The Cult of Reality TV Families

Maybe you hated the kids who went. Maybe you were just mildly annoyed by them. Maybe, you were one of them. No matter your relation, most people have encountered today’s cult in one way or another. Whether you were soaking up the spotlight or cringing from back home, the cult of Theater Camp is always looming just in the wings. Is the world of adolescent summertime theater nothing more than a harmless, whimsical romp, or is there something sinister going on behind all that jazz? Bonafide theater nerds Amanda, Reese and Chelsea are joined by none other than Anna Camp (@therealannacamp) and Dara Sussman (@daralaine) in this week’s stage-fright inducing episode to get to the bottom of it. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  To pre-order Iman's new book, Once in a Timeline, click here! Thank you to our sponsors! Join the loyalty program for renters at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://joinbilt.com/cult⁠ To Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain, Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.squarespace.com/CULT⁠ If your glasses are overdue for a refresh, now is the time. Use code PODCAST15 for fifteen percent off your first order at ⁠bit.ly/3OdtU5X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sul sul, culties. Remove the pool ladder and cancel your real-life plans, because this week Reese is joined by guest host Amanda Kohr (@amandamkohr) of This Feels Bi to unpack The Cult of The Sims. From trapping Sims in windowless rooms for “science” to meticulously designing dream homes we could never afford, The Sims has had us playing digital god for over two decades. But what is it about this bizarre little universe of WooHoo, grilled cheese obsessions, tragic kitchen fires, and suspiciously autonomous free will that keeps us coming back? Reese and Amanda K. dig into the chaos, control, queer awakenings, elaborate lore, and deeply unhinged player behavior that turned a life simulation game into a full blown personality trait. Is this harmless escapism, the ultimate creative sandbox, or a benevolent dictatorship in Build Mode? Dag dag. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod,  @amanda_montell,  @reesaronii,  @chelseaxcharles,  @imanharirikia.  To pre-order Iman's new book, Once in a Timeline, click here! Thank you to our sponsors! Thanks to Article for sponsoring this podcast! Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit https://www.article.com/discount/cult and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout. To get your new wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to https://mintmobile.com/cult.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The timer starts now, cultie. This week’s cult is one that some find boring, some find thrilling, and some particularly fell into via a certain Netflix show starring Anya Taylor Joy (guilty). Whichever way you slice it, we can assure you the world of chess is far cultier than the cute little horsies would have you think. Whether you’re a total noob or grandmaster status, this week’s conversation with chess expert and cult survivor Danny Rensch (@dannyrensch) will have you on the edge of your seat. Come along with Reese as she looks beyond the cute academia aesthetic and into the strategic and not-so-black-and-white cult of chess. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG  @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  To pre-order Iman's new book, Once in a Timeline, click here! Thank you to our sponsors! For free shipping on your order and 365-day returns, Head to https://Quince.com/slac Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at ⁠⁠https://BollAndBranch.com/slac⁠⁠ with code slac.  Download the Whatnot app today and get free shipping on your first order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When we first aired this episode, the “tradwife” trend felt like a bizarre internet niche. Two years later, tradwife culture has only exploded.  This week, we’re revisiting our episode with culture reporter Anne Helen Petersen (@annehelenpetersen) , alongside then SLAC intern turned permanent co-host and producer of the show, Reese Oliver, in her debut episode! Together, they unpack the aestheticized world of “traditional womanhood,” where hyper-curated domesticity collides with political extremism, anti-feminism, and the growing influence of manosphere ideology online. What once looked ironic or fringe now feels deeply embedded in the zeitgeist. So while the Sounds Like A Cult team takes a much deserved break, we’re falling back down the tradwife rabbit hole. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  Thanks to our Sponsors: Join the loyalty program for renters at ⁠⁠⁠https://joinbilt.com/cult To Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain, Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.squarespace.com/CULT Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at ⁠https://BollAndBranch.com/slac⁠ with code slac.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have the events of recent years made you want to walk off into a grassy meadow, never to return? Does the idea of being in touch with nature, totally separate from the digital rat race of modern life appeal to you? Have you ever wanted to learn how to install a DIY sewer system for greywater? Then you’re a perfect candidate for today’s ever-growing cult. This week, Chelsea and Reese are getting their hands dirty and getting into the nitty gritty of Homesteading. Tradwives and rock climbers alike romanticize the nomadic lifestyle, touting freedom, survival skills, and an inner peace unachievable from civilization. But is the self-sustaining choice all it's cracked up to be, or does shoveling manure eventually become a little too culty for comfort? Come along with us as we learn from ex-homesteader Kirsten Lie-Nielsen (@kirstenlienielsen) just what homesteading is actually all about. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles, @imanharirikia.  Thank you to our sponsors! Shop plans at https://MINTMOBILE.com/cult Tear. Pour. Live More. Go to https://LIQUIDIV.COM and get 20% off your first purchase with code CULT at checkout. Head to https://acorns.com/cult or download the Acorns app to get started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices