Washington State Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal is one of the realest elected officials out there right now. Currently serving her fifth term, she’s an immigrant who came to the US at age 16 all by herself, and, when elected in 2016, became the first Indian American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. The congresswoman led the wave of progressive fighters 2 years ahead of AOC’s 2018 election, and is an OG member of The Squad. Japayal is a leader on immigration reform, M...

Today, Ilana sits down with her brilliant and dear friend, Erica Chidi. Erica lives, works, and creates at the intersections of human health, culture, and technology. She is a full-spectrum doula, the co-founder and former CEO of the digital sexual and reproductive health platform LOOM (acquired by Perelel Health in 2024), author of NURTURE: A MODERN GUIDE TO PREGNANCY, BIRTH, EARLY MOTHERHOOD—AND TRUSTING YOURSELF AND YOUR BODY, current SVP of Brand & Editorial Content at the digital med...

Today on It’s Open, Ilana is joined by the sensational, the trailblazing, the thought leader and activist: Miss Peppermint. She was the first openly trans contestant on RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE, the first trans woman to originate a lead Broadway role for the musical HEAD OVER HEELS, is an Out Magazine’s Out100 honoree, and Pep is the biographical subject of the documentary film A DEEPER LOVE: THE STORY OF MISS PEPPERMINT. We are so proud of herrr. Peppermint and Ilana get right into it, unpacking...

Joining us today is the brilliant, noble, and hilarious Jennifer Welch — co-creator of the breakthrough political and cultural podcast I’VE HAD IT, which disrupted the political media landscape, amassing over 4.5 million followers across platforms with razor-sharp, unfiltered, anti-authoritarian critical commentary, first broadcast from the “Buckle of the Bible Belt”, Oklahoma City! Jennifer talks with Ilana about the Bible Belt’s disturbing obsession with sexual chastity and purity cu...

Anointed by Rolling Stone in 2017 as one of the 20 greatest stand-up comedians of ALL TIME, our guest today has released 12 highly acclaimed stand-up comedy specials including his most recent Drop Dead Years in 2025, has trail-blazed the podcasting genre since the launch of his Monday Morning Podcast in 2007, continues to add outstanding TV and film performances to his credentials from roles in Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian, to this year’s highly anticipated The Social Reckoning, and made ...

Today on It’s Open we are joined by one of the most popular and influential creators of infant, toddler, and early childhood educational content in the world today—with over 21 million subscribers, and over 17 billion views on YouTube—it’s the one-and-only Ms Rachel! Ilana and Rachel’s burgeoning friendship brings them together as they connect deeply about standing up and speaking out for the safety and human rights of ALL children, how compassion is awesome, and the “empathy trap” is nonsen...

As our final compilation episode from season one, we’ve gathered some of the incredible women who shared their perspectives on It’s Open. Being a woman isn’t one simple thing, it’s many complicated things. We unpacked it together over the course of season one, and at times disheartening but generally hopeful conclusions our guests came to feel that much more empowering when strung together. Featuring interviews with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Michelle Buteau, Atsuko Okatsuka, Abbi Jacobson, an...

Keeping it up during this break between seasons, we compiled some of our favorite moments from Season One of It’s Open and reorganized them around themes that have cropped up. Over and over again this year, we’ve discussed billionaires and the system that empowers their existence. People all over America (and the world, frankly) are suffering due to a lack of resources while a very small minority are hoarding wealth. Listen to our guests discuss the wealth issue. Featuring interviews with Ale...

During our break between seasons, reviewing past episodes has revealed a few recurring themes. For the next few weeks, we’re compiling some of our favorite moments from Season One of It’s Open and reorganizing them around those themes. This week, we’ve focused on a topic we discuss at length on the pod: transness, the fluidity of gender, and the ways we can liberate and support trans people as a way to liberate and support all people. Featuring interviews with Chase Strangio, Jay Jurden, Matt...

This week Ilana sits down with stand-up comedy sensation Gianmarco Soresi, who was named in Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch For 2025 and Deadline’s Comics Who Won 2025. He and Ilana discuss the relentless pursuit of craft, the charismatic leaders that populate the musical theater world, the state of stand up, moms who over-share, and generational Judaism. Gianmarco is currently touring North America, the UK, and Europe on his massive THE MISERY LOVES TOUR tour, while his self-released 2025 comed...