The Cult of Waldorf Schools

 We are thrilled to be lovingly feeding you this episode as if it were a delightful sugar cube, and you our noble thoroughbred.  If you haven’t yet gotten the memo, (via the pony express? ) this week we are covering the beloved cult of horse girls. Along this trot we found that there are almost as many delineations of horse girl as there are breeds of horse, so along for the ride to help Amanda and Reese is IRL jesus/horse camp-alumn turned comedian Jamie Loftus!  We had a blast visiting as many stalls in the stable as we could, from haughty Charlotte York Equestrianism right down to the curious world of hobbyhorsing… Saddle up, culties, and get to listening! Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth ;) Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube! Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles.  Thank you to our sponsors! Head to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CULT Shop data plans at https://MINTMOBILE.com/CULT Find exactly what you’re booking for on https://Booking.com, Booking.YEAH! Follow Don't Cross Kat on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Don't Cross Kat early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+.   Please consider donating to those affected by the Los Angeles Fires. Some organizations that Team SLAC are donating to are:  https://mutualaidla.org/ https://give.pasadenahumane.org/give/654134/#!/donation/checkout https://shorturl.at/SGW9w Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Playboy sold the world a fantasy of luxury and sexual liberation, but behind the velvet curtains, the reality was far more complex. This week, Amanda, Chelsea, and special guest Amy Rose Spiegel (@verymuchso) dive into the Playboy phenomenon…not just as a magazine, but as a carefully curated world built on power, control, and illusion. From the mystique of the Playboy Mansion and its exclusive parties to the troubling stories from former Playmates, we’re exploring how Hugh Hefner crafted an empire that blurred the line between empowerment and exploitation. Was Playboy truly a symbol of freedom, or just another gilded cage? And how does nostalgia shape the way we view its legacy today? Join us as we unravel the cult-like influence of Playboy and the contradictions that made it both iconic and insidious. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube! Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles.  Thank you to our sponsors! Find exactly what you’re booking for on https://Booking.com, Booking.YEAH! Follow Don't Cross Kat on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Don't Cross Kat early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CULT Start earning points on rent you’re already paying by going to https://joinbilt.com/CULT   Please consider donating to those affected by the Los Angeles Fires. Some organizations that Team SLAC are donating to are:  https://mutualaidla.org/ https://give.pasadenahumane.org/give/654134/#!/donation/checkout https://shorturl.at/SGW9w Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a chance you’ve brushed paths with this week’s cult in a West Coast farmers market or while scrolling through #yogainspiration, or as of late, your HBOMax recommended page. Kundalini yoga promises spiritual awakening, cosmic energy, and a path to your highest self. But behind the flowing white turbans and chanting in sat nam, there’s a darker story—one of control, secrecy, and not one but TWO gurus with highly questionable pasts. This week, we’re unraveling the culty underbelly of Kundalini, its infamous founder Yogi Bhajan, and his 20-teens girlbossified equivalent, Katie Griggs. From Instagram livestreams at millennial haven RaMa Studios to the militarized "3HO" organization (Healthy, Happy, Holy—or is it?), we’re asking: When does devotion cross the line into dogma? Strap in for a deep dive with Hayley Phelan (@hayleyphelan), journalist behind the article that powered HBO Max's Breath of Fire docuseries, and spiritual/sexual abuse lawyer Carol Merchasin, as Amanda and Reese discover why so many former followers say this spiritual practice left them anything but zen.     Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube! Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles.  Thank you to our sponsors! Start earning points on rent you’re already paying by going to https://joinbilt.com/CULT Find exactly what you’re booking for on https://Booking.com, Booking.YEAH! Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/CULT to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Head to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CULT Please consider donating to those affected by the Los Angeles Fires. Some organizations that Team SLAC are donating to are:  https://mutualaidla.org/ https://give.pasadenahumane.org/give/654134/#!/donation/checkout https://shorturl.at/SGW9w Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wowowow, today’s episode, which originally aired in December of 2023, features Jill and Derick Dillard, whom you might recognize from TLC’s 19 Kids & Counting!!! Imagine this: You’re born into a family that’s already a little ~abnormal~ because your parents are super religious and you have 200 siblings or whatever, then a reality television network comes knocking with promises of money and glory, slaps your whole clan of loved ones into a giant pair of golden handcuffs, a bunch of exploitation ensues, and one day you wake up and realize you’ve spent your childhood in an insane f*cking cult??? The “cult” of reality TV families, focused on The Duggars, is today’s subject of discussion, and what a juicy convo it was. Of all the reality TV family shows, which do YOU think is the cultiest?? Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube! Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles.  Thank you to our sponsors! Find exactly what you’re booking for on https://Booking.com, Booking.YEAH! For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to https://Quince.com/slac for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order. Start earning points on rent you’re already paying by going to https://joinbilt.com/CULT Head to https://www.squarespace.com/CULT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code CULT Please consider donating to those affected by the Los Angeles Fires. Some organizations that Team SLAC are donating to are:  https://mutualaidla.org/ https://give.pasadenahumane.org/give/654134/#!/donation/checkout https://shorturl.at/SGW9w Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices