Jonathan Van Ness
Jonathan Van Ness is an American hairdresser, podcaster, and television personality. He is internationally known as the grooming expert on the Netflix series Queer Eye, for his work on the web series parody Gay of Thrones, and for hosting the Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness podcast.
Early life
Jonathan Van Ness was born March 28, 1987, and raised in Quincy, Illinois. Van Ness said he comes "from a family of journalists," being the sixth generation of their family-owned newspaper. This refers to broadcast and newspaper conglomerate Quincy Media and the company's local flagship newspaper, the Herald-Whig; Van Ness' mother is the vice president of Quincy Media, and he is a descendant of the Oakley family which has controlled the company since the 1890s.Openly gay throughout his life, Van Ness experienced bullying for his "femininity and natural flamboyance," and received death threats. He "endured years of judgment, ridicule, and trauma." Of the time, Van Ness said, "Growing up I definitely put on every nail polish, every heel, every scarf – I definitely had my mom's knockoff Hermès scarves in my hair and around my waist – those were my skirts, and I loved it.... But when I was really young, I had really femme-shamey, gender-shamey when I would dress like that. When I would play with those things, I knew it needed to be... behind closed doors." Although always comfortable in his own skin, he says it did take some time to navigate other people's reactions. In response to the bullying he used humor as a coping mechanism, and relied on a small group of close friends for support. Years later, in the late 2010s, he realized he was gender non-conforming, and non-binary.
When he was younger, he was sexually abused by an older boy at church, and Van Ness said this laid the foundation for self-destructive behaviors. In his early teens, he used online-chat to socialize with, and sometimes meet older men for sex. He was the first male cheerleader at Quincy Senior High School and continued cheerleading in college at the University of Arizona, where he majored in political science. One month in his initial semester at college, he used up his monthly allowance on
cocaine
Van Ness trained at the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis. After graduating, he worked in Arizona for five years, before moving to Los Angeles, California, in 2009.
Career
In Los Angeles, Van Ness found a job as a personal assistant at Sally Hershberger Salon. One day in 2012, he fainted in the salon while doing highlights for a client's hair. Later at a clinic, he found out he was HIV-positive. He used the revelation to "get clean" from drug use and publicly shared his story, saying, "I want people to realize you’re never too broken to be fixed." He currently works at MoJoHair and Stile Salon, both in Los Angeles, which he co-founded with Monique Northrop of Arte Salon in New York City.Media
In 2013, while dressing the hair of friend Erin Gibson – who worked for the comedy syndicate Funny or Die – Van Ness was asked by Gibson to perform his recap of a Game of Thrones episode for Funny or Die, which became the Gay of Thrones web series. Van Ness was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Variety Series in 2018 for Gay of Thrones.
Since 2015, Van Ness has hosted the weekly podcast Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness. His podcast took off upon the airing of the first Queer Eye episode.
Van Ness currently stars as the grooming expert on the Netflix revival of Queer Eye.
Writing and ''Peanut goes for the Gold''
In 2020, Van Ness released a picture book titled Peanut goes for the Gold. It tells the story of a nonbinary guinea pig named Peanut and their adventures as a rhythmic gymnastics prodigy. Peanut is inspired by Jonathan’s own childhood pet. In an interview for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Van Ness discussed how Peanut didn’t have any other rhythmic gymnasts to look up to so they created a space for themselves as a rhythmic gymnast. He also announced Peanut goes for the Gold would be partnering with No Kid Hungry’s fund #savewithstories, where Van Vess did a virtual reading of Peanut goes for the Gold to support the children affected by the coronavirus pandemic to ensure they have access to meals that would have been provided to them at school. In a LiveSigning interview, Van Ness explained why he wanted to write Peanut goes for the Gold, saying “I really wanted to do something that would celebrate all those kids that are individual and themselves”, and emphasized the importance of uniqueness and pursuing one's passions.Personal life
Van Ness currently works in Los Angeles and New York City. He has psoriasis, a chronic skin condition, and advises clients on skin care.Van Ness is non-binary. His preferred gender pronouns are he/him/his, but he has indicated that he is okay being referred to with she/her or they/them as well. In a 2019 interview with The New York Times, he revealed a history of drug addiction issues, childhood sexual abuse, and his HIV-positive diagnosis at age 25.
On September 25, 2019, Van Ness announced his endorsement of Elizabeth Warren for president in 2020 based upon healthcare being a human right.
His memoir, Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love,was published in October 2019. His memoir discusses his past and how it helped sculpt his future.
On June 23, 2020, Van Ness and Queer Eye costar Bobby Berk praised recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions which ruled that LGBT employment discrimination was a violation of the Civil Right Act of 1964. Van Ness described the ruling as "a great step in the right direction." However, both of them still urged the United States Congress to pass the proposed Equality Act.
Filmography
Television and web
Films
Music videos
Podcasts
| Date | Title | Episode |
| October 1, 2019 | B&N Podcast | "Jonathan Van Ness" |
| September 13, 2018 | Next Question with Katie Couric | "Jonathan Van Ness Is Busy Being Fabulous" |
| May 7, 2018 | Ladygang | "Jonathan Van Ness" |
| Episode # | Date aired | Title | Guest |
| 1 | December 15, 2015 | "What's the difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims & why don't they love each other?" | Professor James Gelvin |
| 2 | December 23, 2015 | "What Was The First Christmas Really Like?" | Father Waylon |
| Episode # | Date aired | Title | Guest |
| 3 | January 6, 2016 | "Internet Security: What's Her Story?" | Samantha Corbin |
| 4 | January 20, 2016 | "What's a Menstrual Cup?" | Sullivan Oakley |
| 5 | February 3, 2016 | "Who is Bernie Sanders?" | Elizabeth Kaye |
| 6 | February 17, 2016 | "What is Agent Orange?" | Courtney Marsh |
| 7 | March 1, 2016 | "Who Were the Romanovs and What Happened to Them, Honey?" | Professor Brad Damare |
| 8 | March 15, 2016 | "What's It Like to be a Comedic Legend?" | Margaret Cho |
| 9 | March 22, 2016 | "What Constitutes an Eating Disorder?" | Ilon Varo |
| 10 | April 5, 2016 | "What are Strokes?" | Dr. Lina Nih |
| 11 | April 19, 2016 | "What is Gender Identity?" | Ian Harvie |
| 12 | May 4, 2016 | "What is it Like Living in China?" | Scarlett Wang |
| 13 | May 18, 2016 | "What is United Shades of America?" | W. Kamau Bell |
| 14 | June 1, 2016 | "What's it Like Being a Cancer Survivor?" | Byron Lane |
| 15 | June 15, 2016 | "What are Gravitational Waves and LIGO for Dummies?" | Professor Alan Weinstein |
| 16 | June 29, 2016 | "What's #Brexit?" | Mary O'Hara |
| 17 | July 13, 2016 | "What is Gun Control and Everytown?" | Andrei Berman and Taylor Maxwell |
| 18 | July 27, 2016 | "What's Going on in Brazil?" | Carla Dauden |
| 19 | August 10, 2016 | "What's Going on in HIV Research?" | Kayla McLaughlin |
| 20 | August 24, 2016 | "Mass Extinction: What's Her Story?" | Dr. Leryn Gorlitsky |
| 21 | September 7, 2016 | "How Do You Navigate Dating and Love?" | Stan Tatkin |
| 22 | September 21, 2016 | "What's it Like Modeling in Today's Fashion Industry?" | Denise Bidot |
| 23 | October 5, 2016 | "What's It Like Living in America Undocumented?" | Erick Zerecero |
| 24 | October 19, 2016 | "How Do You Overcome Lupus?" | Mercedes Yvette |
| 25 | November 2, 2016 | "What're the Down Ballot and Initiative Issues for 2016?" | Greg Srolestar |
| 26 | November 16, 2016 | "What the T Over at Marie Claire?" | Wanyi Jiang |
| 27 | November 30, 2016 | "What Was Your Journey to Becoming a Writer?" | Christopher Bernard |
| 28 | December 14, 2016 | "How Do You Interact With Vulnerability?" | Kyle Kreiger |
| 29 | December 28, 2016 | "How Was YOUR 2016?" | Zoe Jarman |
| Episode # | Date aired | Title | Guest |
| 30 | January 11, 2017 | "What Are You Up To, Lizzo?" | Lizzo |
| 31 | January 25, 2017 | "How Do you Find your Personal Style" | Orlando Soria |
| 32 | February 3, 2017 | "Who's Throwing Shade?" | Erin Gibson |
| 33 | February 8, 2017 | "How Did You Start With Psychedelics?" | Shane Mauss |
| 34 | February 22, 2017 | "What Was Jonathan Like As a Kid?" | Mary Winters |
| 35 | October 10, 2017 | "What's Going on in the Middle East Right Now?" | Dr. James Gelvin |
| 36 | October 26, 2017 | "What's the Giant Fuss About Artificial Intelligence?" | Dr. Ori Amir |
| 37 | November 8, 2017 | "Atlantic Pirates – What's the T?" | Rebecca Simon |
| 38 | November 23, 2017 | "How Did LA Become a Driving Dependent City?" | Christina Copland |
| 39 | December 7, 2017 | "How Come I Don't Know About the Armenian Genocide?" | Dr. Richard Hovannisian |
| 40 | December 20, 2017 | "Taking Care of Yourself Chinese-Style" | Dr. Teresa Wlasiuk |
2018
| Episode # | Date aired | Title | Guest |
| 41 | January 4, 2018 | "What's Up with the Opioid crisis?" | Dr. Chris Evans |
| 42 | January 18, 2018 | "What Do White People Need to Know About Racism?" | Andrew Ti |
| 43 | February 5, 2018 | "What's it Really Like to be a Woman in the Military?" | Linsau Rousseau |
| 44 | February 14, 2018 | "Why Does it Hurt So Bad?" | Professor Catherine Cahill |
| 45 | February 23, 2018 | "What Was it Like Being a VJ?" | Dave Holmes |
| 46 | March 8, 2018 | "Is it Really a China Vs. America World?" | Ryan Patel |
| 47 | March 22, 2018 | Why's the Bail System Such a Hot Mess? | Tim Molina |
| 48 | April 4, 2018 | "Where Are You From, Antoni?" | Antoni Porowski |
| 49 | April 11, 2018 | "What Makes a Cult a Cult?" | Dr. Natalie Feinblatt |
| 50 | April 18, 2018 | "How can we be less rude to bees?" | Professor James Nieh |
| 51 | April 25, 2018 | "Has Britain Screwed Itself With Brexit?" | Mary O'Hara |
| 52 | April 30, 2018 | "What's It Like to Do A Triple Axel?" | Mirai Nagasu |
| 53 | May 9, 2018 | "Who Gave You Permission to be So Cute?" | Karamo Brown |
| 54 | May 16, 2018 | "Who Was the Beyonce of Renaissance Art?" | Professor Lisa Boutin Vitela |
| 55 | May 23, 2018 | "How Does Egg Donor Meet Egg 19 Years Later, Hunties?" | Amy Throckmorton and Elizabeth Gaba |
| 56 | May 30, 2018 | "Is Saudi Arabia Cute Now?" | Professor James Gelvin |
| 57 | June 6, 2018 | "Gender Bias in Film Scoring, What's Her Story?" | Jessica Rae Huber |
| 58 | June 13, 2018 | "British English and American English – What's the Diff?" | Helen Zaltzman |
| 59 | June 18, 2018 | "Who Are You, Tan?" | Tan France |
| 60 | June 27, 2018 | "How to Cut Suicide Rates Among LBGTQ Youth?" | Amit Paley |
| 61 | July 4, 2018 | "How to Apply Ethics to Everyday Life?" | Dr. Ryan Huber |
| 62 | July 10, 2018 | "Did Social Media Make Artists Need to Become Business People Too?" | Austyn Weiner |
| 63 | July 17, 2018 | "How Does Traumatic Family Separation Affect Children?" | Dr. Elizabeth Barnert |
| 64 | July 24, 2018 | "What's Your Origin Story?" | Bobby Berk |
| 65 | July 31, 2018 | "What Goes into a Song?" | Hrishikesh Hirway |
| 66 | August 7, 2018 | "How are the GOP Planning to Keep the Democrats Out of the Midterms?" | Tina Nguyen |
| 67 | August 14, 2018 | "Why is Abstinence Still Being Used to Treat Addiction?" | Dr. Adi Jeffe |
| 68 | August 21, 2018 | "How Did Kim Kardashian Break the Internet?" | Drew Elliott |
| 69 | August 28, 2018 | "Why Are There So Many Questions?" | Justin Theroux |
| 70 | September 4, 2018 | "What's it Like Being the Voice of a Generation?" | Michelle Wolf & Florence Welch |
| 71 | September 11, 2018 | "Being a Fierce Woman in Comedy?" | Nicole Byer & Erin Gibson |
| 72 | September 18, 2018 | "How Are You Bridging Social Media & Lady-Entrepreneurship?" | Reese Witherspoon |
| 73 | September 25, 2018 | "How Could Virtual Reality Help Recover Memories?" | Dr. Nanthia Suthana |
| 74 | October 2, 2018 | "What's Parental Alienation?" | Dr. Amy Baker |
| 75 | October 9, 2018 | "How Does Global Health Affect Everything?" | Dr. Laura Ferguson |
| 76 | October 16, 2018 | "What's it Like Being a Woman in NASCAR?" | Julia Landauer |
| 77 | October 23, 2018 | "How Do We Flip Red States Blue in the Midterms?" | Gaby Goldstein |
| 78 | October 29, 2018 | "What Can Allies Do to Defend Trans Rights?" | Mara Keisling |
| 79 | October 30, 2018 | "What are Emoluments, How Important are Attorneys General & Why is Trump Getting Sued?" | Karl Racine |
| 80 | November 4, 2018 | "Can Your Vote Really Make A Difference?" | Nancy Pelosi |
| 81 | November 6, 2018 | "What is Astronomy Even?" | Paul Geithner |
| 82 | November 13, 2018 | "What is Medical Marijuana & How Does it Work?" | Jeff Chen |
| 83 | November 20, 2018 | "How Do We Know What Words Mean?" | Jessica Rett |
| 84 | November 27, 2018 | "What Do Trade Unions Actually Do?" | Rebecca Givan |
| 85 | December 4, 2018 | "How to Know When You’ve Made it in Music?" | Bishop Briggs |
| 86 | December 11, 2018 | "What's The Cutest Way to Fight Climate Change?" | Anastasia Khoo |
| 87 | December 18, 2018 | "What's Really Going on with Recycling, Hunny?" | Beth Porter |
| 88 | December 25, 2018 | "What's a Therapeutic Clown Even?" | Nimrod Eisenberg |
2019
| Episode # | Date aired | Title | Guest |
| 89 | January 2, 2019 | "How Can We Step in What Katie Couric is Stepping in?" | Katie Couric |
| 90 | January 8, 2019 | "How Do We Touch Untouchable Topics?" | Jodi Picoult |
| 91 | January 15, 2019 | "How Can You Turn Marginalization into Activism?" | Noor Tagouri |
| 92 | January 22, 2019 | "How Do We Treat Our Skin Like the Gorgeous Organ She Is?" | Victoria Tsai |
| 93 | January 27, 2019 | "What's Going on with the Special Counsel Investigation?" | A.G. |
| 94 | January 29, 2019 | "How Do You Ignore Haters & Learn to Love Yourself?" | Jameela Jamil |
| 95 | February 5, 2019 | "Have We Lost the Capacity To Be Civil?" | Sally Kohn |
| 96 | February 12, 2019 | "What The Heck is Going On in Central America Even?" | Shannon K. O'Neil |
| 97 | February 19, 2019 | "How Has Figure Skating Shaped Your Life?" | Michelle Kwan & Eliot Halverson |
| 98 | February 26, 2019 | "What is Toxic Stress & Why is She So Bad?" | Dr. Caroline Leaf |
| 99 | March 5, 2019 | "How Do You Know If Your Bae Is The One?" | Dr. Stan Tatkin |
| 100 | March 12, 2019 | "How Do We Find Our Voice?" | Senator Tammy Baldwin |
| 101 | March 19, 2019 | "Can You Even Believe It's Our 100th Episode?" | |
| 102 | March 26, 2019 | "Who is Enforcing the Clean Water Act?" | Robert Kennedy Jr. |
| 103 | April 2, 2019 | "What Is The Tea with Vaccines, Hunny?" | Dr. Nina Shapiro |
| 104 | April 9, 2019 | "What Do District Attorneys Do?" | District Attorney Rachael Rollins |
| 105 | April 17, 2019 | "Who Gave You Permission to Create Queer Eye, David Collins?" | David Collins |
| 106 | April 24, 2019 | "What the Heck is EMILY's List, Anyway?" | Stephanie Schriock |
| 107 | May 1, 2019 | "How Did Period Awareness Earn You An Oscar?" | Rayka Zehtabchi |
| 108 | May 8, 2019 | "How Are You Fighting For Gender Equality?" | Melinda Gates |
| 109 | May 15, 2019 | "Should I Be Terrified of Snakes... and What are They Going Through These Days Anyway?" | Dr. Sara Ruane |
| 110 | May 22, 2019 | "Would You Make Over the US Constitution?" | Heidi Schrek |
| 111 | May 29, 2019 | "How Did You Get So Dope Queen?" | Phoebe Robinson |
| 112 | June 5, 2019 | "Why Is Immigration a Queer Issue?" | Masha Gessen |
| 113 | June 12, 2019 | "How Fierce is Erin Brockovich?" | Erin Brockovich |
| 114 | June 19, 2019 | "How is the US Funding the War on Yemen?" | Sheba Crocker |
| 115 | June 26, 2019 | "What's Your Experience with the Binary?" | Alok |
| 116 | July 3, 2019 | "Can We Make it the Magnificent 8?" | Shannon Miller |
| 117 | July 10, 2019 | "What's a Dermatologist's Tea on Sunscreen?" | Dr. Emily Newsom |
| 118 | July 17, 2019 | "Are the Democrats As Inclusive As We Think They Are?" | Alicia Garza |
| 119 | July 24, 2019 | "How Did You Learn to Make Pop Music?" | Kim Petras |
| 120 | July 31, 2019 | "Is it Possible That I'm the Most Gorgeuous Hypochondriac That Has Ever Lived?" | Dr. Adam Ratner |
| 121 | August 7, 2019 | "How Has the US Disrupted Native American Food Sources?" | Brittany Jock |
| 122 | August 14, 2019 | "What Was Early America Like Around the Revolutionary War?" | Dr. Jessica Roney |
| 123 | August 21, 2019 | "What is Techno-Chauvinism and Are We Relying Too Much on Unconscious Biased Systems?" | Meredith Broussard |
| 124 | August 28, 2019 | "Why Don't We Know Enough About Ancient Latin American History?" | Ranald Woodaman |
| 125 | September 4, 2019 | "Why is The Census So Majorly F**king Important?" | Ditas Katague |
| 126 | September 11, 2019 | "How Many Cats Am I Allowed To Foster Before It's Illegal?" | Hannah Shaw |
Awards and honors
- 2018 Nominated for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Variety Series for Gay of Thrones
- 2019 winner for Goodreads Choice Award for Memoir and Autobiography for Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love
- 2019 winner of iHeartRadio Podcast Award for Best LGBTQ Podcast
- 2019 winner of Critics Choice Award for Male Star of the Year