Feast of Fun

Not all cults and cult leaders are dysfunctional, some are fabulous! Peaches Christ brings her show “Idol Worship” to Hamburger Mary’s in Chicago to examine the career of cult film actor Mink Stole. Pictured here from left to right: Marc Felion, Peaches Christ, Brian Sweeney, Fausto Fernós and Mink Stole. Photo: Hamburger Mary’s.

There really isn’t much difference between organized religion and theater. We all have a deep need to come together and watch a transcendent performance to make sense of the world around us. The problem is, what happens when the group becomes toxic and it grows into a cult?

RuPaul meets her fans at DragCon, or Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh with his followers. Photo: Netflix.

The craziest thing on TV right now is Netflix’s new documentary- Wild Wild Country. The six part series takes a look at the conflict between the town folk of Antelope, Oregon and the Orange People, a cult formed by Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh. The documentary has everything- guns, bombs, drugs, imperialism, racism, attempted murder, bio-terrorism, Learjets, Rolls Royces by the dozens and freaky naked hippies.

Today we take a look at the strange but true story of the Rajneesh cult that exploded in the 80s in Oregon and what folks who organize theater groups and religious organizations can learn from their mistakes.

Plus—

➤ ‘Smallville’ actress Allison Mack gets arrested for her alleged role in sex trafficking for a cult that abused women. Who introduced her to the group? Her Smallville co-star Kristin Kreuk.

➤ How not to become a cult leader.

➤ How to escape a cult.

➤ Behind the scenes of Peaches Christ and Mink Stole’s show Idol Worship where they look at Mink’s outrageous work as an actor in the cult films of John Waters.