I did artist interviews at a camping music festival last month, and it was the first time I’ve ever attended a multi-day rave. Truthfully? It freaked me out. I went to Ultra Music Festival in Miami for 2 years in high school and plenty of concerts and after hours parties since. But the older I get, the more baffled I become by how large-scale electronic music events, specifically engineered for drug usage, sensory overload, and escapism, have become multi-million dollar businesses in countries all over the world. The age of our anonymous Raver contributors varies from teens to 40s; it’s a mixed bag of traditional folks with corporate jobs, escapees of repressive, sheltered, or painful childhoods, and “misfit” stereotypes of the subculture. Some say the slogan of Peace Love Unity Respect is total delusion, wearing off with the Molly and Acid; others say it’s brought them friends that have become family. Some attend to enrich their lives, others to commemorate deaths. Almost all admit that drugs are a central part of the experience.While each contributor was asked the same question - are raves productive utopias, or dangerous alternate realities? - their answers, like their backgrounds and motivations, vary greatly. Strap in for a wild trip. Written submissions start at 16:37, audio submissions at 32:47. If you have a heart, leave an iTunes rating & review. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld; love letters & hate notes to aliweissworld@gmail.com. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Health Is Hell

#11 - Ravers, PLUR Culture, & The EDM Scene

It’s our last day of Recruitment, b*tches! To cap off a week of all things sorority culture, here are 2 interviews with 3 loud & proud women on social media - Alyssa Schoener (Twitter: @Alyssa_Schoener), Becca Moore (TikTok: @becccamooore), and Eli Rallo (TikTok: @thejarr) - who have openly spoken out against Greek Life through their various platforms. Alyssa went to University of Alabama (massive Greek system) & Becca to Ohio (small), but both of them were essentially tricked into joining houses they had nothing in common with. They talk to me about the reasoning behind their platinum blond makeovers, the insane standard of “beauty” at their respective schools, and reinventing themselves socially and economically. Eli was a student at the University of Michigan, where she dropped out of her top sorority quickly. Years later, she wrote an exposé on the racist, sexist, and classist undercurrents of Greek Life (throughout history) for her school’s paper — which has a readership of over 50,000 people!! We chat about struggling to be the odd girl out, journalistic freedom, and how doing the “right” thing isn’t always so black and white. Don’t forget to listen to the solo episode telling my full sorority story (including getting kicked out in a school-wide “scandal”) & anonymous confession episode detailing *actual* hazing, racism, and sexual assault scandals! JUICY!!Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Love letters, hate notes, and your own confessions to aliweissworld@gmail.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#10 - Influencers Talk Sororities (feat. Alyssa Schoener, Becca Moore, and Eli Rallo)

You heard my story, so now it&#39;s your turn: SORORITY CONFESSIONS, Part 2. And they’re WAY juicier than mine. First, we have written submissions (3:16), from the former Vice President of Recruitment from my sorority (!) dishing SO MUCH tea about rigged Rush and her blocked attempts at inclusivity; plus a former Delta Gamma from the University of Southern California and Alpha Sigma Alpha from University of Central Missouri. Audio notes (22:49), in order - old world values and fraudulent identity at University of South Carolina; a bottom tier sorority member at an unnamed Southeastern Conference school; another bottom tier member at the equally massive and frat-fanatical University of Michigan; a mixed race girl in a white, blonde top house at Chapman; extreme hazing stories from an unnamed SUNY; fake hazing (and very real date rape drugging) at San Diego State; real-ass hazing at a liberal arts school in Upstate New York; anecdotes from a Rush chair at an unnamed Division 1 southern school; and a postgrad traveling “consultant” who oversaw rush across the nation - and can confirm that racism, classism, and discrimination in Greek Life trickles down from the very top. Term Key: “PNM”= Potential New Member and is the same as a “Rushee.” Pref Day is the last day of the process where PNMs get matched with active members with (ideally) similar personalities, who try and convince them to choose that house. “Panhellenic” is an umbrella organization for 26 national women&#39;s sororities throughout the United States and Canada. If I missed anything, just DM me and ask. Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok at aliweissworld. Flashback stories, love letters, and hate notes can be sent to aliweissworld@gmail.com.“Greek life prioritizes the societal ideal of perfection and reinstates an age-old concept that the rich, white, thin, and beautiful are the elite. If the ‘best’, most desirable Greek organizations on campus are full of white, thin, and beautiful individuals, what is that saying on who and what we value in American society?”Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#9 - Your Sorority Confessions

THE RUMORS ARE TRUE. I, Princess of Taboo, professional rule breaker, and champion of individualism, am a former member of Alpha Phi: the hottest, blondest, whitest sorority on my California college campus. Even more shocking? I absolutely loved it.That is, until I got kicked out. For my first solo episode, I take you through the highs and lows of my 2.5 years in Greek Life as the only New Yorker in a microcosm of "Trump&#39;s America." From rushing (in club clothes) and skyrocketing to the top of the social ladder overnight to crashing down in a school-wide scandal that ultimately got me terminated, it was never simple.And neither were - are - the ethics. My sorority showed me female love and loyalty that I never thought possible, but within a system that&#39;s classist, discriminatory, and exclusionary. In "finding a home," I lost myself, and became a part of a much larger societal problem.Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Email her at ali@aliweissworld.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#8 - SOLO: [Getting Kicked Out Of] My Sorority

I&#39;m a total slut for a good magic trick. Why are magicians widely considered to be the lowest (and lamest) form of artist when they&#39;re gifted physical performers, intuitive empaths, AND shameless, convincing liars all in one? It&#39;s time everyone sees them as the creative, manipulative geniuses they are.This week I&#39;m joined by the very funny and wise Jason Suran (@jasonsuran), a mentalist and master of psychological illusions who&#39;s been hired by everyone from national strip club chains to Yale University to the United States Pentagon. Ever want to get inside the mind of someone who reads them for a living? Here&#39;s your chance. After listening, watch him (successfully) read my mind on my IGTV!Please remember to rate, review, and most importantly share with people you love (or, even better, hate). Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @aliweissworld. More about Jason can be found at jasonsuran.com.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#7 - Inside the Mind of a Mentalist (feat. Jason Suran)

What leads people to pay, and accept money, for physical and emotional intimacy? Are Sugar Babies sex workers, or are they just girlfriends of rich men who get “spoiled” as part of the courtship? This week, we find out.Our Babies met their Daddies on websites and in workplaces and backyards. One was involved with a foreign film producer who took her to Cannes and the famous AMFAR Gala; another got lured into the dating-for-pay game by the founder of Seeking Arrangements himself, Brandon Wade. One had a Daddy pay off $30,000 in credit card debt; another is currently getting $5,000 a date, JUST to tie guys to beds. We even hear from a Baby who’s currently engaged to her former Daddy!Whether ultimately feeling empowered or ashamed, all of our contributors admit it’s an easy world to enter, and difficult to leave. Because yeah - the money, and the sex, are THAT good. (Written submissions start 9:15, audio submissions start 28:42)Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#6 - Sugar Babies & Dating-For-Pay

Vivienne Cole is an independent New York-based escort. She&#39;s also hilarious, refreshingly honest, and a great friend. Join us as Viv answers YOUR burning questions about sex work, seduction, and self-worth, and dishes on everything from unusual client fetishes to the complicated nature of "feminism" and dating with a price tag. I think you should Call HER Daddy. ~ Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Follow Vivienne on Instagram & Twitter at @viviennecolenyc.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#5 - Ask An Escort (feat. Vivienne Cole)

TRIGGER WARNING: SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SUICIDEThe only topic more taboo than money or sex is death, and it&#39;s one that nobody wants to talk about, even behind closed doors. But, it&#39;s inevitable -- and the only thing we all have in common besides our differences! -- so the fact that so few of us know how to confront it in a healthy way is shocking.I asked listeners who have lost a close family member or friend to share how they dealt with grief, the best ways to support someone who&#39;s grieving, and how they wish their own support system would have behaved differently (or not failed them altogether).To start, I share my own story about losing one of my best friends (2:35) and another best friend who just lost his dad, then read written submissions (10:46). Audio notes begin at 25:14, and we finish with some brief words of wisdom (1:18:15) from professional death-confronters I interviewed during my April USA trip: the owners of Dysfunctional Grace in Tampa, and the "shaman" of Neptune Memorial Reef in Miami.Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @aliweissworld. This episode is dedicated to Jon. <3Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

TRIGGER WARNING: SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SUICIDEThe only topic more taboo than money or sex is death, and it&#39;s one that nobody wants to talk about, even behind closed doors. But, it&#39;s inevitable -- and the only thing we all have in common besides our differences! -- so the fact that so few of us know how to confront it in a healthy way is shocking.I asked listeners who have lost a close family member or friend to share how they dealt with grief, the best ways to support someone who&#39;s grieving, and how they wish their own support system would have behaved differently (or not failed them altogether).To start, I share my own story about losing one of my best friends (2:35) and another best friend who just lost his dad, then read written submissions (10:46). Audio notes begin at 25:14, and we finish with some brief words of wisdom (1:18:15) from professional death-confronters I interviewed during my April USA trip: the owners of Dysfunctional Grace in Tampa, and the "shaman" of Neptune Memorial Reef in Miami.Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @aliweissworld. This episode is dedicated to Jon. 

#4 - Death & Grief

Especially in our current climate, few topics trigger as strong (and polarizing) of a reaction as money; and the only thing more triggering than earned money is family money which someone’s born into. That&#39;s why we&#39;re going to talk about it.Despite its inarguable ability to provide comfort, money does NOT buy happiness. Oftentimes - especially when inherited - it actually creates destructive mental health problems and a complete lack of self identity. Because in a capitalist Western society where “life purpose” revolves around pursuing money, who are you if you don’t have to?This week, we hear from men and women who grew up in the 1% of the 1%. For every story about $16,000 plane tickets, diamond & ruby family heirlooms, shopping sprees and lunches with celebrities, there’s one about insurmountable pressure to succeed, toxic relationships with parents, forced religion-based marriages (!), and existential, incurable sadness. In the words of Biggie, “mo money, mo problems?” That’s for you to decide. (Written submissions start at 14:48, voice notes at 38:00)Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#3 - Growing Up Wealthy

The Swarovski private chef! Personal assistants to the owner of the Bucks and the Bronfmans! A Polo groom for royals! OH MY! Every wonder about the habits of people rich and powerful enough to actually make real change (or just, like, go to space)? Me too, so with the help of Deuxmoi, I found some of their ex employees. We’ll learn which CEO had a cell phone specifically to talk to Jon Bon Jovi; which design legend kept a pistol strapped to his ankle 24/7; and who punched a prostitute in the boob and burst her implant, just to name a few.As for our anonymous worker bees? They flew alone on G5s, spent $15,000 on room service, and regularly changed their numbers after getting stalked by paparazzi. But they were also emotionally and physically abused, crying themselves to sleep, and begging for enough money to make their rent. (Written submissions start at 7:40, audio notes at 33:13)In the words of Jenny Holzer, “the abuse of power comes as no surprise.”Follow Ali on Instagram, Twitter, & TikTok @aliweissworld. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

#2 - Working for the Wealthy

IT'S AN AUDIO FREAKSHOW! Health Is Hell turns the concept of #selfhelp upside down by asking badly behaved people for their best advice. Comedian Ali Weiss (the self-proclaimed “Princess of Taboo,” as seen on Vice & in Playboy) fuses jokes and journalism to present candid conversations with misfits, rebels, and so-called fuckups about breaking the rules, beating the odds, and what it really means to be “well.” TRUST US - WE'RE [NOT] DOCTORS. www.healthishell.com

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