logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2023
1h 23m

The Cult of Momfluencers, Part 2

Studio71
About this episode
Behold, a re-air of our most popular episode of 2023—The Cult of Momfluencers—which takes on new relevance, thanks to the disturbing recent case of (allegedly) abusive YouTube momfluencer Ruby Franke! Motherhood is hard, lonely, and exhausting... except, apparently, if you're a momfluencer. Since the mid-2000s, a crop of seemingly perfect, all-knowing momm ... Show More
Up next
Oct 20
The Cult of TikTok Sleuths
This week, Amanda and Chelsea get into the cult of TikTok Sleuths, where people fall down conspiratorial rabbit holes and rally around theories that inspire a whole new level of group-think. The Lindsay Clancy case and the death of Nolan Wells show how fast that can happen once F ... Show More
59m 1s
Oct 13
The Cult of Influencer Snark
When does hate following become its own kind of devotion? This week, Amanda and Iman descend into the anonymous world of influencer snark, where strangers gather to dissect creators’ relationships, bodies, businesses, politics, and every perceived inconsistency in real time. They ... Show More
1h 7m
Oct 6
The Cult of Dancing With The Stars
This week, Reese and Iman cha cha slide straight into the surprisingly culty world of Dancing With the Stars, where celebrities come for career rehab, pros become stars in their own right, and millions of viewers suddenly believe they are qualified to critique a Paso Doble from t ... Show More
42m 52s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
Introducing: The Rise and Fall of Ruby Franke
Ruby Franke, a Utah mom turned YouTube “momfluencer” who amassed 2.6 million subscribers, was known for her strict disciplinarian parenting style. But authorities now say that her "tough love" was actually child abuse. Ruby Franke's son escaped from the Utah home of her self-help ... Show More
1m 50s
Feb 2024
Meet the Frankes | 1
They call themselves and their YouTube channel the “8 Passengers” — mom Ruby, dad Kevin, and their six kids in tow. By all appearances, they’re your stereotypical American Mormon family, but there’s something simmering under the surface. Loyal fans of the 8 Passengers page have b ... Show More
36m 3s
Jan 2022
REPLAY: Toxic Mommy Culture
Today we finally dive into the much-anticipated topic of Toxic Mommy Culture. We discuss why the bullying of kids by their moms online is much more harmful than you may think. **originally aired April 13, 2020 --- Buy Allie's book, You're Not Enough (& That's Okay): Escaping the ... Show More
34m 44s
Nov 2023
Baby's First Simulacra
<p>The girlies return to the world of family vloggers to answer the important questions — how did the momfluencer come to be and why are we so obsessed with her? Can children ever meaningfully consent to being shared online? Did Jean Baudrillard predict our real life Truman Show ... Show More
1h 21m
Apr 2021
#12: An influencers life behind the scenes - is anyone ever really ready for motherhood?
Nour Aboulela is an Instagram influencer with almost half a million followers. While she poses for brands and events, behind the scenes she's a hardworking mother who's been through tough times. She joins me to talk about the trauma she's suffered as she raises a son who experien ... Show More
31m 36s
Nov 2020
Mom Shaming
The moms lament the scrutiny society and strangers alike put on kids and moms that are even a little bit in public - whether on social media or on the beach. How do different celebrtiy moms deal with it? And do dads face the same problems? Plus, a mom brag about double standards ... Show More
55m 26s
Nov 2022
The One Where My Mom’s in a Cult
As we begin to enter the holiday season, we feel the sudden panic of familial drama. Specifically this week we'll focus on Mamma Drama. In one story we have a girl dealing with her parents’ divorce, centered around her mom. In another we have a mom who may have joined a cult. One ... Show More
1h 1m