logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
1h 17m

The Cult of Stan Culture (with Amanda Mo...

Matt Bernstein
About this episode

Well, I got Swiftied. As I sat there, sifting through ever more creative and graphic death threats, I wondered: is it time for a podcast episode? Today, Amanda Montell (of Sounds Like a Cult) takes us on an exploration of how online music fan culture co-opted the harassment tactics of the far right, which co-opted the social justice tactics of Black Twitter. Let’s go, girls.

Support me + listen to bonus episodes on Patreon!

Huge thanks to the show's sponsors:

Protect yourself online, wherever you go. Get a discount on NordVPN at www.nordvpn.com/fruity.

Get 15% off a cuter, more sustainable way to clean at www.blueland.com/fruity.

Me on Instagram.

A Bit Fruity on Instagram.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Oct 3
The Unraveling of Debra Messing and “Liberal Zionism”
For the last two decades, Debra Messing — the star of early 2000’s hit Will & Grace — has been something of a liberal Hollywood icon, courting an adoring gay audience and getting into public feuds with Donald Trump. More recently, she’s become the face of Liberal Zionism, an ideo ... Show More
1h 40m
Sep 19
Charlie Kirk’s Legacy Deserves No Revisions
The day after Charlie Kirk was murdered, Ezra Klein published an essay in the New York Times: “Charlie Kirk Practiced Politics The Right Way.” Klein’s piece was one of countless teary-eyed eulogies from across the spectrum of political media, and this first draft of Charlie Kirk’ ... Show More
1h 14m
Sep 5
Dr. Phil: From Nice Guy to Nazi (with Aubrey Gordon)
Dr. Phil has a new hobby: ICE raids. The daytime television fixture bewildered fans when he began touring with the Trump campaign last year, ending his decades-long streak as a seemingly apolitical celebrity. Like so many 2000s stars, Dr. Phil has found a career revival in right- ... Show More
1h 43m
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
The Cult of Dance Moms
We’re baaaAAAAAaaaaack!!! Join us for a 🪐transcendent🪐 new season of Sounds Like A Cult, whose opening episode features Chelsea Charles, one of our sparklingly hilarious new co-hosts. An unscripted TV producer by day, Chelsea joins returning host Amanda to unpack this week’s ni ... Show More
1h 13m
Jul 2024
The Cult of Conservative Youth Activism
Oops a politically flavored episode of Sounds Like A Cult!!!!! Would you believe it if we told you we recorded this nearly SIX MONTHS AGO and just crossed our fingers it would resonate whenever it ended up going live??? This week, host Amanda is joined by Puck reporter and former ... Show More
1h 17m
Nov 2024
Dance Moms' Abby Lee Miller Tells All
Abby Lee Miller is one of the most infamous polarizing reality TV stars. She was the star of "Dance Moms" on Lifetime TV. We get into how she began her own dance school for children and discovered dance competitions. Abby explains how surprised she was to find that her most chall ... Show More
1h 11m
Oct 2024
WWDD/Heauxmetown Heroes - Hope This Helps! | Episode 48
Hello to our lovely coven, happy  Friday! Today we get knee deep in all of your crazy Heauxmetown Hero tales, and dive into the nitty gritty for WWDD. If you haven’t checked out our merch yet, please  support our show and show off your love for Disrespectfully by repping our offi ... Show More
58m 37s
Aug 11
YOU'VE CHANGED....yeah I'd hope so
"You've changed" ok yea.....that's the point. People love to throw "you've changed" around as if it's an insult, when in reality, it's the highest compliment. Changing is just proof that you're growing. What to expect in this episode ⭐️Why people get uncomfortable when you grow ⭐ ... Show More
23m 57s
Dec 2024
The Cult of Synanon, Part 1
Buy tickets to The Big Magical Cult Show in Vancouver, Canada on February 21, 2025! Father is back!!! No, not Father Algorithm, but *actual* Father. Indeed, Amanda's sweetie dad, Craig Montell, returns to the pod after his featurette on last year's cult of Military Wives episode, ... Show More
1h 3m
Dec 2020
Episode 4: "Best Hoes Get Cuffed"
On this week's episode of I'm With All That, CJ and his featured guests, Derrick and Nigel start off with the ice breaker game "Would You Rather." The first choice was between "shooting the club" and "painting a masterpiece" and the second was between "make up sex" and "I miss yo ... Show More
1h 30m
Jun 2024
The Cult of Jam Bands
Catch Amanda back on tour this summer! July 29: The Age of Magical Overthinking book talk at Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle, WA (free!) WE TRIED OUR BEST not to get too roasty in this long overdue episode, where host Amanda and her special guest, music journalist and host of ... Show More
58m 13s
Oct 2
Netflix’s Unknown Number: There’s More to the Story in Lauryn Licari’s Case
In October 2020, Lauryn Licari and her boyfriend Owen, both 13-years-old at the time, started receiving weird text messages about themselves from an unknown number. These weird messages would ramp up over the next few years, getting violent, graphic, and encouraging Lauryn to sel ... Show More
1h 10m
Feb 2025
Side Stories: The Zizian Cult Murders
Henry & Eddie bring you this week's wildest stories and true-crime news - starting off with a series of killings connected to the radical vegan trans death cult "The Zizians", members of online "Gooning" community hold "Goonlord Vigil" aka "Gooneral" for deceased Arizona man caug ... Show More
1h 10m