Today, Explained — “The book of Mormon influence”
Date: March 22, 2026
Host: Jonquilyn Hill (JQ)
Guests: Bridget Reed (New York Magazine), McKay Coppins (The Atlantic), Diane Winston (USC Professor)

Episode Overview

This episode explores the rise of Mormon influencers and the broader impact of Mormonism on American pop culture. It investigates how Mormon women pioneered new trends on social media, the interplay between religion and pop culture, and how these dynamics shape public perceptions of faith and modern American life. Through interviews with journalists and academics, the episode examines both historical context and contemporary phenomena — from “trad wife” influencers to religious themes in TV and film.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Rise of Mormon Influencers in Pop Culture

• Explosion of Mormon Influencers:

  • Taylor Frankie Paul’s high-profile presence and controversy (01:09)
  • Surge of Mormon moms on platforms like TikTok and reality TV (01:27, 02:01)
  • “Mom Talk” as a cultural touchstone

• Pioneers of Influencer Culture:

  • Rachel Parcell and the blog “Pink Peonies” described as foundational (03:14)
    • Early adopter of monetizing lifestyle content with product links
    • Influence predates widespread influencer culture
    • Quote: “It’s endemic to how people live and make money online. But this was long before that was actually an income.” — Bridget Reed (04:00)

• Why Mormon Women Excel at Social Media:

  • Strong gender roles emphasizing homemaking and childrearing (04:47)
  • Community’s tight-knit nature and social monitoring replicates the curated, performative aspects of social media (05:25–06:53)
  • Tech-savvy population in Utah facilitates early tech adoption (06:25)

• Pandemic as a Turning Point:

  • Lockdowns pushed everyone into the “domestic sphere,” validating content Mormon women were already producing (07:09)
  • “It onboarded the rest of the world to Mormon style content making. And now we’re just living in that world.” — Bridget Reed (08:18)
  • Glamorous depiction of traditional domesticity now seen as modern and enviable (09:15)

Historical Context: Mormonism & The American Story

• Origins and Persecution:

  • Founded by Joseph Smith in upstate New York (12:09)
  • Fled violent persecution across multiple states; “extermination order” in Missouri (12:37)
  • Settled in present-day Utah, then a Mexican territory (13:33)
  • Quote: “This church that saw itself as kind of a beacon of the best of what America had to offer was roundly and often violently rejected by America itself.” — McKay Coppins (13:53)

• Mormonism as “The Most American Religion”:

  • One of few major global religions founded in America (14:38)
  • Church doctrine intertwined with American founding ideals (15:27)
  • Founding documents seen as divinely inspired; emphasis on personal agency and free will (15:27–16:19)

• Mainstreaming and Assimilation:

  • Post-polygamy, the church sought to assimilate into mainstream American life (16:19)
  • Portrayed itself as traditionally American: large families, civic engagement (16:57)
  • Effort to become “all-American” included practical moves (joining military, CIA, etc.)

• Lingering Tensions:

  • Ongoing debate within church about assimilating into secular culture vs. maintaining distinctive beliefs (18:42)
  • Reference to church leader Gordon B. Hinckley: “We are a peculiar people and … we should be a peculiar people.” (19:27)
  • Fears that pop culture presence might overshadow religious substance (19:43)
  • Quote: “I think there is a little bit of discomfort … that Mormonism will come to be seen as all these sort of pop cultural indicators … and then not actually be identified by their religious beliefs.” — McKay Coppins (19:43)

Religion and Pop Culture in Today’s America

• Streaming Era’s Impact:

  • Niche audiences enable more shows with explicit religious themes (22:38)
  • Contrast with network era, which avoided religious specificity for broad appeal (23:14)
  • Example of “The Chosen” (Christian drama crowdfunded and hugely successful) (24:16)
    • “It’s not supernatural. It’s not flashy. It’s just showing life in Palestine circa 0 to 33 common era.” — Diane Winston (24:16)

• Religion as Theme vs. Explicit Content:

  • Many series feature religious themes (redemption, sacrifice, good vs. evil) without being overtly religious (25:33)
  • Examples:
    • “The Pit” — Jewish character with Jesus-like traits
    • “The Bear” — protagonist as a figure carrying the burdens of others (26:31)
    • “So those ideas of redemption, of suffering, of salvation often play out in popular culture.” — Diane Winston (27:03)

• Influence and Sanitization on Social Media:

  • Influencers like Ballerina Farm showcase “sanitized,” aesthetically pleasing versions of Mormon life (27:38)
    • “We mostly think of her as a beautiful woman with a lovely family … That’s a very different view of the religion than the recent movie Heretic with Hugh Grant.” — Diane Winston (28:24)
  • Contrast between personal branding and more complex/critical representations of faith in film or TV
  • “Basically, religion is all about what am I doing here, what’s the purpose of my life? … That’s why the Quran and the Bible and the Indian epics have been around for thousands of years, because they’re stories about people and how they decide to live their lives and how they confront all the things that that happen.” — Diane Winston (29:10)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Mormon Influencers:

  • “I gained like 60,000 followers in a week.” — Influencer Taylor Frankie Paul on sudden fame (01:01)
  • “We are making sourdough bread. We’re gonna do a tutorial video …” — JQ on how Mormon domesticity permeates content (02:09)
  • “This is a savvy church and they realize that, you know, a portrayal of modern women calling themselves Mormon, making a ton of money on Spawn Con … it’s very enviable.” — Bridget Reed (08:41)

• On Assimilation vs. Peculiarity:

  • “There is a little bit of discomfort in some quarters of the church that Mormonism will come to be seen as all these sort of pop cultural indicators … and then not actually be identified by their religious beliefs.” — McKay Coppins (19:43)

• On Pop Culture’s Portrayal of Religion:

  • “We all know she’s Mormon … But we mostly think of her as a beautiful woman with a lovely family who sells wonderful products. That’s a very different view of the religion than the recent movie Heretic …” — Diane Winston (27:38)

Important Timestamps

• 00:55–02:50: Introduction to Mormon influencers & “Mom Talk”
• 03:00–04:37: Rachel Parcell and the origins of lifestyle influencing
• 04:47–07:06: Why Mormon women excel in social media, community structure, and tech adoption
• 07:09–09:26: Pandemic’s role in spreading Mormon-style content and mainstreaming homemaker aesthetics
• 11:48–14:21: Church history, Joseph Smith, and violent persecution
• 14:21–16:19: Mormonism’s American roots and canonization of founding ideals
• 16:19–18:42: The church’s move to assimilation and cultural acceptance
• 18:42–21:12: Ongoing debate about assimilation versus maintaining distinctive faith identity
• 22:30–24:39: Religion in streaming/TV, “The Chosen,” and niche audiences
• 25:33–27:38: “Whitewashed” religion via influencers vs. complex portrayals in film/TV
• 29:10: Broader human appeal of religious storytelling

Conclusion

This episode unpacks how Mormon women shaped internet culture, why the faith resonates with American values, and the ways pop culture alternately reflects and reframes religious life. It underscores the dynamic between portraying faith as both modern and traditional, with the digital era blurring distinctions between authentic religious practice and performative “trad wife” aesthetics. The episode challenges listeners to consider the effects of pop culture on faith identity — and vice versa — in shaping modern America.