Sounds Like A Cult

Studio71
  • 3.9 (4.2K)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

Putting the “cult” in culture… Do you think SoulCycle is a cult? What about the Royal Family? What about Disney Adults? Or spiritual influencers? Is Instagram itself a cult? We’re Sounds Like A Cult, an iHeart Radio Award-winning podcast that analyzes a different fanatical group every week to try and answer the big question: This ~sounds~ like a cult, but is it really? Created and hosted by New York Times-bestselling author Amanda Montell, co-hosted and produced by Chelsea Charles, Reese Oliver, and Iman Hariri Kia. For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com    We want to make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4   Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy 

  1. 5d ago

    The Cult of MAHA

    What do seed oils, vaccine skepticism, beef tallow, and a guy with a dead bear in Central Park have in common? Welcome to the Cult of MAHA. This week, Amanda, Reese, Chelsea, and Iman dive headfirst into the increasingly influential world of Make America Healthy Again, the wellness-meets-politics movement promising cleaner food, healthier kids, and freedom from Big Pharma. But where does legitimate criticism of America's healthcare system end and pseudoscience begin? And how did a movement that started with organic groceries and food dyes end up helping measles make a comeback? Joining us is physician, internet educator, and professional misinformation debunker Doctor Mike (@doctor.mike) to help us separate fact from fiction, unpack RFK Jr.'s growing influence, and examine why so many otherwise smart, well-meaning people are getting pulled into the MAHA rabbit hole. Put down the raw milk, step away from the parasite cleanse, and join us as we ask: Is MAHA making America healthy "again"... or just making conspiracy theories easier to swallow? Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  To pre-order Iman's new book, Once in a Timeline, click here! Thank you to our sponsors! Tear. Pour. Live More. Go to https://LIQUIDIV.COM and get 20% off your first purchase with code CULT at checkout. Head to https://acorns.com/cult or download the Acorns app to get started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 15m

  2. Jun 9

    The Cult of Theater Camp

    Maybe you hated the kids who went. Maybe you were just mildly annoyed by them. Maybe, you were one of them. No matter your relation, most people have encountered today’s cult in one way or another. Whether you were soaking up the spotlight or cringing from back home, the cult of Theater Camp is always looming just in the wings. Is the world of adolescent summertime theater nothing more than a harmless, whimsical romp, or is there something sinister going on behind all that jazz? Bonafide theater nerds Amanda, Reese and Chelsea are joined by none other than Anna Camp (@therealannacamp) and Dara Sussman (@daralaine) in this week’s stage-fright inducing episode to get to the bottom of it. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  To pre-order Iman's new book, Once in a Timeline, click here! Thank you to our sponsors! Join the loyalty program for renters at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://joinbilt.com/cult⁠ To Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain, Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.squarespace.com/CULT⁠ If your glasses are overdue for a refresh, now is the time. Use code PODCAST15 for fifteen percent off your first order at ⁠bit.ly/3OdtU5X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 4m

  3. Jun 2

    The Cult of The Sims

    Sul sul, culties. Remove the pool ladder and cancel your real-life plans, because this week Reese is joined by guest host Amanda Kohr (@amandamkohr) of This Feels Bi to unpack The Cult of The Sims. From trapping Sims in windowless rooms for “science” to meticulously designing dream homes we could never afford, The Sims has had us playing digital god for over two decades. But what is it about this bizarre little universe of WooHoo, grilled cheese obsessions, tragic kitchen fires, and suspiciously autonomous free will that keeps us coming back? Reese and Amanda K. dig into the chaos, control, queer awakenings, elaborate lore, and deeply unhinged player behavior that turned a life simulation game into a full blown personality trait. Is this harmless escapism, the ultimate creative sandbox, or a benevolent dictatorship in Build Mode? Dag dag. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod,  @amanda_montell,  @reesaronii,  @chelseaxcharles,  @imanharirikia.  To pre-order Iman's new book, Once in a Timeline, click here! Thank you to our sponsors! Thanks to Article for sponsoring this podcast! Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit https://www.article.com/discount/cult and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout. To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to https://mintmobile.com/cult.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    46 min

  4. May 26

    The Cult of Chess

    The timer starts now, cultie. This week’s cult is one that some find boring, some find thrilling, and some particularly fell into via a certain Netflix show starring Anya Taylor Joy (guilty). Whichever way you slice it, we can assure you the world of chess is far cultier than the cute little horsies would have you think. Whether you’re a total noob or grandmaster status, this week’s conversation with chess expert and cult survivor Danny Rensch (@dannyrensch) will have you on the edge of your seat. Come along with Reese as she looks beyond the cute academia aesthetic and into the strategic and not-so-black-and-white cult of chess. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG  @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  To pre-order Iman's new book, Once in a Timeline, click here! Thank you to our sponsors! For free shipping on your order and 365-day returns, Head to https://Quince.com/slac Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at ⁠⁠https://BollAndBranch.com/slac⁠⁠ with code slac.  Download the Whatnot app today and get free shipping on your first order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    50 min

  5. May 19

    The Cult of Tradwife Influencers

    When we first aired this episode, the “tradwife” trend felt like a bizarre internet niche. Two years later, tradwife culture has only exploded.  This week, we’re revisiting our episode with culture reporter Anne Helen Petersen (@annehelenpetersen) , alongside then SLAC intern turned permanent co-host and producer of the show, Reese Oliver, in her debut episode! Together, they unpack the aestheticized world of “traditional womanhood,” where hyper-curated domesticity collides with political extremism, anti-feminism, and the growing influence of manosphere ideology online. What once looked ironic or fringe now feels deeply embedded in the zeitgeist. So while the Sounds Like A Cult team takes a much deserved break, we’re falling back down the tradwife rabbit hole. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  Thanks to our Sponsors: Join the loyalty program for renters at ⁠⁠⁠https://joinbilt.com/cult To Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain, Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.squarespace.com/CULT Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at ⁠https://BollAndBranch.com/slac⁠ with code slac.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 16m

  6. May 12

    The Cult of Homesteaders

    Have the events of recent years made you want to walk off into a grassy meadow, never to return? Does the idea of being in touch with nature, totally separate from the digital rat race of modern life appeal to you? Have you ever wanted to learn how to install a DIY sewer system for greywater? Then you’re a perfect candidate for today’s ever-growing cult. This week, Chelsea and Reese are getting their hands dirty and getting into the nitty gritty of Homesteading. Tradwives and rock climbers alike romanticize the nomadic lifestyle, touting freedom, survival skills, and an inner peace unachievable from civilization. But is the self-sustaining choice all it's cracked up to be, or does shoveling manure eventually become a little too culty for comfort? Come along with us as we learn from ex-homesteader Kirsten Lie-Nielsen (@kirstenlienielsen) just what homesteading is actually all about. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  Thank you to our sponsors! Shop plans at https://MINTMOBILE.com/cult Tear. Pour. Live More. Go to https://LIQUIDIV.COM and get 20% off your first purchase with code CULT at checkout. Head to https://acorns.com/cult or download the Acorns app to get started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    57 min

  7. May 5

    The Cult of Renaissance Faires

    Hear ye, hear ye! These culty wenches doth have-est a new episode for thine ears. Grab your turkey legs and your chainmail because we are galavanting into the culty lair of Renaissance Faires! Amanda and Iman are joined this week by the fair maidens of Morbid (@morbidpodcast), Alaina Urquhart (@alainatothemax) and Ash Kelley (@ashkell83) to discuss the cult-like rituals, language, and charismatic leaders of the Ren Faire, from ye olde accents to full on immersive experiences. We’re talking the tight knit communities, the rules of the realm, and asking the real questions like: when does cosplay become identity? How many “huzzahs” does it take before you’re fully indoctrinated? And why is Mark Hamill here? Is this a Live Thine Life, Mind Thy Back, or Get Thee to a Nunnery? Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  Thank you to our sponsors! To Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain, Head to ⁠⁠⁠https://www.squarespace.com/CULT Thanks to Article for sponsoring this podcast! Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit ⁠https://www.article.com/discount/cult⁠ and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout. If your glasses are overdue for a refresh, now is the time. Use code PODCAST15 for fifteen percent off your first order at bit.ly/3OdtU5X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    50 min

  8. Apr 28

    The Cult of Botox

    Cancel your frown lines and lean in… because this week on Sounds Like A Cult, Amanda and Chelsea are getting into the wrinkle relaxing world of Botox. What started as a medical treatment for eye twitching has evolved into a beauty mainstay, one that promises to erase your crows feet... for 3 months. From preventative Botox in your 20s to the normalization of injectables as routine maintenance, we’re unpacking how this once taboo procedure became a beauty baseline. We're trying to answer the question a lot of people are asking but not always saying out loud: are we doing this for ourselves, or because everyone else is? Is Botox just modern self-care, or is it giving cult? Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  Thank you to our sponsors! Join the loyalty program for renters at ⁠⁠https://joinbilt.com/cult For free shipping and 365-day returns, go to https://Quince.com/slac  Head to ⁠https://factormeals.com/cult50off⁠ and use code cult50off to get 50% off and free breakfast for a year!  To claim your Double Roses offer before they're gone, visit ⁠https://1800Flowers.com/CULT Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    52 min
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3.9
out of 5
4,210 Ratings

About

Putting the “cult” in culture… Do you think SoulCycle is a cult? What about the Royal Family? What about Disney Adults? Or spiritual influencers? Is Instagram itself a cult? We’re Sounds Like A Cult, an iHeart Radio Award-winning podcast that analyzes a different fanatical group every week to try and answer the big question: This ~sounds~ like a cult, but is it really? Created and hosted by New York Times-bestselling author Amanda Montell, co-hosted and produced by Chelsea Charles, Reese Oliver, and Iman Hariri Kia. For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com    We want to make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4   Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy 

Information

  • Creator
    Studio71
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    222
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Amanda Montell & Studio71
  • Show Website
    Sounds Like A Cult

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