logo
episode-header-image
Yesterday
1h 16m

The Cult of Incels

Studio71
About this episode
We’re taking a little holiday break this week, but unfortunately, incels are not. With the “male loneliness epidemic” becoming a bigger part of the cultural conversation, we’re revisiting one of the internet’s darkest and most tragically cringey cults: self proclaimed “involuntary celibates,” who believe they’ve been cursed by the universe (read: women) to l ... Show More
Up next
Sep 1
The Cult of Bellum Entertainment
This week, Chelsea and Iman investigate The Cult of Bellum Entertainment, the true crime production company whose founder, Mary Carol McDonald, allegedly spent years building a very different kind of crime empire behind the scenes. True crime podcaster Jami Rice (@jamionair) join ... Show More
59m 22s
Aug 25
The Cult of Celebrity Wellness Brands
This week, Reese dives into The Cult of Celebrity Wellness Brands, where skincare, mental health, spirituality, supplements, and good old-fashioned celebrity worship have melted together into one extremely Instagrammable belief system. From Goop and Rhode to Rare Beauty, Kardashi ... Show More
1h 7m
Aug 18
The Cult of Dark Tourism
This week, Amanda is joined by author and travel writer Sheila Yasmin Marikar (@sheilaym) to descend into The Cult of Dark Tourism, the booming travel industry built around vacationing where very, very bad things have happened. From Chernobyl excursions and serial killer pub craw ... Show More
1h 5m
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2021
Caught Up With Cults
It’s happened to more people than we think. You go to a meeting and end up devoting your life to a cult. Okay maybe not. This week the ladies discuss their thoughts on cults, experiences they’ve had that may be cultish, and explore some cults that have made an impact on society.N ... Show More
50m 42s
Apr 2023
111: If It Sounds Like a Cult..
Two Hot Takes host, Morgan, is joined by guests Amanda Montell and Isa Medina of Sounds Like a Cult! This episode features stories that have us questioning is this a cult? Is it a green flag cult or a red flag/you need to run cult? And are you wondering if you've ever been in a c ... Show More
1h 48m
Feb 2022
Cults
Angela Sawyer, Ryan Estrada and Barb Poe share stories about a cult that made music, a cult that prayed, if not played, and a dangerous cult in a karate school. Support RISK! on Patreon at Patreon.com/RISK Make a one-time donation to RISK! at PayPal.me/RISKshow Get tickets to RIS ... Show More
1h 4m
Nov 2025
“We Had To Pluck Our Eyebrows A Certain Way” | Avoiding Cults
Have you ever been in a cult? (Are you sure?) Are Disney Adults in a cult? What about Serious Coffee People? How obsessed with Mother God are you? On today’s episode, Stephanie and Melissa discuss all of the cults and cult-ish groups they’ve encountered in their lives, share whic ... Show More
47m 43s
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
Oct 2022
Cults: Manipulation Tactics, Celebrity Involvement, Escape w/ Lola Blanc + Meaghan Elizabeth
Joining the Deux U classroom this week are Cult survivors Lola Blanc and Meaghan Elizabeth. On their podcast, Trust Me, they talk to fellow survivors, former and current believers, experts, and everyone in between to try to get to the bottom of how extreme belief happens, who's s ... Show More
1h 2m
Oct 2022
S2: Break Down Bonus: Former 'cult' member explains why people join them + S2E13 Reaction!
[SCROLL FOR CW] - LCSW Kat Schneider joins Abby at the end of this episode to talk about what it was like being a part of a religious cult! Kat also explains the mental health side of why people join, choose to stay, and some of the complications of leaving. Lexi and Coworker Jus ... Show More
25m 10s