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Sounds Like A Cult

Sounds Like A Cult

A podcast about the modern-day ?cults? we all follow. Each episode asks the culty questions we?re all wondering? Do you think SoulCycle is a cult? What about Elon Musk stans? Or the Royal Family? What about spiritual influencers? Is Instagram itself a cult? Sounds Like A Cult, hosted by Amanda Montell, author of Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, analyzes a different zeitgeisty group every week to try and answer the big question: This group sounds like a cult, but is it really? And if so, how bad is it? 

Follow Us:

Podcast Instagram - @soundslikeacultpod 

Host Amanda Montell - @amanda_montell (Preorder her new book!)

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Website

soundslikeacult.com/

Episodes

The Cult of Rae Dunn

Catch Sounds Like A Cult host Amanda and this week's guest host Griff on tour together in NYC! Tickets here, discount code: CULT MAGIC

Get ready to live, laugh, love, and possibly get into an ?aisle fight? over this longgggg overdue episode, featuring the iconic Griff Stark-Ennis from the Petty Crimes podcast! In what may just be our *pettiest* episode ever, Griff joins Amanda to discuss the cultish fanaticism surrounding the pottery brand, Rae Dunn. You know those farmhouse-style mugs and platters found at TJ Maxx and Home Goods, featuring cutesy ?handwritten? sayings, like ?Squeeze the day? and ?Bah humbug?? To a certain breed of consumer, Rae Dunn has animorphed into not just a quaint kitchenware brand but a full-blown lifestyle worth making major sacrifices for. In other words, a cult!!! Unsure how the hell that?s possible? Tune in to find out? and don?t miss your chance to see Amanda, Griff, and his fellow host Ceara live on tour together this April! Tickets to events in Los Angeles, Brooklyn, Boston, Philly, and Boston are below :)

April 9: Los Angeles, CA ? feat. Pauline Chalamet (tickets here)

April 12: Brooklyn, NY ? EXCLUSIVE VARIETY SHOW feat. Ceara & Griff from Petty Crimes (tickets here) Use code CULTMAGIC for a 10% discount!!

April 13: Boston, MA ? EXCLUSIVE VARIETY SHOW feat. Meredith Goldstein & Sasha Sagan (tickets here)

April 16: Philadelphia, PA ? EXCLUSIVE VARIETY SHOW feat. Kelsey McKinney from Normal Gossip (tickets here)

May 1: Atlanta, GA ? Wild Heaven ? West End with A Cappella Books (tickets here)

Thank you to our sponsors <333

Head to FACTORMEALS.com/CULT50 and use code CULT50 to get 50% off. 

Shop SKIMS Bras at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, select "podcast" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.

Visit BetterHelp.com/CULT today to get 10% off your first month.
2024-03-26
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The Cult of Cruise Ships

Come party with Amanda on tour!!!

April 9: Los Angeles, CA ? feat. Pauline Chalamet (tickets here)

April 12: Brooklyn, NY ? EXCLUSIVE VARIETY SHOW feat. Ceara & Griff from Petty Crimes (tickets here) Use code CULTMAGIC for a 10% discount!!

April 13: Boston, MA ? EXCLUSIVE VARIETY SHOW feat. Meredith Goldstein & Sasha Sagan (tickets here)

April 16: Philadelphia, PA ? EXCLUSIVE VARIETY SHOW feat. Kelsey McKinney from Normal Gossip (tickets here)

Ahoy, and welcome to our first ever "Interview a Listener" episode of Sounds Like A Cult!!! Could you imagine a more tantalizing subject for this week's ~dive deep~ than this gazillion-dollar industry of floating compounds where the lines between leisure and obsession blur worse than a Carnival cruiser's vision after 12 "free" Mai Tais?? Joining the pod as Amanda's guest host is Sounds Like A Cult devotee/former long-time cruise ship employee (she's fine) Emmy McGreeghan, who went positively overboard as she divulged the culty consumerism, hierarchies, exploitation, hedonistic lawlessness, and psychological tricks cruise companies use on their acolytes to turn a simple holiday into an almost religious experience. I mean, has anyone heard of the NINE MONTH CRUISE??? So much to discuss?hope you enjoy (and possibly rethink your next floating vacation). 

To preorder a signed and personalized copy of Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here :) For book BTS, news about Amanda's forthcoming Magical Overthinkers podcast, and more, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell

Thank you to our sponsors!

Go to HelixSleep.com/CULT and use code HELIXPARTNER20 for 20% off all mattress orders AND two free pillows. Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you?re ready to launch, go to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/CULT50 and use code CULT50 to get 50% off.  Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/cult
2024-03-19
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The Cult of Munchausen by Proxy

It's a cult of one dynamic almost too frightful for this show. When your very own caregiver poisons, manipulates, exploits, and lies to you for personal gain... it's the cult of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome, a nightmare phenomenon made internationally famous by the notorious (iconic?) Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a victim of child medical abuse, who played a role in the murder of her cult leader of one, aka, her very own mother. To explore the many culty angles of this week's unique subject, host Amanda is joined by novelist and investigative podcaster Andrea Dunlop, whose show Nobody Should Believe Me was inspired by her very close personal connection to the "cult" of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome. Stick around for the verdict?we're fascinated to know if you agree!

Get your tickets now to The Big Magical Cult Show?dates and ticket links below!

April 9: Los Angeles, CA ? feat. Pauline Chalamet (tickets here)

April 12: Brooklyn, NY ? THE BIG MAGICAL CULT SHOW feat. Ceara & Griff from Petty Crimes (tickets here) Use code CULTMAGIC for a 10% discount!!

April 13: Boston, MA ? THE BIG MAGICAL CULT SHOW feat. Sasha Sagan (tickets here)

April 15: Washington DC ? Solid State Books (tickets here)

April 16: Philadelphia, PA ? THE BIG MAGICAL CULT SHOW feat. Kelsey McKinney from Normal Gossip (tickets here)

April 17: Portland, OR ? in conversation with Chelsea Bieker (free, no ticket needed)

To preorder a signed and personalized copy of Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here :)

For podcast updates and more, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Follow @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell

Thank you to our sponsors!

Go to StickerGiant.com/cult and use code CULT at checkout to get 25% off your first order. Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/cult
2024-03-12
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The Cult of Lululemon

First of all, what the hell is going on with culty leggings companies that have too many Ls in their brand name: LuLaRoe, Lululemon... sounds like a conspiracy!!! Anyway, after many long years of listener requesting this topic, Sounds Like A Cult is finally diving into the spandex heart of darkness that is Lululemon. With the help of special guest hosts Taz and Marah, the ridiculously charming voices behind the Sistas Who Kill podcast, host Amanda is unraveling how this bougie "It Girl" athleisure empire stretches beyond mere clothing into a full-blown lifestyle, complete with dogmas, devotees, and even a murder??? Yep, the true crime girlies already know. Oooof, this tale is banaynays?we hope you enjoy our culty analysis of it!

Get your tickets now to Amanda's live tour, The Big Magical Cult Show, feat. Kelsey from Normal Gossip, Ceara & Griff from Petty Crimes, drag burlesque, musical guests, merch, and more!

To preorder a signed and personalized copy of Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here :)

For book BTS, news about her forthcoming Magical Overthinkers podcast, and more, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Follow @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell

Thank you to our sponsors!

Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you?re ready to launch, go to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Shop SKIMS Bras at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, select "podcast" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.

Visit BetterHelp.com/CULT today to get 10% off your first month.

Further reading!

Business of Fashion: At Lululemon, Being Black Is ?Off-Brand? by Sheena Butler Young: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/workplace-talent/lululemon-diversity-and-inclusion-2023/

HuffPost: What the F*ck Was LuluLemon Thinking by Caroline Gregoir: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-the-fck-was-lululemon-thinking_b_4138754

Business Insider: 12 Utterly Bizarre Facts About The Rise Of Lululemon, The Cult-Like Yoga Brand by Jim Edwards: https://www.businessinsider.com/12-utterly-bizarre-facts-about-the-rise-of-lululemon-2012-4#the-founder-is-an-ayn-rand-fan-and-the-company-takes-its-values-from-atlas-shrugged-1

Business Insider: Some Lululemon retail employees say there is an environment of 'toxic positivity,' where workers feel pressure to share personal information with managers and constant feedback can feel like bullying by Caroline Hroncich and May Teng: https://www.businessinsider.com/lululemon-retail-employees-describe-toxic-culture-2021-3

Salon: Yoga, spinning and a murder: My strange months at Lululemon by Mary Mann: https://www.salon.com/2013/12/31/yoga_spinning_and_a_murder_my_strange_months_at_lululemon/

2024-03-05
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a culty announcement ?

You're invited to The Big Magical Cult Show!!! Catch host Amanda on tour this April to celebrate her new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking. Half the events are star-studded bookstore stops (where she'll be in conversation with the likes of Molly Ringwald and Pauline Chalamet!), and the other half are these wacky, witchy variety shows, featuring cult-followed podcasters (like Kelsey from Normal Gossip and Ceara & Griff from Petty Crimes), drag burlesque, musical guests, and more. There will be book signings, audience Q&As, and Amanda's first-ever merch collection, available only at these live events!!! Get your tickets below :)

April 9: Los Angeles, CA ? Barnes & Noble at The Grove, in conversation with Pauline Chalamet (tickets here)

SOLD OUT April 11: NYC, NY ? The Strand

April 12: Brooklyn, NY ? Littlefield with Books Are Magic, ?The Big Magical Cult Show? feat. Ceara & Griff from Petty Crimes (tickets here)

April 13: Boston, MA ? wbur cityspace, ?The Big Magical Cult Show? feat. Sasha Sagan (tickets here)

April 15: Washington DC ? Solid State Books (tickets here)

April 16: Philadelphia, PA ? Underground Arts with Uncle Bobbie?s, ?The Big Magical Cult Show? feat. Kelsey McKinney from Normal Gossip (tickets here)

April 17: Portland, OR ? Powell?s Books, in conversation with Chelsea Bieker (free, no ticket needed)

2024-02-28
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The Cult of Love Is Blind

Would you sacrifice your phone, passport, dignity, and freedom to move into an isolated pod for 10 days and compete against a sorority of strangers in search of True Love?, all for a world of fiendish reality TV consumers to see??? Sounds like cult behavior to me!!! This week, just in time for the Season 6 premiere, we?re FINALLY covering the cult of Love Is Blind, one of the most ~radical~ reality dating shows to have graced the airwaves. We?re joined by former cult member? ahem, I mean, contestant? Stacy Snyder to discuss the pros and cons of this objectively cultlike approach to marriage.

To preorder a signed and personalized copy of Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here :) The first 10 listeners to DM their proof of preorder to @soundslikeacultpod will be sent a free sticker featuring the SLAC logo!

For book BTS, news about Amanda's forthcoming Magical Overthinkers podcast, and more, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell

Thank you to our sponsors!

Go to HelixSleep.com/CULT and use code HELIXPARTNER20 for 20% off all mattress orders AND two free pillows. Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you?re ready to launch, go to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Head to FACTORMEALS.com/CULT50 and use code CULT50 to get 50% off.  Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/cult
2024-02-20
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The Cult of Catholic School

Grab your rosary and slap on your plaid skirt (although you WILL need to recite six ?Our Fathers? if it rides even one millimeter above the knee!!!) because this week?s theatrical episode is here to validate and possibly trigger all our former Catholic School #religioustrauma girlies. Recovering Catholic Aiden Arata?writer, ?queen of depression Instagram,? and Amanda's former college pal?joins the pod to unpack all the pageantry and horror of this objectively bizarre (and yet totally mainstream) marriage of religion and education. Bless the many listeners who submitted their voice memo confessions?you truly made this episode sparkle brighter than the Papal tiara.

To preorder a signed and personalized copy of Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here :)

For book BTS, news about her forthcoming Magical Overthinkers podcast, and more, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell

Thank you to our sponsors!

Go to StickerGiant.com/cult and use code CULT at checkout to get 25% off your first order.

Go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app to start earning cash back and use code CULT.

Shop SKIMS Bras at SKIMS.com. After you place your order, select "podcast" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.

2024-02-13
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The Cult of K-Pop

We have NEVER had such a hard time finding a guest brave enough to appear on the show than we did for the week's episode on the flashy, fanatical, downright culty (sorry!!!) world of K-Pop. Thank goddess that Lai Frances, music reporter and expert in the "cult" at hand, was down to come have both a chuckle and a legitimately analytical discush about the pros and cons of this "cult-followed" music genre, which is of course so much more than that... it's a lifestyle, an identity, a bazillion-dollar cash cow, a life-consuming cult? Listen to us chat about the intense training K-Pop idols go through, their hardcore "sasaeng fans," and more to find out... K-Pop sounds like a cult, but is it really??

To preorder a signed and personalized copy of Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, click here :) For book BTS, news about her forthcoming Magical Overthinkers podcast, and more, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell

Thanks to our sponsors!

SKIMS Bras are now available at SKIMS.com. Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you?re ready to launch, go to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Visit betterhelp.com/cult to get 10% off your first month.
2024-02-06
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The Cult of Chiropractors

Sorry in advance for all the crack vs. quack wordplay coming in this week's episode, which we already know will push some buttons! Obviously #notallchiropractors, but it?s definitely scary how this industry of psuedo-doctors is entrenched in a cultural history of New Age scammers and conspiracy theorists with Jesus complexes, including dudes who believed they could talk to the dead and heal all that ails you with their bare hands. Joining us is professional chiropractor/mole/part-time critic of his controversial profession, Trevor Zierke, here to help us figure out what level of ?cult? the wild world of chiros really is.

To preorder a signed and personalized copy of Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, click here :) For book BTS, news about her forthcoming Magical Overthinkers podcast, and more, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell

2024-01-30
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The Cult of the CIA

A clandestine society aimed at indoctrinating a fleet of nationalist spies with an extensive entrance process, aliases, secretive language, isolation from the outside world, and no clear exit strategy... sounds like a cult, but it?s actually America?s most prized federal agency, the CIA. This week, former CIA intelligence analyst Christina Hillsberg joins the pod, fulfilling all our Carrie Mathison fantasies with a tell-all interview about how the CIA is high-key just like a fringey religious sect!!! We hope you delight in this dishy, hilarious (and sometime deeply uncomfortable) convo as much as we did.

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell

To preorder Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, click here :) For book BTS, news about her forthcoming Magical Overthinkers podcast, and more, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Thank you to our sponsors:

Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you?re ready to launch, go to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Head to FACTORMEALS.com/CULT50 and use code CULT50 to get 50% off. 

Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/cult

 

2024-01-23
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The Cult of Amazon

Welcome baaaAAAAaaaAAaack, culties!! Time to *ascend* to the 2024 era of Sounds Like A Cult ? Kicking off with a damn bang?the most colossal cult we?ve ever covered (as in ~1.5 million employees and 310 million users colossal). It's the multi-pronged monster of convenience, which spares no one, no matter the cost? you guessed it, Amazon. Duh, we know, Amazon is a cult?from its notorious treatment of factory workers to its uncanny world-domination energy to its ?never leave us? messaging, it?s obvious. But is Amazon a LYL, a WYB, or a GTFO-level cult? And is the verdict the same for both employees and consumers? To unpack this gazillion-dollar organization (religion?) from the inside, please welcome special guest Kristi Coulter, an ex-Amazonian who spent 12 years in the cult? I mean, *company*? before defecting to write her new tell-all memoir, Exit Interview. It?s one of our juiciest conversations in SLAC history and we hope you enjoy it!! Thanks to all the listeners who leant their voice messages to this episode.

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell

To preorder Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, out April 9, 2024, click here :) For news about her forthcoming Magical Overthinkers podcast, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Thank you to our sponsors:

Go to HelixSleep.com/CULT and use code HELIXPARTNER20 for 20% off all mattress orders AND two free pillows. Ibotta is offering $5 just for trying the app by using the code CULT when you register in the App Store or Google Play store. SKIMS Bras are now available at SKIMS.com. Visit betterhelp.com/cult to get 10% off your first month.
2024-01-16
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The Cult of High Fashion

Florals for spring may not be groundbreaking, but you know what is? Today?s brain-tingling interview with possibly the single best speaking voice in podcasting, Avery Trufelman, friend of the pod and host of the critically acclaimed fashion series Articles of Interest. Avery joins our season finale episode for a discush about the ?cult? of the haute couture industry, from its elitism and exclusivity to its bonkers sense of conspiracy that (spoiler!!) affects us all, whether we realize it or not. Let?s just say if you?ve ever felt stressed about what pants are cool anymore, you are definitely in this cult!!! Stick to the end for our culty verdict and to hear a brief announcement about next season.

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @amanda_montell @isaamedinaa 

To stay up to date on Isa?s future projects, click here!

To preorder Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, a lead Simon & Schuster title for 2024, click here :) For news about her forthcoming Magical Overthinkers podcast, consider subscribing to her newsletter!

Thank you to our sponsors:

SKIMS Holiday Gift Shop is now open at SKIMS.com. Get free shipping on orders over seventy five dollars. Go to betterhelp.com/cult to get 10% off your first month.
2023-12-12
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The Cult of Reality TV Families

Wowowow, today?s episode featuring Jill and Derick Dillard (whom you might recognize from TLC?s 19 Kids & Counting!!) has been a looooong time coming. Imagine this: You?re born into a family that?s already a little ~abnormal~ because your parents are polygamists or you have 200 siblings or whatever, then a reality television network comes knocking with promises of money and glory, slaps your whole clan of loved ones into a giant pair of golden handcuffs, a bunch of exploitation ensues, and one day you wake up and realize you?ve spent your childhood in an insane f*cking cult??? The ?cult? of reality TV families is today?s subject of discussion, and what a juicy convo it was. Of all the reality TV family shows, which do YOU think is the cultiest?? 

Click here to check out Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking.

Copies of her last book Cultish can be found here (and make a lovely holiday gift!). 

Stay tuned for news about Amanda's new Magical Overthinkers podcast here.

Thank you to our sponsors:

Head to Microdose.com and use code: CULT to get free shipping & 30% off your first order.

Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/CULT.

This episode reflects solely the opinions and work of Amanda and special guests.

2023-12-05
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The Cult of Reddit

Sounds Like A Cult has covered doomsday cults, political cults, religious cults ... and this week is where they all join forces ? on the much requested: Cult of Reddit! Notorious for forming some of the most niche yet largely endorsed group-thinks on the internet, and even powerful enough to take down institutional pillars?is the Cult of Reddit a Live Your Life, Watch Your Back or a Get the Fuck Out Level Cult? This week, Isa welcomes friend, writer and soon-to-be co-host of their new podcast, Lydia Keating, to discuss the good, the bad and the rabbit whole that is The Cult of Reddit. 

Head to Host Isa Medina's IG or website to learn more about her new podcast coming in 2024! Or to tell her where to perform stand up next!

Thank you to our sponsor:

SKIMS Holiday Gift Shop is now open at SKIMS.com. Get free shipping on orders over seventy five dollars.

2023-11-28
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The Cult of A.I.

ChatGPT could never!!! Over the past year or so, A.I. buzz has obviously risen to cult status, but if you think about it, all this apocalyptic talk of robots rising up and taking over the world lowkey makes us all sound like $ci3nt0l0gists. Is A.I. the newest SciFi cult? And if so, how apocalyptic is it?? To help figure that out, internet reporter Kate Lindsay joins the pod for a thought-provoking discush that's less about the technology itself and more about our cultlike attitudes toward A.I. Which cult category do youuuu think it falls into? Only time will reveal the answer ?

To check out Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here!

The Magical Overthinkers newsletter can be found here.

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod 

This episode reflects solely the opinions and work of Amanda and special guests.

2023-11-21
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The Cult of Podcasting

iF yOuRe rEaDiNg thiS yOuRe iN tHe CuLt o.0 This week we are covering the most meta cult yet and one that we are all most definitely a part of: The Cult of Podcasting. From the para-social relationships and us vs them mentality to the larger cult of the podcasting inDusTry ? Isa and very special guest, Co-Host of That?s Messed Up, An SVU Podcast from Exactly Right, Kara Klenk, discuss all things Cult of Podcasting. But what do you think? Is it a Live Your Life, a Watch Your Back, or a Get The Fuck Out Level Cult? 

Head to Host Isa Medina's IG or website to tell her where to perform stand up, keep up with her work and learn more about her new podcast coming in 2024!

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod 

Thank you to our sponsors: 

Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/cult SKIMS Holiday Gift Shop is now open at SKIMS.com. Get free shipping on orders over seventy five dollars. For Green Chef?s best deal of the year, get $250 off with code cult250 at GreenChef.com/cult250 Hatch is offering our listeners $20 off your purchase of a Hatch Restore 2 and free shipping at hatch.co/cult.  But right now, they are matching their Black Friday - Cyber Monday onsite sale so you can get $40 off and free shipping using my link - hatch.co/cult
2023-11-14
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The Cult of Taylor Swift, Part 2

It?s me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me, here with an update to one of our most-streamed episodes of all time, the cult of exalted idol bestie goddess mother queen angel (no, that?s not pandering to the standom! They're not intimidating at all!), Taylor Swift. Somehow, the pop icon?s ?cult? has only exploded in size and religiosity since our last discussion, which was uploaded right as Midnights was dropping, pre-Eras Tour. Needless to say, there?s a lotttttt to catch up on. Whether you stan Taylor til the death or truly do not get what all the fuss is about, we hope you enjoy this part 2!!

To check out Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here!

Head to Isa Medina's IG or website to tell her where to perform stand up, keep up with her work and learn more about her new podcast coming in 2024.

The Magical Overthinkers newsletter can be found here.

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod 

I was never good at telling jokes but the punchline goes: If Taylor told her Swifties to kill a man, they would. They would kill a man for Taylor, because her music means *that* much to them. But the "cult" of country-pop sensation Taylor Swift is not just about the music. It's about the Swiftie community, the rituals, the beliefs, the aesthetic, and (of course) Taylor's cult of personality. This extreme fandom definitely seems classically culty, but is it dangerous just because it's fanatical? That's the question on Amanda and Isa's agenda today, and they've solicited pop culture connoisseur Jill Gutowitz, author of the essay collection GIRLS CAN KISS NOW, to help them figure it out. 

2023-11-07
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The Cult of Military Wives

At long last, the man/myth/legend, Amanda's dad, Craig Montell, whose riveting stories of his childhood spent in the Synanon cult planted her fascination with all things "cultish," joins as this week's guest. In this *extremely wholesome* episode, Amanda and her pop analyze a quartet of listener-submitted stories, documenting four firsthand experiences with ?culty? groups (from military wives to Abercrombie & Fitch) comparing each one to the surreal mindfuckery and power dynamics Craig witnessed in Synanon. The episode mostly focuses on the ?cult? of military spouses... faaaaascinating how closely it resembles a bonafide '70s-era cult. But is it a Life Your Life, Watch Your Back, or GTFO?? Tune in to find out. Thanks so much to all who wrote in their culty tales!

To check out Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here!

The Magical Overthinkers newsletter can be found here.

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod 

Thank you to our sponsors!

The Cotton collection and more are available now at SKIMS.com.

Go to betterhelp.com/cult to get 10% off your first month

This episode reflects solely the opinions and work of Amanda and special guests.

2023-10-31
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The Cult of Pickleball

If you've been paying attention at all, you know that this weeks cult is growing at a mighty pace. The rate at which Americans and individuals from all over the world have decided to blindly spend all their free time idolizing this secret force is astonishing. On this weeks episode we get into it and discuss the much requested topic of The Cult of Pickleball. From their exclusive language to their outfits, rituals and cliquey us versus them mentality towards other recreational sports this is one for the books. Isa is joined by special guest and Pickleball enthusiast, Ruby Karp (@RubyKarp) to decide if this is a Live Your Life, a Watch Your Back or a Get the F*ck Out level cult? 

This episode was hosted, edited and produced by @isaamedinaa - go to her IG or website to tell her where to perform stand up, keep up with her work and learn more about her new podcast coming in 2024 (!!)

Follow the podcast @soundslikeacultpod

Thank you to our sponsors: 

Hatch is offering our listeners $20 off your purchase of a Hatch Restore 2 and free shipping at hatch.co/cult 

Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to Dipseastories.com/cult  

Manage your money the easy way, go to RocketMoney.com/SLAC

2023-10-24
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The Cult of Momfluencers, Part 2

Behold, a re-air of our most popular episode of 2023?The Cult of Momfluencers?which takes on new relevance, thanks to the disturbing recent case of (allegedly) abusive YouTube momfluencer Ruby Franke!

Motherhood is hard, lonely, and exhausting... except, apparently, if you're a momfluencer. Since the mid-2000s, a crop of seemingly perfect, all-knowing mommy goddesses in billowy tunics have emerged on social media?and we can't help but feel that their highly monetizable (often misinformation-ridden) internet presences basically exist to make other moms feel less than. This week, with the help of journalist and real-life mother Sara Petersen, author of the book MOMFLUENCED, Isa and Amanda spill the (organic, non-toxic, totally baby-safe) tea about how famous internet moms have become their own kind of 21st Century cult leader.

To keep up with all things Sounds Like A Cult, click here!

Sources:
YouTuber mom Ruby Franke arrested and charged in child abuse investigation: What to know: https://www.today.com/parents/moms/ruby-franke-arrested-child-abuse-rcna102754

Here?s Everything You Need To Know About Ruby Franke, The YouTuber Who Was Charged With Aggravated Child Abuse, And Her Controversial Parenting Videos Over The Years: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/leylamohammed/youtuber-ruby-franke-of-8-passengers-child-abuse-explained

Mommy Vlogger Ruby Franke Has Been Charged With Child Abuse: https://www.thecut.com/2023/09/ruby-franke-utah-mommy-vlogger-charged-with-child-abuse.html

8 Passengers Update: Ruby Franke Grows Her Cult and Shari Makes Amends With the Griffiths: https://www.therealitysnark.com/post/8-passengers-update-ruby-franke-grows-her-cult-and-shari-makes-amends-with-the-griffiths

Mommy Vlogger Ruby Franke?s Child Abuse Case Could Take Years, Experts Say: https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ruby-franke-child-abuse-case-years-1234832227/

2023-10-17
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The Cult of Purity Rings

Anyone who grew up evangelical Christian and/or plugged into teen celebrity news circa 2008 will be familiar with today's cult: Purity Rings. You know, the dainty piece of jewelry placed ritualistically on a teen girl's wedding finger to signify her vow of chastity until marriage, or else?? Purity rings are not just an accessory?they're a bonafide industry, complete with rules, ceremonies, secrets, veiled threats, and religious trauma up the wazoo... but are they a cult? This week, a very special (ex-evangelical) guest, Normal Gossip's Kelsey McKinney, is joining host Amanda to unpack just that!

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To check out Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here! The Magical Overthinkers newsletter can be found here.

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This episode reflects solely the opinions and work of Amanda and special guests.

2023-10-10
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The Cult of Bachelorette Parties

The Cult of Bachelorette Parties is one we have all been a part of, whether from an observational distance or as a member yourself, this cult spares no one. This week, Isa is joined by a very special guest: comedian, host of Giggly Squad and Berner Phone Podcasts, and once a bachelorette herself, the hilarious Hannah Berner (@hannahberner). Tune in as they chat about how culty Hannah?s bachelorette party really got ? we?re talking rituals, us vs them dynamics, exploitation, isolation from society and of course one ultra charismatic leader. But are Bachelorette parties a live your life, watch your back, or a get the f*ck out level cult?

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2023-10-03
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The Cult of Gary Vee

To his fanatics, he's an inspiring businessman, marketing guru, tough-love motivational speaker, and blue-collar-masculine embodiment of the American Dream; but, to his critics, he's just a bro-y blowhard?a grandstanding motormouth whom Fortune Magazine once called a "snake oil salesman." We're talking about Gary Vaynerchuck, aka Gary Vee, a serial entrepreneur whose multi-pronged "empire" and cult of personality scream god complex... but is this guy dangerous, obnoxious, or actually kind of inspiring? These are the questions Amanda and Isa are aiming to answer on this week's episode of Sounds Like A Cult.

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell

To check out Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here!

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2023-09-26
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The Cult of Life Coaches

Why does it seem like certain "life coaches" are exactly the kinda folks who shouldn't be giving life advice? The unregulated life coaching industry is perfectly set up to turn culty: It's rife with New Age quacks charging thousands to tell others how to live, but also... hiring a brainstorming partner to help you work through sh*t during times of uncertainty *does* sound beneficial? Tricky!! This week, Amanda and Isa are joined by comedian and host of the Self-Helpless podcast Kelsey Cook to unpack how much of a "cult" the life coach space has really become.

Click here to get tickets to Isa's NYC comedy show September 22nd or to tell her where to perform next!

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2023-09-12
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The Cult of Burning Man

Strap on your steampunk lewks and get ready to blast off to the dusty, glittery, and undeniably culty alternate universe that is Burning Man?an event explicitly inspired by the New Age fringe religions of the 1970s. ~Join us~ for Amanda and Isa's lol-worthy chat with Em and Christine, hosts of the paranormal-true crime podcast And That's Why We Drink. We're unpacking the countercultural carnival's eccentric (sometimes deadly) rituals, us vs. them dynamics, major controversies, and undeniable allure. What do youuuu think is the cultiest thing about Burning Man?? And do you think it's a Live Your Life, a Watch Your Back, or a GTFO-level cult?

Click here to get tickets to Isa's NYC comedy show September 22nd or to tell her where to perform next! 

To check out Amanda's new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, click here!

Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell

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2023-09-05
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The Cult of Disney Adults (With Bonus Q&A!)

Before we return with regularly structured episodes next week (stay tuned for the "cult" of Burning Man!), here's another ad-free bonus episode featuring a rerun of our most-listened to episode of all time, The Cult of Disney Adults. Re-listen and/or skip to the 52-minute mark for a bonus Q&A with your hosts, Amanda and Isa!

Get Tickets to Isa's comedy show in NYC September 22nd - Get Tix here

To support Sounds Like A Cult, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Or follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell

2023-08-29
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The Cult of The Bachelor (Bonus Part 2!)

A heavily controlled, totally isolated group of women who worship one "charismatic? male figure and aren?t allowed to read magazines, watch TV, or speak to their families? is this a cult or the most popular reality dating show in history? This week, we?re re-airing one of our fave Season 1 episodes with a new, updated intro. It?s the ?cult? of The Bachelor Franchise, featuring special guest, former contestant, Kendall Long! We got the juicy inside scoop on how culty The Bachelor *really* is to try and figure out whether this objectively bizarre pop culture phenomenon is a Live Your Life, a Watch Your Back, or a Get the Fuck Out-level ?cult.? ? 

To support Sounds Like A Cult, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Or follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell

2023-08-22
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The Cult of Spiritual Scammers (feat. Listener Stories!)

Time to spill some never-before-heard culty tales: This week, Amanda and Isa are reacting to shocking cult stories submitted by you listeners! Many thanks to those who wrote in to share their personal brushes with New Age scams, love-bombing strangers, elementary school rituals that seem sus in retrospect, and more. Traditional religion may be on the decline, but our cravings for meaning and magic are stronger than ever, which isn't necessarily a bad thing... that's why we're here to determine whether your culty experiences were a Life Your Life, a Watch Your Back, or GTFO! 

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Or follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell

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2023-08-15
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The Cult of Airline Miles

For an episode spicier than an inflight bloody Mary, Isa and Amanda are joined by comedian and frequent flyer Fumi Abi (@TheFumiAbe) for a conversation on the unexpectedly cultlike nature of airline loyalty programs. From spending countless hours chasing elusive miles to believing you're just one step away from flying on a golden unicorn, these programs can be as delusional and deceptive as a New Age compound in Hudson Valley. But just how cultish is the Airline Miles system? Prepare for turbulence, laughs, insights, and a few jaw-dropping revelations. 

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Or follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell

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2023-08-08
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The Cult of The Peace Corps

~Join us~ as Isa and Amanda unpack the "cult" of the Peace Corps?its peculiar rituals of initiation, close-knit camaraderie that borders on religious obsession, unwavering devotion to a higher cause, and (wait a second) abuse and murder?? Thanks to insightful listener call-ins, we reveal the eerie similarities that make this hallowed American organization an uncanny mirror to cult-like communities. 

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Or follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell

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2023-07-25
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The Cult of PTA Moms

Get ready for some no holds barred sh*t-talking, culties, because this week, Amanda and Isa are joined by the hosts of the motherhood-themed "I've Had It" podcast for a wild discussion of how PTA Moms are kindaaa just like a cult. Relentless groupthink, wacky power dynamics, oh my... this conversation will leave you questioning bake sales forever.

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Or follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell

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2023-07-18
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The Cult of The Hammer Family

You're sure to *devour* this week's episode analyzing four generations of wealthy men who, in our little opinion, represent a stunning example of how a powerful American family can resemble a cult. This week, Isa and Amanda are joined by a third co-host of sorts, true crime TikTokker and friend of the pod Lauren Skae (@thezenblonde), who's here to help tell the harrowing story of The Hammer Family, including actor Armie Hammer, who was exposed for a bunch of power-abusive behaviors. Sometimes murder-y, sometimes cannibal-y (allegedly!!!), this one is not for the faint of heart.

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Or follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod @isaamedinaa @amanda_montell

Thank you to our sponsors!

Get free shipping on orders over $75 at SKIMS.com 

Go to Zocdoc.com/CULT and download the Zocdoc app for FREE.

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2023-07-11
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The Cult of Tik Tok Social Houses

It sounds like an episode of Black Mirror: 18-year-old kids are sacrificing their futures and signing their incomes away for the chance to move into a #sponsored Southern California mansion and dedicate every waking moment to the pursuit of online virality. Are TikTok Social Houses an innocuous influencer trend or something more like Heaven's Gate for the 21st Century? This week, Amanda and Isa are joined by performer and Scam Goddess host Laci Mosley to figure out if these uncanny little dystopias are a Live Your Life, a Watch Your Back, or a GFTO-level cult!

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, go to https://linktr.ee/soundslikeacult !

Sponsors:

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Visit BetterHelp.com/CULT today to get 10% off your first month.

2023-07-04
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The Cult of Survivor

Volunteering to subject yourself to isolation, starvation, and desperation on a remote island under high-pressure circumstances, all in pursuit of money and fame (aka today's spiritual enlightenment)? is that a dangerous cult we're describing or the premise of America's OG "cult-followed" reality show? Survivor is the topic of discussion on this week's episode, and Isa and Amanda are analyzing everything from the sacrifices contestants make to the behind-the-scenes production to the fanatical fandom to figure out if the show is a Live Your Life, a Watch Your Back, or a Get the Fuck Out-level cult.

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsors!

Get 20% off your first order of $40 or more at NextEvo.com/cult 

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You can find Julie at your local CVS Target or Walmart or by visiting Juliecare.co

 

2023-05-23
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The Cult of Medical School

The Hippocratic Oath says do no harm. Explain elitism, secret societies, and debilitating physical and mental exhaustion to the point of potentially harming both doctor and patient, then?? Such is the "cult" of med school, this week's in-demand topic, which Amanda and Isa are discussing with insights from listeners who've survived this seemingly prestigious, but sneakily damaging (allegedly!!!) everyday "cult."

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

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2023-05-16
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The Cult of Dolly Parton

America's favorite buxom, rhinestone-clad Southern songstress, Dolly Parton, has a "cult following" like no other celebrity. Thanks to her unmistakable image, her "Dollyisms," her theme park, her illustrious music, and her ability to transcend politics, "Saint Dolly" has become so much more than your average country star. But are there any risks to worshiping a singer as your spiritual idol? Tune in as Amanda, Isa, and special guests Claire and Ashley from Celebrity Memoir Book Club attempt to break down Dolly Parton's iconic "cult."

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

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2023-05-09
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The Cult of Montessori Schools

This *highly* requested topic has all the makings of a modern-day cult: mystery, unquestioned loyalty, and the future of children's hearts and minds at stake. But does that make it dangerous?? This week, Amanda and Isa dive into the cult of Montessori education, those idyllic primary schools where kids allegedly (!!!) access transcendant knowledge with nothing but wooden blocks and hippie vibes (oh, and $40,000 annual tuition). Are Montessori schools a brilliant alternative approach to learning or something insidiously culty? With the help of listener call-ins, @amanda_montell and @isaamedinaa are aiming to unpack just that.

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

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2023-05-02
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The Cult of Coachella

What began as a Woodstock-esque alt music fest in the '90s for fans of indie electronica to get freaky in the California desert has swiftly morphed into more of a celebrity horror show/Instagram museum, where people pay thousands of dollars to gather on a hot slab of corporate-sponsored land, wear disposable outfits, and pretend to have fun. Has Coachella just become obnoxious or something more like a cult?? As we come down from the festival hype this month, with the help of no-holds-barred listener call-ins, Isa and Amanda aim to find out!

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsors!

Get free shipping on orders over $75 at SKIMS.com 

You can find Julie at your local CVS Target or Walmart or by visiting Juliecare.co

Get $10 off your first month of Nutrafol by visiting nutrafol.com and entering promo code CULT 

 

2023-04-25
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The Cult of Heterosexuality

One of our fav episodes to date tbh. The promises include acceptance, stability, and fertility, but the reality = rigidity, conformity, and oftentimes outright shunning. Thinking about heterosexual culture as a "cult" might seem far out at first, but teasing it out with comedian Ashley Gavin, whose hilarious comedy special is viewable April 23 on YouTube, Isa and Amanda unpack sooooo much culty oppression that comes with our society's narrow standards for sexual expression (and also how the insidious "cult" of hetersexuality empowers some of the most f*cked religious cults of all time)!

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsors!


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2023-04-18
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The Cult of Corporate America

It's time to dynamically synergize mission-critical alignments. Let's go ahead and fungibly communicate client-centric potentialities. If you can even half-way understand either of these sentences, then you might be a member of this week's "cult": Corporate America. With the help of special guest, Jamie Jackson of the cult-followed @humorous_resources Instagram account, Amanda and Isa are picking apart corporate culture's hyper-controlled rules, rituals, and hierarchies to tease out if this "leading-edge, credibly cultivated, turnkey market" is a life-ruiner or not.

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsors!

Go to Zocdoc.com/CULT and download the Zocdoc app for FREE.

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Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/CULT

2023-04-11
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The Cult of The Real Housewives

Fame, wealth, fraud, backstabbing, plastic surgery, hidden power hierarchies... are we talking about one of reality television's most successful franchises or a full-blown cult??? Host of the Reality Life podcast Kate Casey, an unscripted TV connoisseur who's been analyzing The Real Housewives for years, joins Isa and Amanda this week to unpack the inner workings and potential damage of this notoriously clique-y "cult."

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsors!

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2023-04-04
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The Cult of Fine Wine

Pinkies up and wallets out for this week's quaffable "cult": the elitist, jargon-packed, ritual-soaked world of fine wine. Amanda and Isa were always highly intrigued but knew very little about this top-shelf "cult" until chatting with special guest Cristie Norman, certified sommelier, Wine Enthusiast's "educator of the year," and creator of The Online Wine Course. The fine wine world is certainly mysterious and exclusive, but how "dangerously culty" is it? Drunk on Cristie's insights, we're ready to find out...

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsors!

Visit article.com/CULT for $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more.

Visit AURA.com/CULT for a 14 day free trial.

Get 10% off your first order sitewide with code CULT at OSEAMalibu.com.

2023-03-28
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The Cult of Wall Street

Stocks? The economy?? Don't get us started! Look, any industry that allowed the biggest Ponzi scheme in history, aka Bernie Madoff, to literally *thrive* is an automatic sounds like a cult to us. Members willing to "sell their soul" to Wall Street in exchange for the American Dream enter a world ripe for corruption, deception, and exclusivity, and this week, ex-trader turned "finfluencer" Vivian Tu (aka, Your Rich BFF) joins Isa and Amanda to spill all the *insider trading* on what makes Wall Street such a cult. Be sure to check out Vivian's new podcast, Networth and Chill, dropping March 22nd!

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsors!

Get 20% off your first order of $40 or more at NextEvo.com/podcast and use promo code cult.

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2023-03-21
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The Cult of Church Camp

Kayaking, friendship bracelet making, and oh yeah, threats of eternal damnation! What better way for a kid to spend the summer than at church camp? These pricy summer experiences for God-fearing kiddos might look all wholesome from the outside (a little *too* wholesome, in fact), but there have been enough allegedlys over the years to make Amanda and Isa think church camps might be serving up their 'smores with a side of cultiness. But are Christian summer camps a Live Your Life, a Watch Your Back, or a Get the Fuck Out-level cult? Actor, writer, and former church camper Joel Kim Booster joins this week's episode to help us figure it out!

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsors!

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2023-03-14
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The Cult of Beauty Pageants

As Keenan Thompson said in a recent SNL parody of the Miss Universe pageant, "Welcome back to Miss Universe, one of several shows still on the air where we rank women. But it's not what you think?we do it based off of looks." Welp when you put it that way :/ In our humble little opinion, it's hard to believe that the conformist, objectifying, and sometimes downright exploitative "beauty contest" business?perpetuated by the likes of Donald Trump and P.T. Barnum (yep, the circus guy)?is still a thing. Beauty pageants can be prettyyyyyyy cringe, but are they dangerously cultish? This week, Amanda and Isa aim to figure that out!

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

2023-03-07
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The Cult of Peloton

Did the first episode of HBO Max's Sex And The City reboot turn you off of Peloton? That makes one of us. This week, Amanda and Isa unpack the fanatical riders, worshipped instructors, and dystopian nature of the highly fetishized fitness brand that has been described as ?SoulCycle via Zoom.? Peloton is definitely hardcore, but does that make it dangerous? With the help of insightful listener call-ins, your hosts explore just that.

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you so much to our sponsors!

To receive 50% or more off your first month of therapy, go to modernfertility.com/CULT

Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to DipseaStories.com/CULT.

2023-02-28
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The Cult of Child Stars

Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, and Daniel Radcliffe are all survivors of today's "cult," and so is our guest, Mara Wilson, star of 1990s cinematic classics like Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire. Mara was only five years old when she started appearing in major commercials, and the next ten years of her life were a dream come true?full of glamour and accolades... and intense pressures, isolation, creepy stalkers, and other shocking experiences that make the world of child stars seem VERY culty. This week, with Mara's help, Amanda and Isa attempt to figure out if this secretive wing of the entertainment industry?responsible for what former child star Alyson Stoner once called the "toddler to trainwreck pipeline"?is as cult-like as it seems.

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, donate to Isa?s fundraiser or visit our website, click here

Thank you so much to our sponsors!

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2023-02-21
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The Cult of Self-Help

In 2005, this week's guest Sarah Edmondson joined what she thought was a personal development program devoted to helping her overcome her "limiting beliefs." Little did she know it'd turn out to be one of the most notorious and scrutinized groups of all time, NXIVM. "Self-Help" is a distinctly optimistic American pursuit and a majorly profitable industry. Sooo many culty groups start out with the innocent promise of helping their members become their best self. This gray area between positive self-improvement program and dangerous sect is exactly what hosts Isa and Amanda discuss on this week's can't-miss episode with Sarah, host of the podcast A Little Bit Culty and star of The Vow on HBO (Season 2 streaming now!).

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

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2023-02-14
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The Cult of The Boy Scouts

Allegations of right-wing dogma, unquestioned power dynamics, charismatic leaders, freaky rituals, and physical abuse... are we talking about a serious cult or the Boy Scouts of America? Potato, po-tah-toe? That's the question on the docket this week, as Amanda and Isa dissect this prestigious but potentially sinister after-school organization for all-American boys.

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you to our sponsor, ZocDoc!

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2023-02-07
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The Cult of Momfluencers

Motherhood is hard, lonely, and exhausting... except, apparently, if you're a momfluencer. Since the mid-2000s, a crop of seemingly perfect, all-knowing mommy goddesses in billowy tunics have emerged on social media?and we can't help but feel that their highly monetizable (often misinformation-ridden) internet presences basically exist to make other moms feel less than. This week, with the help of journalist and real-life mother Sara Petersen, author of the forthcoming book MOMFLUENCED, Isa and Amanda spill the (organic, non-toxic, totally baby-safe) tea about how famous internet moms have become their own kind of 21st Century cult leader.

To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here!

Thank you so much to our sponsor, Modern Fertility!

To receive 50% or more off your first month of therapy, go to modernfertility.com/CULT

2023-01-31
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