A Little Bit Culty

I learned about Sarah’s story when it was first reported by MSN. These Podcasts are informative and can help anyone who may be concerned or confused. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

I listening to this podcast anytime I am in the car 🤍 Always so interesting and Sarah has the best guests always

I wanted to like this podcast because I love podcasts that focus on and analyze high control groups and the social psychology of cults. But the first few episodes were so off-putting for me. The hosts assume you already know who they are, what cult they were in, their activism, and you have already watched The Vow. They assume you know who Keith Raniere is and the dynamics of the cult they were in. I had none of this context so I didn’t know what was going on. They don’t even mention NXIVM until like halfway through their first episode. This continued in their second episode as well, so I quit listening. It just felt like this podcast was only designed for existing fans who had closely followed their story. They also host some questionable guests who are also current or former sponsors of the show.

The recent episode featuring Sarah and Nippy’s friend Wade T. Lightheart has made me unsubscribe from the podcast. I’ve been around since S1 and although I haven’t listened to every episode, I have watched The Vow, bought and read Sarah’s book, and been a supporter of Sarah and Nippy’s exit from NXIVM from afar. I still am. And even though, parasocially, it doesn’t hold much weight for me to be disappointed in their friend’s viewpoint, I was extremely turned off by the episode. It’s dangerous to posture an individual who speaks so assertively (and positively) about RFK and being careful about “trusting experts” when Wade himself may not be qualified to discuss those topics on a podcast broadcasted to tens of thousands of listeners. Personal closeness does not legitimize a guest’s ability to present a nuanced and informed narrative that branches so many topics. This wasn’t an episode about health and wellness, it was an episode about Wade. I didn’t enjoy it. And now a seed of distrust has been planted in me about what Sarah and Nippy themselves support and believe, therefore I no longer wish to subscribe. I’m still glad they foster a space to explore cults and their negative influences. It has ultimately been a positive experience for me.