Who Are The Fab Five Of The Great Ape Family? with Dr. Laura Simone Lewis

Who Are The Fab Five Of The Great Ape Family? with Dr. Laura Simone Lewis

Author: Sony Music Entertainment / Jonathan Van Ness February 22, 2023 Duration: 53:49
Gorillas. Orangutans. Bonobos. Chimpanzees. Humans. Can you name a more iconic Fab Five? This week, Dr. Laura Simone Lewis joins Jonathan for an episode all about our beautiful primate family tree! Listen in to learn how we’re related, what makes each species unique, and why we need to step up conservation efforts for our closest living relatives on the planet.   Dr. Laura Simone Lewis is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, and earned her PhD from Harvard in the department of Human Evolutionary Biology. Laura studies how social cognition has evolved in chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans. Besides hanging out with great apes, she loves swimming in the ocean, making pottery, and going on solo travel adventures around the world.   You can follow Dr. Lewis on Twitter @LauraSimoneLew. Here's a link to the chart on human evolutionary pathways. And here's a link to the great ape family tree, with a photo of Jonathan at the center! We have so much more ground to cover with Dr. Lewis, and we’re already planning a follow-up episode about social cognition in chimpanzees and bonobos. If you have a question for Dr. Lewis, leave us a voicemail or text message at (917) 960-2980, or share your message with us at jonathanvanness.com.   Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @CuriousWithJVN to join the conversation.   Jonathan is on Instagram and Twitter @JVN and @Jonathan.Vanness on Facebook.   Transcripts for each episode are available at JonathanVanNess.com.   Our executive producer is Erica Getto. Our associate producer is Zahra Crim. Our editor is Andrew Carson.   Our theme music is “Freak” by QUIÑ; for more, head to TheQuinCat.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know that feeling when you’re just trying to figure it all out, and you need a guide who’s equal parts insightful and hilarious? That’s the space where Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness lives. Hosted by the beloved Jonathan Van Ness of Queer Eye, this podcast turns genuine curiosity into a powerful engine for personal growth. Each episode feels like a vibrant conversation with a deeply empathetic friend who isn’t afraid to ask the big, awkward, or wonderfully silly questions. Jonathan sits down with a diverse array of experts, authors, and thinkers, weaving together discussions that are as enlightening as they are unexpectedly funny. The result is a unique blend of education, comedy, and culture that tackles everything from societal issues to the intimate details of self-improvement. You’ll find yourself laughing one moment and having a profound revelation the next, all while feeling less alone in the challenges of modern life. This isn’t about quick fixes; it’s about the ongoing, messy, and beautiful process of understanding ourselves and the world. Produced in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment, the podcast delivers consistently engaging audio experiences that are both a lifeline and a joy. Tune in for a weekly dose of warmth, wit, and the kind of conversations that leave you feeling genuinely better equipped to navigate your own path.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness
Podcast Episodes
Ten Seasons of Queer Eye: The Heroes Who Changed Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:27
Queer Eye Season 10 is upon us! This week, JVN gets personal and reflects on the last decade making Queer Eye. They also catch up with iconic heroes Tammye Hicks, Kathi Dooley, and Angel Flores on this very special celeb…
Queer Eye's Final Season, Bag University, Mifepristone SCOTUS Hearing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:21
This week we’re talking: the Final Queer Eye Season, Australia & New Zealand & Comedy Tour, Bag Purchase Update, Supreme Court Abortion Access Hearing, Co-Workers & Politics, and our HBOTW The Monday Edit, now on YouTube…
When Wellness Turns Dangerous: Inside the OneTaste Cult [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:55
Why do people join cults? JVN is joined by investigative journalist Ellen Huet, who spent years interviewing more than 125 former members to expose how a movement built around empowerment, intimacy, and “sexual wellness”…
Minneapolis, Policing Language, Bag Advice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:21
The Monday Edit, now on YouTube! This week: Wigs, buying bags, JVN Hairspray Launch, policing language, Gwyneth Paltrow singing, Renee Good, Minneapolis, Reading vs. Audiobooks. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive co…
Do I Have High-Functioning Depression? ( Dr. Judith Joseph) – ICYMI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:40
High-Functioning Depression—what does it really look like? ICYMI: JVN is joined by the brilliant Dr. Judith Joseph, a board-certified psychiatrist and researcher, to explore high-functioning depression — what it is, how…
Are You Burnt Out? Learn How To PLAY Again! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:46
Play isn’t something we grow out of — it’s something we desperately need to return to. When was the last time you truly played — without trying to be productive, impressive, or good at it? This week on Getting Better, JV…
Feeling Isolated? Do This ONE Thing To Rebuild Real Connection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:17
Connection isn’t just about being around people — it’s about feeling seen. This week on Getting Better, JVN sits down certified mental health coach and founder of the SEEN Method, Morgan Burch, for a powerful conversatio…
Cleansing Our 2025 Algorithms - ICYMI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:00
This week, we’re looking back at our favorite Monday Edit moments - just like in the Golden Girls when they sit at the kitchen table with their cheesecake and reminiscence, we're looking back at what was going on in YOUR…