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andrea
Jun 20, 2022
sorry, but I gotta unsubscribe. nippy can't stop talking about the moral panics of wokeness and cancel culture. moral panics are dangerous and he needs to stop promoting them. https://youtu.be/inqOqgklH68
Pascale
Oct 15, 2021
Christine
Aug 28, 2021
Love this podcast! Heard about it from the Leah Remini and Mike Rinder podcast. I've listened to 5 or 6 episodes of A Little Bit Culty, Nippy and Sarah are relatable, have great questions and interesting guests. Listen to it!
Gary
May 18, 2021
Raw, honest, heartfelt and positive
Apr 12, 2021
See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Episode | Date |
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Rude Awakening: Sarah Landry On Nithyananda & Other Nightmares (Part 1)
52:55
Content Warning: Discussions of child abuse and sexual assault. Listener discretion advised. At just 24 years old, Sarah Landry found herself drawn to Hindu avatar Nithyananda’s teachings like a fly to honey. Moldy, toxic honey. She quickly became an apt pupil, and then his top recruiter via a steady stream of stylized YouTube videos and camera-ready social content. But after learning that the rape and child abuse allegations dogging the organization were just too credible to simply swat away, she stepped down as its propagandist-in-chief and stepped up as one of its harshest critics. The fallout since she blew the whistle on the godman’s shady ways in a series of incendiary 2019 Facebook posts and Youtube videos has been steep. (If you’re labeled as a double-agent for the Vatican by loyalists of a guy who is on the lam after being charged with rape and abduction: You’ve officially reached Remini-levels of cult busting.) In this episode, and the next—there’s just too much to cover to make it a one-parter—Sarah shares what it’s like to be on the other side of an army she helped build, and why she won’t stop working to deplatform culty characters like Nithyananda no matter how many self-proclaimed island nations they pull out of their asses. Learn more about Sarah Landry on her YouTube or Instagram or Twitter. Show notes: My Daughter Joined a Cult: 3-part VICE Doc Trailer (Discovery+, Amazon Prime) Republic World Article by Pooja Prasanna: “Former Nithyananda Aide Narrates Horrifying Brutality Against Children” Gizmodo Article by Jed Oelbaum: “She Built a Shady Guru’s YouTube Army. Now She’s His Fiercest Critic—But Who Will Believe Her?” Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Producers: Will Retherford & Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jul 04, 2022 |
Page Turner: Spencer Schneider on Writing His Way Out of ‘School’
1:19:16
“We were invisible. We had to be. We took an oath of absolute secrecy. We never even told our immediate families who we were. We went about our lives in New York City. Just like you. We were your accountants, money managers, lawyers, executive recruiters, doctors. We owned your child’s private school and sold you your brownstone. But you’d never guess our secret lives, how we lived in a kind of silent terror and fervor. There were hundreds of us.” That’s a snippet from Spencer Schneider’s compelling and creepy AF memoir: Manhattan Cult Story: My Unbelievable True Story of Sex, Crimes, Chaos, and Survival. This isn’t an ad, it’s just the truth: We think you’re going to want to grab yourself a copy before you hit the beach this summer. It’s that much of a page turner. In this episode of A Little Bit Culty, Spencer joins us to share more about what it was like living inside the nightmarish bubble of ‘School’, the ultra-secret Manhattan organization that consumed his life for 23 years. And just in case you’ve not heard of ‘School’, this particular culty shitshow gives us Eyes Wide Shut vibes with sprinklings of Eloise if she lived at The Plaza in the Upside Down. For extra credit, read up on the late Sharon Gans, the eccentric School leader whose cult resume lowlights include: forced adoptions, arranged marriages, twisted displays of public humiliation and conspicuous consumption, and forced labor. Glad you got the hell out of there, Spencer. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Producers: Will Retherford & Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jun 27, 2022 |
Tangled Up in Teal: Jon Kasbe & Bits Sola on Making ‘The Deep End’
1:08:19
Dear Teal Swan: You continue to be a mystery wrapped in a riddle wrapped in wrap-around Oakleys. Are you okay? For reals, we’re getting some super hinky vibes from all seven layers of your auric field. Dear Everyone Else: In case you haven’t watched all four installments of The Deep End, you might want to catch up before you listen to this ALBC conversation with the filmmaking duo behind the series. In this episode, director/cinematographer Jon Kasbe and producer/writer Bits Sola join Sarah and Nippy to share what it was like inside Teal Swan’s campy, creepy world. But don’t get your plastic Mala beads in a twist, Teal Tribe: ‘campy’ and ‘creepy’ are our words, not theirs…and those two words are about the nicest things we could think of to say. Also? Sorry, not sorry, Teal…but you just can’t deep fake this shit. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Producers: Will Retherford & Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jun 20, 2022 |
Trust Fall: Dr. Natalie Feinblatt on Trauma, Addiction & Cult-Informed Therapy
1:04:53
Finding a therapist can be mission critical when you’re recovering from a culty situation, but the process of finding a clinician with basic cult awareness can be a total cluster. In this episode, Sarah and Nippy chat with Dr. Natalie Feinblatt about why more therapists need to get cult-informed and the Venn diagram overlap between trauma and addiction. She also chats with Sarah and Nippy about tangible techniques for getting unstuck when fight/flight/freeze mode takes over. Dr. Feinblatt is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Los Angeles, California who specializes in the treatment of addiction and trauma. And one of her trauma sub-specialties is working with former cult members. She received her BA from UCSD and her Masters & Doctorate from Pepperdine University, where she wrote her doctoral dissertation on psychotherapy with former cult members and has specialized in helping them ever since. She also does EMDR, Brainspotting, and other trauma-specific therapies. She was also featured on the series finale of ‘Leah Remini: Scientology & The Aftermath.’ Learn more at her website or follow her on Instagram for tips, tools, and healing resources. Concepts/Resources mentioned in this episode: Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Producers: Will Retherford & Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jun 13, 2022 |
Holy Hell: Will Allen on Unmasking Buddhafield (Part 2)
45:01
Surprise! We loved chatting with Will Allen so much that we let the tape keep right on rolling. Keep on listening for more about the Holy Hell filmmaker’s journey back from Buddhafield’s clutches. Oh, and here’s that My Favorite Murder episode we mention. Oh, and dear listener please be advised that just like the first part of our chat with Will, this episode contains some potentially triggering conversations. Please listen safely, and seek help if you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted. Sexual Assault Crisis Resources and Hotlines If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. See Find a Helpline.Com for the world’s largest resource of helplines. This site lists 1600 services across the world that offer immediate emotional support. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Producers: Will Retherford & Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jun 09, 2022 |
Holy Hell: Will Allen on Unmasking Buddhafield (Part 1)
1:03:49
Sarah and Nippy watched Holy Hell closely when they were exiting NXIVM back in 2016. It hit close to home: The documentary is an intimate look at the implosion of Buddhafield, a mysterious self-help cult formed by a charismatic character with an iffy backstory. In this episode, Sarah and Nippy welcome the film’s director Will Allen to talk about what it was like to shine a light on Jaime Gomez, the so-called spiritual guru at the twisted heart of the group. Will didn’t just film it all: he lived it. After joining Buddhafield as a freshly-minted film school grad, it consumed his world for twenty odd years with life-altering consequences. He was looking for a sense of community and purpose, but after the love bombing phase it was far from the blissed-out communal dream it was cracked up to be. Five years after the film’s release, Will chats with Sarah and Nippy about how he’s doing now; his journey from unofficial in-house cult documentarian to whistleblower; and what it takes to disrupt patterns of abuse and coercive control in new agey circles. And be warned, dear listener, that this conversation delves into the same potentially triggering content that gave rise to Holy Hell’s apt title. As told in the film via multiple victims’ accounts, Gomez used weekly hypnotherapy sessions to sexually abuse and exploit young male devotees, Will among them. Please listen safely, and seek help if you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted. Sexual Assault Crisis Resources and Hotlines If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. See Find a Helpline.Com for the world’s largest resource of helplines. This site lists 1600 services across the world that offer immediate emotional support. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Producers: Will Retherford & Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jun 06, 2022 |
Bigger Than the Pope: Jennings Brown on Teal Swan & The Fellowship of Friends (Part 2)
51:37
[Content Warning: This episode contains references to suicide, mental illness, and sexual assault. Listener discretion advised.] And…we’re back for an extra helping of conversation with investigative journalist Jennings Brown. If Part One’s exploration of creepy AF Youtube spiritual guru Teal Swan didn’t freak you out enough, there’s more Teal talk for you in this episode. Be sure to watch The Deep End docuseries and binge The Gateway podcast to learn more about how each new layer of the Teal Tribe onion seems to be stankier than the last.. We recommend not listening or watching before bed, unless you really dig nightmares. Despite what Teal may think: She isn’t the center of the universe. She’s not even the center of the cultiverse. So we also use part 2 of our chat with Jennings to ramble from the dark corners of Utah’s Swan country to sunny Yuba County, California where the organization at the center of his Revelations podcast appears to be hard at work making fine wine and disturbing cult headlines. The Fellowship of Friends has some serious issues, and we’re still unpacking it all. Doomsday and rosé anyone? Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. CREDITS: Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producers: Will Retherford & Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
May 30, 2022 |
Bigger Than the Pope: Jennings Brown on Teal Swan & The Fellowship of Friends (Part 1)
1:04:38
[Content Warning: This episode contains references to suicide, mental illness, and sexual assault. Listener discretion advised.] Youtube spiritual guru Teal Swan says she saves lives. Others say she’s dangerously death-obsessed. We say she’s serving strong “9 Perfect Strangers” villain vibes with a side order of night terrors. But that’s just us. We wanted an expert’s perspective, so we called on investigative journalist Jennings Brown for this episode to help us understand more about Teal’s world. As a senior reporter at Gizmodo, Jennings traveled to rural Utah, the forests of Costa Rica, and smack dab into the middle of Teal’s inner circle to understand her teachings and investigate the deaths of some of her followers. His unprecedented access to her group is at the heart of a six part podcast called The Gateway - which we highly recommend as critical listening for anyone wanting to learn more about Teal’s whole vibe from a safe distance. He joins us today to talk about the sharp edges woven into her carefully-curated, hypnotic image, and how spiritual hucksters are gaming the algorithm and manipulating people’s most vulnerable moments. We also talk to him about his newest Spotify Original podcast series: Revelations which follows a California cult that combines doomsday prophecies and fine wine. And TBH, we get so carried away that we go into extra innings. Enjoy this first episode with Jennings - and we’ll be back next week with part two. Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. CREDITS: Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producers: Will Retherford & Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
May 23, 2022 |
Not Orthodox: Tova Mirvis
1:22:26
Tova Mirvis frequently writes characters who are living in Orthodox Jewish communities and struggling with their faith. But in 2017, she turned the page from fiction to memoir, by publishing The Book of Separation: a searing look at her divorce, her exit from the Orthodox community, and her experience navigating the new terrain of single motherhood. She joins us to talk about her spiritual journey, the surprising outreach she’s received from ex-Mormons, and the similarities between strict religious communities and cults. About Our Guest: In addition to The Book of Separation, Tova Mirvis is the author of three novels: Visible City , The Outside World and The Ladies Auxiliary, which was a national bestseller. Her essays have appeared in various anthologies and newspapers including The New York Times Book Review, The Boston Globe Magazine, Commentary, Good Housekeeping and Poets and Writers, and her fiction has been broadcast on NPR. Learn more on her official site. Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. CREDITS: Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producers: Will Retherford & Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
May 16, 2022 |
Host Mode: Sarah & Nippy Answer Your Burning Questions
43:05
Back when Sarah and Nippy were in NXIVM, asking questions wasn’t exactly welcome. Fuck that. In this episode, they answer your questions on everything from Keith Raniere’s raging creep factor to what helps them keep it light after deep, dark podcast conversations about culty shit. Also covered: What has most surprised them about the episodes they’ve hosted so far; whether they’ve had to get re-acquainted since leaving NXIVM, and their perspectives on protecting yourself from retaliation when you’re leaving an abusive group, plus a couple lil' Easter eggs for fans of ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘Succession.’ Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with T-shirts. Okay, it’s t-shirts. – CREDITS: Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
May 09, 2022 |
The Way Back: Gina Wilson On Faith After ‘The Way Down’
1:02:06
If you’re familiar with ‘The Way Down’, the HBO Docuseries that chronicles the rise and fall of conservative Christian diet guru Gwen Shamblin (Lara), who died in a plane crash in May of 2021, you may remember today’s guest: Gina Wilson. As a devoted member of the Remnant Fellowship, the Brentwood Tennessee church founded by the big-haired, charismatic Shamblin, Gina spent over a decade inside the group as a part of the music ministry team and as a poster child of sorts for the church’s ‘Weigh Down’ diet method and weight loss empire. Gina joins us to talk in-depth about her experience in the church, the collateral damage to her family unit, and how she ultimately escaped Shamblin’s clutches. She also shares how her faith has only deepened now that she’s free from the Remnant Fellowship, and how she’s coming back from years of spiritual abuse. The Way Down Season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max. Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with T-shirts. Okay, it’s t-shirts. – CREDITS: Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
May 02, 2022 |
Voicing Doubt: Ian James Corlett on Leaving the Jehovah’s Witness Faith
1:17:05
As the voice of iconic cartoon characters, major TV networks, and national brands, Ian James Corlett has been heard by millions of people. But until now, he’s never publicly rocked a mic to share his own story as an ex-Jehovah’s Witness. Ian joins Sarah and Nippy for a rollicking ride through the denomination’s history, and his journey from born-and-raised JW and church elder, to unapologetic apostate. He has a few choice things to say about why JWs appear to be leaving the denomination in droves, as well as some memories to share about that one time a fellow voice actor by the name of Sarah Edmondson tried to recruit him into NXIVM. About Our Guest: You may have heard Ian James Corlett in the Emmy-nominated Dinosaur Train, in CartoonNetwork’s zany Johnny Test, or in the latest Disney Jr hit: Vampirina. And going further back, Ian originated the iconic English dub voice of Goku in Dragonball Z as well as voicing other 90’s icons such as Megaman, and Bob in Reboot. Learn more: Ianjamescorlett.com Instagram: @ianjamescorlett Twitter: @ianjames007 Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with T-shirts. Okay, it’s t-shirts. – CREDITS: Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Apr 25, 2022 |
Cults at Work: Cameron Herold on Corporate Culture
1:02:08
How and when does a healthy corporate culture go off the rails? What are some red flags to be aware of when you’re sizing up a potential workplace? Before you spring for that lower back tattoo of your company’s logo, be sure to take a listen to this A Little Bit Culty episode featuring Cameron Herold. As a successful entrepreneur and in-demand CEO Whisperer, he’s coached dozens of companies globally and is known for creating world-class company cultures. Once upon a time, he also used this talking point on the regular as part of his top-rated keynote speaking gigs: "To build an amazing company, it has to be a little bit more than a business, and a little bit less than a religion, it has to be in the zone of a cult." Cameron joins Sarah and Nippy to talk about why he no longer stans that culty line of thinking, and how corporate culture routinely blurs the lines between community and coercion. About Our Guest: Cameron Herold is the founder of the COO Alliance, author of 5 business books including Vivid Vision, and founder of the Invest In Your Leaders course. He's been paid to speak on all 7 continents including Antarctica…and is the former COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? which was ranked the #2 company to work for in all of Canada, and became a case study at Harvard Business School, and landed him on Oprah. Learn more about him on his official website Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with T-shirts. Okay, it’s t-shirts. – CREDITS: Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Apr 18, 2022 |
My So-Called Greek Life: Lucy Taylor Exposes a Culty Collegiate Shitshow
1:13:33
As a first year student at the University of Maryland, Lucy Taylor welcomed the sisterhood and built-in community that Greek life promised. But after accepting a bid into a ‘top-tier’ sorority, she left after seven months inside a toxic stew of rampant sexual assault, slut-shaming, misgogny, and racism. Lucy shared her experience in season one of her podcast, SNAPPED, and after an outpouring of responses she’s continuing to use the series to help other former sorority and fraternity members share their all-too similar and all-too-horrific stories. On the cusp of spring, when Greek Week events and semi-formals are about to pop off on college campuses far and wide, Lucy joins Sarah and Nippy for an important conversation about the dangers of a beloved campus tradition. She shares why her experience in the panhellenic scene was hellish, and how the bait-and-switch recruitment tactics and gross coercive control methods that are rife throughout the Greek system are a whole bunch of culty. Before you ship your kids off to college, make sure you listen to this one. About Lucy Taylor: Lucy Taylor is the creator, editor, producer, and host of SNAPPED, a podcast which explores the inner workings of sororities and fraternities on America’s college campuses. Also hear the bangin’ SNAPPED soundtrack playlist on Spotify and learn more about Lucy and the pod at: snappedthepodcast.com #snappedthepodcast Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with T-shirts. Okay, it’s t-shirts. – CREDITS: Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Apr 11, 2022 |
Surviving Wild Wild Country: Erin Robbins Speaks Out On Osho Horrors
1:16:25
A Little Bit Culty – We took zero breaks between seasons because we need you to hear this episode. Erin Robbins wasn’t featured in Wild Wild Country, the 2018 Netflix Docuseries about Bhagawan Shree Rajneesh, also known as Osho. She lived it in real-time. She discovered the controversial guru’s teachings at age 23 in 1977, and by the time he summoned her to his bedroom a year later for a ‘special and secret’ meeting that quickly devolved into a vile and violating encounter (the first of many) she thought he was the greatest spiritual master who’d ever walked the planet. Erin disregarded her father, the co-founder, and owner of the Baskin-Robbins ice cream company, risking her family connection and inheritance in order to follow a man who would eventually lead his disciples into a world of murders, mass poisonings, and the gross sexual violation of children. After nearly 45 years of staying quiet, Erin is sharing her story after waking up just a year ago. This episode is full of potentially triggering content related to child abuse, coerced sterilization, and sexual assault. It also contains a staggering amount of bravery. Here’s to the healing power of the truth. About Our Guest: Erin Robbins, M.Ed. is an award-winning artist who lives in Northern California. Website: erinrobbins.life Twitter: @erinrobbins_ FB & Instagram: @erinrobbins.life Support the ALBC Pod: We’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution, smash this link. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with “t-shirts.” Okay, it’s t-shirts. Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with T-shirts. Okay, it’s t-shirts. – CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Apr 04, 2022 |
ALBC at SXSW with Sarah Berman & Amanda Montell
1:14:01
A Little Bit Culty – A Little Bit Culty took the show on the road, and brought you back this season 3 finale from Texas as a souvenir. In this episode, Sarah and Nippy host a live panel with Sarah Berman and Amanda Montell, in front of a real, actual human crowd of SXSW-certified cool kids. But first, the hosts celebrate the birthday of a certain golden boy, and respond to all the “Bad Vegan” hullaballoo. Lots to cover in this one, so let’s hit it. About Our Guests: Amanda Montell is a writer, language scholar, and the author of two critically acclaimed books: Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism and Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language (HarperWave). Her books have earned praise from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and others, and Amanda is currently developing Wordslut for television with FX Studios. She is also the creator and co-host of the comedy-cult podcast, Sounds Like A Cult. Find her on Instagram @amanda_montell. Sarah Berman is an investigative journalist based in Vancouver covering crime, drugs, cults, politics, and culture. She is a former senior editor at VICE and past contributor to Adbusters, Maclean’s, The Globe and Mail, the Vancouver Sun and other publications. Her debut book Don't Call it a Cult has drawn praise for its searing and insightful reportage of the rise and fall of NXIVM. Support the ALBC Pod: This podcast thing is a labor of love, but we also like money just fine. By listener request from you magical beasts that download our show every week, we’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution and help us keep this pod rolling, just smash this link. Other Semi-Important and/or Critical Things You Should Know: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with T-shirts. Okay, it’s t-shirts. – Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 28, 2022 |
Sarma Speaks: A ‘Bad Vegan’ Exclusive
1:24:44
A Little Bit Culty – If the producers of Tiger King decide to make their next true crime show about you, you’ve got a helluva story. Sarma Melngailis is the woman at the heart of “Bad Vegan” the buzzworthy Netflix docu-series that chronicles her meteoric rise to fame, and her disturbing crash and burn from celebrity chef to fugitive. It’s the stuff of clickbait gold, but beyond the headlines, there’s usually more to it. And Sarma’s story is, you guessed it: More than a little bit culty. We don’t want to spoil anything, but there’s a Keith Raniere-esque player involved in this epic fail. Sarma fell under the sway of a gambler with a criminal past who slid into her Twitter DMs with shady moves straight out of the NXIVM playbook, and then she married him. Cue the alleged gaslighting, sleep deprivation, and sexual humiliation. Pro-tip: If you’ve come to believe that your pit bull is on the cusp of being made immortal: you’ve probably been mindfucked. Sarma’s got a lot to say now that those Netflix cameras aren’t rolling, and she’s only speaking to us. Official website: sarmaraw.com Twitter: @sarma Instagram: @sarmamelngailis Support the ALBC Pod: This podcast thing is a labor of love, but we also like money just fine. By listener request from you magical beasts that download our show every week, we’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution and help us keep this pod rolling, just smash this link. Other Semi-Important and/or Critical Things You Should Know: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with T-shirts. Okay, it’s t-shirts. – CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 21, 2022 |
Unholy Spirits: Eric Skwarczynski on Darkness in the IFB
1:11:36
A Little Bit Culty – There’s a dark cloud hanging over the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement, and our guest today wants you to know about it. Eric Skwarczynski is the host and creator of the Preacher Boys podcast, which is a platform for survivors’ stories and the basis of an upcoming documentary film about a deeply disturbing pattern of sexual predation and abuse claims within the IFB. Eric joins us to talk about blowing the whistle on the IFB, what sucks about purity culture (hint: everything), and what it will take to create a sea change among current congregants, leaders, and pastors. He also gives us the scoop on his new podcast: Figuring it Out which currently features life advice from Shaq (!!!) Also be warned: This episode contains graphic descriptions of child abuse and other completely fucking horrifying stuff. It will disturb you, and probably make you pretty irate. It made us shakey mad and more than a little sick to our stomachs to research this thing. (What the actual fuck, IFB. Get your shit together.) Here’s Spirit of Fear, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram expose that was published in 2018, which we quote early in the episode. Support the ALBC Pod: This podcast thing is a labor of love, but we also like money just fine. By listener request from you magical beasts that download our show every week, we’ve made a link where you can support A Little Bit Culty with a one-time, weekly, or monthly contribution. Your support will be repaid in cosmic love and light. To make a contribution and help us keep this pod rolling, just smash this link. Other Semi-Important and/or Critical Things You Should Know: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Check out our Linktree to sign up for our mailing list. We’ve got some fun things coming your way soon. It rhymes with T-shirts. Okay, it’s t-shirts. – CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 14, 2022 |
Miranda Beverly-Whittemore on Cult Fiction
1:00:06
A Little Bit Culty – This episode is a little bit different. Author Miranda Beverly-Whittemore is not a former cult member or a cult awareness expert like most of our guests, but her novel Fierce Little Thing weaves a culty tale that almost makes you think she is. It’s a little like “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” except in this case, it’s “I Know What You Did When You Were a Teenager 20 Summers Ago While Living on a Survivalist Commune Run by a Charismatic Maniac in Rural Maine.” She joins Sarah and Nippy to talk about communes, cult fiction, and how “The Vow” inspired the cultiverse of her latest story. About Our Guest: Miranda Beverly-Whittemore is the New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet, June, and Set Me Free. A recipient of the Crazyhorse Prize in Fiction, she lives and writes in Brooklyn. Learn more at her official website And follow her on Instagram or linger beneath her linktree a while. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 07, 2022 |
Make Me A God: Jon Atack
1:22:31
A Little Bit Culty – Jon Atack wants to help you protect yourself from the human predators who roam among us, and believes that every bad relationship, every destructive group, and every dangerous government has a human predator at its heart. This conversation was recorded several months ago, but it feels a bit prescient now that Putin is raining hellfire on Kyiv. The author, academic, and former Operating Thetan Section V chats with Sarah and Nippy about why it seems like psychopaths are running the world, and why he still has hope that humanity can turn things around in spite of itself. About Jon Atack: Our guest today is one of the only court-appointed expert witnesses on Scientology, and his book: Let’s Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, about the early history of the church, is cited by academics all over the world. Jon was a ‘public’ Scientologist for nine years, trained as a counselor, and even did the secret ‘OT’ levels, but ditched it when he discovered appalling, aggressive behavior towards members. In addition to his work podcasting as a Scientology mythbuster and using his Instagram account to help educate people on overcoming things like manipulation, destructive cults, and abusive relationships, he’s written several novels, including Voodoo Child (Slight Return), inspired by the life and downfall of Jimi Hendrix. By the look of all the fair gaming sites out there, he’s also a Marvel-esque villain who deeply hurts Scientology’s feelie weelies. This dastardly fellow lives in a charming village near Nottingham, England where, as Voltaire advised, he cultivates his garden. Exactly what a Marvel villain would do. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Feb 28, 2022 |
Bentinho Massaro Sucks Part 2
1:14:48
A Little Bit Culty – He’s just one guy, but there’s so much culty shit flying around Bentinho Massaro that our first episode went into extra innings. Part two of our spotlight on the International Man of Alleged Assholery continues with Jade Alectra, Keilan McNeil, and Jacqueline Graham taking us into the pivotal moments that helped them wake up, pack up, and peace out of his toxic basecamp. They also share why they’re speaking out, even though it is all still painful AF; what’s helping them heal; and where they’re finding the joys of life after Bentinho. Blessed be the whistleblowers. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Feb 21, 2022 |
Bentinho Massaro Sucks Part 1
1:23:36
A Little Bit Culty – Imagine a narsty blend of an Instagram influencer, spiritual huxter, Winklevoss twin, and Hugh Hefner’s ghost. These are the vibes that Bentinho Massaro is serving. He’s got all the scary charisma and shiny trappings of a culty overachiever, like thousands of social media followers, a grandiose plan to build a fully enlightened society by 2035, and he even claims to vibrate at a higher frequency than other humans. He’s also already achieved a rite of passage that’s becoming all too common among culty fuckwads: His name in headlines concerning the suspicious death of one of his followers at a Sedona retreat. Our trio of guests in this double episode whistleblower extravaganza are coming forward to call bullshit on Bentinho’s special brand of mindfuckery. Jade Alectra, Keilan McNeil, and Jacqueline Graham were pulled into his mad world, and got themselves out. But they aren’t going radio silent. Oh hell no. Because they want you to know that this so-called millennial spiritual guru is less of a messiah and more of a walking, talking human Fyre Festival. In part one, Jade, Keilan, and Jacqueline share what made Bentinho seem so alluring and transformational at first, and what happened when shit started getting real. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Feb 21, 2022 |
Keely Griffin on Twin Flames & Other Dumpster Fires
1:10:26
A Little Bit Culty – Speaking of soul-crushing scams that exploit the basic human need for love and belonging, we’ve got a doozy of a Valentine’s Day episode for you. We’re not labeling the organization at the heart of this episode a cult, but we are asking our guest Keely Griffin if loving and leaving Twin Flames Universe was the bad trip that reports published by Vanity Fair, Vice, and Daily Mail make it sound. Once a devotee of TFU, Keely shares what made the YouTubey, Facebooky spiritual community sound promising at first, just how quickly it went to the Upside Down, and how she’s coming back from the whole shitshow now that she’s out of its grips. Oh and just FYI, the list of what TFU officially disputes about its bad press practically writes our show notes for us: They dispute that they promote harassment and stalking. They dispute that they engage in exploitative and cult-like practices. They dispute that they coerce members into changing their gender. A Little Bit Culty, on the other hand, does not dispute that the whole TFU vibe makes us want to throw up in our mouths a little bit. Happy Freakin’ Valentine’s Day. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames. Production Partner: Citizens of Sound. Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Feb 14, 2022 |
Dare to Doubt: Alice Grecyzn Part 2
50:07
A Little Bit Culty – Part 2 of our conversation with Alice Grecycn, the author of Wayward: A Memoir of Spiritual Warfare & Sexual Purity delves into the neuroscience of belief, what’s so cringe toxic religion, and what happens when mystical experiences bite you in the ass. We also cover sexual hangups, Seth Rogen, and culty summer camps. Content alert: Alice also shares her point of view on why it’s hard to see certain sacred texts as anything other than a manual for aspiring sadistic, narcissistic, cult leaders. But don’t mistake her frankness for sh*tting on people of faith. She’s just looking out for you. About Today’s Guest: Alice Greczyn is an actress, author, and founder of Dare to Doubt. Midwest-raised and LA-based, Alice's nomadic childhood moved her around the United States until her modeling career as a teenager led to an acting career in Hollywood. She’s fascinated by the subjective experience of life, which she explores through acting and storytelling. Her own story includes a painful yet rewarding transition from Christianity to atheism, a journey that inspired her to found DaretoDoubt.org, a resource site for people detaching from belief systems they come to fnd harmful. Encouraging people to trust themselves and live courageously in their own truth is what gives Alice a sense of purpose. She lives in Los Angeles and loves hiking, traveling, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Learn more about her at her official website or get regular missives from her via her Substack. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Feb 07, 2022 |
Dare to Doubt: Alice Grecyzn Part 1
52:02
A Little Bit Culty – If you’ve ever felt trapped by the dictates of a high-demand group or an expression of religion that no longer felt true; or you find yourself feeling lonely and abandoned after a loss of faith, Alice Grecyzn has your back. The author of Wayward: A Memoir of Spiritual Warfare & Sexual Purity joins Sarah and Nippy to speak about her painful but rewarding journey out of Evangelical Christianity, what it means to recover from religious trauma, and what’s rotten at the core about purity culture. About Today’s Guest: Alice Greczyn is an actress, author, and founder of Dare to Doubt. Midwest-raised and LA-based, Alice's nomadic childhood moved her around the United States until her modeling career as a teenager led to an acting career in Hollywood. She’s fascinated by the subjective experience of life, which she explores through acting and storytelling. Her own story includes a painful yet rewarding transition from Christianity to atheism, a journey that inspired her to found DaretoDoubt.org, a resource site for people detaching from belief systems they come to fnd harmful. Encouraging people to trust themselves and live courageously in their own truth is what gives Alice a sense of purpose. She lives in Los Angeles and loves hiking, traveling, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Learn more about her at her official website or get regular missives from her via her Substack. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jan 31, 2022 |
Silver Fox: Mark Vicente Part 2
53:29
A Little Bit Culty – It sure is good to see Mark Vicente back in the saddle again. In Part 2, he shares what happened during his last conversation with Keith Raniere, how he’s defragged his brain since he helped burn ol’ Dead Eyes’ playhouse down, and what the bleep he’s working on next. Oh, and there is bountiful ass-chapping. More about today’s guest: Author, speaker, and award-winning director Mark Vicente was behind the sleeper hit “What The Bleep Do We Know?!” Born in South Africa in 1965, Mark took his first photograph at age four and discovered his passion for being behind the camera. After working his way up the ranks of the camera department, his first big break came as Cinematographer on the musical “SARAFINA,” starring Whoopi Goldberg. In 1992, he relocated to Los Angeles to shoot his first studio picture for Disney entitled “FATHERHOOD” From a very young age he found himself propelled to question beliefs about the human condition. His filmmaking activism led him to make a number of films, including ‘Encender el Corazon’, about the rampant kidnapping epidemic in Mexico. It was a bittersweet victory; the film touched people deeply, but was by association supporting NXIVM. He made the difficult decision to pull the film from distribution and, with a small band of whistleblowers, expose their criminal enterprise. Mark’s since developed a keen interest in exposing the coercive and duplicitous environments of high-control groups. His memoir: ‘QUEST’ or ‘How the BLEEP did that happen?!’ will be released shortly. It chronicles the many untold stories of what occurred in NXIVM , as well as he and his wife Bonnie’s harrowing campaign to escape and expose the organization. He’s also in production on a film about malignant narcissism, narcissistic abuse, and trauma bonding which exposes abusive strategies. He’s still looking for real life stories for his film, anyone who would like to share their story can reach out to him at his official website. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jan 24, 2022 |
Silver Fox: Mark Vicente Part 1
1:01:33
A Little Bit Culty – A wise man once said: “Nobody joins a cult, they join a good thing.” A Little Bit Culty kicks off Season 3 with the wise man himself, Mark Vicente. The epic whistleblower and stone-cold silver fox joins Sarah and Nippy to get the band back together in the first of two episodes. The trio catches up on life after making headlines and what it was really like to see the whole shitshow play out on HBO’s “The Vow.” Expect a metric fuck ton of ass chapping anecdotes, and to love Mark even more than you already did. More about today’s guest: Author, speaker, and award-winning director Mark Vicente was behind the sleeper hit “What The Bleep Do We Know?!” Born in South Africa in 1965, Mark took his first photograph at age four and discovered his passion for being behind the camera. After working his way up the ranks of the camera department, his first big break came as Cinematographer on the musical “SARAFINA,” starring Whoopi Goldberg. In 1992, he relocated to Los Angeles to shoot his first studio picture for Disney entitled “FATHERHOOD” From a very young age he found himself propelled to question beliefs about the human condition. His filmmaking activism led him to make a number of films, including ‘Encender el Corazon’, about the rampant kidnapping epidemic in Mexico. It was a bittersweet victory; the film touched people deeply, but was by association supporting NXIVM. He made the difficult decision to pull the film from distribution and, with a small band of whistleblowers, expose their criminal enterprise. Mark’s since developed a keen interest in exposing the coercive and duplicitous environments of high-control groups. His memoir: ‘QUEST’ or ‘How the BLEEP did that happen?!’ will be released shortly. It chronicles the many untold stories of what occurred in NXIVM , as well as he and his wife Bonnie’s harrowing campaign to escape and expose the organization. He’s also in production on a film about malignant narcissism, narcissistic abuse, and trauma bonding. He’s still looking for real life stories for his film and anyone who would like to share theirs can reach out to him at his official website. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Jan 17, 2022 |
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That’s One More Season, Innit?
36:12
A Little Bit Culty – We thought about recording our Season 2 finale in dubly, but you don’t do heavy metal in dubly. In this wrap-up episode Sarah and Nippy answer your burning questions, preview what’s ahead next season, seek a patron saint of quality mattresses, and generally have a good time all the time. We think you’ll be knocked out by their exuberance, their raw power, and their punctuality. How much more Spinal Tappy could these show notes be? The answer is none. None more Spinal Tappy. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jan 03, 2022 |
Master of the Cultiverse: Patrick Ryan on Transcendental Meditation
1:20:05
A Little Bit Culty – What do Pete Rose, Grandma Walton, skin boys, Dear Prudence, Brooks Brothers suits, David Lynch, Mary Tyler Moore, Merv Griffin, Mary Tyler Moore, Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds and Margaret Singer have in common? They’re all mentioned in this episode, and you’ll have to listen to find out why. There’s just not enough room in these show notes to tell you. But don’t worry, you’ll be glad you listened, because Patrick Ryan can tell a culty oral history with the best of them. He joins Sarah and Nippy for the penultimate episode of Season 2, and it’s a doozy that just might make you take a second look at your meditation practice. As Stefon on SNL would say, “This one has something for everyone: Yogic flying, off-brand incense, and fake CIA operatives.” It’s been a batshit year, kids, so enjoy 2021’s last A Little Bit Culty episode drop. More about today’s guest: Patrick Ryan is a graduate of Maharishi International University. He has been a cult intervention specialist since 1984. He’s the co-founder of TM-EX, the organization of ex-members of Transcendental Meditation, established ICSA’s online resource (1995-2013), and has presented 50 programs about hypnosis, inner-experience, trance-induction techniques, communicating with cult members, conversion, cult intervention, exit counseling, intervention assessment, mediation, religious conflict resolution, thought reform consultation, eastern groups, transcendental meditation and workshops for educators, families, former members and mental health professionals at ICSA workshops/conferences. Mr. Ryan received the AFF Achievement Award (1997) from AFF, the Leo J. Ryan "Distinguished Service Award" (1999) from the Leo J. Ryan Foundation, and a Lifetime Achievement Award (2011) from ICSA. Along with fellow intervention specialist Joseph Kelly, Patrick publishes several cult news sites that are an indispensable resource for all things cult-related: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cultnews101 Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/cultnews101 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cultnews101/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/CultNEWS101/ ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Dec 27, 2021 |
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Wake-Up Call: Gerette Buglion on Everyday Cults
1:03:48
A Little Bit Culty – If you think you’re too smart to fall for a cult, this episode is your wake-up call. Undue influence can poison what starts out as a ‘good thing’ and turn it into a culty shitshow. Just ask today’s guest: Gerette Buglion. She was a member of an under-the-radar cult for over 18 years. In this organization, there was no tithing, no rules about where you should live, what brand of deodorant you must use, or what clothes to wear. Instead, far more subtle techniques were used...but they were powerful, and destructive all the same. When Gerette finally emerged from the cult at age 52, she asked herself, “How did I, an educated, caring mother, wife, and business owner become that lost and for that long?” She joins us to discuss her page-turning memoir, and her journey from hopeful therapy client to enthusiastic cult member to an anti-cult crusader. Spoiler alert: You’re not too smart to fall for culty shit. More about today’s guest: Gerette Buglion, B.A. Elementary Education and Special Education, earned her ‘Master's Degree’ in cult awareness education from the school of life. This training occurred during her eighteen-year odyssey with Doug (Fictitious name. Real person) who was the leader of the ‘Center for Transformational Learning’ (fictitious name for a real group, also simply CTL). Her memoir of her experience, An Everyday Cult, lifts the nuanced veil of controlling groups through its subtle weaving of personal experience with insight from recognized cultic phenomena. In addition to hosting retreats and her Writing to Reckon workshops, Gerette is a co-founding collaborator of the #igotout movement and igotout.org and co-host of the Everyday Cults, Everyday People podcast. Learn more about Gerette’s work and upcoming events at her official website. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Dec 20, 2021 |
Attachment Theory: Dr. Alexandra Stein on Terror, Love & Brainwashing
1:16:19
A Little Bit Culty – Think you’re immune to culty shit? Dr. Alexandra Stein begs to differ. She’s one of the world’s leading experts on ideological extremism and dangerous social relationships, and she makes a very convincing case that under the right set of circumstances almost anyone can be radically manipulated to engage in otherwise incomprehensible and often dangerous acts. In this episode, she joins us to discuss her experience as a former cult member, and the relationship between neuroscience, attachment, and indoctrination. More about today’s guest: Alexandra Stein, Ph.D. is a social psychologist, writer and educator specializing in cults, totalitarianism and extremism. She is currently a visiting research fellow at London South Bank University and has previously taught at Birkbeck University of London, Westminster University and the University of Minnesota. Dr. Stein is a trustee of The Family Survival Trust, a UK charity working to raise awareness about cults and support those affected. She is the author of two books: Terror, Love and Brainwashing: Attachment in Cults and Totalitarian Systems, and Inside Out, a Mmemoir of Entering and Breaking out of a Minneapolis Political Cult. Learn more about her work at her official website and follow her on Twitter @alexandraistein ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Dec 13, 2021 |
Brazen: Nadia Bolz-Weber on Sex, Shame & Toxic Religion
1:02:17
A Little Bit Culty – She’s just about the most rockin’ Reverend we’ve ever met. In this episode, Nadia Bolz-Weber takes us to church on everything from sex-obsessed religious doctrine and toxic positivity to cancel culture. Also, if you’ve been searching for an episode that will illuminate what St. Augustine’s medieval boner issues have to do with purity rings, you are in the right place. More about today’s guest: Nadia Bolz-Weber is an ordained Lutheran Pastor, and founder of House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver: a progressive, queer-inclusive Lutheran congregation. She’s written three New York Times bestselling memoirs, including Shameless: A Sexual Reformation, which takes on what she sees as the harmful ideas about sexuality that Christianity has promoted throughout history. She’s the creator and host of The Confessional podcast (here’s Sarah’s episode) plus a pop-up prayer network called The Chapel and a wildly inspirational Substack called The Corners. Learn more about everything she’s up to on her official website. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Dec 06, 2021 |
Guru-Free: Laura Tucker on Safety for Seekers
1:11:55
A Little Bit Culty – In 2009, Laura Tucker attended a Sedona spiritual retreat and sweat lodge hosted by charismatic spiritual teacher James Arthur Ray. It all went tragically wrong, resulting in the deaths of fellow attendees Liz Neuman, Kirby Brown and James Shore. On this episode, Laura chats with Sarah and Nippy about her experience, what it means to practice safe spiritual seeking, and the dark side of self help. More about today’s guest: Laura Tucker is the host of the Free Your Inner Guru® Podcast, a photographer, writer, and a self-described ‘recovering coach.’ A creative at heart, Laura likes to explore, figure things out, create stunning visuals, and nuanced conversations. As an insight provoking leader and speaker, Laura has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and business leaders become more self aware so they can lead more intuitively. She is a former high school teacher, trainer, sales professional, multi entrepreneur, consultant and leadership coach. She survived the 2009 fatal “sweat lodge” at a self help retreat in Sedona. You may recognize her from Enlighten Us, a CNN Films/Netflix documentary about the self help industry and the Wondery Podcast Guru: The Dark Side of Enlightenment. She has also appeared on CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin and William Shatner’s The UnXplained. Laura shares personal writing and nature inspired photography at lauratucker.com. Free Your Inner Guru® podcast episodes are released bi-weekly at freeyourinnerguru.com. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Nov 29, 2021 |
Groundbreaker: Moira Penza on Prosecuting NXIVM
1:08:11
A Little Bit Culty If you watched “The Vow” or have followed the fall of NXIVM, you know Moira Kim Penza as the prosecutor who brought Keith Raniere to justice. Her accomplishments are mighty: Like Keith’s conviction on all counts including racketeering and sex trafficking and a brisk 120 year sentence. Moira’s groundbreaking approach to the case has been credited with paving the way for other sex trafficking prosecutions against powerful individuals. In other words: She’s a total badass. In this episode, Moira sits down with Sarah and Nippy to talk about what it’s like to take on a world-class dirtbag (our wording, not hers) and what really chaps her ass about NXIVM’s Voldemort. More about today’s guest: Moira is now in private practice as a litigator, and a partner at Wilkinson Stekloff. Crain’s New York business named her in the 40 under 40 list, she’s been ranked as one of Bloomberg Law’s 40 under 40, and her legal analysis has been featured in The NY Times, CNN, ABC, NPR and Daily Beast. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Nov 22, 2021 |
The Heretic: Dr. John Dehlin on Mormonism
1:17:59
A Little Bit Culty – He was raised in a conservative Texan Mormon family, but today Dr. John Dehlin is an outspoken LGBTQ ally, a clinical psychologist, and a groundbreaking podcast host of the longest-running and most popular Mormon-themed podcast. The excommunicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or the LDS Church) joins Sarah and Nippy for a conversation about the history of the Mormon faith, the truth about Joseph Smith, and what the ‘Book of Mormon’ got right. More about our guest: John founded the Mormon Stories Podcast, was an influential early participant in the Mormon blogosphere, and is a passionate advocate for the rights of skeptics in Mormonism, LGBTQ rights, equality for women, and other individual views outside mainstream Mormonism. His research and podcasting work have been highlighted in the New York Times, Good Morning America, and on the CBS Evening News. His work was also featured in HBO’s feature documentary film ”Believer” starring Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds and Neon Trees, Tyler Glen. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Nov 15, 2021 |
Stolen: Elizabeth Gilpin on the ‘Troubled Teen’ Industry
1:00:46
A Little Bit Culty – As a high school student, Elizabeth Gilpin was taken from her bed in the middle of the night, left in the woods for three months of forced camping with 12 other girls, then remanded to a prison-like boarding school where she and other so-called ‘troubled teens’ were subjected to nightmarish conditions and psychological abuse. Her debut memoir, “Stolen” is a harrowing account of her time at Virginia’s Carlbrook school, and examines the therapeutic boarding school industry’s culty trajectory from an actual cult named Synanon to an entrepreneurial charismatic type with zero credentials named Mel Wasserman. In this episode, she joins Sarah and Nippy to discuss “Stolen”, her healing path, and how it feels to shine a light on a dark and insidious industry. Elizabeth Gilpin is an actress, writer, and producer. She starred in and produced Life Boat, a short film directed by Lorraine Nicholson which premiered at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize for Live Action Short Film at AFI Fest and won the Audience Award at the Napa Valley Film Festival. Elizabeth also starred in Endings, Inc. and Guerra. ‘Stolen’ is her first book. ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Nov 08, 2021 |
LuLaRich Girl: Roberta Blevins on Life After MLM
1:13:06
A Little Bit Culty – Don’t call her a #bossbitch. She’s the boss, bitch. Roberta Blevins was a Trainer with LuLaRoe, had a team of 75 women under her, and made over $65,000 in bonuses alone. But when she came to the conclusion that it was a rigged, losing game she didn’t just leave the business: she testified in the Washington State vs. LuLaRoe Pyramid Scheme lawsuit as a witness for the state. The fan favorite from the buzzed-about LuLaRich docuseries sits down for an A Little Bit Culty chat with Sarah and Nippy about what it’s like when MLM gold turns to mold, the similarities between LuLaRoe and NXIVM, and the truth about those buttery soft leggings. Since leaving MLM, Roberta has educated herself on the systemic structure of the business model, the psychological manipulation, the seedy underbelly and governmental ties, the cult indoctrination, and the history of Multi Level Marketing. She educates daily on TikTok, and podcasts in her "free time" on her own podcast, Life After MLM, which explores the dangers of Multi Level Marketing through the eyes of the victims and survivors. Her work has been featured on Amazon Prime Video, Vice Media, Bloomberg News, Split, and Business Insider among others. Learn more on her website or find her on Instagram @therealrobertablevins ~ The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. ~ A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the #IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org ~ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Nov 01, 2021 |
Sounds Cultish: Amanda Montell on Fanatical Language
1:20:32
A Little Bit Culty – Sticks and stones break bones, but words build entire cult empires. In this episode, Sarah and Nippy sit down with Amanda Montell to discuss how cultish groups and social media gurus use language to manipulate followers and cultivate power. Amanda is a writer, language scholar, and the author of two critically acclaimed books: Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism and Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language (HarperWave). Her books have earned praise from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and others, and Amanda is currently developing Wordslut for television with FX Studios. Amanda's writing has been featured in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, Refinery29, and Who What Wear, where she formerly served as the Features & Beauty Editor. She is also the creator and co-host of the comedy-cult podcast, Sounds Like A Cult. Find her on Instagram @amanda_montell. The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. And also they want you to know that any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the # IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Oct 25, 2021 |
Hello Again, Cultiverse.
45:31
A Little Bit Culty – It’s been a minute, but A Little Bit Culty is back. Season 2’s kickoff episode finds co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames covering what’s been going on in their world, what’s new in the cultiverse, and what’s ahead this season on the podcast. There’s a lot of cult news to catch up on: like NXIVM sentencings, R. Kelly’s day in court, and Nicole Kidman’s wig on ‘9 Perfect Strangers.’ Sarah and Nippy report on what they’ve been up to over summer vacation, and answer all sorts of burning questions from the ALBC audience. Don’t worry: There is also a side of Word Salad and an extra helping of Ass Chapping. The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. And also they want you to know that any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the # IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Follow us on Instagram & Twitter @alittlebitculty ~ CREDITS: Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Associate Producer: Jess Tardy Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Additional Music Score by Will Retherford See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Oct 18, 2021 |
Season 2 Trailer: A Little Bit Culty
1:20
Welcome back to Season 2 of A Little Bit Culty with Sarah Edmondson and Anthony "Nippy" Ames. Think you might be in a cult? Want to know the signs? Join Sarah and Nippy”to talk about things that are...a little bit culty. Or in their case: a whole bunch of culty. As whistleblowers documented in the critically-acclaimed HBO series “The Vow,” Sarah and Nippy have a lot to say about their experience, and burning questions to ask people with similar stories. They’re here to help people understand, heal from, and avoid abusive situations one little red flag at a time. Listen in as they share their stories, have frank and unscripted conversations with other survivors and cult experts, and do a deep dive on how devotion can turn to dysfunction. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Oct 04, 2021 |
Bonus SUMMER Episode: Catching Up with India Oxenberg
1:13:04
A Little Bit Culty – A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the # IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Jul 06, 2021 |
#FGKIA: Joyce Short & Nina Lucas On Defining Consent
50:35
A Little Bit Culty – Learn more at: Joyce’s TedTalk Follow Nina on TikTok A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the # IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
May 10, 2021 |
Shameless: Dan Shaw on Gaslighting, Narcissists, & Recovering from Cultic Abuse
1:01:45
A Little Bit Culty –
References: A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the # IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
May 03, 2021 |
The Breakup: Samantha Freedom on Leaving The Alt-Right
59:51
A Little Bit Culty – Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Apr 26, 2021 |
WTF: Matthew Remski On Conspirituality
1:22:03
A Little Bit Culty – Don’t get it twisted: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Apr 19, 2021 |
Catching Up: Sarah & Nippy Circle Back
34:30
A Little Bit Culty – They also say ‘allegedly’ a few more times than usual. Because the thing is, they really want you to know that the views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. And also they want you to know that any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Apr 12, 2021 |
Illusion of Hope: Douglas Brooks On MLMs
1:13:52
A Little Bit Culty – In this episode, Sarah, Nippy, and Doug do a deep dive on all things MLMs and pyramid schemes - and Sarah shares her pre-NXIVM experience with an MLM organization that nearly destroyed a close friendship.They also cover why Nippy won’t be coming to your essential oils class anytime soon. A Little Bit Culty is proud to support the # IGOTOUT project, which empowers survivors of cultic abuse to share their stories online as a catalyst for education, prevention, and healing. Learn more at igotout.org https://www.mlmconference.com/ For more information on A Little Bit Culty and co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Nippy “Anthony” Ames, visit our official website at alittlebitculty.com. Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Apr 05, 2021 |
Happy Now: Susan Dones & The Early Exit
1:14:13
A Little Bit Culty– In this episode, Sarah and Nippy reconnect with Susan to talk in-depth about her role as one of the original “NXIVM 9,” what her healing process looks like these days, and why she torched her proctor sashes. They cover the joy in seeing justice served, the murky cross-border dealings of Keith’s inner circle, and Susan spills some surprising tea with a few revelations for Sarah and Nippy. Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 29, 2021 |
Take Back Your Life: Dr. Janja Lalich & Cult Recovery
1:12:03
A Little Bit Culty – About Dr. Lalich: Janja Lalich, Ph.D. is a researcher, author, and educator specializing in cults and extremist groups, with a particular focus on charismatic relationships, political and other social movements, ideology and social control, and issues of gender and sexuality. Dr. Lalich has written and lectured extensively, and her most recent book is Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships (Bay Tree Publishing, 2006), which is a fully-revised and expanded edition of her first book, Captive Hearts, Captive Minds, which has been the number-one book used by former cult members and their friends and families to better understand cult experiences and their consequences. A former Fulbright scholar, Dr. Lalich is Professor Emerita of Sociology at California State University, Chico. Learn more about her work at: cultresearch.org Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 22, 2021 |
F*ck This, I’m Out: Mike Rinder & The About-Face
1:20:30
A Little Bit Culty – About Mike Rinder: Mike’s unique voice and perspective has inspired people around the world. As a well-known whistleblower exposing abuses in Scientology, he’s teamed up with Leah Remini for the groundbreaking, Emmy-winning A&E series Scientology and the Aftermath, and the Scientology: Fair Game podcast. Mike is also an ambassador and on the board of Child USA, a non-profit working to bring justice for victims of child sexual abuse and is a founding board member of the Aftermath Foundation dedicated to helping people escape from scientology. Learn more about Mike at: mikerindersblog.org Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 15, 2021 |
Heal That Sh*t: Leah Remini & The Aftermath
1:09:05
A Little Bit Culty: About Leah Remini: As creator and executive producer of A&E Network’s hit nonfiction docuseries Leah Remini: Scientology & The Aftermath, she’s investigated the truth behind the Church of Scientology with the kind of unapologetic gutsiness that helped her forge a enduring and successful career in Hollywood. The Emmy Winning actress, producer and author of the New York Times Best Seller Troublemaker chronicles her remarkable journey out of Scientology and toward emotional and spiritual freedom, both for herself and for her family. Her new podcast with Mike Rinder, Scientology: Fair Game takes listeners behind the facade and exposes the terrible truth about the Fair Game doctrine the organization has used for 5 decades to destroy anyone they label an enemy. CREDITS: Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 08, 2021 |
Cults 101: Dr. Steven Hassan & The BITE Model
1:04:13
A Little Bit Culty – About the BITE Model, as quoted from the Freedom of Mind Resource center site at Freedomofmind.com: “Based on research and theory by Robert Jay Lifton, Margaret Singer, Edgar Schein, Louis Jolyon West, and others who studied brainwashing in Maoist China as well as cognitive dissonance theory by Leon Festinger, Steven Hassan developed the BITE Model to describe the specific methods that cults use to recruit and maintain control over people. “BITE” stands for Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotional control. CREDITS: Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 01, 2021 |
This Is Us: Meet The Hosts
40:32
A Little Bit Culty – A Little Bit Culty is a proud community partner of the #iGotOut Project. Learn more and find helpful resources for healing, education and prevention at igotout.org. CREDITS: Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin Follow A Little Bit Culty: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Mar 01, 2021 |
TEASER: A Little Bit Culty with Sarah & Nippy
1:50
Think you might be in a cult? Want to know the signs? Join Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames to talk about things that are...a little bit culty. Or in their case: a whole bunch of culty. As whistleblowers documented in the critically-acclaimed HBO series “The Vow,” Sarah and Nippy have a lot to say about their experience, and burning questions to ask people with similar stories. They’re here to help people understand, heal from, and avoid abusive situations one little red flag at a time.
Listen in as they share their stories, have frank and unscripted conversations with other survivors and cult experts, and do a deep dive on how devotion can turn to dysfunction. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. |
Feb 05, 2021 |