A Little Bit Culty
Sarah Edmondson & Anthony “Nippy” Ames
Think you might be in a cult? Want to know the signs? Join Sarah Edmondson and Anthony “Nippy” Ames to talk about things that are..a little bit culty. Or in their case: a whole bunch of culty. As whistleblowers documented in the critically-acclaimed HBO series “The Vow,” Sarah and Nippy have a lot to say about their experience, and burning questions to ask people with similar stories. They’re here to help people understand, heal from, and avoid abusive situations one little red flag at a time. Listen in as they share their stories, have frank and unscripted conversations with other survivors and cult experts, and do a deep dive on how devotion can turn to dysfunction.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 2, 2026 • 38min
Through the NXIVM Lens: Photographer Bjorn Bolinder on V-Week, Branding, and Seeing the Light (Part 1)
Bjorn Bolinder, photographer and performer who worked behind the scenes at NXIVM and shot V-Week, tells his story. He recalls how a Tourette’s conversation led him to sign up, the intense grind of photographing V-Week, and first impressions meeting Keith and feeling welcomed by the community. He also discusses the work-exchange realities and why certain people felt like green flags.
Feb 26, 2026 • 59min
PATREON REPLAY: "Zenu Is My Homeboy" - Marc Headley on Scientology
Marc Headley, former Sea Org member turned whistleblower and advocate for ex-Scientologists. He recounts recruitment scripts, billion-year contracts, daily control tactics like sleep deprivation and surveillance. He outlines harassment and legal intimidation used to silence people. He also discusses support systems for those who leave and teases new work from Claire Headley.
Feb 23, 2026 • 1h 1min
The Lost Boy: Unpacking Corey Feldman Vs. The World with Marcie Hume
Marcie Hume, a documentary filmmaker who directed Corey Feldman Vs. The World, recounts embedding with Feldman and his band over years of vérité filming. She discusses ethical choices in documenting a complicated subject, how the story shifted as new information emerged, and the messy tensions between fandom, control, and accountability.
Feb 19, 2026 • 42min
Sex, Power, and Music: Jezebel Sweet & Margot Lane Expose Corey Feldman (Part 2)
Jezebel Sweet, singer-songwriter who left Corey’s Angels and now advocates for survivors. Margot Lane, musician who toured with the group and now supports other survivors. They recount moments omitted from the film, the logistics and labor abuses on tour, the choices that led them to leave, and how they rebuilt creativity, boundaries, and careers afterward.
Feb 16, 2026 • 51min
Sex, Power, and Music: Jezebel Sweet & Margot Lane Expose Corey Feldman (Part 1)
Jezebel Sweet, singer‑songwriter and multi‑instrumentalist who toured with Corey’s Angels, and Margot Lane, a Los Angeles bandleader with wide touring experience, share their stories. They discuss image control, early love‑bombing and boundary setting. They describe chaotic tour life, missing pay, and the blurred line between performance and personal control.
12 snips
Feb 12, 2026 • 59min
The Guru Wears Prada: Sofia May on Surviving Tibetan Buddhism at Tara Mandala (Part 2)
Sofia May, comedian and former assistant at Tara Mandala who exposed misconduct there, shares raw memories of spiritual abuse and recovery. She recounts how reverence, hierarchy, and manipulation mixed in retreat life. The conversation covers tailored coercion, hazing, gaslighting, and the turning point that led her to leave. She also discusses healing through therapy and comedy and why discernment matters in spiritual communities.
9 snips
Feb 9, 2026 • 35min
The Guru Wears Prada: Sofia May on Surviving Tibetan Buddhism at Tara Mandala (Part 1)
Sofia May, stand-up comedian and former Tara Mandala practitioner, recounts life inside a Tibetan Buddhist retreat community. She describes the allure of trauma‑informed, female‑centered spirituality and how it coexisted with secrecy, hierarchy, and guru devotion. Short scenes cover volunteer life, becoming a personal assistant, early red flags, and how humor helped her process difficult experiences.
Feb 5, 2026 • 42min
I Belong to Me: Tia Levings on Rebuilding After Religious Trauma (Part 2)
Tia Levings, author and survivor who writes about religious trauma and recovery, discusses leaving a high-control Christian marriage and rebuilding identity. She explores how patriarchy, purity culture, and doctrine enable spiritual and domestic abuse. Conversations cover practical recovery tools, boundary-setting, parts work, co-regulation, and spotting red flags to avoid returning to high-control dynamics.
Feb 2, 2026 • 48min
I Belong to Me: Tia Levings on Rebuilding After Religious Trauma (Part 1)
Tia Levings, bestselling author and survivor of Christian fundamentalism and domestic abuse, shares her journey of rebuilding identity after leaving a high-control marriage. She discusses navigating courts and custody, confronting patriarchal church systems, reclaiming rituals and belonging to herself. The conversation covers deconstruction, practical psychological tools, and protecting the messy aftermath of leaving.
10 snips
Jan 29, 2026 • 41min
Is Landmark a Cult? Anne Peterson Returns (Part 2)
Anne Peterson, former Landmark Forum staffer and author of Is This a Cult?, reveals leaving a large group awareness training and building survivor support. She describes burnout, shame hangovers, and the loss of a community. She explains how leaders manufacture compliance, how jargon conceals harm, and why recovery centers on consent, mistrust repair, and safer models for personal growth.
