Sounds Like A Cult

Sounds Like A Cult

Studio71

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

213 episodes

Language: en-us

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Episodes

The Cult of Fanfiction

The Cult of Fanfiction

March 17, 2026

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1h 0m

Long before publishing executives "discovered" the internet, a very dedicated group of fans had already built their own literary universe complete with sacred terminology, power hierarchies, and enoug...
Explicit
The Cult of The Manosphere

The Cult of The Manosphere

March 10, 2026

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59m

Have you been an unlucky ear victim of the phrase, “male loneliness epidemic”? Have you had the misfortune of interacting with a black-pilled, looksmaxxing sigma at the peak grindset mentality? Does a...
Explicit
The Cult of MAGA Youth

The Cult of MAGA Youth

March 3, 2026

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1h 13m

This week, we’re revisiting one of our most illuminating conversations: The Cult of Conservative Youth Activism, featuring journalist and author Tina Nguyen, whose book The MAGA Diaries takes us deep ...
Explicit
The Cult of Pilates

The Cult of Pilates

February 24, 2026

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52m

Clear your schedule and roll out your mat… because this week Chelsea & Amanda and special guest Dr. Adam McAtee (@adammcateepilates) are diving into the meticulously controlled universe of Pilates. Or...
Explicit
The Cult of Joe Rogan

The Cult of Joe Rogan

February 17, 2026

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1h 12m

This week, Amanda, Reese, and Chelsea are joined by writer and comedian Akilah Hughes (@akilahh) to unpack The Cult of Joe Rogan, the podcast empire that’s convinced millions it’s the last bastion of ...
Explicit
The Cult of Romance Novels

The Cult of Romance Novels

February 10, 2026

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1h 10m

Clutch your pearls and cancel your plans, because this week Sounds Like A Cult is getting spicy. We’re welcoming our brand new co-host Iman Hariri-Kia (@imanharirikia), romance author, cultural critic...
Explicit
The Cult of Bad Bunny

The Cult of Bad Bunny

February 3, 2026

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39m

This week, Chelsea is joined by culture critic and internet oracle Tefi Pessoa (@hellotefi) to take on The Cult of Bad Bunny… a global superstar whose fandom blurs the line between pop icon, political...
Explicit
The Cult of The Amish

The Cult of The Amish

January 27, 2026

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1h 7m

We know them. We giggle at them, occasionally. These days, more and more of us admire their simple, tech-free lives. The Amish are often held up as the ultimate model of intentional community, living ...
Explicit
The Cult of ChatGPT

The Cult of ChatGPT

January 20, 2026

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1h 16m

This week, Amanda, Reese, and Chelsea are back from hiatus and joined by tech journalist Amanda Silberling (@amandasilberling) to take on The Cult of ChatGPT, the fast growing congregation of users wh...
Explicit
The Cult of Swifties

The Cult of Swifties

January 6, 2026

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44m

Sounds Like A Cult is still taking a wee break, but we’re leaving you with a little Easter egg 🐍  In this special episode, we’re sharing an exclusive audiobook excerpt from Amanda’s New York Times be...
Explicit
The Cult of Podcast Hosts

The Cult of Podcast Hosts

December 23, 2025

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47m

You asked. We panicked. Then we hit record. This week, Sounds Like A Cult turns the microscope inward for The Cult of Podcast Hosts, a very unserious, extremely revealing Q&A episode where your cultie...
Explicit
The Cult of Mormon Therapists

The Cult of Mormon Therapists

December 16, 2025

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59m

What happens when a church treats teenage hormones like a moral emergency… and then appoints its own therapists to fix it? This week, Amanda and Reese are joined by John Dehlin (@johndehlin) of the Mo...
Explicit
The Cult of The Biggest Loser

The Cult of The Biggest Loser

December 9, 2025

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1h 8m

It looked like feel-good weight loss… until Netflix told us the truth. This week, Amanda and Reese are joined by former contestant Tracey Yukich Lane (@traceyyuckichlane) to unpack how The Biggest Los...
Explicit
The Cult of Mr. Beast

The Cult of Mr. Beast

December 2, 2025

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1h 14m

He gives away islands, cures blindness, builds chocolate empires, and commands an online following bigger than some nations... but is he just a YouTuber, or the leader of a full blown digital devotion...
Explicit
The Cult of Weddings (Update)

The Cult of Weddings (Update)

November 25, 2025

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1h 4m

This week, Sounds Like A Cult is revisiting one of the most ritualistic, emotionally charged, and absurdly expensive cults of them all: The Cult of Weddings. We’re sharing (and offering a culty update...
Explicit
The Cult of Fantasy Football

The Cult of Fantasy Football

November 18, 2025

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1h 1m

Lace up your cleats, because we’re about to tackle one of the most competitive, emotionally charged, and cult-ish communities in modern sports culture: The Cult of Fantasy Football. This week, Chelsea...
The Cult of Bravoholics

The Cult of Bravoholics

November 11, 2025

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56m

This week, Amanda and Reese are being initiated into the high-drama, low-stakes universe of the Bravoholics. Joined by Steve, certified Bravoholic and owner of @facesbybravo, we’re breaking down the s...
The Cult of Audiobooks (CULTISH, Amanda's Version)

The Cult of Audiobooks (CULTISH, Amanda's Version)

November 4, 2025

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1h 22m

What is the definition of the word "cult" anyway, according to Sounds Like A Cult??? This week, for the first time ever, host Amanda Montell takes the mic to read from her New York Times bestseller Cu...
Explicit
The Cult of Satanism

The Cult of Satanism

October 28, 2025

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1h 14m

Is it evil… or just excellent branding? This week, Amanda & Reese are joined by writer and podcaster Sarah Marshall (You’re Wrong About) to descend into The Cult of Satanism: The spooky, sexy, misunde...
Explicit
The Cult of Etsy Witches

The Cult of Etsy Witches

October 21, 2025

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48m

For the low, low price of $19.99, you too can manifest love, money, or maybe just a little chaos. On this Halloween flavored episode of Sounds Like A Cult, we are diving broom first into The Cult of E...
Explicit