Was I in a Cult?18 Aug 2025

The Cult of American Apparel: "Sweatshop or Sex Shop?"

It was one of the coolest jobs you could get in the 2000s. The swoopy bangs. The gold lamé leggings. The sexually charged ads. American Apparel wasn't just a brand — it was a vibe. And today's guest, Zsuzsi was on the front lines of it all. From art school to assistant manager to overseeing a hot New York City store, she was living the dream… until it started to feel more like a fever dream — and eventually, a cult.

Today's story is about what happens when the "American dream" disguises exploitation in trendy cotton basics — and how one man's charisma fueled a culture of unchecked abuse, manipulation, humiliation, and grooming… all hidden behind the label "Made in the USA."

And the worst part? He's still at it.

___

COME SEE US LIVE!!!

Los Angeles • September 9, 2025

With special guest: comedian Moses Storm

@ Dynasty Typewriter

VIP "Meet & Greet" tickets available!

Not in LA? No prob — livestream available too!

Instagram & TikTok → @wasiinacult

Find Zsuzsi: @hdbyz & @hellozhia / https://www.hdbyz.com & https://www.hellozhia.com

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Episoder(164)

Gloriavale: "Gloria Fail" (UPDATE)

**NOTE: This episode originally aired in 2024, but a LOT has happened inside this cult since then. None of it surprising, all of it sick, and we'll fill you in on all of it. Jason Christian was bo...

10 Aug 1h 8min

UFO-Tantric-Doomsday-Alien-Fairy-Angel-Sex Cult - Pt2: "Jump Ship"

Everyone gathered on the deck the day Yo promised the mothership was finally coming. They waited… but alas, it never came. In PART 2, the magical fairy tale capsizes. Laurien becomes one of Yo's chos...

3 Aug 51min

UFO-Tantric-Doomsday-Alien-Fairy-Angel-Sex Cult - Pt1: "Whatever Floats Your Pleasure Boat"

Laurien had already been in one cult before she was old enough to understand what a cult was. At 22, she was invited onto a fleet of white "pleasure" yachts traveling the rivers of Europe, not knowing...

27 Jul 53min

"The Fleetwood Mac Star Who Vanished Into a Cult"

Before Stevie Nicks. Before Lindsey Buckingham. Before Rumours. There was another Fleetwood Mac. And one of its lead singers was a young guitarist named Jeremy Spencer. This week, we goes deep into a ...

20 Jul 1h 5min

International Socialists (Amsterdam): "How Come We're Socialists But We're Not Social?"

In 2007, at 19-years-old, Hella had a boss who molested her at work, and no one to turn to. Then one day, walking through her university square in Amsterdam, she met a group of people full of convicti...

13 Jul 51min

Hoyt Richards: After the Beauties

Hoyt Richards, a "Was I in a Cult?" legend, is back. After our original three-part series, Hoyt returns to talk about Bring Me The Beauties, the new HBO documentary about his life inside, and eventual...

6 Jul 59min

[ENCORE] Eternal Values - Pt2: "Vanity Un-Fair"

A dear friend of the show, Hoyt Richards, who we had on the show back in 2023, has a new HBO docuseries "Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult" featuring his story. We caught up with Hoyt to discuss eve...

29 Jun 51min