They've got devotion in their eyes, American flag throw pillows on their couches, and a framed photo of Donald Trump in their prayer corner. This week, Amanda and Chelsea are joined by iconic advice columnist, author, and certified legend E. Jean Carroll (@ejeancarroll1), to unpack the wildly culty world of MAGA Wives: the loyal ladies of the far-right who will defend their orange king until the bitter, gold-plated end. From standing by their man (even when he’s been indicted four times) to reposting QAnon memes between Bible verses, MAGA wives operate like a sisterhood of true believers. Why do so many of them double down on submission and conspiracy as lifestyle brands? What do they get out of aligning themselves with an ideology that, let’s be real, doesn’t seem to like women very much? Grab your pearls and your Mar-a-Lago merch...we’re diving into the red-lipped, red-pilled cult of conservative wifedom. 💋🇺🇸🍊

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Bless up, culties. We descend from the heavens in tandem with the reign of Backflippin’ Benson Boone and Ordinary Alex Warren to share with you an episode to lift your spirit and put music in your soul! But not just any music, these tunes must be self deprecating, they’ve gotta be anthemic, they need building major chords and choral vocal FX like you’ve never seen before. Get stomping and clapping, it’s time to discuss Christian Pop Music. Whether you were a Point of Grace stan since before that was even a thing, jammed to Flyleaf during carpool growing up, or have cried melodramatically to a Switchfoot at some point in your life, there’s no denying Christian music’s massive reach has undoubtedly changed the landscape of pop music and influenced countless lives. This week, Amanda and Reese are breaking down the worship-to-radio pipeline, the blurred lines between faith and fame, and why so many of these bops SLAP (even if you’re not saved). Helping them navigate the not so pure world behind the pearly gates of the christian music industry is former Christian pop DIVA, current philanthropist and founder of the organization This Is What Happens When Women Read, Julianna Glasse (@juliannaglasse), ANDDDD author of the fresh-off-the-gutenberg ’90s/’00s Christian cultural autopsy Jesusland, Joelle Kidd.

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 Is it a free language learning app... or a feathered dictator in your pocket? In this episode, Amanda and Chelsea are joined by Zaria Parvez (@zariaparvez), the social media mastermind behind that chaotic green owl, to unpack the potentially culty world of Duolingo. We’re talking guilt-trippy push notifications, leaderboard anxiety, and the question on everyone’s mind: why does Duo feel more like a clingy ex than a study buddy? Whether you're on a 1-day streak or a 1,000-day emotional journey, this one’s for you.

UPDATE: So, our Duolingo episode was recorded before the company’s AI controversy made major headlines but wow, I guess we found the scandal that could kneecap duo 👀🦉Not to mention our angelic guest quit the company just before this was released!!! WILD TIMES. Do you think Duo is a Live Your Life, Watch Your Back, or a GTFO? Comment below!

Quartz: Duolingo CEO still battling backlash over ‘AI-first’ plans

Adweek: Duolingo Social Media Guru Zaria Parvez Exits

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Are you overwhelmed by the amount of ‘side hustles’ being advertised to you on social media? Feel undue pressure to ‘build passive income,’ even if you aren’t entirely sure what that means, or how to do so? Maybe the siren song of ‘digital assets’ and ‘financial freedom’ gives you déjà vu—  haven’t we heard these buzzwords before? But maybe you’re just getting your first taste of the #GirlBoss side of the internet, which is so very wide and full of opportunity, after all. And justttttt maybe, this digital marketing course is the key to your transcendent financial future!…..Yeah, no. This week on Sounds Like a Cult, Reese and Amanda take a scroll through the beige world of the cult of Digital Marketing and all of its malicious tactics, from emojis to emotional manipulation. Follow us as we ask: do these courses actually teach anything useful? WTF even is a digital asset? Are these just MLMs in trendy Gen-Z clothing? If you couldn’t tell, we aren’t exactly ~math experts~ over here, so joining us to help debunk some of the hashtaggable rhetoric of digital marketing are Maggie Patterson (@bsfreebusiness) and Michelle Mazur (@drmichellemazur), cohosts of Duped: The Dark Side of Online Business. Log into your Canva account and get ready to (L)earn! 

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This week, Chelsea, Amanda, and Reese dive headfirst into the wide-eyed, snaggletoothed, pastel-smeared world of Labubu…the culty vinyl toy phenomenon taking over your explore page and possibly your wallet. What started as a mischievous creature from the mind of Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung has exploded into a full-blown lifestyle, complete with blind box rituals, resale hierarchies, and people tattooing their favorite figures like emotional support goblins. 

This week, we’re exploring why Labubu has become the new “plastic crack” for millennials and Gen Z…maybe a soft, silent symbol of comfort in chaotic times? Labubu’s got a grip. And it’s cute. And it’s a little creepy. And it might be the face of late-stage capitalism.

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"I GOT A TEXT!!!!" Get ready, culties, because a hot new bombshell has just entered the villa. Grab your neon string bikinis, your mic necklaces, and a whole lot of self tanner and join us at the fire pit because we are finally covering the cult of Love Island. From its devoted followers to its culty 24/7 production, Amanda and Reese are joined by comedian Jo Firestone and Love Island Australia Season 6 winner Em Miguel-Leigh (@dragonsweep) to unpack the chokehold this show has the world in, the rituals, the lingo, the public shaming, and the very real psychological toll it can take on contestants. Why do so many viewers treat the show like a sport? What does it say about our obsession with romance, status, and hotness-as-currency? Tune in as we recouple with one of the most cultishly chaotic franchises in reality TV history.

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Ahoy, Culties! This week we’re resurfacing one of our most popular episodes from last summer: The Cult of Cruise Ships. While we cook up some fresh new episodes for you (we see you, Labubu), we’re revisiting this sea-sickeningly good deep dive into the bizarre, floating world of loyalty tiers, all-you-can-eat  shrimp, and high-seas herd mentality. But wait! Don’t set sail just yet. We’ve added a brand new intro with some juicy updates: from Carnival’s controversial new loyalty program to Netflix’s Trainwreck: Poop Cruise, the cruise cult has only gotten wilder since this episode first aired. So grab your towel animal, your lanyard, and your Dramamine… and let’s get back on board.

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Once hailed as a feminist rebellion on wheels, modern roller derby spins a complicated web of DIY empowerment, body-positivity, and community. From punny alter egos and glitter-soaked uniforms, to initiation rituals and injury worship, we unpack how the derby track became a sacred stage for self-invention. Rachel Rotten (@rachtilldeath), a longtime skater and derby lifer, joins us to share what it’s really like on the inside: the unspoken rules, the identity shifts, and the brutal beauty of a sport that demands your body, your weekends, and possibly your soul??? Join us in our exploration of the cult-like sisterhood of Roller Derby!

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This week, Chelsea, Amanda, and guest Sarah Hartshorne (@sarahbhartshorne) dig into the high-gloss, high-drama, and disturbingly high-control world of America’s Next Top Model. Once hailed as a launchpad for aspiring models, the long-running franchise masked emotional manipulation and identity erasure beneath a veneer of empowerment and fashion fantasy.

From Tyra Banks’ god-like authority to the cultish language of “smize” and “booty tooch,” we explore how ANTM built a reality TV empire on forced makeovers, psychological pressure, and spectacle disguised as self-improvement. Sarah, who rose to fame as the only plus-size contestant on Cycle 9, joins us to expose what really went down behind the catwalk, drawing from her upcoming memoir You Wanna Be On Top?

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What happens when a billionaire tech mogul starts to look less like a CEO and more like a modern-day messiah? This week, Chelsea, Amanda, and Reese team up with historian and authoritarianism expert Ruth Ben-Ghiat (@ruthbenghiat) to explore the cult of personality surrounding Elon Musk. The man behind Tesla, SpaceX, X, and a growing empire of followers who treat his every post like prophecy. From the mysterious emerald mine origin story to estranged family ties, secret children, and that whole “saving humanity by going to Mars” thing, we unpack how Musk has cultivated a mythos that feels more like a belief system than a business plan. What does it mean when a company’s success is inseparable from the quirks of its leader? And how does social media supercharge a fanbase into a digital congregation? We’re breaking down the doublethink, the brand loyalty, and the bizarre Twitter-era sermons that keep the cult of Elon alive.

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