V Spehar (they/them) of @underthedesknews is a Rochester-based, award-winning podcaster, online personality and citizen journalist who has built a following of more than 3 million subscribers on the video-sharing platform TikTok.
Spehar specializes in short-form content, offering brief recaps of notable headlines. They launched “Under the Desk News” on TikTok in April 2020 with the goal of making news media less intimidating and easier to understand. Spehar began delivering one-minute news segments while under a desk. The videos attracted a bipartisan audience.
In 2022, Spehar launched “V Interesting,” a long-form podcast with original reporting that tackles various topics from Gen Z voter engagement to gender-affirming surgery. The podcast has been recognized by GLADD, a nonprofit organization focused on LGBTQ+ advocacy and cultural change. Their reporting has taken them to the press room of the 2023 State of the Union to hosting the NBC livestream of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to speaking at UNESCO summits. “V Interesting” debuted in the top 10 news podcasts of June 2022 and has held a steady place in the top 25 news podcasts since. In 2023, V received a Webby Special Achievement Award for their concise and compassionate reporting.
