edge punk movement, the cryptids that (supposedly) roam its streets, and just what it means to be a mason. Plus, this place has a really cute official bird. Cover Art Photos provided by: Russell Burrell Alejandrina Burrell Shaadee Ahmadnia Marissa Serafini Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. Find E Pluribus Motto on Instagram and TikTok.And send us a voice memo, message or photo about an upcoming state to Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org. You can also leave a voice message for us at speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto.

    1h 31m
  4. Episode 18: Pennsylvania - “Virtue, liberty and independence”

    10/14/2025

    Episode 18: Pennsylvania - “Virtue, liberty and independence”

    Janet Varney and John Hodgman have arrived in the keystone state! First order of business: What on Earth is a keystone anyway? If nothing else, it’s one of the many things that Pennsylvania uses to identify itself as. Its other symbols include (but are not limited to) Benjamin Franklin, hoagies, the liberty bell, Rocky and so much more.  And we’ve gotten tons of Pennsylvanians from far and wide to tell us why they love to call this commonwealth home.  Episode cover art provided by: Dana Jones Elizabeth Yu Payton Hotz Greg Price Clair O’Hanlon Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. Find E Pluribus Motto on Instagram and TikTok. And send us a voice memo, message or photo about an upcoming state to Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org. You can also leave a voice message for us at speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto.

    1h 40m
  5. Episode 17: Iowa- “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.”

    09/30/2025

    Episode 17: Iowa- “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.”

    Janet Varney and John Hodgman are on to the Hawkeye State! And while there are some very respectable hawkeyes to take sight of, our hosts will also talk about some vaguely disturbing Hawkeyes as well (sorry Herky!). And we’ve got to stay on brand and talk about that motto as well– it’s quite a mouthful. But Iowa proudly showcases it on its seal and its official state flag. We even got John Darnielle from the Mountain Goats to give the motto a good read– and tell us which of his songs most represents Iowa.  Episode cover art provided by: Aaron Cox Joey Smith Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. Find E Pluribus Motto on Instagram and TikTok. And send us a voice memo, message or photo about an upcoming state to Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org. You can also leave a voice message for us at speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto.

    1h 20m
  6. Episode 16: Oregon - “Alis Volat Propriis”

    09/16/2025

    Episode 16: Oregon - “Alis Volat Propriis”

    Janet Varney and John Hodgman visit their first state in the Pacific Northwest: Oregon! There’s a Latin motto and so much flora and fauna to discuss; including some wonderful Douglas-fir and those amazing beavers. Speaking of beavers, they are the namesake of Oregon’s unofficial nickname, “The Beaver State.” And those animals happen to be on the second-side of the state flag– yes, this is that rare state flag that is TWO sided. But, lest we forget that beautiful motto, it translates to “She flies with her own wings.” So where does it land on our ranking scale? Plus, we could use your help deciding which cryptid should designate Oregon as its official home.  Episode cover art provided by: Christina Harkness Nathan White Rebecca Beaver Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. Find E Pluribus Motto on Instagram and TikTok. And send us a voice memo, message or photo about an upcoming state to Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org. You can also leave a voice message for us at speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto.

    1h 12m
  7. Episode 15: New Mexico - “Crescit eundo”

    09/02/2025

    Episode 15: New Mexico - “Crescit eundo”

    Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to talk all about “The land of enchantment”: New Mexico! Or as the locals call it, “The land of entrapment.” Even if you know nothing about New Mexico, the one thing you’ll immediately recognize is its absolutely gorgeous state flag. But did you know that prior to its current flag, it also had one of the worst flags we’ve seen yet? That’s just one other story we’ll hear today, including some stunning hot air balloon commentary, some scary insect stories, and so much more. And hey, have you purchased some of the books that Philip Varney has written about ghost towns yet? Episode cover art provided by: Thien An-Vu Laura Swisher Marissa Flaxbart Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. Find E Pluribus Motto on Instagram and TikTok. And send us a voice memo, message or photo about an upcoming state to Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org. You can also leave a voice message for us at speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto.

    1h 38m
  8. Episode 14: Kentucky - “United we stand, divided we fall”

    08/19/2025

    Episode 14: Kentucky - “United we stand, divided we fall”

    NOTE: A previous version of this episode erroneously stated that Kentucky was a Confederate State in the US Civil War. It was in fact, a Union State. This has been corrected Thank you to those who pointed out the error. Janet Varney and John Hodgman are here and ready to talk all about some blue grass… sort of. It’s all about Kentucky and it’s slightly complicated branded with its iconography. If you’re looking for excitement, steer clear of the seal and flag; pretty standard fare there. But Kentucky has an absolutely wonderful horse, gem, and soft drink that they’ve made official. Unfortunately the official beverage is milk. Such a shame! Episode cover art provided by: Alex Morris Produced by Julian Burrell. Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher. Find E Pluribus Motto on Instagram and TikTok. And send us a voice memo, message or photo about an upcoming state to Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org. You can also leave a voice message for us at speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto.

    1h 16m
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Trailer

4.6
out of 5
153 Ratings

About

Listening to E Pluribus Motto is like taking a road trip with friends Janet Varney and John Hodgman. In each episode, they spotlight one state and chat about its motto, bird, beverages, songs, and–occasionally–muffins. Plus, you'll hear from residents and guests whose lives or work have been inspired by that state. This podcast is a celebration of regional culture and an homage to the love we all seem to have for the place we call home. Pack your snacks and jump on in!

Information

  • Channel
    Maximum Fun
  • Creator
    John Hodgman and Janet Varney
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Maximum Fun
  • Show Website
    E Pluribus Motto

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