Strange Country Ep. 280: Gimme Some Credit
Strange Country
Dear Dash Hounds, join Beth and Kelly as we try to pull the curtain open on the Wonderful Wizard of credit scores. Do you know your credit score? Do you care? Has it ruined your life? We talk about many things on Strange Country from periods to sex to murder and now, the most secretive of things–money. ‘Mericans don’t talk openly about their money issues, and surprise! That is not good practice. We are stressed and worried and in debt, and there’s a reason why. Find out today on Strange Country. Thanks for listening. It is an act of love, and sometimes all you need is love. Theme...
info_outline
Strange Country Ep. 279: Robbers Cave Experiment
Strange Country
The mid-20th century was the heyday of figuring out why humans were the worst through the use of social psychological experiments. Strange Country cohosts Beth and Kelly talk about one such experiment, Muzafer Sherif’s Robbers Cave Experiment where Sherif gathered a group of 12 year old boys to see if he could pit the boys against one another. Sherif’s experiment is included in Psych 101 books about group dynamics, but did this hostility occur organically or was it more manufactured by the adults? Theme music: Big White Lie by . Cite your sources: Higgins, Nick, and Maria Konnikova....
info_outline
Strange Country Ep. 278: Emma Goldman
Strange Country
Hey Dash Hounds, are you still there? Beth and Kelly are. Or are we? Has ChatGPT taken over? Can it? We are just women after all. What is our worth? In this episode, we will talk about women’s worth and Emma Goldman, a woman who fought for many things and has been forgotten like so many others. But Strange Country is doing its best to keep women’s work alive before AI eats us up? Thanks always for listening. Theme music: Big White Lie by . Works Cited Goldman, Emma. Living My Life. New York, Alfred A. Knopf Inc., 1931,...
info_outline
Strange Country Ep. 277: The Sullivan Institute
Strange Country
Happy 2024! And Beth and Kelly are back with another tale of another cult on another year of Strange Country. What’s to say? It starts off with plans for communal living and burns out in abuse, financial malfeasance and weird sex awfulness. Theme music: Big White Lie by . Cite your sources: Hoban, Phoebe. “Psycho Drama: The Chilling Story of How the Sullivanian Cult Turned a Utopian Dream into a Nightmare.” New York Magazine [New York], 19 June 1989, pp. 41-53,...
info_outline
Strange Country Ep. 276: OneTaste
Strange Country
You’ve heard of six-minute abs, but how about the 15-minute orgasm? That’s what Nicole Daedone of OneTaste was touting; female empowerment through clitoris stimulation. Then like most high-demand groups, things go south pretty quickly. In this Strange Country episode, co hosts Beth and very uncomfortable Kelly talk about the rise and fall of OneTaste. Theme music: Big White Lie by . Cite your sources: Brown, Mick. “Inside Hollywood's Orgasm Cult - LAmag - Culture, Food, Fashion, News & Los Angeles.” Los Angeles Magazine, 26 May 2022,...
info_outline
Strange Country Ep. 275: Henry Darger
Strange Country
Henry Darger is one of the most profitable outsider artists out there. Unfortunately he didn’t reap the benefit of that while he was alive, spending much of it in abject poverty. He was compelled to make and write art during the time he was not working as a janitor or dishwasher. His artwork dealt with themes of child abuse and violence, subjects very familiar with Darger when he was put in an asylum at the age of 12. Strange Country cohost Beth with special pinch (or pitch) hitter Terry discuss this artist and why work gets recognition after they’re gone. Theme music: Big White Lie...
info_outline
ENCORE: Strange Country Ep. 274: Bohemian Grove
Strange Country
Welcome dash hounds to an old episode from the pre-covid days when men could be rich men and spend the weekend urinating on trees and ruminating on how they could make life miserable for the rest of us. Strange Country will be back soon with a brand spanking new episode. Theme music: Big White Lie by . Sources: Flock, Elizabeth. “Bohemian Grove: Where the Rich and Powerful Go to Misbehave.” The Washington Post, 15 June 2011, . Guy, Peter. “The Fatuous Folly of the Super Rich and Their Plans to Escape the Apocalypse in New Zealand.” South China Morning Post, 18 Feb. 2018, ....
info_outline
Strange Country Ep. 273: Kary Mullis
Strange Country
We’re sure you’ve heard of the Nobel Prize although it’s hard to make the case Beth has since she mispronounces it quite a bit in this episode. But have you heard of Nobel Disease? It’s when people are labeled geniuses and go on to embrace some whackadoodle pseudoscience. In today’s Strange Country episode, Beth and Kelly discuss Kary Mullis, the only Nobel winner to be referred to as “generally barking mad.” He discovered the polymerase chain reaction, which we all regularly employed when we wanted to make dang certain it wasn’t covid. Theme music: Big White Lie by Cite...
info_outline
ENCORE: Strange Country Ep. 272: Killers of the Flower Moon
Strange Country
Welcome to a blast from the past. This is a re-release of ep. 59 The Osage Murders, repackaged as Killers of the Flower Moon to coincide with the new film by Martin Scorsese. Thanks for all your support, dash hounds. We’ll be back with a new episode soon. Theme music: Big White Lie by Cite your sources: Grann, David. Killers of the Flower Moon.
info_outline
Strange Country Ep. 271: Candyman
Strange Country
Hey DashHounds, if you were listening last episode, we mentioned the true story of Candyman. This may be the very first time Beth and Kelly said “we should look into that” and actually did! Find out how haunting life was in Chicago in the 1980s if you lived in Cabrini Green housing. It is scary to think how people lived and even scarier to hear about how they died. Thanks always for your support and listening; it is an act of love. Theme music: Big White Lie by Cite your sources: Bogira, Steve. “They Came in Through the Bathroom Mirror.” Chicago Reader, 3 September 1987,...
info_outlineWe have reached the zenith or the nadir of our look into NXIVM, the self-help sex slave cult in Albany. Strange Country co-hosts Beth and Kelly slog through to the bitter end and test their acting chops with some outstanding readers' theater. What do you make it mean, dash hounds?
Theme music: Big White Lie by A Cast of Thousands
Cite your sources:
Barnes, Steve. “NXIVM Doctor Facing State Charges.” Times Union, Times Union, 7 May 2018, www.timesunion.com/nxivm/article/NXIVM-doctor-facing-state-charges-12890993.php.
Dickson, EJ. “Former Slave Describes Allison Mack's Alleged Abusive, Terrifying Behavior in Detail.” Rolling Stone, 11 June 2019, www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/nxivm-trial-allison-mack-sex-slave-nicole-abuse-keith-raniere-845830/.
Dickson, EJ. “How NXIVM Was the Ultimate Wellness Scam.” Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2019, www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/nxivm-keith-raniere-wellness-scam-sex-cult-848439/.
Edmondson, Sarah, and Kristine Gasbarre. Scarred: the True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life. Chronicle Prism, 2019.
“Full-Text of Raniere Affidavit.” NXIVM Corporation vs The Ross Institute. United States District Court Northern District of NY. https://frankreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2003-full-text-of-_raniere-affidavit-ross-case_.pdf.
Gavin, Robert. “Feds Call Raniere 'Crime Boss' at Opening of NXIVM Leader's Trial.” Times Union, Times Union, 8 May 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Feds-call-Raniere-crime-boss-at-opening-of-13825446.php.
Gavin, Robert. “NXIVM Founder Raniere Guilty on All Counts.” Times Union, Times Union, 20 June 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-founder-Raniere-guilty-on-all-counts-14018002.php#photo-17476102.
Gavin, Robert. “Messages Suggest Girl Was 15 When Raniere Relationship Began.” Times Union, Times Union, 6 June 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Messages-suggest-Raniere-s-relationship-with-13939595.php.
Gavin, Robert. “NXIVM's Neighborhood Shocked Anew by Trial Revelations.” Times Union, Times Union, 5 June 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Knox-Woods-suburban-development-and-unofficial-13925699.php.
Gavin, Robert. “NXIVM Trial: 'Complete Meltdown' for Ex-Lover.” Times Union, Times Union, 18 May 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Purchase-of-bondage-devices-brought-up-at-NXIVM-13853726.php.
Gavin, Robert. “Raniere Wanted Branding Ceremony to Resemble Ritual Sacrifice.” Times Union, Times Union, 23 May 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Raniere-wanted-branding-ceremony-to-resemble-13872965.php.
Gavin, Robert. “Salzman Describes Raniere's Arrest in Mexico.” Times Union, Times Union, 21 May 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Salzman-describes-Raniere-s-arrest-in-Mexico-13866891.php.
Grigoriadis, Vanessa. “Inside Nxivm, the 'Sex Cult' That Preached Empowerment.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 May 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/05/30/magazine/sex-cult-empowerment-nxivm-keith-raniere.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article.
Hughes, Steve. “NXIVM President Nancy Salzman Pleads Guilty as Raniere Faces New Charges.” Times Union, Times Union, 14 Mar. 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-President-Nancy-Salzman-pleads-guilty-in-13685799.php.
Lipson, Dianne. “Dani's Incredible, Horrifying, Emotional Story of Being Confined in a Room for Two Years.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 31 May 2019, frankreport.com/2019/05/30/danis-incredible-horrifying-emotional-story-of-being-confined-in-a-room-for-two-years/.
Lipson, Dianne. “Dani: Jealous Keith Locked Himself in Bathroom When He Learned About Her Affair With Ben Myers.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 30 May 2019, frankreport.com/2019/05/28/dani-jealous-keith-locked-himself-in-bathroom-when-he-learned-about-her-affair-with-ben-myers/.
Lipson, Dianne. “Dani: Raniere's Insane Jealousy and Obsessive Behavior Over Ben Myers Touching Her.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 29 May 2019, frankreport.com/2019/05/29/dani-ranieres-insane-jealousy-and-obsessive-behavior-over-ben-myers-touching-her/.
Lipson, Dianne. “Dani's Testimony Part 1 – How She Got Into Nxivm and How Keith 'Helped Her.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 25 May 2019, frankreport.com/2019/05/24/danis-testimony-part-1-how-she-got-into-nxivm-and-how-keith-helped-her/.
Lipson, Dianne. “Lauren Salzman's Sensational and Damning Testimony.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 24 May 2019, frankreport.com/2019/05/18/lauren-salzmans-sensational-and-damning-testimony/.
Lyons, Brendan J. “2018 In Review: NXIVM Leaders Indicted.” Times Union, Times Union, 12 Mar. 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/2018-in-review-NXIVM-leaders-indicted-13493886.php.
Lyons, Brendan J. “Allison Mack Pleads Guilty in NXIVM Case.” Times Union, Times Union, 9 Apr. 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Allison-Mack-to-plead-guilty-in-NXIVM-case-13750027.php.
Lyons, Brendan J., and Abigail Rubel. “Bronfman, Russell Plead Guilty in NXIVM Case.” Times Union, Times Union, 20 Apr. 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Bronfman-Russell-to-plead-guilty-in-NXIVM-case-13780718.php.
Lyons, Brendan J. “Bronfman, Salzman and Two More Charged with Federal Crimes in NXIVM Probe.” Times Union, Times Union, 25 July 2018, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Bronfman-Salzman-and-two-more-charged-with-13100041.php.
Lyons, Brendan J. “Guilty Plea Ends Salzman's Long Allegiance to Raniere.” Times Union, Times Union, 21 Mar. 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Guilty-plea-of-Salzman-ends-her-long-allegiance-13691433.php.
Lyons, Brendan J. “Law Enforcement Has Fielded NXIVM Complaints for Years.” Times Union, Times Union, 13 Nov. 2017, www.timesunion.com/local/article/Law-enforcement-has-fielded-NXIVM-complaints-for-12348611.php.
Lyons, Brendan J. “Lawsuit Targets Keith Raniere and NXIVM Associates.” Times Union, Times Union, 29 Jan. 2020, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Federal-lawsuit-accuses-Raniere-and-his-NXIVM-15007930.php.
Lyons, Brendan J. “NXIVM Founder Keith Raniere Seeks Bail, Calls Justice Department 'Morality Police'.” Times Union, Times Union, 6 June 2018, www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-founder-Keith-Raniere-seeks-bail-calls-12971610.php.
Lyons, Brendan J. “NXIVM President Nancy Salzman to Plead Guilty.” Times Union, Times Union, 12 Mar. 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-President-Nancy-Salzman-to-plead-guilty-13682707.php
Lyons, Brendan J. “Raniere Stands Alone.” Times Union, Times Union, 5 Feb. 2020, www.timesunion.com/news/article/Raniere-stands-alone-13795442.php.
Meier, Barry. “Once Idolized, Guru of Nxivm 'Sex Cult' to Stand Trial Alone.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/01/nyregion/nxivm-keith-raniere-trial.html.
Moynihan, Colin, and Michael Gold. “Allison Mack of 'Smallville' Pleads Guilty in Case of Nxivm 'Sex Cult' Where Women Were Branded.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 8 Apr. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/04/08/nyregion/nxivm-allison-mack.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article.
Moynihan, Colin. “Former Sex Cult Official Describes Its 'Evil' Inner Workings.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 9 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/09/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial.html.
Moynihan, Colin. “Life as a Nxivm 'Slave': Branding, Whippings and Cold Showers.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial.html?searchResultPosition=5.
Moynihan, Colin. “Nxivm Branding Was Scripted by Sex Cult Leader to Be 'Like a Sacrifice'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 26 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/26/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial-branding.html.
Moynihan, Colin, and Emily Palmer. “Nxivm Trial: Allison Mack Lured Woman Into Sex Cult, She Says.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 7 June 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/06/07/nyregion/nxivm-trial-keith-raniere.html.
Moynihan, Colin. “Nxivm Trial: Sex Cult Was Like 'Horror Movie' Prosecutor Says.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 17 June 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/06/17/nyregion/nxivm-trial-sex-cult-raniere.html?searchResultPosition=6.
Moynihan, Colin. “Nxivm Trial: Sex Cult Leader Confined Woman in a Room for 2 Years in Jealous Rage.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/30/nyregion/nxivm-sex-cult.html.
Moynihan, Colin. “In Nxivm Trial, a Woman Lured Into Sex With Cult Leader Describes His Harem.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 May 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/nyregion/nxivm-cult-trial.html?searchResultPosition=10.
“NXIVM Judge Delays Sentencing of Seagram's Heiress Clare Bronfman.” Times Union, Times Union, 19 Dec. 2019, www.timesunion.com/news/article/NXIVM-judge-delays-sentencing-of-Seagram-s-14919236.php.
Odato, James M., and Jennifer Gish. “In Raniere's Shadows.” Times Union, Times Union, 24 Apr. 2019, www.timesunion.com/local/article/In-Raniere-s-shadows-3341644.php.
Ottaway, Amanda. “NXIVM 'Sex Lair' Sought in Forfeiture Action.” NXIVM 'Sex Lair' Sought in Forfeiture Action, 23 May 2018, www.courthousenews.com/ncivm-sex-lair-sought-in-us-forfeiture-action/.
Oxenberg, Catherine, and Natasha Stoynoff. Captive: a Mothers Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult. Gallery Books, 2018.
Parlato, Frank. “How Lauren Salzman Described Her Branding Session.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 15 Dec. 2019, frankreport.com/2019/12/12/how-lauren-salzman-described-her-branding-session/.
Parlato, Frank. “Lauren Salzman Finds Out Keith Is a Coward – Tells Gripping Story of His Arrest.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 5 Feb. 2020, frankreport.com/2020/02/05/lauren-salzman-finds-out-keith-is-a-coward-and-tells-gripping-story-of-his-arrest/.
Parlato, Frank. “Lauren Salzman Recruited Sarah Edmondson by Lying and Agreed Sarah Should Cuckold Her Husband If Raniere Commanded.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 13 Dec. 2019, frankreport.com/2019/12/13/lauren-salzman-recruited-sarah-edmondson-by-lying-and-agreed-sarah-should-cuckold-her-husband-if-raniere-commanded/.
Parlato, Frank. “Lauren Salzman Sent to Mind-F–k Gay Woman Who Did Not Want Keith as a Sperm Donor.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 23 Dec. 2019, frankreport.com/2019/12/23/lauren-salzman-sent-to-mind-f-k-gay-woman-who-did-not-want-keith-as-a-sperm-donor/.
Parlato, Frank. “Mad Lauren Salzman: We Looked for a Virgin Successor for Keith Who Could Live for Him and Through Him When He Died.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 7 Feb. 2020, frankreport.com/2020/02/06/mad-lauren-salzman-we-looked-for-a-virgin-successor-for-keith-who-could-live-for-him-and-through-him-when-he-died/.
Parlato, Frank. “Part 3: In-Depth: Dani's Testimony: Raniere Grooms the Virgin for Sex for Her 18th Birthday.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 25 May 2019, frankreport.com/2019/05/25/part-3-in-depth-danis-testimony-raniere-grooms-the-virgin-for-sex-for-her-18th-birthday/.
Parlato, Frank. “Part 4: In-Depth: Dani's Testimony: She Loses Her Virginity – or Does She?” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 25 May 2019, frankreport.com/2019/05/25/part-4-in-depth-danis-testimony-she-loses-her-virginity-or-does-she/.
Parlato, Frank. “Part 6: In Depth: Dani's Testimony: Threesomes With Kathy Russell and Naked Pictures.” Frank Report | Investigative Journalism From Frank Parlato, 26 May 2019, frankreport.com/2019/05/26/part-6-in-depth-danis-testimony-threesomes-with-kathy-russell-and-naked-pictures/.
Reuters. “Seagram Heiress Clare Bronfman Pleads Guilty in Alleged Sex Cult Case.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 19 Apr. 2019, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/19/nxivm-cult-seagram-heiress-clare-bronfman-pleads-guilty.
Saul, Emily, and Lia Eustachewich. “'Slave Master' Recounts Horrifying Details of Relationship with Nxivm Leader.” New York Post, New York Post, 17 May 2019, nypost.com/2019/05/17/slave-master-recounts-horrifying-details-of-relationship-with-nxivm-leader/.
Voytko, Lisette. “Nxivm Leader’s Text Messages With Sex ‘Slave.’” Forbes, 6 June 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2019/06/06/nxivm-leaders-text-messages-with-sex-slave/#26c431f8b6b0.
Yakowicz, Will. “From Heiress To Felon: How Clare Bronfman Wound Up In 'Cult-Like' Group Nxivm.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 1 Feb. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/31/from-heiress-to-felon-how-clare-bronfman-wound-up-in-cult-like-group-nxivm/#3e27acc93ecf.
Yacowicz, Will. “When We Exposed Keith Raniere, The Leader Of The Nxivm ‘Sex Cult.’” Forbes, 15 May 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/15/keith-raniere-the-leader-of-the-nxivm-sex-cult/#2268d70435a9.
Yacowicz, Will. “Nxivm Trial Witness: We Hacked Billionaire Edgar Bronfman Sr.’s Email.” Forbes, 29 May 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyakowicz/2019/05/29/nxivm-trial-witness-we-hacked-billionaire-edgar-bronfman-srs-email/#105aa469156e.