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 who’ve turned an AI tool into a trusted authority, therapist, oracle, and romantic partner. We’re diving into why ChatGPT feels so intimate, how people are outsourcing thinking and decision making to a machine, and when convenience starts to look a little culty. We also break down the growing legal scrutiny around AI, including high profile lawsuits, accountability gaps, and what happens when automated advice collides with real world harm. Delete your em-dashes, because if you’ve ever named your chat bot (looking at you Chelsea), it might be time to ask who’s really in charge. 🤖🧠⚖️

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Content warning: This episode includes discussion of suicide and mental health crises.

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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 bestselling book The Age of Magical Overthinking (now out in paperback!) from her chapter on the psychology of Swiftie culture, analyzing the fine line separating admiration and identity from obsession and even culty criminality. Consider this a sermon, a confession, and a gentle side eye at celebrity worship in the modern age. Long live!

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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 hosties, Amanda, Reese, and Chelsea, answer listener questions about everything from conspiracy theories they lowkey believe to cult verdicts they absolutely regret handing out. We’re talking parasocial projection, hot takes we wish we could un-say, behind-the-scenes mess, and what it’s actually like to be perceived by strangers with headphones and opinions. Pause your shower and grab your Labubu because if anyone sounds like a cult, it might be us.

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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 Mormon Stories podcast (@mormstories) to unpack the deeply culty world of Mormon Therapy, where normal human behavior gets pathologized and sexual shame is framed as “treatment.” Join us as we unpack how Mormon teachings around sex, purity, and control have led to widespread sexual dysfunction, guilt, and fear and how “therapists” trained to protect doctrine (not patients) can do real psychological harm. From compulsory confessions to the pipeline that produces figures like Jodi Hildebrandt, this episode traces how moral panic masquerades as mental health care. Also, fair warning: if you take a shot every time John says the word masturbate, you will absolutely need to lie down afterward.

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 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 Loser went from “inspirational reality show” to one of the most culty franchises in TV history. From weigh-in rituals and trainer worship to isolation, fear tactics, and nationwide public shaming, we’re diving into the behind the scenes world that had millions of viewers cheering for transformation while contestants were barely surviving it. Why did we believe this was healthy? How did it become so successful? And what happens when a show about losing weight starts demanding you lose yourself too? Grab your branded sweatband and your cognitive dissonance... this episode gets messy. 🏋🏻‍♂️📺🔥

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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 movement? This week, Reese is joined by Rolling Stone journalist Steven Asarch (@capmiserable) to break down The Cult of Mr. Beast, the hyper optimized, hyper "philanthropic", hyper everything empire that has millions of fans ready to click, defend, and worship at the altar of virality. We’re analyzing how Mr. Beast’s feel good spectacle blurs the line between generosity and influence. Why do fans treat him like a savior? What does it mean when entertainment starts to look like charity... or the other way around? And how much power does a creator have when his followers are willing to do almost anything for a shoutout? Grab your Feastables and your moral ambiguity: we’re diving into the algorithmically engineered rabbit hole that sounds like a cult. 🍫📱

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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) to Amanda’s Magical Overthinkers conversation with writer Allison Raskin, (@allisonraskin) author of I Do (I Think), about how weddings have transformed into a cult of consumerism, misogyny (comparing women with opinions to oversized mythical lizards???), and the illusion of perfection. From industrial-sized bridal expectations to the patriarchal rituals, we're sparing no criticism of how an alleged celebration of partnership became a capitalistic rite of passage.

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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 is joined by NFL host and analyst Kimmi Chex (@kimmichex) to break down how a simple hobby turned millions of casual fans into full-blown believers. From office leagues to dynasty drafts, Fantasy Football isn’t just a game… It's a belief system built on stats, superstitions, and Sunday rituals. We unpack the sermons of sleeper picks, the sacred relics of draft boards, and the emotional highs and lows that rival any religion. Whether you’re a casual observer or a card-carrying commissioner, this episode dissects the community, the camaraderie, and the chaos that make Fantasy Football one of the most worshiped cults in sports.

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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 sacred texts (from Real Housewives reunions to Vanderpump Rules scandals), the high priests (Andy Cohen), and the ritualistic weekly watch parties that lead only the most devoted viewers to the mecca of BravoCon. Whether you’re a casual Summer House viewer or have a housewives franchise for every night of the week, we’re sure you’d agree Bravo has had the girls, gays, and theys in a CHOKEHOLD since 2003, and we’re here to get to the bottom of it. Are we in a parasocial relationship with a network? Is "who gon' check me, boo?" a mantra for the modern age? Grab your skinny margarita and join the congregation as we ask: when does a fandom become a faith?

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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 Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, the book that inspired this entire pod. It’s a behind-the-scenes listen into the language of persuasion, belonging, and belief infiltrates everything from religious movements to self-help brands to our favorite podcasts. So relax and take a listen to the source material for all our juicy, culty lore.

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 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, misunderstood belief system that terrified suburban moms everywhere.

We’re talking devilish imagery, political theater, and the delicious irony of a religion that doesn’t actually believe in the Devil. From Anton LaVey’s campy theatrics to the Wayfair trafficking conspiracy, we’re unpacking how Satanism became the perfect scapegoat for America’s moral panic and how the real horror show was the Satanic Panic itself. So light your black candles, clutch your pearls, and prepare to sell your soul (metaphorically, of course). Because when it comes to culty influence, the devil’s in the details. 😈🔥📜

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