A Little Bit Culty

Think cult scandal is just a modern phenomenon? Think again. In Part 2, historian Joshua Paddison unpacks America’s original sex cult, Fountain Grove—complete with group bathing, soulmate mysticism, financial abuse, and a scandal that turned “cult” from a neutral word into a headline-grabbing accusation. Josh guides us through all the weirdness: the rise and fall of Thomas Lake Harris, survivor re...

This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. Today’s guest is Joshua Paddison, a US historian, author, and bona fide expert in the wild world of American cults, spiritualist communes, and utopian experiments. Josh spent years hunting down primary sources and unearthing the surprising connections between 19th-century scandal, religious innovation, and the birth of cult culture as we know it. His tale i...

In this A Little Bit Extra ep, Sarah dishes all about her recent trip to New York City—think walks on The High Line, big shroom feels, and some serious kitchen magic courtesy of Sarma Melngailis. What happens when two culty survivors share homemade meals and chat about upcoming guest Dr. Ingrid Clayton’s Fawning ? You get a new club: “Fawn Stars”—and Sarah is a founding member. We also break down...

What’s it like to survive chaos at home, culty control next door, and a national TV spotlight that labels you “crazy cousin”—all before breakfast? In this episode, we sat down with Amy Duggar King to talk about finally telling her real story after years of reality TV, IBLP dogma, and generational trauma behind the Duggar family empire. Amy gets candid about finding her voice after childhood abuse,...

In the second part of this conversation, Joe Szimhart delves into the intricate preparations and challenges of conducting cult interventions. He discusses the importance of understanding individual situations and the role of family dynamics in intervention success. Through vivid anecdotes, Joe explains the historical and sociological aspects of cult deprogramming, touching on controversial figures...

In this gripping episode of 'A Little Bit Culty,' hosts welcome Joe Szimhart, a veteran cult interventionist with over 40 years of experience. Joe delves into the history and evolution of cult deprogramming, sharing intricate details of his personal journey from an art student to an expert in cult interventions. The conversation covers key figures and movements in esotericism and theosophy, drawin...

In this follow-up episode, Marc Headley shares his extraordinary experiences within Scientology and the Sea Organization. He recounts being recruited into the Sea Org, working under extreme conditions in Los Angeles, and eventually being promoted to the international headquarters. Marc reveals the demanding nature of life in the Sea Org, including grueling work schedules and minimal pay. He detail...

This episode is a conversation between a former member of the Sea Organization, an elite group within the Church of Scientology, and a host, Marc Headley. Part 1 of this discussion covers the former member's experiences in Scientology, including his family's involvement, the numerous relocations during his childhood, and working at Scientology's international base. Marc details the manipulation th...

Ready for the breaking point? In Part 2, we continue Stefan Kolesar’s deep dive into the world of Amway—where all those red flags on the shelf finally came crashing down. From mounting disillusionment and classic gaslighting to the pain of leaving behind loyal friends and an imagined future, Stefan shares the raw reality of waking up, grieving, and healing after 13 years inside the culty clutches...

What happens when the “American Dream” turns out to be more like the “Amway Nightmare”? On this episode of A Little Bit Culty , we sit down with Stefan Kolesar to dig into his 13 years inside the OG of all MLMs—the so-called “granddaddy” that’s even entangled with NXIVM history.  From coffee shop pitches and overpriced toothpaste to the hidden “tools” racket that keeps recruits hooked, Stefan...

In Part 2 with Bridget Read, we explore the complexities and legal nuances that allow multi-level marketing (MLM) companies to operate as legitimate businesses, despite the similarities to illegal pyramid schemes. With historical context and references to key legal cases like Amway and the Koscot test, the script dives into how MLMs managed to skirt around laws and thrive.  The discussion als...

In Part 1 of this much-anticipated interview, journalist and New York Magazine reporter Bridget Read discusses the pervasive and nuanced issues surrounding multi-level marketing (MLM) companies. Read explains her journey from writing a short article to diving into the complex history, politics, and ideology of MLMs, culminating in a comprehensive book on the subject.  Her research uncovered a...

Buckle up, cultiverse: it’s our bonus round, where we give you a little bit extra. In this episode, we eavesdrop on the spicy, kooky, and downright cathartic voicemails waiting in our inbox from listeners who are ready to dish out their “a little more culty” revelations, rants, and burning questions. Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessari...

What does it take to unravel the sinister side of internet fame—and how do influencers become a little bit culty? In this episode, we sit down with BuzzFeed journalist and chronic digital deepdiver Chico Felitti, whose reporting on influencer Kat Torres inspired Season 2 of Wondery’s hit Guru series, “ Don’t Cross Kat .” Chico shares how seemingly glamorous social media personas can mask disturbin...

In part two of our revealing conversation with Veena Dinavahi, we dig deeper into the tangled web of coercion, isolation, and control she experienced inside the manipulative “true happiness” community. Veena opened up about the crushing mental health struggles that pushed her to the edge—and how that intersected with “Bob”, the coercive leader of the Mormon-adjacent self-help group who triangulate...

What happens when the story you thought you were living collides with a reality you can’t ignore? Kicking off Season 8 of A Little Bit Culty , we sit down with author, mother of three, and fashion writer Veena Dinavahi for part one of a powerful conversation about growing up in a white American suburb with a high suicide rate. Veena shared her journey meeting “Bob,” the leader of a Mormon-adjacent...

Hey culty listeners! Season 8 is loading…and we’re not even gonna pretend this is chill. It’s BIG. Like, two-new-episodes-every-week big. Fresh culty convos, enough snark to keep your brain buzzing, and if you’ve been obedient, maybe some spicy word salads from Nippy. We’re back in your ears Monday for Season 8—so buckle up, buttercup. Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed o...

In Part 2, the Hot Johnsons go from self-help wins to DOS-level WTF real quick. Denai opens up about what happened when DOS came knocking, from the first ask for “collateral” to the gut-check moment that made her walk away. Along the way, the Johnsons (and your favorite culty hosts) revisit the red flags that somehow got normalized — like “masters” and “slaves,” midnight readiness drills, and Laur...

This week on A Little Bit Culty , we’re stepping into the crossover world of cults and true crime with Derrick Levasseur—former undercover detective, private investigator, and host of Crime Weekly and Detective Perspective . You may also know him from Big Brother or America’s Most Wanted: Missing Persons , where he and Sarah recently worked together on a harrowing case. That case? The mysterious d...

This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp. In Part 2 of our conversation with Professor Robin Boyle-Laisure—St. John’s University School of Law faculty, ICSA board member, and author of Taken No More: Protect Your Children Against Traffickers and Cults —we dig into the courtroom turning points that changed the way cult leaders are prosecuted. From Patty Hearst to NXIVM, Robin unpacks how sex...

This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp. What happens when a street-corner “religious” pitch nearly ropes in a teenage girl—only for her to dodge the hook and spend the next three decades dismantling the playbook that tried to claim her? In Part 1 of our conversation with Professor Robin Boyle-Laisure—St. John’s University School of Law faculty, board member of the International Cultic Stu...

This conversation with former NXIVM members Bron and Denai Johnson was such a hit when we first dropped it here last year that we’re doing it again (and yes, Patreon gets it first this time, too). In Part 1, the Johnsons open up about their early days in NXIVM’s Vancouver center — from the “too-perfect” community vibes that drew them in, to the personal growth tools they say genuinely changed thei...

Katherine Spearing is back—and she’s not pulling any punches. A trauma recovery practitioner and founder of Tears of Eden, Kat grew up in the Christian Patriarchy Movement, where obedience was godly, women were walking wombs, and joy was suspicious at best. In this episode, we dive deep into what spiritual abuse actually looks like: body control, purity culture, biblical gaslighting, and the long-...

In Part 2 of our conversation, Jasmin opens up about life after escaping Saudi Arabia—landing in Wyoming, rediscovering autonomy, and slowly unlearning the rules that once governed every part of her existence. She shares how nature, therapy, and motherhood helped her begin to heal, and how writing her memoir The Last Sandstorm gave her the language to process what she’d been through. We also dive...

This week’s guest is Jasmin Faulk, an author and advocate who risked everything to reclaim her freedom. Born to a Saudi father and Italian mother, Jasmin grew up in a country where girls were silenced, veiled, and made invisible. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Jasmin takes us inside the dark realities of growing up under fundamentalist Islam in 1980s and 90s Saudi Arabia—from gender segr...