The CULTural Zeitgeist

MAHA: WTAF

This week, we discuss Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the MAHA movement. What does it really mean, and is it as good as it sounds? Short answer: Probably not. 

Love Has Won: Mother God's Weekend at Bernie's

We finally cover Amy Carlson A.K.A. Mother God, who's cult of personality may have led to her undoing. 

Madame Helena Blavatsky: Everyday She Hustlin'

Possibly one of the most influential people we have covered this far, Helena Blavatsky is considered a fraud by some but to us, she is just a 19th-century hustler girlie, who may or may not have been hustled herself. 

Bentinho Massaro: Douchebag Guru

Bentino Massaro leveraged the internet to grow a devout following. His teachings are a spiritual circle jerk of nonsense that has led to one death and a trail of sexual assault allegations. 

The Rajneeshees: Terrorism at Taco Time (Re-release)

Originally aired November 1, 2023
In 1981 residents of Antelope, Oregon found their small conservative town of 40 residents overtaken by thousands of orange-clad strangers. The outsiders came to Oregon looking to create a utopian society dedicated to their leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. But years of investigations would find the Rajneeshees responsible for the first and largest bioterror attack on U.S. soil, and multiple attempted assassinations.
 
CONSIDER DONATING TO
Safe Passage Foundation
The Safe Passage Foundation provides resources, support and advocacy for people raised in restrictive, isolated or high-demand communities, colloquially referred to as "cults".
 
Reference:
Keys, Scott. “A Strange but True Tale of Voter Fraud and Bioterrorism.” The Atlantic, 10 June 2014.
Thuras, Dylan. “The Secret’s in the Sauce: Bioterror at the Salsa Bar.” Slate, 9 January 2014.
Bassett, Andreas. “Fall From Grace: The Story of Rajneeshpuram.” The Pacific Sentinal, 10 May 2018
Kent, Dickon. “ What ‘Wild Wild Country’ Didn’t Say: 57 Answers to Questions About Rajneeshpuram from a Teenage Resident.” Medium, 16 April 2018
Wild Wild Country. Directed by Maclain Way and Chapman Way, Duplass Brothers Productions, 2018. Netflix.
 

Belle Gibson: The Worst - Part Two (Re-release)

Belle Gibson continues to take her scheme to new levels, gets blasted on 60 Minutes, and takes cultural appropriation to a new level. 
 
Please Consider Donating To
Cancer Research Institute
Cancer Research Institute’s mission is to save more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all types of cancer. It holds an A- from charity watchdog CharityWatch for it’s transparency and the amount of money it allocated to actually help fund research.
 
Resources
Donelly, Beau and Nick Toscano. The Woman Who Fooled The World: Belle Gibson’s Cancer Con. Scribble, 2018
Ackerman, Tessa. “Cancer Fraudster Belle Gibson Rejected by Ethiopians.” The Weekend Australian. 24 January 2020
Donelly, Beau and Nick Toscano. “Friends and doctors raise doubts over 'Healing Belle' cancer claims.” The Age, 10 March 2015
Donelly, Beau and Nick Toscano. “Backlash over app developer Belle Gibson's missing charity money.” The Age, 9 March 2015
Weaver, Claire. “Belle Gibson: The Girl Who Conned Us All.” Now To Love, 25 July 2015
 

Belle Gibson: The Worst - Part One (Re-release)

Originally aired November 13, 2023
Wellness influencer Belle Gibson claimed that she had cured herself of malignant brain cancer through clean eating and coffee enemas. But, spoiler alert, she was a huge F*CKING liar.
 
Please Consider Donating To
Cancer Research Institute
Cancer Research Institute’s mission is to save more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all types of cancer. It holds an A- from charity watchdog CharityWatch for it’s transparency and the amount of money it allocated to actually help fund research.
 
Resources
Donelly, Beau and Nick Toscano. The Woman Who Fooled The World: Belle Gibson’s Cancer Con. Scribble, 2018
Ackerman, Tessa. “Cancer Fraudster Belle Gibson Rejected by Ethiopians.” The Weekend Australian. 24 January 2020
Donelly, Beau and Nick Toscano. “Friends and doctors raise doubts over 'Healing Belle' cancer claims.” The Age, 10 March 2015
Donelly, Beau and Nick Toscano. “Backlash over app developer Belle Gibson's missing charity money.” The Age, 9 March 2015
Weaver, Claire. “Belle Gibson: The Girl Who Conned Us All.” Now To Love, 25 July 2015
 
The sheets I promised to link in the shownotes 

The Seekers: A Casual Christmas Doomsday Abduction