A Little Bit Culty
Think you might be in a cult? Want to know the signs? Join Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames to talk about things that are..a little bit culty. Or in their case: a whole bunch of culty. As whistleblowers documented in the critically-acclaimed HBO series “The Vow,” Sarah and Nippy have a lot to say about their experience, and burning questions to ask people with similar stories. They’re here to help people understand, heal from, and avoid abusive situations one little red flag at a time. Listen in as they share their stories, have frank and unscripted conversations with other survivors and cult experts, and do a deep dive on how devotion can turn to dysfunction.
Show episodes
The beauty and wellness industry promises healing, glow-ups, and self-love—but what happens when those promises come wrapped in pseudoscience, toxic messaging, and culty marketing tactics? This week, Sarah and Nippy are joined by culture journalist and author Hayley Krischer, whose latest novel You Belong to Me explore
Hoodwinked by the Algorithm: Dr. Mara Einstein on Cult Tactics in Marketing (Part 2)
We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Mara Einstein, diving even deeper into the unsettling connections between cults, multi-level marketing (MLMs), higher education, and the digital world. In this episode, we unpack how MLMs use tactics like love bombing, upselling, and deception to recruit and retain me
Hoodwinked by the Algorithm: Dr. Mara Einstein on Cult Tactics in Marketing (Part 1)
You don’t have to join a cult to get manipulated—just log onto the internet. This week on A Little Bit Culty, we’re diving into the marketing matrix with Dr. Mara Einstein, professor, media critic, and author of Hoodwinked: How Marketers Use the Same Tactics as Cults. From influencer culture and MLMs to “brand cults” a
This episode is sponsored in part by BetterHelp. New Age isn’t just sage bundles and Instagram affirmations. It can also be a fast track to conspiracy-laced belief systems, grifty gurus, and straight-up cults. In this episode, we’re joined by journalist and podcaster Leah Sottile, whose new book Blazing Eye Sees All ta
Alcoholics Anonymous has become a household name. You’ve probably heard of the 12 steps, sponsors, and sobriety chips. At its best, AA can be life-changing. But in some chapters, things can take a darker turn, and when they do, there’s no centralized structure to step in. In this episode, we’re talking with April McLea
Laura Richards: What Kanye West, Britney Spears, and Blake Lively’s Cases Reveal About Coercive Control (Part 2)
This episode is sponsored in part by Betterhelp. We’re back with behavioral science expert Laura Richards for Part 2 of our deep dive into coercive control—and how it shows up in some of today’s most talked-about celebrity cases. Laura, who spent ten years at New Scotland Yard and helped establish the UK’s coercive con
