https://simplecast.com E Pluribus Motto 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! 2024 Maximum Fun en Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:45:00 +0000 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:45:11 +0000 https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ E Pluribus Motto https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/0838eec6-85d9-4e04-824b-d59d3798a659/283088d4-a695-472a-b87e-031f241fea26/3000x3000/e-pluribus-motto.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ episodic 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! John Hodgman and Janet Varney true https://feeds.simplecast.com/YwW7C_3h janet varney, john hodgman, maximum fun, state mottos, states, us states Maximum Fun shows@maximumfun.org f77f94cf-0e50-4a91-8cd7-f233dc1adafb Episode 21: Puerto Rico - “Joannes est nomen ejus” It’s season 3 of E Pluribus Motto!

Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back with a brand new collection of states and their mottos, iconography, animals, and so much more.

Our first state of this season… isn’t a state at all! It’s the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, birthplace of legends like Rita Moreno, Ricky Martin and Bad Bunny, whose INCREDIBLE Superbowl performance showcased the island’s rich culture.

Puerto Rico is also home to adorable frogs, delicious cuisine and one of the most iconic cryptids of all time: The Chupacabra.

Season three is starting off with a bang. Sorry, season three is starting off with una explosión. 

Produced by Julian Burrell.

Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher.

For all things E Pluribus Motto, visit maximumfun.org/mottos-info.

Want to tell Janet & John something about an upcoming state? Or send a voice memo, photo, or cherished memory? There are lots of options:

Email - Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org

Voice Message  - speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto.

Social Media

Instagram and TikTok.

And if you want to purchase Bulletin Board as a small business in any state this season, you can do so here.

]]> Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:45:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ It’s season 3 of E Pluribus Motto!

Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back with a brand new collection of states and their mottos, iconography, animals, and so much more.

Our first state of this season… isn’t a state at all! It’s the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, birthplace of legends like Rita Moreno, Ricky Martin and Bad Bunny, whose INCREDIBLE Superbowl performance showcased the island’s rich culture.

Puerto Rico is also home to adorable frogs, delicious cuisine and one of the most iconic cryptids of all time: The Chupacabra.

Season three is starting off with a bang. Sorry, season three is starting off with una explosión. 

Produced by Julian Burrell.

Senior Producer at MaxFun is Laura Swisher.

For all things E Pluribus Motto, visit maximumfun.org/mottos-info.

Want to tell Janet & John something about an upcoming state? Or send a voice memo, photo, or cherished memory? There are lots of options:

Email - Emailpluribusmotto@maximumfun.org

Voice Message  - speakpipe.com/epluribusmotto.

Social Media

Instagram and TikTok.

And if you want to purchase Bulletin Board as a small business in any state this season, you can do so here.

]]> Episode 21: Puerto Rico - “Joannes est nomen ejus” Maximum Fun 01:02:43 Our first state of this season… isn’t a state at all! It’s the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, birthplace of legends like Rita Moreno, Ricky Martin and Bad Bunny, whose INCREDIBLE Superbowl performance showcased the island’s rich culture. Our first state of this season… isn’t a state at all! It’s the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, birthplace of legends like Rita Moreno, Ricky Martin and Bad Bunny, whose INCREDIBLE Superbowl performance showcased the island’s rich culture. comedy, john hodgman, commonwealths, puerto rico, podcast, united states, funny, states, us, mottos, janet varney, territory true full 1 3 68f67cff-e322-4650-a6a4-3841d1c3c636 E Pluribus Motto Season 3 begins March 31st! Season 3 of E Pluribus Motto begins March 31st with Puerto Rico! After that, expect new episodes of the show every other Tuesday. 

Here's the full schedule:

March 31: Puerto Rico
April: 14: California
April 20: MaxFun Drive!
May 12:  New Hampshire
May 26: Alabama
June 9: Florida
June 23:  Nebraska
July 7: Washington
July 21: Ohio
August 4: Michigan
August 18: North Dakota

If you'd like to get involved in the show with everything from emails, voice notes and bulletin boards, just go to maximumfun.org/mottos-info.

Plus, you can follow us instagram and tiktok

]]> Thu, 12 Mar 2026 18:35:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ Season 3 of E Pluribus Motto begins March 31st with Puerto Rico! After that, expect new episodes of the show every other Tuesday. 

Here's the full schedule:

March 31: Puerto Rico
April: 14: California
April 20: MaxFun Drive!
May 12:  New Hampshire
May 26: Alabama
June 9: Florida
June 23:  Nebraska
July 7: Washington
July 21: Ohio
August 4: Michigan
August 18: North Dakota

If you'd like to get involved in the show with everything from emails, voice notes and bulletin boards, just go to maximumfun.org/mottos-info.

Plus, you can follow us instagram and tiktok

]]> E Pluribus Motto Season 3 begins March 31st! Maximum Fun 00:03:17 Season 3 of E Pluribus Motto begins March 31st with Puerto Rico! After that, expect new episodes of the show every other Tuesday. Season 3 of E Pluribus Motto begins March 31st with Puerto Rico! After that, expect new episodes of the show every other Tuesday. true bonus 3 2d7f5890-c2ea-438a-9ff2-6734751a480a 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. 

]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ 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. 

]]> E Pluribus Motto LIVE at SF Sketchfest! Maximum Fun 00:01:40 E Pluribus Motto will be live at SF Sketchfest this January! Will we see YOU there? E Pluribus Motto will be live at SF Sketchfest this January! Will we see YOU there? true bonus 2 9292c039-ab2e-442b-bb4b-9ebd9d6f0e00 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.

]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2025 23:30:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ 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.

]]> Episode 20: Nevada - “All for our Country” Maximum Fun 01:30:31 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! 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! comedy, john hodgman, commonwealths, podcast, united states, funny, states, us, nevada, mottos, janet varney, silver state true full 10 2 7c845d17-11e5-4ccd-9ebe-7768d472776d 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.

]]> Tue, 28 Oct 2025 23:10:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ 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.

]]> Episode 19: Washington D.C. - “Justicia Omnibus” Maximum Fun 01:30:51 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. 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. comedy, john hodgman, washington d.c., commonwealths, podcast, united states, funny, states, us, capital, mottos, janet varney true full 9 2 4ff8e3e8-2c7e-42e9-882d-0bdbacb3da72 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.

]]> Tue, 14 Oct 2025 22:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ 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.

]]> Episode 18: Pennsylvania - “Virtue, liberty and independence” Maximum Fun 01:40:22 Janet Varney and John Hodgman have arrived in the keystone state! First order of business: What on Earth is a keystone anyway? Janet Varney and John Hodgman have arrived in the keystone state! First order of business: What on Earth is a keystone anyway? comedy, john hodgman, commonwealths, pittsburgh, podcast, united states, funny, pennsylvania, keystone, states, philadelphia, us, hal lublin, paul f. tompkins, mottos, accents, janet varney true full 8 2 6e1673d3-00d1-4bf9-9411-1dd1fd2ff411 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.

]]> Tue, 30 Sep 2025 23:20:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ 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.

]]> Episode 17: Iowa- “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.” Maximum Fun 01:20:09 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!). 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!). comedy, hawkeyes, john hodgman, commonwealths, iowa, united states, funny, states, hawkeye state, us, our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain, mottos, janet varney true full 7 2 26fbdbeb-071d-4015-ab04-7f33d96d8f2a 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.

]]> Tue, 16 Sep 2025 17:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ 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.

]]> Episode 16: Oregon - “Alis Volat Propriis” Maximum Fun 01:11:48 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. 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. comedy, pacific-northwest, john hodgman, commonwealths, oregon, united states, funny, pnw, states, douglas-fir, us, beaver, mottos, janet varney true full 6 2 5fdf2e12-eed1-4c00-9fd4-4c0d62888230 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.

]]> Tue, 2 Sep 2025 19:10:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ 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.

]]> Episode 15: New Mexico - “Crescit eundo” Maximum Fun 01:37:41 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.” 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.” comedy, john hodgman, commonwealths, united states, funny, books, states, us, the land of enchantment, new mexico, ghost towns, mottos, janet varney true full 5 2 f19878fe-f0fa-4c99-bba3-6ce4856ec760 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.

]]> Tue, 19 Aug 2025 20:30:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ 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.

]]> Episode 14: Kentucky - “United we stand, divided we fall” Maximum Fun 01:16:24 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. 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. comedy, john hodgman, commonwealths, united states, funny, kentucky, united we stand, states, us, divided we fall, mottos, janet varney, blue grass state true full 4 2 6b2ed848-d60f-49db-972b-58b9eca928d9 Episode 13: Wisconsin - “Forward” Janet Varney and John Hodgman  are ready to yell, “On Wisconsin!” And no, that’s not the official state motto. The actual one is MUCH more boring.

But there’s still so much to love about Wisconsin; that includes a lot of really lovely history, landmarks and accents. Plus, what’s a conversation about Wisconsin without a lot of cheese chatter?

Episode cover art provided by:

Shaleigh Sugden

Laura Swisher

Megan Hauser

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.

]]> Tue, 5 Aug 2025 18:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ Janet Varney and John Hodgman  are ready to yell, “On Wisconsin!” And no, that’s not the official state motto. The actual one is MUCH more boring.

But there’s still so much to love about Wisconsin; that includes a lot of really lovely history, landmarks and accents. Plus, what’s a conversation about Wisconsin without a lot of cheese chatter?

Episode cover art provided by:

Shaleigh Sugden

Laura Swisher

Megan Hauser

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.

]]> Episode 13: Wisconsin - “Forward” Maximum Fun 01:20:53 Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to yell, “On Wisconsin!” And no, that’s not the official state motto. The actual one is MUCH more boring. Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to yell, “On Wisconsin!” And no, that’s not the official state motto. The actual one is MUCH more boring. true full 3 2 af96907b-a0ad-4b2e-a9a1-6110b7960d2c Minnesota - “L'etoile du Nord” Janet Varney and John Hodgman  are ready to dive into some lakes! And what better place to do that than the state with more than 10,000 of them?

That’s right, the next stop is Minnesota. It’s got a shiny new state flag and seal that’s ready for a proper review. Plus, we are so, so excited to showcase our very first FRENCH state motto!

Episode cover art provided by:

John Moe

Megan Sorenson

Allison Kelly

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.

]]> Tue, 22 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ Janet Varney and John Hodgman  are ready to dive into some lakes! And what better place to do that than the state with more than 10,000 of them?

That’s right, the next stop is Minnesota. It’s got a shiny new state flag and seal that’s ready for a proper review. Plus, we are so, so excited to showcase our very first FRENCH state motto!

Episode cover art provided by:

John Moe

Megan Sorenson

Allison Kelly

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.

]]> Minnesota - “L'etoile du Nord” Maximum Fun 01:17:57 Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to dive into some lakes! And what better place to do that than the state with more than 10,000 of them? Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to dive into some lakes! And what better place to do that than the state with more than 10,000 of them? comedy, john hodgman, commonwealths, seals, united states, funny, flags, minnesota, states, lakes, us, mottos, janet varney true full 2 2 6c6a7195-7d74-4fbc-8c70-2af273889fd5 Maryland - “Fatti Maschii Parole Femine” Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back with Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. 

They’ve chosen none other than Maryland to kick off this brand new tour of state mottos and iconography. Everything from the very busy state flag, the state song, the state spirit and more will be discussed.

Plus… what better way to get Season 2 started than with the return of a LATIN motto?

Episode cover art provided by:

Meaghan Harper

Jeff McLain (Unsplash)

Lenny Rogers (Pixabay)

Bruce Emmerling (Pixabay)

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

]]> Tue, 8 Jul 2025 19:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back with Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. 

They’ve chosen none other than Maryland to kick off this brand new tour of state mottos and iconography. Everything from the very busy state flag, the state song, the state spirit and more will be discussed.

Plus… what better way to get Season 2 started than with the return of a LATIN motto?

Episode cover art provided by:

Meaghan Harper

Jeff McLain (Unsplash)

Lenny Rogers (Pixabay)

Bruce Emmerling (Pixabay)

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

]]> Maryland - “Fatti Maschii Parole Femine” Maximum Fun 01:15:23 Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back with Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. They’ve chosen none other than Maryland to kick off this brand new tour of state mottos and iconography. Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back with Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. They’ve chosen none other than Maryland to kick off this brand new tour of state mottos and iconography. comedy, john hodgman, commonwealths, united states, funny, states, us, maryland, mottos, janet varney true full 1 2 5ee370df-8041-4dd3-b484-caaf0b47e7e8 Mail from around the states! Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back! This is a brief reprieve from the wait for Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. 

The pair respond to a number of emails and voice notes from listeners. There’s plenty of corrections on previous episodes and information about all the states, commonwealths, and districts(!) that will be covered next season.

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

]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 20:15:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back! This is a brief reprieve from the wait for Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. 

The pair respond to a number of emails and voice notes from listeners. There’s plenty of corrections on previous episodes and information about all the states, commonwealths, and districts(!) that will be covered next season.

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

]]> Mail from around the states! Maximum Fun 01:13:17 Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back! This is a brief reprieve from the wait for Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. Janet Varney and John Hodgman are back! This is a brief reprieve from the wait for Season 2 of E Pluribus Motto. comedy, john hodgman, commonwealths, united states, funny, states, us, mottos, janet varney true bonus 1 a825817b-3688-479a-9a6a-4c89b6bdf85b #MaxFunDrive special – Even MORE State Cryptids Happy MaxFun Drive!

This show is supported by our beloved MaxFun Members! To become one yourself as part of the #MaxFunDrive, go to maximumfun.org/join and set up a recurring monthly contribution (or an annual prepay) for as little as $5 a month. 

Janet Varney celebrates MORE state cryptids from our wonderful E Pluribus Motto listeners. Some of them are spiritual, some are disturbing but we love hearing about them all.  

Not only that, but we’ll get to hear even more about the effect that these cryptids have on you as listeners who share a state with them. 

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.

]]> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ Happy MaxFun Drive!

This show is supported by our beloved MaxFun Members! To become one yourself as part of the #MaxFunDrive, go to maximumfun.org/join and set up a recurring monthly contribution (or an annual prepay) for as little as $5 a month. 

Janet Varney celebrates MORE state cryptids from our wonderful E Pluribus Motto listeners. Some of them are spiritual, some are disturbing but we love hearing about them all.  

Not only that, but we’ll get to hear even more about the effect that these cryptids have on you as listeners who share a state with them. 

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.

]]> #MaxFunDrive special – Even MORE State Cryptids Maximum Fun 00:14:53 Janet Varney celebrates MORE state cryptids from our wonderful E Pluribus Motto listeners. Janet Varney celebrates MORE state cryptids from our wonderful E Pluribus Motto listeners. bigfoot, john hodgman, creatures, podcast, loch ness, moth man, spooky, janet varney, cryptids true bonus 1 a23b2eb9-e2ab-4d43-b6f0-37e5ea2c0344 #MaxFunDrive special – State Cryptids Happy MaxFun Drive!

This show is supported by our beloved MaxFun Members! To become one yourself as part of the #MaxFunDrive, go to maximumfun.org/join and set up a recurring monthly contribution (or an annual prepay) for as little as $5 a month. 

Janet Varney and John Hodgman explore the legendary, creepy, adorable and mysterious cryptids that (possibly) exist across this country.

The bipedal creatures with wings of bats, fur, jurassic flippers or glistening fangs are out there… possibly. And several will get a spotlight on this wonderful exploration. 

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.

]]> Mon, 24 Mar 2025 19:42:33 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ Happy MaxFun Drive!

This show is supported by our beloved MaxFun Members! To become one yourself as part of the #MaxFunDrive, go to maximumfun.org/join and set up a recurring monthly contribution (or an annual prepay) for as little as $5 a month. 

Janet Varney and John Hodgman explore the legendary, creepy, adorable and mysterious cryptids that (possibly) exist across this country.

The bipedal creatures with wings of bats, fur, jurassic flippers or glistening fangs are out there… possibly. And several will get a spotlight on this wonderful exploration. 

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.

]]> #MaxFunDrive special – State Cryptids Maximum Fun 01:19:16 Janet Varney and John Hodgman explore the legendary, creepy, adorable and mysterious cryptids that (possibly) exist across this country. Janet Varney and John Hodgman explore the legendary, creepy, adorable and mysterious cryptids that (possibly) exist across this country. bigfoot, john hodgman, creatures, podcast, loch ness, moth man, spooky, janet varney, cryptids true bonus 1 2f1b8f42-55a5-4b2a-ab51-9b15ee492eed #MaxFunDrive special – Amy Holden Jones Janet Varney and John Hodgman chat about the start of the #MaxFunDrive!

This episode is being released on the first day of the drive– March 17th. Now is the time to go to maximumfun.org/join to become a MaxFun Member. For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure that this podcast continues and earn great gifts in the process.

Then, it’s Janet’s full conversation with filmmaker Amy Holden Jones. 

We’ll learn more about how a very specific location in Connecticut inspired the title of Amy’s film Mystic Pizza, why it was important for her to make a movie about women coming of age and what she thinks about Connecticut’s all-too-complicated motto.

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.

]]> Mon, 17 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ Janet Varney and John Hodgman chat about the start of the #MaxFunDrive!

This episode is being released on the first day of the drive– March 17th. Now is the time to go to maximumfun.org/join to become a MaxFun Member. For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure that this podcast continues and earn great gifts in the process.

Then, it’s Janet’s full conversation with filmmaker Amy Holden Jones. 

We’ll learn more about how a very specific location in Connecticut inspired the title of Amy’s film Mystic Pizza, why it was important for her to make a movie about women coming of age and what she thinks about Connecticut’s all-too-complicated motto.

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.

]]> #MaxFunDrive special – Amy Holden Jones Maximum Fun 00:30:52 Janet Varney and John Hodgman chat about the start of the #MaxFunDrive! And then we'll hear from filmmaker Amy Holden Jones. Janet Varney and John Hodgman chat about the start of the #MaxFunDrive! And then we'll hear from filmmaker Amy Holden Jones. amy holden jones, comedy, mystic pizza, john hodgman, film, state mottos, podcast, funny, states, rich sandy loam, interview, mottos, janet varney true bonus 1 1a8b431e-6648-4221-a3bc-69d1b2ce9ba3 Tennessee - Agriculture and Commerce John Hodgman and Janet Varney are pouring some lovely Tennessee tea on the season finale of E Pluribus Motto!

That’s right, Tennessee is the final state and motto of season one. So does it have a strong, compelling and rich phrase to close us out strong? No!

But there’s still a lot to discuss, including some personal travel stories through the state, what its flat top shape makes us think of, and… the national treasure that is Dolly Parton.

Plus, a chat Tennessee’s own Mark Gagliardi from the podcast “We Got This,” who will be quizzed about his knowledge of his home state.

Episode art provided by: 

Trish

Jillian St. Charles

Kevin Lam

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

.

]]> Tue, 4 Feb 2025 21:30:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ John Hodgman and Janet Varney are pouring some lovely Tennessee tea on the season finale of E Pluribus Motto!

That’s right, Tennessee is the final state and motto of season one. So does it have a strong, compelling and rich phrase to close us out strong? No!

But there’s still a lot to discuss, including some personal travel stories through the state, what its flat top shape makes us think of, and… the national treasure that is Dolly Parton.

Plus, a chat Tennessee’s own Mark Gagliardi from the podcast “We Got This,” who will be quizzed about his knowledge of his home state.

Episode art provided by: 

Trish

Jillian St. Charles

Kevin Lam

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

.

]]> Tennessee - Agriculture and Commerce Maximum Fun 01:20:58 John Hodgman and Janet Varney are pouring some lovely Tennessee tea on the season finale of E Pluribus Motto! John Hodgman and Janet Varney are pouring some lovely Tennessee tea on the season finale of E Pluribus Motto! we got this, comedy, illinois, john hodgman, state mottos, dolly parton, podcast, podcast, mottoes, states, tennessee, interview, mark gagliardi, janet varney true full 10 1 75d8c276-0a98-43a8-be68-d87c2cc15c36 Illinois - State Sovereignty, National Union John Hodgman and Janet Varney are calling for freedom from the juventocracy as they visit Illinois!

It’s got a motto that makes you think but a state seal that’s very confusing and unappealing. But the pair promise to be fair judges.

How do you decide what food and critters are good enough to be official representations of your home? Let the children decide of course! That’s right, Illinois allowed the… admittedly middling opinions of elementary school kids to decide on a variety of state symbols.

We’ll get into all of those and even discuss some of the famous nicknames for the cities of the Illinoisans.

Justice for the 13 striped ground squirrel!

Episode art provided by: 

Hannah Owens

Claire O’Hanlon

Rob Bond

Androo Gardner

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

.

]]> Tue, 21 Jan 2025 22:25:42 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ John Hodgman and Janet Varney are calling for freedom from the juventocracy as they visit Illinois!

It’s got a motto that makes you think but a state seal that’s very confusing and unappealing. But the pair promise to be fair judges.

How do you decide what food and critters are good enough to be official representations of your home? Let the children decide of course! That’s right, Illinois allowed the… admittedly middling opinions of elementary school kids to decide on a variety of state symbols.

We’ll get into all of those and even discuss some of the famous nicknames for the cities of the Illinoisans.

Justice for the 13 striped ground squirrel!

Episode art provided by: 

Hannah Owens

Claire O’Hanlon

Rob Bond

Androo Gardner

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

.

]]> Illinois - State Sovereignty, National Union Maximum Fun 01:16:30 John Hodgman and Janet Varney are calling for freedom from the juventocracy as they visit Illinois! John Hodgman and Janet Varney are calling for freedom from the juventocracy as they visit Illinois! comedy, illinois, national union, john hodgman, state mottos, podcast, funny, mottoes, states, 13 striped ground squirrel, interview, state sovereignty, janet varney, sucker state true full 9 1 5ac03d3e-e068-458c-b64d-52852fec7f58 Georgia - Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation (Unofficial) John Hodgman and Janet Varney are ready for an episode as sweet as a peach: Georgia! 

Up until now we’ve dealt exclusively with official mottos. But Georgia just had to buck tradition with an UNofficial motto. 

Thankfully we’ve still got a lot of symbols that did make the cut. From frogs, dogs, whales and fruit. 

Episode art provided by: 

Kevin Lam

Ryan Lloyd

C.N. Josephs

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.

]]> Mon, 6 Jan 2025 08:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ John Hodgman and Janet Varney are ready for an episode as sweet as a peach: Georgia! 

Up until now we’ve dealt exclusively with official mottos. But Georgia just had to buck tradition with an UNofficial motto. 

Thankfully we’ve still got a lot of symbols that did make the cut. From frogs, dogs, whales and fruit. 

Episode art provided by: 

Kevin Lam

Ryan Lloyd

C.N. Josephs

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.

]]> Georgia - Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation (Unofficial) Maximum Fun 01:07:19 John Hodgman and Janet Varney are ready for an episode as sweet as a peach: Georgia! John Hodgman and Janet Varney are ready for an episode as sweet as a peach: Georgia! comedy, john hodgman, marvel movies, georgia, state mottos, podcast, funny, mottoes, states, interview, mcu, peaches, janet varney true full 8 1 5920605a-f678-40ad-862f-5c1250f70139 Vermont - Freedom and Unity There’s a bit of maple in the air because this week John Hodgman and Janet Varney visit Vermont! 

Green mountain boys and sea monsters await.

Plus: A motto so good that it makes us rethink our opinions about the other mottos we’ve graded so far. (Sorry New York– looks like “Excelsior!” might be inferior).

And you know what this episode pairs great with? A big ol’ plate of pancakes with some freshly tapped Vermont maple syrup.

Episode art provided by: 

Jayne Kennedy

Jackie Gray

Kate Thomas

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.

]]> Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ There’s a bit of maple in the air because this week John Hodgman and Janet Varney visit Vermont! 

Green mountain boys and sea monsters await.

Plus: A motto so good that it makes us rethink our opinions about the other mottos we’ve graded so far. (Sorry New York– looks like “Excelsior!” might be inferior).

And you know what this episode pairs great with? A big ol’ plate of pancakes with some freshly tapped Vermont maple syrup.

Episode art provided by: 

Jayne Kennedy

Jackie Gray

Kate Thomas

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.

]]> Vermont - Freedom and Unity Maximum Fun 00:51:13 There’s a bit of maple in the air because this week John Hodgman and Janet Varney visit Vermont! There’s a bit of maple in the air because this week John Hodgman and Janet Varney visit Vermont! vermont, comedy, john hodgman, maple, freedom and unity, state mottos, podcast, funny, mottoes, scents, states, syrup, interview, janet varney true full 7 1 2a4d21ef-1172-4fb7-96cf-fc854d7ee43b New York - Excelsior! John Hodgman and Janet Varney are heading ever upward! This week is all about New York!

We’re going through a bunch of the Empire state’s historical highlights, from the compelling to the goofy. The two will reminisce about how New York has personally touched their lives and explain why this motto is so Amazing, Spectacular, Incredible and Fantastic. 

Plus: Beavers!

Episode art provided by: 

Lizzie Bartelt

Cookie Leibler

Liam Jeffries

Risa Stroble

Gerald J.  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

]]> Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:41:59 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ John Hodgman and Janet Varney are heading ever upward! This week is all about New York!

We’re going through a bunch of the Empire state’s historical highlights, from the compelling to the goofy. The two will reminisce about how New York has personally touched their lives and explain why this motto is so Amazing, Spectacular, Incredible and Fantastic. 

Plus: Beavers!

Episode art provided by: 

Lizzie Bartelt

Cookie Leibler

Liam Jeffries

Risa Stroble

Gerald J.  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

]]> New York - Excelsior! Maximum Fun 00:58:45 John Hodgman and Janet Varney are heading ever upward! This week is all about New York! John Hodgman and Janet Varney are heading ever upward! This week is all about New York! comedy, john hodgman, motto, stan lee, state mottos, podcast, funny, new york, mottoes, states, interview, excelsior, janet varney, marvel true full 6 1 483ae073-8cba-43a1-b46b-81eaf7761604 South Carolina - Dum Spiro Spero & Animis Opibusque Parati John Hodgman presents to Janet Varney the state that’s obsessed with having an excessive amount of mottos: South Carolina!

It features two mottoes, two official state drinks, two official state marine mammals and more. And that’s before we discuss how busy the state seal is.

Yet for all that, the state has a very tastefully reserved flag and a really charming fondness of the creatures like the wolf spider.

So settle into your little burrow and grab a pile of boiled peanuts.

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.

]]> Mon, 25 Nov 2024 23:30:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ John Hodgman presents to Janet Varney the state that’s obsessed with having an excessive amount of mottos: South Carolina!

It features two mottoes, two official state drinks, two official state marine mammals and more. And that’s before we discuss how busy the state seal is.

Yet for all that, the state has a very tastefully reserved flag and a really charming fondness of the creatures like the wolf spider.

So settle into your little burrow and grab a pile of boiled peanuts.

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.

]]> South Carolina - Dum Spiro Spero & Animis Opibusque Parati Maximum Fun 00:52:28 John Hodgman presents to Janet Varney the state that’s obsessed with having an excessive amount of mottos: South Carolina! John Hodgman presents to Janet Varney the state that’s obsessed with having an excessive amount of mottos: South Carolina! comedy, john hodgman, motto, wolf spider, as i breath i hope, state mottos, podcast, funny, mottoes, states, dum spiro spero, animis opibusque parati, south carolina, interview, janet varney true full 5 1 5dab2472-05e3-43d7-87d0-072d491b9556 Virginia - Sic Semper Tyrannis Janet Varney presents to John Hodgman the commonwealth of Virginia!

What a creature filled state! Everything from tiny bats with big ears, directional cardinals and water-based horses. 

But before we can get to any of that we have to discuss that motto. Sure it’s a little aggressive and has some unfortunate historical baggage; but you’ll hear why it’s actually a very hopeful message. 

Plus, we’re joined by Dimitry Pompée, one of the hosts of the MaxFun podcast “Eurovangelists,” which is all about the song contest: Eurovision. He’s also a longtime resident of Viriginia. And even though he’s loved living elsewhere, he’ll tell us why he just can’t quit the Mother of States. 

And before you ask… yes, this podcast is for lovers.

Special thanks to Laura Kicklighter and Denise Sumiel for supplying episode art this week!

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

.

]]> Mon, 11 Nov 2024 22:20:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ Janet Varney presents to John Hodgman the commonwealth of Virginia!

What a creature filled state! Everything from tiny bats with big ears, directional cardinals and water-based horses. 

But before we can get to any of that we have to discuss that motto. Sure it’s a little aggressive and has some unfortunate historical baggage; but you’ll hear why it’s actually a very hopeful message. 

Plus, we’re joined by Dimitry Pompée, one of the hosts of the MaxFun podcast “Eurovangelists,” which is all about the song contest: Eurovision. He’s also a longtime resident of Viriginia. And even though he’s loved living elsewhere, he’ll tell us why he just can’t quit the Mother of States. 

And before you ask… yes, this podcast is for lovers.

Special thanks to Laura Kicklighter and Denise Sumiel for supplying episode art this week!

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

.

]]> Virginia - Sic Semper Tyrannis Maximum Fun 01:00:29 Janet Varney presents to John Hodgman the commonwealth of Virginia! What a creature filled state! Everything from tiny bats with big ears, directional cardinals and water-based horses. Janet Varney presents to John Hodgman the commonwealth of Virginia! What a creature filled state! Everything from tiny bats with big ears, directional cardinals and water-based horses. comedy, john hodgman, virginia, state mottos, podcast, funny, virginia is for lovers, sic semper tyrannis, states, dimitry pompee, eurovangelists, interview, mottos, janet varney true full 4 1 21058209-d78a-4197-827d-c77b4ec55d1c Massachusetts - Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem John Hodgman presents his home commonwealth to Janet Varney. It’s time to spotlight Massachusetts!

Keep your Boston accents to yourself (for now) because we’ll learn more about how its motto was born from was born from an incredibly aggressive guest book entry and the numerous songs that have fought status within Massachusetts.

Plus, John will chat with Kate Lorch. As an elementary school student she struck a major political victory: getting Massachusetts an official state muffin. 

Special thanks to Denise Falbo for supplying episode art this week!

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.

]]> Mon, 28 Oct 2024 19:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ John Hodgman presents his home commonwealth to Janet Varney. It’s time to spotlight Massachusetts!

Keep your Boston accents to yourself (for now) because we’ll learn more about how its motto was born from was born from an incredibly aggressive guest book entry and the numerous songs that have fought status within Massachusetts.

Plus, John will chat with Kate Lorch. As an elementary school student she struck a major political victory: getting Massachusetts an official state muffin. 

Special thanks to Denise Falbo for supplying episode art this week!

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.

]]> Massachusetts - Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem Maximum Fun 00:49:10 John Hodgman presents his home commonwealth to Janet Varney. It’s time to spotlight Massachusetts! John Hodgman presents his home commonwealth to Janet Varney. It’s time to spotlight Massachusetts! comedy, kate lorch, john hodgman, state mottos, podcast, funny, food, states, google, massachusetts, log book, interview, mottos, janet varney, corn muffin true full 3 1 de5ab20c-92d3-443d-a4b3-2f316c52031d Rhode Island - Hope It’s Janet Varney’s turn to present to John Hodgman; it’s the biggest little state in the union: Rhode Island!

While Rhode Island does have a limited presence in pop culture, it still has a lot of great songs devoted to it. And we’re happy to showcase a few.

We’ll find out what exactly a “stuffy” is and why this state motto is so simple and yet perfect.

Plus, we’ll hear from Julian Fellowes, creator of the shows “Downton Abbey” and “The Gilded Age.” The latter is filmed in Newport, Rhode Island. We’ll learn more about why Julian was so taken with the location and what he thinks of the Rhode Island state motto.

Special thanks to listeners Ryan Michney and Thomas Westgate for providing photos for this episode art. 

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.

]]> Mon, 14 Oct 2024 16:10:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ It’s Janet Varney’s turn to present to John Hodgman; it’s the biggest little state in the union: Rhode Island!

While Rhode Island does have a limited presence in pop culture, it still has a lot of great songs devoted to it. And we’re happy to showcase a few.

We’ll find out what exactly a “stuffy” is and why this state motto is so simple and yet perfect.

Plus, we’ll hear from Julian Fellowes, creator of the shows “Downton Abbey” and “The Gilded Age.” The latter is filmed in Newport, Rhode Island. We’ll learn more about why Julian was so taken with the location and what he thinks of the Rhode Island state motto.

Special thanks to listeners Ryan Michney and Thomas Westgate for providing photos for this episode art. 

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.

]]> Rhode Island - Hope Maximum Fun 00:47:34 It’s Janet Varney’s turn to present to John Hodgman; it’s the biggest little state in the union: Rhode Island! It’s Janet Varney’s turn to present to John Hodgman; it’s the biggest little state in the union: Rhode Island! comedy, john hodgman, julian fellowes, rhode island, state mottos, podcast, funny, downton abbey, the gilded age, states, hope, the breakers, interview, mottos, janet varney true full 2 1 758eef28-c5cc-460c-a1fa-205224c0dff6 Connecticut - Qui transtulit sustinet It’s the very first episode of E Pluribus Motto!

John Hodgman and Janet Varney’s first stop on their tour of every state, commonwealth and territory in the United States is Connecticut. Why Connecticut first? They’ll explain.

Hear more about its legendary rich, sandy loam, the grape-filled seal, and its many attempts to create a state motto that sticks.

Plus, Janet speaks with Amy Holden Jones, creator of the film Mystic Pizza. Amy will tell us about how her movie was directly inspired by Connecticut… and give her own suggestions for a new state motto.

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

]]> Mon, 14 Oct 2024 16:05:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Maximum Fun) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ It’s the very first episode of E Pluribus Motto!

John Hodgman and Janet Varney’s first stop on their tour of every state, commonwealth and territory in the United States is Connecticut. Why Connecticut first? They’ll explain.

Hear more about its legendary rich, sandy loam, the grape-filled seal, and its many attempts to create a state motto that sticks.

Plus, Janet speaks with Amy Holden Jones, creator of the film Mystic Pizza. Amy will tell us about how her movie was directly inspired by Connecticut… and give her own suggestions for a new state motto.

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

]]> Connecticut - Qui transtulit sustinet Maximum Fun 01:00:16 John Hodgman and Janet Varney’s first stop on their tour of every state, commonwealth and territory in the United States is Connecticut John Hodgman and Janet Varney’s first stop on their tour of every state, commonwealth and territory in the United States is Connecticut amy holden jones, comedy, mystic pizza, john hodgman, film, state mottos, podcast, funny, states, rich sandy loam, interview, mottos, janet varney true full 1 1 83c6984e-6a6d-4532-9f9c-35517d1f5d9d Coming soon from Maximum Fun: E Pluribus Motto 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!

]]> Tue, 1 Oct 2024 18:00:00 +0000 shows@maximumfun.org (Janet Varney, John Hodgman) https://maximumfun.org/podcasts/e-pluribus-motto/ 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!

]]> Coming soon from Maximum Fun: E Pluribus Motto Janet Varney, John Hodgman 00:03:47 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! 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! e pluribus motto true trailer 1