PODCAST · comedy
E Pluribus Motto
by John Hodgman and Janet Varney
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!
Episodes
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Episode 30: North Dakota - "Liberty and Union Now and Forever, One and Inseparable"
It’s the season finale of E Pluribus Motto! Janet Varney and John Hodgman close out their journey with a trip to the rough rider state, North Dakota We’ve once again stumbled onto a state with two mottos. One of them is in line with some of the others that we’ve heard on this show so far; the…
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Episode 29: Michigan- "Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam circumspice"
If you seek a pleasant podcast, look before you! Lakes, islands and peninsulas abound in Janet Varney and John Hodgman’s trip through Michigan. That motto sure is a dandy, in latin or in english. Is it great enough to earn high marks on our grading system? We take a look. And then there’s all the...
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Episode 28: Ohio - "With God, All Things Are Possible"
Oi! Hi, Oh! Janet Varney and John Hodgman are off to the Buckeye State. There’s a lot to say about that motto. Compared to all of the others that have been covered so far, this one is a relatively new one– it was just made official in the 50s. You’ll learn the story about the boy behind its...
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Episode 27: Washington - "Alki" (by and by)
Janet Varney and John Hodgman cap off the West coast of U.S. states with Washington! Get this– it’s the first motto that the show has featured… that is not official. So how shall it be examined? With a lot of music, cryptids, landmarks, listener mail and… apples. What else would possibly be more...
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Episode 26: Nebraska- "Equality Before the Law"
Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to chew up some corn on this journey through Nebraska! There’s a lot of history to sift through with this one… but I think you’ll see that we’ll eventually decide that this motto makes us stand up and yell “Oh Yeah!” Plus we get some wonderful audio notes...
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Episode 25: Florida - "In God We Trust"
Grab that panhandle, Janet Varney and John Hodgman are cruisin’ through Florida! If the state motto looks familiar that’s because it probably is! Our hosts are not terribly big fans of it and its lack of originality is only part of the reason why. But thankfully, there’s so much more to…
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Episode 24: Alabama - "Audemus jura nostra defendere"
Roll Tide? War Eagle? Dare to hear Janet Varney and John Hodgman on their journey through Alabama! In case your latin is a little rough, the state motto of the Yellowhammer state translates to “We Dare Defend Our Rights.” And that absolutely raises some eyebrows. But you’ll learn why there’s a…
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Episode 23: New Hampshire - “Live Free Or Die”
Our regularly scheduled season three journey has resumed. Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to visit the granite state of New Hampshire! First of all, how about that motto? It’s certainly tough as granite! And it’s one those from the state take a lot of pride in. But how does it compare to...
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#MaxFunDrive 2026: The State of the TV shows!
Turn on the tube! Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to celebrate the 2026 MaxFun Drive! Now is the best time to go to MaximumFun.org/joinmotto to become a MaxFun Member for as little as $5 a month. With that recurring contribution you’ve helped ensure that this show will continue and earned...
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#MaxFunDrive 2026: The State of the Movies!
Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to celebrate the 2026 MaxFun Drive! Now is the best time to go to MaximumFun.org/joinmotto to become a MaxFun Member for as little as $5 a month. With that recurring contribution you’ve helped ensure that this show will continue and earned access to our…
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Casters on Casters: John Hodgman, Dan McCoy, Jesse Thorn, and Stuart Wellington
It's MaxFunDrive. And here, for the first time, we give you an exclusive look (well, listen) at the craft of podcasting: presenting Casters on Casters. Jesse Thorn and Judge John Hodgman know a thing or two about podcasting, and in this very important podcasting event, they reveal ALL the tricks…
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Episode 22: California - “Eureka”
Prospector Janet Varney and John Hodgman are ready to talk about all the GOLD in them thar hills! That’s right; the show is back on the west coast, to spotlight California; everything from gold, bears, and even a cryptid or two. In fact, California is on its way to having an official cryptid– Big...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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…
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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...
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#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…
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#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…
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#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…
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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,...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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”...
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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,...
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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...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
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!
HOSTED BY
John Hodgman and Janet Varney
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does E Pluribus Motto have?
E Pluribus Motto currently has 40 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is E Pluribus Motto about?
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...
How often does E Pluribus Motto release new episodes?
E Pluribus Motto has 40 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to E Pluribus Motto?
You can listen to E Pluribus Motto on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts E Pluribus Motto?
E Pluribus Motto is created and hosted by John Hodgman and Janet Varney.
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