Was I In A Cult?

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Was I In A Cult?inactive

Publisher |: Kast Media

Media Type |: audio

Podknife tags |: Cults,; Personal Journals,; Society & Culture

Categories Via RSS |: Society & Culture,; True Crime

Hosted by Tyler Measom and Liz Iacuzzi, Was I In A Cult? is a documentary-style podcast showcasing individuals who have been in, and most importantly, successfully left a cult. Told first-hand by the experiencer themself, these are raw, riveting and inspirational tales of what it means to be a survivor. Using levity and info-tainment, the show humanizes the cultic experience and may leave some of our listeners asking themselves…“Wait…Was I In A Cult?”
If you or someone you know has been in a cult and want to share your story, contact us at CULTS@iHeartMedia.com. We'd love to hear from you.

People |: Liz Iacuzzi,; Tyler Measom (@tylerfilmmaker)
Country Of Origin |: USA
Produced In |: Pasadena, CA
Premiere Date |: 2021-08-26
Frequency |: Weekly
Explicit |: Yes

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34 Available Episodes (34 Total) / Average duration: 00:42:28

Date Duration Most Reviewed Highest Rated

34 Available Episodes (34 Total)Average duration: 00:42:28

Apr 24, 2023

00:56:15

It’s the 1970s and Kung Fu is all the rage. So when 16-year-old Russell Johnson looks to channel his (inner) rage, he signs up for a local class to learn how to become a peaceful warrior.

Only what he doesn’t know is that what he signed up for would one day almost cost him his life…

——

Support us on Patreon!

Your donation is our salvation (we made that up but it sounded nice ‘n culty…) Truly, your contributions really do help. https://www.patreon.com/wasiinacult

Have your own story and want to be on the show?

Email us: info@wasiinacult.com

Find Russell: https://www.deceivedpodcast.com

And as promised, gruesome arm pics (not for the faint of heart): https://www.deceivedpodcast.com/gallery

Apr 17, 2023

00:46:33

So you’ve survived an abusive cult.

Now what?

What exactly are the legal options available to you?

An investigative litigator who represents victims of cultic and religious abuse, Carol Merchasin, sat down with us to discuss just that.

She is our hero.

Find Carol at Mcolaw.com.

Support us on Patreon! : https://www.patreon.com/wasiinacult

Have your own story and want to be on the show? Email us: info@wasiinacult.com

This episode is sponsored by EveryPlate. Get started with EveryPlate for just $1.49 per meal by going to EveryPlate.com/podcast and entering code cult149.

Apr 10, 2023

00:44:54

Tamara, the beloved, has just been upgraded from the commune to the big house on the hill with the leader and his multiple wives.

But it isn’t long before she realizes that the reason she thought she was brought to live with them is not the reason she is there at all…

Support us on Patreon! : https://www.patreon.com/wasiinacult

Have your own story and want to be on the show? Email us: info@wasiinacult.com

Follow Tamara:

https://tamaramc.com

Twitter: @TamaraMCPhD

Instagram: @tamaramcphd

Today's episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit Betterhelp.com/INACULT for 10% off your first month. This episode is also sponsored by Babbel. Purchase a Babbel subscription and get six months for the price of three. Go to Babbel.com and use code INACULT for three free months.

Apr 03, 2023

00:41:28

Raised by two Jewish parents, Tamara and her family are splintered when her father finds a new religion. Five-year-old Tamara is now forced to live two separate worlds. One with mom, going to public school… and one with Dad on a strict religious commune.

When gifted the name “Beloved” by the leader, it’s not exactly the honor she was expecting.

Support us on Patreon!: https://www.patreon.com/wasiinacult

Have your own story and want to be on the show? Email us: info@wasiinacult.com

Follow Tamara:

https://tamaramc.com

Twitter: @TamaraMCPhD

Instagram: @tamaramcphd

This episode is sponsored by Babbel. Purchase a Babbel subscription and get 6 months for the price of 3! Go to Babbel.com and use code INACULT for three free months.

Mar 27, 2023

01:10:52

Imagine having to ask a group of eco-farmers for permission to have sex. And when granted permission, your options of consummation include… the back of a van or the loft of a goat barn.

Well that’s what happened when Helen Zuman, a spelling bee whiz looking to explore her interest in eco-farming, visited Zendik Farm in North Carolina shortly after graduating from Harvard.

A two-week experience turned into years of her life. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you spell… C-U-L-T.

Support Was I In A Cult? on Patreon for goodies, extra content, and a chance to win a signed copy of Helen’s book: Mating in Captivity!

MORE ABOUT HELEN: https://helenzuman.com/

Find her book, Mating In Captivity, HERE.Follow Helen: Twitter - @HelenZuman // Instagram - @helenzuman

This episode is sponsored by the Wondery podcast This Is Actually Happening. Follow wherever you listen to podcasts. You can listen ad-free on the Amazon Music or Wondery App. This episode is also sponsored by ZocDoc. Go to Zocdoc.com/INACULT and download the Zocdoc app for FREE. Then find and book a top-rated doctor today.

Mar 20, 2023

00:56:24

Cults can be well-known, they can be obscure, and sometimes they can be hiding in plain sight. So when poet laureate Diannely’s family joins a seemingly “typical” church in Haverhill, Massachusetts… how does it become a cult?

Let’s let her tell you.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try with 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/INACULT. This episode is also brought to you by This Is Actually Happening. Follow wherever you get your podcasts, or listen ad-free on the Amazon Music or Wondery apps.

Find Diannely and her Whiting Award-winning book of poetry, Ugly Music, at DiannelyAntigua.com.

Support Was I In A Cult? on Patreon! Visit patreon.com/wasiinacult.

Follow us on Instagram @wasiinacult. Have a story to share? Email us at info@wasiinacult.com or contact us at wasiinacult.com.

Mar 13, 2023

00:57:11

The final part of Hoyt Richards’ incredible journey into and out of a UFO doomsday cult.

The damning Vanity Fair article throws Hoyt’s family into chaos as they attempt to intervene. And right when you think he might finally be getting out, his fellow “spiritual brothers” go to extreme lengths to keep their financial backer from leaving. And it works…

Until it finally doesn’t.

Thank you again, Hoyt. He is a brave and inspirational human, and we loved having him on the show.

—

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try with 10% off your first month at Betterhelp.com/INACULT. This episode is also sponsored by Babbel. Get six months for the price of three at Babbel.com with promo code INACULT.

Support us on Patreon (every little bit helps!): patreon.com/wasiinacult

Contact us: info@wasiinacult.com — Have your own cult story and want to be on the show? Reach out with a synopsis of your story.

Listen to Hoyt's cult survival podcast, "WhatheFlok?!" and follow him on Instagram @hoytrich.

Mar 06, 2023

00:52:42

It was 1978, and the effortlessly handsome Hoyt Richards was a 16-year-old football talent summering in Nantucket. Chasing girls and free beer was about all on this young boy’s mind.

So when he meets a man on the beach who was rumored to throw great parties, Hoyt thinks nothing of it.

Little did Hoyt know…he had just come face-to-face with a budding cult leader that would take his life in a direction he never could’ve dreamed.

—

This episode is sponsored by ZocDoc. Find and book a top-rated doctor today at Zocdoc.com/INACULT.

Support us: Patreon.com/wasiinacult

Follow Hoyt: Instagram.com/hoytrich

Have your own cult story and want to be on the show? Reach out at info@wasiinacult.com.

Mar 06, 2023

00:53:12

The now quasi-famous group takes it to the next level. They get a name, a book, a show, a hit song, and a distant star doomsday getaway. Hoyt, meanwhile, becomes his own star, modeling for millions but returning home to sleep on the floor.

All is going well (or so they think) until the group puts a well-known phrase to the test. Is there really no such thing as bad press?

—

This episode is sponsored by ZocDoc. Find and book a top-rated doctor today at Zocdoc.com/INACULT.

Support us: Patreon.com/wasiinacult

Follow Hoyt: Instagram.com/hoytrich

Have your own cult story and want to be on the show? Reach out at info@wasiinacult.com.

Feb 27, 2023

00:02:00

More crazy cults, more wild stories, and more of us.

Hosted by Tyler Measom and Liz Iacuzzi, Was I In A Cult? is a documentary-style podcast featuring far-out, first-hand stories of survivors who unwittingly joined, lived in, and escaped cults. Using levity and infotainment, the show humanizes the cultic experience and may leave some of our listeners asking themselves, "Wait...was I in a cult?"

You can support Was I In A Cult? through Patreon at patreon.com/wasiinacult and follow along with us on Instagram @wasiinacult.

Apr 24 | 00:56:15

Chung Moo Quan — Part 1: “Kult Fu Fighting”

Apr 17 | 00:46:33

Carol the Cult Assassin: "Out of Fear Into Power"

Apr 10 | 00:44:54

Religious Texas Commune — Part 2: “The Least Beloved"

Apr 03 | 00:41:28

Religious Texas Commune — Part 1: “The Most Beloved”

Mar 27 | 01:10:52

Zendik Farm: "Mating in Captivity"

Mar 20 | 00:56:24

The Body of Christ Church: “When God is a House I Can’t Leave.”

Mar 13 | 00:57:11

Eternal Values - Part 3: “To Thine Own Self”

Mar 06 | 00:52:42

Eternal Values - Part 1: "The Man From Nantucket"

Mar 06 | 00:53:12

Eternal Values - Part 2: "Vanity Un-Fair"

Feb 27 | 00:02:00

SEASON 2 - COMING MARCH 6TH

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