Kate Casey: Cults, Sex Slaves, and the Psychology of Persuasion

Today, your host Lo is opening up the pod by discussing the season finale of America, AKA the not so United States of America, AKA the first couple weeks of 2021. As always, he’s sharing his honest and real thoughts no matter the topic, and this topic is one that can’t be ignored. Not so different from the current state of American politics is another topic... cults! It’s only fitting that a sex cult scholar and reality TV and documentary Queen, Kate Casey, is joining Lo for this episode to dive into all things NXIVM. You might know Kate from her podcast Reality Life where she interviews reality stars, producers, and directors from all the shows and docs you love, including those centered on the NXIVM cult.Kate and Lo discuss the differences between East and West Coast living as well as the current state of Orange County influencers before diving into the topic we’re all curious about: NXIVM, its members, and the leader himself, Keith Raniere. Kate describes how Keith was able to influence the rich and powerful, why she couldn’t have been recruited herself, and how the world of reality TV often mimics the always interesting world of cults. Plus, Lo shares his personal experiences with cults including Scientology and NXIVM and gets into what he thinks about the many NXIVM documentaries out there. Aren’t we glad Lo turned to podcasts instead of sex cults? PS, Kate recommends:Outcry on ShowtimeMurder on Middle Beach on HBOWho Killed Garrett Phillips? on HBOA Wilderness of Error on FXCheck out Reality Life, Kate’s podcast, here. Please be sure to rate, subscribe, review, and send to a friend (and maybe even an enemy) so we can keep this show on the road, kings and kweens! Stay hydrated out there.  Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible! Check out these deals just for you, Lo Lifers:BETTERHELP– As a listener, you’ll get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor at BetterHelp.com/loGHOST– Go to GhostTequila.com and use the code Lo for 20% off your order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.