Incels Podcast – “Worship at the Feet of a Coward”

iHeartPodcasts | November 26, 2025
Season 1, Episode 10

Episode Overview

This episode of Incels, titled “Worship at the Feet of a Coward,” explores the devastating impacts of the 2014 Isla Vista massacre and the ongoing influence of its perpetrator, Elliot Rodger, within the incel community. Through an emotional and deeply personal conversation with Jane Weiss—the aunt of one of Rodger’s victims, Veronica Weiss—the episode investigates the psychological underpinnings, cultural factors, and societal consequences of incel ideology, as well as the aftermath for survivors’ families. The discussion also addresses advocacy efforts for gun violence prevention and the urgent need for digital literacy and parental involvement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

I. The 2014 Isla Vista Massacre and Incel Radicalization

• Background on the Event (05:12 – 06:56)
  • Sheriff Bill Brown recalls the night of May 23, 2014:
    “This was one of the worst crimes that was committed in our county’s history.” (05:12)
  • Elliot Rodger’s violent spree resulted in six deaths (including victims Veronica Weiss, Katherine Cooper, among others) and 14 injuries.
  • Rodger’s 137-page manifesto (“My Twisted World”) was highlighted as an “early influence into the incel and manosphere subculture." (05:50)
• Rodger’s Motivations and Incel Community Idolization (08:04 – 08:52)
  • Body Moving (crime analyst):
    “He stated women should not be given any rights and that their wickedness needed to be contained to avoid the risk of humanity falling into degener[acy]... Incels refer to him as St. Elliot Rodger, and when they say they’re going to attack women, they say they’re going to ‘er’ her.” (08:04)
  • Rodger’s rage specifically targeted couples and women expressing affection and happiness.

Memorable Quote:
“It’s always jarring. But I have sort of an understanding of these young loner, what do they call them, lone wolf shooters, that they hit a pattern over and over again... It happens over and over again, that somehow worships at the feet of a coward that killed my niece.” – Jane Weiss (15:23)

II. Remembering Veronica Weiss

• Personal Stories and Character (10:00 – 11:03)
  • Jane describes Veronica’s sense of humor, brilliance, and athleticism:
    “She was a brilliant student, never let any boundaries slow her down... an amazing water polo player and an outstanding mathematician.” (10:14)
• Family Recollection of Tragedy (12:08 – 14:20)
  • Jane recounts learning about her niece’s murder and the early shock and chaos:
    “My immediate thought is, we have to get to California and we have to get there now. And within probably an hour, I started getting texts from friends who had seen things on the news that I never did see because I got busy trying to find airline tickets on Memorial Day.” (12:38)

III. The Incel Subculture: Emergence and Patterns

• Discovery of “Incel” and Understanding the Subculture (14:25 – 16:15)
  • Jane admits she “had never heard it before,” recognizing later how deeply incel ideology is tied to gendered blame and hate.
  • The narrative describes how communities online cultivate resentment and encourage violent ideation among disaffected young men.

Memorable Quote:
“Realizing how the blame of women took hold of his mind and pushed him down that hole... that seems to be the rabbit hole that so many young men are going down.” – Jane Weiss (15:07)

IV. Damage, Prevention, and Advocacy

• Jane’s Response: Gun Violence Prevention Efforts (19:57 – 21:01)

  • After Veronica’s death, Jane helped push Washington State’s Gun Violence Restraining Order, “extreme risk protection orders,” and worked with local officials:
    “When somebody sees a relative or a friend starting to spiral down and have some of those thoughts... we took it to the voters and passed it as an initiative which has kind of become a hallmark across the country.” (19:57)

• Elliot Rodger as Online Icon and Ongoing Threat (21:01 – 21:30)

  • Jane recounts a recent shooting where the perpetrator’s TikTok profile photo was of Elliot Rodger.
  • The phrase “Supreme Gentleman” and the use of “hero” with “er” capitalized are now signifiers in violent online subcultures.

• The Role of Schools and Parents (22:33 – 24:13)

  • Jane urges for more digital literacy and online safety education:
    “I wish we could talk more about the Internet and what kids are seeing and doing on the Internet... I just think parents are totally unaware. If the schools had an opportunity, the PTA had an opportunity to present that without making it scary—even though it is—parents might pay more attention to letting that Internet babysit their children.” (23:28)

V. The Pervasive Impact of Social Media and Gun Access

• Social Media’s Influence and Legislative Action (24:13 – 26:35)
  • Discusses the “25-year-old brain” not being fully formed, the risks of young people accessing harmful content, and the necessity for stronger safe storage laws.
  • Jane joins groups including Moms Demand Action, Everytown Survivor Network, and the Alliance for Gun Responsibility, emphasizing survivor stories’ power with lawmakers.

Memorable Quote:
“There are better things to do than to surround yourself in grief... Working to help other communities, help other families stay safe is a really important thing.” – Jane Weiss (27:17)

VI. Guidance for At-Risk Youth & Reflection on Justice

• Advice for Struggling Young Men (28:20 – 29:00)
  • Jane:
    “Take a beat and to see what else you have in your life that's positive. It could be one class, it could be a book, it could be a person. It doesn’t have to be an online situation. And know that there are people who care about you, people who want the best for you... The social media is an addiction just like a drug or alcohol...” (28:20)
• What Veronica Would Have Said to Rodger (29:08 – 29:39)
  • “You didn’t need to do that. There were people that would listen to you, that would talk to you… There are lots of those people out there. But if you’re only looking for the bad, guess what? You’re only going to find bad. You get good at what you practice.” (29:08)

VII. Veronica’s Legacy

• Hopes for Impact and Paying It Forward (33:06 – 35:48)
  • Jane hopes audiences “understand that she was completely innocent... that she deserved better than this.” (33:14)
  • Tradition of a “pay it forward” at Starbucks on Veronica’s birthday, a memory linked to their time together.
  • Jane:
    “Her legacy will be the love and the humor she had for everyone. She was always looking for the underdog.” (35:39)

Notable Quotes

• “He is the coward at whose feet radicalized men worship.”
  – Courtney Armstrong (05:01)

• “Hatred isn’t going to do anything except eat you up... There are lots of those people out there. But if you’re looking only for the bad, guess what? You’re gonna only find bad. You get good at what you practice.”
  – Jane Weiss (29:08)

• “Bullets, they don’t judge, they just kill.”
  – Jane Weiss (33:14)

• “I always say... in Veronica's honor, I will always work to make communities safer and families more involved in gun violence prevention.”
  – Jane Weiss (34:08)

Key Timestamps

• 05:12 — Sheriff Brown on the Isla Vista massacre overview
• 08:04 — Body Moving on Rodger's rage and manifesto quotes
• 10:00 — Jane Weiss describes Veronica
• 12:08 — Jane's recollection of finding out about Veronica's death
• 14:25 — Jane learns about “incel” for the first time
• 19:57 — Jane’s advocacy for gun safety and restraint laws
• 21:30 — Jane on incel idolization of Rodger in recent violence
• 23:28 — Jane on the need for digital literacy and online safety
• 26:55 — The importance of survivor advocacy with lawmakers
• 28:20 — Jane's message to struggling young men
• 29:08 — Jane on what Veronica would say to Elliot Rodger
• 33:14 — Jane's hopes for Veronica’s legacy

Episode Tone & Takeaways

The episode blends investigative reporting, survivor testimony, and policy advocacy with an earnest, urgent tone. Jane Weiss’s reflections are candid and heartfelt, providing a human face to the aftermath of hate-motivated violence. The host and contributors maintain empathy for victims, a critical stance toward incel subcultures, and a determined optimism regarding prevention and intervention.

Takeaways:

• The danger of online radicalization for isolated and vulnerable individuals, particularly young men.
• How figures like Elliot Rodger become mythologized within toxic online spaces.
• The ripple effects of violence on families and communities.
• The crucial roles of gun regulation, online safety education, and survivor advocacy in addressing such tragedies.
• The enduring legacy of victims, upheld through remembrance and positive action.