CLASSY with JONATHAN MENJIVAR (Deep Dive): May 2024

This month we’re doing another deep dive into a single podcast: Classy with Jonathan Menjivar. Classy is a collection of surprising stories, juicy and uncomfortable interviews, and engaging segments that explore the ways that class infiltrates our day-to-day lives. In the host seat is Jonathan Menjivar – a working-class Latino kid who started working in media and became someone who likes oysters, wears cashmere socks, and is very conflicted about all of it. The show was named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by The New Yorker, Time, The Atlantic, Apple, Vogue, the CBC, and Lifehacker. It was also nominated for a 2024 Webby for Best Podcast Series.

Podcast Playlist on DEEP DIVE: CLASSY WITH JONATHAN MENJIVAR

Get the full playlist on your podcast player of choice using these platforms:

 
Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: “Are Rich People Bad?” (June 2023, 45 min)
Jonathan has some hangups about class. In the first episode of this series, he takes us from a nightclub outside LA to the halls of a fancy Manhattan prep school, and asks sociologist Rachel Sherman ‘are rich people bad?’
Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: “A Classy (and Uncomfortable) Laugh with Terry Gross” (June 2023, 33 min)
How do we change ourselves to fit in at work? Jonathan unpacks class divisions in the workplace with his former boss and public radio legend, Terry Gross.
Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: “Hemmed In” (June 2023, 41 min)
We can’t talk about class without talking about race. Through eye-opening conversations with two people of color in the fashion industry, Jonathan realizes some hard truths about the ways he’s adapted in order to blend in. And he reveals how one small, but bold act is helping him to reclaim his cultural identity.
Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: “Am I a Classhole?” (July 2023, 43 min)
No matter your class background, you’re bound to cross some lines and make mistakes. In this episode, Comedian Wyatt Cenac talks about where he went wrong and encourages us to be open about our financial fumbles. And advice columnist JP Brammer aka Hola Papi answers listener questions to find out who might be a Classhole. If you have a juicy question or story about class, leave us a message.
Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: “Common Person” (July 2023, 41 min)
What happens when your wildest dreams become a reality? This week Jonathan talks with one of his teenage heroes, Jarvis Cocker of the band Pulp, about how fantasy drove his journey from working-class kid to famous pop star. And how he funneled all of his class frustration into the anthem “Common People.”
Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: “Class and Combat” (July 2023, 47 min)
This episode looks into one of the biggest chasms between us in this country – who serves in the military and who doesn’t. Every year, the United States military has to convince thousands of young people to enlist. They want a group of recruits that looks like the country, across race, class, and geography. Jonathan heads to New Jersey with reporter and Army veteran Adam Linehan to see how that’s working out.
Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: “Parmesan Foam and Shredded Cheddar” (July 2023, 46 min)
What we eat can say a lot about who we are and where we’re from. This week, Jonathan and comedian Chris Gethard face their fear of fancy restaurants as they try to eat their way through their class anxieties. Plus, an exploration of what it’s like when the government decides what you can or can’t eat.
Classy with Jonathan Menjivar: “Queen for a Day” (August 2023, 44 min)
Why are we so attracted to stories of people suffering on television? And what happens after the cameras turn off? In our final episode, Jonathan explores the origins of reality TV and uncovers his family’s shocking connection to a very early reality TV game show.

Conversation Starter Questions:

1. How do you think social class influences people’s perspectives and behaviors?
2. Do you believe that social mobility is achievable for everyone regardless of their background?
3. What role do you think education plays in either perpetuating or breaking the cycle of social class?
4. How do you define ‘class’ in society? Is it purely based on wealth, or are there other factors involved?
5. Do you think there’s a correlation between social class and happiness? Why or why not?