Ever feel lost as a new creator in a big city? This episode is for you! My friend Chich and I dive into the truth of what it was like to move to New York City, and what it's like to be in the early stages as a creator. I hope you enjoy! -Calvin Chich Bolt IG: ‪@ChichBolt‬ Creator's NYC Meetup: ‪@creatorsnyc‬ on Instagram! Calvin Wayman IG: ‪@calvinwayman‬ Twitter/X: calwayman To hire Calvin for speaking, go to calvinwayman.com/speak MORE ABOUT CALVIN WAYMAN: Calvin Wayman was born in a Fundamentalist Mormon cult with 1 dad, 4 moms, and 44 siblings. He started his life over at 30 years old, and is now living his 2nd life in New York City as a creator. His core mission is to foster empathy and understanding through curiosity. TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 “Going fishing!” 00:01:06 - Rules Explained! 00:01:24 - Prompt: Imposter Syndrome 00:01:36 - Please support the pod! 00:03:02 - Chich’s answer to Imposter Syndrome 00:07:32 - Calvin’s answer to Imposter Syndrome 00:12:09 - Prompt: Finding your tribe 00:17:37 - Prompt: How has New York Changed You? 00:21:54 - What friends have done for Calvin 00:26:11 - Rick Rubin, The Creative Act 00:27:11 - Lifechanging quote for Calvin from Casey Neistat 00:28:55 - Special shout out to a fan 00:29:34 - Prompt: What was your family or friend's reaction when you told them you wanted to move to New York City 00:38:12 - Prompt: “New York City Magic!” 00:46:32 - Prompt: Using fear for growth (teaser) 00:47:56 - Looking ahead! Thanks for watching! 00:48:37 - Outro (Catch you next time!)

Oo la la! Today is a juicy episode--one of the most polarizing questions--should people of different faiths (and races) marry? Is it even possible to make work? Would that be a disaster? How would you raise your family? What holidays would you celebrate? What would be the hardest part?

We cover all of that and more in today's episode. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Instagram Links:

Half Past Chai - https://www.instagram.com/halfpastchai

Suketu Patel - https://www.instagram.com/suketuvpatel

Hallie Patel - https://www.instagram.com/halliegpatel

Oh what a fun video! Jubilee recently posted an episode on Mormons vs. Ex-Mormons—this is me reacting to that video. I of course grew up Fundamentalist Mormon, so I will also share additional historical context from a Fundamentalist Mormon perspective. LINKS 1) Original Jubilee Video: https://youtu.be/Run1f29po8g?si=UbPR9Jmi82ZckQHX 2) When I was on Jubilee: https://youtu.be/6p1nWGmdEUM?si=a0yrYReXVSb0_6uv 3) Cultured Episode on Masturbation: https://youtu.be/7aqXnhCsyI8 4) Episode with Johnny Harris: https://youtu.be/TDp0oh4qrzA 5) The Anthony Padilla Episode: https://youtu.be/I_rF4qkEFys?si=shsq9MS3WeewOfN1 TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 Teaser 00:00:54 Podcast Intro 00:01:52 Who is Calvin Wayman and why this video? 00:07:56 Reaction starts -- “Mormonism is a cult.” 00:16:03 Mormon Obama?! 00:28:11 "The Mormon Church Welcomes the LGBTQ Community.” 00:32:48 The silliest moment in the entire Jubilee episode *face palm* 00:43:52 The LDS Church is constantly changing 00:47:37 “Masturbation is sinful.” 00:48:45 “Women and men are equal in the Church.” 00:55:35 Tember makes a slip! 00:58:14 Even the Pro-Mormon Woman Says This! 01:12:01 "It's okay for doctrine to change.” 01:17:05 The most racist belief in Mormonism. 01:19:37 How Mormon Leadership Hides History from Members. 01:12:19 Mormon leaders hide their roots to polygamy. 01:24:14 How Barrack Obama broken the Mormon Mind. 01:31:25 The origin story that led to racism in the LDS Church. 01:40:08 The LDS Church's secret curse: "the skin of blackness.” 01:47:34 Mormon leaders switching stances 01:51:44 “The Mormon Church has done good in the world.” 01:58:42 Ending the Jubilee Vid. 01:59:44 My final takeway message.

What a fun, full-circle moment this episode is for me. A few years ago when I had almost no money and I was still living in a small town, I wanted to make living in New York feel possible, more normal. So I would go to YouTube and search “Day in the life of a New Yorker.” 

And whose videos popped up? Today’s guest, Brett Conti. 

We dive into the life of a YouTuber, and also talk about different cultures, including what it was like for me growing up in polygamy with 4 moms and 44 siblings. 

Can anyone imagine if Joe Biden came out and said that he was going to be a polygamist like that was just normal? 

Anyways, I dive into that and more on this episode. Please comment to let me know what you think! (Also, I like your curiosity—it shapes future episodes. Questions are entirely welcomed)

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Teaser and intro 

00:01:57 Special message from Calvin

00:03:26 “Can being a content creator make you more self-aware?” (Plus, how New Yorkers say “coffee.”)

00:05:52 “I’m getting goosebumps” (Calvin shares how Brett inspired him to move to New York City).

00:09:25 How growing up in New York City fostered open-mindedness in Brett.

00:14:10 “Brett, how did you get into YouTube?”

00:19:49 How Brett used his clothing business to make YouTube videos.

00:21:03 “"How do you know what type of content to make?" (The importance of leading with self-discovery).

00:23:04 “How did you make your first $1000 on YouTube?"

00:27:44 "What was the 1 video that changed everything?"

00:29:31 “Did Brett believe in himself in the beginning?”

00:30:00 Why Calvin got into content—the most “impossible” thing at the time. 

00:34:22 The moment Brett realized this YouTube dream was working.

00:38:03 Thailand.

00:48:18 “Did you know which one was your mom?” Calvin shares what it was like growing up in polygamy.

00:53:16 Arranged Marriages in Fundamentalist Mormonism.

01:01:33 "Are you still close with any of your family now?” (Brett asks Calvin about the family dynamics).

01:04:21 How New York City actually reminds Calvin of growing up in polygamy.

01:06:25 What’s next for Brett?

01:09:26 Ending on the Deep End

01:14:07 Thank you for watching! Please subscribe!

YouTuber Johnny Harris grew up in Mormonism (LDS), and YouTuber Calvin Wayman, also grew up in Mormonism—but a different branch known as Fundamentalist Mormonism. In this episode, they explore the shared history of the Church. 

Inquiry and curiosity led both of them out. In this episode, Calvin and Johnny compare and contrast their journeys, while also sharing some key moments in Mormon history that aren’t often talked about. 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Teaser and intro 

00:02:27 Special message from Calvin

00:03:31 “There’s a level of stress that just doesn’t go away, you can’t escape it!” Calvin talks Johnny Harris about his successful YouTube career (Episode begins)

00:05:19 “What would you do differently?” (Calvin asks Johnny for creator-advice)

00:06:47 Johnny and Calvin were both terrible employees.

00:08:57 “I was in two different worlds” (Johnny explains living in Mormonism in Oregon)

00:09:59 Swapping “crack” stories—when Calvin and Johnny started to realize that Mormonism didn’t have a monopoly on Truth. 

00:13:19 “It’s when I had a kid!” (How becoming a dad made Johnny start to doubt Mormonism)

00:15:24 “I forced myself to have mystical experiences.” (Johnny explains who he was in Mormonism and how began to be more true to his nature)

00:17:07 “I knew in my body that this wasn’t working. There was a deep tension. I can’t bull-shit with myself anymore.”

00:18:05 Calvin shares one of his choice points for leaving

00:18:33 The “Mormon” Shelf (explaining mental thought-traps)

00:20:50 Johnny's “big critique” with the Mormon Church 

00:22:48 “Everything crumbled for me.” (The moment Johnny left.)

00:23:59 Introducing our shared fore-father—Joseph Smith, founder of Mormonism

00:24:44 Johnny becoming an apologist.

00:25:49 The shared history (and “secret conflict”) of Fundamentalist Mormons and “Regular” Mormons

00:26:35 How polygamy “really” ended in Mormonism (Not what you've heard)

00:28:03 Mass ex-communications on a significant minority in the LDS Church (Learning "the Truth")

00:29:07 External motivations the Church had to end polygamy.

00:30:42 The LDS Church becoming more "palatable" 

00:33:11 “I did not know about this, this is really juicy stuff!” (Calvin shares "proof" why Fundamentalists are right and the LDS Church is wrong)

00:38:47 “The best story wins.” (How Mormon beliefs have persisted)

00:40:28 “I feel the spirit right now talking about it.” (The good parts of Mormonism)

00:45:56 The different experiences between men and women in Mormonism (and best part about being ex-mormon)

00:49:15 After leaving: “It’s a reclaiming” of your story.

00:50:26 “Red lines” — knowing how to talk about our stories without being disrespectful to those who still believe. 

00:53:26 Choosing how to discuss hot-button history.

00:56:43 “I was washed over with a genuine sense of thrill.” (Embracing uncertainty in a post-Mormon world)

00:59:29 Calvin shares his new-found joy in the simple things

01:00:14 Ending on the deep end—Calvin asks Johnny “What are you most proud of?”

01:01:56 “What in your 20s built the most self-respect?” 

01:03:11 “What are you most grateful for about life now?”

01:04:39 Final thoughts

About Johnny Harris:

Johnny Harris is an American filmmaker, journalist, and YouTube. To learn more about him and his experience with the LDS Church, go to one of the videos below:

1. “Why I Left the Mormon Church” - https://youtu.be/aTMsfOcHiJg?si=ZpeoLkXSE6jrYTPt
2. “The REAL Story of the Mormon Church.” - https://youtu.be/hUW7j9GmXjI?si=_0UsCclKEnBgYq8r

About Calvin Wayman: 

Hey I’m Calvin. I grew up in a Fundamentalist Mormon cult that practices polygamy, known as “The Work of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” I have 1 dad, 4 moms, and 44 siblings. Yup. That’s not a typo—forty plus four. All in one house.

The last few years have been me getting my feet under me, and today I live in New York City.

Catch more of my story here: “What Was It Like Growing Up in a Cult?” - https://youtu.be/kBlQ22wIbnA?si=0QNw_e_S1ZZXZ5m9

Someone in Amanda’s cult cut her neck when she tried to escape?! WTF is the “3-Wife Rule?” How did Fundamentalist Mormon cults start? And did the LDS Church have anything to do with it? Amanda Rae is back on the pod! This is a fun conversation that dives in a lot of different topics, all things cult.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Teaser and Intro

00:01:38 Did Amanda turn into Calvin? (Episode begins)

00:03:48 Setting the conversation - comparing cults
00:05:55 Amanda's life in "The Order"

00:08:37 The "3 Wife" Rule
00:10:52 David Kingston

00:13:41 Narcissism and double-standards

00:18:23 The lack of accountability in Mormon cults

00:22:27 “The worst sin ever!” according to cult leader, John Timpson

00:25:54 Cult leaders are not always cult founders - How Warren Jeffs took power

00:32:58 Amanda has an epiphany!

00:34:43 What made Amanda start questioning her cult?

00:36:42 “Put It on the Shelf" — Mormon mind-tricks
00:40:25 Amanda’s first date is at Panda Express lol (How marriages happen)

00:44:38 Amanda is bleeding!

00:54:01 Why leaving a cult triggers existing members

00:56:28 Silly beliefs from Calvin and Amanda’s upbringing (Calvin plays audio when he was 8 years old)

01:02:24 Amanda explains “Numbered Men” 

01:07:30 Amanda's dad secretly listened to her content

01:11:14 “Faith over questioning” - Order teaching

01:12:46 Calvin and Amanda finding their place in the world, post-cult

01:15:22 How the LDS Church created Fundamentalist Mormonism

01:21:26 The hardest parts of leaving a cult

01:23:37 Amanda finding benefits in “hard things”

01:25:20 Calvin deliberately choosing "hard" 

01:32:10 The necessity of adopting whole new paradigms when leaving a cult

01:37:05 Calvin fell into depression after leaving, and the mindset that got him out of it

01:44:21 One of Calvin’s favorite quotes—“A mind full of conclusion has…” 

01:47:10 Final thoughts

01:51:03 Please leave comments! And subscribe. It will help future episodes! SHOW-NOTES About Amanda Rae: Amanda Rae was in the show “Escaping Polygamy.” She has a YouTube channel where she exposes the teachings of the cult she was born into. You can catch her full story by going here: About Calvin Wayman: Hey I’m Calvin. I grew up in a Fundamentalist Mormon cult that practices polygamy, known as “The Work of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” I have 1 dad, 4 moms, and 44 siblings. Yup. That’s not a typo—forty plus four. All in one house. At 30 years old, I made the most difficult decision of my life and faced hell fire and damnation (according to my religious upbringing) by choosing to leave my religion, and start a whole new life on my own. The last few years have been me getting my feet under me, and today I live in New York City. This show is my expression. My perspectives. My art. I hope to bring awareness to cults, but more importantly, to the underrated power of individual sovereignty. Above all, this is a podcast that celebrates curiosity over conclusion. I hope you enjoy.

Oh my oh my. What an episode. If I would have told my 15-year old self that I would be sitting down talking with someone you can search on p*rnhub, he would have either felt like he was in heaven, or he was definitely on his way to hell. 

And that’s the conundrum on this episode. Is pleasure inherently good or bad? Why is it so difficult to talk about?
Laura Desiree, who was a long-time anchor at Naked News, is a burlesque dancer, sex-positivity advocate, and just all around a curious cat. This is one of my favorite conversations I’ve had to date since moving to New York City. Laura and I just get candid and have real conversation about something we all are either engaged in, thinking about, or at the very least are the product of (and yet! It’s still a shameful thing to discuss in many circles). 

Through episodes like this one, I hope to spark more conversations around things we are taught to keep silent, because having the freedom to discuss them can have a major impact on all of our lives.

Please subscribe to the channel if you haven’t already! It helps the algorithm know to share this with more audience, and gets me one step closer to content-creation being my full-time thing.

Thank you for watching, listening and your all-around support. I hope you enjoy this episode. 

- Calvin Wayman

Laura’s Red Umbrella Talk: 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZMA-fZofRcXfFdIq4EfN9fK9WF73TOcv

To catch Calvin's full story of growing up in a cult, go here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1B1s5SL3PKGVg1YSRXoEW4?si=e294bea8deee41f0

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Intro and Teaser

00:01:16 Calvin met Laura where?!

00:03:45 What Calvin felt going to a s*x club

00:04:28 The taboo nature of s*x

00:06:36 What monogamists can learn from people in the s*x lifestyle

00:08:35 How silence around s*xual needs breeds resentment

00:09:31 Calvin's unpopular take in relationships

00:11:15 The importance of taking care of your s*xual needs

00:13:04 One of Calvin's favorite things from s*x-positive spaces

00:15:56 How did Laura become Laura?

00:18:01 Laura breaking her "twinship" identity

00:23:49 How Laura began making her own life

00:25:21 Finding authenticity through the journey of s*xual-discovery

00:26:39 Orgasms

00:28:30 The art of “letting go” & Calvin notices a paradox

00:30:52 Bettie Page

00:32:40 Communicating your needs to another human

00:33:54 A sexy hack Laura learned at the "New York School of Burlesque"

00:36:00 What got Laura into s*x work?

00:38:51 The benefits of doing what scares you (like getting naked in front of strangers)

00:42:07 How Laura got into Naked News

00:42:40 Siri (or the Illuminati) joins the conversation

00:44:21 "Dirty talk"

00:46:04 When is it "taking it too far?"

00:50:51 The stigma with s*xual freedom and s*x work

00:55:45 Self-pleasure as a “sin”

00:58:37 Realizing that s*x is okay

00:59:41 Ending on the deep end: What Laura is most proud of from her teenaged-self

01:02:08 Laura reflects gives “unorthodox answer” to what she’s most proud of from her 20’s

01:03:56 Laura's first one-night stand

01:06:44 Calvin’s first one-night stand

01:09:17 Laura's favorite thing about life

01:11:53 Calvin says something that 99% of people wouldn't

01:13:32 Laura gives everyone a s*xual dare

01:16:47 Follow Laura's socials!

01:17:28 Final thoughts - please subscribe!