I start by reading email letters from two ‘famous’ former instructors. One details tons of employee drug usage (including during class!), instructor and client deaths, emotional abuse, fat-shaming, hyper-sexualization and homophobia during training, and the secret methodology taught in order to manipulate riders into coming back for more. The other instructor talks about bullying from clients, pay inequality between men & women, and how disgustingly SoulCycle treated her when she was publicly cheated on by her boyfriend - another famous instructor - and thrown into an intense media scandal. A former member of the corporate team also spills the beans on the way company PR is handled internally. 

(41:42) Voice notes from front desk peeps tell stories of hellish celebrity clients, the Stephen Ross scandal, size discrimination, SoulCycle forbidding their employees to eat fast food, and what “wafflestomping” is. There are voice notes from clients whose eating disorders were made worse by Soul, too. 

And lastly, we hear from women bravely accusing Connor Kelly and Mike Press of psychological and sexual abuse. 

Tales of Taboo is produced and narrated by Ali Weiss. Follow Ali on Instagram & TikTok @aliweissworld. Audio production by Zoe Kuhlkin. Theme song by Chris Stathopolous. Cover photo by Erika Flynn. Cover art by Kristen Montenegro. GOT A SECRET TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST? Share your own confession - or thoughts and feedback - at [email protected].