The Cult of Labubu

Summary

Podcast Summary: Sounds Like A Cult – Episode: The Cult of Labubu

Release Date: August 5, 2025
Host: Amanda Montell
Co-Hosts: Chelsea Charles & Reese Oliver
Producer: Chelsea Charles and Reese Oliver
Created by: Amanda Montell

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Introduction

In the August 5, 2025 episode of Sounds Like A Cult, Amanda Montell, alongside co-hosts Chelsea Charles and Reese Oliver, delves into the phenomenon surrounding Labubu—a trendy vinyl toy that has captured the attention of a diverse, often fanatic, audience. The episode explores whether Labubu transcends mere consumer culture to embody characteristics of a modern-day cult.

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What is Labubu? Origins and Rise to Fame

The episode begins with an exploration of Labubu’s origins and rapid rise in popularity. Reese Oliver explains how Labubu functions within the blind box culture, comparing its emergence to iconic toy crazes like Beanie Babies and Furbies.

[13:01] Reese Oliver: "Labubu didn't just pop out of a mystery box one day. This little gremlin has a lore."

Amanda Montell adds context by highlighting the creator, Hong Kong artist Ka Sing Long, whose background in Nordic fairy tales and folklore influenced Labubu's design.

[13:23] Amanda Montell: "They are giving slightly like, where the wild things are vibes."

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Cult-Like Characteristics of Labubu

The discussion shifts to what makes Labubu potentially "culty." The hosts analyze aspects such as exclusivity, scarcity, and the emotional investment of collectors.

[20:18] Chelsea Charles: "I think the cultiest thing about Labubus is that they are so high in demand at Popmart stores that they are valued more than the working conditions of Popmart employees."

Listener testimonials further illustrate the fervor surrounding Labubu, with many expressing obsessive behaviors akin to those seen in traditional cults.

[46:01] Reese Oliver: "Or packages and they get a new Labubu. I've seen hysterics, tears, screaming, and you don't get that kind of response from just anything."

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Psychological Appeal and Consumerism

Amanda Montell and Reese Oliver delve into the psychological aspects that make Labubu appealing, particularly in the context of modern loneliness and the search for community.

[24:22] Reese Oliver: "I would say there is some sort of... I don't know. I don't know what to say."

Montell comments on the American consumerist promise that buying products like Labubu can solve deeper emotional voids.

[23:28] Amanda Montel: "We keep telling this promise with new products and new aesthetics and new trends, that you can buy your way to happiness."

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Labubu vs. Other Cult-Like Phenomena

In a playful "lightning round," the hosts compare Labubu to other cult-like toys and trends, assessing which is "cultier." Comparisons include American Girl dolls, troll dolls, Cabbage Patch Kids, and reborn dolls.

[56:07] Reese Oliver: "Labubu."
[56:13] Chelsea Charles: "Troll. Troll was so expansive. Labubu is just getting its feet off the ground. Troll was everywhere."

These comparisons highlight Labubu’s unique position as a modern phenomenon distinct from past toy crazes, emphasizing its integration with adult consumerism and social media influence.

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Conspiracy Theories and Dark Associations

The episode doesn't shy away from the darker side of Labubu's popularity. Chelsea Charles introduces conspiracy theories alleging Labubu dolls are cursed or part of sinister rituals, reflecting the intersection of consumerism and modern myth-making.

[48:44] Amanda Montel: "I know Chelsea already has some thoughts about the voodoo slander."

The hosts humorously dissect these theories, recognizing them as part of a broader trend where consumer products become the subject of paranormal speculation.

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Economic and Social Implications

The discussion extends to the economic impact of Labubu, including resale markets and the role of influencers in perpetuating the trend. The scarcity and exclusivity of Labubu contribute to its status as a coveted item, further deepening its cult-like allure.

[38:46] Chelsea Charles: "I think in part because the trend is so fleeting, you don't know, like, how long your Labubu is going to be relevant for."

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Conclusion: Verdict on Labubu's Cult Status

After thorough analysis, the hosts categorize Labubu within their established cult typologies: Live Your Life, Watch Your Back, or Get the F* Out**.

[59:09] Reese Oliver: "I'd say watch your back."
[59:26] Amanda Montel: "Get the f*** out. It reminds me of Stanley Cups because it's just like, so all-consuming."

Ultimately, the consensus leans towards Labubu fitting into the "Get the F*** Out" category, highlighting its all-consuming nature devoid of substantial positive impact.

[60:38] Amanda Montel: "A Labubu in a vacuum delight. A Labubu in context. Live your life, but also just don't do it."

The episode concludes with a reflection on the ephemeral nature of such trends and their reflection of broader societal issues like consumerism and the quest for identity.

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Notable Quotes

• [13:27] Reese Oliver: "It's the same thing as the Sunny Angel. I do partake in Sunny Angel culture."

• [24:22] Reese Oliver: "Everything is about money in America."

• [36:03] Chelsea Charles: "Urban giggles froze their Labo and you sleep with it."

• [50:22] Amanda Montel: "If you combine the word possessed and the word Labubu, you get possessed."

• [58:03] Reese Oliver: "Reborn."

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Final Thoughts

Sounds Like A Cult provides an incisive look into the Labubu phenomenon, balancing humorous banter with critical analysis. While Labubu may not pose the same level of societal impact as traditional cults, its intense consumer-driven fervor showcases the evolving nature of modern-day cultural obsessions.

For those unfamiliar with Labubu, this episode serves as a comprehensive introduction to understanding how contemporary trends can mirror the dynamics of cultish behavior, driven by scarcity, community, and the relentless pursuit of identity through consumerism.

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Stay Culty, But Not Too Culty!
Sounds Like A Cult encourages listeners to critically engage with the cultural phenomena they encounter, fostering awareness of the fine line between fandom and fanaticism.

Transcript

[Amanda Montel]

This podcast is brought to you by Squarespace. Squarespace is the all in one website platform to help entrepreneurs, podcasters, artists stand out and succeed online. Whether you're just starting out or managing a growing brand, Squarespace helps you build a beautiful website, connect with your audience and sell absolutely anything from products to content to even your valuable time. I've been a Squarespace user for five years now, actually just updated the Sounds Like a Cult website yesterday. I was updating the host little bios. It was very easy, but if I wanted to do something fancier with the website I could do that with ease. And that is thanks to Squarespace's cutting edge features including their design intelligence which combines two decades of industry leading design expertise with AI technology to help you create the stunning website of your dreams. You can also sell things easily with a Squarespace website thanks to Squarespace Payments onboarding is very easy. You just get set up with a few clicks and then you can connect easily with your audience and allow them to use the payment system that works best for them. Whether It's Klarna or AC, direct deposit, Apple Pay, etc. They can sign up for a subscription or do like a one time pay thing depending on how you wish to sell. You can even set up a fundraiser on a Squarespace website where you can manage all your donors in one place. It's just such a flexible service and it's a household name for a reason. Head to squarespace.com for a free trial and when you're ready to Launch, go to squarespace.com cult to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. Oh hello there. Would you like to add some enjoyment and pleasure to your life? You can do so easily with Adam and Eve and they're sponsoring this episode of Sounds Like a Cult. And guess what? Adam and Eve is offering a discount of 50% on just about any item plus free shipping which includes rush processing. They offer discreet shipping as your privacy is a priority. Indeed that is 50% off one item plus free shipping and rush processing. Just go to AdamAndEve.com and select any one item and then just offer the code Slack at checkout. That's Slack S L a [e-mail] this is an exclusive offer specific to our podcast, so be sure to use the code Slack to get your discount 100% free shipping and get it fast with rash processing. Code Slack SLAC the views expressed on this episode, as with all episodes of Sounds Like a Cult, are solely host opinions and quoted allegations. The content here should not be taken as indisputable fact. This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. Hi, sounds like a cult.

[Chelsea Charles]

My name is Bella.

[Amanda Montel]

I'm calling from Cincinnati, Ohio. I think what makes Labuboos so culty is that first of all, they popped up out of nowhere and then seemingly.

[Reese Oliver]

Took off in the same way that.

[Chelsea Charles]

Like Beanie Babies, Furbies, boobas, if you.

[Amanda Montel]

Remember those, like all of those things.

[Chelsea Charles]

Are basically the same thing as a Labubu.

[Amanda Montel]

And for me it definitely started off as like, what is going on?

[Chelsea Charles]

This is an ugly, weird thing to.

[Amanda Montel]

Be spending money on.

[Chelsea Charles]

And it is so ugly that it has now become cute again. And I think that is what makes it incredibly culty.

[Amanda Montel]

Hi, sounds like a cult. My name's Robin. I'm calling from Glasgow, Scotland and I think Labubu dolls, bears, I don't even know what to call them. I think they're quite culty because first of all, why on earth are we carrying these haunted bears around on our bags? Like, bag charms have been on the rise for a wee bit, but it's the fact that everyone has to have this specific brand of charm. They are so scary. They look haunted. I hate them. They need an exorcism. People who have never worn bag charms need them suddenly because they're like a status symbol thing. And I think the fact that they're now selling fake labubus, like I went into a corner shop the other day and they had like fake labubus, I.

[Chelsea Charles]

Don'T know what they are.

[Amanda Montel]

And it's just like this cult stuff, status thing. Why this is sounds like a cult. A show about the modern day cults we all follow. I'm your host, Amanda Montel, author of the book Cultish, out now in paperback.

[Reese Oliver]

And I'm your co host, Chelsea Charles, an unscripted TV producer and lifelong student of pop culture sociology.

[Chelsea Charles]

I'm your other co host, Reese Oliver. Sounds like a cult's resident rhetoric scholar.

[Amanda Montel]

Every week on our show we discuss a different zeitgeisty group that puts the cult and culture from chiropractors to Costco. To try and answer the big question.

[Reese Oliver]

This group sounds like a cult. But is it really?

[Chelsea Charles]

And if so, which of our cult categories does it fall into? A live your life, a watch your.

[Amanda Montel]

Back, or a get the fuck out.

[Chelsea Charles]

After all, cultish influence. It falls along a spectrum these days, a continuum. And it doesn't always look the same. Some modern day groups seem super fringy and ritualistic, but are actually relatively harmless. But then you've got hardcore fandoms buzzy brands and other contemporary communities that don't seem that cult y on the outside, but actually have a lot more in common with high control groups than you might think. And that is what this show is all about. Lightheartedly analyzing the culty ways we find connection and belonging these days.

[Amanda Montel]

This week's cult a serotonin soaked fever dream built on pastel monsters, plastic crack, emotional support, unboxings with just enough chaos to make you wonder when, exactly, toys stop being for kids. Indeed, we at this point feel downright coerced by the culture into covering Le Booboo, the snaggletooth vinyl gremlin who might be quietly taking over your Explore page and possibly your disposable income. Whether you're hunting the glow in the dark chase figure or you're just here to learn what the fuck is going on with this creepy new trend, just know Le Booboo isn't simply a collectible. It's a lifestyle. Allegedly. And stay tuned, because it's even now the source of a satanic panic style demon conspiracy theory. What a time to be alive. But apparently even the most innocent corners of this new Labubu culture come with their own economy, hierarchy and code of conduct. This week we're gonna try to figure out if Labubu is just another flash in the pan cult followed consumerist phenomenon or actually something more sinister. My culty hosties. I have to throw this out there. A listener started calling us culty hosties. And I do feel like ultimately it sounds like a Twinkie style packaged, highly processed pastry, but I like it, so I'm gonna use it. Culty Hosties. Where on earth were you first introduced to today's topic?

[Reese Oliver]

Labubu. I'm not gonna lie, I was a little late to the Labu Boo world, but I first heard about it, like maybe two months ago when Lizzo dropped her whim whammy freestyle online and she was like, dancing around and her like, major line was, you can't even outdress Malibu Boo. And that said something to my soul and my spirit. And I do this weird thing where I hyper fixate on little dumb quotes and I kept saying it around the house. And finally my husband was like, what the hell are you saying? What are you repeating? Because I would be in the shower, like, you can't even outdress my little boo booze.

[Chelsea Charles]

Literally.

[Amanda Montel]

Literally.

[Reese Oliver]

Yep. Went down a rabbit hole. And I was like, oh my God, the Labu Boo.

[Chelsea Charles]

Okay?

[Amanda Montel]

You're like, this is a wormhole into an alternate universe. Actually, Absolutely. All I have to do is say the secret password and the door will unlock.

[Reese Oliver]

Yep. What about y'?

[Amanda Montel]

All? Wow.

[Chelsea Charles]

You know, as a Gen Zer, I'm a trinket, girly. I love a little trinket. I love a little guy. I love a little friend. I love a little pal. I don't actually let myself collect very many of them because this is my theory with K Pop too. If I get into it, I have an addictive personality. I will get way too into it. So I feel Labubu is part of a larger cult of blind boxes, the predecessor to the Labubu being, of course, the Sunny Angel. I do partake in Sunny angel culture. However, my theory is that I only acquire them second hand or fake. It'll be too real if I let it be real. And I know that. I know I'm too prone to these cults. So my introduction to the Booboo. I think Instagram was like, this bitch will like this. I was thrown into the deep end, straight into the Labubu luau. And I felt like there was discourse about Labubu as soon as it was even popular. Like, as soon as it was a thing that people liked, it was a thing that people were annoyed by. And that was my first taste of. It was like, okay, this is a controversial new thing the Gen Zers are doing. This is the new hot thing at Pop Mart the adults are mad about. But then I went to my best friend Sydney's house. Sydney's mother, Myrna is one of the girlies. And Myrna was flaunting her Labubu with its little. She had the one little Coke bottle. I think she might have two, actually. Sorry, Myrna, if I'm offending you here. I don't mean to diss your collection. And she was like, oh, my go. Did you see? Look at my Labubu. Like, I got Labubus. And I was like, I'm so happy for you. They just don't hit the right cuteness spots in my brain. They don't tickle my brain in the right way. I'm a more of a miffy Sunny angel smisky gal. But I appreciate the presence of the Labubu. I think the Labubu is very representative of what the Blind box does.

[Amanda Montel]

Okay, so we're gonna need a lot of explanation. Just because the analytics back end of Sounds like a Cult tells me that half of this audience will not understand what we're talking about. And so don't worry, we're going to get you caught up this is a world. This is a micro trend. Oh, where'd she go?

[Reese Oliver]

She said, I've had enough, Labu Boo.

[Chelsea Charles]

She's.

[Amanda Montel]

Oh, no. She's like, I said my piece.

[Reese Oliver]

I'm done.

[Amanda Montel]

Goodbye.

[Reese Oliver]

No, she's gone.

[Amanda Montel]

She, like, spoke more at one time than she ever had in her life, and then, like, broke down.

[Reese Oliver]

She's like, I'm dead.

[Amanda Montel]

Just, like, disappeared. Maybe this is the Rapture.

[Chelsea Charles]

I am so sorry, everyone. My computer just got possessed by a haunted Labubu. And y' all thought that's how the arrangement worked out?

[Amanda Montel]

Well, you're like a little angel. Like, you literally just got done saying that you love a toy called Sunny Angel.

[Chelsea Charles]

So I was like, well, the Sunny angel is literally made in a lab for, like, the inventor of the Sunny angel made them for single working women to not feel alone at their desk jobs.

[Amanda Montel]

Okay, so, right, so this is why Labubu is a cult. It is the empty promise of solving the most urgent problem in America right now, which is loneliness in the way that whatever, like, the children of God promised to solve the most urgent problem of that time, which was, like, mainstream religion failing us and mainstream government failing us. But whatever, we'll get into that later. For now, Labubu is just a toy. Okay, people? And the reason why I got introduced to it was because one day, Rhys started making this noise at me. It was Labubu. Labubu.

[Chelsea Charles]

I'm so sorry. That's nice, sweetie.

[Amanda Montel]

It's just. It was baby babbling, you know? She was like. Like, Goo Goo Gaga Mommy.

[Chelsea Charles]

And you're like, do you have a credit card?

[Amanda Montel]

I was like, did you apply to get your graduation gown?

[Chelsea Charles]

I'm like, give me Lovouboo. Yeah.

[Amanda Montel]

And I was like, that's funny. That's sweet. And then the culties, our listeners, started making the same noise. And I was like, okay, so this is not only a noise, it's an object, and it's a cult. And so that's where I learned about it. And at first, I really wanted to look away because I was like, this is just flash in the pan. Internet slop. Brain rot. I saw a meme the other day where someone was like, dubai chocolate, Stanley cup, la Boo Boo. It was, like, making fun of just, like, the way our rat brains consume catchy micro trends on the Internet.

[Reese Oliver]

Yeah.

[Amanda Montel]

And so I was like, I don't need to pay attention to this. But then the culties forced our hand. And I'm glad they did, because this is going to be a whole ass hour of conversation. And we love to yap.

[Chelsea Charles]

We do.

[Reese Oliver]

We're yap ologists.

[Amanda Montel]

Oh, my God, I love that Yap Ologist.

[Reese Oliver]

Whoa.

[Chelsea Charles]

It's like, whoa. It's like in the 2000 and tens when bartenders wanted to be really cool, so they were all like, mixologists. And now podcasting is like a career enough that we can. We can now come up with a cool name for it. Podcasting.

[Amanda Montel]

Yap Ologist. Oh, my God. Yap Ologist. Not to be confused with a gabbasist.

[Reese Oliver]

You know, bars.

[Amanda Montel]

Sorry. Okay, so for those who still think that Labubu is just a noise, maybe we better back up and drop some lore.

[Reese Oliver]

So Labubu didn't just pop out of a mystery box one day. This little gremlin has a lore. The character was originally created by Hong Kong artist Ka Sing Long, who first introduced Labubu as a part of his storybook universe. The monsters think dreamy, slightly creepy creatures living in a parallel forest.

[Amanda Montel]

They are giving slightly like, where the wild things are vibes.

[Reese Oliver]

I 1000% agree. Yeah, that's the only reason I might have considered wanting one. Okay, maybe. Anyway, Ksing Long was born in Hong Kong in 1972, but at age seven, his family relocated to a small Dutch village, an experience he later described as disorienting and lonely. Without friends or fluency in Dutch, he retreated into solitude, teaching himself the language through picture books and spending weekends drawing in his family's restaurant space. These early influences, Nordic fairy tales, folkloric elves and forest creatures, became the foundation for his artistic voice and would eventually inform the design of The Monsters, his 2015 picture book series. Soon after, Labubu emerged a bunny eared figure with a mischievous grin. Creepy as hell, might I add. Neither hero nor villain, just open for interpretation. Then popmart, the Chinese toy giant responsible for turning blind box culture into a full blown lifestyle, got involved. That's when Labubu went from niche art to a global toy phenomenon. Collector's obsession with seasonal drops, resale, bidding wars, and TikTok reveals. Here's the tea. Much like the original iteration, Labubu has no voice, no official gender, no real backstory, which I low key. I live for that.

[Amanda Montel]

Well, I was gonna say, like, we're already associating so many things with it, like where the wild things are. I also get like a little bit of invader Zim energy, you know, that sort of like, it's a little goth. It's like hot topic core. But those are my references and my millennial associations. I think there's like, enough of a blank slate with Labu Boo that you can project your own story onto it.

[Reese Oliver]

It's also, like, super interesting when I see Labubu out in the wild, because I saw my first Labubu, like, maybe two weeks ago in the wild, and I was just so shocked, but also, like, still confused because I'm like, what. What is that thing? That freaky thing?

[Amanda Montel]

Yeah, bro. I went to the Rose bowl flea market yesterday, and, okay, this is supposed to be, like, a vintage market. For those who don't know, it's, like, the largest secondhand decor and clothing flea market in la.

[Chelsea Charles]

Very fun.

[Amanda Montel]

And, like, a fifth of the kiosks were Labubu knockoffs. I mean, some of them were cool, but I was just, like, the way that this has put us in a chokehold, dude. Like, it's wild.

[Reese Oliver]

And it was so fast.

[Chelsea Charles]

I think because it is kind of generic and it is kind of in the middle, it vaguely enough resembles all of these different media sources that, like, no matter your age, you can attach something vaguely nostalgic to it. I think that there's definitely something to that. And it's, like, a pretty simple face, too. It's the fact that it doesn't resemble any real animal, like, makes it really easy. So all the knockoffs kind of can just be whatever, because Sunny angel knockoffs are kind of difficult because they're little babies, whereas a Labubu. It's kind of supposed to look little messed up. Yeah. Even the convenience store down the street from me, which used to be a Circle K, they have even fake Labubu keychains at the checkout now. And I'm like, who is purchasing this in this town of retirees? Nobody.

[Amanda Montel]

Wait, I have a question. So I feel like I mostly see them attached to people's purses. Is it primarily a keychain?

[Chelsea Charles]

They're. Most of them, to my knowledge, are keychains, but they are starting to introduce other ones that sit. Or, like, they might have some of the hipper ones now, which they, like, stick to the back of things. But the Labubus are bigger, so I. I don't. Maybe not.

[Amanda Montel]

But importantly, and we'll get into this, you do not cuddle them because they are more of a collector's idea. They're charms for adults who want to feel connected to something the way we did when we were kids.

[Reese Oliver]

Lizzo's was dressed in Louis Vuitton.

[Amanda Montel]

Okay.

[Chelsea Charles]

People really have a strong, like, personification, like, a tie to them. And even, like, I'm not in the cult And I'm not going to lie, it is kind of irritating me a little bit hearing you guys refer to all of them as Labubu because they do have separate names.

[Amanda Montel]

Sorry, put me on game.

[Chelsea Charles]

So yeah, sorry, I don't know their names. I don't know their names either. I'm just to let you like it would be no, I'm more We say.

[Amanda Montel]

So many offensive things on the show.

[Chelsea Charles]

No, no, no pointing out how culty this is. There's so many layers of like you have to understand what a labo is, but not this one's name is like Kiki. There's just so many layers of nonsense and I think it goes to I want to personify myself and have this one and pick this one. That's very much an aspect here to it.

[Amanda Montel]

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[Chelsea Charles]

I think the cultiest thing about Labubus is that they are so high in demand at popmart stores that they are valued more than the working conditions of popmart employees. Like there was recently a strike by popmart store employees at my local mall.

[Amanda Montel]

In the Bay Area because of unfair.

[Chelsea Charles]

Work treatment and making them work overtime unpaid. I'm Rachel, I'm from Portland, Oregon, and I think what makes Labubus culty is that people just like panic bought them. Like they're like, oh, my friend has one, I have to go buy one right now. And in Portland there's even pop ups where people are tattooing and putting tooth gems on their Labubus. It's just insane.

[Amanda Montel]

Hi, I'm Tasia from Hawaii and I.

[Reese Oliver]

Think that the courtiers thing about Labubus.

[Amanda Montel]

Is that you can buy a whole closet full of accessories and clothes for.

[Chelsea Charles]

Them, including knockoff designer items.

[Amanda Montel]

You can get them cameras with working flash.

[Chelsea Charles]

Some of these Labubu have better closets than I do.

[Amanda Montel]

Okay, question and we will get into the rest of the history and we will start analyzing more formally soon. Culties. But like, we're just getting some education under our belt. I have to ask, as Chelsea and I were both remarking, this culture emerged so fast and of course that's in large part due to its proliferation online. Like culture just spreads on Instagram and TikTok so fast, obviously. But who is like driving this culture? Is it more grassroots? Is it more top down? Like being defined by brand leaders? You know, we've talked about before on this show how the word cult or like the cognate of cult means something different in certain languages versus sect. So like here in the United States and speaking English, the word sect more means like a kind of neutral, non harmful denomination of a religion, whereas cult is more loaded and charged. But in Italian or French, cult means a sort of like grassroots, relatively harmless, ritual defined group of people who have no charismatic leader. They just kind of like create their own culture from the ground up. And sect refers to something more sinister. So is this more of like a grassroots, ritual defined thing of the people or is there someone benefiting at the top, in more of, like, a traditional, hierarchical, cult leaderish way.

[Reese Oliver]

It's so weird because I think that the originator is Kaysing Lung. I don't know. I think his creation was more grassroots. The fact that Labubu has no voice, no gender, no backstory, and it allows for the consumer to develop their own interpretation. I don't think it was anything sinister underneath the surface with his creation. However, this is America and what we do. I will say, I don't know who benefits from it, but we will make anything about money. Everything is about money in America. And so while I don't know who necessarily benefits from the cult of Labubu, I would say there is some sort of. I don't know. I don't know what to say.

[Amanda Montel]

No, I know what you're saying. I know what you're saying. Because it's like it almost doesn't matter if there's a charismatic leader at the top. We know from groups like QAnon that you don't need one to cause real damage. But what is true and harmful is that in the United States, we keep telling this promise with new products and new aesthetics and new trends, that you can buy your way to happiness. This is like a corny point to make, but I think it bears repeating that, like, you can buy your way to a solution to loneliness. You can buy your way to an identity, whether you're like a coastal grandma girly or a Kiki Labubu. And I think that promise will continue to disappoint us. But the hype and the Internet and just like the rat brain surrounding Labubu obscures the fact that we already know this promise is a lie.

[Reese Oliver]

Yes. So today long lives in Belgium and Hong Kong, balancing painting exhibitions with global storytelling through his toys and books. He's even preparing a new Labubu book in 2025, revealing his intention to deepen the character's mythology while still leaving space for fans to feel their own emotional meanings.

[Amanda Montel]

So he's like, he's a real artist.

[Reese Oliver]

I love that. You know, learning about his backstory, I was like, he didn't expect for this to, like, blow up, in a sense, and now it's out of the stratosphere.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah. Similarly, I don't necessarily think there's a leader, but I think definitely facilitators that take advantage of that consumerism and that connect a willing population to trends will soak up all of their money. And the blind box market, Pop Mart, I think, is what I would call the facilitator here. Because they pick at the end of the day which figurines they're going to stock in what amounts at what times. And I don't know if either of you have ever been into a blind box store, but it's crazy. There's not very many of each kind and they have like all of the ones you could get in a little glass display case. And if the one that you want is out, maybe you look around and you pick a. Because really it's the action of it that you find so fun and the fact that you could repeat it and it's a new one next time. It's a cycle.

[Reese Oliver]

So, Reese, in speaking about blind boxing, can you give us a little bit more details to what that even means?

[Chelsea Charles]

Yes. As a reluctant occasional participant in blind box culture, if I happen to see one that is Snoopy themed, every girl has a. Has a soft spot. I'm more than happy to explain. She's got an Achilles heel. No, I know. It's. I love Snoopy.

[Amanda Montel]

Rhys has like the softest Achilles heel ever. The theme of her vices is like, like, so sweet.

[Chelsea Charles]

Thank you. I. I appreciate that. I.

[Amanda Montel]

So people are like out here doing so much ketamine on a weekday, and Rhys is like, snoopy, Snoopy.

[Chelsea Charles]

That's. It's a blessing and a curse. So let me explain to you the very serious logic of the blind box. So at the heart of the Labubu fandom lies the psychology of the blind box, a retail mechanism that transforms ordinary consumer behavior into a ritual of chance. Buyers don't know which figure they're getting until after purchase. You can select from usually which series you're purchasing from, but not which particular figurine. And this introduces a layer of unpredictability that feels personal sometimes. I've been rather offended when I didn't get the color miffy that I wanted. I know that this model, it blurs the line between commerce and fate. Every unboxing becomes a miniature act of self discovery or disappointment, depending on what's inside. And this uncertainty invites just like all kinds of projection. And collectors interpret their polls as reflections of mood or luck or even like identity.

[Amanda Montel]

Whoa.

[Chelsea Charles]

It's very real.

[Amanda Montel]

It's like tea leaves or like it's the new sort of palm reading.

[Chelsea Charles]

The. When you would like, you get to pick a prize in the prize box. And they have those little fortune telling fishies. Do you guys know what those are? The little fish?

[Amanda Montel]

Yeah, yeah, of course. I have one in my little drawer. I got it for my birthday.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah, it's Giving them.

[Amanda Montel]

Wait, this is so interesting, because I don't know if this was at all Lung's intention, having based the Labubu on Nordic folklore and fairy tales and elves and creatures like that. But Labubu is rooted in a folk tradition. You might not necessarily perceive that if you discover them like on the Internet or whatever, and you think like, oh, this is just like Beanie Baby OR Troll Doll 2.0. But the fact that people are treating these blind boxes almost like a new folk tradition, almost like a fortune telling thing, it's like kind of full circle in that way. Like Labubu's origins were in folklore, and then the consumers have come around to using it in a sort of folk tradition.

[Chelsea Charles]

Isn't that weird?

[Reese Oliver]

That is very weird.

[Amanda Montel]

Maybe that's wholesome. Maybe that's cool, because it's become like.

[Chelsea Charles]

Whenever Sydney and I hang out in Little Tokyo, it's like, what are we gonna do? We're gonna get some lunch, we're go gonna get a little thing to drink, and then we're gonna go buy a new little friend and we're gonna see which little friend we got.

[Amanda Montel]

Okay. It is weird to me, though, that we are using language like friend and buddy as adults by a little friend.

[Chelsea Charles]

It's a Gen Z thing. The Gen Z issue of personifying every right. It's an illness.

[Amanda Montel]

And that comes back to the loneliness and the sort of breakdown of relationships.

[Chelsea Charles]

Oh, for sure. I'm not denying it. I'm not denying it.

[Amanda Montel]

I'm just like, it's cool. You know, I loved stuffed animals until. Until an advanced age. What's advanced? But I was thinking advanced. Well, I'll put it this way. When I was 21, my parents moved from Baltimore to California. And without even asking me, they just defaulted to bringing my entire childhood stuffed animal collection with them. When they moved, I was 21. Because they were like, these are important artifacts to Amanda. Like, I did anthropological.

[Chelsea Charles]

My parents would.

[Amanda Montel]

Well, that's a different story. But I was thinking earlier today, I don't think I need a Labubu because I have two cats.

[Chelsea Charles]

Get into it. Just invest in your real life relationships. You don't need the Labubu. Go pet your cat.

[Amanda Montel]

I don't mean to sound like sanctimonious. I'm just saying, like, well, I guess a real life Labubu, like, doesn't need a litter box and that's a huge plus. Or, sorry, a fake life loboo.

[Chelsea Charles]

They're very low maintenance, they're very easy. But yeah, I think they do ultimately become clutter once they're uninteresting in ways that cats do.

[Amanda Montel]

Yeah. None of this sounds low maintenance.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah.

[Amanda Montel]

Because a cat dies.

[Reese Oliver]

Oh, that's.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah.

[Amanda Montel]

And a labubu never dies.

[Reese Oliver]

They live forever.

[Chelsea Charles]

They live in the landfill for all of eternity.

[Reese Oliver]

Plastic crack, dude.

[Amanda Montel]

Plastic crack. You're so right. And ultimately a body decomposes.

[Chelsea Charles]

Well, yeah. Yeah.

[Amanda Montel]

Sorry. We don't need to talk about corpse.

[Chelsea Charles]

If we're getting into the larger. Like, I'm thinking about all of the. Like, if you're really in the way, that there are serial mlmers, there are serial blind box girlies, I have to assume. So what are all of the girls with their labubus now doing with their graveyards of Sunny Angels? What's happening to those babies without good homes? Like, we need to think about it in terms of the waste that we're producing.

[Amanda Montel]

Ooh, completely.

[Reese Oliver]

This is gonna age me. But I have to Google. I do not know what Sonny angel is.

[Amanda Montel]

I think maybe. Did you put a sticker of Sunny angel on her laptop?

[Chelsea Charles]

I think I have one somewhere. Oh, no, that's. I think that might be a kewpie, which is similar. Kewpie.

[Amanda Montel]

Sonny Angel, I'm seeing.

[Reese Oliver]

Oh, Sunny Angel. Okay. Cute.

[Amanda Montel]

You know, my spouse's sister is living with us for the summer, and I'm learning a lot about her. She's 19, so she's also Gen Z. And there are different ways to be Gen Z. I've learned they're not a monolith.

[Chelsea Charles]

Thank you.

[Amanda Montel]

She is afraid of dolls. I learned that It's a phobia.

[Chelsea Charles]

It is.

[Amanda Montel]

So in my mind, I see a little Sunny angel, which, for the listeners, Chelsea, should we do our best to describe the image of a Sunny Angel? Go for it.

[Reese Oliver]

So, Sunny angel, small plastic, cherub looking little figurine, comes in all shades, has a little headdress of different animals.

[Amanda Montel]

A cap, dare I say? Yeah.

[Reese Oliver]

Yes, a cap. A little cap.

[Amanda Montel]

That's all I'm seeing. Some in the shape of a fruit.

[Reese Oliver]

Yes. Some are sharks. Some are goats.

[Amanda Montel]

I'm seeing a charming little duck. And I'm also seeing a raspberry.

[Chelsea Charles]

Can I tell you, it's my favorite thing about Sunny Angels.

[Reese Oliver]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Charles]

So oftentimes, like with Labubu, there's one that everyone secretly hopes to get. Like, when you buy a blind box, on the side of the physical box itself, you will often see all of the different varietals that could be in your box.

[Amanda Montel]

However, varietal, it's like we're talking about.

[Reese Oliver]

Fine Wine the different varietals from the different provenance.

[Amanda Montel]

Oh, my God. Only a Labubu, if it comes, comes from the official region of popmart. Otherwise, it's just a sparkling stuffed keychain.

[Reese Oliver]

No, but that's actually the truth.

[Amanda Montel]

Wait, that's true.

[Reese Oliver]

I literally saw. I saw a mom buy her son's Labubus, and they opened it and they're.

[Amanda Montel]

Like, this isn't real, right? Yeah, it was like the entree of Labubu.

[Chelsea Charles]

I find the fake ones so much more amusing.

[Amanda Montel]

Okay, wait. What's your favorite thing about Labubu?

[Chelsea Charles]

Well, my favorite thing about Sunny angel, which I guess is kind of off topic. Oh, sorry. So on the side of the box, you will see all the different kinds you could get. And there is often, however, a secret one that is not pictured. And that's, like, a super exciting one, I think with the Labubu in the most popular series, there are a bunch of different colors, but the secret one is gray. So all the, like, minimalist girlies are like, I want the gray one. But for Sunny Angels, the secret baby is never a baby. Nay, it is a tiny little rabbit creature, always by the name of Robby. R, O, B, B, Y. And that's my boyfriend's name.

[Amanda Montel]

Right.

[Chelsea Charles]

So the Robbies. Yeah, and the Robbies are objectively ugly, but they're very rare. So people get very excited for the Robbies.

[Amanda Montel]

I'm making a cult parallel here, because I'm getting, like, a Willy Wonka golden ticket energy from all of this. And what did the golden ticket represent for Charlie? Being chosen. Being lifted out of poverty and isolation and hopelessness into the chocolate factory of wonders. And maybe there's some hope that if you manifest hard enough and do your little Labubu prayers, whatever those look and sound like. I don't know. I'm sure there are ritualistic behaviors that you can do, whether it's posting or, I don't know, to help bring the reality of the Labubu of your choosing into your life. Then you could feel like anything is possible for me if I just hope hard enough. And you know what? I'm now realizing that I. A Labubu video did pop into my algorithm on Instagram the other week, because there is a cat that I follow. I'm sorry, forgive me, but my for you pages. Cats. And there is this amazing cat on Instagram named Piari.

[Chelsea Charles]

I love Pyary.

[Amanda Montel]

Do you know Pyari?

[Chelsea Charles]

Yes.

[Amanda Montel]

And this cat is so happy and docile. And the cat is gray, and her mom got her a Labubu and was like Piari, you're so decent, like you're so special, you know, maybe because you've earned it and you're so, so, so, so special. You'll get the gray Labubu. And indeed they opened up the blind box and it was the gray Labubu for Pyari, the gray kitty. And there's literally nothing you won about this.

[Chelsea Charles]

You won and it makes you special. And that's the feeling. That's the game.

[Amanda Montel]

I think jonesing for community in this ever disconnected digital age and Labubu has appealed to your extremely online consumerist sensibilities. And there's the added element of if you're special, you might get the loboo that you've prayed for that is contributing to the cult of American exceptionalism and manifestation that comes up on the show all the time.

[Chelsea Charles]

Oh yeah. And I think even though they are relatively themselves pretty inexpensive and pretty non consequential, the fact that you attach them to something larger, usually like a designer bag, I feel like that also contributes to the identity curation that you, you feel with these.

[Amanda Montel]

You wear them.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah, just a fleeting thought I had.

[Reese Oliver]

So they're inexpensive. But then, but don't they, they seem crazy.

[Chelsea Charles]

Well, they're like 30 to $40 and it's. Everybody spends the same 30 to $40 brand. I think that's what they were when they were like a fresh hot off the presses, brand new, which is on the higher end for a blind box. But you did, you've done, you've done more research. We can get more formal with it.

[Amanda Montel]

Yeah, let's more formally hum a few bars about the cult of consumerism's intersection with Labubu. So the resale market and adult demographic is I think what makes this toy trend somewhat unique. So when talking about Labubu with fellow millennials, instantly what comes to is Beanie Babies, troll dolls, Furbies, you know, these like coveted children's toys. But that collector culture was marketed to kids. I mean a lot of these toys had a whole like world and origin story that came with them. Beanie Babies were accompanied by birth certificates and little poems, Pokemon cards lived in these plastic binders that were like meant to preserve them and keep them precious. But Labubu has kind of flipped the script. These little vinyl toys are adorable, yes, but they're designed with adults in mind. And the price points, the drop mechanics, the resale drama, the streetwear collabs, the dead serious TikTok unboxing, none of it is accidental and it's not childhood nostalgia repackaged. It is full blown adult consumerism. And recent coverage of this whole phenomenon in the news makes it clear that that Labuu isn't just a collector's obsession. It is a fashion phenomenon, an opportunity for personal brand building. CBS News noted that charms now sell for over $1,000 on resale sites. Meanwhile, the Washington Post explained how this plush turned accessory reflects Gen Z's desire for identity expression through playful consumerism. And maybe Reese can speak to, like, some of the voids that Labubu is uniquely attempting to fill and how they're different and maybe even cultier than what you know of the Beanie Baby craze from the 90s.

[Chelsea Charles]

I think in part because the trend is so fleeting, you don't know, like, how long your loboo is going to be relevant for. So you have to get the one that's most popular right now. Because when I think of Beanie Babies, my nana started buying my sister and I Beanie Babies when we were very little in the 90s because she wanted to. That was our trust fund. Our trust fund is this bag of like 40 beanie babies that's sitting under my couch right now. But she bought the little collector's book with it and you were supposed, you know, to be diligent with it and there were hundreds of them. Whereas Labubu. The appeal is specifically that, like, out of the six in this series, you might get one, and it's more of a which one you have and how do you style it and how do you incorporate it into your larger Internet Persona as opposed to. It's not even necessarily like a look at how many Labubus I have. I. I've seen that, but I feel like even that so much doesn't matter necessarily. Like, it does and it doesn't.

[Amanda Montel]

This is interesting. Okay, so I think this relates more to, like, the identity stuff because, Chelsea, I don't know if you felt this way, but I didn't necessarily feel like my individual Beanie Babies said something about who I was, the type of person I was. Just the fact that I had them meant that I belonged and I was part of culture when I was 10 or whatever. Like, what was your relationship to Beanie Babies?

[Reese Oliver]

I didn't have, like, a really close relationship with Beanie Babies. I just for myself specifically, I will say, though, I felt like people who had Beanie Babies, it became a part of their identity, being a part of this larger club. I was a Tamagotchi girl. I had like five of those And I will say I didn't have a branded Tamagotchi. I had a knockoff Tamagotchi. And I did feel like it said so much about just, like, financially, where, where, how I showed up in society.

[Amanda Montel]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally. It was more like a status symbol.

[Reese Oliver]

Yeah, it was 1000% a status symbol. When I would go to summer camps and people would be like, not a real Tamagotchi, I, you know, it felt away because I was still a part of something. But it's 1000% a status symbol.

[Amanda Montel]

Is Labubu a status symbol?

[Reese Oliver]

I think Labubu is 1000% a status symbol.

[Amanda Montel]

What status?

[Chelsea Charles]

Trendiness. Finger on the pulse, Ness. I think it's like a trendiness and disposable income enough. And also, I think part of it is the scarcity, the blind box purchasing nature of it. It means that you have the free time to sit around and get that Labubu right when they drop or, you know, someone who does, like, they're difficult to obtain.

[Amanda Montel]

I feel like the death of monoculture has changed our relationship to products like this. Like, what kid in the 90s didn't know what a Tamagotchi was? Like, everybody kn. Yeah, but unless you're extremely online, you might still just think that Loboo is a noise.

[Reese Oliver]

Yeah, I still really believe that it is. To your point, Reese, like, finger on the pulse. It's the connection to what's happening in the world, because the fact that you can afford whatever. Not even a resale version of Labubu. Okay, yeah, that's one thing. But then when you go online and you get. Get deeper into the world and start buying, like, Prada clothes and Louis Vuitton clothes for your Labubu, I just think it says something about status for me. I don't know what. What the fuck it says about status, but it says something.

[Amanda Montel]

I almost feel like it's like a parody of status, which it's like, fuck you, but it's both. And it's like, because there's irony here, right? Like, the Labubus are ugly. They're a really ridiculous thing to spend that much money on. Like. Like, Beanie Babies are cute. And that's the millennial thing, is, like, we want things that are, like, pretty and cute and, like, we're earnest and we, like, do doggo lingo. And then Gen Z is all about, like, irony. And, like, you don't want to be earnest because that's cringe. So if you're buying, like, a Prada bag and then hanging A Labubu on it. You're almost like, I don't really care about wealth because I'm hanging this ugly ass keychain on it.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah. It's like, I can participate in the poor people trends because they're popular and I care about being popular, but I still need to do it in a way that shows that I'm better than you all.

[Amanda Montel]

Yes.

[Reese Oliver]

Nail on the head.

[Amanda Montel]

It almost reminds me of when, like, slim thick became the body standard because it was, like, pretending to be more achievable, but it actually was less achievable. Well, I won't get into it because that's not what this episode was about.

[Chelsea Charles]

I get your train of thought there, though.

[Amanda Montel]

There's such a high barrier to being cool now, because you have to understand all of these layers of humor and references and irony and be rich, but pretend like you're not so performative.

[Chelsea Charles]

Everything.

[Reese Oliver]

Quiet luxury. Quiet luxury.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yes. Yes. Our Labuba's quiet luxury.

[Amanda Montel]

They're like loud and quiet and luxurious and. And trashy.

[Chelsea Charles]

And it's. None of us have identities anymore, so we're all shopping for them online with all of these buzzwords that don't even mean anything when you put them together. Or, like, and then you try to translate those identities into products to sell back to the people, and it's just garbage. It's all a cycle of.

[Amanda Montel]

Here's a conspiracy theory. Are Labubu's a distraction away from the news?

[Reese Oliver]

Listen, I. I believe that I want.

[Chelsea Charles]

To see correlative numbers between voter registration and Labubu ownership.

[Amanda Montel]

Literally, though.

[Chelsea Charles]

Literally.

[Amanda Montel]

Where is that spurious correlation? Or what is that website? But, like, and it's not spurious. I genuinely think that, like, disaster fatigue has led us to the ridiculosity of Labubu. It's like, it's too hard to figure out where to donate one's money, so I'm just gonna donate it to Loboo.

[Reese Oliver]

Your backyard barbecue has some new RSVP's. Just tap Target.

[Amanda Montel]

With the grill raring to go, your.

[Reese Oliver]

Personal shopper is tackling your same day delivery order at Target, babe. So Bob and Lynn are bringing the kids after all. Pro tip. You can change your same day order with a quick text to your shopper.

[Chelsea Charles]

I'll have her add popsicles. Ooh, and some sidewalk chalk.

[Amanda Montel]

Your shopper texts a thumbs up.

[Reese Oliver]

You text five exclamation points and life is good. Text with a personal shopper and get it all delivered asap. Just tap Target.

[Chelsea Charles]

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[Reese Oliver]

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[Chelsea Charles]

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[Amanda Montel]

Hi. Sounds like a cult.

[Reese Oliver]

This is Valeria from Florida and I.

[Chelsea Charles]

Think what makes the Boo Boos culty is definitely the response they elicit in their followers when they open those bags.

[Reese Oliver]

Or packages and they get a new Labubu. I've seen hysterics, tears, screaming, and you don't get that kind of response from just anything. The influence that these dolls have over the that obsess over them is very intense.

[Chelsea Charles]

My name is Bailey, I'm calling from Iowa and I think the cultiest thing about Labubus is that people from my hometown who I actually know have them. I'm Iowa born and raised. We're not known for being a particularly trendy culture. In fact, the Onion literally had an article like mocking Iowa fashion. So usually when I learn that something is trending, it's exclusively through these social media fashion influencers who I have no connection to. I've never seen a girly wearing butter yellow out, but I've seen at least five girls from my hometown posting their Labubus to their Instagram story. Mind you, we don't even have a pop mart in the entire state, so I don't know where they're getting them. And it's not like they're cheap, but it's crazy out here.

[Amanda Montel]

Hi, I'm Jackie Andrea. I'm calling from Long Island, New York and I think what makes Labubu so culty is the fact that on TikTok we just wrapped up this huge trend of recognizing over consumption and the way in which it can not only ruin our planet, but can ruin our individual lives. And then we get marketed this rather ugly toy that no adult needs. And this is not really being marketed towards children. This is being marketed towards fashionable adults who don't really need it. So did under consumption just finish when the trend finished? Actually, speaking of conspiracy theories, Reese, can you talk about the cultiest, most underground, insane, fringe dimension of Labubu culture before we get into our verdict?

[Chelsea Charles]

I would love to. You know, when the adults on Facebook find the Gen Z trends, they're gonna find a way to make them sound terrifying. And it's been found. Now let's get into the part of Labubu story that feels a little less like a fun Ryan's YouTube unboxing and more like an episode of Ghost Adventures. Internet chats and conspiracies have begun to pop up that are feeling like they're straight from the Satanic Panic playbook. So people online, many of whom are mainlining Instagram Reels at 3am They've started to claim that these little Labubu dolls are cursed, possessed, or part of some shadowy voodoo ritual aimed at manipulating children's psyches. Not gonna lie, I don't disagree. According to fact checkers at Myth Detector, these theories largely trace back to a Russian language video that claimed Labubu was used in quote unquote, voodoo based psychological warfare.

[Amanda Montel]

I know Chelsea already has some thoughts about the voodoo slander.

[Reese Oliver]

Okay, I'm not into that. I'm not into that.

[Amanda Montel]

No, no.

[Chelsea Charles]

Meanwhile, Reddit threads like the one in R Paranormal detail, eerie anecdotes like Labubus allegedly moving on, their own pets going feral, or children waking up at 3:14am in a trance. Okay, okay. The seemingly dominant occult conspiracy is that Labubu is really Pazuzu, the ancient Mesopotamian demon. There are full blown TikTok accounts documenting the supposed dark energy of the dolls, with users claiming they got physically ill or haunted after buying a Loboo secondhand. The conspiracy got so loud that Popmart issued an April Fool's recall notice joking about paranormal activity and obvious parody that only fueled the fire.

[Amanda Montel]

Oh, my God, that is so funny.

[Chelsea Charles]

Right? Like, I kind of love it.

[Amanda Montel]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Charles]

And yet most of these claims are completely unverified, according to Snipes. Unverified? How do you verify a haunting? Yeah, how do you. The Pazuzu has indeed confirmed that it has inhabited the bodies of all of the. Yeah. No, what we are seeing is a classic case of conspiracy culture meeting consumerism, which is exactly the kind of modern day cultish behavior that we love, love to dissect here at Slack. I just love that wherever there is a stupid little conspiracy theory, it's always like, the letters are rearranged or it sounds similar, or like there's an Easter egg in what it's called. Yeah, like if they were possessed, like, why? I don't know.

[Amanda Montel]

If you combine the word possessed and the word Labubu, you get possessed.

[Chelsea Charles]

Someone was. Wait, that's so funny. Wait, wait, wait.

[Amanda Montel]

Can we coin this? Like, anytime something is, like, cute but haunted, we can call it Pazuzu Pazuzu. Delulu. Pazuzu. Yes. Okay, wait. Duh. This is why this occurred to me as baby babbling. Because I think there is a general self infantilization as, like, self protection and coping mechanism that we engage in during broader times of cultural crisis. And that's why I think we've cutesified serious terms like delusional and turned it into delulu. And I think Labubu is also in line with this trend of, like, self infantilization as a form of, like, whatever, self parenting, coping. La la la. Just like Married with consumerism.

[Reese Oliver]

I will say I' ma diss Labubu for a second, though. You can't even do anything fun with Labubu. Like, Labubu just hooks on your purse. It's just there. You put the clothes on. Back in my day, we had cool toys, okay? You can do stuff with them. Tamagotchi feed, burp. Okay?

[Amanda Montel]

Literally.

[Chelsea Charles]

What do you know about that one?

[Amanda Montel]

And you know what? A Labubu can't die, but a Tamagotchi can.

[Reese Oliver]

A Tamagodachi can die.

[Amanda Montel]

Well, a Chia pet can die.

[Reese Oliver]

Chia pets die. What are the stakes?

[Amanda Montel]

Get acquainted with mortality. Exactly. If you disconnect from your body, you disconnect from death. Death reconnect with death.

[Reese Oliver]

And that's what's culty to me. Because the fact that Labubu can live in perpetuity. There's something.

[Amanda Montel]

Yes, there's something wrong. No, there's nothing wrong about that.

[Reese Oliver]

That's not right.

[Chelsea Charles]

You're cheating your way out of companionship.

[Amanda Montel]

It's Satan in a landfill. It's Satan in a landfill.

[Reese Oliver]

Ooh, plastic crack.

[Amanda Montel]

Plastic crack.

[Reese Oliver]

Okay, wait. One last thing. Black people in America who are, like, first generation, there's, like, this whole expose on TikTok happening right now about Labubu. And it's just so funny because they're like, you know how black people will never purchase common. Black people never purchase a Labubu is because we think everything is demonic. So when we see, like. Like, growing up, I had to sneak and watch Harry Potter. Like, I couldn't watch any creepy, crawly, witchy things because they're like, that's demonic. And so for me, I think that's why I have a natural aversion to be like. Like, what the fuck is this thing? It looks like a devil, and I don't know, it has a devilish name.

[Amanda Montel]

You're so right about that. Like, now that I'm thinking about it, haunted dolls is hard. Like, being that attached to A doll that is clearly a vessel for some evil, vile shit. Honestly, like ventriloquism.

[Reese Oliver]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh.

[Chelsea Charles]

The horror movie about Labubu that's going to come out in the. In like half a year. That's gonna be the worst.

[Reese Oliver]

I wanna make it.

[Chelsea Charles]

Any of us have ever.

[Reese Oliver]

I want to make it. I wanna make it.

[Chelsea Charles]

I'll star in it. I'll star in it. Chelsea. If you make it.

[Amanda Montel]

Oh, my God. Someone please, like, option and develop this episode with Chelsea. This is ip. Hello. Please wait.

[Reese Oliver]

I love horror. I love thr.

[Chelsea Charles]

My name is Megan. I'm from Fairfax, Virginia. And I think the cultiest thing about Labubus is the exclusivity and how difficult it is to actually get one. They're always sold out. If you buy them online and you catch them when they're available, you have.

[Reese Oliver]

To scroll, you have to refresh because.

[Chelsea Charles]

They make it very difficult and almost gamify having to get one.

[Reese Oliver]

One.

[Chelsea Charles]

Hi, I'm Adriana. I'm calling from Cleveland, Ohio. And I think what makes the Boo Boos so culty is that they have knockoffs and that these knockoffs are actually, like, really good dupes. I saw a video, it might have been from, like, the New York Times where they're like, tell the difference. You need to, like, count the teeth, look at the tags. Because, like, a letter or two might just be off. It's crazy because I don't even think designer handbag knockoffs are this intricate and detailed. Hi, culties, my name is Camille. I am calling in from New Orleans. I think Labubus are culty for many reasons, but the main thing that comes to mind for me is this woman on TikTok who has gone viral for trolling the Labubu people. She's got this amazing accent and she claims to be the owner of the rarest gemstone and gold Labubus in the world. She always starts out with, I am the owner of the one and only 24 karat gold Labo Boo. I cannot do it very well. But she's incredible. I'm obsessed with her. And this trend wouldn't be so successful if people weren't so obsessed with finding the most rare, expensive, valuable Labubu out there.

[Amanda Montel]

Now that we've had this roundtable education, it's time to play a tiny lightning round game of what's cultier? Before we get into our verdict, because we randomly covered a lot of dolls on this show, so it's time to figure out what's the cultiest of them. All I'm gonna read a list of culty dolls with which to compare Labubu. And you're just gonna essentially have to think about which you would rather have sitting on your bedroom shelf staring at you as you fall asleep. Ready? What's cultier Labubu or American Girl doll culture?

[Reese Oliver]

Labubu.

[Amanda Montel]

I agree. I agree tentatively, grudgingly.

[Reese Oliver]

Okay.

[Amanda Montel]

Labubu or troll dolls?

[Reese Oliver]

Troll. Troll was so expansive. Labubu is just getting its feet off the ground. Trolls had pencils. Listen, troll was everywhere. Yeah.

[Chelsea Charles]

I think the fact that Justin Timberlake can make money off of trolls today and they've existed since the 80s, I think that's a pretty prolific cult.

[Reese Oliver]

Yeah.

[Amanda Montel]

Sound arguments.

[Reese Oliver]

Yes.

[Amanda Montel]

Labubu is like new religious movement. Troll doll is like old school Christianity. It's been around.

[Chelsea Charles]

I think in a couple years it'll be embarrassing to have a Labubu, But I think trinkets will always be cool to the people who are in the know.

[Amanda Montel]

Cool. Okay. Labubu or Cabbage Patch Kids.

[Reese Oliver]

Who would I rather have staring at me?

[Amanda Montel]

Yeah. I mean, the rules of this game are kind of fluid. Okay.

[Chelsea Charles]

Cabbage Patch Kids are cultier because if you go to the store or like the Cabbage Patch, they have the big tree, the big mother tree where they're birthed. And I think that's really culty.

[Reese Oliver]

I'll be honest. I'm about Cabbage Patch Kids because I had the cutest Cabbage Patch kid growing up. His name was Nicholas. He had a birth certificate. I was not a doll's girl. I was more of a baby girl. I was, like, breastfeeding at 4. I lived.

[Amanda Montel]

Nicholas was bald.

[Chelsea Charles]

He was cute.

[Reese Oliver]

I lived for cabbage patch. Okay, okay.

[Amanda Montel]

Boy moms.

[Reese Oliver]

I was.

[Chelsea Charles]

Don't you ever refer to this.

[Reese Oliver]

Don't you ever ref.

[Amanda Montel]

Sorry, what was your answer?

[Reese Oliver]

Cabbage patch is. Is 1000% cultier than Labu.

[Amanda Montel]

Boo. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cuz again, who would ever breastfeed a Labo? Fair. Okay, I'm just gonna do one more. What's cultier? Labubu or reborn dolls?

[Reese Oliver]

Reborn.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah. Until the real sale markets are equal. But I don't think they quite are. I think the reborns are still going for more. Those are. Those are works of art, baby.

[Amanda Montel]

You.

[Chelsea Charles]

Exactly what you're doing. You have to be really specific with the baby you want. And that's culty.

[Amanda Montel]

Yeah. And just like the grief element, like, who's. I mean. Okay, yes, people are using Labubus to fill a void of loneliness, but not to fill a void of like a specifically dead baby.

[Reese Oliver]

Yeah.

[Chelsea Charles]

And people with reborn dolls are often doing it and projecting these things onto these dolls consciously, whereas Labubu owners.

[Amanda Montel]

Oh, it's conscious, right? It's super on purpose. Yeah. I think. I feel like people buy a Labubu in like a 3am state of like Ambien motivated shopaholism. You know what I'm saying?

[Chelsea Charles]

Yes.

[Amanda Montel]

All right. I think we're ready. We've exhausted this topic. I'm exhausted out of our three cult categories. Live your life, watch your back and get the fuck out. Which do we think the cult of Labu Boo falls into?

[Reese Oliver]

I'd say watch your back. The only reason I wouldn't say live your life is because of the over consumption aspect that I just can't ignore in this whole thing. It's like the buying the clothes. I don't know. There's just something about that.

[Amanda Montel]

Oh, Chelsea, I think this is a. Get the fuck out. Oh, I'm dead serious. I think nothing good can come of this.

[Reese Oliver]

Okay. Okay.

[Amanda Montel]

It reminds me of Stanley Cups because it's just like, so all consuming, but, like, ultimately you can actually use a Stanley cup as like a water bottle. Yeah. None of the positives of cultishness are detectable here from where I sit. Only the negatives and not all of the negatives. Obviously. It's a really low stakes. Get the fuck out. Weirdly, yeah.

[Chelsea Charles]

That's kind of what's tripping me up. Because while I do agree, I think it is just such a bad omen and such a good indicator for where we are financially and mindset wise and what we want to do with our time and money and attention and, you know, I think that's obviously all terrible. I don't know that that's necessarily unique or inherently harmful to the Labubu itself, though.

[Amanda Montel]

I know. I knew Rhys was gonna say this shit.

[Reese Oliver]

I'm sorry.

[Amanda Montel]

Labubu apologist.

[Chelsea Charles]

I know I am. I'm a blind box apologist. As a person who needs a little whimsy in this goddamn hellscape. Sorry. Yeah.

[Amanda Montel]

A Labubu in a vacuum delight.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah.

[Amanda Montel]

A Labubu in context. Live your life, but also just don't do it.

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah. I would say look at them online, I think, because I just. Everyone's gonna forget. And ultimately the reason that I don't think they're that harmful is because I think they're nothing at the end of the day. And they will become nothing very soon. I think.

[Amanda Montel]

Get a plant. I think join the cult of plant parents, you know?

[Chelsea Charles]

Yeah. Just find a more fulfilling cult totally.

[Amanda Montel]

The unfulfillingness is why I think this is a get the fuck out because it's a bottomless pit of nothing.

[Reese Oliver]

You also made a point earlier about what do you think this is distracting us from? And I just cannot get like I'm one of those people and it's like bombs in Iran and scrolling on TikTok and using it's Lubu and what even is this? But yeah, I don't know.

[Amanda Montel]

Totally just escapism.

[Chelsea Charles]

I think I'm going watch your back. Participate mindfully.

[Amanda Montel]

It's almost all three. It's like a live your back out.

[Chelsea Charles]

Live your back out walk to the other side of the pop mart.

[Amanda Montel]

I don't know damn well that is our show.

[Reese Oliver]

Thanks so much for listening.

[Chelsea Charles]

Be sure to tune in for a new episode next week, but in the meantime time make sure to stay culty.

[Amanda Montel]

But not too culty. Sounds Like a Cult was created by Amanda Montel and edited by Jordan Moore of the Pod Cabin. This episode was hosted by Amanda Montel, Reese Oliver and Chelsea Charles. Our managing producer is Katie Epperson. Our theme music is by Casey Cole. If you enjoyed the show, we'd really appreciate it if you could leave it 5 stars on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It really helps the show a lot. And if you like this podcast, feel free to check out my book Cultish the Language of Fanaticism which inspired the show. You might also enjoy my other books, the Age of Magical Notes on Modern Irrationality and Word A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language. Thanks as well to our network studio 71 and be sure to follow the Sounds Like a Cult cult on Instagram for for all the discourse at Sounds Like a Cult Pod or support us on Patreon to listen to the show ad free at patreon.com soundslikeacult with the American Express Platinum card you can unlock over $1,500 in value annually with statement.

[Chelsea Charles]

Credits on select purchases and other benefits.

[Amanda Montel]

So you can access more jet setting and more resetting and downward dog. Learn more at American express.

[Chelsea Charles]

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