About Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation
Trust Me is a weekly interview podcast about cults, extreme belief, and the fine line between devotion and delusion—told through firsthand accounts from the people who lived it. Hosted by two women who’ve been in cults themselves, Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth, the show features survivors from groups like Heaven’s Gate, the Manson Family, NXIVM, OneTaste and more–sharing personal stories of how they got in, how they got out, and everything in between.
Each week, they invite these guests alongside experts who can dive deep into seductive leaders, the darker aspects of organized religion, and the subtler shades of groupthink and the psychology of influence. Trust Me explores it all with unfiltered honesty, dark humor, and a lot of heart. This isn’t a sensationalized deep dive into cults—it’s a compassionate, first-person exploration of what it means to believe, to belong, and to break free. At the end of the day, wanting to believe in something bigger than yourself is one of the most human instincts there is.
Naomi Klein & Astra Taylor, Part 1 - The Rise of Christian Nationalism, the “Third Temple,” and End Times Fascism
Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor join the show to discuss their new book End Times Fascism: And the Fight For the Living World, an investigation into the apocalyptic thinking of the American contemporary right. In part one, they discuss the rise of Christian Nationalism to political power in the United States, why Zionists from different religious backgrounds want to remove Palestinians from their homes for very different reasons, and how religious apocalyptic thinking inverts morality and makes human suffering seem good and necessary to bring about the end of the world.
They talk about how the people rising to power seem to be the most manic and cartoonish, how far-right movements scapegoat outgroups like immigrants, and why fascism capitalizes on nostalgia for better times–even if that nostalgia is for a reality that wasn’t ever quite real.
SOURCE
End Times Fascism: And the Fight for the Living World (https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374621407/endtimesfascism/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24395122537&gbraid=0AAAAArEhehdoxeZB-sQnJNz58Pj3MYW63&gclid=CjwKCAiAhqHXBhAXEiwATbksU5NqkCi4dbzI00njO90YSc9v3G1vUTgrwAZEf3Os-iPNa0DLiQcwoBoC7sIQAvD_BwE)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
28 Oct 2026
Makelle Bistline, Part 2 - Becoming Sam Bateman’s Wife, Keeping Secrets from a “Prophet,” and Helping the FBI Take Him Down
This week is part two with Makelle Bistline, one of polygamist cult leader Sam Bateman’s former wives who helped take him down from the inside. She returns to share how she finally relented and became Bateman’s 22nd wife after he wore down her resistance with pressure and isolation, how Bateman systematically married all the women and girls in her family, and when she began to notice Sam's troubling behavior with the underage girls.
Makelle explains how she began secretly collaborating with Dr. Christine Marie (Lola’s mom) to collect evidence for the authorities, and what it was like living through the FBI raid that changed everything. She also discusses how her friendship with Nomz Bistline has evolved through this experience, why she chose not to appear in the Netflix documentary Trust Me: The False Prophet, and how she's doing now.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
21 Oct 2026
Makelle Bistline, Part 1 - The FLDS, Marrying Sam Bateman, and Resisting Control Through Taylor Swift
This week’s guest is Makelle Bistline, who grew up in the polygamist sect the FLDS and became one of the wives of self-proclaimed prophet Samuel Bateman–ultimately playing a crucial role in bringing him down. Makelle did not appear in the Netflix series Trust Me, which follows how Lola’s mom got him arrested, but her involvement in the takedown was instrumental. In part one, she reveals what it was like growing up under Warren Jeffs’ teachings, falling asleep to recordings of his voice, and watching Sam Bateman claim to be the new prophet.
Makelle explains how secretly listening to Taylor Swift helped her question what she’d been taught about the outside world, the ways she resisted Bateman’s control, and how escalating pressure and being sent away eventually led her to become his 22nd wife. Next week, she’ll return to share how she began sneakily communicating with Lola’s mom and passing evidence to authorities.
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
Who has been a guest on Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Glynn Washington
Hoyt Richards
Christine Marie
Amanda Rae
Maggie Rowe
Podcast Authority Score: 50 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
99
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
Contact Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation
Who hosts Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation?
Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth host the show. Published by Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Host of Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
