Best Hbo The Vow Podcasts (2024)

1
Whitney Cummings: Healing, Humor, and Hollywood's Culty Side 1:16:33

1h ago1:16:33

1:16:33

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. In this week's episode, Sarah and Nippy welcome friend and comedian Whitney Cummings to the podcast to explore the nuanced overlaps of culty dynamics and Hollywood culture. Whitney shares her unique perspective on vulnerability, healing, and her fascination with neuroscience, while also opening up about…

1
Through the Labyrinth: Amanda Knox on Coercion, Media, and Advocacy 1:14:42

1d ago1:14:42

1:14:42

Author and podcaster Amanda Knox sits down with Sarah and Nippy to discuss the culty nature of the Italian justice system. Amanda shares how she was coerced by the police into confessing to a crime she did not commit and details her experience with a media that is more concerned with ratings than truth. She also discusses the ongoing process of hea…

1
Bonus Episode: Nobody Should Believe Me 54:24

5d ago54:24

54:24

Enjoyed our chat with Andrea Dunlop? You’re in luck! This week, we’re featuring an episode from Andrea’s podcast “Nobody Should Believe Me” in the ALBC feed. We love this show, and hope you do too. Welcome to Season 4 of “Nobody Should Believe Me!” This season we are following the story of Jordyn Hope as they unravel the secrets of their childhood.…

1
Cult of One: The Manipulation of Munchausen by Proxy (Part 2) 42:10

8d ago42:10

42:10

This is the second part of a two-part interivew. Listen to Part 1 here. When describing a cult, the first thing that comes to mind is often a powerful leader at the helm of a large group of followers. That’s not the case with today’s guest. Andrea Dunlop, author and host of the podcast “Nobody Should Believe Me,” is an expert on Munchausen by Proxy…

1
Cult of One: The Manipulation of Munchausen by Proxy 44:30

15d ago44:30

44:30

This episode is brought to you by Squarespace. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/CULTY to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CULTY. When describing a cult, the first thing that comes to mind is often a powerful leader at the helm of a large group of followers. That’s not the case with today’s guest. Andrea Dunlop, …

1
Dinner for Vampires: The Star of a Cult TV Show on Leaving a Real Life Cult (Part 2) 37:21

23d ago37:21

37:21

This is the second part of a two-part interview, listen to Part 1 here. Bethany Joy Lenz became a household face during the meteoric rise of the teen CW soap “One Tree Hill.” However, as she appeared in homes across the country every week, she was leading a double life with her participation in a culty Bible group for a decade. Lenz found her voice…

1
Dinner for Vampires: The Star of a Cult TV Show on Leaving a Real Life Cult 35:51

30d ago35:51

35:51

Bethany Joy Lenz became a household face during the meteoric rise of the teen CW soap “One Tree Hill.” However, as she appeared in homes across the country every week, she was leading a double life with her participation in a culty Bible group for a decade. Lenz found her voice to break free and had the inspiration to write a personal memoir on the…

1
The Cult of True Crime: Terry Dunn Meurer and "Unsolved Mysteries" 53:49

1M ago53:49

53:49

Today’s show puts a different spin on our usual subject matter. We’re going to discuss something that has millions of followers and has become a world-wide obsession: true crime! Alright, it isn’t a cult (technically!), but it’s definitely infiltrated our minds and media. Our guest today is Terry Dunn Meurer, the co-creator and executive producer o…

1
Culty Voicemail Roundup: ALBC Listeners Speak (10/14/24 EDITION) 39:29

1M ago39:29

39:29

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com/CULTY to get started today. Hey campers, we hope your October’s been spooky so far. We’ve got a batch of listener voicemails to check out, so pull up a chair and we’ll get into it. Today’s callers want to talk about a real potpourri of culty stuff. We cover Arbonne, Optavia, BDSM an…

1
Diet Wars: Wade T. Lightheart on Culty Nutrition 1:10:33

2M ago1:10:33

1:10:33

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. We’re calling it now, we’re gonna get some flack on this one. It’s no surprise, but anytime we mention diet, fitness, or nutrition, we hear about it in our DMs. There’s some tension here, we know it, we see it, and we hear you. And it makes sense. In the world of health and diet, there’s a lot of snake …

1
The Cult Next Door: Mike King on the Zion Society 1:08:05

2M ago1:08:05

1:08:05

Well, this is a first for us. Today, we’re covering the Zion Society, which was a cult run by a landscaper, Arvin Shreeve. Based out of Ogden, Utah, Shreeve and his followers had some of the most manicured lawns in the neighborhood. But, behind lush green lawns hid sinister secrets. This polygamist sect had about 100 members at its peak, hiding in …

1
Dancing for the Devil: Andrea Marks on the 7M TikTok Cult 51:11

2M ago51:11

51:11

If you haven’t seen the Netflix series “Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult,” it’s worth a watch. It follows Robert Shinn and his Los Angeles-based church, Shekinah, which has engaged some heavy-hitting social media stars to make a ton of money for his church. The families of those social media stars — who have been cut off from their loved o…

1
Patreon Unlocked: Tia Levings on Escaping Tradlife 44:20

2M ago44:20

44:20

Usually what happens behind the Patreon, stays behind the Patreon. But, not today! In this preview behind the paywall, we’re featuring one of our favorite people, who just so happens to be a newly-minted New York Times bestselling author! Tia Levings released her memoir ‘A Well-Trained Wife’ in August, and the book became an instant bestseller. The…

1
Speaking Way Up: Nikieta Lambert, Erika Cheung & Jessica Willis Fisher 36:29

3M ago36:29

36:29

This episode is sponsored by Better Help! Ready for another remix? This episode features highlights with some of the bravest women to grace our feed. From escaping childhood abuse and religious cults, these outspoken women did what was right in the moment, despite the immense pressure and abuse weighing down on them. Nikita Lambert spent 15 years c…

1
To the Moon and Back: Lisa Kohn and the Unification Church 1:01:55

3M ago1:01:55

1:01:55

Lisa Kohn likes to tell a story about these great seats she once had at Madison Square Garden — at her mother’s mass wedding. Yes, Lisa — the award-winning author of “To the Moon and Back: A Childhood Under the Influence” — grew up in the Unification Church, also known as “the Moonies,” with her mom and a life of “sex, drugs, and squalor” in New Yo…

1
Post Narc Therapy: Robin Stern, Dr. Ramani & Dr. Christine Cocchicola 36:16

3M ago36:16

36:16

This episode is sponsored by Better Help! The doctor is in! This week’s remix episode features conversations on personality disorders, controlling behaviors, and more. Suspecting a narcissist in your midst, or recovering from a controlling relationship? This episode might be perfect for you. This week, you’ll hear snippets from three different ment…

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Witness Underground: Scott Homan on Music & The XJW Movement 1:12:27

3M ago1:12:27

1:12:27

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Is rock and roll an untapped conduit for healing after shunning? Filmmaker Scott Homan’s debut documentary feature “'Witness Underground”, sheds light on the experiences, creative expressions, and defection of ex-members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses community. The film delves into the journey of notable under…

1
A Landmark Sampler: Anne Peterson, Rick Ross, and Rob Copeland 39:14

4M ago39:14

39:14

This episode is sponsored by Better Help! To keep your culty content coming even while we’re on a bit of a hiatus, we whipped up this sampler platter of snippets from some ALBC episodes on the burning topic of Shmandmark, AKA Landmark Worldwide. This week, we’ll revisit insights into Landmark, its founder Werner Erhard (also known as Jack Rosenberg…

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Prodigal Daughter: Katherine Spearing on The Christian Patriarchy Movement 1:07:09

4M ago1:07:09

1:07:09

This epiosde is sponsored by Better Help. What does a thriving life look like after surviving a cult? Katherine Spearing has some ideas about that, and some real life experience to back those ideas up. She survived the cult of the The Christian Patriarchy Movement, also known as the Stay-At- Home-Daughter Movement. And yeah: That’s as terrible as i…

1
Streaming Heroes: Sarma Melngailis, Tom Krumins & Ruthy Heiler 41:12

4M ago41:12

41:12

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Coming up for air from your latest binge-watch? This remix episode is for you. This week, we’re revisiting conversations with guests fresh off docuseries adaptations of their stories. For better or worse, these series highlight the unique cult experiences of their subjects, sharing their story with a wider …

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The Army of Survivors: Grace French on Empowering Athletes 42:07

4M ago42:07

42:07

This episode is sponsroed by Better Help. Content Advisory: This episode contains conversation about sexual assault. Please listen with care. Former Michigan State University and ex-USA Gymnastics Larry Nassar is serving upwards of 175 years in prison after admitting to molesting some of the nation's top gymnasts for years under the guise of medica…

1
From Hell to Stanford: Cameron Black on Thriving After Abuse 53:44

4M ago53:44

53:44

This episode is sponsored by Better Help! Here’s our conversation with Cameron Black, a 20-something Stanford University student who has overcome some very culty, very harrowing challenges. He chats with us about his healing process and the hard work of finding himself again after the abuse he experienced in a commune, a hellish Jesuit school exper…

1
TwinRay: ‘We Are the Resurrection’ 51:01

5M ago51:01

51:01

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. On this week’s show, we’ll talk to Demetria. She was immersed in TwinRay — an Oregon-based shop and health center that organizes “mass global meditations for peace.” But our guest says there’s way more going on here than peaceful reflection. She talks about how TwinRay’s leaders exploit people for cash and …

1
The Polygamist’s Daughters: Anna & Celia LeBaron on Escape and Redemption 1:08:27

5M ago1:08:27

1:08:27

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Anna Lebaron is one of more than fifty children born to infamous polygamist cult leader Ervil LeBaron, aka “Mormon Manson.” So you can probably imagine that her upbringing was both extraordinary and devastating: As she recounts in her excellent book, The Polygamist’s Daughter, she lost multiple family membe…

1
The Grotto: Crypto, NFTs, & An Online Hellscape (Part 3) 1:09:58

5M ago1:09:58

1:09:58

This is episode is sponsored by Better Help. This week: The final installment of our talk with four people lured into The Grotto — a mostly online hub for digital art that turned into a kind of Ponzi cult with plenty of love bombing and possible fraud. Our guests — anonymous, but going by Charm, Kateryna, Shayna, and Fomo — say it all begins with J…

1
The Grotto: Crypto, NFTs, & An Online Hellscape (Part 2) 42:24

5M ago42:24

42:24

This is episode is sponsored by Better Help. On this week’s show, the second installment of our wide-ranging, in-depth, and ultimately hopeful talk with four people lured into The Grotto — a mostly online hub for digital art that turned into a kind of Ponzi cult with plenty of love bombing and possible fraud. Our guests — anonymous, but going by Ch…

1
The Grotto: Crypto, NFTs & An Online Hellscape (Part 1) 1:01:08

5M ago1:01:08

1:01:08

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. On this week’s show, we’ll talk to four people lured into The Grotto — a mostly online hub for digital art that turned into a kind of Ponzi cult with plenty of love bombing and possible fraud. Our guests — anonymous, but going by Charm, Kateryna, Shayna, and Fomo — say it all begins with Jaime Dubuar Dean, …

1
A Cult Within a Cult: Charlotte Medlock on Guru Jagat 1:06:42

6M ago1:06:42

1:06:42

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. TikTok-famous Charlotte Medlock was once swept up in the world of the late Guru Jagat, aka Katie Griggs, the Rama Institute and Kundalini. Charlotte wants you to know that this particular Russian nesting doll of Yoga, new-age West Coast-style spirituality, and female empowerment vibes wasn’t all love and li…

1
The Fund: Rob Copeland on Ray Dalio 1:10:36

6M ago1:10:36

1:10:36

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Is the famed hedge fund Bridgewater Associates operating a cult in plain sight? Or is it just a little bit culty? Journalist and author Rob Copeland joins us for a deep dive into Wall Street’s seedy underbelly, and the troubling story of Bridgewater’s founder—the pseudo philosopher-king Ray Dalio. You’ll wa…

1
Securely Speaking: Attachment Nerd Eli Harwood (Part 2) 1:03:19

6M ago1:03:19

1:03:19

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Eli Harwood we can’t quite quit you just yet, but we feel very secure about it. The ever-quotable and mega-helpful licensed therapist, author, and educator is back again for another episode, and breaking down what attachment patterns can mean for cult survivors and seekers, parents and children, lovers and …

1
Securely Speaking: Attachment Nerd Eli Harwood (Part 1) 52:47

7M ago52:47

52:47

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Are cult leaders born or made? Did we get sucked into NXIVM because of our attachment styles? Was Vanguard always just wookin’ pa nub in all the wrong places? In this episode of A Little Bit Culty, licensed therapist and social media sweetheart Eli Harwood joins us for a chat about the way that attachment pa…

1
Patreon Replay: Sarah’s Mom Has Got It Going On 49:25

7M ago49:25

49:25

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Happy Mother’s Day Monday, ALBC babies. To celebrate the occasion, we unlocked a Patreon episode starring none other than Sarah’s mom. We talk a lot about culty villains on this podcast, but we always want to highlight the heroes, too…and Ellen is an embodiment of what it looks like to heroically love someon…

1
Quiet on Set: Kate Taylor on Nickelodeon’s Dark Side 44:08

7M ago44:08

44:08

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sometimes predators hide in plain sight. Like on the set of your kids’ favorite TV shows. The docuseries "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV" (Investigation Discovery) exposes the dark allegations haunting some of the most popular late 90s to 2000s Nickelodeon productions created by executive producer Da…

1
Patreon Replay: Lucy Taylor on Greek Life & Death at Penn State 46:33

7M ago46:33

46:33

We unlocked this previously released Patreon episode so everyone can hear it, because people need to know: Campus Greek Life Ain’t It. Lucy Taylor joins us to discuss the red flags of ‘rushing’, the tragic hazing death of a Penn State student, and her ongoing crusade to make frats and sororities as obsolete as landlines and fax machines for future …

1
Greek Tragedies: Lucy Taylor on Campus Hazing 44:54

7M ago44:54

44:54

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Newsflash: Culty, culty college frats and sororities are still fraught with peril. Where do we even start? There’s the deadly hazing incidents…the rampant sexual assaults…the blatant racism. And while we’re talking about it: There are also far too many red Solo Cups coming out of frats and sororities. (Micro…

1
Cult Trip: Anke Richter on Coercion & Control 1:08:22

8M ago1:08:22

1:08:22

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. In this episode, we’re joined by international journalist Anke Richter for a conversation about her decade-long investigation into sex cults and her own brush with ISTA, a shamanic ‘school’ from the US with a base in New Zealand. Anke’s recently published book CULT TRIP covers her labyrinthine investigation …

1
A Journey of Love: Andrew LeCompte on A Course in Miracles 50:00

8M ago50:00

50:00

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. For Andrew LeCompte, his study of A Course in Miracles (ACIM) started off like the proverbial ‘good thing’ of so many cult survivor stories. He eventually taught ACIM in Mexico, Spain, Hawaii, and Canada–working as something like a NXIVM-era Mark Vicente for his teacher. He initially had amazing experiences …

1
Rebel With a Cause: Rick Ross on NXIVM, Landmark & The Law 1:15:57

8M ago1:15:57

1:15:57

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Hello there cult awareness content nerds: We see you. We honor you. And let’s be honest: We are you. In this episode we (finally!) sit down with OG anti-cult crusader Rick Alan Ross for a chat about NXIVM, what it’s like to be sued simultaneously by Keith Raniere and Werner Erhard, and the ongoing audacity o…

1
The Erhard Effect: Anne Peterson on Landmark (Part 2) 59:20

8M ago59:20

59:20

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. It’s part two of our chat with Anne Peterson, and we’re picking up again right at the part of the story where things really go sideways for her inside the Landmark ecosystem. She shares what it was like flying in Werner Erhard’s inner circle working as something of an Olivia Pope for the company’s high falut…

1
The Erhard Effect: Anne Peterson on Landmark (Part 1) 54:44

8M ago54:44

54:44

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Landmark has been the most requested topic from our listeners since day one of this podcast. When we got eyes on Anne Peterson’s new memoir about her 15+ year journey inside its ecosystem, we knew our listeners would be pissed at us if we didn’t get her on our microphone, ASAP. ‘‘Is This a Cult?: Confronting…

1
Bad Blood: Erika Cheung on Bringing Down Theranos 55:01

9M ago55:01

55:01

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/culty and get on your way to being your best self. Erika Cheung arrived at the Theranos corporate headquarters at just 22 years old as a newly minted college grad. At the time, the idealistic chemist and biologist saw Elizabeth Holmes just as so many others did: As…

1
It’s Not You: Dr. Ramani On Post-Narc Healing 1:16:09

9M ago1:16:09

1:16:09

This epiosde is sponsored by Better Help. We always jump at the chance to talk to Dr. Ramani. This time she arrives at A Little Bit Culty fresh from publishing her newest book: It’s Not You: Identifying And Healing From Narcissistic People. (We read the advanced copy and it blew our minds.) Dr. Ramani wants you to know that thriving after—or even d…

1
Broken Bonds: Rachel Bernstein on Cults & Family 59:06

9M ago59:06

59:06

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. We get emails and messages from people every day who are looking for guidance on what to do when someone they love is in a cult, so we called in an expert. Here’s our chat with Rachel Bernstein, LMFT, of the mighty helpful and always bingeable IndoctriNation podcast. Is this technically a crossover episode? …

1
Proud Defector: Claire Headley On Scientology (Part 2) 54:06

9M ago54:06

54:06

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/culty and get on your way to being your best self. And…we’re back for part two of our conversation with Claire Headley, a defiant Scientology whistleblower who still owes the shadowy organization a billion minus 30 years on her contract. (Don’t hold your breath, Da…

1
Proud Defector: Claire Headley On Scientology (Part 1) 59:17

10M ago59:17

59:17

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/culty and get on your way to being your best self. In part one of this 2-parter, we feature Scientology defector and whistleblower Claire Headley who spent 30 years in the church isolated from her family and basically any outside influence. Headley was born and bre…

1
Gentle Souls: Esther Friedman on ‘School’ 55:54

10M ago55:54

55:54

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/culty and get on your way to being your best self. If you’re not already familiar with the culty cluster known as ‘School’, it was an ultra-secret Manhattan organization run by late actress and forever eccentric Sharon Gans. The shadowy group did its dark magic in …

1
Scout’s Honor: Tom Krumins on Keeping Kids Safe 1:09:47

10M ago1:09:47

1:09:47

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Tom Krumins was one of the brave whistleblowers who came forward to shine a light on the scandal of abuse and predation within the Boy Scouts of America. You can see his story in the recent Netflix doc, ‘Scout’s Honor: The Secret Files of the Boy Scouts of America,’ and we’re guessing you’ll be as moved and…

1
Let Us Prey: Ruthy Heiler & Sharon Liese Unmask the IFB 42:45

10M ago42:45

42:45

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. But maybe it should also be sponsored by a company that manufactures blood pressure cuffs, because the “Let Us Prey: A Ministry of Scandals” docuseries had us all kinds of pissed off. If you haven’t seen it yet, the doc wades into the darkness and depravity within the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) m…

1
Wise Jezebel: Dr. Laura Anderson On When Religion Hurts 1:08:08

11M ago1:08:08

1:08:08

This episode is sponsored by Better Help. Today we welcome Wise Jezebel and former fundie Dr. Laura Anderson to the ALBC huddle. She’s a psychotherapist, podcaster, and smarty-pants content creator specializing in helping people come back from the sneaky scars of high control religion. She’s also the author of the next book you need to read. Seriou…

1
Weirder Together: Cult Hopping with Ben Lee & Ione Skye 1:18:21

11M ago1:18:21

1:18:21

Today’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Buckle up ALBC babies, we’re about to go all over the map through Hollywood, the music industry, Australia, and a couple decades of cult-hopping. In fact, it’s so epic that (picture this) we are holding an invisible boombox over our heads outside your window while blaring Peter Gabriel, asking you to list…

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