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. ... Show More
Oct 16
What Happened To Megyn Kelly?
By the end of 2016, former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly was a “newly-minted feminist icon” according to Vanity Fair. It was strange but true, if you didn’t look closely. The year prior, Megyn had become the primary focus of presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s sexist ire and helped ... Show More
2h 13m
Sep 18
P!nk’s Delusional Victimhood (with Mohammed el-Kurd)
A cultural and political earthquake revolving around Ed Sheeran, Macklemore, and P!nk might have felt semi-plausible in 2012, but certainly not in 2026. And yet! After Macklemore called for a free Palestine at Ed’s concert, a disgruntled P!nk took to Instagram to call for apologi ... Show More
1h 46m
Sep 2023
cultish, a talk with amanda montell [video]
[video available on spotify] today i present to you, amanda montell: a writer, linguist, and fellow podcast host. amanda has written three books. one of them, the age of magical overthinking, is about to come out. today i want to zoom in on one of our many common interests. she w ... Show More
50m 33s
Nov 2025
The Cult of Audiobooks (CULTISH, Amanda's Version)
What is the definition of the word "cult" anyway, according to Sounds Like A Cult??? This week, for the first time ever, host Amanda Montell takes the mic to read from her New York Times bestseller Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, the book that inspired this entire pod. It’s ... Show More
1h 22m
Jun 2021
#69: Is Diet Culture a Cult? with Amanda Montell
<p>I couldn't wait to release this episode with Amanda Montell, a feminist sociolinguist, author of 2 books, and all-out empowering human! This educational episode explores the dynamics between feminism, cults, and the language we use.</p>
<p>You will learn...</p>
<ul>
<li>the ma ... Show More
57m 54s
Apr 2022
I'm Actually At Capacity Right Now
The girlies bring you a classic chatty episode exploring emotional labor, free speech, and that one cartoon sound effect that plays when someone slips on a banana. Even more digressions include: secret Mormon influencers, why Coachella sucks, and a follow up on a crucial mailbox ... Show More
1h 7m