Heaven's Gate (podcast) explained

Heaven's Gate is a podcast hosted by Glynn Washington, written by Dan Taberski, and produced by Pineapple Street Media. The 10 episode Stitcher original podcast is a documentary focused on the Heaven's Gate cult.

Background

The podcast is a documentary about the new religious movement Heaven's Gate, which is often described as a cult.[1] The podcast discusses how Bonnie Lu Nettles and Marshall Applewhite (known within the group as Ti and Do respectively) convinced their followers to leave their families to join them.[2] Glynn Washington discusses the members of the group, as well as their friends and family, and reflects on how someone might end up joining a group like Heaven's Gate.[3] Washington himself grew up in the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W. Armstrong, which taught beliefs known collectively as Armstrongism, described as a cult by Walter Ralston Martin in his book The Kingdom of the Cults (1965). Washington left the group at the age of 19.[4] The group is now known as Grace Communion International.[5] Washington was fascinated by the events that took place in large part because of the similarities to the group he grew up in,[6] which held similarly apocolyptic beliefs.[7]

The podcast debuted on October 18, 2017,[8] and contains 10 episodes.[9] The show was produced in the Sun Basket production studio[10] and produced by Pineapple Street Media[11] as a Stitcher original.[12] Benjamin Zeller, author and professor of religion at Lake Forest College, guided the project with his research on the group.[13] Dan Taberski acted as writer for the show.[14] The show uses archived audio in addition to new interviews.[15] The podcast includes testimonials from members of the group as well as friends and family of members.[16] The show was nominated for best documentary podcast in the 2018 Webby Awards.[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Quah . Nicholas . September 7, 2017 . The Heaven's Gate Podcast Promises an In-depth Look at the Infamous Cult . July 29, 2023 . . en-us . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023819/https://www.vulture.com/2017/09/missing-richard-simmons-team-announces-heavens-gate-podcast.html . live .
  2. Web site: May 29, 2020 . 10 Jaw-Dropping Podcasts About Cults . July 29, 2023 . Oprah Daily . en-US . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023820/https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/g32613550/podcasts-about-cults/ . live .
  3. Web site: January 8, 2018 . Heaven's Gate: A podcast about the Heaven's Gate cult. . July 29, 2023 . Kotaku . en . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023810/https://kotaku.com/heaven-s-gate-a-podcast-about-the-heaven-s-gate-cult-1821889905 . live .
  4. Web site: Cavanaugh . Maureen . Lipkin . Michael . October 24, 2017 . 'Heaven's Gate' Podcast Looks Back At San Diego Mass Suicide . July 29, 2023 . KPBS Public Media . en . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023810/https://www.kpbs.org/news/midday-edition/2017/10/24/heavens-gate-podcast-looks-back-san-diego-mass-sui . live .
  5. Web site: Booker . Bobbi . November 3, 2017 . Diverse storytelling hardly a snap for Glynn Washington . July 29, 2023 . The Philadelphia Tribune . en . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023810/https://www.phillytrib.com/entertainment/diverse-storytelling-hardly-a-snap-for-glynn-washington/article_dac1d227-aa82-5fcf-ac6c-d0c21008060c.html . live .
  6. Web site: For 'Heaven's Gate' Podcast Host, The Cult Story Hits Close To Home . . July 29, 2023 . July 28, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230728212439/https://www.npr.org/2018/01/29/581532036/for-heaven-s-gate-podcast-host-the-cult-story-hits-close-to-home . live .
  7. Web site: Gyimah-Brempong . Adwoa . Radke . Bill . October 24, 2018 . Our beliefs can cage us. But they can also set us free . July 29, 2023 . www.kuow.org . en . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023819/https://www.kuow.org/stories/our-beliefs-can-cage-us-they-can-also-set-us-free . live .
  8. Web site: How 'Snap Judgment's Glynn Washington came full circle with new podcast 'Heaven's Gate' . July 29, 2023 . USA TODAY . en-US . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023818/https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/entertainthis/2017/10/17/glynn-washington-heavens-gate-spooked-snap-judgment/769982001/ . live .
  9. Web site: November 10, 2017 . In "Heaven's Gate," a Suicide Cult's Mystery Starts to Unravel . July 29, 2023 . The Pride LA . en-US . November 9, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109020817/https://thepridela.com/2017/11/heavens-gate-suicide-cults-mystery-starts-unravel/ . live .
  10. Web site: November 25, 2017 . 100 word review: 'Heaven's Gate' Podcast . July 29, 2023 . AP News . en . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023818/https://apnews.com/article/religion-976f8254816c4469a99bfb2b585c9e4c . live .
  11. Web site: Quah . Nicholas . September 28, 2017 . 11 Great Podcasts to Check Out This Fall . July 29, 2023 . Vulture . en-us . January 27, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210127180843/https://www.vulture.com/2017/09/11-great-podcast-recommendations-fall-2017.html . live .
  12. Web site: January 19, 2018 . The Heaven's Gate podcast by Stitcher has you drinking the Kool-Aid . July 29, 2023 . Discover Pods . en-US . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023812/https://discoverpods.com/stitcher-heavens-gate-podcast-review/ . live .
  13. Web site: January 13, 2018 . Lake Forest College professor's expertise on Heaven's Gate cult fuels popular podcast . July 29, 2023 . Chicago Tribune . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023810/https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/ct-met-lake-forest-college-heavens-gate-podcast-20180110-story.html . live .
  14. Web site: Jarvey . Natalie . October 5, 2017 . 'Missing Richard Simmons' Host Dan Taberski Joins 'Heaven's Gate' Podcast (Exclusive) . July 29, 2023 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023810/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/missing-richard-simmons-host-dan-taberski-joins-heavens-gate-podcast-1046028/ . live .
  15. Web site: October 29, 2018 . 9 blood-curdling horror and true-crime podcasts for Halloween . July 29, 2023 . South China Morning Post . en . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023810/https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/2170615/nine-halloween-horror-and-true-crime-podcasts-keep-you . live .
  16. Web site: Heaven's Gate, and 5 more history podcasts – The Skinny . July 29, 2023 . www.theskinny.co.uk . en . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023820/https://www.theskinny.co.uk/tv-radio/opinion/pod-people-heaven-s-gate . live .
  17. Web site: Nominee Heaven's Gate . July 29, 2023 . . en . July 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230729023821/https://winners.webbyawards.com/2018/podcasts/general-series/documentary/60750/heavens-gate . live .