A Little Bit Culty

This episode is sponsored by Better Help.  Well hello there, A Little Bit Culty listener. How’d your summer go? What’s the haps? This is actually our out of office greeting talking to you, because we’re away from the studio right now investigating some kickass episodes for our new season. But we didn’t want to leave you hanging…so we went through the archives to make you a veritable Dairy Queen Blizzard of culty goodness from some of our fan favorites. We’ll be back soon with all new episodes, but until then you can also find us each week on Patreon where we’re serving up fresh episodes and content on the regular. So today’s episode is…well…in our wheelhouse. If you’re a listener of this particular show, you’re already familiar with NXIVM – but on today’s episode we are taking a closer look at the cult featured in the HBO series, The Vow, starring yours truly. (Whose got four thumbs and once helped bring NXIVM down? THESE GUYS). Joining us are 4 people who understand the inner workings of NXIVM  better than almost anyone else. First up is Mark Vicente. He’s The Vow’s Stone cold silver fox, a film-maker turned whistleblower, and an internationally renowned sweetheart. He’s the guy who originally recruited me, and the guy who raised hell to help bring it all down.  Also, he’s the lucky husband of the one and only Bonnie Piesse, aka, Bonfire. Next is India Oxenberg, who went through hell and back in NXIVM’s darkest chapter: DOS. From forced starvation, and sleep deprivation, to multiple forms of mental and sexual abuse, to a devastating years-long separation from her family. God damn we’re glad she got out and that she’s THRIVING now. .    Ater India, we’ve got Susan Dones….The one-woman wrecking crew who served as her own legal representation in a series of court battles after she left the organization. Susan was way ahead of the curve on calling bullshit Keith Raniere and his flying monkeys. She also paid dearly for it.    And finally, is Karen Unterreiner, who at only 18-years-old,  became romantically intertwined with Keith Raniere. Over the next 40 years, she’d go on to become a top level NXIVM trainer, a key figure of the Executive Success Programs’ leadership committee, and an overseer of administration (bookkeeping) and IT.  Which is all to say: There is much tea to spill. So much tea. So if you’re sick of hearing us talk about NXIVM, you better turn around now. You’ve been warned. Everybody else? Let’s rock. Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This epoisode is sponsored by Better Help. Hey everyone! It’s ANOTHER remix episode of A Little Bit Culty because: It’s always good to take some time to look back and reflect.  PLUS we’re currently working our tails off on a batch of all new, farm fresh episodes for a brand new season. Until then, you can always join us over on Patreon - that’s patreon.com/alittlebitculty for new weekly episodes, adfree, and other treats.  But right now? We’re about to get in the weeds of one of our favorite topics with some of our fan favorites.  On todays episode we are diving head first into the fucked up world of abstinence pledges, purity rings, and knee length skirts. That’s right, we are going deep in the purity culture discussion and we aren’t pulling out.   Joining us are three powerhouse guests.   First is the most rockin’ reverend we’ve ever met.   Nadia Bolz-Weber is an ordained Lutheran Pastor, and founder of House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver:  a progressive, queer-inclusive Lutheran congregation. She’s written three New York Times bestselling memoirs, including Shameless: A Sexual Reformation, which takes on what she sees as the harmful ideas about sexuality that Christianity has promoted throughout history. She’s the creator and host of The Confessional podcast, a pop-up prayer network called The Chapel, and a wildly inspirational Substack called The Corners.    Next up is Alice Greczyn - an actress, author, and founder of Dare to Doubt. Her story includes a painful yet rewarding transition from Christianity to atheism, a journey that inspired her to found DaretoDoubt.org, a resource site for people detaching from belief systems they come to fnd harmful.    And last, and probably least, Eric Skwarczynski is the host and creator of the Preacher Boys podcast, which is a platform for survivors’ stories about a deeply disturbing pattern of sexual predation and abuse claims within the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement.    You won’t want to miss a single second of todays show, so let’s get started with our personal Fuck You to Purity Culture, featuring Nadia Bolz Weber, Alice Greczyn, and Eric Skwarczynski. Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. We’re back with another greatest hits mashup this week, pulled together from the Little Bit Culty archives for your late listening pleasure because…well…we can’t quit you - not even for a short late summer, early fall hiatus. Can you believe some shows go on hiatus? LAMMMMMME! Not us. Breaks are for babies.  For real though, while we’re working on fresh batches of cult-busting brand new episodes, we wanted to stir that proverbial pot a little more by revisiting one of our favorite culty topics….Scientology. AKA, the brainchild of L. Ron.  You know it, you loathe it, or…maybe you just mock it. To be fair, unless you’re a Scientologist, they think you’re pretty silly too. So it’s all even-stevens We are diving deep into the Danger Zone in this episode – featuring 3 top guns who have taken on the Impossible Mission of exposing Scientology – which we all know can be Risky Business. Ok, enough Tom Cruise puns – let’s introduce A Few Good Men – and a super badass woman – who you’ll hear from on today’s show. First up is the patron saint of cult-busting, Leah Remini, who’s book Troublemaker chronicles her remarkable journey toward emotional and spiritual freedom from Scientology, both for herself and for her family. Next is Mike RInder. Having spent his youth doing things like, for example, swabbing the decks of L. Ron Hubbard’s yacht, Rinder eventually made it into the elite sect of Scientology known as the Sea Organization, eventually becoming Scientology’s International Spokesperson and the head of its Office of Special Affairs. Then, he escaped and became a fearless and outspoken ex-member. Last is Jon Atack – one of the only court-appointed expert witnesses on Scientology, and his book: Let’s Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, about the early history of the church, is cited by academics all over the world. Jon was a ‘public’ Scientologist for nine years, trained as a counselor, and even did the secret ‘OT’ levels, but ditched it when he discovered appalling, aggressive behavior towards members. In addition to his work podcasting as a Scientology mythbuster  and using his Instagram account to help educate people on overcoming things like manipulation, destructive cults, and abusive relationships, he’s written several novels, including Voodoo Child (Slight Return), inspired by the life and downfall of Jimi Hendrix.   Without further ado…please enjoy this Scientology Sucks, Sorry Not Sorry, A Little Bit Culty Medley.    Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A linguist, author, actress, and spiritual teacher are the captivating guests in this podcast. Topics include the language of fanaticism, toxic productivity in MLMs, the cycle of violence, and the importance of studying different perspectives and cult recovery. The concept of mistaking power for true identity is explored, and an outro highlights upcoming content and mentions the sponsor.

Guinevere Turner, author of the memoir 'When the World Didn’t End', talks about returning to "normal" life after growing up in a cult, how her story became a thriller, and the weird aspects of life post-cult. They also discuss the influence of cult experiences on career choices, the relationship between cult and true crime documentaries, recognizing coercive control in cults and family groups, the impact and healing process, susceptibility to coercive control, the rush and pressure of writing a book, educational programs and communal living, and the importance of raising awareness about abuses of power.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  Guinevere Turner recently published a memoir about being raised in a cult, being kicked out, and finding her way in the world. Her book When the World Didn’t End dives deep into her experience drawn from fastidiously kept diaries. Here on A Little Bit Culty Turner shares some off-the-cuff stories. We chat about writing craft. And Turner brings up questions about our collective obsession with the cultiverse.   Please note, this series includes details of underage sexual abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If you, or someone who know, is a survivor of sexual assault, abuse, grooming, child abuse, or human trafficking, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers support at 800.656.HOPE (4673).   Note: Guinevere Turner is an acclaimed writer, director, and actor who’s worked in film and TV since her 1994 debut film Go Fish, which she wrote, produced, and starred in. She teamed up with director Mary Harron to write the films American Psycho; The Notorious Bettie Page; and the 2019 film Charlie Says. She was a writer, story editor, and played Gabby Deveaux on Showtime’s The L Word. She’s written and directed seven short films, two of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. She can be seen in film roles including The Watermelon Woman, Chasing Amy, and American Psycho. Guinevere has taught screenwriting at Sarah Lawrence College, Columbia University, University of Georgia, UCLA and NYU.  She can be found on Instagram. In these episodes, we reference the story she wrote for The New Yorker.   Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.   Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Co-Creator & Managing Producer: Jess Tardy Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Rebecca Bender grew up in a small town, played varsity sports, made high school honor roll, and would have started college early except she got pregnant. She was a little ostracized. And a lot lonely. Then she fell in love — kind of. She followed her knight in shining armor to Las Vegas only to be sold among three human traffickers.  She was branded, thrown in jail, and hospitalized, her face broken in five different places. But she wasn’t kidnapped. And there was no duct tape involved.  Now, Rebecca Bender is a mentor/survivor/expert flipping the script on who leads the fight to eradicate human trafficking. She’s blazing trails with the largest online school in the world for survivors. And, as an internationally recognized subject matter expert, she’s equipped the FBI, Homeland Security, and the US Department of Justice to spot this stuff before it gets any worse. Check out the Rebecca Bender Initiative, the RBI Instagram, her personal Instagram and her book In Pursuit of Love: One Woman’s Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant, 2020. Please note, this series includes details of sexual abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If you, or someone who know, is a survivor of sexual assault, abuse, grooming, child abuse, or human trafficking, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers support at 800.656.HOPE (4673).   Also… Hear Ye, Hear Ye: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.   Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors   Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon   Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag   Support the pod and smash this link   Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Co-Creator & Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  Last week, Alberta Mayne Bligh, Brooke Henderson, and Erin Boyes dove into what attracted them to Michèle Lonsdale-Smith’s acting classes – the good, the bad, and the messy. Our three guests are ex-students, each with their own thriving careers in film, theater, television, directing, development and even art therapy. And they are among the 26 ex-students who recently spoke up about their experience under the tutelage of Lonsdale-Smith in a revelatory story published in The Cut. If you missed Part 1, go back and take a listen. Now, in Part 2, they share their tipping points: when they realized that they were in a toxic relationship and how it ended.  Please note, this series includes details of sexual abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If you, or someone who know, is a survivor of sexual assault, abuse, grooming, child abuse, or human trafficking, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers support at 800.656.HOPE (4673).   Notes:  May 16, 2023 article published by The Cut about Michèle Lonsdale Smith. Alberta Mayne Bligh can be reached on Instagram and Facebook. Erin Boyes produced Three Days with her producing and writing partner, Dani Barker. It touches on the culty side of acting classes. Here’s Erin’s website: http://www.erinboyes.com/ Brooke Henderson is known for filmwork but she’s pivoted from acting and is now doing post-grad work in art therapy in Toronto. You can find her on Instagram.   Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.   Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp.  Alberta Mayne Bligh, Brooke Henderson, and Erin Boyes are among the 26 ex-students who recently spoke up about their experience under the acting tutelage of Michèle Lonsdale-Smith in a revelatory story published in The Cut. Lonsdale Smith is, by many accounts, a dogmatic leader who claims her techniques help actors tell the truth about their unresolved human motivations and make the world a better place. But what happens when details of your personal life are put on stage? What if your teacher fat shames you? Makes personal accusations, belittles, and berates you? You know, for the sake of deepening your craft or  – culty red flag – self-improvement?  Our three guests today are ex-students of culty acting classes, each with their own thriving careers in film, theater, television, directing, development and even art therapy. In the first of this two-part series, we dive into what attracted these acting students to Lonsdale Smith and what happened – the good, the bad, and the messy. Please note, this series includes details of sexual abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If you, or someone who know, is a survivor of sexual assault, abuse, grooming, child abuse, or human trafficking, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers support at 800.656.HOPE (4673).   Notes:  May 16, 2023 article published by The Cut about Michèle Lonsdale Smith. Alberta Mayne Bligh can be reached on Instagram and Facebook. Erin Boyes produced Three Days with her producing and writing partner, Dani Barker. It touches on the culty side of acting classes. Here’s Erin’s website: http://www.erinboyes.com/ Brooke Henderson is known for filmwork but she’s pivoted from acting and is now doing post-grad work in art therapy in Toronto. You can find her on Instagram.   Also… Let it be known far and wide, loud and clear that… The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad.   Other Links: Check out our lovely sponsors Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Cult awareness and recovery resources   CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Producer: Will Retherford Senior Producer: Jess Tardy Writer: Holly Zadra Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel AsselinSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Citisens of Sound presents: Tiny House Tales, a podcast about the experiences of people who have joined the tiny house movement.  Join your hosts Zack Giffin and John Weisbarth, known from the popular show "Tiny House Nation," as they give listeners a behind the scenes glimpse into the absolute joys and inherent challenges of living tiny. Together they seek to unlock the successful strategies for minimalist living and learn more about how tiny living has made a big impact on people's lives while being entertaining and informative. Tiny House Tales is mandatory listening for anyone who has ever dreamed of downsizing or has simply craved a more simple lifestyle. Welcome to Tiny House tales.  Listen to their latest episode with The Minimalists: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tiny-house-tales/id1690481885?i=1000620740904   Folloe them on social medai:  Zack Giffin - https://www.instagram.com/zackgiffin/ John Weisbarth - https://www.instagram.com/johnkweisbarth/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.